Stratos Group's Unofficial Guide to Unreal Tournament 2004

Stratos Group’s Unofficial Guide to Unreal Tournament 2004

Authored By: Zack ‘Zaxxon’ Schiel Adam ‘Baldy’ Bullock Matt ‘Azraelot’ Rorie Edited By: Zack ‘Zaxxon’ Schiel Layout By: Noah ‘Windaria’ Conrad Zack ‘Zaxxon’ Schiel HTML Conversion By: Noah ‘Windaria’ Conrad

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT INFO...... 1 OUR SITE ...... 1 NEED ASSISTANCE?...... 1 USING OUR MATERIAL / LINKING TO THE GUIDE ...... 1 INTRODUCTION ...... 2

CONTROLLING THE ACTION...... 3 KEYBOARD/MOUSE ...... 3 GAMEPAD/MOUSE ...... 3 VARIATIONS ON A THEME...... 3 FIRST-PERSON SHOOTER BASIC MANEUVERS ...... 3 SPECIALTY MANEUVERS ...... 4 GAMETYPES...... 6 DEATHMATCH, TEAM DEATHMATCH, AND LAST MAN STANDING...... 6 DOUBLE DOMINATION...... 6 CAPTURE THE FLAG...... 7 BOMBING RUN...... 8 ASSAULT ...... 8 ONSLAUGHT ...... 9 MUTANT...... 9 INVASION...... 9 WEAPONRY ...... 11 SHIELD GUN ...... 11 ASSAULT RIFLE ...... 11 BIORIFLE ...... 12 MINE LAYER...... 12 SHOCK RIFLE ...... 13 LINK GUN...... 13 MINIGUN ...... 14 FLAK CANNON...... 14 GRENADE LAUNCHER...... 14 ROCKET LAUNCHER ...... 15 AVRIL ...... 15 LIGHTNING GUN ...... 16 SNIPER RIFLE...... 16 REDEEMER...... 17 ION PAINTER...... 17 TARGET PAINTER...... 18 TRANSLOCATOR ...... 18 BALL LAUNCHER...... 18 VEHICLES ...... 20

ENERGY TURRET ...... 20 GOLIATH...... 21 HELLBENDER...... 22 HUMAN SPACEFIGHTER ...... 23 ION CANNON ...... 24 ION PLASMA TANK ...... 25 LEVIATHAN ...... 26 LINK TURRET ...... 27 MANTA...... 28 MINIGUN TURRET...... 29 MOTHERSHIP TURRET...... 30 PHOENIX...... 31 RAPTOR ...... 32 SCORPION ...... 33 SKAARJ SPACE FIGHTER ...... 34 TC-1200...... 35 PICK-UPS ...... 36 ADRENALINE PILL ...... 36 DOUBLE DAMAGE ...... 36 HEALTH PACK ...... 36 HEALTH VIAL ...... 36 KEG O’ HEALTH...... 37 NORMAL SHIELD PACK...... 37 SUPER SHIELD PACK...... 37 WEAPONS LOCKER ...... 37 KILLING SPREES AND OTHER EVENTS...... 38 CARJACKED ...... 38 DAREDEVIL ...... 38 DENIED! ...... 38 EAGLE EYE...... 38 FIRST BLOOD...... 38 HAT TRICK ...... 38 LAST-SECOND SAVE...... 38 MULTI KILLS ...... 38 KILLING SPREES ...... 39 PANCAKE! ...... 39 TOP GUN ...... 39 MUTATORS AND OTHER GAME-ALTERING OPTIONS ...... 40 INCLUDED MUTATORS...... 40 Recommended Mutator Combos ...... 41 OTHER GAME-ALTERING OPTIONS...... 41 MAPS...... 42 1-ON-1 DEATHMATCH ...... 42 DM-1on1-Albatross ...... 42 DM-1on1-Crash...... 44

DM-1on1-Desolation ...... 45 DM-1on1-Idoma...... 46 DM-1on1-Irondust ...... 47 DM-1on1-Mixer ...... 48 DM-1on1-Roughinery ...... 50 DM-1on1-Serpentine...... 51 DM-1on1-Spirit...... 53 DM-1on1-Squader ...... 54 DM-1on1-Trite...... 55 DEATHMATCH / TEAM DM...... 57 DM-Antalus...... 57 DM-Asbestos ...... 60 DM-Compressed ...... 64 DM-Corrugation ...... 68 DM-Curse4 ...... 70 DM-Deck17...... 73 DM-DE-Grendelkeep ...... 75 DM-DE-Ironic...... 77 DM-DE-Osiris...... 78 DM-DesertIsle...... 79 DM-Flux2...... 82 DM-Gael ...... 84 DM-Gestalt ...... 87 DM-Goliath...... 88 DM-HyperBlast...... 90 DM-Icetomb ...... 91 DM-Inferno ...... 93 DM-Injector ...... 96 DM-Insidious ...... 99 DM-IronDeity...... 102 DM-Junkyard ...... 104 DM-Leviathan ...... 106 DM-Metallurgy ...... 110 DM-Morpheus3...... 111 DM-Oceanic...... 112 DM-Phobos2...... 115 DM-Plunge...... 116 DM-Rankin...... 119 DM-Rrajigar ...... 121 DM-Rustatorium ...... 123 DM-Sulphur ...... 124 DM-TokaraForest ...... 125 DM-TrainingDay ...... 127 DOUBLE DOMINATION...... 128 DOM-Access ...... 128 DOM-Aswan ...... 129 DOM-Atlantis...... 131 DOM-Conduit ...... 132 DOM-Core ...... 134 DOM-Junkyard ...... 137

DOM-Outrigger ...... 139 DOM-Renascent...... 141 DOM-Ruination ...... 142 DOM-ScorchedEarth ...... 144 DOM-SepukkuGorge...... 146 DOM-SunTemple ...... 148 CAPTURE THE FLAG...... 150 CTF-1on1-Joust ...... 150 CTF-AbsoluteZero ...... 152 CTF-Avaris ...... 153 CTF-BridgeOfFate...... 155 CTF-Chrome ...... 157 CTF-Citadel ...... 158 CTF-Colossus ...... 162 CTF-December...... 163 CTF-DE-ElecFields ...... 167 CTF-DoubleDammage...... 168 CTF-Face3...... 170 CTF-FaceClassic ...... 173 CTF-Geothermal...... 175 CTF-GrassyKnoll...... 176 CTF-Grendelkeep...... 178 CTF-January...... 179 CTF-LostFaith ...... 182 CTF-Magma...... 183 CTF-Maul ...... 185 CTF-MoonDragon ...... 186 CTF-Orbital2 ...... 188 CTF-Smote ...... 190 CTF-TwinTombs ...... 191 BOMBING RUN...... 192 BR-Anubis ...... 192 BR-Bifrost ...... 196 BR-BridgeOfFate ...... 199 BR-Canyon...... 200 BR-Colossus...... 201 BR-DE-ElecFields...... 203 BR-Disclosure ...... 204 BR-Icefields...... 206 BR-Serenity ...... 208 BR-Skyline...... 211 BR-Slaughterhouse...... 213 BR-TwinTombs...... 215 ASSAULT ...... 218 AS-Convoy...... 218 AS-FallenCity...... 222 AS-Glacier...... 225 AS-Junkyard...... 229 AS-MotherShip...... 231 AS-RobotFactory...... 235

ONSLAUGHT ...... 238 ONS-ArcticStronghold ...... 238 ONS-Crossfire...... 241 ONS-Dawn ...... 244 ONS-Dria ...... 247 ONS-FrostBite...... 251 ONS-Primeval ...... 253 ONS-RedPlanet...... 255 ONS-Severance ...... 258 ONS-Torlan...... 261 WINNING STRATEGIES...... 265 GENERAL...... 265 Decisions Require Situational Context ...... 265 Choice of Weaponry Requires Context ...... 266 Bots Are Your Friends...... 267 Another Friend: The Translocator...... 267 On Single-Player Ladder Matches, Change Venues When Stuck ...... 268 DEATHMATCH / TEAM DM / LAST MAN STANDING ...... 268 Break Up Duels...... 268 Don’t Become Engrossed in a Duel ...... 268 LMS = Less is More, Stupid...... 268 DOUBLE DOMINATION...... 268 Split the Team...... 268 Choose Your Lookout Points Carefully...... 269 Team Up With a Partner...... 269 CAPTURE THE FLAG...... 269 Cover Two Locations At Once ...... 269 Choose the Flag Carrier Wisely...... 269 Use the Environment to Your Advantage on Defense...... 269 ...And Occasionally on Offense, Too...... 269 BOMBING RUN...... 270 Pass, Pass, Pass!...... 270 To Toss, Or To Run?...... 270 Locate and Monitor Super Weapons...... 271 Adrenaline is Key...... 271 ASSAULT ...... 271 Remember the Objectives, But Don’t Mad Rush Them All...... 271 Take Out Enemy Turrets ...... 272 Use Your Positional Advantage When Defending...... 272 ONSLAUGHT ...... 272 Don’t Neglect Defense!...... 272 Even So, The Best Defense Is A Good Offense...... 273 Choose Your Nodes Wisely ...... 273 Support Roles Are Vital...... 274 MUTANT...... 274 Make a Method from the Madness ...... 274 INVASION...... 275 Band of Brothers ...... 275

CHEATS...... 276

PERFORMANCE TIPS AND TWEAKS...... 277 MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS...... 277 TIPS TO IMPROVE GAMEPLAY...... 277 MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ...... 279 GLOSSARY / NETSPEAK...... 280

THANKS AND LINKS ...... 282

Our Site Check out the Stratos Group Homepage @ www.stratosgroup.com Website design by Jessi "peZland" Conrad

Need Assistance? Questions/Comments/Errors? E-Mail [email protected]

Using Our Material / Linking to the Guide This guide and all of its contents are copyrighted material. Use is restricted strictly to personal use. Do NOT copy, sell, or in any other way distribute the contents of this Guide without first obtaining written permission from Zack "Zaxxon" Schiel. Readers wishing to link to the Guide may do so by linking to the correct URL. Please link, and do not mirror files, as they are frequently updated. These rules are here so we don't get ripped off; we aren't trying to be all high and mighty... ;-) Thank you and have a nice day.

Introduction I have a long and loving relationship with the Unreal franchise of games. I suppose you could say that these games were my introduction to ‘true’ 3D gaming, as the original Unreal was the first game that I played with the benefit of a dedicated 3D card, and the images of my exploits on the planet Na Pali will forever be imbued in my mind. I’ll never forget the scenery, the ‘feel,’ or the sheer fun I had playing that game. Thus, when Unreal’s dirty little brother Unreal Tournament came along, I downloaded the demo the day it came out. My online FPS gaming life was forever changed. UT was, in a word, perfect (Zaxxon’s Take: Unreal Tournament The Perfect Game?). But all things must pass, and three years after UT’s release, Unreal Tournament 2003 came along. 2K3 updated the graphics, pumped up the pace of the action with Adrenaline combos, a new Bombing Run mode, modifications to Domination, and more. However, many of us felt that something was missing. Aside from the obvious lack of the popular Assault mode, we couldn’t quite put our finger on it. But in the end, UT2003 just didn’t have the same soul and long-lasting addiction factor of the original. Now it’s time to move on to the new bad boy in the franchise, Unreal Tournament 2004. UT2K4’s demo release saw me wasting away just as many hours as did UT’s, and I knew almost immediately that this would be a worthy successor to the original. It wasn’t until after I received the full retail release that I would realize just how worthy 2K4 is. Assault returns with a vengeance, and includes improvements to help players keep on top of the in-game situation and know what their objectives are at any given time. As well, the new Onslaught mode should be regulated as a habit-forming drug by the FDA. But enough reminiscing. Let’s talk about this guide. Several of us here at Stratos are enjoying the heck out of UT2K4, and in the process, we tend to beat down just about everyone we meet online (though we’d be remiss not to note that we have been thoroughly spanked on occasion, as well). Our successes quickly got to our heads, and we’ve decided to try to share our wealth of knowledge with you all. This guide will be an evolving project; feel free to send us your comments and suggestions by emailing me at mailto:[email protected]. If we get enough responses, we’ll update the guide and continue releasing new versions until we feel it’s complete (and if UT2K4 has half the success that UT enjoyed, it’ll be a long time before any related compendium of information can be called ‘complete.’). I should note that this is an unofficial guide in every sense of the word—this project is a product of our love for the game, and came about from our desire to share our tips and habits with the public. We made this on our own time, apart from our paying gigs. As such, it hasn’t been as thoroughly edited and tidied up as our professional work is. We’re sure there are errors—please don’t bitch about the problems in the 72,000-word guide you downloaded for free. :-) Instead, help us fix them by bringing them to our attention. The guide is divided into several sections. First, we’ll give advice on efficient control schemes in the chapter entitled Controlling the Action. Then we’ll explore the various included Gametypes, before moving on to the Weaponry, Vehicles, and Pickups that you’ll encounter during your frantic hopping around. Next, it’s on to an explanation of the various Killing Sprees and Events that occur in-game, followed by some information about and recommended combinations of Mutators. The largest portion of the guide is dedicated to the Maps on which you’ll wage your battles. We’ll walk you through each one, pointing out our favorite routes through the map, secret areas we’ve encountered, and some of the more important items therein. We’ll also give our Winning Strategies. Then, for the tricksters and thieves among you, we’ll detail some of the known Cheats available for UT2K4, before moving on to some Performance Tips and Tweaks. Finally, we’ve included a Glossary that explains some of the lingo you’ll hear while playing UT2K4. Enjoy the guide, and please email us with any comments, complaints or tips! -Zaxxon-

Controlling the Action UT2K4 supports several control schemes. It’s vital that you become intimately familiar with your chosen setup, as a split-second lost searching for the correct key can be the difference between fragging and being fragged. The most popular setups are as follows:

Keyboard/Mouse This is the default control method in UT2K4, and it is also by far the most popular. The left hand lies on the keyboard, and controls movement, team commands, and other miscellaneous duties, while the right hand controls your view and firing/switching weaponry via a mouse. Having one hand constantly on the keyboard allows for quick and painless access to a large number of keys. A mouse with a scroll wheel will make your life much easier, as you’ll be able to use it to switch weapons and to jump.

Gamepad/Mouse Some people prefer the D-pad of a gamepad for their movement controls, thus they use the gamepad/mouse combo. In general, this method restricts your access to extra keys, forcing you to take your hand off the gamepad and reach for the keyboard in order to chat, order your team around, or perform other actions. Use whatever method your heart desires—just make sure that you’re comfortable with it. There are few things more frustrating than being fragged because you didn’t have good control of your character.

Variations on a Theme I know of many people who have achieved success using a trackball in place of a plain old mouse. I also know someone who uses a joystick (!). He hasn’t had much success, though. :-) The bottom line is this: be comfortable. Experiment with different setups until you find one you like, then customize it to your exact tastes, and practice on it until you can complete any maneuver with ease. Just because the keyboard / mouse combo is the most popular doesn’t mean it’s the one with which you will have the most success.

First-Person Shooter Basic Maneuvers If you wish to have any success in a FPS (First-Person Shooter) game like UT2K4, there are a few moves that you should familiarize yourself with. Advanced FPS players feel free to skip this section and move on to the next. What’s the number one no-no on any FPS player’s list? Standing still. Remaining in one location for any length of time is almost always a bad idea. Think of it as shouting out ‘FRAG ME PLEASE’ and having a large beacon shine down on you from above. About the only acceptable time to stand still is when sniping from a remote location with the Sniper Rifle or Lightning Gun, and even then it’s a good idea to change your position after every few shots. Always keep moving, and not in a straight line. Zigzag around a bit, and jump every ten or twelve steps. The goal of this being, of course, to make it difficult for enemies to target you. You’ll quickly find that walking in straight lines makes it easy for enemies to kill you. There is a direct correlation between unpredictability of movement and lifespan. The second required skill of any FPS gamer worth his weight in -insert inexpensive material here- is the circle strafe. To practice, play a 1-on-1 Deathmatch game versus a single Novice bot. Target him, but don’t fire. Now

begin to strafe left or right, keeping your crosshair on him all the while. You’ll circle around him, maintaining your ability to pepper him with death the whole way. Once you’ve gotten the maneuver down pat, bump the bot up a level. Throw in a bit of jumping to further confuse your opponent. Continue until you’re comfortable enough to pull it off against humans. Whenever you engage someone in a firefight at close range, you’ll want to begin to circle strafe. We’ve already established that standing still is a good way to die, and circle strafing is the most efficient way to attack without remaining in place. Think of it as a dance. Finally, know when to retreat. If you’re clearly on the losing end of a battle—and you think you can get away to safety or a cache of health—run! There’s no shame in tucking tail (well, not too much shame, anyway), and giving up on an unlikely frag is much better than giving your opponent a freebie. Of course, if your path to safety is blocked or you don’t feel you can make it, there are other options. Bull-rushing your opponent with a large weapon (Rocket Launcher, bio rifle, or the Flak Cannon, for example) can often salvage the situation by killing you both. The net effect will be +0 points for both of you, but again, it’s better than +1 for him and +0 for you.

Specialty Maneuvers New to UT2K3 and UT2K4 are the double-jump, the dodge jump, the wall-jump, and the elevator jump. These new maneuvers help to make your movements even more unpredictable, and allow you to reach seemingly impossible locations, as well. To execute a double-jump, simply jump again when at the apex of your first jump. dodge jumping is a little more difficult: dodge, and then jump just before hitting the ground. This will give you a quick extra burst of speed, and can be useful when chasing someone with the Shield Gun charged up. Follow the enemy while charging, and then when you’re right behind him, dodge jump forward. Instant gibbage! Elevator jumping is a result of the new Karma physics engine. Jump as the elevator you’re riding nears the top of its shaft. Your upward momentum will cause you to jump a little higher than you otherwise would. Another nice maneuver is the ‘goo jump.’ Fire off some Biorifle goo, charge up your Shield Gun, and jump just as the goo explodes for an extra boost. The wall-jump is the hardest move to pull off. Jump into a wall, and then dodge or jump just as you come into contact with it. While you’re performing these acrobatic moves, note that if an opponent disturbs you, you can land on them to cause damage proportional to the height from which you jumped. Translocation also takes a little getting used to. It doesn’t take much skill to toss your beacon and translocate to it, but a little practice is required in order to use the translocator as an effective tool. You can quickly chase down an enemy flag or bomb carrier by making arcing tosses of the beacon, and you can cut huge corners in the same way. The translocator camera makes the beacon even more useful. Toss the transmitter around a corner, then press the Q key to view the action and spot that opponent just waiting to frag you. Leave the beacon in the entrance to your base, and frequently ‘check in’ to make sure that all is quiet at home—and instantly return to your base if things get too hot. Epic and Digital Extremes’ decisions to limit the amount of times the translocator can be used in a short period of time, as well as to make the beacon leave a trail of light, are in my opinion welcome improvements to the original game. In the original UT, players would often ‘trans whore,’ or fly around maps using only the translocator, making targeting a nightmare, and removing much of the skill from infiltrating an enemy base. Now it’s impossible to constantly transport around, and it’s much easier to target a player when he’s translocating. The end result is that the translocator is now a tool to be used strategically, and that’s a good thing! Finally, you’ll gain an advantage from knowing how to use adrenaline properly. There are four moves that you can enable once you’ve collected 100 adrenaline points, described in the table below. These power-ups can be the difference between winning and losing in a tight game—memorize the input combinations required for each booster,

and know which to use, and when to use the combo versus hold onto it for future use. Once you’ve reached 100 adrenaline points, you will remain at full count until you use the combo—death will not take your points away.

Adrenaline Combos Forward, Forward, Forward, Forward Speed Boost (Movement) Back, Back, Back, Back Health Boost Forward, Forward, Back, Back Berserk (Fire more quickly) Right, Right, Left, Left Invisibility Left, Left, Right, Right Super Jump (2x jump height)

Gametypes Unreal Tournament 2004 ships with ten gametypes, with various modes and mutators available within each. Through the use of these mutators and other in-game options, there is an almost infinite number of variations available, but they all fall into these ten basic themes. In this chapter, we’ll take you through each gametype, explaining the rules, objectives, and basic strategies for each. Check out the Winning Strategies section for more detailed tips. We’ll start with the most basic modes of play, and progress to the more advanced.

Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Last Man Standing In this staple of first-person gaming, the goal is simple: kill your opponents, and kill them quickly. Games are either played until someone reaches a certain score, until the clock expires, until all but one player has run out of lives, or some combination of the three. It’s important that you check the objectives before jumping into a match (hit F1 to bring up the scoreboard; the objective(s) will be displayed here), as your strategies will differ depending on the situation. You will gain one point for killing an opponent, and you’ll lose a point each time you kill yourself. In other words, frags (points) = kills – suicides. Be careful not to kill yourself too often, as you’re (literally) shooting yourself in the foot with each self-inflicted mortal wound. Play to the objectives. If the goal of a match is to score a certain number of frags, go all-out and do your best to score as quickly as possible. If, instead, the objective is to have the most frags when the clock expires, take it down a few notches once you’re comfortably ahead. Concentrate on going for easy kills and staying alive to pick up your weapon of choice. There’s no need to help your opponents catch up to you with easy frags if all you need to do is wait out the clock. If you’re playing a Last Man Standing match, the scenario is completely different. Frags no longer matter; you should instead be thinking of self-preservation. Don’t sit around and hide (also known as camping; it’s considered extremely rude, and you’ll get flamed for it if you try it online; UT2K4 will even point out your disgrace to every other player), but by the same token, don’t try to be a John Woo action-hero. Take it easy, and don’t get into any battles that you don’t think you can win. Team Deathmatch is precisely what you’d think it is: Deathmatch, with players divided into teams. Rather than trying to score more frags than anyone else, your goal is to help your team score more frags than the other team. You’ll need to adjust your tactics a little bit in order to be successful in this mode—more specifically, you’ll need to learn to use your teammates rather than simply running and gunning on your own. You may be able to get away with simple Deathmatch tactics against poorer players or unorganized teams, but the better players will make you pay if you try to take their team on alone. How exactly you use your team will depend greatly upon the map on which you’re playing. On a large, open map, you may want to have your team attempt to control an area filled with the best weapons and pickups, and pick off the other team as they attempt to charge you for the goods. On a smaller, more claustrophobic map, hovering in one area will likely get you gibbed quicker than you can say ‘Q3Arena sucks donkey balls.’ Just find something that works, and don’t be caught wandering alone. You don’t want to run into the entire other team without help.

Double Domination In the original Unreal Tournament, the Domination gametype wasn’t very popular online. The goal was to control any or all of three floating ‘control points,’ which would change to your color after you touched one. Controlling a point for three seconds awarded your team a point, and the goal was either to score a set number of points, or to have

the most points when time expired. In theory it sounds good, but in real life it generally turned into mayhem. Control points would change hands often, and games were usually very disorganized. Epic and Digital Extremes thus gave Domination a pretty thorough makeover for UT2K3, and those changes return in UT2K4. Now there are only two control points in each level, and your team must control both locations for ten seconds in order to score a point. In our humble opinion, this makes the gametype much more challenging; it now requires true teamwork in order to be successful. Split your team into two groups, and have each one concentrate on one control point. Since you need to hold them for longer periods of time now, simply tagging one and leaving won’t do anymore.

Capture the Flag CTF was by far the most popular gametype in UT, for the simple reason that it requires teamwork to be successful against a quality team. The goal is to infiltrate the enemy team’s base, steal their flag, and return it to your base’s flag. Sounds easy, but it’s certainly not. Since you are required to touch your own flag with the enemy’s flag in order to score, you’ll often return to your base and have to wait for your teammates to return your flag. Of course, while you’re waiting, the other team will be hunting you down like rabid dogs. The addition of adrenaline-based power-ups brings a new dimension of strategies to the gametype. Further, the scoring system has been given a complete overhaul to correct the rampant scoring problems in UT. Even though your personal score has no bearing on the overall match, it still needs to be a fairly accurate description of how well you’re contributing to your team’s success—if it’s not, then there’s no point in having an online stats-tracking package for the gametype. In the original UT, scoring was simple: original DM scoring rules applied, and additionally you’d gain seven points for capturing the enemy’s flag, and 3 points for fragging an enemy team member who was carrying your flag. On the surface this system looks like it works well; capping (or capturing the enemy flag) is important, so you should receive several points. Halting an enemy who has your flag is also important, so more than one point is required. But the system left itself open to abuse, and it also failed to give credit for several key actions. First, base defenders would often wait until an enemy grabbed their flag before fragging them, in order to receive 3 points instead of one (known as ‘flag whoring’). More importantly, if your flag carrier died halfway to your base, and you carried the flag the rest of the way, he would receive no points, despite the fact that he made it out of the hornet’s nest with their nectar. If you successfully fragged the entire enemy team while escorting your carrier back to your base, you received no extra points despite the fact that you played a key role in scoring the cap. We could go on, but you get the point. For UT2K4, the system is much refined compared to the archaic UT99 system. Deathmatch rules apply, with these additions: • Killing a flag carrier: +1 point (ie 2 points total) • Killing someone who is targeting your carrier: +1 point • Returning your flag within your team’s area: +3 points (but +0 points in the immediate vicinity of your flag stand) • Returning your flag in the enemy’s area: +5 points • Returning your flag very close to the enemy’s flag stand: +7 points • Capturing the enemy flag: +5 points • Grabbing the enemy flag: +5 points, once the flag has been successfully captured Additional points involved in a cap (this is complicated; bear with us): there are twenty additional possible points that can be awarded on a capture, with any one player getting a maximum of five points. If a flag is captured, the

person who originally grabbed it gets five points. Each player on your team who touches the flag between the point of pickup and capture will receive a split of these twenty points (but not more than five). Some examples: • You grab the flag, and run it all the way back to your base for a cap: +15 points for you. • You grab the flag, get killed, and your teammate caps it. +10 points for you (grab and carry), +10 points for him (carry and cap). • A teammate grabs the flag, you pick it up and get killed, another teammate caps: +10 for the first teammate (+5 pickup, +5 carry), +5 for you (carry), +10 for the capping teammate (+5 carry, +5 cap). • You pick up the flag, get fragged, a teammate picks up the flag, gets fragged, the enemy returns the flag. +0 for your teammate, +0 for you (no capture points are awarded unless the flag is actually captured). It’s a little more complicated than the original UT’s system (ok, it’s a lot more complicated), but it’s definitely more fair.

Bombing Run As we mentioned before, Bombing Run replaced the old Assault gametype in UT2K3, and now for 2K4 we’re lucky enough to have both modes available. Each team has a goal in their base, and a ball (Epic/DE call it a bomb) lies in the middle of the level. Players run for the ball, and attempt to either run it through the enemy goal (+7 points for their team) or toss it through the opposing goal (+3 points for their team). Games are played either to a certain number of points or for a set amount of time. Again, personal points do not matter—the team with the most team points wins the match, so concentrate on helping your team, not your personal score. While you’re holding the ball, you cannot fire your weapons, but you will constantly be healed back up to 100 health until you pass/drop the ball or are fragged. You can pass the ball to a teammate at any time by cycling teammates with the secondary fire and then pressing primary when your chosen target is selected. This will lock onto a teammate and shoot the ball to him like a heat- seeking missile. A popular strategy in UT2K3 was to toss the ball forward, translocate to it, grab it, and repeat. This controversial tactic worked against unskilled opponents, but a good player will realize where you’re heading with that fancy translocator, and will have a few rockets waiting to meet you at your destination. Even so, for UT2K4 Epic has made this much more difficult to pull off, by causing your translocator to lose its power and have to recharge after you toss the ball. Don’t plan on using this tactic too often—it’s not very effective in open areas. Running the ball through the opposing team’s goal will net your team 7 points, and will boost your personal score by 10 points. Tossing the ball through is worth 3 team points and 4 personal points.

Assault The most innovative gametype of UT99 returns with a vengeance to UT2004. In an Assault match, one team plays the role of attacker, and must complete a set of objectives within a certain time limit. The other team’s sole goal is to stop the attackers. Once the attackers complete their objectives or time expires, the teams’ roles are reversed. After each team has played both roles, the team that completed their objectives in the least amount of time (or who scored more objectives, if neither team completed the set) is declared the winner. In addition to standard Deathmatch scoring, points are awarded to players for achieving objectives—ten points for each required objective, and five for each optional goal. (On many Assault levels, certain objectives are not required

in order to win, but when completed transfer some benefit to the attackers. The attacking team thus often has to make choices as to which objective to focus their attention on, as there may be more than one available.)

Onslaught As the much-hyped newcomer to the UT party, Onslaught has been touted as a major draw to the upgrade since very early in UT2004’s development. Huge, open outdoor maps, with myriad vehicles and tireless, strategic action were promised. We’re happy to report that all these promises have been delivered upon. In an Onslaught match, each team controls a base, in which lies a Power Core. This Core is invulnerable to damage at the outset of the match. Located throughout the map is a series of Power Nodes, which the teams fight for control of. By stepping on an empty Node location, a Node will begin construction for your team. Once construction is complete, the Node will be yours, and will become a mini-base of sorts for your team. Vehicles and power-ups will spawn nearby, and only your team will be able to use the vehicles. Additionally, you’ll gain access to take or attack any adjacent Nodes. Once your team has control of a Node adjacent to the opposing team’s base, their Power Core loses its shield, and your goal becomes to destroy the opposing Core. At any given time, your team may be defending its base, acquiring unoccupied Nodes, defending its own border Nodes, attacking opposing Nodes, or working to take down the enemy Power Core. In order to be successful, a team must have players willing to take on several very different roles. Onslaught is easy to learn, but very difficult to master. It is by far the most complex gametype, and as such we will give it thorough treatment in our Winning Strategies section. For successfully building a Power Node, and for destroying a previously-built Node you’ll receive five points (when building, the points come successively as the Node is being built). Destroying a Node that is still in construction is good for one point, while being the one who fires the final shot at an opposing Power Core will net you ten points.

Mutant Another virgin gametype making its debut in UT2004, Mutant makes one player into a super-player, by giving him or her invisibility, double damage, full health and armor, and a fully-stocked array of weaponry. This mutant is the only player who can score points, and all other players compete to be the one to kill the mutant. Once the mutant dies, whoever killed it becomes the next mutant, and thus earns a chance to score points. Optionally, the player with the fewest points can score by fragging anyone, just as in normal Deathmatch.

Invasion The Invasion gametype also makes its debut in this release of Unreal Tournament, and is a more unique form of play in that all players in the game (both humans and bots) join together on the same team. Hordes of enemies will advance on the team, and each player receives only one life per wave of opponents. Once you die, you’re out for the duration of the wave, able to do nothing but watch, cheer, and pray for your teammates. If all teammates are fragged before the end of a wave, the game is over; if at least one player survives, everyone respawns and another, tougher wave of enemies advances. This mode of play is relatively straightforward—stick together, team up against stronger opponents, and preserve your health at all costs. So there you have it; a quick introduction to each of the ten gametypes included in UT2K4. See the Winning Strategies section for detailed tips on how to dominate your opponents, and be sure to check out the Maps chapter

for information on and recommended routes through the included maps. For added variety, see the Mutators section of this guide for information on the game-altering Mutators you can apply to your matches.

Weaponry The arsenal available in Unreal Tournament 2004 should be quite familiar to veterans of the Unreal Tournament series. Aside from a few new additions and some minor changes, this is the same core lineup as appeared in the previous games.

Shield Gun Damage: Primary fire does around 20 damage/hit in its weakest mode, and is massively powerful when fully charged. Secondary fire deflects and absorbs damage.

Another weapon of the cornered and the foolhardy, the Shield Gun is UT2K4’s sole melee weapon, not to mention its only active defense system. The primary fire delivers a charge directly to the enemy when used at very close range; if you are trailing a flag or bomb-carrier, you might want to switch over for the 0wnage factor. Hold down the primary fire button to build up a powerful charge, then simply run up to an enemy and the energy will be discharged automatically. The secondary “fire” actually generates an energy shield in front of you, capable of resisting most forms of incoming fire, though rockets will still ding you up. Be cognizant of the fact that this isn’t quite invulnerability, though; the shield takes up energy while you maintain it, and is drained of power for every hit that it absorbs, meaning that it won’t stand up for long under a constant barrage of incoming fire. It recharges automatically, but only while the shield is down and you remain unprotected. You can also use the primary fire of this weapon to rocket-jump, except without using a rocket. The technique is the same: build up a charge, point the Shield Gun toward the ground, then jump and release the fire button at the same time. You’ll take a fair amount of damage, but you’ll go much higher than you would with even a double-jump. On Assault maps, the Shield Gun becomes a godsend. Many objectives require an attacker to hold his position in order to complete an objective. The Shield Gun’s secondary fire will absorb quite a bit of damage, significantly increasing the odds that the player will maintain his ground (and his life!) long enough to complete the objective. During matches on tight, enclosed maps, the Shield Gun can become extremely powerful—charge it up, and you’ll often find yourself getting frags from randomly running into other players.

Assault Rifle Damage: Single-digit damage/shot in primary fire, secondary fire grenades are more potent, but still not impressive.

This standard-issue weapon is available upon spawning for all gametypes, excepting those with mutators that remove it. While the akimbo-capable sidearm of UT was missed in UT2K3, it returns for 2K4. The AR provides a bigger punch than UT’s original pistol due to its greater rate of fire and grenade-launching capabilities. With poor accuracy and only light damage, however, this is best used against weakened opponents, and then only as a last resort. The grenades themselves are of limited utility, due to their unwieldy arc of fire and lack of a high damage radius. They can be deadly if you score a direct hit, though, so if you’ve got the stones, you might want to press in

close to an opponent and try the alternate fire. A better strategy would be to simply run and find a bigger gun, however.

Biorifle Damage: Uncharged primary blob of goop does moderate damage; fully-charged secondary does massive damage if it directly hits an opponent, or splits into multiple smaller globs if target is missed.

That sound you hear is either the steam rising off a pile of sludge ejected from a GES Biorifle or the “hiss!” of disapproving gamers. The Biorifle was always a love-it-or-hate-it part of the UT arsenal, with most players firmly on the hate end of the spectrum, but it’s beaten the odds and returned for UT2K4. If you disliked the gun as it appeared in UT, then you won’t have to adjust your opinion for this new version, as it plays mostly the same as the original Biorifle did: primary fire spits out gloop that sticks to the ground and injures enemies that run over it, while the secondary fire allows you to build up one huge spitball and eject it all at once. The range is greater, but this is balanced somewhat by a lower rate of fire. The Biorifle is notable for being a forgiving weapon for players with high lag, since you don’t necessarily need to hit an opponent to damage him or her, and the ability to lob goo onto higher ground is useful, but the unpredictability and short range of the ooze still prevents this weapon from being more than a last resort in open areas. In tight locales, however, covering the area in goop can be quite effective; a few hits will kill a healthy attacker. This tactic can be used to great effect when covering a choke point. Charge up the secondary fire, then toss it into the choke point at the first sign of enemy approach to deliver a nice, toxic surprise.

Mine Layer Damage: Massive damage per mine if target is directly above mine when it explodes. Less damage—but still effective—if target is farther away.

Whoever thought up the Spider Mine should get a hearty pat on the back. This weapon is great fun, and has a plethora of strategic uses. Much like the Grenade Launcher, the Mine Layer primary fire deploys Spider Mines into the field of play. The secondary fire is where the fun comes in. Wherever your target reticle is pointed when the secondary fire is pressed, the Spider Mines will attack. That’s right, folks—the mines will up and run at the target, exploding as they approach. They cause extreme amounts of damage, and it takes nowhere near a full load of Mines to take out an enemy soldier. The Mines will automatically attack any enemy that enters their immediate area, making them effective as a ‘fire and forget’ weapon, as well. Making them even more useful is the fact that they will detonate nearby Grenades when they go off! By strategically placing a field of Mines and Grenades in the path of incoming opponents, a savvy defender can seriously augment his strength when defending an objective on his own.

If you use the secondary fire to target a location where there are no enemies, the mines will swarm to the new location. This is useful for holding an area with two entrances (build up a set of mines, then get in the middle and send them to whichever entrance the enemy chooses. It is also a great softening-up tactic. If you are about to assault an enemy strongpoint, drop a set of spiders a moderate distance away, then move toward the base. Alt-fire to order them into the base. If you time it right, they will arrive a split second before you, softening up the enemies inside, and you will have already had time to switch to another weapon.

Shock Rifle Damage: Primary fire hits for fairly high damage, secondary causes moderate damage. Shock Combo doles out massive amounts of hurt.

While the main fire of the Shock Rifle doesn’t quite make it a hitscan (instant-hit) weapon, it comes pretty close. The photon beams travel quickly enough to make this almost as accurate as a Lightning Gun, except at very long range. The secondary fire mode is made up of large plasma balls that saunter toward the target at a rather leisurely pace; these are too slow to hit all but the most lethargic of enemies at any respectable range, but if you use the secondary fire, then shoot the plasma with the primary fire, an explosion will result that damages everything within a fairly large radius of effect. This is known as a “Shock Combo,” and is easier to perform than it was in UT, since the secondary projectile has been slowed down somewhat. It also deals less damage than it used to, however. The timing can be tricky to master if you strafe at all, so this is something you’ll need to practice before you can pull it off reliably. You should also be aware that incoming projectiles can sometimes disrupt the plasma balls before you have a chance to detonate them; this is especially common when you face off against rocket-wielding opponents. The secondary plasma balls can also be used to flood a small area or choke point, knocking your opponents around. Case in point—if an enemy needs to cross a bridge, flooding the bridge with secondary shock balls can force him to choose between another route and a one-way trip off the bridge.

Link Gun Damage: Primary fire deals moderate damage, secondary delivers impressive pain if kept on target for extended periods of time. Chained beams convey massive hurt, or quick healing.

The Link Gun’s rapid-fire plasma bolts can take out an opponent quickly, but their speed of fire renders them mostly useless at long range. The secondary fire is a clone of Quake’s own Lightning Gun; simply hold down the button to eject a solid stream of death on an opponent. This is historically not a very lag-friendly way to kill opponents, because you have to keep the stream locked on to the target to deal any appreciable damage; you can swipe the stream back and forth, but this just tickles most enemies. You can use the secondary fire on a teammate to boost their Link Gun’s power, but good luck ever using this in a Deathmatch game; most pickup Internet games are a bit too chaotic to facilitate much cooperation betwixt team members. If you find yourself and a friend guarding a flag or Node, however, you might want to give this a whirl; combined Link Gun healing is a powerful tool. The Link Gun plays a more prominent role in Onslaught matches, as its alternate fire can be used to heal Power Nodes—as well as to build them more quickly—and to repair vehicles. See the Onslaught mode description for more information.

Minigun Damage: Each bullet fired from the Minigun does a very small amount of damage, but its high rate of fire makes it a fearsome implement of destruction.

The Minigun, while taking a back seat to the Flak Cannon for most close-range encounters, is in itself more than capable of chewing through an opponent’s health in short order. The firing modes have been switched from those of the original Unreal Tournament; the primary fire consists of a rapid rate-of-fire discharge of bullets, whilst explosive-tipped bullets are discharged somewhat more slowly for the secondary fire. It’s something of a toss-up as to the comparable lethality of the two firing modes; while the primary fire does less damage, its advantage in rate- of-fire makes it easier to connect with a target. Both modes suffer from poor accuracy at long range.

Flak Cannon Damage: Primary distributes many moderately-damaging shards which do more damage the closer the target is; secondary shell causes massive damage if direct or near-direct hit.

