The arena is a CPMA tournament map at heart, but is also enjoyable for small FFA's and 2v2. CPM / CQ3 physics will help greatly increase the connectivity as the light fixtures are designed to allow for soaring above large gaps to snatch items like LG and RA quickly and with a minimum of fuss. It's still playable in VQ3 though, because there are no items in this map that necessarily require CPM physics to reach.

The two highlight rooms are the RG room overlooked by the RA hallway, and the LG / YA room. Controlling these important artifacts is essential to victory. Be careful trying to obtain the RA - the other player may punish you with a furious shaft across the hallway if you are not careful! Same can happen the other way around - your opponent can flick a well-placed slug in your face just when you are about to pick up your shiny ruby protection gear. Not to worry though - the YA and GA (in CPM) may be able to get you back on your running shoes if you are trailing behind.

It should be noted that the arena contains two red fog pits. This is considered controversial in duel-oriented maps, but for me I think it works okay here. It just teaches you to be more careful. Note that you can drop down on the hanging chains and camp there, if you are willing to take the risk of accidentally losing a frag, and that you have a RL in hand to get your butt out.

Lunaran's "cpm18" texture set dresses it in a sublime visual style with some punctilious detail. The red fog makes for a nice warm and cool color contrast, and the atmosphere permeates the fighting grounds with that sense of solitude and eerie quietness. There are only a few strange things about the graphics, such as a seemingly twisting pillar of rustic metal strips - but that is just a matter of perspective.

Try it today!

Reviewed by EmeraldTiger

There is more than one access route from base to base. From the middle ground, these routes cross over to form two clear paths - one above and one below. The easiest way, the one below, has a flame coming out of a wall, over an oil slick on the floor. The player can either run straight through the flame for a small amount of damage, or can try to slide under the flame on the oil using the seldom used crouch feature. Some shortcuts can be found when playing with the CPMA mod or with a slight increase of speed from strafe-jumping, which is always nice to see.

My main concern with the map is that there may be too many weapons available. Playing with the maximum suggested player load of 12 also leads to a cramped environment. 4 vs 4 games are a little tight but fine. Teams of 3 (humans) are a lot more fun.

Visually, the texture choice is good (custom textures by EvilLair, Lunaran and the author). I should warn you that there are some ad banners in this map, but that is to be expected since this map was for a mapping contest. The only visual drawback is the use of the original teleporter from ID. That one should not be used anymore, but it's a personal taste, not a bad point in itself.

Bots play very well and use all available routes. They behave just like they should.

Definitively a download and a keeper if you are into CTF or Team Arena.

Reviewed by DGhost

Note: This map can be played online at FragLove.

If I am not mistaken, this was the first official CTF map for Quake3 by r3tina. He has describe the map as a "Pretty large CTF map", but you will soon read that this may not be the case everywhere in the map. Not his best CTF map by far, but still quality is here and you can see it with the routes from each base, the layout of the weapons, ammo and items (only weapon missing is the BFG). It is very well done. There are 2 routes from the middle going inside each base, these routes then split along the way to the flag in a lot of ways then resume to 5 entrances to the flag room. Of course the map is symmetric since it has been designed for CTF. I do wish that there could have been more space in the middle ground (where the Regen spawns). This would have balanced with the larger inside areas. r3tina suggest 8 to 10 players for this map and I think it is the right number. It can go up to 16 players, but you will discover that this is too much (again the middle ground may be the cause of that).

Visually, there are a lot of the original ID textures and they are well used. Some custom jumppads that I can not recognize are used and no mention about the textures in the readme file. Some small areas in the map will probably remind you of The Dredwerkz (Q3DM12), for example; where the Railgun and the Megahealth are located. I also think that this is where this map shows its old age, only by the look and not by the gameplay mind you.

Bot support is well done, they go almost anywhere, still they tend to favor the lower route for going to the middle ground. Small drawback, no Team Arena support, it would have been fun to be able to play it with the power tech and try this map in Overload, Harvester or Oneflag. Only CTF is supported.

Download? If you are into CTF like me, for sure, but I don't think it is going to be a classic, r3tina has better maps already available in his library.

Reviewed by DGhost

Note: The included readme file is well out-of-date and r3tina's contact details have changed. See r3tina's current website for details.]]> http://lvlworld.com/review.php?id=2193 http://lvlworld.com/review.php?id=2193 Complex of Carmack's laboratories. Designed for the EntityPlus mod. The download contains three connected maps for a real Single Player experience. The enemies can be very hard to beat, especially Dr. Carmack himself (Klesk bot).

Spoiler: In the first map you will find four super human creations from Dr. Carmack and you will need to get past these to start the second map. Next you are up against two super human creations, who are guarding Dr. Carmack. After this, you will need to make your way through the small complex. The final map will have you facing three super humans and Dr. Carmack himself. To reach Dr. Carmack you need to get passed a simple column puzzle. Acquiring Carmack's BFG will end the campaign.

Also included are the Single Player classics of keys to access important and secure places.

Download and leave some feedback to help not only Deqer but other EntityPlus mappers.

