CTF-Aedes
Map Info
	File Name ctf-aedes-final.zip Author Bot40 Gametype UT2k4 Capture The Flag Date Added 09-22-2004 File Version 3.00 File Size 9.78 mb Player Count 8 - 14 Map Description Update: Fixed a spawnpoint set to the wrong team, fixed the biorifle spawn behind the flag too. (don't bother updating if you aren't fussed about those 2 changes) "The Temple of Aedes. Still new and shining in the golden sunset, this was the last temple the nali built before their race was brutally wiped out by the skaarj on the planet of Dria." My second map for UT2k4, got an honorable mention in MSU phase 3 for "Best level with original content". Map is a very atmospheric temple set on a beach at sunset. Contains about 90% custom textures and 90% custom meshes. Hopefully the theme is somewhat unique, there are temple maps out there but I wanted to go for a more detailed/realistic approach. Note, if you have performance problems (hopefully not!), then you can set your world detail down to low and it should cut out around 30-40,000 triangles. Review Rating 8 User Rating 8 Overall Rating 8
Review
Reviewer Twrecks Awe Score:  3.0/3 Date 04-10-2005 Build Score:  3.0/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  2.0/3 User Point:  0 Overall Score:  8/10 You gotta hand it to Bot40 for putting out consistantly good levels. His second map into the 2k4 fray, CTF-Aedes-Final is the third iteration of this map. Heh, so I guess it's number 4, 5 if you count the "ghey flyby" map Cathedral. His words, really. All the same, Bot40 knows his CTF like most people know how to walk. Good layout, nice item placement and a great grasp on gameplay. Visuals are what really win this map over the competition, heck it got an honorable mention in phase 3 of the MSUC. With over a hundred custom static meshes, some of the best lighting you'll find in a user-made map and the soundFX rivalling the need for a music track, Aedes is a work of art. Yea, I've argued over whether mapping is an art or a skill, this map breaks into that upper area that reserves a few meg on my HD and should be on your list next time windows takes you for a C:format. I'm impressed with the build, from major under taking of a mesh cave system to the minute detail of falling leaves you'll find the artisan's hand at work. It's actually amusing to open in Ued with some of the SM names and notes through out the map. The layout is simple enough, two bases seperated by a central temple. Effecting the layout on several levels for just enough Z and maintaining a natural feel is masterful. A very organic flow is produced by mixing terrain with the caves. The structures (also SMs) blend with their surroundings, no harsh BSP to break the mood. Of particular interest to me was the xProcMesh used for the ocean/sea, a frame rate saver and visible from underneath as well as on shore it recieves a cube map that mirrors the sky box, though odd when inside a cavern, it looked sweet when as a player I was out in the open. And yes, a liberal amount of Anti-portals also helped keep the FPS in playable regions even when the action got hot with 14 players (max load). Where this puppy shines, on top of the visuals, is how well the bots work, and so can human players. I played this map a few times online and found that offense is the strong suit. Defensively, the flag bases are open from above, behind and directly in front. At least two players need to be gaurding the flag to make even a short stand against a well armored and healthed up agressor. Typically runners will take the upper route to the temple and then the short ground race through the sand floored canyon to their base. There's another well placed defensive niche above the first alcove from the temple that allows a good vantage point to get a drop on attackers. Overall, the flak cannon will win in the ensuing face-to-face encounters, make sure you grab enough ammo to see your way home. AI, pathing and named volumes add polish to the game matching many retail maps, so even off-line expect a good match. Oh yea, you can't enter the forest, blocking volumes are well positioned, and you'll need to practice that double lift jump for added fun. So what else is there to say? Definately NaliCity HotList material. It only leaves one question in my mind... who was Aedes? I guess it doen't matter when carrying a loaded rocket launcher and some bot has your flag!
