7
« on: June 03, 2015, 07:32:36 PM »
So I decided to go ahead and view all the wads and do the wonderful task every board member of any league has to do. I dove through the lesser known maps and skipped some of the mainstream ones, but I basically went through 90% of these wads. Here is my honest findings:
8 Bit CTF
Will look at later when I am blind.
32in24 IV: CAPTURE THE FAG
For a speed mapping wad, this produced a lot of gems that we have all come to know and love. Although it's a safe bet that the best of this wad has already been taken, I think there are a couple of maps worth mentioning. They probably won't be seeing any priv or league play anywhere, but they are probably all that's left in the wad that can be called decent.
Map01: Dubbed BrickRun V2. This saw some play time in ODA priv some years back, but it didn't seem to have what it took to stick around,
Map08: Really, really simplistic, but compared to some of the other wads, it's a 5/5.
Map22: Simple but with a little lift gimmick.
32in24 7: Return of the Night of Capture the Flag
The wad gave me a bad headache after looking through it. It's really bad when compared to the previous installment. Map22 is the only good thing to come out of this wad. Here are some notables:
Map05: Saw some priv play back on ZD. It was a passable map that only got in due to inner circle influence.
Map08: Ah the good old drama bait libraries map. Definitely not the worst map ever, it could work if people gave it an honest chance.
Map10: Had some priv play back in the day. Goofy flag lift gimmick killed it.
32in24-12: IRON MAPPER
Much better than the dash 7, but not as good as the original installment of the series. The issue with this wad is that it seems it had a lot of maps that featured good ideas but they needed some input from actual CTF players. Good ideas and designs that needed more testing...
Map01: In the WDL wad and looks good. But the spawns and some of the layout choices ruin the potential.
Map06: Looked good on paper, was a really lackluster map in the end.
Map08: Looks good, not sure how it would play out.
Map09: One of the better maps in the pack but Rott has made much better layouts.
Map20: So simple it could work.
Anthology CTF
ZDCTF1-3 with visual updates and level design changes. We already know what ZDCTF has to offer.
Barbapapa's CTF
An interesting wad that plays differently for both kinds of CTF. For public CTF, it's a great wad to run for a weekly event where players gather around and kill each other or die trying. In competitive CTF, these maps are god awful. The designs just don't work for more serious play and I think there is nothing around this fact. It's a pub mapset and probably a really good one. Only 1 map made the cut before:
Map26: Angry face is the most simple design in the entire wad and it's telling that such a map is the highlight for compet play. It's an OK map but suffers from design flaws that keep it from being a bit more than just OK.
Black Rose CTF
I hate this wad because it was made by a clan I hate (bunch of shitty cheaters that couldn't win with hax). Most of the maps are really big or really gimmicky or a combination of the two and a few would make good ZDoom Wars maps out of the box. BR didn't really have any good players let alone good ctf players. While the mapping is pretty good, the designs have flaws that would have been ironed out with outside input. Some maps could be fixed better for compet ctf, but GL finding the author for permission. All in all, BRCTF is probably best kept as a pub wad although there are a few maps worth noting.
Map04: Pretty straightforward and nothing too crazy. Might have too much vertical for some people. Shitty spawns and op window.
Map10: Has a nice club vibe. Would be better of the floor wasn't so fucking jagged and if the spawns were laid out in a sensible way.
Map12: Very simple and has a similar idea to 32in24-4 map08. Difference is that this has more detail you get caught on and the cg tower is worthless.
Map15: People seemed to like this when it was played in priv(can't remember where). I think it was liked because it was easy to run on after you nail the jumps down.
Captere teh Flag
Same idea as BPCTF, except with worse level designs and no Angry Face quality map in the pack.
Core CTF
I think some of the better maps from older betas aren't included in this pack. Maps look great visually and there are some interesting designs. Since it is the newest CTF release on this list, I think everyone should look at it themselves and pick their favorites.
Crazy CTF
You'd have to be crazy to think these maps would make good 3v3 maps.
Map02: Take ZDCTF map01's mid and give it more interesting bases. So crazy, it might work. Edit: Very shitty spawns
Map04: So small it might work. The base is annoying to navigate and the invisible spheres might be OP especially when you can use the RJ from flag area to flag area.
Map16: Not that bad but the mid and its stairs might be a deal breaker along with the fact you will 2d in the mid as well.
