I was able to test the latest builds on many of the maps. All in all, 14 Deathmatch, 6 Capture the Flag, 5 Double Domination, and 2 Bombing Run. In addition, I was able to see one of Dave Ewing's CTF maps that was under construction. It's important to stress that all of these maps are currently undergoing extensive playtesting and tweaking. Some of them may change drastically or not be included at all. But I'll do my best to tell you about a few of them.
The DM maps that were playable were DM-Antalus, DM-Asbestos, DM-FluxII, DM-Compressed, DM-Insidious, DM-Vidona, DM-LeviathanB/Gael (this map was listed under both names), DM-Tokara Forest, DM-Gestalt, and DM-Inferno. I spent the most time on DM-Antalus and DM-Vidona as Checker was kind enough to kill me on them.
DM-Antalus is one of Dave Ewing's creations, it's a map we've all seen screenshots of before. It is an outdoor map, sort of circular in design, with high rock formations around all sides and the peculiar Pagoda-like tower in the center. Bridges, of what looks like bones, connect the various platforms in a smooth, sweeping, almost biological manner. Underneath all of the structures is a cave with a shield vest in the center of what appears to be tiny floating energy lights winding their way up through a vent in the ceiling. At the top-most center rock, right next to the tower is the U-amp (or double-damage as the pickup is called onscreen). Of course, all of this looks extremely natural, showing off the new terrain editor very nicely. Gone are the angular rocks and cliffs of UT, in their place are rounded, natural-looking walls and outcroppings with grasses smattered here and there. There's also a light fog or a mist that appears to have settled in the valley. It's really all very breathtaking. The map is literally filled with opportunities to take advantage of the new double jumping. It's clear to see that if you do not master this technique, you will be left behind very quickly. Dave Ewing showed me some of the places you could reach using the most unexpected pathways. Learn to double-jump!
Checker's DM-Vidona is very different from Antalus. It is an indoor base-type map with a few ramps that lead up to catwalks that surround the central rooms. The room at the very bottom of the map opens to all 4 sides, giving you plenty of options to run. It's a smallish map, probably ideal for 1 on 1 or 2 vs 2. The z-axis possibilities in this map are tremendous. This is the very map where Checker showed me how important the double jump would be. Did I mention yet that you should learn how to double-jump? For instance, as you exit the lower room into an area surrounded by walkways that are taller than your player model, there seems to be only one way to go. However, a double jump will get you up and out onto the walkway and one more will quickly get you to the ramp leading to the walkways at the top of the map!
Another map I really enjoyed a lot was Pancho's DM-FluxII. It was a large open base with ramps and stairways that led upwards. Airlock doors opened to the outside where you found yourself in the middle of a snowstorm. Outside were a few cavern-like paths that led around the base. All sorts of scaffolding and pipes are lying about, giving the outdoor area a completely different feel from the inside. Pancho likes to make you work for the U-amp, and it is stashed away high on a scaffold that can only be reached by dodging off of a higher walkway and then double-jumping mid-air onto the platform!
DM-LeviathanB/Gael was another map that I did not expect to see. The map is basically a remake of the ever-popular Unreal map, Morbias. In case you are not familiar with it, it is a two level circular arena, open in the middle, with two lifts sitting on opposite sides of the arena. The map was famous for having the "eightball" or RocketLauncher as the only available weapon, which makes this perhaps the ideal choice for a remake as the RocketLauncher is one of the weapons that has changed dramatically. Needless to say, the architecture and texturing is way ahead of what was offered in Unreal or UT.
DM-TokaraForest was one of the maps that has been seen in the recent videos taken of various press events. I've heard many people remark at how unusual it looks. I can only say, 'wait until you see it in person'. It's really a very beautiful map. Think of the Ewok's Endor Forest Village in Star Wars:Return of the Jedi... now turn down the lights, add some funky blue neon strips to accent the lines, and throw in a few glowing, steaming kettles and you've got it. Sounds odd, but it should be a very challenging map to fight on as all of the walkways are suspended over an endless abyss. Straight up are the tree tops (stunning to look at by the way) and straight down is... nothing! Here again, there are some spots where the double jump will be absolutely necessary to avoid walking about like a sitting duck.
The remaining DM maps I was only able to spend a few moments each on, but I did get a chance to run all the way through DM-Compressed which is a nice medium sized map with ramps sweeping upwards around a huge Biotank. Naturally there are pipes everywhere. As Dave Ewing puts it... "pipes are to maps now what crates were to maps before". If I was forced to sum up DM-Compressed very quickly (which is never a fair thing to do), I'd say that it reminded me of a smaller DM-Liandri, with light years of advancement in the appearance category.
The Capture the Flag maps were mostly unfinished save a few. The available list consisted of CTF-Chrome, CTF-LostFaith, CTF-LavaGiantII, CTF-Kretzig, CTF-Lethargic, and CTF-Maul. I was able to sneak preview a map not on the list, however. It was a remake of another map you may have heard of: CTF-Orbital.
