JJ2WC II: The Poll

[R3ptile]

The JJ2WC II CTF contest is finally over and we got four excellent maps! All you have to do is voting for the best 3on3 map in your opinion. This poll will be closed in March 3rd 2005.

NOT Security Breach v2 (http://www.jazz2online.com/J2Ov2/downloads/download.php?levelID=3598) by DarkSonic

Sacrifice (http://dt.ncmv.net/Olc_Sacrifice.zip) by CelL

Quasar Quandary (http://dt.ncmv.net/xlmqq.zip) by ChippieBW

<s>Mystic Temple Shrine by Ragnarok</s>

Edit: Ragnarok requested to take Mystic Temple Shrine's link off, since this level is being remade.

[Sasik]

Shouldn't that topic be in JJ2 Tournaments Forum ? ;o

[cooba]

no<no>

[the WINNER]

It should actually be in JCS Talk

[cooba]

It should actually be in JCS Talk
no<no><no>

[Superjazz]

I had bad luck that my internet was down at when the deadline passed and I didn't get to even betatest my level in public until now, as I already wrote a post in jcf-section. So, I'm kind of disappointed about that I got no use for that level, but because I'm not in, I vote for the best of these imo.

Ok, I know that you don't want nor you are not interested about what are my thoughts about these four levels, but I'm goin' to write them here anyway, although they're only really short ones.

Quasar Quandary: A very neat level. There is no lack of eyecandy and everything looks nice. The layout is sort of simple and a bit weird, but once you've played this level a few times, you'll learn the flow. The level is quite jazz-friendly as well, although I don't always care about that so much, even when I'm playing as Jazz sometimes. There are a few places where a player can camp way too easily imo, like the top-middle and toasty- and bouncy-pu rooms.

Sacrifice: I don't get the level's name but that isn't the main thing. The closed carrot-area again reminds me of dw, and it's even worse when there are two +1-carrots instead of one full energy. I guess most people have a vice versa opinion about this, but nevermind. The layout is kinda open and that's something I like in this level. But there is too much of copter-usage and it's really painful to move around when half or nearly none of the copters are respawning. Giving only 50 ammo of seekers and upgraded ones is original, and just a nice add-on for the level as it is the only gun which makes 2h-damage in this level. The bases are in a small dead ends which affects the gameplay a bit as well. I guess the pits for springs are to avoid the level look squared but they slowdown the player's movement a bit too much sometimes.

NOT Sbv2 : Well, I accept this name since DS didn't invent a proper name for this level. Just as most of DS' levels, even this one has kind of an unoriginal or a random-map styled layout. The lightnings look strange and the eyecandy is decent. I don't like jj1-tilesets that much but this one is ok anyways cos' it has been done well enough otherwise.

Mystic Temple Shrine: This level ain't that good. It uses a jj1-tileset I used a long time ago as that level was the first one with this tileset. Well, this level hasn't been done as well as it could have. It's a bit too small for 3v3 and the layout is really weird. The full NRG is in a pit and there's no springs leading out of it. The level is kind of squared, and you gotta jump way too much to move around. BG-eyecandy and ammo-placement are ok. Then, if you want to fly around a bit, you gotta rf-climb to the left flyboy or use a special move to get to the right flyboy. I expected a bit more from Ragnarok but I'm not shocked.

Well, rep earlierly mentioned that the levels do not have to be very original, but I had a look of that anyways. After all, it was kinda difficult to choose between Sacrifice and QQ, but due to the QQ's eyecandy and all, I finally chose that level, so...Third vote for QQ goes here. Well done, Chippie.

-Superjazz

[DarkSonic]

Sacrifice: I don't get the level's name but that isn't the main thing.
-Superjazz
The thing I think about the level's name is, if you die, you get the Seek PU. There is no seeker ammo in the level, and if you stay alive long, you will get more people that get Seek PU's thus letting you die. It's like... DIE TO GET THE SEEK PU! =P

[White Rabbit]

None of these lvls are exceptionally good (don't worry, I won't say this in my reviews :p).