We don’t want to get sentimental, but there’s just something timeless about the appeal of puncturing someone with a dozen red-hot metal shards at close range. The Flak Cannon, obviously enough, lets you do just that. The shards that fly out of the weapon in the primary fire mode are quite deadly, if they all connect, but unless you’re near point- blank range, you’re likely to send half of the volley careening off the walls, perhaps to impact your target anyway, but also with a chance to bounce and fly right back at you. If you like to take your chances, you’ll probably find a friend for life in the Flak Cannon, in that it’s your best bet for firing around corners (now that the Rocket Launcher no longer fires grenades), and is also great for cover fire, especially against snipers. You won’t want to use it at extremely long range, but the spread of the fire is such that if you aim in an opponent’s general direction, they’ll almost definitely take some damage. Smart players will absorb the hits and use a more appropriate weapon to return fire, but even so, you can spam their field of vision by rapidly firing at them, thus reducing their ability to fire back. The secondary fire is perhaps more useful than the primary. A small metal ball is launched, and when it collides with a solid object, a spray of shards is sent outward and upward from the impact point. A direct hit on an opponent with the ball results in plenty of damage, but this requires a more delicate aim than the more forgiving primary fire. However, when used in one-on-one duels or when chasing down a flag or ball-carrier, a properly-placed flak bomb can turn opponents to mush without needing to get the target reticle on the opponent. Also, you can add a little bit more momentum to the shell by firing before the apex of a jump, or at the beginning of a dodge jump forward.

Grenade Launcher Damage: Each grenade delivers impressive damage; when detonated in tight groups, the level of destruction is highly effective.

Another weapon making its debut in UT2K4, the Grenade Launcher is the target of much ire from inexperienced players, and is put to stunning use by those in the know. The launcher is deceptively simple to use—primary fire releases grenades that will bounce around normal terrain, and will stick to vehicles, enemies, and objects. The

alternate fire button detonates all released grenades in unison (you can have up to eight grenades deployed at a time; grenades will also explode if you die). Thus, you can create a small minefield, detonating it when enemies approach. Or, you can cover a player in grenades, tearing through even the heaviest armor. Grenades can be attached to opposing Power Nodes or Cores, causing massive damage. An ingenious use is to cover one of your team’s vehicles in grenades, then send it charging into enemy territory. A loaded Manta that is shot off of a hill, then detonated in the midst of your enemies is quite the satisfying display of prowess. Grenades can also help to effectively cover an escape. Leaving a trail of grenades can slow your pursuers down quite a bit—or kill them if they’re not wise enough to step lightly.

Rocket Launcher Damage: Direct hit doles out nearly enough to kill a ‘normal’ opponent in one shot; triple-threat will dispatch a fully-imbued enemy if properly placed. Effective splash damage, as well.

The stalwart companion of many an Arena veteran, the Rocket Launcher is perhaps the most user-friendly of all the UT2K4 weapons. The primary fire is... well, it’s a rocket. And it launches. From the Rocket Launcher. These can also be used as homing rockets; keep your aiming reticle on a target for a few seconds, and a lock-on notification will eventually surround your crosshair. This is especially useful at long range, when getting a lock on a target is less difficult, and the regular fire will be easily dodged. The secondary fire allows you to queue up two or three rockets and fire them all simultaneously. These fire in a horizontal spread if left alone; you can depress the primary fire button while they’re loading to launch them in a tighter corkscrew pattern. Note that these are true, self- propelled rockets, not the bouncy grenades of UT; also note that you can make queued rockets home, but only if you lock on before you press the secondary fire key. The blessing of rockets is that they deal quite a bit of damage when detonated at a target’s feet, and in fact this is the preferred way to use the RL, since rockets fired directly at a target are rather easily dodged, and deal no damage unless they make a direct impact. So, instead of shooting at an opponent directly, aim at the patch of ground that they’re standing on. You can increase your degree of fire by firing at the apex of a jump or double-jump. While the RL is incredibly useful when firing down upon an enemy, the reverse is not at all true; when an opponent has the advantage of height, your chances of hitting him or her are greatly reduced with rockets, so switch to your Minigun or Biorifle to increase your chances of hitting your foe.

AVRiL Damage: 200 points to vehicles, considerably less (but still moderately high amount) to other targets. No splash damage.

The AVRiL is a unique weapon, in that it is supremely powerful against vehicles, yet is nearly useless against infantry. The weapon fires a rocket-propelled payload, which homes in on occupied vehicles if the aggressor maintains a reticle lock on the target. Holding down the alternate fire button while the missile(s) are in the air will lock the aggressor’s view onto that target, maintaining the missile lock until visual contact is lost. This alt-fire lock is quite useful when attempting to maintain a lock on a fast-moving target, but it is not necessary to use the alternate fire in order to maintain a lock. Given that the alt-fire shrinks and constrains your field of vision, it is advisable to not use this method of target acquisition unless it becomes necessary.

A successful hit with the AVRiL will deal 200 damage, enough to destroy a Manta in one shot, and a Goliath in four. One effective tactic on large, open maps is to fire several AVRiLs in the general vicinity of your enemy, and wait to lock onto the target until the missiles are close to the opponent. This will minimize the ‘Missile Lock’ warning time that your opponent receives, and can allow you to quickly down medium-powered vehicles. The AVRiL is ineffective against infantry because it deals no splash damage. As it’s extremely difficult to hit a moving soldier spot-on with the bulky AVRiL, you are generally wasting your time. However, the AVRiL can be relatively effective against stationary targets such as Power Nodes. One final note—AVRiL fire can be shot down in-flight just like Redeemer rockets. If your teammates are being pursued by AVRiL fire, try to knock the payloads out of the sky.

Lightning Gun Damage: Body shot does moderate-to-high damage. Headshot delivers massive electrocution.

The Sniper Rifle was a fearsome weapon in Unreal Tournament, but it was also just a tad cheesy, in that its invisible bullets and instant-kill headshots made for perfect spawn camping. The developers toned down the lethality a bit for UT2K3 with their new sniper instrument, the Lightning Gun, not to be confused with the weapon of the same name in the Quake series of games. While similar in function, the rounds ejected from the Lightning Gun leave an unmistakable tracer trail in the air for a moment after firing. This interval will give targets and their teammates a good idea of where the sniper is located, and thus makes the sniper more vulnerable than in days of yore. Other than that, UT snipers will be on good terms immediately with the Lightning Gun. In another balancing act, the zoom on the LG is somewhat cluttered with video artifacts, obscuring the area outside of the targeting reticle, but the primary fire is as lethal as ever, especially if you’re adept at aiming for the head of an opponent. More than any other weapon, the Lightning Gun requires practice to wield effectively; while any Joe Schmoe can hit someone running in a straight line (read: Bots), it takes a modicum of skill to connect when your target is curving through the air, dodging to and fro, or god forbid actually shooting back at you. Battling against Bots on a low-gravity map is a good way to practice your aim if you find yourself consistently missing the mark. You snipers will be happy to know that in addition to the Lightning Gun, the Sniper Rifle is back, as well.

Sniper Rifle Damage: Body shot hits for moderate-to-high damage, headshot brings massive pain.

Making its much-heralded return is the original UT99 Sniper Rifle. Back in the days of UT99, many gamers complained of the relative power of a hidden sniper. Players could choose a spot far away from the main area of contention, and would fire away with incredible accuracy and a high rate of fire, decapitating opposing players with ease, with very little to give their location away. The weapon was thus dropped from UT2K3, in favor of the Lightning Gun. A fickle bunch, gamers once again complained, this time about the slow rate of fire and large trail left by the lightning. Epic has heard the cries, and delivers improved versions of both weapons in UT2K4. This incarnation of the Sniper Rifle emits a small puff of smoke when fired, blocking the scope of a sniper for a short time after each shot. The wielder can move slightly to either side to move the scope out of the way of the smoke, but the objective of this

addition is still met—the sniper must either slow his rate of fire or re-set himself between shots. In our opinion, this version of the Sniper Rifle maintains some semblance of power, while at the same time providing countermeasures to prevent the rampant sniping fests that appeared all too often in UT99.

Redeemer Damage: Massive damage to a large area.

What’s to say about the Redeemer? The developers apparently feel that they nailed their superweapon on the first attempt, so the Redeemer reappears in UT2K4 virtually the same as its predecessors in Unreal Tournament and UT2K3. While it may only be a mini-nuke, there’s nothing mini about the blast radius and damage of this weapon. The primary fire will launch a self-propelled rocket in a straight line that you do not want to be in the path of, while the secondary fire allows you to remote-control the rocket as it flies about the level. We’re not talking stop-on-a- dime precision here, though, so you’ll probably wind up hitting a wall if you try anything too fancy. When controlling the remote rocket, you’ll be unable to move and vulnerable to enemy fire, so make sure you’re out of sight or get a teammate to cover your back. While it might seem like the adrenaline invisibility would make a nice fit for the alternate-fire Redeemer, it appears that firing a Redeemer strips you of your invisibility right away, so you might as well save your pills for another occasion.

Ion Painter Damage: Massive damage to a large area. Must have line-of-sight to open sky to function.

A rather unassuming weapon at first glance, the Ion Painter holds the key to a destructive force that probably exceeds that of the Redeemer. On some levels, you’ll note a stationary satellite above the field of play. The Ion Painter will be somewhere below. Once you find it, you can use its primary fire to paint a target for the satellite; hold down the button for a few seconds until the beam turns thick and bright, and then get out of the way. If you’ve ever seen Akira, you know what’s coming next. Anyone caught near the blast zone will wind up deep-fried, but the radius of the effect is as impressive as its damage. Note that the Ion Painter can only be used on a target that’s within line-of-sight of the sky; if you attempt to use it underground, it’ll simply misfire. The secondary fire is a zoom scope, similar to that of the Lightning Gun, but it’s mostly useless, since you hardly need to be spot-on for killing damage.

Target Painter Damage: Calls in an airstrike by the Phoenix bomber, causing massive damage to a large area.

The Target Painter is in many ways a mirror image of the Ion Painter—it does no damage on its own, instead triggering an allied object to deliver the hurt. Like the Ion Painter, you’ll need to paint your target in an area with a view of the sky.

Translocator Damage: Telefrag results in an instant kill.

While not a weapon per se, the translocator can, with great difficulty, be used as an offensive tool in the hands of a skilled player. Its prime use, however, will be to teleport its user to normally inaccessible or inconvenient places. To do so, fire a beacon with the primary fire, then hit the secondary button to transport instantaneously to the location of the beacon. You can recall your beacon by pressing the primary fire again. Keep in mind that you can switch weapons while a beacon is active; the beacon will stay in place, so if you switch back to the Transporter later on, you might be able to take a mulligan from a bad firefight. Last but not least, you can use a beacon as a remote camera; press your Q key after launching a beacon to look around and be all sneaky. This isn’t overwhelmingly useful in a fast-paced game like UT2K4, since you wind up alerting any nearby enemies to your presence and are also vulnerable while using the camera. However, in certain situations it can be useful. For example, checking out the defensive arrangement of your opponent’s base, or defending a large area by yourself. If you want to really shame a camper, nothing can quite match the translocator kill. It’s tricky to pull off in most instances, since it requires precision targeting, but if an opponent is standing still, you can sometimes launch the beacon at their feet, then teleport directly into their body, causing them to explode. (This is known as a “telefrag,” and is also possible when going through stationary teleporters.) This is an instantaneous kill, and overrides any shielding or health the target has. Be careful when translocating to a disc that has been deployed in neutral territory—if an enemy has destroyed it, you’ll translocate right into a respawn point, if you get our drift.

Ball Launcher Damage: No direct damage; can be used to force opponent to holster weaponry.

The Ball Launcher is only available in the Bombing Run gametype, and is included here for completeness’ sake only, since it has no direct offensive capabilities whatsoever. The primary “fire” launches the ball in a lob. The secondary fire allows you to lock on to a teammate when they’re in your reticle; if you launch the ball subsequent to

locking on to them, the bomb will make a beeline for them. For much more information, see our section on the Bombing Run gametype. If you feel you’re about to be taken out while carrying the ball, you can toss it to your opponent, forcing him to put away his weapon and hold the ball. If you time it right, you can kill him and continue on your way with nary a delay.

Vehicles Effective use of vehicles is a requirement in order to have any semblance of success on Onslaught and many Assault maps. This effective use constitutes not only knowing how to enter each vehicle and reap violent death and destruction upon your opponents, but also how to support your teammates when they are the ones in the hot seat. The machinery included in the game has been finely balanced, and even the largest, most fearsome vehicle will not stand long against a competent foe without proper support. This support entails tagging along and manning secondary posts inside the vehicle, tailing the vehicle and providing repairs via your Link Gun’s alternate fire, and eliminating pesky infantry that are too close to larger vehicles for the driver to effectively eradicate. Dominating your opponents by raining down fire and brimstone from afar in the Goliath is fun, but in our opinion sitting behind a teammate’s Goliath and linking up to make the tank a nearly invulnerable implement on a rampage is a blast, as well. Three teammates linked and healing a tank will have a huge effect on the longevity and effectiveness of the vehicle. Keep this in mind as you play. Also note that if your vehicle is not filled to its maximum complement of players, you can switch between open positions with the number keys (i.e. 1 for first position, 2 for second, etc).

Energy Turret

Players: One gunner Damage: The Energy Turret’s weaponry puts forth moderate damage with a rapid rate of fire, with near hitscan delivery.

Health: 450 Energy turrets are strategically placed around objectives and team bases. Entering one will give you access to a fairly powerful, high rate-of-fire, nearly hitscan pair of guns. Additionally, the turret’s secondary fire provides a capable zoom, allowing you to adeptly defend your terrain. Unfortunately, these turrets are not exceptionally well- armored, and will not stand up to much of an attack. Keep one eye on your health when occupying an Energy Turret, and be prepared to exit stage left when things get too hot. Note that destroyed turrets will eventually respawn if you continue to control the associated area.

Goliath

Players: Up to two: one driver/main gunner, and one Minigun turret operator. Damage: Primary cannon fire does massive damage; secondary Minigun turret hits for moderate pain, but benefits from much better aiming control, as well as the ability to attack nearby enemies without fear of self-mutilation. Health: 800 (1600 on AS-RobotFactory) The Goliath is UT2K4’s implementation of the traditional tank. It is heavily armored, extremely powerful, but slow and bulky. Entering the Goliath will fire up its massive engine and give you control of its main turret. The second position controls the tank’s agile Minigun turret. The Goliath has an ample, but not impressive, top speed, and poor acceleration and handling—don’t expect to run over anyone who is paying attention. Its main turret is extremely powerful, but is slow to acquire new targets and limited in its zoom and vertical aiming. Focus your fire on distant targets for peak effectiveness. If you come under attack from quick-moving opponents nearby, you’re best off either bailing and taking them on in a traditional duel or switching to the Minigun turret and pummeling them into submission with that gun.

The second position—the Minigun turret operator—enjoys an impressive level of zoom with the secondary fire button, as well as the ability to aim as agilely as an infantry player. This turret is great for destroying any opponents who attempt to attack the Goliath up close, where its main turret is ineffective. The one shortcoming of this gun is the relatively slow rate that the bullets travel once they’re released from the turret. You’ll need to lead any distant targets in order to hit them. Shooting down an airborne opponent with the Goliath’s main turret will net you an Eagle Eye award.

Hellbender

Players: Up to three: one driver, one side turret operator, and one rear turret operator. Damage: Side turret shock balls do low-to-moderate damage, higher output when combo-chained. Rear turret hits for moderate damage at low charge, massive damage at full charge. Health: 600 (2000 on AS-Junkyard) Perhaps UT2K4’s most misunderstood vehicle, the Hellbender is a formidable weapon when strategically employed, but is more often ineptly operated and turned into nary more than cannon fodder. The first player to enter the Hellbender becomes the driver by default. All this player can do is drive, and honk the horn. The second position controls the side turret, a weapon much like an upgraded Shock Rifle, with its modes of fire reversed. The primary fire of this gun will launch projectiles similar to those emitted by the Shock Rifle’s secondary fire. The secondary fire will shoot out a lightning-fast beam that will detonate the energy balls, much like the Shock Rifle’s combo. The difference—and the key benefit of the Hellbender—is that this combo will cascade and detonate all the energy balls nearby. When combined with this turret’s high primary rate of fire, this means that

the Hellbender can effectively blanket a choke point with this turret, and detonate the entire area in an impressive display of fireworks. The third and final position in this vehicle is the rear turret. This player has an elevated view and deep zoom with the secondary fire. The primary mode will emit a scorching energy blast, and can be held down to charge up to a much more powerful shot. Note that there is a small delay when firing a charged shot, so be sure to take this into account when aiming. Quick, un-charged shots, however, fire almost immediately, so you’ll generally be better off shooting off rapid, weaker shots against fast-moving targets, saving full charges for stationary or sloth-like opponents. As you have likely surmised, the Hellbender is difficult to use effectively with one player—in fact, a lone team member cannot even fire and drive at the same time. However, when players team up and man all positions at once, the Hellbender can both attack, cover a choke point, and avoid enemy fire / repair itself from minor injuries all simultaneously. As we said before, the Hellbender is a very powerful tool when used correctly. Don’t be that guy who takes off solo in this vehicle.

Human Spacefighter

Players: One pilot/gunner. Damage: Primary attack fires instant-hit lasers with a moderate punch. Secondary launches homing missiles with a long reload time. Mousewheel cycles targets. Health: Unknown Shades of Star Wars, Batman! The Human and Skaarj Spacefighters pack quite a punch, and accordingly can be taken down quickly by other Spacefighters. Be sure to use the roll maneuver (Press your jump button while strafing)

in order to evade incoming fire, or you won’t survive long. A firm grasp of the acceleration controls is also a necessity for proper targeting of stationary objects.

Ion Cannon

Players: One gunner. Damage: Massive Ion painter primary fire, secondary zoom. Health: 3000 The most lethargic weapon in Unreal Tournament 2004, the Ion Cannon has an obscured view, a slow aim, and an incredibly long firing delay. Even so, it’s an impressive defensive tool, delivering incredibly destructive ion blasts at a fairly good clip. As well, it can take 3000 damage before giving out—takes a lickin’, keeps on tickin’. Wreak enough destruction with the Ion Cannon, and you’ll receive specialized awards, such as ‘Wrecker.’

Ion Plasma Tank

Players: Up to two; one driver/main turret operator, one secondary Minigun turret operator. Damage: Main turret delivers the massive Ion Cannon blast, but has lethargic target acquisition and firing delay. Secondary turret mirrors that of the Goliath—speedy aiming, quick delivery, medium punch. Health: 1500 A special vehicle appearing only on AS-Glacier (as of this writing), the Ion Plasma Tank is a fearsome vehicle. However, the opposing team’s attention will lie squarely on the tank. When the Ion Plasma Tank is making its way through Glacier, the members of the team who weren’t quick enough to enter the tank should focus on either healing the tank with their Link Gun alternate fire or on eliminating any pesky defenders intelligent enough to avoid the tank’s fire.

Leviathan

Players: Up to five; one driver/main gunner with rapid-fire rockets or negative singularity weapon, up to four turret operators. Damage: Moderate to massive. Health: 5000 The Leviathan is a massively-powerful moving implement of doom. Sporting a nearly-impenetrable 5000 health, five operable weapons, and the ability to deploy itself in a siege position at will, effectively using the Leviathan goes a long way toward winning matches. The first position within the vehicle is the driver and rear Rocket Launcher gunner; this player can navigate the map, and fires rapid volleys of missiles that will home in on airborne vehicles. Pressing the secondary fire will transform the Leviathan, removing its ability to move, but switching over the primary weapon to an Ion Cannon-like target-painting blast. The other four turrets are significantly less impressive, but together make the vehicle much more powerful. Each of these corner-mounted turrets emits a rapid-fire, moderately-powerful energy blast, with secondary zoom. Without operators on these turrets, the Leviathan is vulnerable to agile opponents up close, but with all four turrets manned, the vehicle becomes much more difficult to destroy, especially if its operators are aware of the tank’s health and use their Link Guns to repair it when necessary.

Link Turret

Players: One gunner Damage: More powerful, less speedy version of Link Gun primary and secondary fire; sluggish aiming. Health: 750 The Link Turret is quite possibly the most disappointing vehicle in UT2K4. Slow to aim, slow to fire, this turret can take a decent beating, but just isn’t as fun to pilot as the other turrets and vehicles, in our opinion. However, it does have one saving grace—the ability to link up and to heal. Vehicles can stop by for a quick repair session, and Link Turrets can link up to increase their firepower, at which point they are a significant bit more impressive.

Manta

Players: One driver/gunner. Damage: Energy balls deal moderate damage; stomping on infantry via secondary fire results in instant kill. Health: 200 The Manta hovercraft is a small, extremely agile, one-man hovercraft. It is unique among its vehicular brethren in that it has the ability to jump (via the jump key), as well as to lose altitude quickly (via the crouch or secondary fire keys). It is exceedingly fast, and can thus cover massive amounts of ground quite quickly. Its ability to jump allows it to scale—or completely overshoot—hills and other obstructions, and by crouching it can fall out of view behind terrain features to avoid AVRiL or Raptor locks. Additionally, crouching as you pass infantry will allow you to take them out quite easily. All told, a well-piloted Manta can be a fearsome foe, and we haven’t even talked about its weaponry yet. A relatively weak cannon that has a high rate of fire is the sole projectile weapon at the Manta’s disposal. Given that the Manta’s main strength is its speed and agility, you’ll rarely be sitting still while piloting the craft, and as such its weaponry is not well-suited to attacking moving opponents—you’ll have better luck just plowing them down. For attacking fixed objectives such as Power Nodes, however, the cannon is just the tool for the job. Note that you can hold down the crouch button while firing at an object to move yourself closer to the ground and potentially make yourself more difficult to hit. The Manta’s crouch can also be used to load up a teammate on each side of the pilot, allowing the strategically- inclined player an opportunity to quickly ferry teammates around the map in order to blitz several nodes or help mount an attack. You’ll have to drive carefully when carrying friends, however, as sudden turns, jumps, and falls

can cause them to fall off. Judicious use of the crouch can also allow you to get a wing underneath an enemy vehicle. If you manage to do this, immediately jump, and you can flip the vehicle and dump all the occupants out. Finally, when your opponent’s Power Core becomes vulnerable, you or a teammate or two should be prepared to quickly sprint to their base in a Manta. By skillful use of jumps and crouches, you can scale the walls of a base and be attacking the Core before the opposing team knows what’s going on. We did mention at the beginning of this section that the vehicles in UT2K4 are well-balanced, didn’t we? We did. The Manta’s weakness is its lack of armor. When well-piloted it can be difficult to hit (it’s the only vehicle able to dodge a homing AVRiL missile with ease), but when it is attacked, it falls quickly. A single AVRiL hit will destroy a fully-repaired Manta. If you’re lucky enough to be damaged but survive a conflict, take advantage of the Manta’s speed to get out of danger, exit the vehicle, and use the Link Gun’s alternate fire to heal up. The relatively low armor of the hovercraft means that a small amount of Link Gun ammo will fully restore a Manta’s health. The moral of the story: be vigilant and move quickly when in a Manta—your time is likely limited.

Minigun Turret

Players: One. Damage: Moderate, with poor accuracy and the ability to zoom via the secondary fire key. Health: 500 Minigun turrets operate exactly like the secondary turrets on the Goliath and Ion Plasma Tank. This turret will tear through infantry at close range, but loses its potency quickly as range increases. This deficiency can be compensated for through use of the turret’s zoom ability, but still manages to hamper effectiveness.

Mothership Turret

Players: One gunner. Damage: Primary fire emits plasma balls, secondary fire energizes shield. Health: 650 The Mothership Turret has the ability to engage a shield to limit damage when under fire by the attacking team—be sure to use this ability when necessary, or your enemies will destroy the turret quickly once they discover that it’s in use. Also, duck for cover and switch turrets with the weapon switch keys (mousewheel up/down by default) to change turrets once you realize your current choice is about to be destroyed.

Phoenix

Players: Unmanned. Damage: Massive, delivered via target painting with the handheld Target Painter. Health: Can be shot down before it drops its payload. While it’s impossible to actually take control of the Phoenix, we felt it necessary to include it here to point out that the bomber can be destroyed as it lines up to deliver its payload. If you are controlling a turret or other powerful weapon with a view of the sky when you hear the incoming airstrike warning, be vigilant and try to pepper the Phoenix with fire before it has a chance to drop its presents on your teammates.

Raptor

Players: One pilot/gunner. Damage: The Raptor’s primary energy fire deals low-to-moderate damage, while its secondary rocket fire can be used to quickly down other airborne vehicles. Health: 300 The Raptor is a very difficult craft to pilot well, but can be a powerful nuisance to your enemies once you have mastered its many quirks. With the Raptor, you can fly high above the action, evaluating the entire map and applying your firepower where it’s needed most. The Raptor’s primary fire is a barrage of energy similar to that of the Manta. Its secondary fire, however, consists of semi-homing missiles that will track other airborne vehicles. Knock off a flying opponent, and earn a Top Gun award. This vehicle’s top speed is fairly impressive, but acceleration, both vertical and horizontal, leaves something to be desired. You won’t be flat-out dodging any AVRiL fire in the Raptor—you’ll need to use the surrounding terrain to evade incoming rockets. The winning strategy seems to be stay high and out of sight, and to tuck tail and run when under attack by an AVRiL.

Scorpion

Players: One pilot/gunner. Damage: The Scorpion’s primary energy fire does low to moderate damage, and freezes opponents in their tracks, as well. It will destroy a Manta in one shot as it is sucked into the vehicle’s air intakes, and a fully-charged blast will explode several times before fully dissipating, doing an impressive amount of harm. Secondary blades are instant death to infantry, but can be broken off by other vehicles and terrain. Health: 300 The Scorpion resembles a rather large go-kart. That is, until you’re cut down by an opponent who employs the vehicle’s secondary fire to erect long sharp blades out of the sides of the vehicle. In tight spaces, the Scorpion can thus be quite effective against regular infantry. Further, the Scorpion’s primary fire emits a charged beam of energy that will stick to and slow down any opponent with whom it makes contact. A skilled operator can tangle an opponent, then slice him in half before the enemy realizes anything is wrong. The Scorpion falls somewhere between the Goliath and Manta in terms of speed and acceleration—not slow by any means, but also not quick enough to use agility as a major advantage.

Skaarj Space Fighter

Players: One pilot/gunner. Damage: Primary attack fires instant-hit lasers with a moderate punch. Secondary launches homing missiles with a long reload time. Cycle targets with mousewheel. Health: Unknown Shades of Star Wars, Batman! The Human and Skaarj Spacefighters pack quite a punch, and accordingly can be taken down quickly by other Spacefighters. Be sure to use the roll maneuver (Press your jump button while strafing) in order to evade incoming fire, or you won’t survive long. A firm grasp of the acceleration controls is also a necessity for proper targeting of stationary objects.

TC-1200

Players: One Damage: None, except to pride of driver. Health: 300 The TC-1200 makes no official appearance in UT2K4, appearing instead as a gag for those wily enough to discover it. To summon the TC-1200 to your command, open up the console in a single-player match (hit the tab or tilde key) and type ‘summon OnslaughtFull.ONSGenericSD’ without the quotes. It’s touches like this that bring a smile to every Unreal Tournament fan’s face.

Pick-ups Throughout the course of your fragging, you will come across items that you can pick up in order to gain some form of advantage over your opponents. In this section, we detail them for you.

Adrenaline Pill Adrenaline is used to power certain special abilities. Each pill gives you 2 adrenaline points, up to a maximum of 100. If you’ve activated a special ability, you can grab more Adrenaline Pills to prevent the ability from timing out as soon as it normally would. See the Controlling the Action section for more info on adrenaline.

Double Damage Do you really need this explained, Mr. Smarty Pants? Double damage lasts 30 seconds – watch the purple meter on the right-hand side of your HUD to get a visual estimate of the time remaining. Keep in mind that your weapon will glow purple and emit a telltale sound when you have double damage activated, so don’t plan to sneak up on anyone while powered up.

Health Pack The health pack is just what the doctor ordered for those minor scrapes, bruises, and flesh wounds. Pick one up for 25 health, but be aware that these will not get you above 100 health.

Health Vial These beakers of fluid give you an instant bonus of five health points. You can use them to move beyond the normal 100 health cap, up to a maximum of 199 points.

Keg O’ Health Perfect for frat parties and frag parties alike, this rotund container of life force gives you 100 health upon picking it up. As with the health vial, you can exceed the 100 health cap with the keg, all the way up to 199 health.

Normal Shield Pack This little fellow gives you 50 armor points. These armor points override your health so that damage you take is distributed across your shield and your normal health. Once your shields are all out, though, you’ll be fully vulnerable once again.

Super Shield Pack This upgraded shielding system gives you a boost of 100 armor points. You can combine normal and super shield packs for up to 150 armor points, but keep in mind that in team games it’s often best to share the wealth if another teammate is around. That said, making a bomb or flag run with 199 health and 150 armor makes for just slightly better odds than 100 health alone.

Weapons Locker While technically not a pickup, we couldn’t think of a better place to stick the weapons locker. These lockers (which aren’t lockers, by the way, but stands) hold multiple weapons, and running over the locker will equip you with any of those weapons that you don’t already have, as well as some ammo for each. The green light on top of the locker signifies that there are items in the locker that you can benefit from (i.e. more ammo or weapons). If the light is off, don’t bother running to the locker, as you won’t get anything until the ammo respawns. We’ll detail the contents of each map’s weapons lockers’ in our Maps section.

Killing Sprees and Other Events As you play UT2K4, you’ll quickly notice that doing certain things causes the announcer to shout out in your praise. This section details all the possible awards that you can earn, as well as how you can earn them.

Carjacked Enemy vehicles are not useable by your team, until an enemy has entered and exited. After this point, however, you can enter the vehicle and chalk up a Carjacking award.

Daredevil Do something... unusual while piloting a vehicle to earn the Daredevil award, as well as see information on your feat. For example, go parasailing off a hill in a Scorpion.

Denied! Deny a ball carrier by killing him as he’s about to score.

Eagle Eye You’ll earn the Eagle Eye award if you manage to infiltrate the hull of an airborne craft while in a Goliath.

First Blood Be the first to sap the life force from an opponent to score the First Blood award.

Hat Trick Score three goals in a single Bombing Run match, and you’ll earn the Hat Trick award.

Last-Second Save In CTF matches, take down a flag carrier as he’s about to score the cap, then return the flag, for a Last-Second Save. Or, recapture a control point just before your opponents score in Double Domination to earn the award.

Multi Kills Multi Kill awards are bestowed upon players who eliminate more than one opponent in a short period of time. If you manage to kill a second player within a few seconds of the first frag, you’ll get a Double Kill. A third player within a few seconds of the 2nd nets you a Multi Kill. Adding more frags will move you up to Mega, Ultra, Monster, Ludicrous, and Holy Shit Kill awards. Double Kills are extremely easy to obtain, while Monster, Ludicrous, and Holy Shit Kill awards are reserved for elite—or extremely lucky—players.

Killing Sprees Frag five opponents without losing your life, and you’ll be awarded a Killing Spree. Ten opponents and you’re on a Rampage, fifteen gives the title of Dominating, twenty is Unstoppable, twenty-five is Godlike, and the incredible feat of thirty kills without a death gives you a Wicked Sick award. Frag someone who’s on a spree, and all players will be notified of your accomplishment.

Pancake! Stomp an infantryman to death with the Manta’s crouch maneuver to earn this award.

Top Gun Take out another airborne player while in a flying craft, and you’ll take home a Top Gun award.

Mutators and Other Game-Altering Options Way back in 1999, Epic and DE debuted the concept of mutators with the release of UT, and their inclusion was an integral factor in UT’s admirably-long shelf life. A mutator is essentially a piece of code that you can choose to ‘plug in’ to UT at any time. This code alters the gameplay in some way—sometimes in a subtle way, sometimes overtly. This section will describe the effects of the mutators included with UT2K4, will give some strategies as to how you should alter your play to adapt to a particular mutator, and will detail a couple of recommended mutator combinations.

Included Mutators • Air Control - Allows server operator to control players’ movement speed while in the air. • Arena - This mutator turns any claustrophobic level into an instant showground of carnage. All weapons in the level are transformed into a weapon of the server operator’s choice, and all ammo is converted to match. Definitely a must-try mutator. • BigHead - For every kill you make, your head will increase in size. Don’t let it go to your head, though. :-) • BigWheels – Like BigHead, but for vehicles. • Bonus Combos – Adds in two extra adrenaline combos. • Game Speed – Controls game speed relative to normal. • InstaGib - This is the mutator by which all others are judged. InstaGib servers are still popular, over four years after UT’s release. InstaGib removes all weaponry and pickups from a level, and instead outfits each player with a modified Shock Rifle equipped with unlimited ammo. One hit will instantly gib an opponent. This mutator makes for some frantic gameplay on heavily-populated maps, and turns team matches into games of true skill. Making it back to your base with the flag is much more difficult when the enemy need only hit you once in order to drop that flag to the ground. Make sure that your movement is even more erratic than normal. Walk in a straight line even for just a moment, and you’re likely to be turned into raspberry jam. • Lightning Guns – Sniper Rifles are replaced by Lightning Guns. • LowGrav - This mutator lowers the effects of gravity, causing players to jump several times their normal jump height, and to take much longer to come back down to the ground. Your translocator and projectile weapons- fire are also affected, making aiming both more difficult and more powerful—try lobbing a flak shell all the way across the level! Your low level of control while floating through the air makes you an easy target for your opponents, so try to avoid making big, sweeping jumps while out in the open. Stick near walls, or be sure that there aren’t enemies waiting to frag you while you fly past. In open Bombing Run maps, you can (with a little luck) toss the bomb a long distance to a waiting teammate. • No Adrenaline - Pretty self-explanatory. This mutator removes all adrenaline pickups from the map. • No SuperWeapons - This mutator removes all instances of the Redeemer and Ion Painter from the map. • Onslaught Weapons – Adds Onslaught weapons (AVRiL, etc) to other gametypes. • QuadJump - If you want to feel like a kung-fu specialist, this mutator is for you. Well-timed button presses allow you to jump four times without touching the ground. • Regeneration - With this mutator activated, you’ll slowly regain health, at a rate of five points per second, up to 100 points of health. • Slow Motion Corpses - This mutator causes death animations to slow down considerably, allowing you to whip out your collector Kodak™ film and savor the moment forever.

• Sniper Rifles – Replaces all Lightning Guns with Sniper Rifles. • Species Statistics – Causes each race to have varying combat statistics. • Super Berzerk – Incredibly beefed-up weaponry. • UDamage Reward – Remaining damage amp power is tossed as a pickup when the player is killed. • UTClassic – Allows removal of special moves, weapon balance return to UT99 style, and Translocator behavior return to UT99 style. • UT2003 Style – Changes weapon switch and dodge speeds to match those of UT2003. • Vampire - Inflicting pain on your opponents will result in health bonuses to you, up to 100 points. • Zoom InstaGib - An alteration to the classic InstaGib mode. You’ll have the same sniper scope as the Lightning Gun, and the same power as the InstaGib modified Shock Rifle. This can be a great replacement for InstaGib on large, open maps. Recommended Mutator Combos • Combining the LowGrav and Zoom InstaGib (or plain-Jane InstaGib) mutators is a recipe for pure carnage. Easy targets, and all-powerful weaponry. Makes you shiver, doesn’t it? • Enabling Regeneration and Vampire makes fragging someone a real prize. • Last Man Standing matches with the InstaGib mutator enabled are even more frantic than normal. • BigHead allows DeathMatch participants to quickly decide whether to take an opponent on or run away in fear.

Other Game-Altering Options UT2K4 provides you with a plethora of options that combine to dictate the gameplay and rules of your matches. This section deals with those options that don’t classify as ‘general’—frag/time limits, etc. or as mutators. • Friendly Fire - With this slider, you can choose how much damage your weapons will do to players on your team—from no damage at all, all the way up to a whopping 200%. Note that misfiring your own weapons will always do damage to you. • Game Speed - This slider lets you choose the speed of action in your game. The slider moves from 50% up to 200%. Matches at 200% are quite frantic. • Include Translocator - Toggles the translocator on/off. • Use Custom Bots - Checking this box opens up the Bot Config tab, in which you can select which bots will be included in the match, and on which team they’ll play. Note that this option will be unavailable if Use Map Bot Count is selected. • Use Map Bot Count - In Instant Action games, turning this option on will set you up with the number of bots that the map’s creator feels is appropriate. Un-checking this box will allow you to choose the number and configuration of the bots with whom you’ll play. • Weapon Stay - With this option unchecked, weapons will disappear from the map for a set amount of time. With the option turned on, weapons will always be available for grabbing. Note that even if you check the box, ammo and other pickups will still disappear and respawn—this applies only to the weapons themselves. Mutators and other modifications created by talented players are sure to start showing up soon, and they’ll add even more customizability to your matches.

Maps In this section, we’ll give you a basic guided tour of each of UT2K4’s plethora of included maps. We’ll pick a spawn point in each level, and then run you through the level from that point, calling out important pickups and recommended routes (or lines) through the map. Feel free to take your own paths when playing the game, but if you’re just starting out, you’d do well to follow our lead. On our favorite maps, we’ll go into greater depth, including relevant strategy and tips. Due to the sheer volume of maps included with UT2K4, we had to limit ourselves in this section or we’d have released this guide around Christmas 2004. We encourage you to submit your favorite map strategies to us; if they’re well-written and useful, we just might include them in a future revision of the guide!

1-on-1 Deathmatch

DM-1on1-Albatross Recommended Players: 2 An absolutely wonderfully-crafted duel map, the beauty of DM-1on1-Albatross is the fact that even though it is so small and someone can spawn so close to the other player, the map has superbly-placed weapons and pick-ups. Not to mention a couple of incredibly cool-looking stone albatrosses.

That albatross looks evil, so very evil.

Starting on the end with the Shock Rifle on the ground floor along with the lift, there is a health pack below and after taking the lift there are two more when going toward the other side of this small map. Straight in front of you is a Biorifle which is well-placed if you intend to use it to glob up the Rocket Launcher area in the middle of the map (which isn’t such a bad idea). Pivotal to success in this 1-on-1 map, pick up the Rocket Launcher but try not to make a habit of going left or right, or your opponent may pick up on it. By following the small little creek left or right you will end up in a death trap since both are dead ends with no power-ups or weapons.

There is nothing of use at either end of the river; you will end up falling down here after picking up the super shield pack, but make sure to get out of there as soon as possible, ESPECIALLY if your opponent sees you. A smart opponent can easily dispatch a cornered enemy. Going straight will lead you to another lift as well as an entrance to a little hallway to your left. Going up this hallway yields six health vials as well as some vital ammo for the Rocket Launcher and Flak Cannon. The end of the hallway reveals a super shield pack and the only way out is to go back where you came from or drop down into one of the end-river dead-ends. If you do continue straight out and drop down, get out of that little dead-end as fast as possible. By going left you will come across three health vials as well as a Lightning Gun. And one of those scary albatrosses. So scary. Continuing left you will find a Link Gun, six health vials and a health pack before taking a path down to the ground level. Heading right from the Shock Rifle lift, you will run into three health vials, then a Flak Cannon with ammo. Dropping down a little to the top level reveals a Minigun on the right as well as three health vials across the bridge. On the little wooden plank is a normal shield pack. Another element in this map’s excellent flow is the way you can dodge jump your way around the map. Dodge jumping helps clear some ravines in the ground as well as speed your way around the map. In a related move, by using the elevator to boost your jump you can zip around fairly quickly. Not only that, but in order to get the double

damage amplifier you need to master the art of elevator jumping. On the normal shield pack lift side, use that lift to shoot you up into the air and head to the right. On top of that little building lays a double damage amplifier.

Elevator jump to the right to get a double damage amplifier. Dodge jumping and elevator jumping your way around this map to quickly and efficiently keep control of the key points of the map (the Rocket Launcher area and both the shield areas) will keep you in control of the power-ups and of the leader board.

DM-1on1-Crash Recommended Players: 2 Essentially a two-leveled square with separate upper and lower areas, this map does not offer many thrills. Beginning on the lower level starting in the room with the Flak Cannon, start by going up the stairs and continuing straight toward the three health vials. Take the turn and grab the Shock Rifle. Going around the next corner, drop down to the floor and behind you lays a double damage amplifier as well as four health vials. But, continuing in your original direction on the lower level, not forgetting to pick up the two adrenaline pills, you will enter a room with a Link Gun in the middle. To the immediate left is an area to a lift to the second level (and also a Lightning Gun when you go up that lift) but continue on the ground floor and find your way to the Biorifle and two health packs in the next room. From here, you can see your original location (the Flak Cannon) and the four health vials that lead to that location, but take the lift up to the second level here. After going up the lift, if you go right you will end up at that middle area and the Lightning Gun and by going left and ultimately right (following the natural flow of the path) appears a Rocket Launcher. In this room is a health pack as well as a normal shield pack. Continuing around the top level, the next room holds a Minigun and to your right that middle area Lightning Gun yet again.

