Flag Pack 2004 Released

  • Two Factor Authentication is now available on BeyondUnreal Forums. To configure it, visit your Profile and look for the "Two Step Verification" option on the left side. We can send codes via email (may be slower) or you can set up any TOTP Authenticator app on your phone (Authy, Google Authenticator, etc) to deliver codes. It is highly recommended that you configure this to keep your account safe.

Zaccix

Truth, by Banksy
Nov 10, 1999
3,370
1
36
London, UK
Big news for the UT2004 CTF community: Flag Pack 2004 has been released.
Flag Pack 2004 is the first project from SuperGlue Studios, a collective of mappers who have got together to produce some league-style UT2004 CTF maps. "League style" means gameplay comes first, before graphics or gimmicks. That doesn't mean the maps look horrible, though, as you can see from the accompanying screenshot.
The pack contains some originals, along with some classic Threewave conversions, and remakes of the uber-popular CTF-Terra and the original CTF tutorial map, both from UT99. All in all, if you play UT2004 CTF, you'd be mad to not give Flag Pack 2004 a play-through.
Download Flag Pack 2004 (80.4 MB) from BeyondUnreal FileWorks
 

Zlal

New but not improved.
Nov 4, 2001
1,285
0
0
Exeter
good gameplay, yes. But from a totally objective point of view, (and a map reviewer's point of view) a lot of the maps have average visuals and are messy in places.
 
«

«avr!l`L»

Guest
Great !!!

Great Mappack, nice work, CTF rulez :p

Note A+
 

hal

Dictator
Staff member
Nov 24, 1998
21,409
19
38
54
------->
www.beyondunreal.com
Very, very nice!

Some truly classic CTF maps revisited and scaled for UT2004 nicely.

One gripe... CTF-TutorialClassic is based off an older map. I remember playing it in Unreal's RealCTF and it was called CTF-RealSmall. This version is missing the much-needed upper hallway that was present in the original. :(

Other than that... it's a must-download for any CTF lover.
 

b4nd1t

bulletproof
Jan 5, 2004
58
0
0
Shadowlurker said:
good gameplay, yes. But from a totally objective point of view, (and a map reviewer's point of view) a lot of the maps have average visuals and are messy in places.


guess what... players like this much better than the maps that are filled with visual crap meshes and fancy light effects.

This pack is atleast 10 times better than the CPB packs... and I realy don't understand why ppl spend so much time in creating a map that nobody will never play.

Maybe it was time that reviewers looked at what the players need for a good map, and not at how good an artist they are
 
S

Super-Moose

Guest
Wow that's good.
The playability of these maps is top notch.
Thanks to all the FP guys, for a great bunch of maps.
 

Zlal

New but not improved.
Nov 4, 2001
1,285
0
0
Exeter
Maybe it's time a few gamers started to remind themselves why people upgrade their video cards, why we need new engines, why people get hired, and why graphics are just as important as gameplay.

:rolleyes:

Like I said, all maps have pretty good gameplay. But there are still faults and flaws. Couple this with the average visuals and it's not hard to see these maps being slated as average. The best of the CBP maps are better than these maps by far.
 

Zlal

New but not improved.
Nov 4, 2001
1,285
0
0
Exeter
b4nd1t said:
guess what... players like this much better than the maps that are filled with visual crap meshes and fancy light effects.

This pack is atleast 10 times better than the CPB packs... and I realy don't understand why ppl spend so much time in creating a map that nobody will never play.

Maybe it was time that reviewers looked at what the players need for a good map, and not at how good an artist they are

lmao... "visual crap meshes" and "fancy light effects"
You do realise how closeminded, stupid and pointless this comment is yes? It is posible for a map to look great and play great - look at the 1on1Pack, Dm-CBP-Achilles etc. There is much more skill involved in making a map that both looks and play good than, say, a cube maps with nice gameplay.
Let's face it, gaemplat is stale. We've played through everything before, seen everything before. IMO, these maps arn't even 10/10 gameplay - there are so many improvements that could have been made. Some of them look good, but a lot are quite poor - especially the egyption themed one. And campercrossings? Ugh.
A visually great map is just so much more than "static meshes" and lights. Atmosphere, texture use...
It makes me laugh how "gamers" now complain about every map with more than 5 meshes, about "OMG!!!1111 ITW HAS MEGA MESHES EVERYWHRE AND ITS CLUTTERS AND IT STOPPED GAMEPLAY COMPLETELY CO S IT GETS IN WAY"
well guess ****ing what? maybe, just maybe that static mesh is there for... yes... a reason. If that static mesh was just bsp, would you complain. I doubt it. It's just a scapegoat.
And at the end of the day, it's mappers like Hourences, who produce great atmospheres and enviroments, who get jobs. And look - he made Rankin. And Torlan. Great playing maps, which look good to boot.

