CTF Maps That Never Were

Build has this annoying new feature that now lists maps by date created rather than alphabetically (which I find really silly, but oh well). Anyway, I came across some old maps that I built for CTF that I never finished or never got accepted and I thought it would be interesting for you guys to have a look at with a bit of explanation about each map, so here goes:

Conquest

Spoiler

At this point I had built Pagodas and Academy for CTF and a Headshot map called Valiance. It was pretty lame because I tried to get the map name initials to spell out ‘PAVO’, but it never worked, I couldn’t think of anything relating to this map beginning with ‘O’.



Anyway, this map was Greek themed and it had a huuuuuuuge dockyard with a ship, where players would spawn. There was an entrance to an underground sewer nearby and the flag was in a temple upon a hill. Conquest was one of my favourite maps to build. In fact I think it’s still my favourite.

I went to get some screenshots of the map, but unfortunately build has turned the map to void (*cries for a thousand years*). I did film a clip of it for a build showcase though (it appears at exactly 1:00:

I never submitted it as I never finished it. I thought I’d come back to it someday, but I guess it’s lost forever, unless I try to piece it back together using screenshots and that video.

Modern Highrise

Spoiler

Way back when the three original CTF mods were still around (Saixos, Coasted and studmuffin), the idea of variations came about. Most of the CTFers will know what variations are – you take the original map and change it to create a new map. I chose to do variation 5 and completely remake one of Chaploo’s old maps, Highrise.

I had an idea of having a big underground tunnel system so people could get across the map sneakily, so I added a subway system. It took forever to build, although it didn’t turn out very realistic as I have no idea how trains could get around 90 degree bends. Saixos named it ‘The Pavoesquian Subway’.

To suit the map name better I decided to add a load of skyscrapers. Why I thought this would be a good idea and not solider OP I have no clue.

The flagroom was my favourite part of the map to build. It took a similar layout of the current highrise and made it look a bit more modern, with computer screens, desks, plants, modern lighting, spiral staircases, you name it. But as it was a skyscraper it was quite high up, so I had to add some alternate routes in and out of the building.

I ended up building three skyscrapers in total and connected them with skybridges. All of them had fully furnished floors and were very detailed. They were a pain to navigate though, especially the upper floors. It took hours to piece everything together and even then I just hadn’t a clue where I was taking it as I had lots of empty space. After speaking with Saixos, who told me the map was getting a bit crazy I decided to stop building it. Instead DeceptiveCrEeD made his highrise 5 which was much better than mine ever could be. I still shiver when I think of how solider OP it was.

Unfortunately I cannot find any screenshots of this map, but I’ll share them as soon as I can.

Eagles' Peak

Spoiler

Eagles’ Peak was my attempt at creating a holiday map. Coasted had his graveyard, studmuffin had his CTF Christmas, so I thought I’d give a go at creating an Easter themed one. While writing this I just remembered about an Easter Island CTF map I made before I even made Pagodas. I’ll see if I can find some images. It was atrocious.

Spoiler

There’s not really much to say about this except it has a lot of spirals. The spawn is at the bottom and the flag is at the very top. It was originally intended for solider to be useless by making the mountains out of coal ore, but it looked a bit ugly.

Again I never finished it, but I so should. I have a great idea of what it looks like in my head. There were going to be hills lining the map and wooden bridges connecting the two. As it was intended to be Easter themed, I thought about scattering giant Easter eggs around the place.

Winter's Kingdom

Spoiler

Originally, this was built for an adventure map I was planning on creating. It was about a village taken over by a snow queen. You’d then have to battle through a castle to defeat her. I even posted one of the puzzles on my YouTube channel:

But then the Disney film, Frozen, was released and I felt a bit put off continuing it. I decided to make it into a Sabotage map, but it didn’t turn out great. I then attempted to create a CTF version and this is where Winter’s Kingdom came from. The castle itself is a lot smaller than the adventure map counterpart, but map-wise it is huge as the mountain has to be symmetrical.




I decided against submitting this as the mountains were crazy solider OP and there’s a hell of a walk between the castles. I still think it looks nice though. In fact, with shaders, it is one of my desktop backgrounds.

Blossom Valley

Spoiler

Blossom Valley was an attempt at mixing what people liked from Pagodas and what people liked from Academy into one map. It was oriental themed again. This time it featured a river and hanging lanterns as two new elements. Spawn was up top in the little gazebo, and the flag was at the end of the path inside the cliff.



I think the flagroom was the prettiest flagroom I’ve built.



It had three entrances: one from the front, via a path, another through a dojo that resembled the interior of academy, and a third from a stone tunnel near the waterfall.

Again, here are some fancy shader screenshots:




I did submit this map. However it wasn’t accepted because it ‘wasn’t pavo enough’. I haven’t a clue what that means

Metro 2

Spoiler

After spending hours and hours and hours creating Metro, I thought it was awesome. It was a unique idea. It looked sleek. It had a similar layout to airlock so I thought people would be able to navigate it well.

I was wrong.

People hated it. I didn’t know why. I’ve heard from some people that it was too soldier underpowered, which was sort of the point though. From others I’ve heard that they got lost easily. I still have no idea how that is possible. It’s a simple layout. Anyway, I decided to try and remake it so people didn’t find it as confusing.

I decided to do a speedbuild stripping down original metro and making new metro. Along the way it sort of became a completely new map with not really any sign of the original. The shape was pretty fun to build. If you want to watch the speedbuild, I’ll post it below:

The spawn was in the wing of the main building and the flag in the center. I think the spawn was too close.



I also submitted this, however I was told it was too bland and not suitable for CTF. It was however chosen to be in a HS wave. Whether it actually made it or not, I’m not sure. But there you go folks: Metro will probably never return xD

Summer

Spoiler

This was a small little map I made for summer of 2014. It was summer themed, featuring a beach, parasols and a villa. I tried something different by making a unique shape – not keeping to the rectangular shape of previous maps.



There’s not really much to say about this. The spawn is uptop of the hill and the flag is downstairs in the villa.



I did submit this, but it proved to be too small, archer op, campable, unfinished, although Quar did find it cute

Canyon of Kings

Spoiler

Canyon of Kings was my most recent CTF map. I finished it just before MCPVP closed. This one was Egyptian themed, which I hope you can tell. Players spawn in the temple at the back and a sponge fires them out. The flag is in the pyramid in the centre and the land is separated by a river.



The pyramid section is on a higher bit of land, so it’s not possible to swim onto it, making it one way. Because of this there are two tunnels leading around the back of a waterfall and a couple of bridges.



The top of the map is lined with a fair bit of coal ore to prevent soldiers from escaping. I also planned to cover it with barrier blocks to prevent ninjas from pearling out too. It looks a bit ugly, but sometimes gameplay > aesthetics.

I didn’t submit this map as I felt it was too small. It would only be suitable for around 20 players or so, maybe playable on the T server. It would have been very ninja and soldier OP too. I then decided to make a bigger version which I plan to finish and submit sometime soon.

 

Damn Rhoske, you're too good xD

 

Whoa whoa, only two were variations! xD

 

Whoa. I'd actually like to thank you for this as it's the most detailed explanation so far! Maybe if I'd have known this earlier then I'd have been able to incorporate it somehow.