Long corridors = opportunity to snipe. A run-of-the-mill 1-on-1 Deathmatch map, Crash doesn’t do anything new or exciting. It is fun, however, to take advantage of the long corridors using your beam weapons on this map (Shock Rifle and Lightning Gun) to surprise the enemy.

DM-1on1-Desolation Recommended Players: 1-3 Becoming the coolest artist ever, this guy wanted his apartment to be turned into a Deathmatch arena after his death, and thankfully he still has some of his really unique art available for viewing. Also, this is probably the strangest layout of any apartment I’ve ever seen, so it makes it even that much more fun. The first bit of advice is to look for the fairy statue. It is near the middle of the map and while it is very cool to admire this unique piece of art, there is a Rocket Launcher nearby, a very handy weapon on Desolation, which this map’s many turns and changes of elevation. A rocket when coming around a corner can turn into a very quick kill.

Okay, so this naked stone angel with the mechanical wings and no arms may be neat and all, but don’t stand around and admire it; take that Rocket Launcher and frag some enemies! Too tough to plot out a line around the map with all its turns, a description of what is on each floor is still a valuable resource. The top floor has a Flak Cannon and a lightning rifle around the outside, a Shock Rifle near the middle, a couple of health packs, five health vials up a ramp and a double damage amplifier. The lower level has a Link Gun and a Minigun as far as weapons. There are quite a few health packs as well as adrenaline pills, but a real good area to plump up your health is the small little grassy area in the lower-middle part of the map. There are four health vials to bump your health up by twenty points even when you do have one hundred health. A nice map to fire up with a couple of your friends for some frenzied fun, this apartment can be a little disorienting in terms of where you want to go, but its artistic influence is pretty neat. If you go check out some of the paintings, you may be surprised at just how cool they really are.

DM-1on1-Idoma Recommended Players: 2-3 Wood and metal are mixed to create this interesting map. This square map is has a box in the middle that has a Biorifle within it on the ground level. The easiest way to understand this map is to take a spot and go around that box, picking up weapons along the way. Starting at the Rocket Launcher with ammo and going toward the four health vials and health pack, the next corridor to the right has a Minigun on the lower level and to the left (which is currently blocked by a wall, to get there just backtrack a little and jump to the higher level) is a Flak Cannon and ammo. Continuing that way on the lower level, taking the ramp downwards you can pick up four health vials and a Shock Rifle with ammo. The upper level has a

Lightning Gun with ammo and a normal shield pack. Continuing the same way is a health pack and after the corner to the left is a Link Gun with ammo. A cut-and-dry Deathmatch map, the wood and metal mix gives this map a pretty distinct atmosphere. A good thing to look for in this arena: there are sections that have wooden planks and when someone steps on these planks it gives a sound like wood bending. Listen hard; hearing your enemy and finding out where they are is a huge advantage when they don’t know where you are.

Wooden planks like this make a distinct sound when you step on them; use this to your advantage. DM-1on1-Irondust Recommended Players: 2 A dark, multi-tiered map, Irondust gives you the opportunity to blast opponents up close, snipe them from far away or drop down on top of them from above. Starting at the double damage amplifier at the end of the little bridge at the bottom of the map you have two main options. First, you can go straight across the bridge and grab the Shock Rifle. Both right and left lead to a lift going up to an area with a Rocket Launcher and a couple of health packs. From here, you can go straight toward the lightning rifle and grab the five health packs or go to the left and grab a Minigun as well as a super shield pack.

The Lightning Gun you just picked up comes in handy in this long corridor. Alternatively, you can drop down from the bridge and go right to a “T.” From here, if you go right you go straight to a Flak Cannon and then if you take another right you’ll find a normal shield pack. If you go left at the “T,” you’ll come across a Link Gun and a couple of health packs before you reach the Flak Cannon and eventually the normal shield pack. There are different lifts on the way, but this is the key layout of the map. Keep your eye on the three important pickups (the super shield pack by the Minigun, the normal shield pack by the Flak Cannon and the double damage on the lower bridge over the mound of dirt) and it’ll take a lot more for your opponent to put you down than you to him.

DM-1on1-Mixer Recommended Players: 2-8 A pretty neat map that may be a little too big for being a “duel” map, but is still a pretty nice map nonetheless.

Our description starts here. Starting at the circular area at the bottom of the map where the super shield pack spawns, there are three possible ways to go. Firstly, going toward the small dual staircases, to the right there is a Flak Cannon and a couple of health packs following that path. Soon you will reach an area with a few possible ways to go. Going right will get you a Minigun, five health vials and a double damage amplifier in the middle of the tubes. Going straight-left you will get a Biorifle and eventually a Lightning Gun. And if you decide to take a hard left, you will find yourself immediately at the aforementioned double damage amplifier. The second way you can go from the circular area at the bottom of the map is right. If you take a right and continue straight you will run into a Rocket Launcher and two health packs before entering the tubing. Before the Rocket Launcher, there is a set of stairs and you have the option of going right there, and if you do you will find four health vials and a lift that will take you up near the Biorifle.

The Lightning Gun is placed at a perfect sniping position. Lastly, at the beginning circle area you can go backwards and find a health pack; if you go a little left, also a lift that takes you to an area where you can go right, left or straight. If you choose left you will come upon a Lightning Gun, if you go straight you will find a Shock Rifle and by going right you’ll be near the Biorifle.

DM-1on1-Roughinery Recommended Players: 2 Truly a map that defines the feeling that you can get shot from anywhere, all the open areas prove to be dangerous if you do not know where the enemy is. So find that enemy and hunt him; don’t let it unfold the other way around! Due to the tiny size of the map, a description of every weapon and pick-up on each level of Roughinery is adequate. Starting on the ground level, there are five health vials and a super shield pack. Taking the ramp up you’ll end up on the second level and on this level you will come across a Shock Rifle, a Flak Cannon and four health packs. On the next level you will find a Rocket Launcher (which is near the side of the map, on the same side as the Lightning Gun one level higher), a Minigun, a Link Gun and two health packs. On the highest level you will come across a Lightning Gun, a Biorifle, five adrenaline pills, a normal shield pack and a double damage amplifier.

Okay, there are so many places from where guy could have shot me. That’s just not fair. So many spots to kill, so many ways to dispatch the enemy. Roughinery is all about being creative with your kills. Throw a flak ball up above you on a higher level randomly, shoot a rocket down a level below; the enemy could be anywhere.

DM-1on1-Serpentine Recommended Players: 2-4 The Egyptian theme continues! The description of this map tells that supposedly the trenches are a maze, but in all actuality, it’s just symmetry.

Easy symmetry. At times, however, it is tough to judge where you are, but once you find a weapon, you’ll know where you are easily. A Flak Cannon is your best friend down in the trenches, a Lightning Gun while in the upper outsides of the map and whatever you please after going up top. In the tunnels that make up the maze you will find two Lightning Guns, two Flak Cannons and two Rocket Launchers. Since the map is symmetrical, if you find a certain weapon in one area, you should know exactly where you are. The middle part of the maze includes twelve health vials. There are two entrances to the area around the perimeter of the map. Under the inclines that go up into this area you can find a Minigun. Inside the small passageway itself you will find two Link Guns and if you manage to get around the whole perimeter first, you will grab 12 adrenaline pills. To go up, you need to ride one of the two elevators. When up top, you will find two Shock Rifles and four adrenaline pills. The center circle allows you to drop onto a special area where various power-ups show up (big keg ‘o health, double damage amplifier, super shield pack). The best advice is to utilize each weapon for special situations. If you’re running through the maze, the best choice would be a one-shot kill at close range: the Flak Cannon. The ability to change your weapon and tactics on the fly will help you dominate Serpentine.

Flak cannon+small space=easy frag. DM-1on1-Spirit Recommended Players: 2 Definitely sporting a great soundtrack (the best of all the 1on1 DMs in our opinion), this map’s music helps you really get pumped up. Essentially, Spirit is just a three-leveled map that spirals around a square in the middle. So an easy way of describing everything is just telling about which weapons and power-ups are on which level of the map. The ground level has the most lethal of weapons, including a Flak Cannon with ammo, a Rocket Launcher with ammo and a Biorifle with ammo. For power-ups, the ground level has four health packs and three health vials along with three adrenaline pills. Each room on the ground level has a ramp going up to the second floor but only the Biorifle has a special treat: three health vials! The second level, for weaponry, only hosts a Minigun with ammo, but it is rich with adrenaline pills and health vials.

The second level has this little wooden board that acts as a great boost to the third level. Just Dodge jump your way up and you’ll easily make it. The third and top level hosts a Link Gun, a Shock Rifle, and a Lightning Gun, all with ammo. The top level also hosts a normal shield pack (located in the corner of a map) and a super shield pack (on the treacherous-looking double wooden plank walkway). Great music, fun level, happy fragging!

DM-1on1-Squader Recommended Players: 2 A pretty neat map featuring no real organization or pattern, peeking outside through the windows gives this map a little much-needed personality. A good line to take through this map starts at the normal shield pack then heads right and straight for the Rocket Launcher; check to see if the super shield pack is there and drop down and go to the right toward the Minigun. Go right after the Minigun and head straight. Peek right to see if the double damage amplifier is there: if not, continue straight. Go left, then right up the ramp to the beginning of the line. Repeat if desired, deviate from if your favorite weapon isn’t included. And do not worry; the Rocket Launcher and Minigun are not the only two weapons available in this map. The Rocket Launcher is perfect for this map, however, because of the many blind spots that enemies come out of. There are many partial doorways which could give you an easy kill if you’re one step ahead of the enemy.

There are many good areas in this map for you to surprise the enemy and jump out while shooting a rocket at them. A good tip for this map is if you are low on health, go down. On two corners of the map, there are two health packs as well as five health vials near them, a good way to replenish your supply.

DM-1on1-Trite Recommended Players: 2 Ooooh, Epic, you are tricky. In Trite, they decided to put some clear windows in some places that always end up being good places to shoot your enemies. We’ve all seen America’s Funniest Home Videos when a little baby runs right into a glass slide door. Well, prepare for some embarrassing moments that rival those when you fire a full salvo of flak shards right back at yourself when you forgot there was a window there.

Stupid window, why are you so clean and clear!? Going level-by-level, the ground floor features a Rocket Launcher and Flak Cannon for weaponry, and for power- ups, this section has four health packs, eight health vials and one super shield pack in the room with only one entrance and a window on one side. The Minigun is the only weapon found on the second floor, but there are many power-ups on the ramps leading to the second floor from both the first and the third, including a normal shield pack on a far side of the map. In terms of weaponry the third level has a Shock Rifle, a Biorifle and a Lightning Gun as well as numerous other power-ups, including a double damage amplifier on an overhang by another one of those deceiving openings that is actually a window.

You will definitely be awarded style points from your peers for using this vent as a way to get to the third level. Almost giving you a disadvantage because it does not offer any power-ups like many of the ramps from floor to floor do, if you like the Biorifle it is very close when you get up this way. A winning strategy includes sticking to the ground level. Why deal with the chance of an enemy being above or below you just for a Minigun or Shock Rifle when on the ground level, with only the chance of being attacked from above, you have the two most powerful normal weapons in the game? Plus, the ability to keep your health above one hundred with the health vials, and a mega-boost to your armor from the super shield, gives you more than enough reasons to stay stuck on the ground and wait for the foolish enemy to come to your beefed-up combatant. If your opponent is smart enough to use his height advantage wisely, you may have to abandon the ground floor and move up, however.

Deathmatch / Team DM

DM-Antalus Recommended Players: 6-8 Raia Antalus has become a popular tournament venue through the ages. Also known as “Valley of the Hunters,” this exotic valley showcases some excellent potential for great tactics. In order to take advantage of Unreal Tournament 2004’s weapons, a decision to stay on higher ground as much as possible in this medium-sized map would be a smart one.

Dodge jump this ravine it will save valuable seconds. From the spawn point shown in the previous screenshot, immediately dodge jump over the canyon to the Flak Cannon. After this essential pickup, backtrack a bit and head through the open passageway to the Shock Rifle. For all you shock whores, a quick shock combo is a money shot from above the elevator and back from the way you came. Many unsuspecting enemies will find themselves being pulverized by your unseen shock combo. dodge jump over the elevator and clamber your way up the hill located in front of you. Once atop the hill, head right toward the centerpiece of this densely vegetated map, the top of the Temple of Linu. Go right, pick up the various ammo and jump onto the ledge to nab the Rocket Launcher. You may notice a couple of rocks placed a bit in front of you. If you manage to get yourself up there by double-jumping, the Flak Cannon and Rocket Launcher can prove useful in picking off wounded enemies dashing for the health pack as seen to the right.

A rocket or a flak ball can prove to be fatal from this roost. Go back to the middle of the hill and head toward the Lightning Gun. From there, dodge jump over the canyon to the Minigun and its ammo. Head straight forward and when given the decision to head right or left, take a left toward a shield pack and 6 health vials. Go down, pick up the Link Gun and link charges and go right. Make sure to dodge jump and zigzag; enemies can pick you off from higher ground on your left. Elevator jump to the health pack on the right and pull out your Lightning Gun. This weapon is best suited for long-distance sniping, and your ability to pick off enemies running toward the far health pack or elevator could give you a couple easy frags. Proceed to the elevator and use it to get on top of a well-placed boulder as shown to the right.

While a bit vulnerable from up here, use the Biorifle to rain down green glop onto your enemies. From the point shown in the previous screenshot, use your secondary flak or Rocket Launcher to frag the enemies to your right or left. This line offers powerful weapons, vital shield upgrades, health and an extremely important advantage in Antalus: higher ground. While the Rocket Launcher, secondary Flak Cannon and Biorifle seem favored for firing from above, if you favor a particular weapon, it is not far off this easily modified line. Just remember, for the most part, Unreal Tournament 2003’s weapons were not designed to be shot up and over a cliff. Make sure to take advantage of higher ground in Antalus.

DM-Asbestos Recommended Players: 6 Tight corridors and cramped rooms fill this rustic factory. While pretty straightforward, one can find himself in a couple useful locations through insightful use of the double-jump. A common spawn lies in this area.

Worry about the super shield pack later; grab the Flak Cannon up the stairs and to your right. That super shield pack can be reached, but your most important objective, first off, is to find a powerful weapon. Just up over the stairs and to your right you’ll find a Flak Cannon. Now you should beef yourself up a bit by getting to that super shield pack. Get on a railing and double-jump or dodge jump your way up.

Get on a rail on either side...

And dodge jump or double jump your way to a +100 shield bonus. Dash toward the small passageway going up and collect the 6 adrenaline pills. Go left and take the elevator upward. Grab the damage amplifier if it’s still there and dodge jump the opening to grab the Minigun. Immediately below you, you will find a small pond of water with a Rocket Launcher floating harmlessly in the middle. I don’t like sitting in the water getting picked off, so I like to come from the top, take a little damage penalty from the fall, and get out of there with the Rocket Launcher and a lot more health. Immediately run toward the beautifully-detailed corridor with the water reflections. Don’t admire the beautiful graphical details for long; you have a big keg ‘o health to get! Keep heading forward and quickly dodge jump your way to the passageway to your upper left (feel free to get the super shield pack again, it will be back by the time you find yourself in this area again). A nice treat in the form of three adrenaline pills awaits as you climb the incline and run up the steps. Follow your way to the big keg ‘o health. If you find yourself out of rockets or flak ammo, a cleverly-designed area at the very bottom of this room would be your place to go.

Collect the Rocket Launcher and ammo, but watch your back! This room also houses a Link Gun and a shield pack. Quick reflexes and smart decisions will help you outwit your opponents and gain the upper hand. Epic said it best: “Asbestos; it’ll kill you.”

DM-Compressed Recommended Players: 2-4 The name of the map says it all. A perfect duel level but still enough room for four people, this symmetrical map does not hold many surprises. Compressed is basically made up of three levels (well, to be technically correct I should say four... but more on that later - wink, wink). The level is basically two stairway-type areas flanking each side of a middle area. To distinguish which area is which, I will define them by their unique item up above the open area. One is a Lightning Gun and the other is a super shield pack (both are accompanied by 4 adrenaline pills, by the way). The bottom floor is connected by a hallway. In the very middle of this hallway is a shield pack. In the Lightning Gun area, a Minigun with ammo, six health vials, sniper ammo and extra grenades are lined up and in the super shield pack area a Biorifle with ammo, six health vials and extra grenades can be found. The second floor houses the most firepower and two elevators. On the super shield pack side you will find a Link Gun with ammo, a Shock Rifle and a health pack. The Lightning Gun side offers a bit of an advantage. You’ll find a health pack just like the other side, but also it has a Flak Cannon with ammo and a Rocket Launcher. To get to the third level you can do one of a couple different things: Firstly, you can just run up the inclines to get there. Next, a nifty trick to get up to the third level would be to use the small lift on the first floor to get to the third floor as shown right.

Try to get a good angle...

And jump as the lift is going upwards. Viola! Quickest way to the third floor. Or you can take the elevator on the second floor to the third (which doesn’t even come close to comparing with the coolness of the second method). The third floor, which I like to call the ammo floor, houses two packs of grenades, two packs of rocket ammo and two shock cores. Obviously, the only way to get to the Lightning Gun or super shield pack (which are, as stated earlier, on opposite sides of the map) is from the third floor because they are both on a higher platform. The two elevators on the second floor not only transport you to the third floor, but they also house a little secret area. Face away from the way you came onto the elevator and elevator jump to get maximum air-time. If you get high enough, you’ll be able to get to a small passageway that houses six adrenaline pills and a double damage amplifier. It’s a good idea to elevator jump whenever you get onto one of those elevators to take advantage of this nicely hidden secret.

One of the two elevators: use it to grab the double damage amplifier.

With a good elevator jump, you’ll own this power-up. I like symmetry and high frames per second. This map offers both with its neat design and the indoor setting. It would be a good idea to whip out that shock combo or get the Lightning Gun ready while on that bottom floor going for that shield pack; if you find the enemy on the other side of the corridor, you’ll be a step ahead and hopefully with good aim you’ll also be a frag ahead.

DM-Corrugation Recommended Players: 4-6 An absolutely delicious map that flows incredibly well, Corrugation does not hold any secrets; what you see is what you get. However, taking advantage of the many adrenaline pills strewn around the map can get you up to full adrenaline in no time flat giving you quite an advantage.

This spawn point is where we’ll begin. Beginning at the spawn point indicated in the screenshot above, going left will net you a Lightning Gun, and with a hop over the gap, you’ll be in good position to grab the super shield pack in the middle-top of the map. If you choose to go right instead and hop up to stay on the higher level, going left from there is a quicker way to get to the super shield pack, but going right you’ll head right toward a Minigun and eventually a little hallway with five adrenaline pills. Following the path of the adrenaline pills leads you directly to a Shock Rifle, then three health vials. In this next room, you have a few options. Going straight nets you a normal shield pack and a Minigun. If you go right, however, you can grab the Rocket Launcher; go through another hallway picking up five more adrenaline pills before reaching the normal shield pack! The other option you have at the beginning spawn point is to drop down to the lower level. When you drop down, head to the left to pick up a Flak Cannon along with four adrenaline pills, and then you’ll come to a stairway leading up to the Minigun on the upper floor. Going right after you drop down, continue to the Link Gun. By going left a little earlier, you would reach a grassy area where you can head straight toward the Shock Rifle, through the red area for a Flak Cannon and through the tubing which rewards you with a Biorifle. Continuing straight from the Link Gun will ultimately give the opportunity to pick up a shield pack as well as a double damage amplifier.

Sure, they may have beaten you to the super shield pack, but you can whip out that Shock Rifle and punish them for taking it. Upgrade your weaponry. If you hold a long-range weapon as well as a powerful close-range weapon, as well as keep control of the super shield pack and adrenaline pills, you will dominate this map.

DM-Curse4 Recommended Players: 4-6 I’m sorry, no original opening this time. This passage is so cool and it comes straight from Unreal Tournament 2003 itself! Here is the description of DM-Curse3: “Feel the walls closing in on you? A little claustrophobia maybe? When the flak starts flying and the shock combos fill the air, as you find yourself backed into a corner by a relentless pursuer you’ll come to learn the meaning of the word cursed.” Simply badass. This map was featured in Unreal Tournament as DM-Curse2, but in Unreal Tournament 2003 they added another number to make it 3 and made the place a bit more spooky. Memorizing where the weapons are and finding key spots on the map will help you feel less cursed. Let Dr. Baldy help. If you’ve played Curse2, it will only take a little bit until you realize you’re playing a cooler version with almost the exact same layout. I just spawned next to the giant dragon head and a Link Gun to my left as shown right.

Spawned. I like being higher in this map more than lower; better weapons and I feel less paranoid that someone is watching me. Grab that Link Gun and take the elevator up to the third floor. You’ll find four health vials to your and right in front of you. Dodge over the gap and basically you are forced to go right. You could drop down to the second level and grab some ammo; but if you did indeed drop down, you would miss a very important power-up. Straight ahead of you it looks like a dead end, shown to the right.

Just a wall? I THINK NOT! Run straight forward into the wall. As you do that and pass through the wall, you’ll realize that you just picked up a super shield pack! Go back a little and find your way to the place that has no roof. You’ll find a Shock Rifle and if you are running low on ammo, the rest of the top floor offers more than plenty ammo. I like running to the roofless area and dropping down on top of the Flak Cannon. As you land and pick up the Flak Cannon, peek through one of the small windows to the first floor and give yourself an opportunity for an easy frag. Wheel backwards under the staircase behind you and grab the shield pack, adrenaline pills and flak ammo. From this point, I almost exclusively go right up the stairs. It gives quicker access to the Rocket Launcher and a vital powerup. Go up the stairs and decide on whether you want to grab a Rocket Launcher (by going left then take the next right) or get a double damage amplifier. To get this hidden powerup, go right after the stairs and grab the Lightning Gun (just to let you know, you can go right as you grab the Lightning Gun into a hole and find your way to a secret area if you climb out, go left than right into the wall, shown to the right, that holds sniper ammo).

Another fake wall on the x. As you round the next corner and go right, swivel around almost looking where you came from. You can faintly see a purple hue. Shoot the little gate and you will find a nice double damage amplifier. Due to the nature of this map, a Flak Cannon is a very powerful weapon. You’ll find yourself almost running into enemies as you round corners and with a direct hit with the flak, they will be toast. Just be careful, you don’t want to kill yourself and negate that frag.

DM-Deck17 Recommended Players: 4-8 Every single original Unreal player, when they read the map list and saw Deck17, was instantly excited. Deck16 for the original Unreal was perhaps the most popular map of any shipped with the game. It had almost perfect balance, a great mixture of up-close situations and long-range opportunities, and (in UT99) the Redeemer; what more do you need from a Deathmatch map? The great news is that Unreal Tournament 2004 shipped with an updated version of the map with the same weapon placements and only one small added area.

That is an awesome touch to this map. Starting at this point (which is one end of the deck), there is a Biorifle with ammo and continuing up the stairs there are four adrenaline pills, then a Flak Cannon with ammo. Down at the far end of that hallway (we’re just circling around the middle—it will be talked about in detail later in this write-up) is a Sniper Rifle with ammo. Down this next hallway there are two lifts to the left to go down to the lower level and come back up, but continue forwards. The opening of the next hallway has three health vials on your left and right and a little further down there is a Rocket Launcher with ammo on your left. At the end of the hall there’s a pretty dangerous pathway down to the Flak Cannon. Watch your step; the lava isn’t there just for decoration. Following the outside direction you will find two health packs, a double damage amplifier and a Shock Rifle and you are back where you came from.

The only way to get the double damage amplifier is by dropping down from a higher place. Onto the middle part of the map; there is a Minigun at the other end of the walkway. Jumping onto a higher part on the right there is a Link Gun with ammo and a few health vials. Going up one of the slanted walkways you will find a Biorifle with ammo at one end of the hallway and a normal shield pack by the boxes and a Sniper Rifle with ammo. The bottom-middle part of the map, because of the lava, is incredibly dangerous. Always know where you are because one step in the lava and you’re toast. Just under the main walkway going from end to end is a little beam where a super shield pack spawns. If you plan on going for it, make sure to get on there and get off quickly; the last thing you want is to grab the shield then get shot off onto the lava and waste it. On the end where the two lifts are, you will find a Shock Rifle, a normal shield pack, two health packs as well as four adrenaline pills on each side. If you take a little time and grab both sides, that’s sixteen quick adrenaline points. There is a booster that shoots you up to the middle walkway and further down on the ground level is a Rocket Launcher with ammo. Taking the teleporter, you will warp to the other end of the map under the shiny “17” to a Redeemer. Be extremely careful though, do not just shoot the Redeemer when you get it or you’ll pulverize yourself; find a good spot and guide it to the middle where most of the action most likely is taking place. Use the heightened terrain in the middle to stalk your pray; if you have the Sniper Rifle, snipe at them and if you get tired of that just drop down from the higher level with a Flak Cannon and give them a facial. Don’t forget to switch to beam/sniping weapons when at more longish parts of hallways, and when turning corners use close-range weaponry. If you are a fan of the game mode instagib, low-gravity instagib and this map were made for each other.

DM-DE-Grendelkeep Recommended Players: 2-10 A very dark theme is prevalent in this, at times, wide-open Deathmatch map. The water drips falling down and creating puddles of water is a nice touch that keeps this Deathmatch map fresh and fun to play.

Using this position as a reference point. Going up the lift to the left and continuing the same direction you will come across a Minigun, four health vials, two adrenaline pills, a normal shield pack and then end up at a Lightning Gun. If you do go left and up the lift, you can also turn around (or do an elevator jump) and jump over to the Rocket Launcher and double damage amplifier. Going up the lift to the right and continuing in the same direction you will come across a Link Gun, five health vials a little to the left and will end up at that same Lightning Gun. If you turn around once you first go up the lift (or use it as a jump) you’ll grab the Rocket Launcher and the double damage amplifier just like if you were going to the left. Going by way of the bottom right, you will run into a Shock Rifle, a health pack and finally to a Flak Cannon. On the other side, if you go by the bottom left, you will get a health pack and then reach a point where if you stay on the ground you will run into the Flak Cannon, and if you take the stairs you’ll go right up to the Lightning Gun. So, the last way to go is straight–and don’t forget there is a Link Gun right under that first staircase on the ground. Continuing straight you will end up face-to-face with a super shield pack. From here you can go any way you desire, but remember there is a really fun lift to your lower left that you can use as a jump pad and fly to the higher level.

Use this lift to the right to jump to other levels – useful and fun! A simplistic, yet enjoyable, Deathmatch map, the weapon placements are perfect. Putting the two most powerful (according to popular belief) weapons on opposite sides of the map balances it nicely. DM-DE-Grendelkeep is a very enjoyable map.

DM-DE-Ironic Recommended Players: 2-6 Although a new map, Ironic already comes off as a classic. An easy-to-learn Deathmatch map, after only a couple of minutes it already feels like you’ve been playing the map for years. A cool aspect of this map is that you can run one direction starting from the bottom level and end up covering pretty much the whole level! There are a couple of lifts and areas to jump up/down which makes this level even quicker to get around in. Starting from the Flak Cannon on the lower level, grab the normal shield pack but go the other way, opposite of the ramp. To the right is the central room of the map, which holds a Rocket Launcher with ammo. This area is almost always busy with activity, so if you want to grab that Rocket Launcher you better have health to take a shot or two. Continuing on, to the left you’ll find a couple of lifts and before the right turn a Link Gun with ammo. The next room houses a super shield pack. Up the ramp and to your left is a Shock Rifle with ammo and continuing straight, a health pack. Immediately below you is a Link Gun with ammo and five health vials. Continuing up the ramps, on the next floor you will come across a couple of health packs and a Biorifle with ammo. Going right (because going back down the ramp will take you back to the Flak Cannon), you’ll reach a “t” and you should go left toward the five health vials. Down the next hallway, if you go right you’ll come across a well-placed lightning rifle in the top of the central Rocket Launcher room, giving an excellent position to nail those rocket whores. Lastly, following the route of the health pack and three adrenaline pills, you’ll reach a Minigun with ammo. The only way to go now is down back to the super shield pack and you have just run through the whole level.

Use the Lightning Gun to snipe enemies who go for the Rocket Launcher as a last-ditch effort before they die. Easy frags. Take advantage of the middle room and all the players who want a Rocket Launcher. This middle room is by far the most active and if you have a powerful weapon then you can easily dominate those going for the Rocket Launcher. By shooting some blobs of goo with the Biorifle or causing havoc with some shock combos, your score should rise with most every shot. The more players you have playing on this map, the more hectic it is. Sneak in there and grab some kills in that middle room, but do not neglect the super shield pack and normal shield pack around the sides.

DM-DE-Osiris Recommended Players: 6-14 Essentially just a central area with two buildings surrounding it, Osiris is a neat Egyptian-themed map. Using the central area as a reference, an explanation of both buildings adequately describes this map. Beginning with the building that has two torches, going in from the middle of the central area you’ll find a Rocket Launcher. Behind you to the left and right are entrances to an underground passage connecting the two buildings. However, staying with the first building, behind the pillar is a lift leading up to a normal shield pack. By going left you’ll get a Biorifle and by going right you’ll find a Minigun with four health vials and a health pack on each side. Both of these ways lead to the other building, as well. Next, entering the building with a statue on both sides, going straight will lead you to a lift that goes down into the connecting passage, but more on that later. We will enter the building and go either left or right. Turn left and you will come across a Shock Rifle with ammo; take the right path and you’ll have a chance to grab a Flak Cannon with

ammo. Both of these sides have three health vials, three adrenaline pills, a health pack and a lift on each side leading up to a double damage amplifier, which is located near the middle of the map outside. Going down to the underground passage from the lift in this building, there is a Link Gun with ammo in the immediate center after going around either the left or right pillar, and a super shield pack in the pretty water fountain. Going toward the center there is a Lightning Gun with ammo in the center area, as well.

Don’t forget: there’s a super shield pack behind that little waterfall. A fun and hectic map, if you want kills just go to the center area. It always seems like people migrate to the center and if you have a good weapon (as well as hopefully some armor or extra health), try to see how many people you can frag.

DM-DesertIsle Recommended Players: 4-8 A very cool outdoor map that is relatively small, DesertIsle’s springy lifts make it so that you can launch yourself up into the trees and come down haunting your opponents with the spray of your weapon. They won’t know what hit them. Starting where the river begins and following it down to the other side of the map, there is a Minigun with ammo to your left, further down there is a Rocket Launcher to your right with ammo as well as a lift to have fun launching yourself with. Further down the river past the health pack, there is a Flak Cannon with ammo to the left. After falling down the waterfall, you’ll find a couple of health packs, a Shock Rifle with ammo and a super shield pack.

Use the lifts to launch you high in the trees among the monkeys...fly down and rain death upon your opponents! From this point, the terrain is literally cut in two by the river in the middle. The less fertile section has considerably less loot than the more fertile side; it has only a health pack, a Link Gun with ammo and a double damage amplifier. The more fertile side has much more to offer. Starting from the bottom of the waterfall and working your way up toward the beginning of the river, you will encounter a Shock Rifle with ammo, five adrenaline pills, a Biorifle with ammo, a Lightning Gun to the upper left, a couple of health packs lower by the river and a normal shield pack up high. There is a natural bridge that connects the two areas at the top that has four health vials.

The Redeemer lies at end of a natural bridge going over the beginning of the river. It is placed at the extreme end of the map. Add a Redeemer into the mix (as described in the caption of the picture above) and DesertIsle is an instant classic. This map has so many fun moments, it is difficult to stop playing.

“Last of the Mohicans,” anyone? Eh? Anyone? DM-Flux2 Recommended Players: 4-10 Oh, how I love winter. The ice, the snow, the abandoned supply depot in the middle of nowhere that combatants from the Tournament can battle within and around; winter sure is swell, isn’t it? Finally, a map featuring winter elements has been introduced into Unreal Tournament. Mind you, in my opinion, winter is added a game too late, but here we have it in a nice little gift known as Flux2. In this well-designed map you can fight inside a four-story abandoned supply depot or right outside. Want to have your enemy taste cold steel or freezing ice when he hits the ground? You pick.

Awwww, isn’t it pretty? Too confusing to give a sense of direction, I will plot the map out for you. There are four levels to the depot excluding a basement area which has two health packs available. The first level has a Flak Cannon on one side and a Minigun on the other. There are a total of four entrances to the outside area. You can either take an elevator up to the fourth level or one of three stairways to the second level which houses only a Biorifle and ammo. The third level has two entrances outside and one health pack. Finally, the top level, the fourth, has a Shock Rifle and one entrance outside. It pays to know which entrance outside leads to what. I’ll make it easy: • 1st Floor Entrance by Flak Cannon: Once outside, head forward for health vials or left for Rocket Launcher. • With back to basement • Left: Five adrenaline pills... relative easy access to shield pack if you turn around after coming out of the passage and climb the hill on the right side. • Center: By going left after exiting, you get four health vials and a shorter time to get the shield pack. • Right: Shock core and by going right you get five adrenaline pills; by going up the ramp, you can get a Link Gun. In order to reach the double damage amplifier, you must dodge jump to get to the platform.

Pick them off in the rocket shed with a Lightning Gun. Basically, from these directions you can figure out the third floor way, and the fourth floor allows easy access to the Lightning Gun. Flux2 is just a fun Deathmatch map. When inside the depot, get some closer-range weapons ready; especially on the first floor and near the health pack basement. Outside, if you have quick reflexes and excellent aim, a Lightning Gun works wonders.

DM-Gael Recommended Players: 2 Deathmatch in its purest form. This extremely tiny map is an octagon and houses only two types of weapons: the Rocket Launcher and the Lightning Gun. On the bottom floor, on the north and south sides of the arena lay Lightning Guns and on the east and west lay Rocket Launchers. There are two lifts, one on the north side and one on the south. Take one of the two to get to the second level. On the second level, you can find Rocket Launchers on the north and south sides. The rest is all ammo; lots and lots of ammo. The middle of the map is a key point to keep your eye on. Every once in awhile, a power-up appears. Make sure you are jumping carefully; there’s a pit surrounding the power-up and one false step could mean humiliation. The power- ups switch from a super shield pack, a big keg ‘o health or a double damage amplifier. Key tips for this map: • Become proficient with the Rocket Launcher. • Become proficient with the Lightning Gun. :-)

Watch your step...

Or you’ll end up like this guy.

What the heck...

DM-Gestalt Recommended Players: 2-8 The description included with Gestalt explains how it is a research station sitting right below the polar ice caps, and boy does the mixture of the windows and the chilly music work well to give the impression that the combatants are just plain COLD. Unfortunately, Gestalt doesn’t hold very many secrets, although there are two elevator jumps that are pretty important. Starting on the lower level at the Flak Cannon and ammo, going left and staying on the ground level will net you a Shock Rifle in the main room. Continuing in the same direction, you will come to the first important lift, which you can jump to an area by elevator jumping off of. Elevator jumping from this lift will shoot you off into a small area only accessible by that jump, and it houses flak shells on the left outside, rockets on the right outside and inside you will find two health packs among some link charges, a shock core and Lightning Gun ammo. But, coming from that lift and continuing in the same direction on the ground level, you’ll run toward a Biorifle with ammo, then the second important lift on which to do an elevator jump. Using this lift to elevator jump, you’ll enter the “back way” into the top room, where you get a Lightning Gun at the very top, a Rocket Launcher at the other side and three health vials at each flank. This elevator jump is a neat little shortcut that may impress your Unreal Tournament friends when they see you do it.

Use this lift to elevator jump your way to the Lightning Gun in the top room. Since the Flak Cannon is the next item on the ground level, take the lift up to the second level and we will continue in the same direction toward the Link Gun and normal shield pack against the wall. Continue in that direction and you will pass through the main room (the very middle pillar holds a double damage amplifier) until you reach a Minigun with ammo and another normal shield pack. Continue along till you reach the three adrenaline pills and you will have covered all of the second level. Run into the main room and you’ll notice the Rocket Launcher at the far end of the room. Doublejump up onto the pillar, then onto the Rocket Launcher to pick it up; by going both left and right you will end up at the top room with the Lightning Gun. A pretty simplistic map, the only secrets Gestalt holds are the two elevator jumps. The music proves a chill-out experience and the soundtrack and map are perfect for just laying back and enjoying a nice relaxing Deathmatch experience.

DM-Goliath Recommended Players: 4-8 A map mixing both outside and inside environments, this map may appear large but all told, if you know your way around a couple of areas, it’ll seem like home in only a little while. Starting from the Redeemer room (the one with the spinning turbine on the top; it is at one end of the map, but more on that later) and going from end to end on the ground, you will find a Shock Rifle before eventually going up a ramp. Continue to the right and you will find yourself on the ground again with a Biorifle against the far wall, a Lightning Gun in the middle and a Flak Cannon near the far away teleporter. Conveniently enough, that teleporter takes you back to the Redeemer room, where we started our journey!

Now, why is this room called the Redeemer room? Well, the Redeemer lies at the top of this room, that’s why! Look for the double damage amplifier as well as the Minigun along the corner of your room and make your way to the little lift. The size of this lift and how short of a distance it travels is very deceiving because of the speed and how far it can launch you. In fact, this lift is one of the two ways you can reach the Redeemer at the top of the room by the spinning turbine. It is very tricky, but the most reliable way to do a huge elevator jump is by double jumping and moving a little forward above the lift, dropping down to it then immediately hitting the jump button for full force. It may take you quite a few tries to make a large-enough jump, but it is doable.

Use this lift to elevator jump your way up to the Redeemer. Using this room as a reference, by going the way above the double damage amplifier you’ll pick up four health vials and a health pack before going outside. Here you have the choice of going left (which nets you a super shield pack then a dead-end) or to continue right. Go right and by going straight you will end up going outside again, toward the Shock Rifle on the ground and six health vials with a normal shield pack against the far wall. If you go left instead of straight, you’ll find yourself at a Rocket Launcher as well as a lift. If you continue straight here and follow the path left you’ll end up outside and being led to an area under the super shield pack where you’ll find a Link Gun. But back to the Rocket Launcher and the lift nearby. Drop down and then use the lift to elevator jump your way up to a top level with such goodies as a health pack, various types of ammo, three health vials and two adrenaline pills. Continuing that way you’ll find yourself in the Redeemer room yet again, only this time you will be in pretty good position to grab that Redeemer. You’ll be high up and while you will not be able to reach the weapon by double- jumping, if you shield jump (charging up the primary till it is full and releasing toward the ground below you to jump) you will make it just fine.

Use your fully-charged Shield Gun to jump to the area under the turbine and get that Redeemer. The Redeemer spices things up nicely in this map. If you hear the Redeemer being deployed than most likely that person has either read this guide or been wily enough to learn how to get up there on his own.

DM-HyperBlast Recommended Players: 2-6 Although a bit larger in scale than the original map in Unreal Tournament ’99, Hyberblast2 still retains the coolness factor of the original. Running around in and outside of a spacecraft while battling other combatants is, literally, a blast. A place you can easily find and even spawn at is the Flak Cannon in the bottom left rear of the ship. At the other end of the hall is a Biorifle and on a little ledge on the outside of both sides you can find three health vials at each side. Staying inside the ship and heading toward the front from the Flak Cannon and going up the ramp, you’ll find a health pack and a teleporter that would take you to the opposite side of the ship. If you turn around once you climb up the ramp you will find a Minigun and if you hang a right and go toward the middle area of the ship you will come across a normal shield pack followed by a Grenade Launcher. A cool aspect of these two sides is how there is an opening on each side, and with the low gravity and the smaller starship in the middle you can continue your Deathmatch outside. It really makes this map unique. If you continue toward the back of the spaceship from the Grenade Launcher and Minigun, going toward the center you’ll come across a Link Gun as well as an open spot in the wall where you can take a shortcut to the super shield pack and health pack at the very back of the ship, however you would miss the three health vials on each side if you took the corridors to the back of the ship.