There is no way this map is 10 times better. Be logical, and stop being arrogant and hasty. There were many fine maps in the CBP. Yeah, there were maps that weren't so good, but every map was better than nearly everything out there. This pack? It's good, but it just isn't as professional, as well presented.
More people will have d/l the CBP than they will have the flag pack. Maybe this pack will be played more. I don't know. But saying this map is 10391204910248120 times better than the CBP is just plain silly.


As for map reviewers, (and speaking as one), we have to review based on everything equally. If the gameplay is grea but the visuals are average, a map might only get a 6 at NC. A great looking map with average gameplay will also get a 6.
Is that not correct? I think it is. And most people seem to agree.
 

Cigam

UT2004 CTF CB supervisor
May 7, 2004
9
0
0
50
www.mpx-team.com
Shadowlurker said:
Like I said, all maps have pretty good gameplay. But there are still faults and flaws. Couple this with the average visuals and it's not hard to see these maps being slated as average. The best of the CBP maps are better than these maps by far.

Hmm maybe you can explain that last sentence because from my point of view (ok i'm biased but still) only 1 map in CBP2 will be used for competitive match (CTF-CBP2-Pistola) and at least 5 maps from the flagpack will be used.
This pack was made for competitive purpose not to just look at it and say "woa it looks nice" but never play it.
I also remind you that 90% of the players who play leagues and cups have all their settings set to low so...
 

GIdenJoe

New Member
Nov 2, 2001
14
0
0
43
users.pandora.be
This post is directed at shadowlurker:

I see what angle you are coming from and I totally respect your opinion. But I think you don't see what angle we are coming from :)

Most of the peeps from flagpack aren't looking for jobs in mapping and we don't possess much artistic insight. The intention we had is making maps that would be played on ladders and cups. And that's exactly what will happen.

Granted our maps will have flaws also in gameplay but that doesn't take away the fact that they are very fun to play.

I tried the Hourences approach to mapping alot of times (coz I know the dude irl) but I just can't bring myself to it. So at my level and the level of the fellow mappers I think we did a decent job.

CBP maps may be superior in technical terms, but face it, I haven't seen more than 2 cbp maps ever played in real matches, with that said and counting the total number of cbp maps I'd say they didn't achieve the goal of replayable maps, while they did put down good looking work which probably land them some great job at some great studio and that was their goal.

Just another little comparison: Hourences maps for a living, I'm a cable technician/modem installer for a living, so who do you think will have the advantage in mapping? :p
 

hal

Dictator
Staff member
Nov 24, 1998
21,409
19
38
54
------->
www.beyondunreal.com
These are great playing maps and I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of them online. Thank you for making them.

I can appreciate what Shadowlurker is saying, because looks and gameplay are not mutually exclusive, but to be honest, I thought they all looked just fine. I don't think we should expect professional level maps from the community. Especially if that is not the mappers goal. Neither should we accept a half-hearted attempt with a cube and a mesh - which these maps most certainly are not.

It's fair to compare maps with one another. But these maps were obviously crafted with some care and utilized terrific layouts (both copied and original) and I think the mark they were shooting for was met. We are the winners.
 
S

Super-Moose

Guest
While the CBP does have some bloody awesome maps - Achilles, TelmecoMex, Meitak, Pistola ect - it also has it's fair share of crap.
There is not one bad map in the flag pack and some are as good as it gets.

It may not be up to cbp standards in terms of visuals but it's ahead by a mile where it counts.
Gameplay will always win over graphics for me.

I'd much rather play in a well laid out chunk of bare bsp, than a beautifullly textured, meshed and lit map that plays like a dog.
/looks in the direction of a few cbp maps

I know which pack I prefer...
The CBP.
More DM maps. :D
 

Zimeon

n00b Mapper
Dec 29, 2001
19
0
0
38
Turku, Finland
www.emurre.com
hal said:
These are great playing maps and I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of them online. Thank you for making them.

