Wow! this map really does have a gorgeous style and the attention to artist details is amazing with all the broken stuff. This map is certainly something to be proud of and brings a whole new style to Q3, but there are serious problems with this map especially concerning gameplay and layout.
The first problem is the amount of items you have in the map, either you love the sound of the item pickup or feel that items are like details to be sprinkled around to spruce up areas!
Here is a quick drawing I did of your current item layout:
[lvlshot]http://www.simonoc.com/images/misc/noruen_ctf/current_layout.jpg[/lvlshot]
As you can see from the drawing I did of your item layout (I did not even highlight the ammo boxes) that you have far too much of everything. The key to item layouts is 'less is more!'. If items are easy to get then their strength is diminished and nobody cares about their locations anymore. Also never add the same ammo box type next to their weapon type because it is worthless. The spawn time on weapons are really fast already and ammo boxes should be valuable like weapon placements. You also have a crazy amount of health balls and especially the +50 ones which should be like gold dust, hard to get.
The second problem with the map is the layout and gameplay.
1. Mid ground. There is none, you just jump through 1 portal and that is it. I could single handed just stand to the side of the main teleporter and constantly spam the entrance with PG bursts at close range (weapon there so constant ammo) and defend the base. To fix this you will need several entrances to each base linked via teleporters and no PG close by.
2. Excessive amount of teleporters. CTF and teleporters don't mix because there is nothing worse than chasing a FC who you lose in a maze of teleporters and nobody on your team can call where the FC has gone too. The closer to the flag the teleporter the worse the problem, so if you have teleporters in CTF they have got to be a long distance away so a FC can be intercepted before they get to their own base.
3. Long JP across large distance = instant death from RG. You have plenty of locations where you hit long JP's and what with the RG being in a high up sniper point you will be a clay pigeon flying through the sky, out of control and waiting for a mid air RG splat.
4. Wrong powerups, invis/haste. Generally speaking you always have either regen (in each base) or quad. (mid ground) You got the haste close to the flag so it will be almost impossible to catch any FC escaping. The invis powerup is useless once you got the flag because the flag model sticks to your back and is not affected by the powerup.
Here is a quick drawing I did of a possible new item layout and some gameplay changes:
[lvlshot]http://www.simonoc.com/images/misc/noruen_ctf/new_layout.jpg[/lvlshot]
The first thing to do is take the current mountain with the entrance point into each base and bring it close to the base area. (where the RL is in the current map) Also create 3 teleporter connections between each base, 3 inside the starting mountain and 3 outside that players have to jump towards. So each teleporter is oneway and you reduce the chance of telefrags.
Add some cover to the paths from the teleporters to the base, so if someone is up in the mountain trying to snipe players they have to time it right. Place tree's or spikes from the ground at various points up the path so when you run the distance to the base it is not wide open space.
Move the RG out of the sniper tower and put it down at the bottom of the broken stairs (the one with INV powerup). The base is wide open and a RG paradise so make it difficult to get this weapon and be very careful with its ammo. Make the steps up to the base complete enough that you can run up them and not need the JP at the bottom anymore. Sure make it difficult with narrow sections but not impossible.
Take the back area and squash it up next to the flag mountain and connect this lower area with a vertical JP or lift. Get rid of the crazy large gap (looks awesome visually but useless for gameplay) Place a really powerful item here like the regen so that it is a worthwhile location for attackers. Also by removing the broken stairs here, the other set becomes an unique landmark that can be described to people. It would also be worthwhile making this back area unique in someway, maybe a ruined structure slipping off the side of the land into the void or a broken altar for the regen to sit on.
Shift the flag into the center of the main mountain so that it is much easier to get to for attackers and not impossible to defend. Locate a SG/RL/YA for flag defenders and really keep the health balls to a bare minimun in each area so that they become valuable again.
Shift the RA backdoor around so it comes up where the flag use to be. It is still a good distance away from the flag, easy to defend against but also a good shortcut, especially with a RA bonus and LG on the way.
You cannot have entrance teleporters next to the flag and the two currently in the mountain will have to go. The lower teleporter next to the front of the base is too close to the front and would cause problem with defenders. Two routes (left RG, right LG) into the base is plenty. The back area still needs to be connected via a teleporter but it would be cool to connect it to the side LG area so attackers can either go RA backdoor (sneak attack), JP up to flag room (frontal attack) or teleporter, regen and JP up to flag room. (flank attack)
Obviously this item layout still has potential problems like the MH/YA in the lower area, might be cool to lose the MH and keep the RG by itself to the side. This will only become apparent with bot/player testing.
I would also suggest you try add barriers/bars to the front of the flag mountain. (old flag area and new RL area especially) If I grab the flag, the first thing I would do is head straight for the RL area, jump out the window, land at PG area and then dive for a teleporter. You should try and force the FC to either go towards the RG area, regen area/teleporter to LG area or LG area.
Also one last thing, you have got to get this working with bots. Trust me is not impossible to do and there are plenty of people here who could help you with this. You cannot release CTF maps without bots support nowadays, hardly anyone would look at the map otherwise.
Hope that helps
Well he was evil, but he did build alot of roads. - Gogglor
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Keep up the good work!!!
