..::LvL - Q3A Custom Maps

Focal Point by Sock (DM/Tourney/TeamDM 2-6 player)

This map comes to us from the mapper who created Pyramid of the Magician. It is a cell shaded map, that has a look that is very original compared to others cell shaded maps. With the way that sock has set up the lighting and the shading in the map, it has a real world feel to it unlike most other maps that use these sort of textures. I'm not usually a fan of cell shading, since they usually come out to look like cartoon maps, but this one changed my mind. The layout of the map is very strong in design with the map being highly connective with the corridors working there way into each other. There is a real good flow for smooth movement and gameplay within it all, and the footing lines up quite nicely.

This map also has something that has never been done before. There is a part of the map that has a Power Tube (which is well known from Q3dm10), and it has a blue pulsating send that goes up into the sky. Where the tube goes up, there is a black hole in the sky which gives the appearance of it sucking the power from the tube and it is a lot to look at, it is very beautiful looking.

In FFA, the tube has a +5 health generator per second. It also generates a QUAD, and the look of the QUAD within the blue tube is great. In tourney and in TDM, the Power tube generates a MH, and the health generator is removed. Every weapon is included except the BFG.

There is some real quality here, check it out.

Reviewed by v1|3

Tigs notes: The Power Tube has teamed power-ups in DM between Quad and Haste. Either may spawn within the tube. In Tourney or TeamDM the power-ups will be replaced with a MegaHealth. These are not the only changes between the game types. Also, Sock has released the source code for this map, so if you want to see how things are done, or to make some changes - check it out.

A tight little Italian by dONKEY (DM/Tourney 2-6 player)

At first the map appears to be monochromatic, almost like an old black and white film. However, soon you notice, as you move through the old European town with narrow walkways and bridges made by a few planks laid across open spaces, that there are subtle color variations with lots of detail. The toll of a bell occasionally can be heard and a tweeting of birds may also be noticed wafting through the still air.

The map does have atmosphere on its side. The cramped hallways make game play challenging, as it is easy to be ambushed or blindsided. This type of game play may not suit everyone's taste as there are no large open spaces so that larger numbers of players may make it impossible to figure out where the next volley of fire will come from.

There is a trick, that is easily mastered, with which you may obtain the RA. There is no BFG and I detected no secrets, although there are numerous spots to hide in wait for an unwary passer by. You will find the mega health and quad damage both helpful in gaining or keeping the upper-hand. There is easily enough firepower to be obtained within the walls to sustain a four player free for all.

Over all, this is a nice "tight little" map that you will probably want to download and use; save a copy in a safe place.

Reviewed by Hooyaah.

Tigs notes: There are a number of item changes between the DM and Tourney versions. The review appears to have focused on the DM item layout.

Haunted by InsaneKid (DM/TeamDM 4-8 player)

This map was submitted to the "noGhost-Mapping-Competition", and it has a horror styled theme to it. There is a story about the map that you can read in the readme, and it is pretty interesting, giving the map more character.

It has concrete and brick styled walls which are broken in spots. There are doors on the walls, which give it a sanitarium feel. The basement is flooded with blinking lights, which has a very nice look. In the center of the basement there is an electric chair with a head piece which is attached to an electric cord hanging above it, and there are wooden boards that run from the stairs on up to the chair.

In the center of the map, there is a huge aquarium, that has an alligator in it, though I'm not quite sure why there would be a dead alligator in a sanitarium? Also there are ladders that run you up to the second floor, a rarly used featured.

The things that stuck out the most, were things that have never been done before in Q3 mapping. The first, is a teleporter that is on the ceiling, that you have to RL-Jump up to, to go through it. The second are ladders that are half way up the wall, where you have to jump up to them from the top of stairs to grabs onto the ladder to climb it. These things make the map very original. On the second floor there are air tubes, and you can go into them and they spit you out into the basement at high speeds.

The map is symmetrical in layout, but there are differences in each side that break it up, along with the weapon placement. All of the weapons are included except for the BFG.

The custom textures were made by Myth, Hubster, Hipshot, and some were done by the mapper himself. There are custom sounds which come from Freesound, SoundJay, and Ljudo. There is also a music track included.

It is definitely worth downloading, you'll like it!