Map Comments
Syrtis 06-09-2004 07:21 AM MDT Rating: 10   Awesome map. Doriz 06-09-2004 09:19 AM MDT Rating: 8   Nice map man. I downloaded this map from a other site. The grassy rocks are beautiful (each time :P)and the skybox is nice too I see no bugs in the level so well done unXceptable 06-09-2004 09:33 AM MDT Rating: 8   As I said in the Atari Forums: Very close athomsphere due to rather detailled architecture and superb design! Unfortunately Gameplay goes a bit lost in that great layout.. sulkava 06-09-2004 02:03 PM MDT Rating: 5   The map has a goodlook, The gameplay isn't bad but not the best. But i have see one big fucking bug. Look at the sky and when you look around you will see that u are in a cubus. Plz fix that big bug. Than i can change my rating into a 7. Manticore 07-18-2004 05:46 PM MDT Rating: 8.5   Masterful job.... particularly lighting. Atmospheric?!?!?! Probably the best lit map so far for this engine... Atmosphere plus. Fordy 06-09-2004 05:44 PM MDT Rating: 8   The best looking & most fun CTF map to appear for a long time. There are a few small niggles but nothing that affects playability. Bot40 09-23-2004 10:09 AM MDT   OK, if you downloaded SE then you don't really need to bother too much with this. I only fixed the biorifle spawn and one playerstart was set to the wrong team (so occasionally you might spawn on the wrong side). If you aren't too bothered about those fixes then don't waste your time :) TheSpoonDog 06-10-2004 01:07 AM MDT   Nice map, and looks like it would play well (haven't had a chance to actually play it yet). Would *cough* probably make a decent Jailbreak map *cough* too... ;) sandorski 06-10-2004 02:30 AM MDT Rating: 8   Great CTF Map. Recommended Download David-Tran 06-10-2004 04:20 AM MDT Rating: 7   Very enjoyable level. Good to see something that's not sci-fi based. [WoD]Mephisto 06-10-2004 06:58 AM MDT Rating: 9   great map. really worth the download. only negative point i found was the default bot count. it was a bit too much players for such a small map. i think 4v4 wouldve been better then 6v5... and people that rate it 5 because their videocard sucks shouldnt respond here... i didnt see anything weird with the skybox, and i certainly wouldnt say its a "big bug" if you dont even notice it while playing. its not even a bug, its a glitch. i'd like to see some of your work, actually... darth_weasel 06-10-2004 08:00 AM MDT Rating: 8   as impressive looking/atmospheric outdoor scenes as any 2k map i've played, very well put together, i cant comment on the gameplay though since im not a CTF player Claw 06-10-2004 11:03 AM MDT Rating: 8   The map is great, I ain't a CTF player but I think gameplay is a blast, and the visuals are great. There are a few minor flaws, and well, then there is other thing.. but I'll be forgiving. Hourences 06-10-2004 02:51 PM MDT Rating: 8   nice map, very solid and well made, rather original and recaptures the nice onp temple and whatever feelings tho the skybox is horribly compressed for me, its even worse as s3tc skyboxes in ut1; i lack some detailtextures i think; there are lots of healthvials on unlogical places; the sun should have been painted out of the cubemap; except the fire particles there arent a lot of other things around, some dust or wind or drips or anything would have been nice; and the invisible wall near the flag for the water is way too notticable nice rocks but also very smooth, there are no smaller rocks and things around, small rubble, bricks, big rocks, pebbles on the ground, it makes the whole cave system feel rather artificial at times rest is very nice and floorplan is nicely worked out, all the elevator jumps and gratings and stuff are great Dermion 06-15-2004 02:46 AM MDT Rating: 8   Very well done. Bot40, keep up the good work. Your maps got that something. Draco 07-08-2004 05:25 PM MDT Rating: 7   A nice good looking map. Fun to play. E.T 07-18-2004 08:57 AM MDT Rating: 8.5   Awsome map, one of the best since the release of ut2004 SilverHairDevil 07-18-2004 10:32 AM MDT   Alright, here's the deal. By now, anyone who knows me our has read my reviews should know I'm strict about "nali" maps or "old unreal" maps (like anytinhg NozzeM has done). Okay. Dria is a place on the planet Na Pali, which is the home of the nali people and blah blah blah. So it's not a huge deal, but I'm just correcting you. Haven't played the map, but it looks pretty. anarkist 07-18-2004 11:54 AM MDT Rating: 8   Great level but in the SE version the weapon base behind the flag has no weapon on it? :O Gul Dukat 07-18-2004 02:16 PM MDT Rating: 9   To everyone, who haven´t already done it yet: DOWNLOAD IT NOW!!! This is an order! ... or are you allergic to perfect CTF-maps? Than download it even more, as a therapy! ~f~goRe 07-19-2004 09:36 AM MDT Rating: 6.5   nice map, maybe playable in some leagues :) but i found a bug, if you are on the red team, sometimes you spawn in the blue base at the beginning ,) and there is no biorifle but ammo? or i didnt find it? CursedSoul1 08-08-2004 12:07 PM MDT Rating: 8   AWEsome map Bot, though i do have to mention that the weaponbases @ the flags dont have weapons spawned (I think it should be the