Now to the outside of the spaceship, starting at the very back of the spaceship is a Shock Rifle with a couple of health vials leading to the top-middle of the spaceship. On the sides of the middle area of the spaceship lay four adrenaline packs and the very middle has a Rocket Launcher. Under the arches on both sides are two health packs to replenish your health.

Not exactly vital to demonstrate good map design, but the ability to jump onto a moving spacecraft while fighting enemies is a real rush. No real advice for this map; find your weapon of choice and keep to fraggin’. This map is just plain fun, so get out there and enjoy the low gravity.

DM-Icetomb Recommended Players: 4-10 From the game’s description of Icetomb: “Bring your mittens and hide your kittens, because it is about to get very frigid and very bloody in this tight arena.” And by the way, the level is gorgeous. Because of the relative similitude of the areas comprising this level, descriptions of paths will be from the super shield pack room, which is the main focal part of this map. You will eventually run into this area, so that is where this guide will be referencing from.

The super shield pack room. Beginning by going out straight on the pathway and up the stairs, watch out for that freezing gap of water. If you stay on the bottom area, and take that left turn, don’t go up the stairs to the left; that will just lead you to the same area as if you were to take the stairs at the first split, and you’ll get a Lightning Gun and ultimately end up going up above in the super shield room and get some adrenaline pills and health packs. Jump over the edge and continue under the bridge, and after going down some stairs you’ll run straight into a Flak Cannon. From here, if you were to go left you would find a couple of health packs, and after taking the lift up you’ll reach a Minigun and eventually the opposite entrance to the super shield room. However if you were to go straight at the Flak Cannon you would reach a hill with four adrenaline pills and at the top of that hill there are four health vials to the right and a normal shield pack along with a Biorifle straight ahead. By following that way, you’ll end up finding a Rocket Launcher and once again, you are in the main super shield room.

Simply beautiful. Now, the only direction you have not traveled is on the opposite side of the room of the Rocket Launcher. Going this way, you will find a Shock Rifle and then six adrenaline pills and one health pack. Try not to get distracted by the amazing eye-candy of this map, and get to work!

DM-Inferno Recommended Players: 6 Why name this map Inferno? Why not just come out and say it: Hell. This map is wicked. Lava, scary music, skulls... put Harlequin in there and you’ve got probably the most devilish combo ever made; clowns in hell. But underneath all the pain, suffering and torture, you’ve got a pretty basic map here. It turns out to be very circular; a large outer ring and an inner ring with a cone in the middle. I usually find myself running around the outside ring when I spawn. There are four unique areas when running around the outside ring. Between each one of these lay three adrenaline pills which are definitely worth grabbing.

Dodge jump out of the areas... it’s quicker and makes you harder to hit. I will explain the advantages of proceeding through the rest of the level through each one of these four places: 1. Rocket launcher area: The unique weapon is the Rocket Launcher, which is a welcome addition to any arsenal. Proceeding toward the center area, you have two rocket packs as well as a super shield pack that can be obtained by dodge jumping. You take an elevator to the center area which leads you close to the center elevator, pretty close to the shield pack and Link Gun to your left. The drawback is the distance to the Flak Cannon, which is quite a ways to your right. 2. Health pack with the portal and Flak Cannon by going up the stairs area: The portal zaps you to the very top of the huge structure with a Biorifle waiting, but it is located on the back side of the huge structure; far away from the Lightning Gun. On the downside, by using the elevator, to get to the very top by using the center elevator is very far away and can cost you valuable time. 3. Shock rifle area: Offers nothing more than a Shock Rifle and by going up the elevator, shock cores. Probably the “average” one of the four, flak is to your left and shield pack is on your right along with the Link Gun. Very quick access to the central elevator leading to the top of the map. 4. Health pack with the Minigun by going up the stairs area: Personally, I enjoy this way to get to the middle of the map the best. Firstly, you get the Minigun and the Link Gun (which is up the path, see to your right). But also, on the way up, you can’t avoid the shield pack. No need to change direction to get to the top of the map as well; just go straight. After riding the big central elevator, you have link charges to your left and right along with various ammo up the stairs behind and to the sides of you. In front of you lies the Lightning Gun along with a power-up (rotates between the big keg ‘o health and others). To get to the portal and Biorifle, it requires a balancing act alongside the side of the huge tower, but you can get there.

Two weapons, a shield pack, and a hellish place. Beautiful graphical details and a simple layout make DM-Inferno a great fragfest. For added effect, play as Harlequin and keep taunting your enemies with “lost is your soul.” It will creep them out, guaranteed!

My soul might be lost... but at least I didn’t lose a leg! haHA! DM-Injector Recommended Players: 6-10 Truthfully, it’s time for a heart-to-heart with Baldy. I have no idea how this map even got into Unreal Tournament 2004’s map rotation. After playing for awhile on this map, I found no way to remember where anything is. Truthfully. Maps like this, the ones that are sort of “mazes” in a sense, usually have some redeeming value. This map has zero. Hell, some of my favorite maps in the Unreal Tournament series took me awhile to find where everything is and remember, but this one is so confusing. Everything looks the same. Therefore, I’m going to give you some screenshots and hints because that is the best I can do. Feel free to email me at [email protected] and let me know what you think of this map, because I am very curious to know what strategies others are using. The weapons on the lower level are as follows: the Link Gun, the Minigun, the Biorifle, and the Flak Cannon. The weapons on the higher level are these: the Rocket Launcher, the Lightning Gun, and the Shock Rifle. Another tip I can give you is that there are many tight corridors, especially when going from level to level, so it would be best to get a Flak Cannon or even, for some added flair, whip out that underrated Shield Gun and charge up the primary for a nasty surprise for anyone coming around the corner.

This is where a double damage amplifier spawns.

This is where the super shield pack appears, and just as advertised in the description of the map; you really do have to look out, there are quite a few entrances to this room.

I want to go there! Open space that isn’t confusing. Too bad this window is blocking it and I can only stare out and dream... DM-Insidious Recommended Players: 2-4 This small, square map features a pit in the very middle. I guess to make sure you were really, really dead, not only does it feature spinning spikes to decapitate, but also little rods to break your bones and lava to incinerate you down at the bottom. Just to make sure. Insidious is a good level for 1v1 or for a small group of people.

Freaky.

Freakier. The square you run around varies in height to give the perception of two levels, but there is basically only one. There are two bridges across the pit; one on the lower plane and one on the higher. The lower plane offers a Minigun while the gun holds a Rocket Launcher. Remember, the two make a plus sign, so the four outside squares have nothing to protect you from the pit. Starting from the big keg ‘o health facing toward the pit to the left, the weapon pick-ups are—in order: a rocket pack, Flak Cannon, flak shells, shock core, bullets, Shock Rifle, Biorifle ammo, shield pack, Biorifle ammo, bio rifle, bullets, and flak shells. The bottom bridge holds three adrenaline pills on each side and a Minigun in the middle, and the top bridge has two health packs flanking a Rocket Launcher.

Use the Shield Gun’s charged-up primary to get up on the cables near the ceiling. You can surprise a couple of people. Simply, Insidious is small and square. Be wary of the bridges in the middle, especially the lower one. At least with the top one you have something other than a rotating saw to catch your fall.

DM-IronDeity Recommended Players: 6-10 The map’s description talks about the “hidden Redeemer” and we’re going to tell you where it is right off the bat. Find the Lightning Gun and the Super Shield Pack. They are in an outside section of the map. The little area containing the Redeemer is around the corner to the right. In order to get there, you are going to have to dodge jump (do a little flick of the wrist with the dodge jump for extra distance) to that indented area against the far wall. From there, do another Dodge jump over to the Redeemer.

Dodge jump against the far wall to the indent...

...and use the wall for extra distance and perform a dodge jump to get to the Redeemer. A common spawn point is shown below. We will be using this point as reference. First things first, those barrels to the left are hiding a normal shield pack, so make sure to grab that. Continuing left then, you’ll run into four adrenaline pills, a Flak Cannon, and then a lift taking you up to the fan room. From this fan room, going right will net you a Minigun then a lift to take you up to a double damage amplifier. Turning left, you will enter the pond room and in this room if you go down the ramp you will end up where you spawned at, near the hidden normal shield pack. Go left then, and you will travel uphill past four health vials as well as a Biorifle (which, if you could tell, can be a sort of indicator to where the Redeemer is because you should recognize the indent on the wall above you). Following the path, you will end up at a Rocket Launcher. A little while behind that is a lift that will take you up to a platform. To the left lie the super shield pack, the Lightning Gun as well as the Redeemer. Going right then, on the left side is the entrance to the tower with the double damage amplifier in it. If you go straight, it just loops around to the tower but has four adrenaline pills, four health vials and a Shock Rifle as an added bonus. All the way back at the fan room there was one more way to go, and it was straight. If you take this path, you will come across four health vials and a Link Gun before entering the bottom of the double damage amplifier tower and coming to a Minigun. Take advantage of the fact that not many people know where the Redeemer is and even though they may, it is tough to get there and get to it first. You’re even safe in firing off a secondary shot because of those same reasons!

DM-Junkyard Recommended Players: 6-10

A wonderfully unique map, this is the coolest-looking junkyard we’ve ever seen. It sure beats out any junkyards we see in real life. But generally those junkyards aren’t used for competitive Deatchmatches, so the comparison may be a little unfair.

This area will be our reference point. Easy to recognize, the circular hill with the normal shield pack and the Rocket Launcher in the tube next to it serves as a great reference point to describe the rest of the map, so away we go. Heading in the direction of the tube with three health vials above it, you will find a Minigun before you reach the large tube. Continue through that tube and you will find a shock core, some link charges, Lightning Gun ammo and then a Shock Rifle. This path leads you to a very familiar-looking area, but instead of a normal shield pack, a double damage amplifier lies on the top middle of the little hill, mocking you and daring you to go get it. If you decide to do so, be careful; if you end up on a bad angle on that hill you’ll fall down to your death. Continue straight and you will wind up coming in contact with a Flak Cannon, and above it a couple of health vials. The path continues to a fork in the road. Going right will lead you to yet another fork where if you dodge jump up the little hill you’ll find yourself between the normal shield pack and the double damage amplifier with four health vials. Going left you’d see the Rocket Launcher tube as well as a sort of junk corridor to your left. Back to the original fork, go left toward the magma-fall and you’ll eventually find a Link Gun, a Biorifle and in the corner of the map a Lightning Gun. From here, if you go right you’ll go through that junk corridor and if you go left you will find yourself at the normal shield pack/Rocket Launcher tube again. It really is tough to surprise your enemies on this map. There are few high and low areas to this map; most of it is on level ground so you better have the Dodge jump and strafing skills down if you expect to do well in Junkyard. A good spot to control is the Rocket Launcher/normal shield pack area. If an enemy goes into the Rocket Launcher tube, you can corner him and take him down easily. If an opponent beats you to the normal shield pack you can easily push him off and hopefully into the green glop in the pit below.

Nail that enemy when they enter the Rocket Launcher tube; there is no way they can dodge a well-placed rocket in there. DM-Leviathan Recommended Players: 2-4 Another small symmetrical map, Leviathan’s middle point is an open area with the upper level exposed. However, different points of the map offer different strategies when it comes to weapons. I will explain the weapons according to the entrance by the powerups in the center. The entrance by the shield pack houses a Shock Rifle and eventually a Flak Cannon and a Lightning Gun. By going right, you’ll find a bio rifle and eventually a Rocket Launcher. There is a Minigun and a Link Gun in the middle section, along with a shield pack and a health pack. There are four inclines leading up to the upper section of the middle part of the map and on each incline there are three precious adrenaline pills. Although small, there are some good spots to pick people off from in Leviathan. One is located in the main room and the other is located right above an entrance to an incline. If an enemy’s back is to you, they are practically done- for.

Nice little spot.

View from the main corridor.

Jump from railing A, to point B, then rest at point C. If running away from you, they’re toast (once again, notice the “1337” freehand).

Point C from the best angle to frag someone. A simple map, the middle area is vital. I try to stay on the upper level until I see the shield or the health appear, I go grab it, frag, and get more ammo. It seems to work well.

DM-Metallurgy Recommended Players: 6-10 Sort of reminding oneself of Junkyard but with multiple levels and less junk, Metallurgy gives more opportunity to surprise opponents from higher ground. Beginning at the Flak Cannon on the ground level next to the vehicles, head toward the health pack to the left. After awhile you’ll find a Minigun with ammo and continuing on, just inside the main building to the right is a Rocket Launcher with ammo. Continuing straight up the staircase ultimately leads to a higher level, so we’ll go toward the middle of the main building. To the left are three health vials, a Biorifle with ammo and three adrenaline pills. We’ll go right toward the health pack and the lift to the far left; it’ll take you to the second level. Once up on the second level, if you go toward the three health vials to the left you’ll find a Minigun with ammo and if you head straight you will discover a Link Gun with ammo; after taking a hard left you will find a lift up to the next level that has a normal shield pack immediately in front of you. You will loop around the building by going left or right, but if you like your Rocket Launchers, definitely go left because it will be the first weapon you come across by going to the opposite side inside the building a little bit. Continuing on the same level around the building, you’ll run into a health pack, then a Shock Rifle with ammo. Soon thereafter, you will find yourself back in the room with the normal shield pack, and that is why you will want to take the lift up to the highest level. Up here, you’ll discover three health vials and a Lightning Gun with ammo, and you’ll take a little detour inside the building that has three adrenaline pills than finally a double damage amplifier. Up here, since you just picked up a Lightning Gun,

combined with a double damage amplifier, it is pretty much one shot-one kill even on body shots, so this little perch up here is a sniper’s heaven.

There are treacherous areas in this map; stay away from the bright stuff! DM-Morpheus3 Recommended Players: 2-8 This conversion of Morpheus is the perfect example of what really great maps from the original Unreal Tournament days need in order to stay fresh. It has the same layout and weapon locations, but has been updated graphically and has a few nice little touches thrown in. It definitely has the charm of the original, which is a great thing. Except for the middle area at the very bottom of the skyscrapers (which has a Rocket Launcher with ammo, four adrenaline pills and an Ion Painter (which, obviously, is new from the original game), this map is made up of three skyscrapers, so a description of each is building is very helpful. Each building has two adrenaline pills and a box of bullets in the inside of the building curving upwards, and also two health packs on the lower outside level and three adrenaline pills leading to the top floor outside, but the weapons on each differ. The red building has a Link Gun with ammo inside, a Minigun with ammo on the top floor and a super shield pack at the top of its tower. The blue building has a Sniper Rifle with ammo inside, a Shock Rifle with ammo on the top floor and a keg ‘o health or a double damage amplifier at the top of its tower. The orange building has a Minigun with ammo inside, a Rocket Launcher with ammo on its top floor and a Redeemer at the top of its tower.

Use that Sniper Rifle to pick off floating opponents. In terms of weapons and items, that is all there is to offer. If you hear the Redeemer being shot, find it, and try to shoot it down or run. Plus, if you see the Ion Cannon beam, immediately run because your life depends on it. Keep hopping around the outside with a Sniper Rifle and pick people off for some flashy frags. Careful though, you’ll be as vulnerable as the people you’re shooting outside! Enjoy one of the Unreal Tournament’s most popular and beautiful maps.

DM-Oceanic Recommended Players: 4-6 A multi-leveled map, Oceanic proves to be very dangerous. There are plenty of places to spot an enemy below you or to the side; almost every area has two or three good places to attack an enemy. There are a couple open areas and many corridors. Make sure to use your secondary fire with the Assault Rifle. Following a grenade around a corner is better than blindly walking into enemy fire. You’re lucky if you spawn on the catwalk; it’s easier to get better weapons and you will not got attacked from above.

Spawnage. From this spawn point, turn around and grab the Flak Cannon. Come back where you came from and follow the catwalk while tossing some flak balls down below you. Grab the Minigun and fall onto the Rocket Launcher (if there are no enemies down there) below you. From here, a nifty way to get back onto the catwalk is to use the elevator in front of you to elevator jump onto it behind you. Rather than do that, I double-jump over the wall behind the Rocket Launcher and go left to get the Link Gun. I go left at the Link Gun and dash up the incline, fall down, turn around and go left to the health pack room. The place you fall down and turn around is a pretty neat point in the map. Coming from the opposite direction, you can actually double-jump to get up to that level.

Why take an elevator? Double-jump to get up to the second floor. From the health pack room, I go left to the beginning of a corridor that goes left, then right soon thereafter. I like to throw a secondary Shock Rifle ball and combo it before it hits the far wall. On your first run, you might not have a Shock Rifle yet, so any weapon will do. A Shock Rifle is the most effective, however.

Shock combo time. From there, pick up the Shock Rifle and you have a couple of options. Go up the elevator to repeat the run or go left, straight awhile and left again to pick up the Rocket Launcher. You’ll know the map by now. There are quite a few shortcuts to get up to the catwalk by double-jumping. I like being up top as opposed to below someone on the catwalk. Being on the catwalk gives you a physical shield below you; depending on their weaponry; it can be tough for them to hit you through the walkway. Take advantage with a flak ball and lob one in their direction. Oceanic is a great Deathmatch map that features excellent music that fits the level perfectly.

DM-Phobos2 Recommended Players: 4-8 What a gorgeous map. From the space station architecture to the different planets in space rotating around the base, DM-Phobos2 is one of those maps that you can show to your friends who haven’t seen Unreal Tournament, and instantly have converts on your hands. That said, this map can initially be quite confusing. Using the outside area as a guide, however, makes the map a little easier to manage. But keep in mind, from any of those locations, you can end up overlapping onto another level or taking a lift; the inside of the base has many different levels; we will only be citing a few specific ways of getting to a place. However, there are several more and after awhile, you will get a feel for this map. We will be using the middle-outside section of the base to explain weapon/power-up placements. Starting at the top level and going down, when you are outside and on the top level of the base, you have the ability to float a bit because of the low gravity. Firstly, the highest structure is a tower that you get to by using a nearby lift. It is a perfect sniper perch, so make sure to bring a Lightning Gun up with you. Dispersed on the top of the base are a super shield pack, a double damage amplifier, adrenaline pills and various types of ammo. Also, one of the corners

on the top of the base is an Ion Painter. A very smart place to put this powerful weapon is to shoot it right down into the middle area. You will blast through all the levels that are outside.

The Ion Painter is easy to overlook if you don’t know where it is. For the next level down, we’ll begin at the small area under the ledge with the Lightning Gun. If you run down this area you will find a keg o’ health, a Rocket Launcher and some health vials. On the subsequent level on the way down, you’ll find a small area that has a normal shield pack on it as well as another opening containing a health pack. On this level you will find a Shock Rifle, health vials, a Lightning Gun (near the lift that takes you to the sniper perch) and a Flak Cannon. Inside the room that holds the Flak Cannon, if you go down you will find a Link Gun and a Minigun. Staying on the bottom, if you circle around you will find a Rocket Launcher, a Minigun, a Biorifle and a Flak Cannon amidst all the different types of ammo and health packs. Now that we have confused the living hell out of you, the best piece of advice for DM-Phobos is to keep moving around looking for better weapons. If your style is more to pick someone off using a beam of some sort (Lightning Gun, Shock Rifle) then sticking outside more than inside would be a better idea. This strategy has its pitfalls on this level, however, as the low gravity outside can cause you to quickly be shot into the air, where you become an easy target. Indoors, there are only a few real open areas, so a Flak Cannon, Biorifle or Rocket Launcher reigns supreme. Make sure to switch to the most useful weapon in accordance to where you are. And if you are running around without a clue as to where you are headed, don’t fret, the other people you are playing with probably have less of a clue than you. Stay on your toes, don’t stop to admire the scenery and you’ll be fine.

DM-Plunge Recommended Players: 3-12

For all you low-gravity junkies out there, DM-Plunge is the answer to all your prayers. Jumping from one building to another while fragging someone mid-air is a feeling that only Unreal Tournament can provide. This map does feature a neat color-coded jumping pad system... each jump pad has one of the main building’s colors to show which building it will propel you toward. Very helpful, indeed. A description of each of the three main buildings in this map serves as a good outline of what each tower holds in terms of firepower and health.

Good... Purple The lowest level of the purple building has a Flak Cannon and flak ammo. On the next highest level there is a Minigun with ammunition, a Shock Rifle with ammunition and ten health vials. Up one level from there is a relatively boring point, containing naught but four adrenaline pills. The next level is made up of two little platforms. There is nothing on one platform, but there is a Link Gun and ammunition on the other. The top level has three health vials and a keg o’ health. Yellow The neon yellow building’s lowest level is a neat look inside one of these buildings. Unfortunately, it only holds a Biorifle. And you will get to know the inside of this building a lot. You will respawn quite a bit inside this building. The next level up has a Shock Rifle with ammunition and three adrenaline pills. A level higher will reward you with a Rocket Launcher and rockets. One more level up and you will find two health packs and on top of the tip of the tower you will find a very nice super shield pack. Green

The lower level of the neon green building is another glimpse inside the interesting structure of these buildings. But stop admiring the craftsmanship of this building; grab that Flak Cannon and get to fraggin’! A level higher has a Shock Rifle plus ammunition and four adrenaline pills. While a lonely health pack is the only thing a level higher on the building, if you look out toward the yellow building you will see a Lightning Gun and ammo. A dodge jump over will take you straight to the weapon and ammo. And lastly, the most powerful Redeemer lies at the top of this building.

Great... In-between the yellow and green buildings, far down, there lies a very obscure bridge that has a couple of health packs, a Biorifle and some ammunition for that weapon.

Not so good... The best advice for this map—and this may sound silly—is to depend less upon the Rocket Launcher. It is tough to hit a moving target in the air with a rocket... It is much easier to do so with a shock beam or a lightning snipe. That said, each weapon serves a purpose in this low-gravity match, but make sure to switch for the situation. And remember to compensate for some weapons. With the Flak Cannon’s secondary fire, for instance, you will need to adjust the trajectory; it will be a little higher and float a bit further than normal. If you find the right touch with the flak ball and are able to nail a floating player, then by all means feel free to do so. But beam-type weapons should and most likely will dominate this map. If you get the Redeemer, remember that nearly anywhere you are on the map, you are a target to get hit. This map is so open that a secondary fire would just leave you open to any attack from anyone who can see you. Shoot off a primary fire and perhaps try to coax an enemy toward the weapon by backing him into a jump pad that shoots off in the direction the Redeemer is going. Keep moving and look everywhere. The enemy could be to a side, below you or even above you. Learn to be proficient with the Shock Rifle or Lightning Gun and watch your frag count climb.

DM-Rankin Recommended Players: 2-8 A medium-sized map that has both tight corridors and semi-open areas, DM-Rankin provides the opportunity to effectively use each weapon in a warrior’s arsenal. As with any Deathmatch map, the biggest tip for DM-Rankin: keep moving. Pausing for just a second could very well mean a flak ball in the face or a shock combo under your chin, especially if the map is full of players.

Starting from the plus-shaped area on the bottom level of the map, going the Rocket Launcher route is a very viable one because of, well, the immense power of the Rocket Launcher on such a tight level. Make sure not to get stuck in the small area picking up rocket packs for more ammo; it is a death trap down there.

Getting those extra rockets is tempting, but can prove to be fatal if other players are around. When facing the crossroads with the Rocket Launcher behind, going right will produce a super shield pack every fifty-five seconds. Going left leads to a Flak Cannon and a Link Gun. And by going straight there lies a shock cannon and a Link Gun further ahead. Each of these ways provides a path to go to the second or third floors. The second floor has the double damage amplifier, numerous adrenaline pills, health vials and a Biorifle. The third floor contains a normal shield pack, a Lightning Gun and a Minigun. Understanding where you have spawned and grabbing an effective weapon quickly is key to being a dominant player on DM-Rankin. Mastering both a devastating short weapon (the Flak Cannon, for example) and a longer one for those hallways (a Shock Rifle) proves to be a nice mixture for success in this medium-sized map. Keep moving and remember to always look up!

Doing an elevator-boost up to this little area above does not bring you to a weapon or armor, but it is a neat way to surprise your enemy! When playing Team Deathmatch, controlling the Rocket Launcher area can be quite effective—the other team will certainly want the goods, and you’ll have the advantage of high ground.

DM-Rrajigar Recommended Players: 2-8 “Fight in the Rrajigar Mines.” The shortest description for a map in the game—the description is simple and so is the map, essentially. There is a spot to elevator jump to a secret area, but the map pretty much gives you want you expect: a dark, dank mine.

The secret area you reach by elevator jumping. Starting at the waterfall with the double damage amplifier, if you go downriver there will be a Biorifle on your right, further down a Minigun with ammo on your left and at the other end a super shield pack. From here, if you turn around and look back where you came from, if you go right, you’ll go to the outside of the map which is comprised of tunnels and has a lot of health (health packs and health vials) as well as adrenaline pills. Going this way will also net you a Shock Rifle and a Link Gun. Going left from the super shield pack you’ll find a Flak Cannon. Going straight, you will enter a room that holds a Rocket Launcher with ammo. Once entering this room, if you take a hard left you will come to a lift that can be used to reach a secret little area. Just perform an elevator jump to reach an area up above with some ammo and a health pack. This area gives you a little time to catch your breath, and to replenish your heath and ammo. If you decide to go left, you will find some health vials and return to the outside of the map with the health and adrenaline pills. Moving to the right from the Flak Cannon, you’ll see four health vials. Go left and up the lift. Continuing left from up here will ultimately lead you to the Shock Rifle by the health tunnels, and by cavorting to the right you’ll run into a Biorifle. By staying right through a couple of turns you’ll find four health vials, than a Lightning Gun at the top of the map.

The area in which you get the Lightning Gun serves as a pretty nice sniping area with the foliage and high elevation. Keep your eye on enemies wanting that double damage amplifier to the left. With lots of ways to replenish your health, especially on the outside of the map, play smartly. Find a good weapon and if your health is low, head to the outside.

DM-Rustatorium Recommended Players: 6-10 Just a pit with a path circling around a central heap of stuff, after playing Rustatorium you may feel the need to take a shower because of how dirty this map is.

Oil and fire; excellent combination. Starting at the Link Gun and going left toward the health pack you will find a Rocket Launcher. Going left toward the middle of the map you’ll come to a little area with lots of various types of ammo and a normal shield pack. Continuing in the original direction around the map, you will end up at a neat little oil pool. Up above it is a Biorifle and if you dodge jump your way over toward the middle of the map you will find a Lightning Gun and health pack. There is a path with five health vials that allows you to go to the other side of the map by splitting the middle, but for now we’ll continue along our original path. You will run into a Flak Cannon, three adrenaline pills around the corner, then a health pack and a Minigun. From here, if you stay on the ground level you will come to the little split with the health vials and eventually the Link Gun, and if you go left up the hill, and follow the path, you will make your way across the bridge and to a Shock Rifle. A straightforward Deathmatch map, grabbing the health vials in the middle of the map is pretty important since it can turn a fair fight to your advantage by having more than one hundred health. Keep light on your toes and be prepared for some restricted dueling in Rustatorium.

DM-Sulphur Recommended Players: 2-6 Like the old Pyramid for you original Unreal Tournament fans out there, Sulphur is made up of a lone open-air multi-tiered building where the emphasis is vertical progression, not horizontal.

A view from the top. Starting on the lowest level, there is a Flak Cannon in the middle with a health pack and a lift on each side. Taking the ramps up to the next level, you will get some adrenaline pills for your troubles as well as a Biorifle on one side and a Minigun on the other. In the middle of that level, a double damage amplifier spawns. Continuing up the side ramps to the next level there are two bridges over the middle gap. One bridge holds a Rocket Launcher while the other has a Lightning Gun. Following up the next set of ramps to the next level (each side has a few adrenaline pills) you will come up to the highest normal level. One side has a Link Gun, the other a Shock Rifle, and there is a health pack on each side. Now for the real firepower. Taking one of the two lifts on the top level will boost you up onto a higher beam where you will find four health vials. Nothing special. But not so fast there, in the very middle, in-between the two pillars is a Redeemer. Using the secondary fire from here, it is a little tough to control the missile but if you can send it near the middle area of the map, you should take out most of the players with the blast radius. The gaps in the middle of the map as well as the areas that do not have side rails make it so you need to watch your step. You will fall down to your doom if not careful. Have fun with this map; it was made to be unique and enjoyable.

DM-TokaraForest Recommended Players: 12-20 In terms of design level, Tokara Forest is the most imaginative, creative and beautiful map Unreal Tournament 2003 has to offer. In Tokara Forest, you can basically fight on two planes: on the various walkways up high in the trees or on the ground. While each offers an advantage, you’ll find yourself doing well in whichever locale you choose if you are an experienced Unreal Tournament player in this chaotic, low gravity map.

Tokara Forest... eye candy a-plenty. I’m not sure how I am supposed to help you on this level. It seems like every time I spawn, I scan the area I am around and either grab a nearby weapon close to me (if I spawn up high) or scan for a weapon down below and fall on top of it. There are multiples of every weapon on this map, so you will not find yourself short on weapons.

A good spot to remember, near the very middle of the map lies a Rocket Launcher. Another good spot to memorize is the very top structure. One way leads to a Link Gun and another leads to a Lightning Gun. A favorite tactic of mine is to find an opponent below me and harass that person as I fall down to the ground level. The secondary fire of a Flak Cannon is a good way to drain the health of an enemy as you fall, and finishing them off with a primary fire blast is very effective. My best advice if you find yourself being harassed yourself on the ground is to dodge in any direction. Because of the low gravity, you will shoot very quickly in one direction, requiring a very quick reaction from the player above you. Tokara Forest is one of the most chaotic maps ever created. There simply is no other feeling quite like the sensation you get by jumping from walkway to walkway escaping an enemy or flying over an enemy and making him fly as you frag him.

DM-TrainingDay Recommended Players: 2 Anyone who’s played Quake 3 probably had the same reaction to Training Day the first time they played it as I did. Where do I know this map from? If you felt your spider sense tingle and couldn’t figure it out, it is a whole helluva lot like Quake 3’s tutorial map. This is the smallest map in Unreal Tournament 2003 and does not offer much strategy other than this simple advice: dodge. The map is made up of two small squares that you go around connected by one corridor. One square has a Minigun with ammo, three health vials, Link Gun with ammo and two adrenaline pills. The other has Flak Cannon with ammo, three health vials, Shock Rifle with ammo and two adrenaline pills. The middle bridge has a health pack in the middle and has a fatal pit you can fall into on the sides.

The strategy is basically dodge your enemy’s weapon and hit them with yours. I like to throw out a secondary shock ball and either combo it or switch to the flak and run at them. This map is a good area to practice dodging projectiles. See how long you can go with a highly difficult bot by just trying to judge his weapons. It will improve your ability to escape attacks on other levels.

After shooting a secondary Shock Rifle, I see the enemy is closer to me than I expected and switch to the Flak Cannon to finish him off from close-range. Double Domination

DOM-Access Recommended Players: 6-10 Adding a little twist the normal Double-Domination formula, DOM-Access has a momentum-controlling switch in the middle for anyone to drop the doors and seal off access to either point. So, instead of trying to control only two positions, you also have to keep on eye on the middle of the map and the operating switch. A nice thing to know is that the switch resets after seven seconds. If a person hits the switch and blocks the entrance to point B, then if you want to get through there without going all the way around to point A then up through the high middle, you have to wait seven seconds to activate the switch and switch the doors to block point A. The map is symmetrical, so only an explanation of the three paths to the switch from point A (high middle, mid- middle and lower-middle) is needed.

Not just nice decoration, the cameras looking at the two points all over this map are very useful. If your team has control of point A and you see lots of action in the screen at point B, head on over to point B and help control it. Beginning going by way of the lower-middle; straight down below the control point is a Flak Cannon with ammo. To the left and right of the structure having the point on it, there are six total types of ammo so whatever weapon you are low on, you will find ammo for it down here. Continuing straight toward the switch, there will be a health pack to both your left and right as well as a Shock Rifle before the ramp going up to the switch. The mid-middle way is the way you would go if you were at the control point and decided not to drop down to the ground level and head toward the switch. To the left you will get a Biorifle before heading to the left of the switch, and to the right is a Link Gun. Surrounding these weapons are a lot of various types of ammo as well. Lastly, the high-middle way of going to the switch (or over it actually) is by taking one of the two lifts against the far wall by the point. Once up, you will find a health pack on each side as well as a shield pack in the center toward the point. In the very middle of the map on the top is a Rocket Launcher. There are also points to drop down by the switch from this high walkway. Keep in mind that you will always end up spawning next to a couple of Miniguns. Where is this area located in regards to the map? It is in the center to the side of the switch. Grab a Minigun and get to dominating!

DOM-Aswan Recommended Players: 8-12 The futuristic theme that was prevalent in Unreal Tournament 2003 influences this new Double Domination map that is truly a blast to play.

The short distance between the two points make this a truly exciting Double Domination location. A perfectly symmetrical map, it does not matter which side you are on; they mirror each other perfectly after you cross the middle point (which is the tower in the middle of the courtyard with the double damage amplifier up top). Starting from the back of point A’s base, there are six health vials, four adrenaline pills, a Minigun with ammo and a Lightning Gun with ammo flanking the spawn where a super shield pack appears. Going straight out to the middle courtyard, right before you go outside, there are areas to the left and right. Both of these little areas offer a lift up to the actual point itself as well as a spot to drop down to the lower flank sides, but to the right you can also find two health packs and to the left a Biorifle with ammo. Once outside, there is a Link Gun with ammo on both sides of the pillar. Each team spawns on the far left and right sides of the courtyard, so the reason there is a Link Gun with ammo on both sides is for the sake of balance. Instead of going straight out of the base into the courtyard, another viable option is going either left or right inside the base and down underground. If you go right, you will get a Rocket Launcher with ammo before reaching the middle of the map and a Shock Rifle with ammo. If you were to go left instead of right, you would come upon a Flak Cannon with ammo before running up into another Shock Rifle with ammo.

Sure, the symmetric art is fun to look at, but don’t stare and admire – take advantage of the health vials, adrenaline pills and super shield packs. It will make a huge difference in holding onto a control point when you have that extra one hundred shield. Even the lowest recommended number of players, creating teams of four make Aswan a very exciting Double Domination map because of its short distance between the two points. Except a lot of last-second saves in this map.

DOM-Atlantis Recommended Players: 4-8 Sporting the lowest number of recommended players for any Double Domination map, Atlantis has a few different ways of traversing each side of the map to either point. Remember, when reaching the middle area, everything will be the exact same on the other side, so explanation of only one direction is necessary. From either point, going straight up the little stairway, you’ll run into a couple of adrenaline pills and then a Lightning Gun with ammo and an adrenaline pill on each side before reaching the middle area. Falling to the ground, you’ll find a Minigun on the right and a Shock Rifle on your left.

That archway near each point isn’t there just for artistic purposes; there is a normal shield pack spawn on the top of it. From here, you have a couple of options. Going to the far left and up, you’ll find a health pack along with a Rocket Launcher with ammo. Going to the far right and up, you’ll find a health pack along with a Flak Cannon with ammo. Or you could go through the underground by going right and getting three adrenaline pills and a Link Gun or going left and receiving three adrenaline pills and a Biorifle. In the middle section of the underground you will find a health pack.

DOM-Conduit Recommended Players: 6-10 With such an interesting Double Domination map, it’s a shame this game mode isn’t more popular. One of the most creative maps in the game (excluding assault because that is just in a league of its own), Conduit is all about a huge vertical tube. And huge meaning towering; the only way up is to teleport or to take one of the six lifts to the top. Oh and to make things even more interesting, the two domination control points couldn’t be in better positions; one is at the very bottom of the tube and the other is perched on the top. What an awesome map.

Yeah, that’s tall. You will begin by spawning into a small room with a Flak Cannon and a Link Gun, both with ammo. Along the wall, there are six different teleporters. The three right teleporters take you to the upper level and the three left take you to the lower. Beginning with the lower level, the A control point is located inside the little building under the tube with three adrenaline pills around it. Outside, starting at the normal shield pack spawn and going toward the Minigun with ammo, if you circle around the bottom level you will find, in order, two health packs, a Biorifle with ammo, a Rocket Launcher with ammo and a Shock Rifle with ammo until you circle back to the normal shield pack. In- between each pair of lifts, you will come across two health vials, as well. Taking a lift (or teleporting from the original spawn room) will take you to the top level. Just below the higher level, you will find a Biorifle with ammo, a Minigun with ammo and Shock Rifle with ammo. On the highest level (excluding the top of the tube that has the B point on it along with three adrenaline pills), are three pairs of health vials, a pair of health packs, a normal shield pack and a Rocket Launcher with ammo. Note the three important jump pads that lead to the top of the tube and point B. It’s truly a shame that many people neglect Double Domination; they will never know the glorious creativity this map possesses. A note to those who accidentally take a misstep and begin falling down by the tube: try to get to the side. If you rub against the side as you fall for some odd reason, you sometimes do tend to get a little stuck on the side and it will reduce your fall damage greatly.

Coolest. Double Domination map. Ever. DOM-Core Recommended Players: 6-10 A relatively small, symmetrical Double Domination map, Core allows a couple different variations on how you want to attack and take a domination point. I find myself spawning here quite a bit.

I love spawning here... it basically puts a Rocket Launcher on a silver platter and offers it to you. After picking up the Rocket Launcher you’ll go down onto the main floor. The main floor is your most direct route to either point A or B. On the main floor you will find a Shock Rifle, two health packs, a Minigun and inside the room with the domination point you will find a Link Gun. In the domination point room you can take an elevator to the second level. The second level houses ammo and in the very middle of the map two health packs. In one of the two domination point rooms, if you take the ground floor elevator up, directly in front of you will be another elevator taking you higher.

After going up to right below the top floor, look behind you; there is a little area with seven health vials. From this area you can hop onto a pipe, walk along the pipe, jump onto another pipe then onto the top floor with a shield pack right in front of you. The middle of the top floor has two health packs and a Lightning Gun. The map is completely symmetrical, so if you find a certain item on one side by domination point A, for example, you will find it at the same location by domination point B. On the ground floor in the very middle of the map, there is an area you can drop down to find a Flak Cannon, a super shield pack and four adrenaline pills. One elevator located down below leads to the ground floor and the other leads to the top floor. Sometimes, you will be lucky enough to spawn in this location, but if you prefer a Flak Cannon and are on the ground floor, take the time to drop down and pick it up. This small map that features double domination gameplay really captures the quickness of this game type. At any given moment the momentum can change. Core is an extremely fun map.

Death from above! Drop down and pummel the opposition. DOM-Junkyard Recommended Players: 6-10 This map is real trashy... NO! That’s good! That’s a good thing! Finely conveying the theme of trash and scrap, Junkyard works well in a Double Domination format. A little like the Deathmatch map, but not entirely, you will recognize the little round mounds of dirt that the two points are on for sure.

Red spawn. When on the red team, you always spawn in this area of the map with the blue spawn straight across from you and the domination control points to the left and right. If you go left from here, you’ll run toward point A and you’ll pick up a Link Gun and a health pack to the left on the way. There is a Lightning Gun up above on a tube (to reach it, you must get on the fence before the tube on the left and use that to jump up there) and a Biorifle to the left of point A. Continuing in the original direction you’ll run toward a health pack and a Lightning Gun at the turn. When you reach a fork in the road, if you go right (picking up the Shock Rifle of course) you’ll cut straight to point B. But we’ll go left toward the blue spawn point and the Rocket Launcher.

Blue spawn. Here is a picture of where you should be if you have been following along. From here continue to the left toward point B and you’ll run into a Link Gun before a corridor; if you keep going left you’ll run straight into point B. Continuing in the original direction, there will be a Biorifle on a little pathway (that eventually leads to a health pack and the middle of the map), a health pack down below, three health vials up on top of a fallen tub, a Rocket Launcher and a Shock Rifle on the left in the red spawn area.

