Cakeday: No one makes me birthday present creative gifts. Pickups are super gluttonous at mid (there's a full health and ammo kit right next to the Capture Point! That has high ground over the point!) but the rest of the map is famished, just like a real birthday party. There's a weird low ground window that sees nothing, like ooooh beware I can shoot at this ramp that has height over me. There is a lot of powerful defence protecting connector, but why would Defenders push into connector, they have both the high ground and the pickups. I think the best way to push into the point is via the team coloured buildings away from it, you get general level ground and if you can fight in the tight rooms you can push out the defence there. I hope they liked their gift.
Canada: Why is Canada so big? Why is the first few routes out of spawn that the map directs players towards just a big open empty flank route that goes behind the point? You have to go further out to get to the more standard routes, which even at the furthest exit doesn't even reach the halfway point of the map. I would move spawn and cut like 50% off that flank route and end it earlier. The map is very wide but it is also diagonal so if the changes I would make happened it wouldn't feel so wide. Point has good cover and good high ground against it. The flank route has a full pickups, which makes me feel that, in addition with being led there, Engies will set up their bases there with teleporters, so it really sucks that there's one way out to point from there even if it has high ground, and it is such a walk if you want to go back to reach the other route, which while providing more options has its own set of problems with how all of its entrances to mid can be seen at the same time very easily. I think the two main routes to mid from spawn are far too divorced from one another, and need more synergy and connectivity.
Cannery: Lot of peculiar geometry for a map in B11c. Pickups are weighted to one side of the rotation which also has high ground, but the flow from spawn feels like it directs players away from those spots. You have to go on the low ground to move to the point, it is the law (unless you are a jump class). The point has cover but covering from the side routes is really awkward. Lots of health pickups around the point is a boon for Defenders who likely don't need it since they already have high ground. Stairs need texture position variation.
Canopy: I thought the spawn had four doors but two of them are fake, that could be more obvious. The spawn flow is dependant on where you spawn but filters players between the two sides well, unfortunately the concrete side is just a stronger position over the other, which main selling point is that it has a flank to the opponent's concrete side (even its route to the point can be quickly accessed via the concrete side). Capture Point is pretty vulnerable but caps faster. I feel like the prop jump near the point could be altered slightly to not require any crouch jumps since you have to jump three times, at least make it so the bottom box can always be jumped on instead of sometimes needing a crouch jump depending on your position. The connector route that makes you go right, then left, then right could be simplified.
Caverna: Spawn room made me think I was in a horror map. Map is pretty dark, kinda hurts my eyes with how dark it is in the courtyard. This map has some needlessly long routes to places. Lots of too thin corridors and doors. The Capture Point defies convention by being under mid, but suffers from being out of the way. Left Hand Viewmodels have a big advantage here. Stairs need clipping considering how big they are. Thanks to the walkways the map is technically asymmetrical. Kinda hard to measure how you are suppose to tackle the map considering mid's main design role is to give you staircases down to the actual objective. Lots of medium pickups for mid and the point (the point even has full ammo kits), but like one pickup for connector. Map has a whole conveys a feeling of discomfort well, for better or worse. SHIPPING CONTAINER GAMING.
Chapel: I got jumpscared by Zepheniah Mann popping up from the ground. The spawn door triggers should be bigger, or have the doors open faster, so I don't bump my head. I don't think the ghost should be floating past spawn doors. I'd also like to not have to turn around 180 degrees to reach the gameplay for the majority of routes (for any route, really). Map is very flat for non-jump classes. Prop jump behind the chapel is differently difficult for both sides. Point is vulnerable from all directions, but the only ground difference against it is the roof of the building outside and the upper area for Defenders inside, which seems like a very powerful Engie base. I feel like there should be another health pickup behind the chapel, ideally a medium, considering the other half has like four mediums, though two are far too well hidden.
Chasm: The trigger for the spawn room should be larger on the way back into spawn so I don't bump my head. The path from courtyard to connector seems very convoluted, seems like a pain to return to spawn outside the corner furthest from the chasm. There's a couple of parts of the map you can prop jump up rocks to get up, I would rather they won't prop jumps. I found a weird sticky spot near the point. As a Pyro player I love funny death pits. There's some pickups just in on thin walkway in the middle of the path, I feel they could be placed better, both pickups in connector are close to each other to, at least one way if you aren't a jump class. The high ground that watches the point is less bothersome due to damage falloff even though the point has no cover against it. Map layout is tricky to learn, I don't agree with the decision that the only way to enter your team's mid building (as a non-jump class) while your team doesn't control mid is either returning to spawn or through the low ground, while your opponents can access it from the point. Detailing is nice, could do with a clip pass.
