remake closer to RB version of fun map!
I have Raffi_B's CTF-RB-Arid and CTF-Arid-v2 and this one (remade by stfx) and like them all for various reasons. I still like the RB version the best for gameplay and v5 possibly for visuals. Here are my updated reviews of previous two and review of this latest v5 version.
CTF-RB-Arid (by Raffi_B) > small, bright Egyptian-themed map with modified stock music, great fast and furious gameplay, flow, tough bots and lots of details. The details include: torches (red/blue at bases, orange in middle and at rocket launcher and big keg o’ health areas), Egyptian textures/meshes, hieroglyphics, designs, huge statues in middle, birds (includes base indicators), rams, flickering scarabs (red and blue), dome (open to bright blue sky with hazy sun) above flag with red/white/orange sprite lights at red base (blue/white at blue base; same is also above base entrances with circling lights as great base indicators), mountains and Saturn-like planet in surrounding scene, long red/blue banners in middle, black onyx ceilings in front part of bases, brown/gray/beige ceiling at top of base with link gun, moving platforms and base vortices (teleporters) for quick upward transport (they are behind the flag with health packs on either side). The lighting in here is bright and it makes it hard to see the lights inside the bases (this is good for some players and bad for others).
The map has good powerup and weapon placement: flak cannon is up high above flag (as well as adrenaline and health vials around center support) and accessed by cool lifts, shock rifle is in front of ramp bottom, Udamage is under the front ramp just inside base, rocket launcher and big keg o’ health are in middle of map off to the side, super shield pack is in middle of map on floor with health vials, redeemer is up high on platform in map center, and also up high are the lightning guns with more health packs and adrenaline. The bots (now set to adept) don’t use the upper areas of map, except to CTF or defend at bases or ride on platform and shoot down below. They don’t use the side lifts in middle of map (for upper mid-area access), but do use the lifts at the bases. The bots xloc everywhere else, except to get the redeemer. There are gimmicks and base indicators in this map that I feel they make it an enjoyable experience. There is also a FragBU version somewhere (new versions are CTF-Arid-v2 and CTF-Arid-v3; newer version is CTF-Arid-v5 and is remade by stfx).
CTF-Arid-v2 (by Raffi_B) > revised CTF-RB-Arid; small, darker Egyptian-themed map with same modified stock music, good fast and furious gameplay, flow, good bots (tougher in RB version-old version) and lots of details. The details include: torches (all orange), Egyptian textures/meshes, hieroglyphics, designs, huge statues in middle, birds (includes base indicators), rams, flickering scarabs (still red and blue), no more dome above flag or above base entrances (skybox is darker (gray-blue) with clouds and sunlight), no surrounding scene, still long red/blue banners in middle, now black onyx ceilings throughout bases, brown/gray/beige ceiling at top of base open to sky with link gun and health vials, no more moving platforms (instead you have to jump down then look for jumppad and move up again, well I guess this way you aren’t exposed on the platform anymore; you can also dodge jump or wall jump if you have those maneuvers mastered), no more base vortices (teleporters) for quick upward transport (instead you get jacked against the ceiling with new jumppad if you approach it from front, especially annoying if approaching for a cap). Based on the simple fact that this map is darker, it looks better and the lighting is probably better with better shadows. Obviously, it’s a better skybox and you can see the lights in the bases better. The lighting improvements to this map made good lighting even better.
This map also has good powerup and weapon placement: flags are up high now (at top of new back ramp) with flak cannon down below in front of jumppad at bottom of back ramp to flag with health packs above on either side (as well as adrenaline and health vials around center support), shock rifle is still near bottom of front ramp, Udamage is still under the front ramp just inside base, rocket launcher and big keg o’ health still in middle of map off to side, super shield pack still in middle of map on floor with health vials but now also regular shield packs at bases under back ramp, there is no more redeemer but the lightning guns/health packs/adrenaline are still up high. This map has a slightly different base design with different routes and now no lifts at bases. I’d have to say it is not better flow in the flag rooms, but just different; the flow gained by no moving platforms and teleporter is lost by malfunctioning jumppads. Also, in a bot match, the flow is about the same in this version versus if the bots don’t use the moving platforms in the RB version. The gameplay is still fast and furious, but the bots don’t seem as tough as in the CTF-RB-Arid version. Although, the bots (now set to adept) do use the x-loc to get the lightning guns and big keg o’ health, but I did not see them use the side lifts in the center. The gimmicks are gone as well as some base indicators; I thought the gimmicks being fun outweighed the flow possibly being slightly worse in the RB version. I’d actually prefer a darker old version with this skybox and stop there. There is also a FragBU version somewhere (new version is CTF-Arid-v3; newer version is CTF-Arid-v5 and is remade by stfx).