DOM-Outrigger Recommended Players: 8-12 How did a construction site find its way into some sort of space portal that looks a lot like oil? I have no idea, but it provides a perfect backdrop to a truly badass Double Domination map. Outrigger features four different levels and a roof, which translates into a pretty wild experience. Once again, it is symmetrical, so if you know a way to domination point A, you can find your way to domination point B using the same route as well.

Looks like oil to me. The bottom level features a super shield pack on the extreme north and south ends, Miniguns, Link Guns and four health vials. The second level has Shock Rifles, Link Guns, adrenaline pills, health vials and a nifty teleport up to the roof. The third level has Flak Cannons at the extreme north and south parts of the level, health vials and a health pack. Also, there is a little ledge up above each Flak Cannon that holds power-ups (big keg ‘o health, double damage amplifier or super shield pack). The fourth level has a Rocket Launcher and six adrenaline pills. The roof has a couple of Lightning Guns, and on top of the little area that you teleport from, a big keg ‘o health.

View from above... the symmetric nature of the map is easy to see. The big advantage of Outrigger is its height. You could be seconds away from earning a point by holding the two domination points for ten seconds, only to witness that the enemy has dropped from above to capture both points and be on the offensive. Remember not to only look toward the middle of the map for the enemy; but also remember to look up.

DOM-Renascent Recommended Players: 4-8 Isn’t the variety for the six new Double Domination maps just wonderful? Even though Renascent shares the same scenery as SepukkuGorge, an old Unreal Tournament 2003 favorite, the setting is quite a bit smaller and shows interesting control point placement; they’re in the very middle almost right next to each other! Fortunately there is a valley between the two so it isn’t a one-second run from point A to point B. Renascent is a symmetrical map, so a rundown from one side of the map to the middle is adequate in describing the whole shebang. First, near the far end wall, there is a Lightning Gun with ammo in the corner and a Link Gun with ammo a little further out to the left. Going left you’ll go on a fun little ride with two jump-pads boosting to an elevated area that’ll take you to point A, as well as eight health vials altogether, and another jump pad up to a Flak Cannon with ammo. Continuing straight you will end up at a Rocket Launcher, and going right you’ll find rocket packs, three adrenaline pills on the Antalus-ramp up to a normal shield pack. At this point, you’ll be near the blue spawn point. But going back to the original red spawn, if you chose to go right you’ll be near the Rocket Launcher and instead of a normal shield pack will be a double damage amplifier. Also, instead of point A you’ll be near point B since the

map is symmetrical. Going down through the valley, you’ll run into a Shock Rifle, a couple of health packs and a normal shield pack.

This big object hanging in-between the two points is intriguing. The map is an outdoors map, so perhaps mosquitos are a big problem in the Gen Mo’ Kai forest; who knows. Either way, it’s a nice piece of artwork that enhances the map’s flair. DOM-Ruination Recommended Players: 8-16 A large, beautiful, icy map, Ruination features quite a few open areas as well as places where you can use obstacles to shield attacks. This map truly shines when many people are playing at once rather than a smaller number.

The view from above. This map is basically symmetrical, but not quite. In and around the domination points, you can find a bio rifle, a Minigun, a Link Gun, a Shock Rifle a bit toward the middle area of the map and a Lightning Gun located on the top of the pillar-type structure. The map differs a bit behind the domination points themselves. The red side offers a Flak Cannon and a double damage amplifier while the blue side offers only a super shield pack. For the blue side, the Flak Cannon is located to the left exit toward the red base. The middle of the map offers a Rocket Launcher and a Redeemer. The top of the middle mountain has a super shield pack surrounded by five adrenaline pills. Don’t expect to run from one end of the map to the other in a short amount of time; this map is very large and really does not offer any type of shortcut. The best advice is to coordinate your attack with your teammates. Teamwork is the only way you’ll be able to capture both domination points at one time and hold them in Ruination.

Ruination’s awesome terrain and mixture of orange and white can make some screenshots look great. DOM-ScorchedEarth Recommended Players: 6-10 This little symmetrical map does not offer many secrets, just the ability to frag the enemies quickly. Scorched Earth gives you one of the coolest-looking maps available for double domination. You will most likely spawn in the very middle of the map in one of the two towers that each have a teleport. This teleport will take you to the inside of the middle building where a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and a little jump pad are located. Take the jump pad and you’ll find yourself on the top of the building with a Rocket Launcher, a Flak Cannon and a couple of health packs. Try to find your way to this area every time you respawn, as it holds the most powerful weapons. Both of the buildings that hold the domination point are exactly the same. The only two ways in are through the front and back. On the front of each building is an adrenaline pill and a shield pack. To get up to them, position yourself to the left or right of the building and dodge jump up the inclines as shown right.

Don’t get right next to the incline; be a little farther away in order to dodge jump up to the shield pack. The advantage of going through the back rather than the front is that you can grab a health pack and two adrenaline pills if you want, plus you do not need to go up the little elevators to reach the domination point.

A nice little area to get an easy frag is right above the front entrance to the domination point room. If they come through the front, they’re done for. While Scorched Earth offers a cool-looking level and a small design, it does not offer many surprises or secret areas. This is straightforward double domination at its finest.

DOM-SepukkuGorge Recommended Players: 8-16 While sharing a distinct look with Tokara Forest, Sepukku Gorge does not play anything like it. Sepukku Gorge is one of the most unique maps you’ll play and also is the most fun (for me). Unlike many of its fellow double domination maps, Sepukku Gorge is not symmetrical, but it is very easy to find your way around. You will probably spawn here half the time.

The A domination point side. Grab the Rocket Launcher, the Flak Cannon and Shock Rifle and go head on out toward control point A. Rush toward the control point to your upper right and super shield pack to your upper left. A Link Gun is near the left path over the ravine and a Biorifle is located near the right path. Watch out going over the ravine; the other team is able to knock you off into the ravine using one of their various weapons. On the other side, on top of the hill right next to the ravine is an Ion Painter. The other side features no caverns; it is basically comprised of a half-circle with the B domination point in the middle. The left side has a Link Gun, the middle holds a shield pack and the upper right has a Minigun.

The B domination point side. Once again, only teamwork will help your team successfully win double domination games, but a key is to watch out going over the ravine. If an enemy shoots you down into it, it can be prove fatal, costing you seconds. A good sniper or two with the Lightning Gun can be very helpful as well. Picking enemies off right before they capture a control point is very nice.

DOM-SunTemple Recommended Players: 8-16 Another great double domination map, Sun Temple features a central area that houses a booster that shoots you right up in the very middle of the map. Although Sun Temple is a medium-large sized map, the boosters can propel you quite far and if you know where you’re going, you can trek pretty quickly to the domination point that you need to capture.

From this view you can easily see that DOM-SunTemple is indeed symmetrical. This map is symmetrical, so explanation of only one side is needed. Firstly, I spawn here quite a bit.

Fun place to spawn. You have many options from here. From here, you should grab the Link Gun in front of you, you can grab a Rocket Launcher to the right of left of you, you can go behind you, but I like to head toward the very middle and shoot right up toward the top-middle of the map. Using this tactic, you can reach a domination point more quickly and end up killing enemies if they are slightly ahead of you. On the top floor near the middle of the map, you will find a couple of Biorifles, a couple of Flak Cannons and a few health packs. More near the bases, you will find a Link Gun and a booster that shoots you back toward the middle of the map. At the opening of each base that holds a domination point, you will find a power-up. They rotate between a big keg ‘o health, a double damage amplifier and a super shield. From here, you can choose to either go left or right (no one way has an advantage, remember; it’s symmetrical) and pick up five adrenaline pills on your way to the domination point. The ground level features either a Flak Cannon or a Shock Rifle as the weapon as you go around the middle structure. At any of the four main points, you can wander inside the middle structure to pick up a Link Gun or Rocket Launcher and choose to take the big booster up to the top floor. The entrances to the base from the ground floor go directly to the domination point. There is a Minigun located right in front of you as you run into one of the two bases. One of my personal favorites, I like the variance of attack that you can proceed to make upon either domination point in Sun Temple. The map is beautiful, the weapons are plentiful and the action is pure mayhem.

Capture the Flag

CTF-1on1-Joust Recommended Players: 2

The layout of this tiny capture-the-flag map is a wide H. Your flag lies at the end of the horizontal linem flanked by a Lightning Gun on the left and a Rocket Launcher on the right. The idea is to take the flag you just spawned next to and take it to the other side, obviously meeting the other person in the middle, like a medieval joust. When you have the flag and are running it to the other base, the obvious warning is: do not run in a straight line. Dodge jump left and right to avoid a rocket-spamming enemy trying to frag you because you stayed in the very middle of the corridor.

This is it... two weapons and two flags makes for a very interesting twist on capture-the-flag. Other than that, be prepared when you get killed in the middle of the corridor. Grab that Rocket Launcher and be prepared to quickly grab his flag (so the enemy can’t get a point) and shoot where you think the opponent is going next. Obviously, the enemy will be coming for you if you have their flag, so shoot in front of yourself to protect you and if he backs away, whip out that Lightning Gun and fry him.

You will be seeing a lot of this, good ‘ol joustin! CTF-AbsoluteZero Recommended Players: 8-16 A real fun map comprised of two bases at opposite ends of the level and a couple of bridges connecting them, each separate entrance can be accessed from the outside giving many options to grabbing and returning a flag. Starting at the flag room inside the base, you’ll come across a Biorifle with ammo to the left and a Shock Rifle with ammo to the right. Also, both to the left and right you will discover a health pack along with four adrenaline pills. Going upstairs from either the left or right at this point will put you at the same spot, but by going left you’ll get a Link Gun with ammo, a shield pack and five health vials and by going right you’ll find a Minigun along with the same health augmentations. This front-top part of the base has a Sniper Rifle with ammo scattered around, a super shield pack behind it back toward the base. Up here, the far left and right exits will take you down to the ground level while the middle left and right exits are more of a sniper perch.

Thank you Epic for bringing back the Sniper Rifle... Thank you so very much. Instead of going up, when at the flag room if you decide to go straight down the stairs or go behind the flag and drop down, you’ll still go to the same level that has a Flak Cannon and both Flak Cannon ammo and a health pack on each side to the left and right. Following the stairs down, there is a Rocket Launcher located in the middle of this floor. Not so fast, though, those very same steps you came down on have a normal shield pack each, so grab one to beef up a little bit. Going out either left or right, you’ll receive three adrenaline pills before taking a ramp up outside. When outside, there are a few important items to keep an eye on. Firstly, in-between the two middle pillars of the base is a keg ‘o health at each. Secondly, there is a Redeemer on one of the bridges. An easy way to remember which bridge holds the Redeemer is if you are on the red team, the Redeemer is on the right bridge. So what’s on the left bridge? The Ion Painter! What makes AbsoluteZero so versatile is the fact that if someone on your team is following the flag carrier and says the he’s going to the right, you don’t know where to the right he is going. He can go both to the top level and the bottom level. This makes things a little more interesting. There are many opportunities for shield packs on this level too, so be prepared for a tough time when an opponent with one hundred twenty health and one hundred armor grabs the flag.

CTF-Avaris Recommended Players: 8-12 A fairly large map with two bases on each side and a little house in the middle, there are quite a few ways to get to the flag from inside the base.

Each flag room has a Lightning Gun with ammo in the middle. There are five directions you can traverse in order to get to the middle area and each will be analyzed. To get to the top left and right exits, you must take a lift against the back wall. Center: Going straight out the flag room you’ll run straight into a cluster of four health vials and then to a normal shield pack. Down below in the little waterway, there is a double damage amplifier as well as three adrenaline pills to the left and right. Going up to the right or left ramp toward the health pack, you’ll come to an area that if you take the inside turn you will go outside, and if you take the outside turn and continue in the direction toward the middle, you’ll end up either at the very left flank near a Biorifle with ammo or the very right flank by a Flak Cannon with ammo. Below these two weapons is a jump pad that will shoot you off toward the middle building.

It’s hard to see, but there is a jump pad under the Flak Cannon and the Biorifle on the other side. If you see either the Redeemer from the Flak Cannon or the super shield pack from the Biorifle, use the jump pad to get over there and grab these valuable commodities. Going to the inside turn at the fork and ending up outside, you’ll run into a Minigun that is at the very middle near each base. There are four health vials to the right and four adrenaline pills to the left. The outside itself is littered with adrenaline pills and health vials and anything you find on one side of the base will be in the exact spot on the other side of the base. Bottom Left and Bottom Right: After picking up the two adrenaline pills you’ll show up in the double damage amplifier room. The only advantage to going through the bottom left or bottom right exits is to get to the outside quicker. Top Left and Top Right:

After getting to a health pack, you will drop down into a room in which if you went left there would be a Shock Rifle and if you went right there would be a Link Gun. Continuing up toward the middle and up on the higher level you would find a Flak Cannon if you went left and a Rocket Launcher if you went right. The little house in the very middle of the map houses a super shield pack and a Redeemer. A lot of this map looks the alike when inside the one of the bases, so using the find red base command (default “m” key) and find blue base command(default “n” key) can be helpful in this map.

CTF-BridgeOfFate Recommended Players: 8-12 Two bases with a narrow cavern in the middle where every step could be your last; awful prose, yet the perfect setting for a Capture the Flag match! The treacherous environment in the middle of the map is a nice change, giving any player the opportunity to make a misstep—or to be shocked by a well-placed shot from the defense—and fall to their doom. Starting from the red base (however, the map is symmetrical, so everything you find on this side can be found on that side, just flipped around), if one decides to go the middle way they will find all different types of ammo on the left and right in the flag room. Outside that room they will find a Minigun straight ahead, a Link Gun and ammo along with two health packs each to the left and the right. Continuing straight ahead on the right or left will yield a Lightning Gun, various ammo and the entry to the flanks, but more on that path later. Continuing straight toward the middle exit to the central cavern, you will find a normal shield pack that respawns every twenty-seven seconds after it has last been picked up and then you will enter into the cavern. Inside the cavern, there are two health packs on the right and one can take a stairway up to the left side or continue straight through the middle to pick up a double damage amplifier in the exact middle of the map—this power-up respawns eighty-three seconds after it has been last picked up. From this moment on, everything is the exact same for the blue base. Using the flanks to approach the enemy base offers some extra goodies. Starting at the red flag room, if one goes out through the small side door to the left they will find a Flak Cannon and ammo and to the right a Rocket Launcher and associated ammo. The weapons are located in the same spots by the blue base, so if you were to go right and get a Rocket Launcher near your base, once you reach the blue base using the same side you will get a Flak Cannon. Both sides have Shock Rifles and ammo in the hallway leading to the cavern as well as one health pack and three health vials. Once you have reached the cavern, though, the sides offer different items, but cross the cavern and since everything is the same, just switched on the other side, you will get the opposite of what you just came from. For instance, if going right from the red base, you will come across a super shield pack that spawns every fifty-five seconds, along with four adrenaline pills. If you went left, you would find a Biorifle along with Biorifle ammo. Either way you go, right or left, you will find the same items by continuing on through the cavern to the opposing team’s side; there is no advantage by going left or right. This map features a Redeemer and a keg o’ health and they are both in pretty tricky areas. From either base, if you go straight out of the flag room and to the upper-right of the pillar room, you will find a Redeemer if you look straight up. Toss a translocator against a little niche in the wall to the right, then up to the little ledge where the Redeemer stands. The keg o’ health is in the same spot but in the upper-left of that room. The Redeemer respawns one hundred and ten seconds after it has been picked up and the keg o’ health respawns fifty-five seconds after last pickup.

The Redeemer (and on the other side of the room the keg o’ health) is up at the top. To reach this item, shoot the translocator onto the ledge to the right, then from there shoot it up next to the item itself. It is a little tricky, so it may take a couple of shots, but make sure to make it to the ledge—you will lose health and valuable time if you translocate as you’re falling from the ledge. The most important strategy on this map is to play as a team. Using a translocator, a player can go from flag to flag in twenty-six seconds, which requires each flag carrier to have the proper escort—you’re unlikely to make it all the way back to your base with the enemy’s flag while going it solo, as your opponents will each have more than one chance to bring you down. It also means that if you have your flag taken, get the information from your defenders as to which way the enemy has gone and take advantage of the middle of this map. The Shock Rifles are placed near the middle cavern for a reason; using them it is relatively easy (with good aim of course) to blast the flag-carrier into the pit and reset your flag. Even without good aim, the flag-carrier will sometimes panic under fire, causing them to misstep and fall into the pit themselves, followed by a curse or two! With the shield packs being so close to the flag rooms, it is always a good idea to grab some extra armor when going into the small flag rooms. When on defense in the flag room, take advantage of the fact that the attacker must get to the back of the room to take the flag. Sure, the attacker can go one of three different ways once they get the flag, but it will take some time for the flag carrier to get there. The defense should have pounced on the flag carrier by then and even if you die, there is about a one in three chance you will spawn in the direction that the enemy is going. Even if you didn’t, using the translocator and gaining valuable seconds, you can reach the cavern and use the Shock Rifle strategy to knock him off. Being a lone wolf will definitely not work within the small confines of this map; good teamwork and an organized defense will ensure that 3-0 shutout win!

Use this to your advantage; the flag carrier needs to get out using one of three ways. To get to one of those three ways he will pass through a certain area. Nail him when you get the chance—do not let him leave your base! CTF-Chrome Recommended Players: 8-10 An all-indoor, symmetrical map, Chrome features many turns that you can use to your advantage when running away from the enemy when you have the flag. With a few well-timed dodge jumps, you can easily get around corners more easily, making it even tougher for the enemy to stop you as you score. Starting at a flag base, the upper level features two entrances to two different side corridors, one featuring a Link Gun and the other a Minigun. The main flag base room features a shield pack, a health pack and six adrenaline pills. Running toward the other teams’ flag base, you will only be able to go right or left. If you go right you will pick up a bio rifle and Flak Cannon with flak ammo to the left once you enter the main room. If you go left you will find a Lightning Gun and a Rocket Launcher with rocket packs to your right once you enter the main room. From here, there is a shock cannon and a health pack in the immediate vicinity. The rest of the map is a mirror image so you will know exactly how to navigate your way to the enemy’s flag. A useful elevator is located on the backside of the tower holding the flag. Rather than running up the sides with the danger of being hit off the edge, you can just run on the ground floor all the way to the back (make sure to grab some pills and the shield pack while you are down here) and take the elevator up.

This elevator seems to be forgotten some of the time. If the translocator is enabled, there are a couple spots in the corners of the corridors that you can get up to and wait to take down an enemy. A straightforward Capture the Flag map, Chrome’s size and structure cry out for team players and communication.

CTF-Citadel Recommended Players: 4-8 I’m going to tell you the truth: this map is freaky. There’s lightning, it’s plenty dark and for goodness’ sake, the big spiky balls are tossing around electricity! This Capture the Flag map is classic; you’ve got everything: long bridges, two entrances to the flag house and a great sniper’s roost. Let’s get this party started. The two sides are the exact same in this map. Behind the flag house on the top, you will find 9 adrenaline capsules delicately located on some pretty large claws. Each side holds a Rocket Launcher, and a really nifty hole in the top of the ceiling that leads directly down to the flag. If you didn’t spawn up top, go inside the flag house and teleport through the beam of light opposite the flag. Up here you’ll find a Lightning Gun along with a super shield pack. Drop down or use the translocator to reach the middle bridge (shown at left) and pick up the ten health vials.

Menacing... You can also go either left or right along a couple of bridges to the enemy flag. From the red spawn area, facing the teleporter, if you go left you will find two health packs, a Shock Rifle, a couple of shock cores and a Minigun with ammo. Going right, inside the flag house you’ll find a bio rifle, then by the first bridge a Minigun and a Shock Rifle right before the second bridge. Mirror images. I find myself going left almost exclusively with a little bit of up top thrown in. Going left I can grab health and do a nifty little trick that can cut some valuable seconds off the time it takes to get to the flag. As I run left I cross the first bridge and quickly jump from the rocks to the top of the right side of the bridge as shown to the right.

Be careful, this is a risky maneuver, but once utilized, it is valuable (notice the “l33t” freehand drawing skills). This basically allows you to skip over part of the terrain. It is risky, however. If shot mid-air or if you cut it too sharp, you can fall to your death. Which obviously would be bad and embarrassing. The hanging spiky balls also can be very sneaky places to use the Lightning Gun. There is also a keg ‘o health on top of one particular ball that I find myself sniping from quite a bit. It does take some tricky translocator skills, but it can be done.

That looks tough to get to...

But once on top, you’ll be rolling in frags. CTF-Colossus Recommended Players: 6-14 About the only changes to the Capture the Flag Colossus from its Bombing Run counterpart is a small ledge by the jump pad of each base leading to the flag (instead of the goal), no ball in the middle, and instead of a Redeemer there is an Ion Painter. Everything remains the exact same excluding those small changes.

The only change, structurally, to the Capture the Flag version of this map from the Bombing Run version. Starting from a flag, on the top level there is a Rocket Launcher on the middle structure and a Link Gun with ammo on both of the elevated side positions. On the ground level at the flag, there is a Minigun with ammo to both the right and left sides as well as one health pack (instead of two on the Bombing Run version) behind you on each side. Both the left and right sides in the middle contain a Flak Cannon with ammo, and the little underground building with the jump pad still has a double damage amplifier inside of it. In front of the top of that building are two health packs and there is a Lightning Gun on top of the higher cliff. Going to one of the sides from the flag enables you to pick up a Shock Rifle with ammo and a normal shield pack with five health vials leading up to the elevated side building that holds a Link Gun with ammo. Up at the top of the hill is where six adrenaline pills lie, as well as a couple of health packs to the left and right. The same rule applies for the Bombing Run map in terms of the items on top of the far left and right ledges; the super weapon is on the right. It used to be the Redeemer but on the Capture the Flag version it is the Ion Painter. So instead of red-Redeemer-right, just substitute the Ion Painter because the super shield pack stays on the same side as before. So if you’re on the red team going up the hill and want the Ion Painter, head right. Because of the hill in the middle, after grabbing the flag the most essential part is to get over that hill to have all those on the wrong side of the hill out of targeting view. By the time they get above that hill you should be surrounded by teammates, on your way to score.

CTF-December Recommended Players: 12-24 If you played Unreal Tournament, you probably spent a lot of time on this classic map. With Unreal Tournament 2003, however, it gets a facelift and a few goodies.

Starting in the main flag room, you can pick up a Flak Cannon below the flag, two health packs and four adrenaline pills. From here, you have 3 main entrances to the middle area: the top, left, and right. I will begin with the top. Once you enter here, there is a Lightning Gun immediately in front of you. If you go right, you can pick up a Biorifle inside a box and a shield pack using the translocator or jumping from crate to crate. If you go left you will find a big keg ‘o health and a couple of rocket packs. Up above this, use your translocator to grab six health vials and fall down a pipe leading down to the ground level. Next, by going from the left entrance from your flag base, follow your way and take the first right. If you go left from up here, you’ll find yourself in a middle-point between the two right and left entrances, but if you go straight you can pick up a bio rifle and rather than circling around from the beginning point from going left, you can go backwards. Hence, there are two several different ways to bring yourself to the same point. If you go straight toward the bio rifle and work your way right, you will find yourself face-to-face with a huge battleship, the main focus of this map. There is a health pack on current floor if you continue to go straight. Now, going from the right entrance back from the flag room, you will eventually find your way to the main route that you took from the left, but immediately after entering the door there is a Rocket Launcher in front of you. This is the only unique thing about going from the right side.

Heeeeey, where did all the water go? Now, continuing from the main line to the ship, by the health pack you can fall down onto the ground level. This level features a super shield pack on the very middle (and also a nasty little bug... Go toward the target reticle in the following screenshot and you’ll fall into a weird plane below the ground level itself. If you want to come back up, find water and keep jumping onto land. Just a strange little bug right there for you.)

Go toward the “x.”...

Weird. The ship itself only serves as a middle point and holds no power-ups on the main floor, but if you translocate up to the very top of the ship, you will find a double damage amplifier as well as a way to get to some health vials and adrenaline pills on each side of both bases. Also, if you don’t have a translocator to get back up to the ship if you fall down to the sea level, just use the hill and the long metal chain to jump up back to the ship.

Use this metal rod to get back up to the ship. The entrances toward the bases from the sea level offer a Rocket Launcher and some health vials. It gives you two places to go up using an elevator. The first elevator leads to a place where you can find yourself back toward the main path or a little area that gives view over the massive ship in the middle of the map along with a Lightning Gun to snipe enemies. The second elevator takes you by a Minigun under a grating that is also right next to the main path. If this all sounds confusing to you before you play December, it probably should. December is a tough map to plot out because of its multiple ways to go to certain places. It’s an amazing map because of the fact that it does not take long to memorize it. If you play December, you will find yourself comfortable with it in no time. Just remember the above tips and you’ll be one step ahead of the pack.

CTF-DE-ElecFields Recommended Players: 6-10 Sharing the same name as the Bombing Run map, this level is almost exactly like that one with the exception of, obviously, flags instead of a ball and goals as well as a couple of lifts. That said, this map works well as a Bombing Run map and a Capture the Flag map. Starting from the spawn area inside a little building that has a Minigun and ammo inside of it, a change from the Bombing Run map is the fact that there is a lift behind you now. Instead of running up the ramp toward the center, you can take this lift up and be near the jumpable gap (as discussed in the Bombing Run write-up, but you can double jump over this area easily) back to your flag as well as the Rocket Launcher and health pack that lay next to the top of the building you just came out of. Each base has a double damage amplifier.

Taking the upper ramp you’ll find a Shock Rifle with ammo and a Lightning Gun with ammo around the circle. Instead of the ball spawning in the area in the middle of the circle, there is a normal shield pack. Taking the lower ramp, on the other hand, if you head toward the middle area under where the normal shield pack spawns, you will be able to pick up a Flak Cannon with ammo as well as a keg ‘o health. There is a Shock Rifle with ammo on one flank and a Link Gun with ammo on the other.

If you have any idea as to what this means, please email us, we really want to know. What you get with ElecFields is a normal Capture the Flag map. Nothing more, nothing less.

CTF-DoubleDammage Recommended Players: 10-16 “Some people say you’d have to be insane to play atop a water dam in the middle of winter. Around here we call those people.” Gotta love Epic’s humor. ☺ Two large bases on opposite ends of a dam provide for a very fun Capture the Flag venue.

Come on film buffs, name the movie! Starting at the back of a flag room, in the little room behind it you will come across a Shock Rifle along with five health vials and five adrenaline pills. Located to the back left and right of the flag is a Minigun and Link Gun flanking a super shield pack. Going straight out of the flag room leads to a little pool of water with a keg ‘o health in the middle of it. At the front corner edges of the foyer is a jump pad leading to the upper foyer that holds a health pack, five adrenaline pills, five health vials and most importantly a Flak Cannon with ammo. At the base, there are two sets of doors on the left and right. Going through the far set of doors will lead to a hallway that ultimately leads to the foyer and is basically just an alternative path to the flag, while the two near doors from the flag are a bit more fleshed out than that. Going to the right back door will lead you to a lift taking you up behind the flag where you’ll discover a Lightning Gun with ammo, a health pack and plenty of ammo for quite a few different weapons. If you were to go through the back left doorway, you’d lead to an entirely new room altogether. This storage room houses a Rocket Launcher with ammo and two health packs in the middle, and a normal shield pack against the far wall on top of the boxes. Along the path there are also five health vials and five adrenaline pills until you reach the upper hall. The first turn will take you outside and if you continue straight you’ll see that you’re on an upper ledge in the flag room. Grab the Biorifle with ammo and if you continue along the upper hallway, you’ll reach another area to go outside. The outside area holds a pretty powerful secret. This area has a double damage amplifier in the very middle of the map as well as a small middle building. Heading toward this building, you’ll acquire five health vials until you reach a jump pad. Staying on the bottom level and going around to the back of the building, you’ll run into a Redeemer. If you were to take the jump pads to the higher levels, you would find a health pack and five adrenaline pills on the next level and a Lightning Gun with ammo on the top level. There are two towers on top of this level and on the top of these are a normal shield pack and a health pack.

The Redeemer is located behind the middle building. Keep in mind that when outside, you can run in the fast-moving water to the inside part of the turn instead of staying on the pathway. The precious seconds you would save by taking this route may prove to be very important in capturing a flag.

CTF-Face3 Recommended Players: 10-20 Think Face1 with an Egyptian makeover and a few changes and you’ve got the latest update to this classic Unreal Tournament Capture the Flag map. Snipers are a bit more vulnerable in UT2K4, however, because of the Lightning Gun’s tracing, but with enough practice and the ability to move while sniping, you’ll be a head-shot machine in no time.

Facing Worlds 3 from high above. We’ll start to explain this map from inside of a base. The bottom floor holds the flag as well as four transporters and two elevators up to the second floor (the main elevator in the main flag room can take you to the third level if you elevator jump and then double jump to get up to the third floor). There are four transporters on the ground floor and they are pretty easy to remember as far as which goes where. The two closest to the flag will take you to the highest perch, where a Lightning Gun and four adrenaline pills (if you go around to the back) are located. The two transporters farthest away from the flag spot will take you to a lower sniper’s roost where you can find three Lightning Guns (one in front of you, two around to the sides), two health packs and a shield pack. If you go in from the front entrance, you will find an elevator right in front of you as well as a health pack and a Lightning Gun on your left and another health pack on your right. Taking the elevator will put you on the second floor with a super shield pack right behind you. For now, we will stay on the bottom floor, however. The left entrance features a Flak Cannon with ammo and the right entrance has a Minigun with ammo. The back entrance has a big keg ‘o health as well as two elevators that take you up to the second level. The second level has four health packs, six adrenaline pills, a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and a Rocket Launcher. The third floor has two health packs and six adrenaline pills in the inside and four more if you tippy-toe your way to the front of the base on that level. On the outside of the base you’ll find many modes of transportation and two key objects in the middle of the map by the pyramid. Out the front entrance you can find four adrenaline pills and four health vials. There are also four jump pads around the front of the base that rocket you toward the middle pyramid of the map. On one side of the pyramid lies a Redeemer and on the other is a super shield pack.

Sure, falling off hurts your score, but it’s pretty down here! Needless to say from the amount of Lightning Guns available on this map, it is usually dominated by snipers. Try not to run in a straight line while on the ground level and make sure to have some Lightning Gun experts provide cover.

Booya. CTF-FaceClassic Recommended Players: 6-10 When you think of UT Capture the Flag, the image that is most likely to come into your head is that of the very first “Face” for the original Unreal Tournament. Easily the most popular of any Capture the Flag map, many servers online back in the day would have only this map on their rotation. The map still plays with its original charm and has been faithfully reproduced with all of the original weapon layouts.

Oh, the memories... Beginning behind one of the massive flag towers (because this is a very popular spawn area), at the very back there are five adrenaline pills lined up beckoning you to step off the asteroid and fall to your doom. On the back right side of the of the tower there is a Sniper Rifle with ammo and on the back left side there is a Link Gun with ammo. Continuing on the ground toward your opponent’s base, after a huge gap, you will find a keg ‘o health that signifies the middle of the map. Going into one of the bases, there are two health packs to both your left and right, as well as a Shock Rifle with ammo to your left, a Rocket Launcher with ammo to the back right of the base and four adrenaline pills against the far back wall. The flag is located on the right side. There are three teleporters inside each base. The teleporter near the back in the middle leads you to the very top of the tower where you’ll best nesting up to a very popular sniper point because of the Sniper Rifle with ammo and super shield pack. The teleporter against the far end of the wall on the left will put you in the middle of the tower with a Sniper Rifle and ammo as well as two adrenaline pills awaiting you. The other teleporter, when entering a base it is the near-left one, will teleport you straight to a Redeemer and even more Sniper Rifle ammo in the back of the small room.

You can see a double damage amplifier under the Redeemer which is below the Sniper Rifle hutch. To get to the amplifier, you can either translocate from out in front of the tower or go inside and look for a little ledge and translocate there. Beautifully reproduced, old fans of the original Unreal Tournament will definitely appreciate offering this map with Unreal Tournament 2004. New players to the series will play FaceClassic and fall in love with it as many of us did back in 1999.

CTF-Geothermal Recommended Players: 6-12 CTF-Geothermal, which is supposedly a power plant for a nearby prison, is nothing but a bare-bones Capture the Flag map. There is nothing here that separates it from the rest of the mediocre Capture the Flag maps out there. There are two ways to the flag with a big central room. Starting from the a flag (this map is symmetrical, so your spawn color is irrelevant) you can go in one of two different directions to the middle main room to which both paths lead. If you choose to go up the stairs to the right, you will find a Flak Cannon with ammo on the right side of the hallway, along with three adrenaline pills and a health pack on your left. After the right turn you will end up in the middle main room and on the floor level closest to the Minigun. If you choose to go up the ramp to the left, you will find a Link Gun with ammo, a Shock Rifle with ammo, three adrenaline pills and a health pack. When you encounter the tubes, both lead to the same random special spawning power-up (the keg o’ health, super shield pack and double damage amplifier all spawn here) and once out of the tubing to the top level of the middle main room.

Choose your weapon wisely to match your situation; a Flak Cannon tears opponents up in the small tubes. Now onto the middle main room. If coming out of the tubing on the top level, three adrenaline pills line the way to a Lightning Gun, then the very middle of the map. On the right is a super shield pack and on the left is the Rocket Launcher. If you get to this point and don’t see the super shield pack there, definitely go left and pick up the Rocket Launcher for added firepower; the shield may even spawn in while you’re retrieving the Rocket Launcher. On the bottom floor of the main room, you will find an elevator lift to go up to the top level flanking both sides. A Minigun with ammo rests on each side of the middle main room and there are two health packs on both sides (the blue and red) to replenish health. Strategy on this map revolves somewhat around luck. If your team decides to stack one way and push, it leaves the other vulnerable to a counter-attack from the opposing force, while splitting the team up equally could mean both being pulverized; only luck and good timing is the difference between a successful flag capture and a run on which your team is obliterated. Take advantage of the super power-ups in this level; there is one in each tube system and a super shield pack on the upper level of the middle main room.

CTF-GrassyKnoll Recommended Players: 6-10 Perhaps the coolest description of any map ever, Grassyknoll tries to deliver this feeling: “A warm breeze through the trees brings the stink of hot metal and sulphur, and the coppery scent of blood. Somewhere ahead crazed laughter echoes the report of a plasma rifle, taunting an unseen enemy. The sizzle of scorched flesh is the only answer. There’s no magic bullets here, no conspiracy, just a gauntlet of enemies to overcome and finally bring the flag home.”

Hum de dum, oh what is this? Keep out? I think I’ll head in this direction! Beginning at the back end of a base behind the normal shield pack, there is a lift that leads down to the ground level that holds a Rocket Launcher with ammo, a Minigun with ammo and six health vials inside the base. Heading right from the normal shield pack you will reach a fork where if you go back toward the middle of you base you’ll end up at the flag and if you continue going right you will receive a Link Gun before reaching the outside area and then a health pack and Flak Cannon with ammo if you drop down a level. Going left instead of right, you’ll discover a Biorifle with ammo and a health pack above and a Shock Rifle with ammo below you. If you drop down straight from the normal shield pack, to the left and right are the exits toward the Shock Rifle and Flak Cannon respectively. And then, of course, going straight will take you right to the flag. Outside at the front of the base, heading in the direction of the four adrenaline pills you’ll end up coming to a spot with a couple of boxes and a restricted area. There is a super shield pack that spawns here. Heading in the opposite direction, once you reach the middle of the map you’ll find a double damage amplifier. The middle area of the map holds a Lightning Gun along with a couple of health packs.

Ooooh, that’s why it says keep out... A straightforward, average-sized Capture the Flag map, Grassyknoll delivers what it set out to do: give Unreal Tournament combatants the opportunity to play Capture the Flag in the great outdoors.

CTF-Grendelkeep Recommended Players: 4-10 Grendelkeep worked very well as a Deathmatch map and it turns out to be a fine Capture the Flag map, as well. Only taking a little more than twenty seconds to go from flag-to-flag, good defense and quick flag awareness once it has been taken are key elements in having your team succeed. Starting at a flag, there are five ways to go to the center of the map. Straight: Don’t forgot about the Link Gun under the first stairway, and continue straight. In the flag base, there are health packs to the right and left as well as a double damage amplifier than you can translocate to or run to (more on that later). Continuing to the main room, there is a Minigun to your left and a normal shield pack to your right. From here, there is nothing coming between you and the middle super shield pack. Lower Left: Taking this flank leads you to a health pack and to the left of the main room. There is a Flak Cannon at the lower- middle section of the map. Lower Right:

Going this direction, you will get a Shock Rifle and a little further down there is a lift to the left leading to the normal shield pack. Continuing on the right side you will end up at the middle of the map and a Flak Cannon. Upper Left: Taking the lift up to the left will give you a Lightning Gun, a Biorifle, four health vials and two adrenaline pills before you come to the middle super shield pack. However, after going up the lift, if you turn around and jump to the ledge behind you, you will find the Rocket Launcher along with three adrenaline pills and the opportunity to jump to the double damage amplifier. Upper Right: Don’t forgot that taking this lift you can reach the Rocket Launcher and double damage amplifier by jumping back behind you, but continuing in the direction toward the other end of the map you will find a Link Gun and end up in the main room.

Using that lift at the lower right to elevator jump sure is fun, weeeeeee! A relatively simplistic Capture the Flag map, Grendelkeep almost penalizes the player if they want the Rocket Launcher since they have to take a slight detour to get it. But if you take the time to go to the back ledge and if the double damage amplifier is there, a Rocket Launcher with double the power is a very formidable weapon, indeed.

CTF-January Recommended Players: 8-16 January is a conversation of probably the second-most popular original Unreal Tournament Capture the Flag map, November. There is a new December in Unreal Tournament 2003, but the water in the middle had been taken out so

the original feel just was not there. With the water added in, January looks more like the original November and plays more like it, as well. With there being multiple paths to the central sub, each will be discussed as if you were coming from a flag base. First and foremost, however, the flag base itself has a Flak Cannon below the flag, a health pack on each side and two adrenaline pills on each side, as well. Going up the center ramp into the upper flag base, there will be a Lightning Gun in the middle as well as a keg ‘o health on the left and a Biorifle with a normal shield pack on the right. Dropping down the hole, you will end up where you would be if taking the right exit from the flag, which will be explained now.

Don’t forget there is a normal shield pack on top of these boxes. Going right from the flag, there will be a Rocket Launcher straight ahead toward the dead end. Backtracking a little and following the only way to go, you will end up at a split where you can go straight or left. Going left will take you to where the left exit at the base goes, so we’ll continue straight. Strategically-placed Rocket Launcher ammo are in front of you when you hit a “t” in the path. Going left here takes you again to the left exit’s pathway (that will explained in the next paragraph), so go right and grab the Minigun on the ledge. The water here can be used to reach a little hallway underwater that has a super shield pack in it before reaching the main body of water and the sub.

There is a double damage amplifier located on the very top of the sub here. Taking the left exit from the flag base, when you reach the health pack you will have three directions to go. Hanging a right would get you a Link Gun and you would be on the right exit’s path or going left would net you a Shock Rifle with ammo, a Lightning Gun with ammo in the red-light right, a couple of health packs and four health vials. Going straight toward the dock, however, gives you an opportunity to jump up to the red-light room for the Lightning Gun at the far end or to go right toward the Minigun and secret waterway. When at the dock, going from the end with the boxes to the far end with the two health packs, you’ll have an opportunity to pick up a Sniper Rifle and six adrenaline pills.

Once again, thank you Epic for bringing back the Sniper Rifle. At the middle of the map, the sub lies in-between each base with a jump pad on each dock to get up (or you can just jump or translocate). Keep in mind, that at the very top of the sub is a double damage amplifier and against the side walls, there are three health vials each. Bringing back memories of the old November from Unreal Tournament, January is as fun to play as it was back then. Another faithful map conversion from the original with updated features, a big thank you is in order to Epic.