bioriffle am i right?) also some spot look a bit weird (like the part of the bsp sticking out near the sniper-weapon-base) butthat are minor mistakes and stuff. good map, really. edit: and redfist doesnt know what he is talking about :p (in my humble opinion) the only problem i saw was the bioriffle-weapon base not spawning any bioriffles. hatrabit 08-08-2004 10:59 AM MDT Rating: 8.5   great map. the main temple is one of the best looking things ive seen from the engine. the cliffs/ skybox are awesome too. Shao 09-04-2004 08:10 PM MDT Rating: 8.5   This map is cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol joke is a great map ^O^ DrDeath 09-23-2004 02:38 AM MDT Rating: 9.5   I have just played Version2...I asked Sparky to put that up for Pwnage...it rocks. BTW, Bot40, nice sky...dont think many ppl can make such nice looking skies without looking at a tutorial every five minutes... (sulkava, I don't care wat u say-the sky rocks!) Dont worry abt performance-ran perfectly on my run-down rig(P4, 128 RAM, NO graphics card!),without any performane glitches... Also, the water is nice, though I wish you could just swim a bit farther in the water next to the flagbases, would have made for a nice sniping point, under water. Great map...recommended download. slaskan 09-23-2004 07:08 AM MDT   I GOT THREE WORDS OMFG (OOPS FOUR WORDS) razielyo 09-23-2004 08:28 AM MDT Rating: 9   Really great atmosphere.I love custom content, i love this map Gargorias 09-24-2004 07:41 AM MDT Rating: 9   Just Gorgeous! Keep up the great work Bot40 julian141 09-24-2004 10:53 AM MDT Rating: 8.5   AMAZING, APSOLUTELY AMAZING MMV 09-27-2004 12:45 PM MDT Rating: 9.5   Looks great! Nice meshes and lighting! T0mbr41d3r 09-29-2004 02:36 PM MDT Rating: 6.5   A great looking map, just the gameplay isnt very good which makes it a bit average. hampel 09-30-2004 02:23 AM MDT Rating: 9   awesome map! ChromeBallz 09-30-2004 07:17 AM MDT Rating: 7.5   I think the route is a bi too linear, though it's well done in general. One thing about the cubemap - it's aligned wrongly with me. top texture is on the bottom, west is on north, etc etc..... It's just a mess of textures. Takes the sight out to the ocean to a lower level :P tgm79 10-09-2004 09:51 AM MDT Rating: 10   This map looks amazingly beautiful. Lighting is superb and realistic. Summer tropical sunset atmosphere is very properly recreated. It reminds me of the environments in the outdoor levels in “Far cryâ€� and those are really hard to compare with. Actually the whole map can be described as “realisticâ€�. Bot_40 says it is an old nali temple but it looks more like something built by humans. I’d say it looks like a temple somewhere on the Cambodian coast. Great texturing and terrain work. Extremely smooth transition between rocks and temple architecture. Gameplay is not as good as the visuals. I played it about half an hour with bots and they kicked my teams’ asses mainly because I couldn’t orient fast enough where am I and where is the enemy base. I guess all blue and red lights had to be sacrificed to preserve the realistic feel and lighting of the temple. The map however looks so good, it compensates for this mild inconvenience. Like Hourences said, it could use some more detail in the caves and in the shoreline. It was good to notice the worn out stairs – very nicely done. One more way to squeeze fun out of this map is to open it in the editor and look at the notes with Bot_40’s comments about his own map, scattered throughout the level. Good twenty minutes of additional fun. My favorite note is this one: “This is light137. He’s not quite leet, but he tries.â€� Mapper’s humor, ha-ha:) Ripperjack 11-01-2004 11:15 AM MST Rating: 7.5   This map is definitely on my LAN rotation. I really like it. In my own opinion, I think a couple of the hallways/archways are a little too small. With rockets, flak and goop flying about these areas are are hard to escape and easy to defend and there are quite a few of them. All in all, excellent. The only two things limiting my score are what I mentioned above and as someone else mentioned about the almost linear feel of the routes between flags. scirmast 04-23-2005 06:01 AM MDT Rating: 7   I gotta say I was a little disappointed to the map. I just briefly looked the score, saw the pics and found out the author was Bot_40, so it was a must download. I thought it was a big temple with some surrounding terrain, but found out it was a lot of terrain and only a little temple. I am not a big fan of tunnel maps. But the map is still Bot_40 quality. Though constructed of passages, there is still many routes, many choices, and Z-axis. I will definitely play well in multi (bot play is top notch too!). I just like more of complex temple-type maps. Monday 04-25-2005 01:08 PM MDT Rating: 6.5   Nice to play, Great when a rocket flies out of the cave-entrance by the beach, followed by Bot or two. Daramus Research 06-08-2005 11:59 AM MDT Rating: 7.5   Must have map. Excelent work. =) kaosdotrox 09-02-2005 05:07 PM MDT Rating: 8   I like it even though many of the .rox clan don't. But since I'm the one putting my 2 cents worth in the pot for the group, it gets my vote.