Date: 12-09-99 Teams: 2 File: bam.zip Players: 10-20 Game: TFC Size: Large Briefing: An interesting 2fort.

BaM

Score!

The elevator shaft.

The yard.

A fort.

Author: Brian "Midori" Green | Reviewer: Borg

Objective:

Standard CTF (capture the flag). Bring it to your sniper loft to capture.

Scoring:

10 Points per capture.

Evaluation:

This port of the Quake TF map remains true to form. It's nice to see good conversions like this, but where are the original ideas? I realize the map's maker did this due to popular demand, but is this how he wants to make his debut in the Team Fortress Classic arena? The quality on this is good, I just wish it would have been an original effort.  Don't get me wrong, this author has a good future here ahead of him, if he so chooses to pursue it.

Ok, I've gotten my little rant over and done with. I just wish that people would go with new ideas, rather than re-hash old ones, even if they are hugely successful ones. The construction on this map is rock-solid. Everything is placed appropriately, and works the way it's supposed to. Colors, textures, and item placement is well thought out. The one question I have is, why did he use rockets in the grenade resupply? These items from the HL DM arena really look out of place here, and the standard packs would have sufficed. I think that the authors use of these was due to the fact that he wanted people to realize that these were explosive resupply areas. However, a little custom texture or item work would have made a bigger impact here. There's no real theme to speak of here, just your standard 2fort fare.

Layout is good, and things seem to be where they should be. It's easy to move around this map, and since there's only one flag available, and the path to it is fairly clear, it won't be hard to remember. Again, there is pretty much no signage on this map, and you still have to actually figure out WHERE the flag is. Once you've got that down, you're only job is to find the best way to get at it. Connectivity is good, and there's a few alternatives for getting in, but getting out is another story. The author has made it so that there is only one way out of the basement of each fort, and trying to conc-jump up the elevator shafts will prove fruitless. As a result, defense is actually really easy, and can be accomplished with as few as 2 players. Another way out would really be the icing on this cake, and should have been employed. I dominated defense on this map fairly easily by myself, and with another player helping, we were impossible to get by. I've also receive a number of complaints about the winding stairs leading to the basement. These can get maddening at times, but at least they're wide enough to not completely ruin the accessibly. Again, another way out would have solved this complaint easily enough.

Teamwork is a good way to accomplish things on this map, and if you're playing against a team that has good teamwork, you'd better do the same. Trying to get in solo, and be the hero will only get you torn to shreds in short order. All classes work fairly well on  this map, and you all will find places to utilize your skills. Strategy can vary, but due to the somewhat limited options, you'll only have a few to choose from. The author was very careful about respawn camping, and added a push effect to keep campers outside. You'll find yourself having a good many team matches on this map, and it stands on it's own as a solid effort.

Verdict:

Worth the download. Make sure you're clear with your team on objectives, otherwise, you'll get your butt handed to you.

Delta Bravo Final Score: 
- 32/50 -