CTF-LostFaith Recommended Players: 6-12 CTF-LostFaith is made up of two separate caverns with a raging river that will push you right off a huge waterfall to your death. As complicated as the map may at first seem, once explained, it is easy to visualize your way around the map. Each team’s cavern (base) is the same, so by describing the spawn point of the red team you will understand the blue cave, as well. Starting at the flag, there is a normal level and an underground level. On the ground level, if you go right you will get a Flak Cannon with ammo and three health vials before you reach the middle area. If you go left you will receive a Link Gun with ammo and three health vials before you reach the middle area. On the flanks, you have the opportunity to go behind the flag and pick up some bonus weapons/armor. Traveling right, then back toward the flag, you will come upon three health vials, a health pack and a Minigun. If you go left, then back toward the flag, you will find three health vials, a health pack and a Biorifle. There is a normal shield pack immediately straight back behind the flag.

Don’t forget about the normal shield pack behind the flags; it never hurts to grab that extra armor. To go underground you can either go left or right and then find your way down. The only item underground is a Rocket Launcher. You can exit/enter through the two areas near your base, on the right and left flanks and then straight toward the middle area. The middle area has a main bridge over which you can cross, or you can go through the raging river. Be careful, the current is strong enough to push you right off the edge of the waterfall and while it is a beautiful fall, it is also a fatal one. The main bridge has two adrenaline pills, then at the very middle of the map, a health pack. Coming from the red flag cavern, a super shield pack is on the right on the little island. Once again, jump carefully or without a quick switch to the translocator you’re toast. On the left is a Lightning Gun with ammo, and toward the blue base a Shock Rifle and ammo. A pretty straightforward Capture the Flag map, CTF-LostFaith is also a cool-looking landscape. While it is difficult to track down the flag carrier in the caverns, the wide open area in the middle gives you an opportunity to use a shock beam or any other “pushing” sort of weapon to knock that flag carrier into the raging river and witness his embarrassing fall.

CTF-Magma Recommended Players: 6-10 Look high up in the sky. You may notice the ultra-cool sky effect above the volcano... but you may also see the two satellites up in the sky, which can signify only one thing—there is an Ion Painter on the map! Whoooohoooo! The Ion Painter is located in the very middle of the map up above on a bridge going over the lava in the cone of the mountain. It is a little tricky to get yourself up there, but after a few tries with the translocator, you will be dealing out the damage big time.

The Ion Painter is in the very middle of the map... but in a pretty tricky area to reach. This map is symmetrical, so an explanation of one side will give the other side’s power-ups and weapons as well. Starting from the base, inside and around you will find various types of ammo, as well as a Rocket Launcher behind the base, and on a small cooled off lava patch behind your base amidst all the magma lies a Redeemer. There is also a Lightning Gun on the top of the tower, and inside that tower is a Shock Rifle. Continuing on toward the middle volcano, you will find a Minigun near the base and a Link Gun along the lower path. There are some adrenaline pills on the top path.

Behind each base is a table-turning Redeemer than can demolish an attack with a single shot. Down below each base is an area to grab some weapons, adrenaline pills and health vials. Near the base is a Flak Cannon, further toward the middle volcano is the Biorifle, and a normal shield pack is located in the middle of a pool of lava. Continuing into the middle volcano itself, there are two levels. The top level only offers five adrenaline pills, while the lower level has ammo and in the middle on a very treacherous pillar, the coveted super shield pack. In this map there is a definite advantage to both going quickly and taking it slow while going down on the lower levels. If you stay high, you can go more quickly as well as get many adrenaline pills and some weapons, as well as the Ion Painter if you go really high, but by going way of the lower levels you can get the Redeemer, a Flak Cannon and a super shield pack. Be careful of going down to the lower level, however; it is tough to catch up if an enemy captures your flag. CTF-Magma is a pretty cool location to play Capture the Flag in. There is a lot of firepower but the locations of the most powerful weapons offer little room to move, so be careful. There’s nothing more angering than picking up a Redeemer or Ion Painter only to have someone shoot you into the lava.

CTF-Maul Recommended Players: 4-8 The second-smallest Capture the Flag map behind only the ultra-tiny CTF-1on1-Joust, Maul offers some incredibly tense moments, especially when you’ve got the flag and you are running back to your base knowing that a Shock Rifle or Lightning Gun beam could easily end your dreams of celebration and gaining respect from those in your server.

Beginning at either base, there is a Lightning Gun with ammo perched on top of the flag base. Inside the base, the lower level has a jump pad shooting you up to the higher level with a Rocket Launcher and the flag itself. Jumping out of the small slit at the front of the base, there is a Minigun to your left, a Link Gun to your right and a Flak Cannon straight ahead with ammo. There is a health pack at each the far left and the far right of the map and toward the upper middle there is a Shock Rifle.

It’ll take great timing and a little bit of luck to capture a flag on Maul. If you do have the flag and are taking it back to base, do not run in a straight line. While this is the rule all of the time, it is especially important on this map, with its opportunities to get hit with a beam weapon from a longer distance.

CTF-MoonDragon Recommended Players: 8-12 An incredibly cool oriental design is all over this map. From the ancient statues, to the very cool-looking bridges and buildings, MoonDragon is a map to fire up and show your friends when they doubt Unreal Tournament 2004’s graphical beauty.

What a great location for a Capture the Flag map. Starting at either flag room there are a few different routes through the confusing building to the middle cavern. The first route you can take is by going down the stairs toward the Flak Cannon and ammo. Before the weapon you will find a couple of health packs. Once you get to the outside area, if you go left you will be able to get four adrenaline pills and a normal shield pack before the middle cavern, and by going right you’ll be able to pick up a Lightning Gun across the bridge leading to the middle cavern. Taking the one lone exit opposite of the two little stairways does not lead you to any weapons. This direction lets you go to higher levels of the base as well as two health packs. The path ultimately leads to out to the top outside level where you’ll be facing toward the middle cavern. So then, the last way to go out of the flag room is by taking one of the two side-by-side small stairs. This direction leads you to a Shock Rifle with ammo then out to the side with a Minigun with ammo available in front of you. Coming toward this middle cavern, there are three different entrances to it; side, bottom and top. The bottom way offers a Rocket Launcher with ammo along with six health vials to the side. The side way also has a Rocket Launcher with ammo with five health vials up its side. The top entrance has a super shield pack as well as a secret. On the opposite side from the health vials, there are two little openings lit up with torches. By jumping over to either side, it leads to a Redeemer.

The Redeemer is through that small entrance to the side in the middle cavern. A nice change-up from any other type of map, the oriental style of this map is reason enough to place it in the map rotation on any online server. While players new to the map may not be able to find their way around, after extended play (and by use of the find base keys “n” and “m”) you should be able to realize the beauty of a map that MoonDragon truly is.

CTF-Orbital2 Recommended Players: 8-12 Inside this orbital station, you will find a pretty simplistic, yet large, Capture the Flag arena. It is possible, in fact, to travel in a straight line from one flag to the other in CTF-Orbital2. And hey, you would get a Rocket Launcher, a Shock Rifle and a super shield pack by taking this straight line from flag to flag! But this path would not be the wisest. Starting at the red flag, there is a Link Gun on your left, a Minigun on your right and a Rocket Launcher in that straight line that is ahead and above you. If you continue straight toward the very middle of the map (which is the super shield pack) from this point, you will come across a couple of health packs, a Shock Rifle in the little dip and in the next room a Biorifle up above. However, taking one of the flanks in the flag room offers some more options. By taking one of these routes, you will end up at a “t” with a Lightning Gun in front of you and the option of going left or right. If you sprint right, you will come across a couple of health packs and a Link Gun before you come to the middle room. If you end up going left, you’ll run into a small room with a normal shield pack below along with a couple of health packs, and up above you you’ll find a Flak Cannon. Staying on the high path (because the low path only takes you to the Biorifle), you will come across two health packs and a Minigun before coming to the middle room.

Use the many elevators in this level...

...to jump to higher places and for shortcuts to stronger weapons like this Rocket Launcher near both flags. In this spacious middle room, you will encounter a super shield pack on the lower level and a double damage amplifier on the higher path. In fact, the only weapons inside this big room lay up by the double damage amplifier. On the red side is a Lightning Gun and the blue side has a Rocket Launcher closer to them. Inside the little area below the super shield pack lay three health packs.

CTF-Smote Recommended Players: 6-10 A medium-sized dark and devilish map, there are quite a few dangerous spots in this map that lead to fatal burns from lava. Starting from the middle point of the map (the Biorifle with ammo in the middle cavern), the first direction we will traverse is straight to one of the bases themselves. Crossing the drawbridge, there will be a health pack and three adrenaline pills to your right and a few health vials leading to the area with a keg ‘o health to your left as well as a path leading downhill toward one of the optional ways through the base, a bridge to a cavern against the far wall with a double damage amplifier and a stairway upwards that leads to a Shock Rifle. We’ll begin by going in through the main entrance. Once you’ve entered the flag base, you’ll see a couple of adrenaline pills to the left and through the next doorway a Rocket Launcher with ammo in front of you. Going left takes you downhill and circles you around to an exit under the flag while giving the opportunity to pick up a Minigun with ammo as well as a Link Gun with ammo. Also, the exit to get out through the optional side entrance is also located this way by going in the opposite direction of the flag at the Minigun. Heading right instead of down the steps and left, however, will lead you straight to the flag. The flag itself is located at the far back wall. There is a lift

located against a wall in the flag room and if you go this way you’ll run into a health pack, four health vials, a normal shield pack and eventually a Sniper Rifle with ammo at the front-top of the base.

The Sniper Rifle is placed perfectly on top of the base so you can nail enemies coming out of the middle cavern. There is a long, scary corridor perpendicular to the main ways of going to each base at the Biorifle and you will be rewarded with four adrenaline pills and a keg ‘o health for traveling to the end of it.

CTF-TwinTombs Recommended Players: 6-10 Complete with a really tricky and treacherous flag room, a Redeemer in the very middle of the map and a weird combination of an Egyptian theme and winter weather, TwinTombs is an outstanding Capture the Flag map. Starting from either flag, against the back wall there is a Lightning Gun with ammo to the left and a Shock Rifle with ammo to the right. Finally, flanking the fatal pit in front of the flag are two health packs. Heading through the bottom exit, you’ll pick up four adrenaline pills and a Link Gun, then you will come to a “t” in the path. Going left, picking up the link charges and four health vials is a simple way to get to the outside. Heading right toward the normal shield pack, on the other hand, has a few more options than the former. After taking a turn at the normal shield pack, heading straight to the two health packs, you have the option of heading outside by going left or taking a hard left and ending up where you would go if you were to go out through the upper-right exit at the flag base room. So, starting from the flag room and taking that upper-right exit, there will be four health vials immediately in front of you and a Biorifle with ammo just after the turn. From here, if you go left you will head toward where the upper left exit of the flag room goes toward the Rocket Launcher (and with four adrenaline pills, that is the only advantage

to going upper left; to get to the Rocket Launcher more quickly.). After going right into the room with the two jump pads and taking them up, you will come up to a room with a health pack, a couple of Rocket Launcher ammo packs and four adrenaline pills. The last way to go from here is outside.

An elevated screenshot from the back of one of the bases. The outside area is a little tricky to orient yourself in, but with the screenshot above it is a little easier to visualize where each weapon and power-up is. It’s easy to remember that there are two Rocket Launchers (each on different levels ) on the left side of the base, Flak Cannons at the two corners of the map and a Redeemer in the middle. A very fun map to play with relatively smaller groups of people, the Redeemer in the middle makes it a little harder to sneak your way through this area if you are carrying the flag to your base. A very fun Capture the Flag map.

Bombing Run

BR-Anubis Recommended Players: 6-8 Egypt is a beautiful country. Its architecture and art are some of the world’s most appealing and memorable works. Both of these are featured in Anubis, basically a techno-futuristic, Egyptian-themed map.

Behind the goal in a huge pit; you’ve probably been down here quite a few times... Immediately from the time you spawn you have two options; either go toward the huge plaza or go toward the sand dunes. There are two sand dune areas; both showcase 8 adrenaline pills but one houses a Rocket Launcher while the other sports a super shield pack. Both plazas include a Biorifle, a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Minigun and a Lightning Gun.

The red plaza in all its glory. I am giving the directions from the red perspective; if you end up spawning blue, just reverse the first direction I give you. As you dash for the ball, you can go either left or right toward either sand dune area. If you choose left, your unique weapon pickup will be the Flak Cannon. If you choose right, it will be a Rocket Launcher. Both have six health vials and a 25+ health pickup. You can either take the scenic route dashing through the dunes, or decide to take a sneakier path as pictured right.

Dodge jump to rocket out of this hole and surprise the other team. This map is symmetrical, so there are 4 of these little passages; each encompassing different ammo pickups. This straightforward, symmetrical (aside from the pickups) map leaves few surprises. Only good teamwork will separate the great teams from mediocrity. There are a few good places to snipe with the Lightning Gun (such as the little passageway and from atop some of the sand dunes), but you’ll mainly have to focus on team communication and quick reflexes to master this beautiful map.

I had to do it, I love the karma physics! BR-Bifrost Recommended Players: 8-20 Bifrost features two bases with a hilly, icy no-man-land’s in the middle that houses the ball in the beginning and after it resets. There are several good spots to defend your base from on this map.

The view from high above the ball. I will begin explaining the various weapons and pickups starting from the gate into which you try to put the ball. Since the bases are symmetrical, it does not depend whether you spawn red or blue; this description will apply to both. There are three possible exits from the room where the gate is located; one houses five adrenaline pills and the other two end up looping around. Straight ahead features the most direct route to exit the base and a Flak Cannon. You can also dodge jump to grab the shield pack in front of you. Going right gives you the ability to pick up a Shock Rifle below and a Link Gun up top. Using the elevator to get up, you can grab the Link Gun and head for the shield pack and teleporter to be taken to the front of the base, where a Rocket Launcher and a small area for you to hit the enemies as they change your base is located. Exiting the base, you can find a Link Gun toward the hill that you can climb to get to the top of your base. On top, you can find a super shield pack... and if you try to go inside the base, you will most likely land on top of a Biorifle on your way down. On your way to the enemy base, if you try to cut the corner a bit, you will find a couple of health packs and a Lightning Gun. More toward the ball respawn area; you will find a Minigun. By almost taking the longest route along the mountain edges, you will find three adrenaline pills and two health vials twice, once for each side. Up on the very farthest part of the corner of the map, you will find an Ion Painter. Use your translocator to grab this powerful weapon and use it to stop an enemy charge. Using the translocator, you can find some pretty sneaky spots to pick enemies off from. One such spot is near either base up on the ledges. Make sure you have a Lightning Gun.

Make sure to hit them when you know they see your base... they will think that someone from the enemy’s base hit them, not you on the ledge. Another good spot would be the huge circular spot up above the bases themselves. While rather tricky to get yourself up here, you can position yourself on either the top of your base or the enemy’s.

A good location for the scout/sniper of your team. Keep your team informed on how many of the other team are rushing your base while picking them off. Good communication and variance in attack will help you defeat your opposition in Bifrost Bases. This map features the northern lights in the sky, but try to not be on your back admiring it while the other team is scoring.

BR-BridgeOfFate Recommended Players: 8-12 If you played a lot of the Unreal Tournament 2004 demo and the Capture the Flag gametype, you played a version of this map. And when you fire up the Bombing Run version of BridgeOfFate, you’ll realize that it is a lot like the Capture the Flag incarnation, with some slight but noticeable differences. It has the same middle bridge over the bottomless pit and the same goal room, just a little different layout on the sides. Starting in one of the goal rooms, you’ll notice the doors are set a little further toward the main door. Going right you’ll get a Rocket Launcher with ammo before coming to the huge pillar room and going left you’ll pick up a Flak Cannon with its associated ammo. Continuing on the sides of the pillar room (instead of the separate hallways in the Capture the Flag version), you’ll acquire a Shock Rifle with ammo, then a Link Gun with ammo before reaching the next area. Above each one of these rooms is a little ledge with a Redeemer on the right ledge, and on the left a keg ‘o health. Continuing through either of these side areas, grab the Lightning Gun with ammo and run up the stairs getting an additional fifteen points of health from the three health vials. On the left side is a Biorifle with ammo and on the right there is a super shield pack along with four adrenaline pills before you reach the middle of the map. If you were to go straight out of the goal room through the door, you’d be able to replenish your health by going to either pair of health packs on the left and right, grab a formidable weapon in the Minigun with ammo, beef up your defense by grabbing the normal shield pack and have another chance to replenish your health coming closer to the

ball’s spawning location (naturally in the middle of a narrow path with a pit of doom surrounding it) with the two health packs to the right.

The mad scramble for the ball at the beginning of each game sure is fun to watch! With the removal of the flanks, the layout of BR-BridgeOfFate forces the ball carrier to go through the huge room, but they can still enter the goal room through three different entrances. The key to winning on this map is knowing where the ball carrier is going by watching the top of your HUD and by communicating this data with your defense. Because of the small goal room and the different entrances to it, an attack can easily get into the room and score a three-point shot in a matter of seconds.

BR-Canyon Recommended Players: 6-10 The map’s description in the game: “Vicious, bloody combat and the great outdoors – who could ask for more? This small arena is divided by a fast-moving, deadly river. Swimming is NOT recommended.” You will spawn in the back right or left of the middle goal area. On the far left lays a Minigun with ammo, further toward the middle river five health vials, and more toward the center on the left a Flak Cannon. On the right side of the base there is a Rocket Launcher and five adrenaline pills toward the river. The base itself has Rocket Launcher ammo and flak shells on the back side and the front side has a health pack and a normal shield pack. The way to get up through the elevated goal is by taking one of the two jump pads and launching yourself up through it when holding the ball. You’ll notice the huge rock formation in front of you and the only way up is to use your translocator or the jump pad on the backside of it, toward the base. When up here, you’ll see a Lightning Gun to your left and ammo for it along with a normal shield pack on the right.

So much action, so much fun. While simplistic in nature (no pun intended), Canyon is a great, wild Bombing Run map with the full ten recommended players duking it out.

BR-Colossus Recommended Players: 6-14 Colossus, a truly symmetrical map, separates the two bases with a hill in the middle of the map. This ensures that if you know your own team’s area, you will have no problem finding what you need on the other side when you’re protecting a teammate who has the ball, ready to score. There are multiple routes to each goal, which makes watching where the ball is in relation to your attitude (using the helpful readout at the top center of your screen) vital to stopping a scoring rush. We’ll start from the goal on either red or blue, facing the opposition’s goal; above on the platform you will see three different types of ammo: rockets, flak shells and Link Gun containers. Ahead there is a Rocket Launcher and rockets. On the far left and right, up above, you will find a Link Gun and ammo on both sides as well as five health vials and a normal shield pack that respawns after about twenty-eight seconds. On the ground there is a Minigun and ammo to both your immediate left and right as well as a couple of health packs located both to the left and right and a little behind you. The middle area has a Flak Cannon and flak shells on both sides, and if you go down the middle of the map, you will enter a small area that houses a double damage amplifier. There are three entrances into this small enclosed area from the ground, and above each entrance lies some ammo. Inside this small area is a jump pad that will launch you straight up out of that little area and toward two health packs on the ground. There is also a Lightning Gun in the center of the map, up closer to the ball, which you can snag. On the far left and right sides of the map you will find a Shock Rifle along with two shock cores.

In the very middle of the map on top of the hill is where the ball always respawns. On both the left and right sides of where the ball respawns lie Lightning Gun ammo, three adrenaline pills and two health packs. Up above the health packs is either a super shield pack or a Redeemer. From the ground, it’s not too easy to remember on which side the Redeemer spawns versus which side the super shield pack materializes, as you can see neither. So we came up with a nifty little trick just for the readers of this guide. For the Red team, the Redeemer is on the Right side. Just remember, if you are on the red team, facing the blue goal, the Redeemer will be on your right. Red-team-Redeemer-Right. And if you’re on the blue team? For the Blue team, Barry Bonds Bats Left. This powerful baseball hitter bats on the same side that the most powerful weapon in the game spawns on, the left side! Red Right Redeemer and Blue Barry Bonds Bats Left... easy!

Hmmm... I really want that Redeemer... I’m on the blue team... OH Blue Barry Bonds! I’ll head left, the side from which he bats! Now that the weapons, ammo, armor and health are mapped out, some basic strategy would be nice. A team of experienced players can achieve a nice balance of sub-teams and pass it left and right to continuously fool the defense, but if you are playing on a public server, chances are things will be a bit more hectic than an organized team match. In this case, a clever strategy is to toss the ball over to the other team’s side immediately after picking it up. At this point, you will come down from the hill with the advantage, putting the other team on its heels while your team is translocating or fragging your way to the ball you just tossed. It never hurts for your team to maintain possession of the Redeemer and the super shield pack located in the middle sides of the map. If a team is on the offensive and at the middle or a little past middle, a Redeemer wipes out the whole defense that is converging on that ball carrier and almost guarantees three or seven points to a speedy offense. The spaciousness of this map lends itself to long, arcing passes between teammates. With properly spaced players, a skillful team can move the ball from the reset point to the goal in just a couple of tosses.

A nasty surprise for the opposing team coming up over that hill. After hitting them with the flak ball, a quick switch to the Minigun will finish them quickly. BR-DE-ElecFields Recommended Players 6-10 Definitely one of a kind, no other first-person-shooter can offer a level like this. Running around, in a rainstorm, on the top of a huge metal building, elevated thousands of feet above the ground; good thing Epic didn’t have the puddles of water located in the map slippery or else this level would be quite dangerous! Starting at either base at whichever end of the map, going toward the center where the ball spawns, straight in front of you is a double damage amplifier. There’s a huge gap in the middle so you have to go left or right up either ramp. On the right side of the little building is a Rocket Launcher with ammo and on the other side a health pack. From here, you can take the upper ramp in the middle or the lower ramp on the two sides. Taking the upper ramp, there is a Shock Rifle with ammo on one side of the circle and a Lightning Gun with ammo on the other side. In the middle is the ball reset point. The left lower ramp gives you a health pack and once down below, if you go toward the middle and back you will end up where you first spawned next to a Minigun with ammo. Continuing toward the middle area from the bottom, if you go toward the middle at the fork, then you’ll end up straight below the ball spawn to where a normal shield pack appears as well as a health pack and a Flak Cannon with ammo. If you were to go the opposite way at the fork, toward the outside instead, on the right you’d come across a Link Gun with ammo and on the left a Shock Rifle with ammo. Both sides have a lift on the inside to take up to the top level and the ball spawn.

This gap may be deceiving along with the pathways to the right and left, but it is possible to cross this area for quite the shortcut. The two side ramps toward the red and blue bases make it seem like you have to take them to get to the other side, but if you’re coming from the middle you can easily Dodge jump or doublejump your way over the gap. So, if you can get to the ball first, it is a very short distance from the ball spawning area to the goal. The more the merrier for BR-DE-ElecFields. Having six people is fun, but having ten makes this map more hectic especially with the shortcut that halves the time in getting to the goal. There’s no better feeling than nailing a ball carrier down into a pit with a weapon; absolutely priceless.

BR-Disclosure Recommended Players: 8-12 This map is a rather tightly enclosed symmetrical arena with a couple of open areas. With tight corridors, a good way to conquering the other team on this map requires coordinated rushes. Starting from the red scoring room (this map is symmetrical, so it’s the opposite for blue), you have two health vials. If you go right, you will heading to the most direct route to the ball at its respawn point and can pick up some health vials, a Link Gun and a shield pack below the ball itself. If you go left and stay on the ground floor, you will pick up more health vials and a Minigun. Taking the first jump pad from the left side, if you head back toward the base you will pick up a Shock Rifle, a Biorifle and another Shock Rifle if you circle around your base. Right above the goal area you will find a Flak Cannon, as well. If you head toward the enemies’ base from that jump pad, you will encounter adrenaline pills, a Rocket Launcher and a shield pack. The middle room offers a nice double damage amplifier in the top. Use the translocator to reach that location up above. The room offers a Shock Rifle located in

the very center with a Lightning Gun for each team flanking it. This location also has a couple health packs if you find yourself low on health.

Grab this power-up by using the translocater. The Flak Cannon is a deadly weapon in this map with its tight corners and relatively small area to score in. If the defense packs it in, don’t even think about rushing with one or two guys to score; you will most likely need the whole team to shield the ball carrier. Also, when the ball resets, using the flak to lob a secondary-fire flak ball can pretty much kill or seriously injure any opponents trying to capture the ball.

Lobbing flak balls... I could do this forever muaa haha! BR-Icefields Recommended Players: 10-20 A fairly large level, Ice Fields provides a couple of a couple of shortcuts using the translocator, and supports heavy strategy in order to get to the scoring ring in the opposing base.

The bombing ring’s location provides for quite a bit of strategy. Starting near your base, you will find a Link Gun and a Lightning Gun, both with sufficient ammo pickups nearby. Running toward the enemy base you will find a Link Gun and a Rocket Launcher before coming to a choice between two paths. Take the one toward the enemy base, or take the other for four adrenaline pills, two health packs and a shield pack. A noteworthy shortcut to the ball reset area, however, is located toward the inner part of the incline toward the ball at about the Shock Rifle’s location on the opposite side. Using the translocator, you can take a much quicker route. However, we’ll continue on foot. After grabbing the Rocket Launcher, if you head toward the other base you’ll find yourself at another crossroads. If you decide to take the long way, you will find two health packs and a super health pack, while the other way offers health vials and more within the ball reset area. Inside the ball reset area is a Minigun located far away from the ball reset platform and a Link Gun near the ball reset platform. Another good reason to come this to grab the most powerful Redeemer. This game-changing weapon is located right at the turn on top of the area right by the Minigun.

Redeemer. Use it to clear the enemy base out for your ball carrier to enter. From here on out, it is basically a mirror image toward the other teams’ base. Because there is only one route the ball carrier can take toward the opposing goal, the enemy can set up a strong defense. However, using the shortcut and the Redeemer, you can easily neutralize that and take advantage. Use the elevator to elevator jump over part of the structure to run through the hoop for seven points.

BR-Serenity Recommended Players: 6-10 Wow, what a great outdoors Bombing Run map. Not only is Serenity amazing to look at, it plays pretty well, too! From an absolutely cool way to score a goal and dropping you down toward the bottom of a waterfall, to having two Redeemers in sight from the ball spawning area; this map was made to be fun, and it delivers.

Serenity now! Both directions to the middle archway where the ball spawns are essentially the same, so the description of one way is fine for the other as well. Starting from a base, there is a secret right off the bat. Behind the goal and against the base of the wall there is a double damage amplifier. To be safe, you can use your translocator to get there or you can just double jump if you like to live your life on the edge.

Behind each goal is a double damage amplifier – if the opposing team is leading an offensive charge, go behind there, grab that double damage amplifier and tear your opponents to shreds. Heading off toward the middle archway, there are three health vials to your immediate left and right. Veering a little left will net you a Flak Cannon with ammo and on the right there is a Link Gun with ammo. Staying on the left there is a Rocket Launcher with ammo as well as another Link Gun with ammo. There are three adrenaline pills to the left up the little cliff as well as two health packs to the right. Up the path to the left there is a Minigun with ammo across the way and if you drop straight below you there are a couple more health packs. The middle archway is in sight now. Go right toward the Lightning Gun with ammo and when you reach that weapon the Redeemer against the far wall will be in sight. There is a Shock Rifle with ammo on your right, four health vials on your left, a normal shield pack under the archway and the ball spawning area above on the arch. The only difference on the other side is that there is a Biorifle with ammo instead of the close Shock Rifle with ammo.

Hopefully you’ll be seeing this often...wheeeeee! With all the firepower (two Redeemers) and nice touches (like falling down next to a waterfall after scoring and the fun terrain) that Serenity has, it is sure to be a Bombing Run classic.

BR-Skyline Recommended Players: 8-16 What a cool map. The ability to fly from building to building is just an awesome idea, and Epic pulls it off well. Skyline offers plenty of high-flying action as well as a secret or two.

High above the base... this map is made up of 3 separate towers, as you can see. We’ll begin from the scoring portal inside your base. Right in front of that portal lies a Flak Cannon. When you go out onto the first floor outside, you will find a Link Gun to your right and a Shock Rifle to your left. You will also find a Biorifle on the same floor toward the very back of the map behind the main pillar. Straight in front of you lies a jump pad flanked by three adrenaline pills on each side. On the next level you will find a Minigun and a two health packs. The ground level of the middle towers most importantly houses the reset point for the ball. It also contains two Rocket Launchers. However, there is more than meets the eye here. By one of the Rocket Launchers, you will find a small hole to toss your translocator down on the dark side of the pillar. Once the translocator finds a safe spot to hit, if you translocate yourself down there you will find a nifty Ion Painter.

Don’t send it straight through; fire at an angle so your translocator will not shoot back at you. The second floor offers six jump pads (all of which all send you flying up to the fourth floor, which features Lightning Gun ammo) and two Flak Cannons with ammo. The third floor has a couple of Lightning Guns, a total of four health vials and four adrenaline pills and an area where special items (double-damage amplifier, big keg ‘o health, etc.) appear. The rest of the map will seem very familiar because the other base is exactly like yours; no surprises here. A good strategic match of 4v4-6v6 can be played, but with more, it turns into all-out mayhem. Skyline’s low gravity provides lots of fun to be had with bombing run.

BR-Slaughterhouse Recommended Players: 8-16 A slaughterhouse is freaky enough to make a pretty interesting bombing run map. A good number for this map is 8v8 because of its several different ways to get into either base, as well as the sheer size of the map. We’ll start from the goal and proceed to reach the ball from two distinct directions. • Proceed straight out of the goal room and right up the stairs to pick up the Rocket Launcher on the top floor. You can dodge jump to get the rocket packs on the left as well. Fall down and continue into the health pack room. From there, pick up the Flak Cannon on your left and if you feel so inclined you can pick up the health vials and Link Gun up above, as well. From here, you can go left or straight. By going left, you will be able to grab a Shock Rifle, some health, a super shield pack with the help of a translocator (shown in screenshot) and a Link Gun. By going straight from that point you can get six health vials, a shield belt, a Flak Cannon and six adrenaline pills off the beaten path, and some ammo toward the reset point with the ball.

Translocate up here to grab the super shield pack. • From the main goal room, go right up the stairs. From here, you can grab a shield pack and make your way through the room with the hanging carcasses, augmenting your arsenal with the Shock Rifle, super shield pack, health, and Link Gun. You can vary your way to the ball/enemy base pretty easily and mix-match these paths to keep your opponents on their toes pretty easily. It just takes a little time to get used to the map. The opposing base will be exactly like yours, so don’t worry about getting lost in theirs.

Cleanup in Aisle 10. BR-TwinTombs Recommended Players: 8-16 A beautifully-crafted map, Twin Tombs encompasses the Egyptian flavor of Unreal Tournament 2003 as well as some really neat layout designs that lend themselves very well to the Bombing Run gametype. As usuall, we’ll begin in the scoring room.

With a direct hit from almost any weapon, you can cause the ball carrier/an enemy to fall down into this ravine in the goal room. In this treacherous room lies a hazard in the very middle that if you fall into, you won’t be coming back out. This room houses a Shock Rifle, a Lightning Gun and two health packs. Going toward the enemy base using the top route, you can either take a way that has four adrenaline pills and eventually a Rocket Launcher (which is the quickest route to the outside middle area) or go right with the four health vials and pick some extra goodies. If you go right, you will pick up a Biorifle. From this corridor, if you go left you will find four adrenaline pills and if you go right you will enter a room with a couple jump pads to four more adrenaline pills and a health pack. Head outside and you will be close to a Rocket Launcher and a couple more health packs. However, back to that corridor, if you go straight you will pick up a Minigun, a couple of health packs and you’ll be outside. From the goal room, if you decide to go downstairs you also have a couple more options. You will pick up four adrenaline pills and be given the choice of going right or left. If you go right, you will pick up a shield pack and end up being by a Minigun, while if you go left you will pick up four health vials and go directly to the ball reset area. The outside of the two bases is an important place to memorize the locations of certain items.

Memorize the where each weapon is on each base. On the various levels on the front of the base, you will find two Rocket Launchers, a super shield pack, four adrenaline pills, a Lightning Gun and two health packs. On the ground level on one side of the base you will find a Link Gun and a health pack and on the other side two health packs. At the very extreme diagonal points of the map, you will find a very useful Flak Cannon on both sides. The more people you have playing at any given time on this map, the merrier. This map was designed for a well- experienced bombing run team to communicate and be able to defend against various ways of reaching the scoring room.

A view from the top. Assault

AS-Convoy Recommended Players: 6-14 Objectives: 1. Extend the boarding platform – Located on the first trailer, stand next to the switch until the platform has rotated into place. • Optional--Take the Forward Weapons Cache – Hit this switch to improve the attacker’s spawn point as well as improve weaponry. 2. Place explosives on the doors – Located parallel trailer to initial attacker spawn, stand in front of the blast doors. 3. Open the rear door – Located immediately inside the blast doors, stand next to the switch to activate. 4. Open the side doors – Located on the far end of the trailer up above the ground, stand next to the switch to activate. 5. Infiltrate the Nexus Trailer – A different trailer, to infiltrate you must drop through a panel in the ground at the back of the trailer behind the defenders’ turret to enter the area where the missiles are located. 6. Retrieve the Nexus Missiles – After dropping down into the Nexus Trailer, the switch is located against the far wall.

A speedy player (who utilizes the dodge jump and knows the map layout) can absolutely put the defense on its heels on Convoy. There are a couple of objectives that can be reached with very little resistance if the player is quick enough. Attack: First things first, make sure to grab a shield pack and load up at a weapons locker. No attacker can truly attack with only his Assault Rifle. Grab any armor near your spawn point, as well—every little bit of armor helps. Get out of the open area as quickly as possible; the turret on the convoy to the left can really rip you up and get you low on health. Alternatively, a couple of team members can take aim at the turret from their initial spawn point—once this turret falls, the boarding platform objective becomes much easier. Crouching and firing rockets makes it difficult for the turret operator to hit you, however you’ll have to watch out for snipers. Go to the right, so the turret cannot hit you, and toss a few rockets up above the platform. There’s no secret here--the long way is the only way. Run across to the end of the floor and go up either the left or right ramp. Make sure to look for defenders before you run; do not blindly run up the ramp. Look, toss a rocket, and get going. Turn around and head toward the first objective. At this point you can either go and extend the boarding platform or steal the weapons cache. If things look a little dicey for the boarding platform, just jump on to the right and steal the weapons cache. After this is done, the attacking team will spawn closer to the first objective and you will be able to overrun the defenders and extend the boarding platform easily. Once the boarding platform is extended, it is best to make haste for the next objective. The defense could be a little late in respawning and hopefully an attacker can get to the door to place explosives on it quickly and without much resistance. Dodge jump inside the boarding platform itself, and then dodge jump out of it onto the other convoy for extra speed. Stay far away from the blast itself; the flames can be fatal. After the door has been blasted open hurry to the next objective. The switch to open the rear door is a very short distance from the doors that were just blasted open. Once again, if the defenders are respawning, this is an easy objective to accomplish. However, if there is a force there, good luck going Rambo-style; that will definitely not work. Advance with the team and get that rear door open. After that objective is accomplished, the attackers must then open the side doors. The switch for this objective is in a tricky spot: up above the other end of the trailer, and with a defender spawn close by. Grab a shield pack from the side ammo area and go right. Ahead there are a couple of boxes that serve as a wonderful way to bypass the longer route and go right for the switch. If the defenders are focusing on this spot, however, take the long route (either left or right) and nail them from behind. When at the switch, toss some rockets straight ahead of you since that is where the defenders spawn, and don’t fret; this objective does not take long at all. The next objective is to infiltrate the Nexus Trailer. Don’t just stand next to the slowly opening side doors; do something worthwhile like frag a defender or two, it will hamper their defenses once the attackers get out. Immediately jump to the middle area and onto the Nexus Trailer. Once again, go right; the least amount of resistance is typically found there. There is a turret up ahead, but if an attacker is quick enough, he can sneak by. If not, hit the turret with everything you’ve got from the repair vessel. Once that turret falls, the path into the Nexus Trailer becomes much less dangerous. There is a very handy Rocket Launcher in the middle of the opposite end of the objective if an attacker wishes for one. This does hamper time and cover, however. Dodge jump down to the opening and infiltration of the Nexus Trailer will be complete. Once inside the trailer go to the far end and pray you caught the defenders on a bad respawn. It is tough to get this objective, as it has to be held down for quite awhile before the Nexus Missiles will fully exit the trailer. Remember, the attackers do not have to go through that same opening. The sides of the trailer open up and there are a few different ways to get into the Nexus Trailer. A more time-consuming, but flashy, way to get there is by hopping on the little jeep between trailers and riding to one side. But the quickest way is to get over to the top of the Nexus Trailer and jump down on the right or left side and attack.

Defense: Quickly hit a weapons rack and boost to the other side. The turret will cover the right side but most likely the attackers will be on your left. The Minigun works well in this situation; it is tough for the attackers to avoid it with such a small space to wiggle around through. Be careful and avoid rockets from this spot.

The Minigun works well for this situation and you can easily turn after the opponents have pushed through, and can attack them to your left. The Biorifle works very well also. The best advice for this trailer is to constantly harass. Do not push so far back that you’re defending the objectives themselves; make use of the fact that the attackers have some distance to travel before reaching the switch to extend the boarding platform and the forward weapons cache. After the boarding platform has been extended, the quickest way to get to the blast doors is to head out near the jump pad, but fall off one of the sides onto that same trailer. The blast doors will be right under you. You can also dodge jump onto the boarding platform and mess with the attackers if you wish. A nice spot to surprise the attackers from is the opposite end of the trailer containing the next objective. Make sure to move after the attackers have discovered this spot; it is easy for them to frag you quickly by shooting some rockets toward your corner.

Some damage and harassing can be done here... but after the first wave of attackers is gone, get out of there; the spot is only good for one surprise. While the attackers are trying to open the rear door, hopefully a defender can pick up a Rocket Launcher from the attackers and peek out that door while firing a full salvo of rockets. After the attackers have completed that objective, make sure to watch the left side of the side door switch. This switch is quick and if an attacker slips through, good luck killing that person in time. While the side doors are opening make sure to try to frag an attacker or two: a defender’s worst nightmare is watching the attackers run in front of them. Constantly harass and try to stop the attackers from infiltrating the Nexus Trailer. A good spot for a defender is to hide behind the turret on the Nexus Trailer and pick off some of the attackers that try to sprint their way to the objective. Dodge jump left and right to keep your eye on both sides, and listen to the alarm sound. If you hear the alarm, be careful if you do not see an attacker--that attacker is probably already in the trailer.

Dodge jump left and right to keep your eye on attackers. Equip a weapon you are comfortable with because you are the last line of defense. After the Nexus Trailer has been infiltrated, the quickest way to it is to boost across and jump down one of the sides that have opened. Keep a lookout on all three ways of getting into the trailer. Good luck.