-v1|3

Divided We Fall by Kell (Space CTF/TeamArena 4-8 player)

What do you get when you combine the long-range sniping power of the Railgun with the burden of carrying a flag through portals with the ever present danger of the void: the bane of all Quake 3 maps - the space CTF! So when I first loaded the maps in this zipfile I was left wondering as to why an experienced mapper would want to touch a map type that by its very nature embodies the pinnacle of frustration. The author admits to a certain level of foolhardiness in the readme file but I would hasten the suggestion that it is perhaps experience that has leant Kell the confidence and bravery needed to tackle a space CTF where less experienced mapmakers would have thrown themselves into the jaws of the proverbial lions.

Divided We Fall is a deliciously dry-witted name for a space CTF that might have rapidly decayed into corniness if it was not for the author's subtle and sensitive treatment of the chosen subject matter. Kell has used simple texturing and a basic map plan and observed, what I believe are, all the golden rules of item layout that make space maps playable in CTF and Team Arena.

There are no bold moves or flashy gestures to be found here; Kell has been considerate enough to know when to leave well enough alone in addition to avoiding and/or improving upon some of the mistakes made in the base Q3A and Team Arena map stock. For example, there are no moving platforms, no Railgun, BFG or Kamikaze. Platforms large enough to move upon, no Megahealth in Q3A CTF (leaving base defenders and flag carriers more vulnerable to attack), Railgun hard to reach and in centre of map (again in standard CTF) so the player guarding the base will have to leave his or her post, creating additional opportunities for blind-sighting and flag captures.

Divided We Fall includes a CTF, and Team Arena version of the main map plus a re-worked tourney version of the id Software classic, The Longest Yard (q3dm17). Also, a custom bot Pyre, who like Kell's previous bot Krusade, is a formidable opponent in the world of bots.

The standard CTF version epitomises the principle of controlled restraint with only the Shotgun and Rocket Launcher available in addition to a single Railgun in the common area. Also to be found on common ground is a health and armour regeneration station and above this a Battlesuit spawns. It sounds bland in the writing but gameplay is healthy and honest.

So too is The Tallest Yard, Kell's q3dm17 remake, which has been tweaked for tournament play. Rather than resorting to a simple bifurcation of this map, that plagues the majority of q3dm17 remakes, Kell has opted for small but profound changes to its content.

Retexturing has been kept simple and minimal with some important changes made to the item layout. Red Armour has been replaced with Yellow Armour, the Quad has been replaced with a second Railgun (kudos goes to the author on this one) and the Megahealth has been replaced with the Battlesuit. It does not seem like much but the net result is significant changes in gameplay on the most leeched-to-death map in Q3A history. Kell has taken a bold move here and managed to breathe new life into a level that for many has long overstayed its welcome.

The Team Arena version of Divided We Fall includes the Chaingun, Nailgun and Proximitymine Launcher and Guard, Ammo Regen and Doubler. Guard and Doubler are situated on the bottom tier of the homebase along with a Rocket Launcher and 50 health. Yellow armour is accessible via accelerator pads on the wings of the middle tier and is also accessible from the bouncepad on the way to the upper tier where you will find the Nailgun situated above the flag and across from the portal that leads directly to the enemy base.

In the common area you will find more armour along with a single Proximitymine Launcher and 2 additional team-based platforms that hold the Ammo Regen and Chaingun. Also included is the Medikit and Quad which spawn here as well. In this respect item placement in Team Arena is textbook meaning that roles within a team are clearly defined, even to novices of this game mode, without handing everything to a player on a silver platter.

As with all maps of this type both routes and tactics are limited in scope making your opponents movements often-times predictable and the gameplay repetitive; it will all boil down to which team is quicker off the block and better co-ordinated. For this reason many might want to avoid this release but Kell has been respectful enough to keep Divided We Fall playable and not irksome. There are several opportunities to avoid predictable paths on pads through direct movement from bouncepads to accelerator pads to portals for those teams fortunate enough to have a flag carrier with well-developed movement-based skills.

For seasoned Team Arena players there is the opportunity for lightning fast flag captures for the team who can set up and maintain their flag carrier with a Rocket Launcher and the Guard and Quad power-ups - but you are going to have to work for it! Divided We Fall is at its most potent when both teams are fighting for control over this route and item combination.

