Custom Creations for All

Monoblogue Two!

What is it that every Team Fortress 2 player needs every day he plays his favourite game?

Well done to everyone who said maps! From the humble public player, with his favourite section of Goldrush, to the elite, preferring something more well rounded like the Badlands spire.

But now is always the best time for some aggressive expansion, so I’m going to attempt a quick summary of some of the better custom maps that people are playing, and maps that people really should be playing!

To keep it simple, I shall start with cp_freight(_b3), a current non-official map being played by many teams in leagues and public servers alike. The true charm of this map is a mixture of designs from ctf_well and cp_granary, whilst concentrating on the massive trains impeding on any teams well layed out plans. Nothing beats a train kill at a critical moment, and really defines the whacky nature of Team Fortress 2. Currently two models of freight are popular; the beta3 version is better in my opinion, keeping the more interesting health kit locations, and making the roofs accessible to jump classes from all the way along.

Another favourite of mine is pl_stovepipe_b3, which came top 9 in the tf2maps.net payload map contest, and was released with the other 8 in a mappack. It has a great mixture of badlands style outdoors, then moves on to more granary style with simple buildings to use, later in the map. If there was ever a payload map to use in competitive play, this is as close as Ive ever seen, because it has a wide variety of height layers, clear areas of interest to defend from, and an excellently balanced use of side areas and ammo/health pack spawns. The map is nowhere near too big for 6v6 play, and easily allows for more interesting classes from the norm, like Heavies to push the cart safely, and Pyros to flank enemy positions using some of the side passages.

For those wanting some more whacky/ fun style maps like ctf_bball2, look no further than cp_pyropaintball. Ironically, finding a download link can be quite a struggle, with no fpsbanana page, and google turning up nothing relevant. (ps. 5 cookies to anyone who can help out here)! The premise of this map is to use only your flaregun to kill enemy pyros; the catch is everyone spawns with 2 health, and once you die you have to sit out for the rest of the round, leaving 1 team the winner. Its fast paced and relaxed nature can make it an effective warmup with friends, or just something cool to mess around with every so often.

The author of ctf_rockpike_b4 has been asking people to test and comment on his map; if you let this opportunity for an already very interesting map with a motivated author slip by without helping, you only have yourself to blame when there are too few ctf maps in TF2 to choose from. Give it a runaround, and head to the ETF2L forums to suggest and input. I’m sure “NameLess” will appreciate the help anyone experienced can give him.

by Renegade26!

7 February 2009 in Blog Entry