AS-FallenCity Recommended Players: 8-16 Objectives: 1. Destroy barricade – A barricade blocking your path to the next objective, needs to be shot at to be destroyed. 2. Secure forward outpost – A fairly quick lever, you only need to be next to the lever to complete the objective. 3. Destroy gate lock (x2) – Two objects higher up on a couple of pillars, you need to shoot at these to destroy them. 4. Destroy Command Center (x2) – Stand next to both the pillar and the object in the old subway train to place the explosives. After the human/Skaarj war (which you saw a part of in AS-MotherShip), many rebels set up bases within the ruins of destroyed cities. Recreating a historical event in which the New Earth Government commences destruction of a rebel command center, AS-FallenCity will have you fighting through the ruins of a city until eventually you will plow your way into their headquarters and plant explosives to destroy the command center. Attack: Directly in front of you on the right and left sides is a weapons locker with a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and a Sniper Rifle. Go up the stairs and drop down to the street. You’ll notice brown barrels strewn across the street and

make sure to stay away from those; they can be shot and will explode, killing anyone around them. Elevated on the ledge is a Minigun Turret; make sure to take that out as soon as possible. Check to see if anybody picked up the normal shield pack in the middle of the turn and then head left toward the barricade. The best weapon you have in your arsenal to quickly destroy this barricade is your Rocket Launcher. After blowing up the barricade, there is a Shock Rifle with ammo in the middle as well as a health pack straight ahead near the outside of the turn right. After turning right, there is only the level to the forward-left. Keep applying constant pressure (while avoiding the barrels once again) to this lever and eventually you will break through the defense and secure the forward outpost. The next objective is to destroy the two gate locks. From the weapons locker in the box you will get a Shock Rifle, a Link Rifle, a Rocket Launcher and a Sniper Rifle. Coming to an a slab of metal propped against a higher level, at this point you have the decision to approach the two gate locks from a higher ground or lower. If you stay on the lower ground, immediately to your left is a normal shield pack and down the long street to the objective you’ll find a few health packs toward the middle, a normal shield pack to the right side near the objective and a weapons locker straight in front of the objective with a Shock Rifle, a Link Rifle, a Flak Cannon and a Sniper Rifle. If you took the higher ledge through the street, there is a normal shield pack near the beginning of the street but no health packs like the bottom. Plus, you’ll be more susceptible to the Minigun Turret immediately in front of you on top of the rebel command center. Take out that Minigun Turret and focus on the two gate locks which are located on two separate pillars opposite of the gate doors. The quickest way to take these two locks out is to nail them directly with a Flak Cannon; it only takes six direct shots with the primary fire of the Flak Cannon to destroy a lock. Once the two gate doors are open, proceed through past the health pack to the doorway. Here you have a decision to make. If you feel comfortable with your weaponry then if you continue through and down to the right you will reach the area in to destroy the command center. However, if you would rather have a Rocket Launcher to help you, go up either the left or right ramps up to the weapons locker and proceed down from there to destroy the command center. Once down in the area, you must bomb both a pillar in the open area and a box inside the old, beaten-down subway train. All you need to do is stand next to the pillar and box to place the explosives then it’s KAABOOOOM and you’ve destroyed the command center! Defense: You will be given a Minigun, a Flak Cannon and a Sniper Rifle from the first weapons locker to stop the attackers from destroying the barricade. Use the Minigun Turret early and often because it probably won’t take too long before the attackers focus on it and destroy it. Keep your eye on both a strong push on the inside as well as a few sneaky attackers going for the middle normal shield pack. The weapons locker down below offers a Rocket Launcher as well as the weapons you already have, so that is an increase in weaponry.

To really mess with the attackers, get by the platform they have to fall from and nail them from behind! Use this tactic only once, though, because the next time they come they will be looking for you back there. When defending the forward outpost, you’ll spawn next to a weapons locker with only a Minigun and Sniper Rifle, so you’d better have good aim to keep the attackers from not being able to secure the forward outpost. There is a Rocket Launcher to pick up as you’re going to defend, so that helps quite a bit. When defending the two gate locks, you will spawn next to a weapons locker that holds a Minigun, a Flak Cannon, a Rocket Launcher and a Sniper Rifle. The best thing you can do here is not let the attackers get to the backside to shoot at the locks. Keep them in front of you.

Defending the last objective can get a little crazy... For the last objective, you will spawn next to a weapons locker that will give you a Shock Rifle, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and a Sniper Rifle. It’s tough to keep your eye on both locations since one is inside the train, but if you do see an attacker sneaking and beginning to place the explosives, there are explosive barrels near both spots that you can use to kill the attacker before they complete the objective.

AS-Glacier Recommended Players: 8-16 Objectives: 1. Infiltrate the Base (x2) – Go into the base from the right or left, staying in front of the door for it to open. An optional objective during this is to raise the bridge, making it quicker for the attackers to cross the river. The lever to raise the bridge is located across the river on the right side. 2. Activate the Ion Core (x2) – Inside the base on two sides of a column are two switches. Stand next to each to activate. 3. Capture the Tank – A door is lowered right next to the switches and you need to get inside the vehicle to capture it. 4. Destroy Access Doors – Located to the left of the Ion Tank, use its powerful primary attack to destroy the doors. 5. Open Security Gate – The Ion Tank needs to be driven onto a platform to lower a gate, then run inside and stand next to the level to open the Security Gate. 6. Shutdown Primary Dam – Located inside of a building, shoot a switch to shutdown the Primary Dam.

7. Destroy Depot Door – Located near the building with the switch you just shot to shutdown the Primary Dam, any weapon can be used to destroy the Depot Door. 8. Shutdown Secondary Dam – Just like the Primary Dam, the switch is located in a very similar building and needs to be shot at to shut down the Secondary Dam. 9. Destroy the Blast Door – Located at the back-middle of a base, the Ion Tank is needed to destroy it. 10. Escape the Base – Take the Ion Tank through the Blast Door you just destroyed. Re-creating a battle from the Corporation Wars, Glacier’s focus is on a battle in which the Axon Research Corporation raided the Izanagi Corporation’s research facility, destroying it as well as stealing the advanced plasma Ion Tank that was under development there. Attack: The attackers will spawn at an area with two weapons lockers, both holding a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Minigun and a Sniper Rifle as well as a couple of normal shield packs. You can choose to cross the river as you please (going in for a swim or jumping around on some icebergs) but it is a good idea to head right towards the Bio-Rifle with ammo once past the river and complete the optional objective which is raising the bridge. This will make it much quicker to get to the base, and since you’re likely going to be respawning quite a bit, is a worthwhile objective to complete. Head to either the right (the closest if you have just raised the bridge) or left door to infiltrate the base. By going left or right into the base, you will still have a switch close to you on the column and one on the far side of the column. Each side offers a couple of health packs, as well. This objective is tough because of the defense’s ability to jam the place up and throw rockets everywhere, but you should be able to get next to each level eventually. After activating the Ion Core, a door lowers inside the room and the Ion Tank should spawn right outside this door. All you need to do to capture it is enter the vehicle. Destroying the Access Doors is easily accomplished because the doors are located nearby the Ion Tank and to the left. Charge up your primary attack with the Ion Tank and destroy the doors. The only way to destroy the doors is by use of the Ion Tank; it cannot be destroyed by ordinary weapons.

The Ion Tank’s primary weapon is incredibly powerful. After taking the Ion Tank through the tunnel, you will get a new spawn point in the middle of the tunnel that has a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and a Sniper Rifle in its weapons lockers, as well as a couple of normal shield packs. The Ion Tank will respawn here, also. Once out of the tunnel, there is a double damage amplifier located inside a box to the immediate left. To open the security gate, you must drive the Ion Tank onto the switch and allow a gate to lower, then go inside the building and stand next to a switch. After this objective is completed, the attackers and the Ion Tank will have a closer spawn area. The weapons locker here offers a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and a Sniper Rifle. Grab one of the two normal shield packs, as well. Once past the doors that have lowered, there is a super shield pack to your immediate left and the building to get to the switch which you’ll need to destroy to shutdown the Primary Dam. Outside the front of the building are two health packs and inside is a Shock Rifle with ammo. Shooting the switch will shut the Primary Dam down. Destroying the Depot Door is a relatively simple objective since you do not need the Ion Tank to do so. Any weapon will lower the Depot Door’s health (the Depot Door is located just outside the building of the switch you just destroyed) so pummel it quickly to destroy it. Shutting down the Secondary Dam is done exactly like how you shut down the Primary Dam – there is a switch inside a similar building (the only difference being a Flak Cannon with ammo instead of a Shock Rifle). There is another new spawn point for the attackers and the Ion Tank, and the weapons locker here holds a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and a Sniper Rifle along with two normal shield packs. To get to the Blast Door you need to destroy, go straight to an open area and then to the right. The defense spawns here and the Blast Door is located in the back-middle of that base. There are health packs located to the left and right outside if you are low on health. Once the defense spawns, they will go straight for the Ion Tank so you need all of the attackers to help out. Have some healers and other attackers escort the Ion Tank to the Blast Doors and once the

Blast Doors have been taken out, the Ion Tank needs to go through to complete the last objective. Escaping the Base is a tricky objective because the defense’s only goal is to stop the Ion Tank, but make one last final push towards the Blast Doors you just destroyed and you should overpower the defenders to escape. Defense: Spawning at the beginning, the weapons locker will give you a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and a Sniper Rifle. A good form of defense is to have most of the team snipe the attackers across the river while a couple of defenders keep an eye on both sides of the base. As the attackers are trying to activate the Ion Core by getting to the two switches on both sides of the pillar, jam that middle up. Stay close together, but not too close. The attackers do not have Rocket Launchers, so the opportunity for splash damage is not prevalent. After they have taken the Ion Tank, the easiest way to stall for time and stifle the attackers’ offense is by taking out the Ion Tank. There is nothing more frustrating for the attackers than to have their Ion Tank near the objective only to have it destroyed and spawn way further back from the objective. The last two objectives, both taking place at the separate base, are key for the defense to hold. The fact that the defenders spawn where the attackers want to go is a huge advantage to the defenders. The only way to stifle the attackers’ advances for these two objectives does not involve killing individual players, but only destroying the Ion Tank itself. Clog that middle up and attack the Ion Tank before it reaches its destination.

The base the last two objectives revolve around can get very chaotic at times. One of the two Assault maps that revolves around a vehicle (the other being the incredibly original Junkyard), Glacier relies very heavily on teamwork. Without teamwork (especially on the last objectives), success is near impossible to achieve. Constant attention to the Ion Tank for both the attackers (to heal and escort it) and the defenders (to destroy it and stall for time) is required.

AS-Junkyard Recommended Players: 8-16 Objectives: 1. Find the Energy Core – Located on the top of a hill, all you need to do is walk over it to find it. 2. Return the Core to the vehicle – This just entails taking the Energy Core you just grabbed and returning it to your spawn point. 3. Lower the bridge – There is a lever in front of the bridge and all you need to do is stand next to it. 4. Cross the bridge – To complete this objective, take the vehicle over the bridge you just lowered. 5. Open the checkpoint gate – Stand next to the lever to open the checkpoint gate. 6. Secure the checkpoint – Go through the gate you just opened in the last objective WITH the vehicle and go to the other side of the building. 7. Proceed to the main gates – To exit the Junkyard, head toward the indicator and exit the level. Whatever you’ve come to expect from playing any other Assault map; throw it out the window. Apparently, what began as a “Junkyard Wars” sort of Holovision program quickly turned ugly when the winning team came out with makeshift weapons and defeated the other team. This map is unique in the sense that all the action takes place in a large area. There are no real rooms or anything; everything is pretty much out in the open and the whole map is about taking a vehicle from one side of the map to the other. As more objectives get completed, the vehicle is moved up checkpoint by checkpoint so you don’t have to take the vehicle from the very beginning every single time. That said, the vehicle is a Hellbender with a ton of armor. Watching the on-screen indicators is incredibly important in this map because there is the usual one for the objective and also one for the vehicle. So watching the vehicle indicator and the checkpoint indicator tells you exactly where the vehicle is in accordance to the checkpoint. Attack: You will spawn in the garage and your first mission is to find the energy core and it turns out the core is out the door and up the hill from you. You can get between the bars of the makeshift fence pretty low on the hill to find and take it. Once you’ve taken the energy core all you need to do is go back where you came from to complete the second objective. From here on out is where the Junkyard gets tricky. You need to take the vehicle with you wherever you go pretty much from this objective on. There are many Minigun Turrets scattered throughout the map for the defense to use to destroy your vehicle. This objective requires you to just lower the drawbridge, though. So you can either ride with the vehicle to the destination, or you can go without the vehicle and lower it since the only thing you need to do to accomplish the objective of lowering the drawbridge is standing next to the drawbridge, vehicle or no. But once you have lowered the drawbridge you must take the vehicle over it to the other side to complete the next objective; cross the bridge.

The Redeemer is located in the back of the drive-in theatre. The next objective, again, does not require use of the vehicle. All you need to do is traverse to the lever to open the checkpoint gate and stand next to it. However, in order to secure the checkpoint you must take the vehicle through the gate you just opened and through to the other side of the building. While on your way to this objective, you will come across a drive-in movie theatre with a huge “Malcolm” portrait on the screen. On the far side of the map and drive-in, you will find a Redeemer. If your vehicle respawns during this objective, when you first begin to drive it you will come across a fork in the road with both directions going up but one left and one right. Going right will take you on the path of the “long” way while going left will attach your vehicle to a magnet lift, and the lift will take you to the checkpoint to complete the objective. The only downfall to doing this rather than driving all the way around is that your vehicle is in the open and will be easy for the defense to target and destroy. The last objective is proceed to the main gates in which all you need to do is follow the on-screen indicator to the exit of the map.

Being the driver of the vehicle is very rewarding...there are many jumps you take on your path out of the Junkyard. Defense: There is no real set way to go for defense because of the openness of the map, so for each objective, know where the objective is and where the car is. It is easy to go to any location on the map because of the many jump pads that speed up your process. As a general rule, if an objective requires the vehicle to complete, do not wait for the vehicle to come to you. Your best bet to destroying the vehicle is to attack it early and often. Waiting till the last second, because of the beefiness of the vehicle, usually ends up as a failed defense of the objective. Definitely a love/hate kind of map, if you are into new game types than this map is probably going to be one of your favorites. If you hate not having a certain chokepont to go to on defense, however, you will hate this map with the fury of a thousand flames. Give Junkyard a try, though; don’t immediately write it off.

AS-MotherShip Recommended Players: 8-16 1. Destroy Lower Shield Generator – Located inside the bottom of the Mothership, there is a tube-like object that you must use your ship’s firepower to destroy. 2. Destroy Upper Shield Generator (x2) – Located inside the top part of the Mothership, there are two tube-like objects you must destroy. 3. Proceed to Landing Bay – Located inside the top part of the Mothership, just fly your spacefighter into the Mothership to transfer to foot. 4. Destroy Energy Bypass (x2) – Located at high up on the far wall, you must shoot both objects to destroy them.

5. Destroy sentinel (x3) – Three automated turrets located on three different floors within the same area, they must be shot at and destroyed. 6. Use panel to unlock core hatch (x2) – Two panels on opposite sides of the core that are activated by standing near them. 7. Destroy the conductor (x2) – One conductor located on each side of the core, attack and destroy to pulverize the Mothership. Truly unique in terms of epic scale, Mothership is the first (and so far only) Assault map to have a team of players begin in vehicles. This scenario recreates the final battle for Earth and the humans’ last-ditch effort to stop the Skaarj. While a Skaarj Mothership was orbiting Earth, the humans had intelligence about a flaw in the Mothership’s defenses and attacked using small one-man fighters. Attack: As an attacker, you will spawn inside of a Human Spacefighter flying toward the Mothership. Your first task is to destroy the Lower Shield Generator, so head down toward the bottom of the Mothership. While going toward the Lower Shield Generator, be on the lookout for defenders in Skaarj Spacefighters. Use your secondary missiles to put them down easily and continue on toward your destination. Your next worry are the Mothership Turrets that are surround the Mothership. Just like the Skaarj Spacefighters, you able to lock onto them and destroy them using your secondary fire. The entrance to the lower part of the Mothership is indicated by the blue arrows, so get in there and destroy that generator. After that long flight to the bottom of the Mothership, destroy the Lower Shield Generator and proceed to fly all the way up to the top part of the Mothership and pilot your ship inside of it to destroy the two Upper Shield Generators. Be prepared to use your roll because there will be a lot of defenses inside the Mothership itself. After the two Upper Shield Generators are sabotaged, the shield covering the Landing Bay will be removed, so get to that area quickly. Keep rolling when you are being fired at and eventually a teammate or you will be able to fly inside and your team will transfer to foot. Once inside the Mothership, run and pick up the weapons found in one of the three weapons lockers (one on each side and one by taking the lift up) that include a Biorifle, a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and a Minigun; check to see if the normal shield pack has been taken from the back middle of the Landing Bay and head through either the two lower doors or the top door toward the objective. A smart decision here is to have most of the attackers go down below and attack via the ground level while one or two attackers take the top route and jump straight right next to the two objects and focus their fire to quickly take them down. Once destroyed, run through the previously-blocked door in-between the two destroyed bypasses toward the next objective. There are three sentinels (that fire back at you quite lethally!) that you must destroy. One is located down the side ramps, the next is located down another ramp to the right and continuing along the path, the last one is located in the middle of the bottom room. Down at the bottom of the side ramps there are a couple of weapons lockers that have a Biorifle, a Link Gun and a Minigun within them. The weapon that does the most damage to these sentinels is the Biorifle. Don’t expect to be able to go in there and destroy them all as a lone wolf; the sentinels fire back and since they are automated they do not miss often. Attack each Sentinel from a couple different locations and you will soon overpower all three. The weapons locker that is available past the opened doors has a Link Gun, a Minigun and a Rocket Launcher. Down at the bottom of each ramp leading to the core entrance is a health pack. In the middle is a normal shield pack with two shield packs around it. The two weapons lockers on the sides are stocked full of weapons: a Biorifle, a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Flak Cannon and a Lightning Gun. Going to the left or right you will have to deal with a Link Turret. It is possible to take cover behind some strategically-placed boxes on the way to the objective, but it is highly recommended to take the Link Turret down. Once into the next area head toward the center and overpower the defense to get to the two panels and unlock the core hatch.

Once the core hatches have been opened, the core conductors are revealed and all that is left is to attack these to destroy them. A nice technique is to get on top of the boxes against the sides and while a teammate is unlocking the hatches, wait till conductors are in view and instead of focusing up you can just focus straight toward them.

Seeing this as an attacker is so gratifying because of the epic scale of this map. Defense: When defending the first three objectives, have a mix of teammates operating the turrets and dogfighting the other team. The attackers will eventually destroy all the energy turrets and that is essentially what you want them to do; stall for time for these first three stages. The best defense is to harass and stall time giving your team a longer time to complete the mission when it is your turn as the attackers. When defending the energy bypasses, the weapons lockers above will give you a Flank Cannon and a Rocket Launcher.

You are able to heal the sentinels, but only very slowly. Any health is helpful, though. Defending the sentinels is a little different than defending a normal object. The fact that the sentinels can fire and are quite powerful, your main objective is to keep them alive and they are healable using the Link Gun’s alternate fire. When the attackers see you healing the turret, they might focus their fire on you giving the turret the ability to shred right through them. When defending the core panels, the weapons locker you spawn next to gives you a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and a Lightning Gun.

At this location, you can keep on eye on the left and right entrances to the core room. When the attackers have the core hatches released and are one step away from destroying your Mothership, the best advice is to find a location inside the core where you can keep on eye on both entrances. Once you’ve done that, hold on for dear life!

AS-RobotFactory Recommended Players: 10-20 Objectives: 1. Align the satellite dish – A lever inside a smaller building, all you need to do to align the dish is stand next to the lever. 2. Destroy the gate – The entrance to the Factory, shoot it enough times to destroy it. 3. Cut the Data Cables – A tube in the middle of a room, shoot it till its health meter is at zero to cut the Data Cables. 4. Destroy shield component (x3) – Three different tubes in a room, destroy by shooting. 5. Destroy the AI generator – A humongous tube in the center of a very large open room, it will take a lot of effort to destroy this generator by shooting it. RobotFactory is a recreation of the Liandri robot uprising on a mechanical asteroid and the squashing of the rebellion by human forces. The reason the robots were uprising was because of their incredibly sophisticated artificial intelligence. They figured they would wipe out all the scientists and mine the materials on the asteroid for their own use. The attackers are recreating the actual small team that was inserted with the objective to destroy the AI generators, disabling the robots in the act of reproducing and ending the uprising.

This level is the largest of any Assault map (according to its recommended players). You will be traversing the outside of the factory until you enter the factory itself and destroy the AI generator. Attack: At the Attackers’ spawn point, there will be three weapons lockers. The two closest to the back of the base hold a Bio-Rifle, a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and a Minigun. The furthest weapons locker has these weapons as well as a Lightning Gun; keep that in mind. Two Goliaths also spawn here to help you destroy the Link Turrets and Ion Cannon at the far end of the outside area. Coming up upon the little dip (which has a Rocket Launcher with ammo in the middle of it and a Flak Cannon on the right just before it), you’ll most likely come under fire from three Link Turrets; one on the left, one on the right and the last one a little further back near the middle. Past the dip on the far left side is a double damage amplifier to help in your attempts at getting to the lever to align the satellite dish. It takes ten direct hits with the Goliath’s main cannon to put down one Link Turret, so make sure to heal those tanks when taking out the turrets! The lever is located against the right wall inside the little building but beware, there is another Link Turret on the other side that will tear you up quickly if not dispatched. Once the satellite has bee aligned, your next objective is to get to the factory itself and destroy the gate leading inside. You will spawn at the top of the building you just got to with a Bio-Rifle, a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Minigun and a Grenade Launcher available in both of the weapons lockers. There is also a normal shield pack located against the far wall. Two Goliaths will spawn here now and you will have to deal with three more Link Turrets. Again, before this next dip there is a Flak Cannon with ammo and replacing the first dip’s Rocket Launcher is a Lightning Gun with ammo at this one. At the far end of the outside area is an ultra-powered Ion Cannon that you will have to deal with if you are to have any chance of destroying the gate located by it. The behemoth takes many hits to take down; storm that gate constantly and you will able to damage it enough to destroy it. Going inside of the factory, your next objective is to cut the Data Cables. If you happen to die, you will respawn back outside near the Ion Cannon; the weapons locker there offers a huge arsenal of weaponry including a Bio-Rifle, a Shock Cannon, a Link Gun, a Minigun and a Lightning Gun. Entering the factory, you have the choice of taking a higher route to the left or right or going straight down towards the objective. Down below there is a weapons locker that offers a Bio-Rifle, a Shock Cannon, a Link Gun and a Minigun and against the far wall before you turn there is a Flak Cannon with ammo along with a health pack. On top of the boxes, if you did take one of the side upper routes, you have the opportunity to jump to a normal shield pack. Heading left though, towards the objective, the weapons locker in the ditch holds a Bio-Rifle, a Minigun, a Flak Cannon and a Rocket Launcher. To the upper left in this room is a Lightning Gun with ammo. From here, you can continue along the path and grab the same weaponry from another weapons locker further along the path. At the first weapons locker, there is a small little lit- up tunnel to the right with a double damage amplifier inside of it that leads to the same room. The room before the one where you destroy the three Data Cables has an upper and lower exit into the objective room with a normal shield pack located on each level. In this room, destroy the tube located in the middle and if you want a Shock Rifle, the two weapons lockers surrounding the tube offer only that as an addition to your current arsenal. A couple of doors in the room previous to the Data Cables area open and proceed towards the three shield components. Once inside the room with the three shield components, the weapons locker inside offer a Link Gun, a Minigun and a Rocket Launcher to help with your efforts to shoot the three tubes before they are destroyed. Once that objective is complete, you are on to the last objective: destroying the AI generator and disabling the robots’ ability to reproduce. The force-field that blocked the right exit from this room will disappear so head out toward that direction. You will soon reach a hallway that has a couple of conveyer belts on it. Going right will take you to the main room, but going left will net you a normal shield pack so go grab that for extra protection. There are three ways to get into the AI generator room. You can take a conveyer belt to the left or right and drop down to a small ledge leading to the circular path around the large generator or you can go through the center. No real strategic reason in going either way in terms of weaponry, if the defense is concentrating on one side it would be a good idea

to take the other. From here, all you need to do is pummel the AI generator using any weapon in your arsenal until you have destroyed it.

We have rendered the robots unable to reproduce! Objective completed! Defense: Your main concern in defending when outside are those Goliaths. The more quickly you are able to destroy the Goliath tanks, the more time it will take for the attackers to accomplish the two outside objectives. Remember that you can also heal the Link Turrets with your Link Gun’s alternate fire. Once the attackers have aligned the satellite, use the Ion Cannon to strike fear and keep them busy for awhile. Release the powerful beam near their spawn to wreak a lot of havoc.

Using that Ion Cannon sure is fun! When defending the Data Cables, keep an eye out for attackers coming from the top and the bottom. Get in a position before the main room, though, to stop the attackers before they can even squeeze off a shot towards the Data Cables. Another room in which you have to watch two entrances for attackers, when defending the three shield components, throw volleys of rockets toward these two entrances to weaken the attackers, making them easier to take out. Lastly, when the attackers have pushed you to the last objective, there are a few ways to try to deter the attackers from wining this scenario. Firstly, you can take a jump pad up next to the AI generator and act as a sort of human shield as well as snipe from there. Watch the two sides and the central entrance, but an even better strategy is to try to kill the attackers before they even come into the AI generator room. It will take a lot of firepower to destroy the final AI generator, so the only way the attackers can win is from a huge breach in your defense. Keep your teammates on a balance of roles and you should be okay.

Onslaught When choosing an Onslaught map, you have the opportunity to select the default link setup (meaning the locations of the links between Nodes), an auto link configuration, or to select your own setup. These writeups assume the default setup is in use.

ONS-ArcticStronghold Recommended Players: 10-18 Number of Nodes: 5

A really massive Onslaught map, the pumping soundtrack mixes well with the icy terrain to create great atmosphere. Taking over the middle node is key to overpowering your enemy.

The default Power Node configuration. Bases: The Power Core is located in the very back. There is a Mine Layer with ammo under the middle ramp and three health vials to the left and right in front of the Power Core. On the ground level, there is a health pack to the right, a normal shield pack to the left and a weapons locker in the middle that includes a Link Gun, a Minigun, an AVRiL and a Rocket Launcher. Up the ramp to the top of the base, you’ll run straight into a weapons locker with the same weaponry that is in the bottom locker as well as finding a Biorifle with ammo and a Lightning Gun with ammo to your right, and a health pack to replenish a little vigor on your left. In terms of vehicles, you have quite a fleet at the base with a Goliath in the middle, a Hellbender, a Manta and an Energy Turret to the left and a Scorpion, a Manta and an Energy Turret to your right. Up above on the higher level of the base, you’ll find an Energy Turret on both sides as well as a Raptor on the left side. Power Node 1:

The weapons locker at this Power Node includes a Mine Layer, a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon and an AVRiL. The vehicles that spawn here are a Manta, a Scorpion and an Energy Turret up the hill to protect your Power Node. Power Node 2: At this Node’s weapons locker, you’ll grab a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun. Rev up in a Manta, a Hellbender or an Energy Turret. Power Node 3: Here you’ll have at your disposal a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun. The vehicles available at this Node are a Manta, a Hellbender and an Energy Turrent back toward the blue base. Power Node 4: The weapons locker at this Power Node spawns in a Mine Layer, a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon and an AVRiL. Vehicles spawning here include a Manta, a Scorpion and an Energy Turret up the hill to protect your Power node. Power Node 5: The weapons locker at this Power Node includes a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Grenade Launcher, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun. Available vehicles that spawn here are a Manta, a Scorpion and a Raptor down below in the valley, and a Goliath and four Energy Turrets (two at each end of the bridge) up top. Pick-Ups: By the first Power Node on the hill behind it, you will find a Grenade Launcher with ammo and a health pack. A little past the first Power Node is a super shield pack. Right next to the first Power Node’s Energy Turret is a health pack. The far right path from the blue base to the red base features only a lone heath pack. Toward the central valley, by the Energy Turret is a Lightning Gun with ammo and the one on the opposite side on the red base side only has a health pack. Down in the valley, you will find a Mine Layer, a keg ‘o health, a couple of health packs, a normal shield pack and a Redeemer located on a little ledge above the ground level. Toward the third Power Core are an Energy Turret with a health pack and a Lightning Gun with ammo. In-between the third and fourth Power Nodes are a health pack and a normal shield pack.

The Redeemer lies a little above the ground floor of the valley. Don’t expect to get there from the ground floor; the only way to get to the Redeemer is by dropping down from above. Strategies: Controlling the middle Power Node is incredibly important in pushing your way toward the enemy’s Power Core. With the middle Power Node taken, you have such an advantage with the overwhelming power of the four energy turrets surrounding the middle bridge as well as the extra vehicles that spawn below. The power of another Goliath can help turn the tide, as well.

ONS-Crossfire Recommended Players: 10-18 Number of Nodes: 5 The description of this map talks about Crossfire being an excavation site of an ancient city on the outskirts of Jerusalem that was partially unearthed from a volcanic eruption; the designers of this map have done a great job with this one. With lots of hills, ancient temples and the same brown dirt everywhere, Crossfire continues the trend of absolutely great Onslaught maps released with the game.

The default Power Node configuration. Bases: There are two weapons lockers located at each base and you will garner a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon and an AVRiL at each of the two. Each base also has a Manta, a Scorpion, a Hellbender and a couple of Energy Turrets with which to defend the Power Core. Power Node 4: The weapons locker here offers a Mine Layer, a Link Gun, a Minigun and an AVRiL while if you capture the Node you’ll be able to drive such vehicles as a Manta, a Scorpion and a Hellbender. Power Node 5: A mirror image of the fourth Power Node, the weapons locker here offers the same goods, including a Mine Layer, a Link Gun, a Minigun and an AVRiL. Also, just like the fourth Power Node, you get to pilot the same vehicles, which are a Manta, a Scorpion and a Hellbender. Power Node 6:

A smaller variety but an arsenal as powerful as any other, the weapons locker here offers a Link Gun, a Rocket Launcher and a Lightning Gun. After building this Power Node, the vehicles that appear will be a Manta to speed along with, a Raptor to rule the skies with, and a Goliath to dominate the ground with. Power Node 7: To help keep the balance in this map, the seventh Power Node is the exact same as the sixth. So the arsenal in the weapons locker will be a Link Gun, a Rocket Launcher and a Lightning Gun with a Manta, Raptor and Goliath appearing for vehicular support. Power Node 8: The weapons locker at this middle Node includes a Link Gun, a Grenade Launcher, a Rocket Launcher and a Lightning Gun. Capturing the Power Node here nets you the ability to speed away in your choice of a Manta, a Scorpion or a Raptor. Pick-Ups: In-between the red base and the sixth Power Node as well as in-between the blue base and the seventh Power Node is a weapons locker that holds a Link Gun, a Rocket Launcher and a Lightning Gun, in addition to a couple of health packs. From either base straight under a little archway you’ll find a little building that houses a weapons locker with a Mine Layer, a Link Gun and a Rocket Launcher along with a health pack and a normal shield pack. Coming out of either base under the archway, to the left there is a keg ‘o health and a super shield pack to the far left. Most importantly, coming out from the red base to the right on a ledge under the Lightning Gun is the Redeemer and coming out of the blue base to the right on a ledge (near a really colorful glowing fountain) is a Target Painter. There is an Ion Painter on the above left side of the middle node by the statue with the glowing plate. There is also a double damage amplifier that appears near the middle Node.

Use either of the three super weapons to blast this middle area when a conflict arises. Try to remember that colorful glowing fountain = Target Painter, statue with glowing plate = Ion Painter and Lightning Gun = Redeemer for their locations because it is too tough to ID any of these super weapons without a landmark. Strategy: You don’t need the sixth and seventh Nodes to form a link to the enemy’s Power Core, but their capture is highly recommended and rewarded. Along with the eighth Power Node, these are the only ones where you can get a Raptor, which is a very valuable asset to have in order to skip the hilly terrain. Also Nodes six and seven are the only ones in which you get a Goliath, and in the relatively small paths that dominate this map, a Goliath can take out almost anything in its way. Keep an eye on all three super weapons, as well. They can turn the tide more quickly than any other single tool. Enjoy the unique experience of rolling around in a Goliath in a futuristic archeological dig; it doesn’t happen often. =)

ONS-Dawn Recommended Players: 8-16 Number of Nodes: 6 A lush valley provides a perfect venue for Onslaught. The pretty neat default Power Node links make for a hectic middle area.

The default Power Node configuration. Bases: There are four different weapons lockers inside each base, and they do not all offer the same things. The two weapons lockers leading to the exits both have a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and a Minigun, the weapons locker toward the back of the base has a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon and an AVRiL, and the weapons locker in the middle has a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and a Flak Cannon. Also, below the Raptor lies an AVRiL with ammo and up above on the top front of the base is a Lightning Gun with ammo in the little covered area. You have a fleet of vehicles at each base, including a Raptor, Goliath and Energy Turret inside the base, as well as a Manta to the right, a Hellbender to the left and two Energy Turrents right outside of the base. Power Node 1: A Shock Rifle, Link Gun and Rocket Launcher are in the weapons locker as well as a Manta, Hellbender and Energy Turret when you capture this Node. There is also a Grenade Launcher with ammo near this Node. Power Node 2:

The weapons locker here holds quite an arsenal, with a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and an AVRiL. A couple of speedy vehicles spawn with a Manta and a Scorpion as well as an Energy Turret for defensive purposes. Power Node 3: A mirror image of the second Node, you will receive a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and an AVRiL when passing through the weapons locker. After capturing this Node you will be able to access a Manta, a Scorpion and an Energy Turret. Power Node 4: The two Nodes in the middle are the exact same, so the fourth Node shares the same weapons and vehicles as the first Node. These being a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and a Rocket Launcher for weaponry as well as a Manta, Hellbender and Energy Turret for vehicles. There is also an AVRiL with ammo near the center area by this Node. Power Node 5: The weapons locker here offers a Link Gun and a Flak Cannon, along with an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun for your sniping pleasure. A Raptor, a Goliath and an Energy Turret spawn here for even more vehicular firepower. Power Node 6: Once again, the sixth Node is a mirror image of the fifth, so you will find a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun along with a Raptor, a powerful Goliath and an Energy Turret. Pick-Ups: Inside each base on the upper level, you will come across a keg ‘o health and a super shield pack near the front. There are two health packs around Power Nodes three, two, six and five and at the far side of the map near the fourth Power Node is a super shield pack. At the opposite end at the far side of the map near the first Power Node is a keg ‘o health. Strategies: Because of the long distance of the middle valley, using long-range weapons becomes key in holding off your opponent and dominating the middle of the map. Use the Energy Turrets for great defense as well as the Goliath from your base to fend off pesky smaller vehicles.

Using the Energy Turret and Goliath, you can easily stop any advances the opponent is making toward the middle. With control of Power Nodes five and six, you have the opportunity of owning three Goliaths (including the one that spawns in your base) to their one. Imagine coming into their base from the middle and flanks with three Goliaths – that’s scary. Because of the long straight distance to and from each base, understanding the use of long-range weapons to attack and eliminate enemies when they are far away from you is a necessity. Allowing an enemy to come in with full health rather than hitting them with a long-range weapon from far away and having them coming in with half-health is quite a disadvantage.

ONS-Dria Recommended Players: 12-24 Number of Nodes: 8 The largest of all Onslaught maps (according to its recommended players number), Dria is set among the ruins of the last Nali fortress. The reason the fortress is in ruins is because of the Skaarj who drove the city to the ground for three weeks and finally ran it over. Being an incredibly large Onslaught map, don’t expect to stand a chance without teamwork. More important than in smaller Onslaught maps, good teamwork will heavily increase your chances of winning.

The default Power Node configuration. Bases: Each base has two identical weapons lockers that hold a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Minigun and an AVRiL. Both bases are loaded with vehicles, having two Mantas, two Scorpions, a Raptor, a Hellbender and three Energy Turrets for defense. Power Node 1: The weapons locker at this node includes a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun. There is also a Mine Layer with ammo in the building next to the Power Node. Vehicles that spawn here are a Manta, a Scorpion, a Raptor and an Energy Turret. Power Node 2: If you take the time to grab the goods from this weapons locker you will inherit a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun. After taking over this Power Node, a Manta, a Scorpion, a Raptor and an Energy Turret will appear. Power Node 3:

An important Power Node in terms of its location (right next to the middle bridge), the implements of destruction you will find at this weapons locker include a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Rocket Launcher and an AVRiL. Also key to keeping the bridge, the vehicles that spawn here include a speedy Manta, a useful Hellbender, a powerful Goliath (that is located in the building by the Node acting sort of like a garage) and an Energy Turret on the middle bridge. Power Node 4: This corner Power Node, which you can easily see used to be a place where quite a few Nali lived, includes a Link Gun, a Minigun, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun in its weapons locker. Taking the teleporter up to a tower, you will find an ultra-powerful Target Painter. After taking over this corner area, a Manta, a Scorpion, a Goliath and two Energy Turrets will show up. Power Node 5: The fifth Power Node is a mirror image of the first, so for weaponry it has a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun in its weapons locker as well as a Mine Layer with ammo in the building next to its Power Node. The vehicles that spawn here are a Manta, a Scorpion, a Raptor and an Energy Turret. Power Node 6: The sixth and second Power Nodes are identical, so here you will find a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun in its weapons locker. Spawning at this Power Node are a Manta, a Scorpion, a Raptor and an Energy Turret. Power Node 7: Being a mirror image of the other corner Power Node, the fourth, this Power Node has a Link Gun, a Minigun, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun within its weapons locker. To get to the Target Painter that resides by this Node, take the teleporter to the top of a tower. When you’ve taken over this Power Node, you will be able to use its vehicular fleet which is made up of a Manta, a Scorpion, a Goliath and two Energy Turrets. Power Node 8: This Power Node, residing straight across the middle bridge from Power Node 3, is the exact same as that Power Node, so its weaponry includes a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Rocket Launcher and an AVRiL in its weapons locker and a Manta, Hellbender, Goliath and Energy Turret for its spawning vehicles.

Hitching a ride on any vehicle you can (jumping on the top of a Scorpion or Manta while someone is driving it, or just being a passenger in a Goliath or Hellbender) makes transportation a lot faster than on foot on this monster-sized map. Pick-Ups: Dria is a bit light when it comes to pick-ups, most likely due to its incredibly large size and taking the focus off the Power Nodes themselves. Beginning at each base, there is a Lightning Gun with ammo after taking the teleporter up to a top of a tower within the base and there are also two health packs here, as well. There are two health packs at the third, the eighth, the fourth and the seventh Power Nodes. The middle of the map has a couple of pick-ups. Over the top of each bridge is a Lightning Gun with ammo and in the very middle, between the two bridges on the ground is a super shield pack.

Dropping bombs using a Target Painter on an enemy Power Node just one minute and twenty-nine seconds into the game. Strategies: With such a humongous map, if you’re stuck in-between a couple of Power Nodes without a vehicle it will be quite a walk to a Power Node you own for a vehicle. So, conversation and smart choices are vital when it relates to vehicles. If your vehicle is heavily damaged, rather than have it shot down and destroyed, retreat, go back to a Power Node you own, and with so many vehicle choices at every Power Node, just trade for a vehicle with full health or heal your current ride with the Link Gun. An easy way to slow an enemy down at the very beginning is by grabbing the Raptor from your base and immediately going to either of their initial Power Nodes to distract them from an initial building blitz.

ONS-FrostBite Recommended Players: 6-10 Number of Nodes: 1 Easily the smallest Onslaught map in the game, only featuring one Power Node, there is constantly a mad scramble to capture this one Node and attack the other team’s base.

The default Power Node configuration. Bases: There are two weapons lockers at each base and each has the same identical weaponry: a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Minigun and an AVRiL. There is a Grenade Launcher with ammo in the middle of the base as well as a Lightning Gun with ammo up on the top of the left tower. The vehicles that spawn at each base are a Manta, two Scorpions, a Raptor, a Goliath and an Energy Turret. Power Node 3: The weapons locker at the third Power Node includes a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon, a Rocket Launcher and an AVRiL. The outside towers both hold a Lightning Gun with ammo. The vehicles that spawn for the capturing team include a Manta, two Scorpions and a Hellbender. Pick-Ups: Starting with each base, there are four health vials by the center Grenade Launcher. There is also a normal shield pack in the middle of the base and a keg ‘o health on the top of the far left tower. The Power Node has a double damage amplifier on the top of the back tower toward the red base, and there is a keg ‘o health on the top of the

other back tower near the blue base. There is also a super shield pack in the middle of the Power Node base and two health vials on the left and right side of that. There are weapons lockers in the bottom right and upper right of the map that hold a Mine Layer, a Link Gun, a Rocket Launcher and Lightning Gun. Lastly, there is a Target Painter near the middle of the map on the opposite side of the Power Node in the canyon.