Not sb v2 has got some Jazz-unfriendly elements to it, not enough eyecandy and a couple of places which are in your way. It's well-balanced, but not symmetrical.

Sacrifice uses a grey tileset with little or no foreground eyecandy. The eyecandy is so boring and lately, Cell has made some pretty similar lvls (Sanctuary, Christmas Melody, and now this). The lvl is well-made, as a lvl, but not very original. The two carrots (which, in terms of balance and gameplay, I don't mind), two pepperspray PUs and copters are all BIG deja vus. There's no reason why we should choose this lvl over any other Cell lvl.

Quasar Quandary has some places you DO NOT want to go to when you're being chased (unless you double back and hit your opponent from behind ;)). The red springs under the one ways are the places I'm talking about. The toaster and bouncer PU rooms are easy to camp at, and so is the top of the main suckertube. Gameplay and flow in the other places are quite good and so is the eyecandy. The tileset is well-chosen and well-used. If any lvl should be the winner, it's this one.

Mystic Temple Shrine I kinda betatested...or beta-betatested. It has some Jazz-unfriendly areas, is very small, has some questionable spring placements and the power-ups aren't placed evenly enough. It's one of Ragnarok's poorer lvls and he should've used something in his unreleased CTF pack for this contest instead.

[FireSworD]

I just couldn't resist. White Rabbit had some points I really didn't agree with.

None of these lvls are exceptionally good (don't worry, I won't say this in my reviews :p).

Obviously theese levels aren't your cup of tea. I am not fond of most of the levels either but CelL's level is and I will explain why:

Sacrifice uses a grey tileset with little or no foreground eyecandy. The eyecandy is so boring and lately, Cell has made some pretty similar lvls (Sanctuary, Christmas Melody, and now this). The lvl is well-made, as a lvl, but not very original. The two carrots (which, in terms of balance and gameplay, I don't mind), two pepperspray PUs and copters are all BIG deja vus. There's no reason why we should choose this lvl over any other Cell lvl.

This level, in my opinion, currently has the best tile use of Dark Reign. Although the tileset is very limited, which makes it hard to create a level that would differ from others using the same set; CelL did an impressive job with it and I like the atmosphere most of all. I cannot see how the eyecandy here is bland in any way. You seem to have... Different tastes for ctf levels or any type of level for that matter.

Not very original? you must've been so bored by the eyecandy that you missed the whole point of this level. The Seeker powerup can only be obtained when you first enter the level when joining a server or death. One can die just for the sake of having the powerup once again, hence the name "Sacrifice". That is an interesting and innovative concept, not just slightly original.

[R3ptile]

It should actually be in JCS Talk
Not really, since this topic doesn't have anything to do with JCS. :(

[cooba]

Five people to annihilate. Neatiness.

[White Rabbit]

Oh, well, I never had a chance to die and I didn't test the lvl as if I was reviewing it. The seeker pu makes it kinda important for team games, and given the size of the lvl, Sacrifice is most suitable for 3v3 games. But I do think that the eyecandy is poor because of the tileset so unless Cell changes the tileset, which would mess up his lvl, I won't change my mind about the eyecandy. Also, I'm afraid it's too late to take back my vote. :P Maybe I'll vote correctly for JJ2WC III? :P

[cooba]

Feel free to ask R3ptile to disregard your vote...

[R3ptile]

I'm voting for Sacrifice, assuming a decent JJ2WC map should focus much more on gameplay and placement more than anything else.

[Nielsje]

Glad to see that the host remains neutral. Except not.

[DarkSonic]

I might vote as well, but I think that would be biased. Rag gave his vote already, though. I'll post some comments about the levels.
NOTSBv2 is my own level, so I definitely won't vote for it. Duh. Biased.