CTF-Arid-v3 (by Raffi_B) > revised CTF-Arid-v2; small, Egyptian-themed map with better custom music, good fast and furious gameplay, flow, good bots (seem tougher than v2 version) and lots of details. The details include: torches (all orange), Egyptian textures/meshes, hieroglyphics, designs, huge statues in middle, birds (includes base indicators), rams, flickering scarabs (still red and blue), skybox is gray-blue with clouds and sunlight, long red/blue banners in middle, black onyx ceilings throughout bases, brown/gray/beige ceiling at top of base open to sky with link gun and health vials, you can still dodge jump or wall jump from top of base toward middle of map if you have those maneuvers mastered, new jumppad has better location and you can go back to flag or keep going away from base immediately (like hidden access port also). Based on the simple fact that this map is still slightly darker than the RB version, it looks better with the added team-colored lighting and the lighting is better with better shadows. The lighting improvements to this map made good lighting even better than v2 version.
This map also has good powerup and weapon placement: flags are still up high now (at top of new back ramp) with flak cannon down below with health packs above on either side (as well as new jumppad and health vials around center support; no more adrenaline here), shock rifle is still near bottom of front ramp, Udamage is still under the front ramp just inside base, rocket launcher and big keg o’ health still in middle of map off to side, super shield pack still in middle of map on floor with health vials but now also regular shield packs at bases under back ramp, one lightning gun is up high along curved top path in place of health packs/adrenaline and health packs are at old lightning gun locations. This map has the same base design as v2 but with different jumppad route. I’d have to say it is better flow in the flag rooms than the v2 version. The gameplay is still fast and furious and the bots seem as tough as in the CTF-RB-Arid version (at least the other team
). Although, the bots (now set to adept) do use the x-loc to get the big keg o’ health and health packs, but I did not see them use the side lifts in the center or get the lightning gun along curved top path. The gimmicks are gone but not forgotten.
The screenshots in the preview still show the v2 version. I’d actually still prefer a darker old version with this skybox and stop there. There is also a FragBU version somewhere (newer version is CTF-Arid-v5 and is remade by stfx).
CTF-Arid-v5 (this one remade by stfx) > remake of Raffi_B’s CTF-Arid-v2/v3; small, Egyptian-themed map with better custom music, great fast and furious gameplay, flow, great bots (seem tougher than all versions) and lots of details. The details include: torches (all orange), Egyptian textures/meshes, hieroglyphics, designs, huge statues in middle, birds (includes base indicators), rams, flickering scarabs (still red and blue and more of them), skybox is still gray-blue with clouds and sunlight (map is not too bright or too dark, now a just-right version that would make Goldilocks proud
), long red/blue banners in middle, black onyx ceilings throughout bases, brown/gray/beige ceiling at top of base open to sky with link gun and now health packs instead of vials, you can still dodge jump or wall jump from top of base toward middle of map if you have those maneuvers mastered, same jumppad with better location and you can still go back to flag or keep going away from base immediately (like hidden access port also). Based on the simple fact that this map is still slightly darker than the RB version, it still looks better with the added team-colored lighting and the lighting is better with better shadows. The lighting improvements to this map made good lighting even better than v3 version.
This map also has good powerup and weapon placement: flags are still up high now (at top of new back ramp) with flak cannon down below with no health packs above on either side (as well as jumppad and only one health pack around center support), shock rifle is still near bottom of front ramp, Udamage is gone from under the front ramp just inside base, rocket launcher and big keg o’ health still in middle of map but health is now on floor in center, super shield pack has been removed, regular shield packs at bases under front ramp to replace Udamage but no longer at back ramp, lightning gun is up high but above rocket launcher and health vials and adrenaline are back along curved top path. This map has the same base design as v3 but now has two added pillars in middle area of map for great cover. The gameplay is still fast and furious and the bots seem as tough as or tougher than in the CTF-RB-Arid version (at least the other team
). The bots seem to go everywhere now and possibly might even use lifts but not sure (better bot pathing). I wish I could test the EAX, but my 5.1 has been down for a couple months or so. I like the added sand humps and ambient sounds. Not sure I like removing most of the health out of flag room, but that’s just me wanting more pickups. The gimmicks are gone but not forgotten.
I’d actually still prefer a darker old version with this skybox and stop there; although, this map version would be an extremely close second choice. There is also a FragBU version somewhere.