Divided We Fall supports all Team Arena gametypes and while bot play is also supported they can be predictably disobedient but play a lot better than I have witnessed on some maps. 3 players a side is just perfect. There could possibly have been some tweaking of distances between portals and pads to improve gameplay, but you know what, half the fun of playing on a custom map is learning to make the most out of the environment you have been given.

I am sure long-standing fans of space maps, CTF and/or Team Arena will really appreciate this author's refined sense of judgement and flair for understatement.

Reviewed by Mark.

The Cistern by Mink (DM/Tourney 2-8 player)

Minkdm5 is a faithful reproduction of the Quake deathmatch arena, The Cistern, for Quake 3 and the author has for the most part retained the original map layout and item placement while using lighting and texturing to recreate this levels original Quake look and atmosphere. Green health bubbles and armour shards are included and the plasmagun replaces the supernailgun and the battlesuit replaces the pentagram of protection. Fighting takes place over 4 levels; 2 upper levels of catwalks, the ground level and a subterranean reservoir that will see a lot of underwater fighting, something rare in custom maps these days. Bot file and arena file are included.

The author states in the readme file the level was designed with Generations Arena in mind, although I cannot see what this remakes appeal would be aside from the nostalgia. The Arena file supports this level in DM, Tourney and Team Deathmatch menus but lacks location entities and sufficient machinegun ammo to support 4 a side teams. Given the advances that have been made by many mappers in the area of level design, geared toward multiple routes and enhancement in gameplay, there is little on offer in terms of gameplay here to hold a persons interest. True to the rectangular design of pathways and routes in the original, expect a lot of corridor fighting. I suspect those familiar with the original will not be interested in revisiting the Cistern in this remake as there is nothing new on offer; playing it felt a lot like I was taking a regression in playing style. In this respect minkdm5 requires the strategic element to Tourney and Team Deathmatch to lend it some body; as a free for all it is lack lustre.

While minkdm5 is well constructed, considering there are some far better textured remakes of the Cistern out at the moment with tweaks in item placement and new routes, I would be inclined to revisit those and give this one a miss.

Reviewed by Mark.

Dreams in Digital by NoVA (DM 4-8 player)

Dreams in Digital is a somewhat incongruous melding of sci-fi tech style, with caustic green slime in parts of the arena, leading to areas that are decidedly Gothic with expanses of lava. Somehow, the look seems believable after a while, as you forget about the architecture and focus on how to get through areas of almost total darkness, with only rows of torches to serve to guide you. This is disconcerting, considering the bots seem to see in the dark perfectly.

As for the bots, they do rather well, finding themselves all around the far reaches of this medium to large sized map. They do not, however, find a way to the red armor, for, when distracted by ordinance being distributed in their direction, they tend to lose focus on making the way down the long elevated path to where the RA and RL are situated. The bots, also, can not seem to figure out how to take the lift up to snatch the regeneration power-up.

Invisibility, haste, and a battle-suit, appear in the open in three separate locations. The battle suit is nice to have, but if you fall in the lava or the acidic deep green snot, you are toast; there is no way out unless, maybe, you have the quad and can rocket-jump out. All weapons are represented and there are two places to pick up the BFG, both of which have only one shot loaded; you will need to find the little bit of ammo that there is in the arena order to use it. There is a secret that is better left alone in the room with the regeneration, if you go through the portal, well, you will find out, unless you heed my advice.

In the tech-style areas of the map you will hear Fiction (Dreams in Digital) by Orgy. Hence, the name of this map. The bots provided are all female and the words to the song are ironically parallel to the playing against a "digitized" female opponent, composed of "pixels".

Although this map is not something that everyone will like; in my opinion it is worth a look and a few frags before you make up your own mind; I have found this is a better than average offering.

Reviewed by Hooyaah.

Yonydm3 by elpibewer (DM/Tourney 2-4 player)

A first map which should have stayed on the author's HD; and if it could not stay there, then it should have been released for testing and feedback before it even got submitted here. There is nothing to recommend this map, not even gameplay.

My usual advice applies: the author needs much more practice mapping, and needs to have his or her maps tested via one forum or another. That way, the author might find out that they do not need to include md3s in the pk3, and may have learned about a little thing called an arena file.

Not worth downloading.

Reviewed by Anwulf.