Checkpoint: Back at the world of long spawn corridors that lead to the same courtyard. Pickups are generous but hard to find in connector while retreating from mid and unfamiliar with the map, which is weird considering how many connector has. There's a door in connector that triggers a blue light (the door itself is there 'cus there's a big sightline to it but I'm not sure if it helps much). Capture Point is very thin, and only provides cover from the low ground and a Sniper balcony at a thin spot. Connector is pretty long for not much reason. RED Connector lives in relative darkness.
Cinder: Funny how walking out of the spawn the closest door is visually blocked from view by train containers. Corridors the connect the different routes of connector are a bit too zig zag for my liking. The Capture Point caps fast, has high ground over most of mid and strong cover that leaves you safe to all but those basically on the point to boot. In theory there's a lot of ways to go but to get on the point boils down to two chokepoints. Pickups are barren on mid outside one small health kit under the point (likely to balance how strong the point is).
Clarify: Map do be wide. And open, I can see Snipers enjoying this. The building in the centre of connector reminds me of the Viaduct building, but the upper floor's walkway just leads to a wall and is completely blocked from seeing the point. I suppose the building acts as a forward base for Engineers, but I feel that since the left side is the only way to have the height advantage over the point that it is a better place to attack from (and thus set up teleporters to), conversely the right side has more pickups but includes on at the middle of the map, which leans towards being more useful for defenders. Point in general feels like it leans towards defenders. The map uses excessive barriers to keep sightlines in check but I feel there is a more visually pleasing way to do so. Odd texture choices on the left side of the map.
Clearcut: This is a competitive map right? Funny how it has a very compact courtyard and then just widens out greatly. Left view model advantage. Roofs only accessible from jump classes, but the ramp makes you think that you might be able to crouch jump onto it (you can't). Pickups weigh towards the left side, implying that's where people should hang out, reinforced by its high ground balcony. Cap has low cover but fast cap.
Cloudtop: A 72hr map it seems. Very different layout, I was missing the uniqueness. Big height variance. The point is small, has some cover (I assume the pipes block bullets even through the gaps) but very vulnerable to bombing from the very high ground next to it. I thought having the medium health pickup on the lowest ground was a good idea until I found out how many other health kits there are all over the place so you don't have to give up high ground or even go to a vulnerable place to get healed up. The Sniper windows are very powerful.
Coal Plant: ...Is this Ashville? Am I crazy?
(Looks it up)
It is based on Ashville? Is that legal? Can you just do that? I can take like a map here and be like “Oh it was almost good so I remade it to be better”? That seems like dark arts to me. I imagine the creator got permission right? Anyway, most of my comments about Ashville have been addressed, the map looks better and connector is simpler. The capture point has a bit more cover and a light bit of height, as a treat. The map really wants you to leave through the left exit, spawning you in front of it and making the other way away. I didn't notice the leftmost path out of the courtyard for a while, I feel like it is concerning having such height over the main spawn exit and can also hug the wall next to it, spawn camping opportunity. I do prefer this over Ashville a good amount.
Coal Town: This map is already in the game (kind of). The capture zone is really small and the point can only be challenged by the immediate area. The right side of mid is lacking in options compared to the left side, you can only head towards the point or back to connector if you aren't willing to cross into the enemy's half. I'm worried with the sheer amount of pickups near spawn, typically KoTH maps avoid this as to disempower spawn campers (if you are on your half you can retreat to resupply lockets to compensate). The high ground and pickups that Defenders pushing the Attackers back have access to might explain the five minute timer, giving the Attacking team enough time to mount a comeback in a harsh gameplay situation (akin to pushing out of spawn in an A/D map). Pretty long sightlines throughout.
Coldfront: THIS MAP IS ALREADY IN THE GAME (kind of). There are changes from the 5CP version but it is basically pickups or are at the courtyard. The extra pickup and the height advantage on the right side may make it the best place to push from, especially since the other two routes are low ground. I imagine it initially plays like the original, but I am concerned what the team that wins the point is suppose to do, my memory of Coldfront has the team with mid holding the connector with the team on second struggling to push out and with pickups at connector now I fear that would be easier, but maybe the pickups helps the attacking team hold that area instead. The capture point's big building and mid's wide area creates multiple skirmish areas in a small volume.
Coldline: Reminds me of Viaduct, mid is obviously different but there are elements like the setting and the catwalk between two buildings at the edge of connector and mid that can only be accessed by jump classes. There's an accessible roof next to that catwalk that allows one to bomb the point rather well, then drop to the catwalk for cover. The Capture Point has good cover otherwise, but takes a while to cap to compensate. Wild that one half of your side has two medium health pickups (that are pretty close to each other) and a small one while the other half just has one small, I feel like teams will focus that first side.
Colony: Again, health pickups are really stacked on one side, the right side this time with three medium packs really close to each other compared to three smalls (and one is kinda in the middle of the two sides). The map has a compact mid and a more complex connector, featuring a big Sniper window. I suppose the idea is to stand front and centre to have a good overview but be vulnerable to the other window, but you can position yourself to cover half of mid without being exposed to said window. Capture Point has cover facing the teams but is exposed from slightly higher platforms each team has close to the point.