Orbital2 is nothing short of breathtaking. It really shows off how much the technology has advanced from UT. The lighting is more realistic (and darker) and the level of detail is staggering. The flag room has changed a bit to make it a little easier to make it to the exit. The lifts in particular are more open and easier to use (no more getting stuck in the lifts!). The U-damage is still in the same room but it is stuck down at the end of a long hallway, where in order to grab it you must come out with guns blazing. One of the things I noticed about the increased level of detail, is that there are now a few more ledges to stand on should you need to hide or ambush another player. This is one of the maps I'm seriously looking forward to playing as the original was one of my favorites.
Another of my favorite maps from UT is being remade. CTF-LavaGiantII is still under construction and may change from what I'm about to describe to you. The first thing I noticed was just how incredibly natural the rock formations look when compared to the original. The next thing I noticed was that the bases have completely changed. They are now identical and the two sides are perfectly symmetrical. The new base has a small bunker at the lower-center-front, much like the bunkers from UT's CTF-November. Each base can be entered by translocating through the bunker, running through the rear opening, or translocating or ShieldGun jumping over the walls. Each base has a walkway that surrounds the inner courtyard and a tower in the center that can be accessed via ramp from the walkway. Lifts on the right and left inside of the base allow access to the walkway. The flag sits under an overhang on the front side of the base. A wall seperates the flag post and the bunker. The pathways that connect the two halves of the map have been improved as well. On the original, if you took the lower pathway, you more or less had only one way to go. A second tunnel has been added to make it a little harder to predict which way your enemy will be approaching. Gone is the lava-room that held the Redeemer. In its place are the familiar two tunnels connected in the middle by another tunnel. The super weapon is now in the middle of the map, right out in sniping view of both bases. The platform for the super weapon is stuck out off the side of the map, surrounded by lava with only a tunnel leading back to the RocketLauncher room to escape. Everyone's favorite place to shoot snipers off of (the top of the middle ridge) is still accessible and even had a shield vest pickup in this early stage. Pancho noted that they did not believe it was possible to reach that point of the map in the original LavaGiant, and were quite surprised when people began finding their way up there.
Everyone is familiar with CTF-Maul, as it has been featured in several of the available videos and in many pics. The most notable feature of this map are the ball-shaped tanks that sit about the map. The map is symetrical, each side having a Rounded three level base stuck in a deep valley, divided in the middle by a crumbling wall topped with razor wire. In fact, razor wire tops the cliffs which surround the entire map. The great thing about this map is that the bumpy terrain and grass makes hiding much easier than was possible in UT. It's not a very large map, so hiding spots will be hard to come by. The lighting in this map is superb, and it features the trademarked Unreal cloudy sky (though much improved) and lightning flashing overhead.
CTF-LostFaith is a map located inside a large cavern with crumbling bits of what looks like a lost base. The cave really shows off the terrain and increased polygon count and looks infinitely more natural than anything possible in UT. CTF-Kretzig and CTF-Lethargic are unfinished, but are both base-type maps. CTF-Chrome gets it's name from the shiny metal surfaces that cover the map. It's a very close quartered map, but it was unfinished as well.
Double Domination maps were still largely under construction, but the few that I were able to look at were very impressive. DD-SepkkuGorge, DD-Core, DD-TempleAnubis, DD-Outrigger, DD-Ixcorra were all in place. Pancho explained that because the gametype only has two control points now, they are by design a little bit smaller.
DD-SepkkuGorge seemed to be the largest of these. The map was part cavern and part jungle. The grass, trees and terrain really made it possible to ambush players as they ran by, or hide in the grass to snipe off a player guarding a control point. Each control point was on a slightly lifted metal platform, forcing you to jump up or translocate to get on top of it.
Another of Dave Ewing's maps, DD-Core, was one of my favorites for DD. It's a very dark, tight map, but only if you stay on the ground. Up in the air, there are dozens of pipes and walkways to hide and fight on. A couple of them even lead back to the other control point where it is possible to sneak your way in.
DD-TempleAnubis is exactly what it sounds like, an egyptian themed Domination map. It is still unfinished, but the part that was playable consisted of two control point rooms with a broad walkway surrounding the inner area, and multiple exits leading to a central area. The texturing is fantastic and there are lots of interesting statues scattered about to give you that feeling of being inside a real tomb.
Another map that shared a theme with a UT Domination map was DD-Outrigger. Just as it sounds, the action takes place on a huge oil rig, complete with pipes and blinking lights.
DD-Ixcorra was unfinished, but it was essentially a large iron alien structure in a surrounding outdoor setting.
There were only two BombingRun maps available at the time: BR-Kelandra and BR-ElectricFields. BR-Electric Fields is the map that has been seen in video and in pictures. It is the large reddish iron structure with dozens of other similar structures viewable in the background. There is a round multi-leveled central area and the bomb sits at the top-most platform of this part of the map. Wide ramps drop off from two opposing sides of this area and wind their way towards each team's goal. Ramps from the sides drop down and encircle the lower central area. BR-Kelandra is the snowy DD map that has been pictured. It is surrounded by snow covered walls and hills.