IMPORTANT: Turn on word wrap. ==================== THE LAUGHING PIT ==================== Directory structure: Anything with a .bsp extension goes into Quake/fortress/maps/ Anything with a .mdl extension goes into Quake/fortress/progs/ Anything with a .wav extension goes into Quake/fortress/sound/items/ Its likely that you already have several or all of the sounds and models -- this is because I can't make either worth a darn and so I borrowed ones which already existed (yes, that's why the freeze life boxes look like diamonds). ==================== MAP INFO The goal of this map is to take the freeze life box (which looks like a large gemstone) from the opponents' base, and then proceed to the Laughing Pit, which is located down either of a pair of long stone corridors leading off from an island in the center. It is called the Laughing Pit because it opens and closes randomly, making crossing it nearly impossible. However, there is a yellow pad nearby -- if you step onto this pad while you have the opponents' freeze life box, the Laughing Pit will freeze for 15 seconds into whatever position it is in (hint hint: freeze it CLOSED, so you can cross). On the far side of the laughing pit is a flag. EITHER side which takes this flag back to their base and touch it to the bottom of the tile at the top of their Rift Shaft (the column of purple water) will score -- so you must guard it well when you have it because if you are killed your enemies can take it from there without ever stealing your freeze life box. ON SECRETS: This map contains no secrets -- or at least, if there are any, they were put in accidentally and I am unaware of their existence. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES: -You are given a frag (and you recieve one team point) just for grabbing the enemy freeze life box, even before you take it anywhere -- it is therefore important to prevent your enemies from getting to the box, not merely preventing them from getting out with it. You also recieve a fitting bonus of 5 health and a type 2 grenade to aid your escape. -Whoever uses a freeze life box will gain 1 frag and loose some health. You get the frag as a reward for your success, you loose the health because I haven't figured out what's causing it so I can't prevent it. If you don't want to live with it, find the problem and email me -- otherwise, don't even bother complaining. -You glow when you hold a freeze life box, but when holding the flag you glow AND your speed is reduced to 1/2. -It is possible to carry the flag to your opponents' Rift Shaft, but you can only score for your team. -The resupply bags in the respawn rooms completely fill everything (armor, health, ammo, grenades, detpacks, medkits) the first time, and can be used once every 7 seconds. They can be used by either team, so defend them! -The map is generally very open or allows multiple paths just about everywhere, so you'll have to adapt your defense appropriately. I would suggest focusing your defenses on the room where you freeze life box is stored and/or the flag itself (Laughing Pit). -In theory, its impossible to cross the Laughing Pit unless its frozen, but I know that someone, somewhere, somehow, will find a way to get across and grab the flag. If it was just luck, then they'll fall down the pit on the way back and its no big deal. If they make it back, email me and I'll see if I can find a way to fix it, but for that game just adapt your defensive strategy -- remember, if they carry the flag across the Pit, you can just kill them and run with it. INTERESTING FACTS: +The Laughing Pit will actually laugh every time someone falls down it. +The Laughing Pit and corridor leading to it extend roughly 3 times as far as the remainder of the map does in that dimension (y-axis). +Compared to the blue base, the red base is slightly offset (in other words, there's more space to one side of the door into red's area than the other). +I completed this map far more quickly (in terms of construction time) than I've ever heard of a half-decent map taking. I'm not really sure why that is . . . =It was completed less than 36 hours from the time is was created. CREDITS The sole author of the map was Jeremy Lennert, who uses the Quake alias "Tactician", and at this time (due to clan membership) uses the full name of "D3adlod3's Tactician *E*". All the models and wave files used in this map are ones which I have accumulated since I started playing TF, and I'm not sure the exact authors of any of them; however, I do thank all the authors of the models and waves for creating them, you know who you are. "Tactician" can be reached at jeremy@webridge.com. I will answer questions/comments about the map, accept suggestions, et cetra. I am also willing to help other people with their own maps (or learning how to make maps), but I'm not going to do any of the busywork for you, because I'm already far too busy (for instance, don't even bother asking if I'll find a leak for you). I'd like to thank id Software for creating Quake, TFS for creating Team Fortress, and Yahn for creating BSP, the map editor I use. . . . . that's all!