I can appreciate what Shadowlurker is saying, because looks and gameplay are not mutually exclusive, but to be honest, I thought they all looked just fine. I don't think we should expect professional level maps from the community. Especially if that is not the mappers goal. Neither should we accept a half-hearted attempt with a cube and a mesh - which these maps most certainly are not.

It's fair to compare maps with one another. But these maps were obviously crafted with some care and utilized terrific layouts (both copied and original) and I think the mark they were shooting for was met. We are the winners.


I got to agree with GI here 100% We didn't make these maps to get jobs anywhere, and i for myself lack the skill to make as beutifull maps like in CBP2, they are visually mind blowing. No doubt about that, and some play good. But for myself i tried to make a map that is so enjoyable to play as possible, and try to add the visual toutch to it with the skills i have. And imo i succeeded pretty well with CTF-FP-TutorialClassic.

ps. I study economics and work with traffic management in the harbour :D
 

[MD]FT

New Member
Mar 15, 2003
56
0
0
Visit site
Shadowlurker said:
lmao... "visual crap meshes" and "fancy light effects"
You do realise how closeminded, stupid and pointless this comment is yes? It is posible for a map to look great and play great - look at the 1on1Pack, Dm-CBP-Achilles etc. There is much more skill involved in making a map that both looks and play good than, say, a cube maps with nice gameplay.
Let's face it, gaemplat is stale. We've played through everything before, seen everything before. IMO, these maps arn't even 10/10 gameplay - there are so many improvements that could have been made. Some of them look good, but a lot are quite poor - especially the egyption themed one. And campercrossings? Ugh.
A visually great map is just so much more than "static meshes" and lights. Atmosphere, texture use...
It makes me laugh how "gamers" now complain about every map with more than 5 meshes, about "OMG!!!1111 ITW HAS MEGA MESHES EVERYWHRE AND ITS CLUTTERS AND IT STOPPED GAMEPLAY COMPLETELY CO S IT GETS IN WAY"
well guess ****ing what? maybe, just maybe that static mesh is there for... yes... a reason. If that static mesh was just bsp, would you complain. I doubt it. It's just a scapegoat.
And at the end of the day, it's mappers like Hourences, who produce great atmospheres and enviroments, who get jobs. And look - he made Rankin. And Torlan. Great playing maps, which look good to boot.

There is no way this map is 10 times better. Be logical, and stop being arrogant and hasty. There were many fine maps in the CBP. Yeah, there were maps that weren't so good, but every map was better than nearly everything out there. This pack? It's good, but it just isn't as professional, as well presented.
More people will have d/l the CBP than they will have the flag pack. Maybe this pack will be played more. I don't know. But saying this map is 10391204910248120 times better than the CBP is just plain silly.


As for map reviewers, (and speaking as one), we have to review based on everything equally. If the gameplay is grea but the visuals are average, a map might only get a 6 at NC. A great looking map with average gameplay will also get a 6.
Is that not correct? I think it is. And most people seem to agree.

Surley if people play a map more than the other map by a large margin, that map is better? common sense says so anyway :)
 

Zlal

New but not improved.
Nov 4, 2001
1,285
0
0
Exeter
Cigam said:
Hmm maybe you can explain that last sentence because from my point of view (ok i'm biased but still) only 1 map in CBP2 will be used for competitive match (CTF-CBP2-Pistola) and at least 5 maps from the flagpack will be used.
This pack was made for competitive purpose not to just look at it and say "woa it looks nice" but never play it.
I also remind you that 90% of the players who play leagues and cups have all their settings set to low so...

CTF-Thorns gets played a lot. Does that make it a good map? CTF-1on1-Joust gets played a lot. Does that make it a fun map?
IMO, it doesnt matter if your map gets played on servers. Look at the huge amount of UT maps that never got played but deserved play. It all depends on who you contact, and how big you are PR wise. The flag pack has been pushed around all the legues, all the clans etc, and as a result it will be played. If such a big deal had not been made of it, it wouldn't get as much play time.
I'm not saying that as a bad thing - much better these than CTF-CBP-Botanical or the like.