CTF-MOK-Madness
Map Info
	File Name ctf-mok-madness_2k4.zip Author Fragman{MOK} Gametype UT2k4 Capture The Flag Date Added 06-05-2004 File Version 1.00 File Size 3.63 mb Player Count 0-16 Map Description None Review Rating 2.5 User Rating 3 Overall Rating 2.5
Review
Reviewer Ice-Dancer Awe Score:  1.0/3 Date 01-23-2005 Build Score:  1.0/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  0.5/3 User Point:  0 Overall Score:  2.5/10 CTF-MOK-Madness by Fragman{MOK} Well, this is, at least, another Thorns type map, however it does add some interesting features: · A second floor above each flag base gives defenders a better chance, but turns the attackers job into hell. · Two side indentations in the map give the flag carrier a place to hide, and also some of weapons and armor can be found there, such as the flak and minigun, meaning the attackers must decide as to whether they go to the side and get better weapons, or just run with the rocket launcher and lightning gun that can be found at the spawnpoints. · A redeemer in the water pool can be used to clear out defenders at the opposition’s base Apart from that, it’s basically Thorns, with perhaps, less pillars, and a little smaller. Lighting is average, and something not seen in every map, there are actually light sources (where the light comes from, it doesn’t just appear in a room with no windows) as there are torches mounted on the wall, they don’t seem to match the rest of the map, which is mostly textured in concrete or dark brick, whereas the candles are a bight gold, more suited to an Egyptian map. Texturing is nothing special, there are team coloured textures which could have been used effectively, but as the “middleâ€� area of the map was textured in red teamcolours one side, and blue teamcolours the other, it didn’t have as much effect as it could have done, the middle should really have been textured with a neutral version of the brick texture. There isn’t much variation of textures here at all, but I guess it’s not really needed for a Thorns type map. Textures, however, are all well aligned. There wasn’t really much of a theme going on here. It would have been nice to see a skybox going on here, as the lack of it makes the map look even more like it belongs back in Unreal Tournament original, rather than UT2004. Well, brushwork here was pretty basic, a lot of cylindrical pillars, cubes, and the main arena seems to be something cooked up in the 2D shape editor. Brushes, however, are aligned properly. No sounds where used in this level, although there wasn’t really a lot of need for them, it would have been nice to hear water lapping around the pool in the centre of the map. The map is made up entirely from one big zone, but luckily, the framerate is still fine. No BSP holes are HOM effects to be found here. Static mesh use existed, but wasn’t really used as much as it could have been, more decorations along the wall would have been nice. Static meshes have been used, as light sources in the shape of torches along the walls, for the bridge that crosses the water pool in the middle of the map, and for the lifts, which go to the second floor of the side chambers. The movers, which where made from static meshes, worked fine, my only complaint, was that if you ‘lift jumped’, which I have an annoying habit of doing every single time I am on a lift, by the time you come back down from the jump, the lift has already gone back down, so you have to take the lift back up again, so perhaps the author could slow the movetime down a bit next time. Also, it would have been nice if the author had of used movers in the flagbases, rather than teleporters to get up to the second floor, the teleporters are done nicely, yes, with the use of Emitters, but they seem out of place in an industrial styled map like this, and could end up with a lot of telefragging going on. I also don’t think that the teleporters on the second floor of the side rooms that take you to the opposite side room where necessary, as it can lead to a hard job for the defenders to kill the Enemy Flag Carrier (EFC). Also, the use of two teleporters each time, to keep the map symmetrical really where not necessary, yes it may help stop telefragging, and perhaps look nice, but it can confuse players, and, as said above, make the defenders trying to kill the EFC, have a hard time chasing him. Gameplay here is only good if you are a hardcore Thorns lover, or in search of a long game, or a huge fragfest, it’s damn impossible to capture the flag with players or bots on a higher skill setting. With very few options as to what to do after you have the flag, the only thing you can do is turn and run the way you came, and it won’t be long until you are scoped out and killed by someone on the second floor with a lightning gun. AI seems fine, but the bots, also find it impossible to get the flag home. There is very little flow to the game, following a pattern of Spawn>Frag>Be Fragged>Repeat Process. Item placement, was in general good, MOK-Madness, isn’t one of these maps which insists on including EVERY single weapon in it, and settles for just a few, as I said earlier, the choice the attackers must make as to whether to go and get some better weapons or to stick with what they have and get there quicker makes the gameplay that bit more interesting. My only complaint to the weapon placement was of the lightning gun, yes it is in an ideal location of the defenders, but a weapon with a scope on it that can take out someone in 2 hits, makes an attackers job damn hard, especially when there is only one way in and out. I think the lightning gun should still be there, but putting it in the centre of the map would be a better idea, as that way, the defenders would either have to defend with shorter range weapons, or make a trip to the centre of the map to get the gun, and then get back, without getting fragged, and leaving their flag exposed for a while. Overall, this map is only suited for people who like Thorns type maps, or really big fragfests, for people not liking those kindof situations, the map really isn’t worth it. It’s an interesting take on the Thorns style, and one of the better versions I have seen. This map doesn’t use the UT2004 engine as it could, and really feels as though it belongs back in UT original.
Map Comments
sandorski 06-06-2004 11:31 PM MDT Rating: 3   Would have been about Average for UT, but that was then. Kantham 01-25-2005 12:34 PM MST   this is a clan map , what do you expected? *sigh* , why do you Review crap map instead of reviwing nice stuf,? slaskan 02-01-2005 06:08 PM MST   i agree with u kantham, y do the reviers waste their time at crap when they could do reviews of great maps, like mine