Reviewed by CZghost

Tigs notes: While it is fantastic to finally see an EntityPlus release, this mission has some serious bugs which highlight the issues and complexity of creating both a single player game engine and the levels to accompany it. For example, at the very start it is possible to ride on the roof of the elevator back down. This will create an issue where the player can not die and can not go forward. Another example, but not the only one is the fact that it is possible to enter the final battle with only a Machine Gun. In fact, it is very possible to lose (almost) any weapon shortly after acquiring it and never see it again for the rest of the game. This can cause a serious gameplay issue as later you are given the chance to collect more ammo but never another weapon. deQer needs to be congratulated on the creation of this release, but hopefully deQer's next release will be less buggy.]]> http://lvlworld.com/review.php?id=2192 http://lvlworld.com/review.php?id=2192 The second official Threewave Map Pack for Q3A and Team Arena.

q3wc1 - Bletney's return by Thumper & DD: First CTF & CCTF map from second map pack. The map is symmetrical from center, also item placement is in symmetrical order. There are 5 weapons per team (10 in total), two Megahealths and four armors (two for each team). The Quad spawns in center of map. Textures have a war theme to them.

q3wc2 - Desert Cemetery by Hype: Map has an open desert and palace theme. Like the previous map, this one has center-based symmetrical geometry. There are 7 weapons per team (14 in total), two Megahealths. Four armors (two for each team). The Quad spawns in center of map, but there are also two Regenerations (one for each team).

q3wc3 - Heat by DD: A thermal power station theme and is not clearly symmetrical. Also uses a number of ID textures, notably lava or base trims. There are 7 weapons per team (14 in total), four armors (two for each team), two Megahealths and some Teleporters. There are two Quads (one for each team) and two Regenerations. A big fan is in center of map.

q3wc4 - The Dead Zone by DD: A pulse and electricity theme. The layout is perfect symmetry. Some underway catacombs can be found. Each of the four teleporters will bring you near the center of the map. There are six weapons per team (12 in total), five armors (two for each team, one is in center of map), two Megahealths, Regeneration and Quad. Catacombs are very dark, but each contains GL.

q3wc5 - Showdown by DD: This map is like a space base. Also, perfect symmetrical layout. Some nice details which you will notice in game. The map has no center, there is a void instead. Four weapons per team, four armors (two for each team) two Hastes spawn in open areas. Four teleporters can be found here. Heh, very good place for alien wars :D

q3wc6 - Twisted base by Hype: Classical Tech CTF map. Perfect symmetry once again. There is an exterior in center of map. 7 weapons per team are included (14 in total), you can find four armors (two for each team). Two Regenerations, two Hastes and a Quad. Megahealth is unfortunately under Quad spawn. There are two teleporters near Megahealth to get back to higher places.

q3wc7 - Wizard's Manse by DD: This map is in classic gothic style, and is not symmetrical at all. There are 14 weapons in total, 3 armors, one Megahealth, Two Quads and many teleporters. The corridors will confuse you head ;)

q3wc8 - Ultimatium by DD: Classic tech style and perfectly symmetry. There are 13 weapons in total (6 per team, one in the center), six armors (three for each team), two Regenerations and Hastes, some item placements are not symmetrical.

These are all enjoyable Q3A CTF map that will please any CTF fan.

Reviewed by CZghost

Tigs notes: A number of these map have been influenced from earlier id Software release as well as from the original Quake CTF. For example, Showdown (q3wc5) is a re-make of the final level of Quake 2, converted for CTF. Another example is Wizard's Manse (q3wc7), which has been heavily inspired by The Wizard's Manse (e2m5) from the original Quake release.

The map's theme is highly eccentric. It feels like a childrens playground with its bright colors, some of the textures, and some crayon marks on the walls in one room. But the shining metal, computers, etc. suggest some research facility as well. Maybe it is a laboratory for 5-year olds? Someone help me please! At least it is consistent.

The layout is symmetrical and could have been massively improved with more connectivity, (some rooms having only one way in and out) a higher ceiling (I bumped into the sky?) and more vertical action. One room contains a bridge with a MH and serves as a hub to the rest of the rooms. Two of them contain an almost identical arrangement of crates with differing colors, almost resembling children's play blocks more than shipping containers, with a strip of slime which can not be fallen into and is used only for "aesthetic" purposes. Both rooms contain either a RG or LG depending on which one you are in.

The other two rooms branching out from the center are slightly larger but even more terrifying. At the very end of either room is a control panel with random images of video games, software, posters, etc. which have been placed there with no real sense of theme or atmosphere. (i.e. making it look like a lab computer, etc. instead of a mix-mash picture gallery) Next to that is a pair of layered doors which must be opened separately with your weapons (you cannot just walk up to them) or by shooting the button next to them. As the first door slides you will behold a screenshot of an MS-DOS window with various computer settings - what the heck?

If that was not scary enough, it all reveals a room using a high-contrast CPU texture (which is meant to be a shader blend, and not used by itself) everywhere and shelves containing a collection of weapons (including the machinegun!), health, armor, etc. with a RL inside a box that must also be shot to open it. In an actual game this means big trouble as one player can grab a hefty arsenal with little time and effort. If you ever get thirsty, there is also a few cans of exotic Mexican sodas, the textures slapped on small rectangular prisms with the white blank background around them. There is also an accelerator pad pointing towards the ramp up to the MH in the central room - really?

Yeah... I think it's safe to say that you should stay away from this place. Hopefully, however, the author can examine his mistakes and improve upon them in future maps. Time will tell...

Reviewed by EmeraldTiger

Tigs notes: The original release, which EmeraldTiger used to review, included a number major issues including, but not limited to the following; a copy of the authors q3config.cfg (never include this), a damaged bot file and extra files that are not required. These issues have been corrected and the level now supports bots as well.