Date: 11-01-99 Teams: 2 File: speedy.zip Players: 12-16 Game: TFC Size: Medium Briefing: Reminds me of a mountain trail, small and twisty.

Speedy

Get your gravol!

Signs!

Art's Deco.

Author: Sloth | Reviewer: Borg

Objective:

Standard CTF (capture the flag) Open the other team's flow door for 30 seconds of direct access to their flagroom.
Note: Flow control button resets every 50 seconds.

Scoring:

10 points per capture.

Evaluation:

Well, another graduate from Info_Beta has gotten into our greedy little hands. This is this authors first attempt at a TFC map, and in that respect, it's not too bad. However, because it is his first map, there's much room for improvement. This map was very aptly named, as speed is what you'll need to get by.

Construction on this map is, to say the least, interesting. I have to commend this authors use of signs! Great Job! It's nice to see good directions given in a map, especially this one, as it is quite confusing until you get to know the layout. Lighting, textures, and color have all been used pretty well, and I didn't notice any glaring r_speeds on the map. All in all, this map was built well. My only complaint is in it's size and complexity. This works against it, as you'll later see. The theme is definitely addressed, but it's more a description of action, rather than mood. Spammy would have worked equally well here.

Layout. I'll say right now, this map has more twists and curves than some auto-racing tracks! It can get downright confusing, but with the inclusion of the great signage, and the size of the map, this is usually overcome fairly quickly. Resupply is taken care of via a "beam" in the main respawn room. You simply walk through, and you're good to go! This is rather an interesting idea, and I'd love to see it used more often. So much easier than the multiple packs. Mind you, a note does need to be made about this in the readme! Now, other than that, you won't find any ammo or health lying about, but again, the size of the map makes that unnecessary. Mobility is where this map takes a bunch of hits. Due to the size, complexity, and design of this map, you'll find yourself getting dizzy in a hurry. There are so many twisted ramps, and levels, that chasing after anyone with the flag becomes a lost cause. While this can be good, it also makes defense somewhat over easy. The size of the rooms counteracts this to some degree, as spamming them will eliminate most defense, but this shouldn't need to be the case. A little more thought in design would have made this a more even arena.

Teamwork on this map is a reality, however, due to the speed (hence: "speedy"), you'll have to get your team organized early. Otherwise, get ready for a spanking. Obviously, this map was made to be scored on by scouts. The tight ramps, small rooms, and outdoor location of the capture points make this so. As such, you'll only need to defend your flags with minimal effort from scouts, and focus on keeping any support for them outside...where they belong. If you can keep them out, the score will stay rock-bottom. On most of our matches, however, this was not the case. With no real organization, scouts were able to slip in and out quite easily, while the defense was also trying to be offense. With this kind of design, teamwork, and strategy will go hand in hand very strongly, and above all, do it early! All classes can be used effectively on this map, provided you know where to put them. My recommendation is to keep the teams small, as 12 players is what I feel is the limit to this map.

Verdict:

Flip a coin when deciding to download this. While the map is good in design, the number of players, teamwork, and construction will dictate quick planning to succeed. Some interesting design work done here, and most are worth checking out.

Delta Bravo Final Score: 
- 25/50 -