Title                   : ARENA CTF (revised release)

Date			: 01.30.99  
                        
Filename                : pak9.pak

Author                  : stecki

Email Address           : stecki@terrafusion.com
	
Web Address		: http://deconstruct.terrafusion.com		  

Description             : CTF level pak with a twist
		  

Thanks to   		: Gudlyf - ctf sounds
			  Team Hostile
			  Meanstryke of Ramshackle
			  The Great Quake Jihad
			  Clan Bloodrose
			  all others who helped to evaluate this project.


FROM THE ORIGINAL READ ME (an addendum to this follows):

This pak of maps is meant to be small and have a more arena styled gameplay of fast frag and flag.  These don't play as your standard ctf levels and should not be compared to standard ctf maps.  You can run to the enemy base and back in as little as 7 seconds on one map.  I made these in consideration of smaller player numbers.  I recommend 3 vs 3 for all maps and no more than 6 vs 6 is supported (although this is definitely overcrowding except on stecki04.  Please keep in mind the arena theme when playing.  I have enjoyed many matches with these maps as it is more like a standard deathmatch map since protecting your base is a lot harder (due to the multiple entrances to flag rooms).

How to use it:

Basically just unzip this into your ctf directory, and rename the pak file if needed to the next highest number.  For example, if you have pak0.pak through pak3.pak in your ctf directory, then rename this pak to pak4.pak.  if you place another pak with menu graphics, it will overwrite the ones in here, since it prioritizes backwards from the highest pak number.  you can just name this pak9.pak if you wish...  

If you want the textures/gfx/sounds you will need a pak extractor.  please go to an editing site to learn how to do this if you don't already...


the maps:

stecki01 : ARENA1 CTF

	This was the one that started it all.  This one is the purest in form of the arena concept.  If it wasn't for r_speed problems, the top would've been completely open.  


stecki02 : Pivotal Arena

	I wanted to do base defenses that were non user controlled, and felt more integrated into the environment.  This gave birth to the rotating plates that can sometimes hinder the flag carrier or support personnel.  I also wanted to make two large volumes interconnected by tight corridors.  The goal was to have a focused area of attack possibilities, yet still remain random and non-defined


stecki03 : RGB Arena

	This is the result of wanting to do a pillared room (the central fighting area) as a battlground for some wicked firefights.  This also has player controlled defenses, but be warned, you could get stuck in them, and unless a team mate is there to help out, you are dead meat.


stecki04 : 1984

	This one is nothing like how I started out, and never what i expected.  the only thing that stuck was the oppressiveness of the level, inspired from the book "1984"  It used to have video monitors of "big brother" spouting  his philosophy for you to hear and be brainwashed, but this got annoying.  And im not into novelties.


notes on the HUD and menus

	One thing that dissapointed me in the ctf release was the lack of a ctf'd out menu system and HUD (it felt incomplete), so I made one.  Please note that the new weapons icons and the digital display is free for use in your mod.  as long as you give id and me credit of course.  please don't email me asking how i did it.  all the info you need to know is on the various websites that deal with editing.  i have experimented through trial and error to break it down and rebuild.  I've made many happy mistakes doing this.


This pak can be distributed freely as long as the credit is given to me for my work, and id for theirs.  The new textures/sounds are free to use in anyway you see fit, as well as the HUD and maps themselves.  These may not be used for any commercial product without contacting me first.


Final Stuff

Special thanks to Gudlyf for getting me the cool arena styled sounds (email: gudlyf@cns.bu.edu)

Check out the Great Quake Jihad (where i hang out for testing stuff) at: http://home.tampabay.rr.com/ghj2/
	these guys run lotsa servers, so give it a look.

Thanks again to all who helped and gave comment and critiques during the development of this project.

frag on...



ARENA CTF READ ME ADDENDUM:

why did i do this?  well, i learned a lot over my 6 month vacation from q2.  and when i reflected on the project, i know it could've been better, with my experience i gained.  So, i fixed everything i could.  here's a list if you wanna know:

HUD graphics.

certain HUD displays had the transparent index in them where there shouldn't have been any, causing background pixels to show through.  i went through and fixed these all.  also , i forgot to package the new spinning ctf icon on the main menu.  doh!

MAPS:

ARENA1: basically improved the r_speeds and added a rail gun + ammo and dropped in 2 super shotguns near spawn spots on the lower level.  you should notice a 50-100+ r_speed increase in the open areas.

PIVITOL ARENA: small improvements in r_speeds.  this one was actually very close to original intentions, and is still my favorite.

RGB ARENA: platforms added in each base, removed lights, added new base defense activation mechanism for improved r_speeds in the bases.  added catwalks to central pillar room for added routes to take with the flag and easier to grab weapons/power ups located their.  I feel it improves the game pretty well.

1984: reworked central room and added red armor and megahealth to upper catwalks, but you still need to hook or rocket jump to them.  changed some wall partitions in the flag area as well as adding some ramps to assist flag escape route confusion.  i think game flow is a lot better now as you can't exactly tell which route the flag carrier will take.  on the previous version, there really was only one route to take one the flag was taken.
			  
MODELS:

the tech models have been replaced with my own models.  the techs act the same as q2ctf, i just changed the visual and the HUD readout on them.  other then that, they are the same damned techs.

there is a grapple gun model in the pak, but it's not active.  i wasn't satisfied with it, and have committed to other projects, so i don't see an opportunity to finish it in the near future, and didn't want to hold up release of this any longer.  but for you modellers or whatever, you can tinker around with it.

thats pretty much it.

i'd appreciate any comments you have please.

thanks for reading this far, 

stecki