New ctf idea?

[killanator]

most ctf maps in any game are just 2 bases a certain distance from each other. my new idea for a ctf map actually comes from my church, at youth group when we play capture the flag, its not 2 bases, but 1 team has the flag downstairs and one team has the flag upstairs! making a map based on my church would actually work out well(although i'd have to make a fake room to put the upstairs flag in). leave your comments on this idea!

about the layout:

there are 3 staircases, a big gym downstairs and the "fake room" for the upstairs flag would be in a room same size as gym right above the gym. i cant think of an appropriate setting for the map with tf2 textures, and may just use the textures that were used in the gun game map, dont remember the name but its a gun game map with 2 churches in counter strike source. i'll probably start working on this a little bit to find good textures once i get the alpha of cp_caverns out

 

[A Boojum Snark]

I think the reason you don't see many vertically oriented CTF layouts is because it's difficult to make a balanced area connecting them. Elevation always provides an advantage, so the upper team will be able to hold off the lower easier. Same reason there aren't many asymmetrical CTF maps, hard to balance and you'll have people complaining.

 

[Logo]

On the other hand maps like this tie perfectly into assault/defense points.

 

[killanator]

i'd try to make it balance, i'd just have to give the bottom team an advantage some other way to counter balance it

 

[Ziggurat]

I think it's doable, you just need interesting ways of creating the vertical areas so that they aren't imbalanced. I can really only think of one vertical CTF map (ever), which is ctf2m8 for quake - Capturephobopolis (based on dm2) by American McGee. He got around the vertical combat issue by really not supporting much combat in the vertical areas. There were 3 vertical connectors between the two bases, of which two of them had extremely fast moving elevators. The 3rd was quite open, but quake 1 ctf had a grappling hook, which actually made the combat kind of interesting in the area. Besides that, almost all the action happens in the bases, and not the vertical areas.

 

[spaceweasels]

Yeah, I still think the upper team might have an advantage. However, here's another solution. Both bases reside over the common fighting ground. So from either base, if you want to get to the enemy base, you have to go down, and then climb back up.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

 

[killanator]

well i'd just "cancel out" the imbalance some other way, make the bottom flag a little harder to get until i can get it all right, that way both teams have equal challenge to get the flag

 

[Maj.Woody]

While 'just canceling out the imbalance' is easy to say, it is much harder to implement and actually end up with balance. You run the risk of throwing the balance off in favor of the 'underdog'.

 

[killanator]

thats why it fiddle with it A LOT, it would take a while but i think its possible. that way each team is unique to play, the bottom team has the challenge of getting up the stairs and the top team has the challenge of getting the flag