You can blanket the whole center area with the Target Painter. Strategies: On such a small map, using the Target Painter to call in an air strike by a Phoenix Bomber can turn the tide of an attack and give you just enough time to capture that Power Node and attack the other team’s base. The key to ONS- FrostBite is being able to immediately attack the enemy’s Power Core when your team has taken over the Power Node. Dividing your force into a couple of teams and having one focusing on attacking and the other on defending makes it more tough for the other team to come back and take the Power Node back.

ONS-Primeval Recommended Players: 6-10 Number of Nodes: 3 A tiny Onslaught map set in the middle of the forest, Primeval relies less on multiple Power Node linkage and more on pure carnage.

The default Power Node configuration. Bases: Each base has two identical weapons lockers that have a Mine Layer, a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon and an AVRiL. Each base comes complete with a Scorpion, a Hellbender and an Energy Turret for defense. Power Node 1: This Power Node has a weapons locker that offers a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and an AVRiL. After capturing this Power Node, you’ll be riding around in style with the ability to drive a Manta or a Scorpion. Power Node 2: The first and second Power Nodes are the exact same, so expect to find a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and an AVRiL in the weapons locker and a Manta and Scorpion when you have claimed the Power Node. Power Node 3:

This middle Power Node proves to be the only Power Node you really need to own to attack the other team’s base. The weapons locker here offers a Link Gun and the only available Rocket Launcher on the map. If you have this Power Node, then you will be able to drive the Goliath that spawns here. Pick-Ups: There are only four pick-ups on this map in total; on both sides of the third middle Power Node there are two health packs. That’s it.

Get that Goliath as soon as possible, grab a gunner and a healer and proceed to dominate the game. Strategy: It’s true that the corner Power Nodes are not needed to attack the Power Core, but don’t think that just because you don’t need it to attack the Power Core means it isn’t important. The corner Power Nodes give you two more vehicles to try to get the middle Power Node, as that is the most important part of this map. The Goliath is so powerful on this map because of how small Primeval truly is. Cruising around with a driver, a gunner and a couple of people to heal the Goliath is essentially an instant win in Primeval.

ONS-RedPlanet Recommended Players: 12-16 Number of Nodes: 5 Thanks to the fact that this planet has no sun, infrared light reacting with the carbon dioxide in this planet’s atmosphere gives the whole planet its deep blood-red look. The map’s description talks about going crazy after eighteen hours and that is truly understandable even after playing only a thirty-minute match.

The default Power Node configuration. Bases: Wow, the firepower at each base is incredible. There are two weapons lockers and they are both identical in having a Link Gun, a Rocket Launcher, an AVRiL and a Sniper Rifle. Lying around the base is a Grenade Launcher with ammo and a Mine Layer with ammo. The amazing fleet of vehicles that spawn at each base includes two Mantas, a Scorpion, a Hellbender, a Raptor, a Goliath, a Leviathan and three Energy Turrets. But wow, a Leviathan spawning at each base? Take advantage of that. Power Node 1: The weapons locker at this Power Node holds a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon, an AVRiL and a Sniper Rifle. Lots of defense with the four Energy Turrets, but in terms of movable vehicles two Mantas, a Scorpion and a Raptor all spawn here. Power Node 2: This weapons locker yields a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and an AVRiL, while the list of vehicles that spawn here isn’t too shabby, including a Manta, a Scorpion, a Raptor, a Hellbender and four Energy Turrets.

Power Node 3: The middle Power Node’s weapons locker has a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Grenade Launcher and an AVRiL for you to acquire. The vehicles that spawn here include two Mantas, a Scorpion, a Hellbender, a Goliath and four Energy Turrets. Power Node 4: This Power Node is a mirror image of the first Power Node, so it includes the weaponry of a Link Gun, a Flak Cannon, an AVRiL and a Sniper Rifle in its weapons locker as well as two Mantas, a Scorpion, a Raptor and four Energy Turrets. Power Node 5: On the opposite side of the second Power Node, this Power Node is exactly like its counter-part. The weapons locker here gives you a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Rocket Launcher and an AVRiL. The vehicles that spawn at this location include a Manta, a Scorpion, a Raptor, a Hellbender and four Energy Turrets. Pick-Ups: You can pick up a super shield pack at Power Nodes 1 and 4, a keg ‘o health at Power Nodes 2 and 5 and a double damage amplifier at Power Node 3.

Use that Leviathan as your central attack and base your strategies off of it. Strategy: Obviously, with such a powerful vehicle as the Leviathan spawning in your base, you should definitely take advantage of this situation. The vehicle is powerful with one or two players, but with a driver and four gunners as well as a healer trailing behind, you can travel to any Power Node that is in trouble and clear it out easily. You need to have some people on your team travel quickly to Power Nodes in a Raptor, Manta or Scorpion to build them and

then use your Leviathan to power your way through the Power Nodes you need to link to the enemy’s Power Core, and ultimately wreck havoc there by destroying the defensive Energy Turrets and then Power Core itself.

They don’t call the map RedPlanet for nothing. ONS-Severance Recommended Players: 10-20 Number of Nodes: 5 A large Onslaught map, Severance holds some serious firepower within its dark canyons. Two Redeemers, two Target Painters and a Leviathan add up to a chaotic map that can see Power Nodes change hands very quickly.

The default Power Node configuration. Bases: Each base has two weapons lockers that hold a Link Gun, a Rocket Launcher, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun each. Immediately at the beginning of each game on Severance, you are able to zoom off in a Manta, one of two Scorpions, a Raptor, (and zooming not so much in) a Hellbender, a Goliath and two Energy Turrets inside the base and one located outside near the outer wall. Power Node 1: Capturing this Power Node is essential to map domination because of one factor – and the weapons are not it. The weapons locker here offers a Mine Layer, a Link Gun, a Rocket Launcher and an AVRiL. The reason this Power Node is so important is because of the Leviathan that spawns here. Power Node 2: This corner Power Node yields a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Grenade Launcher, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun. And oddly enough, another Lightning Gun with ammo can be found on the top of the main tower. Only ground vehicles spawn here, including a Manta, a Scorpion, a Hellbender and a Goliath.

Power Node 3: The opposite diagonal corner of Power Node 2 offers the same weaponry and vehicles including a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun, a Grenade Launcher, an AVRiL and a Lightning Gun in the weapons locker (also the strangely-placed Lightning Gun at the top of the tower) and a Manta, a Scorpion, a Hellbender and a Goliath for its vehicular arsenal. Power Node 4: The Power Node closest to the red base includes a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Flak Cannon and an AVRiL in its weapons locker, and after capturing the Power Node a couple of Mantas, a Hellbender, a Raptor and an Energy Turret will appear. Power Node 5: A mirror image of Power Node 4, the weapons locker allows you to get a Link Gun, a Minigun, a Flak Cannon and an AVRiL. The vehicles that you can pilot here are two Mantas, a Hellbender, a Raptor and an Energy Turret. Pick-Ups: Beginning with the most important pick-ups on the map, there are two Redeemers and two Target Painters located on Severance. The two Target Painters are located at Power Nodes 4 and 5 just towards the center from the Power Node up on the rock ledge. The first Redeemer is located in-between Power Node 3 and 4 more towards Power Node 4. The second Redeemer is on the opposite side, so it is in-between Power Nodes 2 and 5, closer to Power Node 5. At each base, you will find a double damage amplifier, two health packs and near the outer edge a keg ‘o health. All of the corner Power Nodes have a health pack and a normal shield pack each. The middle Power Node has a Super Shield Pack on each diagonal side, as well as a couple of Lightning Guns with ammo on the top of two towers.

Battles in the middle of the map near Power Node 1 can cause death if on foot – Stay away or in a very strong vehicle to stand a chance when there is a firefight around. Strategy: Obviously, with the two Redeemers, two Target Painters, and Leviathan super weapons are key in driving toward an enemy’s Power Core. Case in point: Clearing out a Power Node with the Target Painter, capturing that Power Node, clearing out the next with the Redeemer, capturing that next Node and rolling into the enemy’s base with a Leviathan is a nearly unstoppable strategy with good team communication.

ONS-Torlan Recommended Players: 8-16 Number of Nodes: 5 The map that started the addiction; Epic’s decision to include ONS-Torlan in the pre-release demo was a brilliant move. Giving the gaming public the first glimpse of vehicles and this interesting new game type, this map turned out to be a huge reason the game was highly anticipated at its release.

The default Power Node configuration. Base: The two weapons lockers at the base are identical and both give you a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and a Flak Cannon. Back near the Power Core, you will find a Grenade Launcher with ammo and an AVRiL with ammo. There is a Lightning Gun with ammo waiting when you take the teleporter to the top of the base. The vehicles that spawn in your base are a Manta, a Hellbender, a Raptor and a couple of Energy Turrets. Power Node 1: The weapons locker at this Power Node gives you a Link Gun, a Grenade Launcher and a Lightning Gun. A Manta, Goliath and an Energy Turret spawn here for vehicles. Power Node 2: The weapons locker at this Power Node gives you a Mine Layer, a Link Gun and a Minigun. A Manta, a Scorpion and an Energy Turret spawn here, as well. Power Node 3:

There are two weapons lockers at this location, one below and one on top of the hill. Both give you a Shock Rifle, a Link Gun and an AVRiL. When captured, a Scorpion spawns down below, a Hellbender spawns inside the Communications Tower, and a Manta and Raptor spawn near the higher weapons locker. Power Node 4: The weapons locker at this Power Node gives you a Mine Layer, a Link Gun and a Minigun. Vehicles that spawn here include a Manta, a Scorpion and an Energy Turret. Power Node 5: The weapons locker at this Power Node gives you a Link Gun, a Grenade Launcher and a Lightning Gun. A Manta, a Goliath and an Energy Turret spawn here, too. Pick-Ups: Each base has a normal shield pack and a keg ‘o health inside of it. Near the first Power Node you will find a super shield pack and a health pack and at the second Power Node you will come across a couple of health packs. On the ground level at the third Power Node you can grab the double damage amplifier and up on top of the hill there is a normal shield pack and a keg ‘o health. On the very top of the communications tower in the middle of the map is the powerful Redeemer as well as a super shield pack. Strategies: Grabbing that Goliath from the corner Nodes is very important in controlling Torlan. To do so, grab a Manta (crouch for any informed teammate to jump on for a ride) and go build your first Node quickly while another person takes the Raptor (preferably) and flies to the corner node to build, then get the Goliath. Capturing the middle Node can be done in a multitude of ways but two in particular are especially effective. The first method involves more teamwork than the other. Take the Hellbender with full capacity to jam up the middle and provide lots of firepower to scare off the enemy. The second method involves a “lone wolf” and a Manta. Zoom in there full speed and release the Manta toward the enemy’s side and use it as a sort of shield to buy you a few precious seconds and make that node right away. If you are the first person there, pick up the double damage amplifier to make building the node using the Link Gun much quicker. The middle Node is important in the fact that it nearly doubles your vehicle artillery and gives the opponent another Node to be worried about.

Toss that Manta in front of you and use it as a shield. When you’re on the offensive, mix up who you have doing what. Have a couple people on the hill with AVRiLs to stop a vehicular rush to their closest node while you have a few harassing their Power Core. That said, if you find yourself on the defensive, do not spend your time trying to kill those attacking your base. Go run and take your closest Node back! Think about it, the more enemies in your base, the fewer defending the closest Node. Once you destroy that Node, there will be a few enemies stuck at your Power Core unable to attack it. The middle and corner Nodes are key—you can advance on the enemy Core via either route, and each way has its advantages. Controlling the middle node provides the shortest path to the opposing Node 1, while simultaneously doling out several vehicles and quality weaponry within striking distance on the enemy’s heart. The corner Nodes each spawn a Goliath and a Manta; controlling both these nodes brings both speed and long-range artillery. Once you control either path, you can ignore the other while you focus on the opposition’s first Node—take out that Node, and their grip on the other path will quickly loosen as the Node(s) are isolated.

Winning Strategies In this section, we detail some more specific ideas, tips, and strategies that didn’t quite fit in the above sections. Some of the ideas described in this section require a somewhat higher level of aptitude with the game, as well as a cooperative team with which to apply them. Please feel free to submit Winning Strategies of your own via email, and we’ll consider incorporating them into future revisions of this guide!

General

Decisions Require Situational Context Many players tend to play as though the goal of every match, at every moment, were simply to frag their opponents. While a frag is rarely a bad thing, this is a losing attitude. Oftentimes the most rewarding action has little to do with randomly eliminating opponents, and fragging can occasionally be a bad thing. For example, if you’re in a duel with an opposing player on your side of a Bombing Run map, while your teammates are advancing on the enemy goal, fragging the player with which you duel will cause him to respawn near his base, likely in the path of your teammates—keep him occupied rather than kill him, and you’re helping your team, even if you lose your life doing so. As another example, if your flag has been taken and your team does not possess the opponents’ flag, you ought be translocating like a madman trying to catch the enemy flag carrier, not worrying about the opponent who’s camping near your team’s shield pack spawn point.

Choice of Weaponry Requires Context

Using the Flak Cannon at long distances is not recommended.

Instead, use the Shock Rifle to inflict full damage on the opponent. Another common mistake made by gamers is the notion that one weapon is the ‘best,’ and they then constantly seek out and employ that weapon. While you won’t catch us trying to convince you that a Rocket Launcher is ever a bad weapon to have in your arsenal, sometimes the situation calls for more creative choices. For example, if you’ve been assigned a choke point to control, then more permanent containment weaponry may be in order; the Mine Layer, Grenade Launcher, or Biorifle—or a combination of the three. If you and an opponent are at opposite ends of a large plain, you have a Rocket Launcher, and he has a Shock Rifle, who do you think will win? Hint: it’s not you.

Bots Are Your Friends Should you find yourself on a team with a bot or two, don’t ignore them. Players tend to forget that they can command any bot on their team, and it’s an oversight to make this mistake. It’s often difficult to build a complete team on public servers, as much of the time no one wants to take on the ‘dirty work’ roles of defense, healing, etc. Bots may be able to fill this void. In any event, be sure to at least give them an attack or defend order so that they’re spending their time doing something productive rather than simply sweeping.

Another Friend: The Translocator The Translocator is not just a device used to get to otherwise-inaccessible locations. It is also an effective speed booster, allowing a skilled player to cross huge distances in no time flat; a reconnaissance device that can be tossed into enemy territory and then used as a camera (hit Q while the Translocator is deployed); a stealth weapon that can vaporize an opponent before he even realizes that you’re there; and a safety net when traversing dicey terrain over chasms—if you start to fall, a quick toss of the Translocator can bring you back to relative safety. Any gametype that allows use of the Translocator requires use of the Translocator to be fully effective. Be sure to have the device mapped to an easily-accessible key, and master the special move that switches you immediately back to your

previous weapon after a translocation (press primary fire before releasing the secondary button that causes you to translocate).

On Single-Player Ladder Matches, Change Venues When Stuck Each match up the single-player ladder offers the option to switch to a different map for a fee. If you’re having difficulty and just can’t seem to get past a particular battle, a change of scenery might be just what the doctor ordered.

Deathmatch / Team DM / Last Man Standing

Break Up Duels The most lucrative situation in any form of Deathmatch game is the discovered duel. If you’re lucky enough to come across two or more players duking it out, lock and load! They will likely be so focused on each other that you’ll be able to line up a couple of quality shots, and have them both heading toward the light before they realize you’re there. Especially on more crowded maps, lobbing area-of-effect weaponry into crowded areas is a great tactic. This brings us to our next point...

Don’t Become Engrossed in a Duel As mentioned above, if you focus solely on a battle with another player, you’re opening yourself up to an easy attack by another opponent. Always keep your eyes open, and keep moving around the arena. If you can’t take out an opponent with relative ease as you pass through the area, in general you’re better off forgetting about him and continuing on. There are exceptions, of course—sparsely-populated maps, and opponents with inferior weaponry— but as a rule, you should look to keep moving rather than lock antlers with one foe in particular.

LMS = Less is More, Stupid Last Man Standing is a unique form of Deathmatch, and requires a unique form of play. No longer is your goal to kill, but to avoid being killed. Rather than running around madly, attempting to frag anything that moves, you should locate an advantageous portion of the map and patrol that area religiously. Avoid areas with poor view of the surrounding area; look to higher ground, as well as locations from which you can make a quick exit when pressed. We’re not talking about camping, but rather choosing the locale of your battles wisely. This is one skill you’ll need to learn well if you want to succeed in this mode of the tournament.

Double Domination

Split the Team Succeeding in Double Domination matches generally requires your team to split off into two groups, each one focusing on a particular control point. A decent team will constantly harass both of the points, so you will need to have a constant stream of support heading toward each control point, or you wisk being scored upon. With only ten seconds needed in order to score once dominating, there usually is not enough time for a player to change routes and head to a different point once he hears the ‘dominating’ warning. If you are able, gather each of the two groups together, then simultaneously rush both control points for a shot at overwhelming a disorganized team and scoring a quick domination point.

Choose Your Lookout Points Carefully When your team has hold of a control point, you can bet your life savings that the other team is sending reinforcements with which to try to take it back. You can be 100% certain that these reinforcements will attempt to touch the control point. Thus if you’re standing right next to it, you are putting yourself in the line of fire. You wouldn’t defend your flag stand in a CTF match by standing on top of it; the same advice applies here. Try to find a location near the control point, with a clear shot at the control point, but that is not easily visible or targetable on the path to the control point. Take aim from there and attempt to eliminate approaching opponents, and you’ll have the advantage.

Team Up With a Partner Given the inherent disadvantage that an advancing player must battle, approaching control points with a teammate taking point and following from another path can raise the odds of success quite a bit by forcing any defenders to target multiple players. Alternatively, one player can charge the control point while the other looks for a hidden defender who may be firing on the charging teammate, then takes him out.

Capture the Flag

Cover Two Locations At Once If you find yourself assigned the role of defender, locate a prime spot from which you can defend the flag (read: a place from which you can see the flag stand and the path out of the base, and which is difficult for attackers to see and fire upon as they enter the base). Drop your Translocator here, and exit the flag room. You can now apply yourself elsewhere, while still maintaining the ability to monitor the flag room, as well as instantly transport back in if things get hot. Defend another entrance to your team’s base, sweep the area and help out where needed, or even provide a burst of offense—whatever you choose to do, you are effectively giving your team an extra player to work with.

Choose the Flag Carrier Wisely When approaching the opposing flag with a teammate, the player with more health or armor—or a full load of adrenaline—should be the one to grab the flag. Don’t worry—if you cover the carrier well, you’ll rack up the bonus points, too.

Use the Environment to Your Advantage on Defense... When defending, remember that you don’t necessarily need to directly kill the opposing intruders or flag carrier in order to accomplish your goal. Knocking opponents off of bridges to their doom, or halting their progress by spamming a tight entryway with Shock Rifle combos while a teammate approaches them from behind, can be just as effective. You have positional advantage when manning defensive roles—use this to your benefit.

...And Occasionally on Offense, Too The environment can prove a valuable asset on offense, as well. For example, when covering the escape of a teammate who has just grabbed the enemy team’s flag, you can often rack up the kills by halting and peppering enemies as they attempt to follow the carrier out through a choke point or over a bridge. Especially if your carrier

has more than one cover man, it is usually advantageous for one of them to hang back and harass your opponents as they try to leave their base.

Bombing Run

Pass, Pass, Pass!

After translocating to a position closer to the goal, call for the ball! Most Bombing Run maps include large, open areas on the way from the ball reset point to either team’s goal. This intentionally makes it very difficult for a single player to transport the ball the entire way to the opposing goal. It also makes long passes between teammates possible. Covering a teammate who is carrying the ball is a noble goal, but translocating ahead and receiving a pass will net you more success in the long run. You’ll find it extremely difficult to score against any form of competent, organized team if you try to play a one-man offense. Please, for the love of all things good and holy, pass the damned ball. Your teammates will thank you. Think of the children. If you have time, hash out a plan among your teammates before the match, deciding what route the ball will take to the goal, and who will cover which locations. If you plan it right, there will be very little running, and lots of passing—culminating in a quick score.

To Toss, Or To Run? On your way to the opposing goal, you have a decision to make—toss the ball through the goal for three points, or try to run it through for seven. On some maps, the choice is easy, as the relative difficulty of the second method isn’t appreciably higher than the former. However most often tossing the goal is the easier (and thus more ‘surefire’)

proposition. Generally it comes down to a simple risk assessment; if you believe that you can make it through the goal while carrying the ball, go for it. If you’re low on health (and by ‘low,’ we mean ‘not juiced up like Barry Bonds in body armor), a quick toss is usually the wise decision. Three points, after all, are better than zero. While we’re on the subject, you should practice your tossing skills offline until you’re able to make relatively long- distance shots with ease. In most cases, you’ll only get one shot at the goal before the opposing team takes you out—be prepared to make it count.

Locate and Monitor Super Weapons Given the relatively open nature of most Bombing Run maps, super weapons such as the Redeemer, Ion Painter, and Target Painter can quickly turn a covered enemy assault—or a rapidly-approaching defensive force—into a massive pile of steaming gibs quicker than Counselor Troi can down a chocolate sundae. Review our Maps chapter to ensure that you know the location of these weapons, and then use them when appropriate.

Adrenaline is Key Adrenaline combos are a major asset when attempting to score. Kicking in a speed power-up to cover that last stretch to the enemy goal, or choosing a booster combo to bring yourself to uber-health status before grabbing the ball, go quite far in raising your chances of scoring. Save these combos for bonified scoring opportunities. See our Controlling the Action chapter for more information on Adrenaline.

Assault

Remember the Objectives, But Don’t Mad Rush Them All The only goal on an Assault map is to complete the next objective, right? Sort of—but aiding teammates who are mad rushing the next objective will often bring you more success. Most objectives have fairly obvious defense points that your opponents will be employing. In many cases, these points are susceptible to fire from your team. If one or two of your teammates hangs back and peppers the enemy with fire rather than joining the rest of your team in a mad dash, you may be able to disrupt the defenders enough to allow your team to break through and complete the objective quickly. For example, on AS-Convoy, the second primary objective—placing the explosives on the door to the repair vessel—can be quite difficult against a quality defense. If, however, a teammate hangs back near the boarding platform base, he can fire rockets with near impunity at the enemy turret (if it’s still standing), the door to the vessel, and the other defense hangouts. This objective becomes much easier when the defenders are constantly on their heels.

Take Out Enemy Turrets

Taking out enemy turrets is essential to a fast Assault time. In many cases, the defense’s turrets are the crux of their power. Destroying these turrets quickly can put a significant dent in the defense’s ability to effectively blanket the objectives with weapons fire. A good method of taking out turrets from afar is to prepare a zoom-equipped weapon such as the Lightning Gun or Sniper Rifle, aim at the turret, then switch to the Rocket Launcher and let a couple dozen rockets fly.

Use Your Positional Advantage When Defending As with other team-based gametypes, when you’re defending, you have an advantage over the other team in that you know exactly where they need to go, and what they need to accomplish. Rather than simply stick your neck out by positioning yourself in-between the objective and the oncoming team for a straight-up fragger’s duel, choose a location with a height or visibility advantage at which to make your stand.

Onslaught

Don’t Neglect Defense! Free-for-all Onslaught matches are hectic by definition, but oftentimes there are many more Power Node possession changes than there should be. Why? Because teams tend to focus exclusively on acquiring the next Node, neglecting the Nodes that they already have. Unless you’re playing on an extraordinarily small team, there should always be player(s) assigned to defend the team’s unshielded possessions. An undefended Node is a ripe target, but even one defender can make its acquisition much more difficult, as Nodes are rarely without armor, vehicles, or turrets.

By the same token, if your opponent isn’t taking care of their nest, exploit this deficiency and harass any unshielded Nodes of theirs. You can cause a lot of damage this way, especially if you manage to strand one of their nodes without a link to their Core (the Node will slowly lose health until it is destroyed, and even a defender with a Link Gun won’t be able to stop it).

Even So, The Best Defense Is A Good Offense If you should find yourself backed into your own base, with the opposing team bearing down on your vulnerable Power Core, don’t expend too many resources defending the Core itself. Assign a token defense force to wipe out any intruders and prevent massive Core damage, but concentrate the bulk of your forces on taking back the adjacent Power Node that is allowing your foes to attack your Core. Knocking off enemies as they enter your base is a losing proposition—you’re only treading water. Taking back the first Node will make any opposing forces advancing on your base useless, and will give you a foothold to try to mount an attack.

Choose Your Nodes Wisely On most Onslaught maps, there are multiple link routes between the bases. Often, your team can use this to their advantage by choosing a particular path and focusing only on those Nodes, only paying attention to the remaining Nodes in order to harass any opposing presence. Absorb the weapons and vehicle information for each Node from our Maps chapter, determine which path to the enemy base provides the most important artillery, and increase your team’s presence and power by focusing on those Nodes. This practice can lead to impressively-quick victories against disorganized teams.

Support Roles Are Vital

A tank with healing support is far more deadly than without. Much of the glory associated with Onslaught matches comes from capturing Nodes, powering through opposing teams in the larger vehicles, and taking down the enemy Power Core. But you can contribute just as much—if not more—to your team’s success by accepting less glamorous, yet still vital, roles. For example, open maps require heavy use of AVRiL fire. Even one member of your team scaling a hill and targeting contested areas can vastly improve your team’s chances by harassing the enemy vehicular presence. As well, air support can make all the difference on many Onslaught maps. When a Raptor attacks a Node or Core, it tosses aside its most potent advantage—its speed and power to evade enemy fire. Rather than turning yourself into a sitting duck, speed around the map providing cover to your more air-vulnerable assets like Goliaths and Leviathans, using your homing missiles to take down other Raptors, Mantas, and Phoenix bombers. Finally, provide engineering assistance when required. Healing a damaged forward Node, or hopping out of a vehicle to repair it while it’s under fire, can make all the difference more often than you might expect.

Mutant

Make a Method from the Madness Mutant is perhaps the most haphazard, out-of-control gametype. It’s difficult to *find* the Mutant, much less be the one to kill him among all players in the field. The key to winning Mutant matches is to become the Mutant, and to do that you need to best everyone else at pure fragging ability. There really isn’t much strategy involved in this mode—generally, the most skilled, twitch-happy player wins.

Invasion

Band of Brothers

You have a much greater chance of surviving if you stick together than you would have going solo. For Invasion matches, you’ll need to put your pride in your pocket and admit that you need help in order to be successful. Once your team has passed the first several waves, a lone player—no matter how skilled—will be defeated and knocked out of the wave if he’s caught alone against the advancing hordes. Apply Last Man Standing principles to team-based play: find an area with a good view of all approaches, spread your team out, and lock ‘n load.

Cheats While playing offline, you can modify game parameters (read: cheat) by using certain console commands. Bring up the console by pressing the tilde (~) key, then enter any of the following. Most of these have been brought down from the previous games in the Unreal franchise, so if you knew them then, there’s a good chance you still know them now. To Accomplish This Type This Infinite health god All weapons loaded 999 ammo for every weapon allammo 3rd-person view behindview 1 1st-person view behindview 0 Freeze/unfreeze time playersonly Commit suicide suicide Add bots addbots # Kill all bots killbots Gain the power of flight fly Lose the power of flight walk Summon Raptor summon Onslaught.ONSAttackCraft Summon Manta summon Onslaught.ONSHoverBike Summon Goliath summon Onslaught.ONSHoverTank Summon Hellbender summon Onslaught.ONSPRV Summon Scorpion summon Onslaught.ONSRV Summon Leviathan Summon OnslaughtFull.ONSMobileAssaultStation Summon Assault Rifle summon xweapons.assaultriflepickup Summon AVRiL summon onslaught.onsavrilpickup Summon Bio Rifle summon xweapons.Bioriflepickup Summon Flak Cannon summon xweapons.flakcannonpickup Summon Grenade Launcher summon onslaught.onsgrenadepickup Summon Ion Painter summon xweapons.painterpickup Summon Lightning Gun summon xweapons.sniperriflepickup Summon Link Gun summon xweapons.linkgunpickup Summon Mine Layer summon onslaught.onsMine Layerpickup Summon Minigun summon xweapons.Minigunpickup Summon Redeemer summon xweapons.Redeemerpickup Summon Rocket Launcher summon xweapons.rocketlauncherpickup Summon Shock Rifle summon xweapons.shockriflepickup Summon Sniper Rifle summon utclassic.classicsniperriflepickup Note that there are many, many more commands available, however we chose to include only the most useful here. For a more complete list, consult one of the many useful online resources, such as http://www.unrealadmin.org/.

Performance Tips and Tweaks Many UT2K4 players have performance issues. Unreal Tournament 2004 offers many options with which anyone meeting the minimum system requirements should be able to play the game enjoyably. If you are not having any performance issues and are not interested in tuning your machine, please feel free to skip this section. If you are, however, interested in cleaning up your computer, by all means read the following. Note that this section is unlikely to give you dramatic improvements in visual quality and frame rate. It is instead intended to help you get the most out of your system, and add a few frames per second to your rig.

Minimum System Requirements First off, make sure you meet the minimum requirements. They are: • Pentium III or AMD Athlon 1.0MHz (1.5 GHz or better highly recommended) • 128 MB RAM (256 MB or higher highly recommended) • 5.5 GB hard disk space • 8X CD/DVD ROM • Any Windows-compatible video card (64MB VRAM highly recommended, Linux also supported) • Direct X 8.1 (included on game disc) or higher • Windows-compatible sound card • Windows 95/98/2000/XP or Linux • TCP/IP 33.6+ Kbps connection (for Internet play; broadband connection highly recommended) Specs that are significantly higher will yield better performance results. I personally am using an Athlon 1.54 GHz processor with 512 MB of PC2100 DDR RAM, a Sapphire Radeon 9800Pro video card, and a Sound Blaster Audigy. I am able to host large online games in 1280x1024 32-bit color with AA/Ani and all the bells and whistles on with a stable (but not quite optimal) framerate. In the near future, I’ll be upgrading the processor and adding in much more RAM. This should improve my performance significantly.

Tips to Improve Gameplay First, if you’re bummed by extraordinarily long load times between levels, enter UT’s Settings menu, then the Game tab, and un-check ‘Preload All Player Skins.’ This will cause a very slight delay whenever a player with a new skin joins a match, but will drastically reduce level load times. Reducing texture quality will also decrease load times. DEFRAG before and after you install UT2K4. This is one of the most beneficial acts you can do for your computer. For those of you not-so-tech savvy, defragmenting your hard drive ensures that all of the UT data is contained in one large block of your hard drive, so the game can access its data much more quickly. Picture your hard drive as a big puzzle; over the time you've had the computer, you've installed, uninstalled, copied, and deleted numerous items. After a while, the disk begins to look like Swiss cheese. Defragmenting organizes all of the data neatly, and puts all of the empty space at the end of the drive. This is a must-do task that can drastically improve performance on systems near the low end of acceptable hardware, especially if it hasn’t been done in many months. Remove any unnecessary programs from your startup group and system tray. They consume valuable resources, taking away from UT2K4’s available processor power and memory. Virus scanners and the Real Player Start Center are known resource hogs. (Note: disable real-time virus protection at your own risk) Most people don’t think of

system tray icons as resource hogs, but they are programs, and they are competing with UT2K4 for your system’s assets. Update your video and sound drivers, along with DirectX. You should have DirectX 8.1 or higher for optimal performance, and video/sound drivers are even more important. Oftentimes, the drivers that ship with new graphics and sound hardware are very, very buggy. GeForce cards are especially known for their buggy beta drivers. Did I mention they're often BUGGY? Be sure to check the manufacturer's site for updated files. I can't stress this enough. Oh, and while we're on the topic of updating, consider going to the Windows Update site and updating EVERY Critical Update... updating to the latest Service Pack can help a lot, and many drivers are automagically cleaned up. Purchase more memory. You should have at least 512 megs in a decent desktop these days. 64 and 128 Meg machines are considered RAM-starved by modern standards, and 256-MB setups are quickly being relegated to gaming purgatory. You can never have enough memory, especially if using Windows XP; it will improve your system's performance across the board. Memory is in most cases just as important as your processor and graphics card. If any of these three items is found lacking, UT2K4 will run horribly. If your hard drive is too large then the game, as well as the rest of your system, will run more slowly than it should. This is because the FAT (File Allocation Table – a minimap of your hard drive) is not the most efficient file system, and the larger your hard drive is then the larger the FAT is, and the more it has to read through to find out where files are on your drive. For example, if you have Windows XP or 2000, and are using the NT File System, things will run faster. This is because NTFS has a better, more efficient file structure. The choice to convert or not depends on what operating system you have. If you have Win98, you should already have FAT32; if you have NT, you'll have NTFS. If you have 95, you're stuck with FAT 16 unless you have SR 2. If you do have 98, and still have FAT16, go to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Drive Converter. You can switch to FAT32 here. The benefits are a little more speed, and less HD slack. (Slack is how much space is wasted on small files. In layman's terms, a small file on a large drive in FAT16 can take much more space than it requires; FAT32 wastes much less space). If the Drive Converter isn't there, you either already have FAT32, or need to install the Drive Converter software off the Win98 CD. Set the read ahead on your CD-ROM and Hard Drive to full. This can yield significant performance benefits to playing the game as well as using your computer in general. This can be done by double clicking in Control Panel on System, then going to the Performance Tab, and clicking on File System. Adjust the various tabs to yield better performance. (In WinXP, click the Advanced tab of the System option in Control Panel, then click the Performance Settings option, and choose ‘Adjust for Best Performance.’ This will remove some of the glitter of XP, but will free up some memory.) If you’re using Win98, change the typical role of your computer to Network Server. The all-around performance increase of this can be huge. This is done from the System icon in the Control Panel. Go to the performance Tab and then File System. Change the role there. You can also overclock your processor, graphics card, and system bus, but this is not recommended unless you know what you’re doing and are willing to take the risk (overclocking any part of your system generally voids the warranty of every component in your rig). I won’t detail the process of overclocking here, but if you’re interested, several quality guides can be found online. Again, we don’t encourage overclocking, and hereby absolve ourselves from all harm should you mess up your machine by venturing where you don’t belong, but here are a couple of good links: http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=review&dId=411, and http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=review&dId=324.

Miscellaneous Notes I see many people thinking that Pentium 4 processors running at a higher clock speed will be much faster than an Athlon chip at a slightly lower clock speed. This is not necessarily the case. Clock speed is but one variable in a large equation for processor performance. Chip speed is based mostly upon the relationship between the bit path of the chip and the speed (MHz). For instance, Pentium-class chips (MMX, Athlon, PII, PIII, and P4 included) are 32-bit. The speed is determined (primarily) by a multiplication of the bit path and the speed of the processor. Now, to make chips even faster, you add pipelines to the chip, allowing more than one instruction to be processed at once. Sometimes this creates lag, as it is only able to perform one instruction at a time because one instruction is waiting on information it needs from the other instructions, however this usually provides a dramatic performance increase. In each edition of the chip class, they try to minimize the lag time created by this by designing them more and more efficiently, yet this can only account for so much. The Athlon and the Pentium handle things differently. An Athlon running at the same clock speed as a Pentium will always outperform it, and generally will do so by an astoundingly wide margin. This is why AMD now labels their processors with a number instead of the clock speed. An Athlon XP 1700+ will generally perform comparably to a Pentium 4 1.7 GHz, even though the Athlon runs at a much lower clock speed. Better system configuration measures will not only increase the performance that you receive from playing the latest games, but will also give you benefits that enhance the performance of everything else that you do on your computer. Many, if not most, of these upgrades are very easy and inexpensive or free, so take advantage of doing whatever you can, and reap the benefits.

Glossary / Netspeak Camping – If a player simply hides out in a particular location for the duration of a match, he is referred to as a camper. Camping in straight Deathmatch games is highly frowned upon by the online community. Circle-strafe – See ‘Strafe.’ Complete Domination – Usually occurs when CliffyB or Zaxxon enters a game. ;) Control Point – In Double Domination, the two areas under contention are Control Points. CTF – Capture the Flag. Flag Capture (or ‘Cap’) – In Capture the Flag. A flag capture is achieved when a player grabs the opposing flag and successfully touches it to his own flag within his home base. Flak Monkey – A Flak Monkey is a player who kills nearly exclusively with the Flak Cannon. Flamed – Originally used in reference to Internet newsgroups. Refers to being yelled at by other players online, especially for unsportsmanlike conduct, e.g. camping, cheating, etc. FPS – First-Person Shooter. Games like UT2K4, Quake 3 Arena, Doom 3, etc. Frag – How points are measured in Deathmatch games. A frag is the number of kills a player has minus the number of times he has killed himself. gg – Good game. Typically said at the conclusion of an online match. gl – Good luck. Typically uttered at the outset of an online match. Gib – A player is gibbed when he’s killed and blown to pieces. Kill – A player is awarded a kill every time he kills another player with his weapon, or sets in motion an event that kills an opponent (i.e. knocking someone off a ledge, or blowing up a vehicle in their direct vicinity. Leading a Target – Leading a target means firing your weapon so that the ammo intersects with the target. Example: Firing your rocket missiles to the left of a player who is running left, causing the rockets to hit the player even though he’s moving. lol – Laughing out loud. Stay away from people who overuse this. Mutator – A Mutator is a modification to UT that alters gameplay in some way. Newbie (or n00b) – A newbie is a player who is relatively inexperienced at a particular game. Average players often pick on newbies. Skilled players pick on players who pick on n00bs. 0wnz j00 – A player 0wnz j00 (owns you) if he has his way with you online. Pancaked – Getting crushed by a descending Manta. Pickup – Any item that can be picked up by the player by running over it is a pickup, e.g. ammo, weaponry, adrenaline capsules, etc. Power Core – A team’s main objective on an Onslaught map is to destroy their opponent’s Power Core. The Core can be found in the team’s base. Power Node – Controlling Power Nodes that form a path from your team’s Onslaught base to your opponents’ base will allow you to attack their Power Core.

Rocket Whoring – Using the Rocket Launcher often will see you called a rocket whore by poorer players. Our opinion is that weapons are there to be used; if you’re good at using a particular weapon, use it! Shock Whoring – A player that stands in an important location and constantly attempts to kill players with Shock Rifle combos is guilty of shock whoring. This maneuver is much more difficult to pull off in UT2K4 than it was in UT, due to the rifle’s slower speed and toned-down damage. Smack Down – A player puts the ‘smack down’ on another player by not only killing him/her, but also humiliating him/her. Example: Player1 disses Player2’s momma. Player2 then proceeds to smack Player1 down by killing him three times straight, then explaining the inner workings of the bedroom habits of Player1’s momma. Spawn Point – The locations on a map that players re-appear at after dying are known as spawn points. Splash Damage – Damage caused by indirect hits is splash damage. For example, shooting the wall next to a player with a rocket causes splash damage to that player. Strafe – A strafe is just a step to the side. Circle-strafing is the maneuver of circling a player while constantly keeping your weaponry aimed (or firing) at him. Spread – The number of frags difference between you and the leader (if you’re losing) or between you and the 2nd- place player if you’re winning. Defined as Spread = yourFrags – nextHighestPlayer’sFrags. Suicide – If a player kills himself, either from his own gun, falling, drowning, burning, etc, it is recorded as a suicide. Suicides add -1 point to your score. =) / ;-) / :p / J / :] – Different forms of smiley faces.

Thanks and Links We’d be remiss if we didn’t begin by thanking Digital Extremes, Epic Games, and Atari for providing us with yet another black hole of time-destroying yumminess. Thanks, guys! Here’s to another 5 years of gaming bliss! Thanks to PlanetUnreal, UnrealOps, Beyond Unreal and the Gamespy Network for keeping the world updated of all the happenings in the Unreal universe. Check out ocr*flocutus’ UT Bible; much of it still applies to UT2K4. Panthera’s UTStatsDB statistical analysis and reporting tool is incredibly kick-ass. If you’d like to play UT2K4 with us, email Zaxxon for information on our private server. The Official UT2K4 site is a good place to check out, as well. GoneGold continues to rock our world. And, of course, visit the Stratos Group regularly. It does a body good. Hi, Mom!