Quasar Quandary
This is a level I recently played a 2v2 in. It's quite hard to play in it for 2v2. When you have no PU's, you're busted. It's impossible to do good without PU's. Eye candy is very good, I'll rate the EC high when QS is finally uploaded. I guess that will be when Chip comes back, and I'll get his SECRET LEVEL as well =P
This layout is completely different from other levels by ChippieBW. It's kinda original. The level looks big, but ain't too big if you take a close look. There are 2 ways to each base, and the level is balanced. It's symmetrical, and a goal of a level that's entering this contest was that you need to make a balanced level. Well... this succeeds.
The placement is quite good. There are some interesting shapes of ammo. 3 PU's is enough for a level with this size.

Sacrifice
This is a quite big CTF level by CelL. It's as big as my level was, but has a more open layout. Open levels usually have some obstacles in it, and this level also has it.
Eye candy was, original for the tileset. CelL tried to be different from FS and SuperJazz here, and I think he succeeded. The background is interesting and just good, no real complaints here.
It's easy to move around in the level. The bases are in a small dead end indeed, and it's quite hard to stay alive at the start of a 2v2/3v3 here. The level is almost symmetrical, so it's balanced enough. I did a 2v2 in this level, and I had big problems with it because I wasn't playing very well. I wasted Seeker ammo that you can't get without dieing, which is why the name of the level is Sacrifice.
The level has 3 Power-Ups, but 1 is Seeker and 2 are Pepperspray PU's. There are some RFs in the level, but mainly the only weapon that does 2h is powered Seeker. (Except the Spaz or Jazz move, of course. KICKED GG) Some nice shapes of ammo are not missed in the level. I like them.

Mystic Temple Shrine
The eye candy of the level is probably the best part. The background is quite good, and I have no problems with the eye candy in the layers. The EC is good enough for a level with a JJ1 tileset. Rag was the only one that did something at the EC in the level, so GP did not do anything this time(SURPRISE)
The level has a bit strange layout, like SuperJazz said. The platform at the top is a bit too big. The level is a bit open at some places, though. The place of the Full Energy is weird, and the way to the base is straight. Ragnarok didn't make alot of good CTF levels yet, except some of his CTF pack. This is one of the levels in his pack.
The level has 3 PU's. The Seek PU is on the top of the level. The Bouncy PU is in a tube at the left side. The Toasty PU is at the right side. This concept lets you get 50 ammo of the 2 last PU's I've mentioned. The fly carrot has only one goal : fly around with it on the bottom. Or something.

Overall, these levels are quite good, especially QQ and Sacrifice. I don't even know which level I would choose to vote : QQ or Sacrifice. These are just my comments about the levels.

[cooba]

QQ is nought while compared to Sacrifice. ;p

[White Rabbit]

Now you've made Chippie sad. :(

[DarkSonic]

Now you've made Chippie sad. :(
He'd notice this post when he is back. He's away for 3 days. I'll tell him about this.

[Nielsje]

I don't get it, actually

[White Rabbit]

Cooba has edited his post, Chippie. He said something else about your lvl.

[Nielsje]

OK, I got it. This will have painful consequences...

[White Rabbit]

Your lvl is catching up. ;D If it weren't for me it would be 9-6 to Cell.

[Nielsje]

Heh, it seems like this poll will be exciting till the end :D

[Sasik]

GL QQ :+

[Nielsje]

Hmm since I awakened this thread already 2 people voted on Sacrifice. Bad move :(

[DarkSonic]

I decided to vote on QQ. This is no advantage because it's a XLM level.

[R3ptile]

Well, this contest is over. These are the winners of this contest:

1. Quasar Quandary - 13 votes
2. Sacrifice - 12 votes
3. NOT Security Breach v2 - 7 votes

Both Quasar Quandary and Sacrifice will be played in JJ2WC II. Good job to ChippieBW, CelL, DarkSonic and Ragnarok for creating four great Capture The Flag levels.

[Sasik]

Very Good Game.

[Nielsje]

Agrees :D
*runs around in happiness*