CupCTF
Really good looking ctf maps with nice flow and cool ideas. Maps are a bit on the big side and this wad feels more like a pub/event wad, which of course, is not a bad thing at all. This is a damn good wad for public play and unfortunately the smaller maps have some flaws (like no ssg) that really prevent me from noting any particular one. I think TheCupboard could produce quality compet maps if someone asked him to.
Empresa PGP
This wad feels like a bunch of hombres joined together and tried to make a ctf pack for themselves and they succeeded. This wad is obviously created by guys who don't have large amounts of mapping experience and they chose to not let this fact stop them. Empresa is a pack that doesn't take itself seriously and it is the kind of pack you get your buddies together and have a good time playing drinking games on. Some good ideas are employed in many of the maps but they are hindered by bad level design and execution. It's a party wad in a nutshell.
Enzuigiri CTF
I don't know who Monobot is, but when he made this pack he either purposely went for a primitive, simple look or he wasn't the most experienced mapper. With that said, this pack follows in the style of Empresa where you get a pack that is probably fit for non-competitive play. The designs are probably a step above Empresa, but they still don't have a polished look and feature a dated look instead.
Map09: Probably the most likely to work on a 3v3 setting. But it's so small, it might just backfire.
FancyCTF
Like the previous two packs, Fancy CTF has good ideas, but unpolished level design. Of course this is due to the fact this wad is unfinished and that's a shame. If this wad had the same amount of testing and production that packs like ChaosCore and RageCTf had, it would be a really good pack. But in its unfinished state, it's hard to recommend any map since they all need work done to them. Someone should finish the wad with LordBritish's blessing.
Map09: Was a candidate for adoption into the IDL wad.
Florian SpacePirate Capture the Flag
Just think CrazyCTF part 2 except with more prescription drug abuse (meaning toned down).
Map04: Feels like the little cousin of ZDCTF03. It has the most potential.
Grotesque CTF
Cool ideas meet ZDoom features. Really cool designs and good looking texturing. The only problem is that some of these cool ideas do not translate well to CTF. Just like CupCTF, this is a good wad that deserves pub/event play.
Map02: Fairly simple, but the base might be a deal breaker.
Map04: Probably the best map in the pack for 3v3 competition.
Hysteric CTF
Another primitive, unpolished pack of maps. Good jokewad.
IDL Semi-Annual Mapping Contest
I think the first pack is of higher quality and variety than the second one. Look for yourself. 8)
Incredibly Cubed CTF
A surprisingly decent map pack made by some of Zan's notorious bad boys. It actually has a couple maps worth mentionining.
Map33: Had some play in Zan Next Level Elo Priv. The platforms are stupid and pointless though.
Map39: The version in the privctfj.pk3 compilation pack is better.
Jad's CTF
Sorry but Jad's is really bad. It follows in the footsteps of the other primitive, unpolished packs. I mean, I guess it would be OK if it was the author's first ctf work ever. But despite the downside, there is a surprise.
Map09: Actually has some good flow to it. Now if only the upper mid part had a soulsphere in it or something.
MadCTF
Makes one angry if you have to play it
Map11: Troll map with bumps everywhere. Probably the best in the wad regardless.
Odamex CTF
01,02,04...nuff said.
OldSchewlers Capture the Flag
Essentially the Dwango for CTF maps.
Map05: Probably the most feasible for 3v3. Mid kinda sucks though.
Rage CTF
Just like core, has some good 3v3 maps. Check it out.
Red Fucking Army Capture The Flag Map Pack 1
RFA creates a really fucking awful CTF pack. If you upscaled some of the maps, they would be perfect for ZDoom Wars.
Smart CTF - IDL 2011 Edition
No one is smart enough for Smart CTF.
The Last Strike Extreme CTF
Not sure how people would feel about Railguns in CTF, but 01 and 02 could work well without it.
The Lost CTF Maps
Essentially B-Sides and beta versions of Florian CTF.
Toke CTF
You take the craziness of OMGMAPS and add CTF to it. For the time period it was being made, this formula probably would have worked too. Unfortunately, it's not a 3v3 competition pack.
Velocity CTF X
Some of the maps have seen priv play throughout the years, but none of the velocity maps seem to stick around. It's probably better for public/event play rather than competition. While there are some nice layouts, many design flaws prevent it from being as good as it's Successor: RageCTF.
ZDCTFMAP1-3
We already know these maps by heart.
ZDECTFMP3
Cold Sweats and Toxic Refineries are top favorites in the CTF scene.
Map27: This neat little snow map could just be as good.
ZDUCTF
Fuck this wad, it made my headache worse.
Show Posts