Comm Post: I think it's Comm Post at least, it might be a misspelling of compost. I think this is the first V-shaped map like Lazarus so far. Spawn has one exit, not great. Map is pretty short, mid and connector are entwined. Map is an uphill battle for Attackers, although they do have a high ground flank Defenders can also use it against them. The medium pickups are on the low ground to compensate. There's a walkway that presumably acts like a Sniper balcony for Attackers, but most of the view is covered by an extrusion so you only get a little opening to snipe through unless you wanna shoot the feet of people on the point. Defending Snipers have powerful sightlines.
Conveyance: The path from courtyard to connector has three drop downs and only one way back, a bit excessive but at least the way back is prominent. Pickups are all over the place. The sheds at mid seem to be the focus here; they have high ground over everything, close to several pickups, cover for Engies. There is a very tricky pickup spot on super low ground next to a death pit, and it is funny it is only a medium health kit and small ammo pack. Good height variation. I feel the area behind the point (the one with the medium health kit) could be more interesting.
Conveyor: Hmm. Hmmmmmmmmmm. Hm. I suppose I will note it has a mechanic that allows you gain height without respawning, so that's nice.
Copos: Map logic has a critical flaw. The map relies on each team being the first capture their closest point. The first cap starts the timer for the team that caps it, while the second cap stops it without starting the other team's timer. This means if one team caps both points first, they can not lose and the other team can not win. I was playing around with the point to understand how they work to balance the timers and whatnot, and it turns out it doesn't lol. This map is recent I think, those are London windows if I know my windows. This is a good example of justified distant spawn exits as they are on different levels of height, though it is more useful for returning to spawn rather than leaving it. Map relies on prop spam a lil' too much. I know people love the Badlands spire so I get using it for the Capture Points, but the SHIPPING CONTAINER GAMING could easily be a brushwork bridge. Sightlines seem generally well managed, but a Sniper at the full health shack to their team's right has sight on basically every spawn exit path. Not sure where I'd build as an Engie outside the buildings next to the points. Points have strong cover against the further team, but is right in front of a Sniper balcony for the closer team. I imagine this along with the very short walk from spawn to the point ensures the closer team has strong control of the point, which is important for the whole “whoever caps first controls the timer” thing. Jump classes will enjoy the big height variance and relaxed clipping, but non-jump classes may be walking around the low ground more than they'd like.
Courtyard: I did not expect the theme with the name “Courtyard”. Box map, but still a little ambitious for a box map. Kinda feels like what a KoTH map from early 00s FPSs would be like. Interiors are dark. Map isn't fully symmetrical, RED's upper floor entrance area has a lot more prop cover than BLU's. The Capture Point is well covered but slow to cap and vulnerable to bombing (which has a jump path up to the roof). Sniper has powerful sightlines. Don't agree with the balcony that watches over one of the spawn routes. Ammo is scarce and having full health pickups at each team's closest corner may be a little excessive.
Creek: Another double symmetrical map outside some detailing, I didn't even notice for a good while. Wish more effort went into differentiating the two team's halves other than signs and overlays. Capture Point has good cover but caps slow and can be bombed, you can just about fire at someone in the corner if you are on the platform on the other side as well. Map could be thinner. You gotta fall back a good while to get an ammo pickup compared to usual, although there is a full kit just in the middle of connector. The double symmetrical nature makes it hard to identify where you want to set up as an Attacker, one of the buildings I guess, try to control the sides of the point?
Cryogenic: Half of the spawn leads towards the high ground which is thin but can bomb the point due to the sheer height advantage. I can see this being the focus of gameplay especially as each side has a full ammo kit for Engineer bases, but the split exits weaken teleporters. It also has roof access for Snipers and high ground. You gotta go off the high ground for health pickups which is good but countering that issue is what Dispensers are for. I feel like the upper route could be designed better for this large flow of players in mind, the part to mid is a thin corridor. The one open window on the corridor is awkward to usefully shoot out of unless you stand on the internal lip. I wish connector, or at least a good chunk of connector, weren't so divorced from mid. Good set piece with the spaceship in the ice, I like mid outside of the high ground opportunities.
Cutbank: The low ground route out of spawn is for emergencies only. I am not a fan with the visuals of connector, especially the caves. Connector could do with another health pickup, this time on the lower side, maybe even push back the one on mid to inside the cave and upgrade it to a medium. Defenders have access to medium pickups from the point, the ammo even on the point itself. Controlling the roof seems the better move than controlling the high ground 'cus it is easier to access and safer to retreat from. Capture Point is kinda wide, going to some well covered positions, but both positions can be flanked from the side routes. Shipping Container.