Ran it through the overview generator for fun:
http://www.neogeographica.com/q3/overviews/phctf_b.html
Good start! The center does feel like the germ of a special small map. Here's a few issues that stood out for me after playing it a while. These are just initial impressions, not Grand Pronouncements, and I also haven't read any other feedback above yet.
- The map is top-heavy. The shortest paths, safest paths, and best items (except for the occasionally spawning regen) are all on higher ground. Having most of the health down low does counteract this a bit, but I generally didn't use the ground unless I fell there.
- As a special case of that, it seems like the obvious choice to exit the flagroom is to RJ out the top window, if you have the health. Extremely short path back home, and minimal center exposure.
- The attack zones coming into the flagroom are all generally on the same side, so a base defender doesn't have to have their head on much of a swivel. (It is good though that there isn't an obvious super-safe camping spot for defenders.)
I've done some quick fiddling with the flagroom, might help generate more ideas. I haven't actually tried to build or play this. Here's the results of my free-association:
[lvlshot]
http://www.neogeographica.com/q3/phctf_sketch.png[/lvlshot]
Stuff out-of-sight to the left of camera is more or less the same. I've moved the ramp and the flag toward the camera, so the ramp is snug up against the left walkway.
The rail window at point A would actually be a window -- or maybe a shoot-through-able grate -- but not passable. There would be a hole in the floor (not shown) which would drop down into the low path.
I've added a pillar beside the ramp, and a high ledge. Both of those run out as far as the end of the ramp. I was thinking about a jumppad on the floor at the end of the high ledge; can't see it from this camera position (and I didn't actually create it), but it would be more or less where you get if you travelled in the direction of B to get to the other side of the pillar. Or maybe a slightly more protected jumppad-shaft that opens onto the ledge from the right side.
Several options about how the low path could enter the flagroom. I would lean toward having one entrance right by the new jumppad and another at point C or underneath point D (below the left-hand walk).
Anyway the general ideas here:
- Rail path is definitely one-way now (288 unit drop to the low path, might want to even make it a tad more to be sure).
- When entering via the low path you have a chance to bounce up to get a height advantage in the flag room. Exactly how much you are exposed when doing this depends on where the low entrances are placed.
- Somewhat difficult for a defender to cover the left-high entrance as well as the right-high ledge.
- Flagroom is generally a bit more asymmetrical.
Flagroom proportions are a bit bolloxed up in my hacked version, and I still don't feel a balance among the approaches/defense/exits (e.g. I think a defender might just park on the high ledge), but I must eat now! BTW the mapfile can be downloaded here, if that's more useful than the screenshot: [Edit: removed link to mapfile. LMK if you want it] ... but like I said I basically just mutilated the blue base enough to help me think and then take a picture, it's not buildable/playable.
I haven't really thought about entities yet.
Edit: By the way, I salute you for working on the diagonal.
I hope I will have some time to try it soon.
