~[TR]~Relics ONS Map Pack

Description
And here's a bumper pack from Relic, containing three Onslaught maps. The three maps are as follows:

- ONS-TR-Europa[Final]
- ONS-TR-TheIsles
- ONS-TR-Transmission


[u]1. [b][i]ONS-TR-Europa[Final][/i][/b][/u]

Finally, an Onslaught map with a moon theme. For those not in "the know", Europa is the smallest of Jupiter's moons.

The map has ample space for wide-scale combat, and a wide degree of variation in the rocky terrain. This gives plenty of room for vantage points and risky vehicle maneuvers in the heat of battle, adding that extra edge to the game. Sadly, I only saw one chokepoint, but it's a great defensive asset for the red team.

Powernodes themselves are, for the most part, located in towers. Each tower contains a teleport point leading to the top, allowing for a nice sniper ledge and a hard-to-gain powerup spot. The powernodes are easily defendable, provided you properly garrison the towers, but at the same time any suitable defense can be counterattacked. The defense-offense balance is well-stricken.

Architecturally, there are a few points of contention. The base layout, for one. The upper level in the bases are severely underused. Not that it's a bad thing, I just felt that more could have been done with them. The terrain fits the purpose, but it doesn't have too many elements which have an impact on gameplay. One thing I generally look for in maps, is maps that will have a certain twist to how the game is played, and compared to Relic's other maps, I just feel that this one is a little less unique.

The map is almost glitch-free, but I did find one little thing that could be considered "glitchy". Spider mines don't handle the terrain well. Actually, that's an understatement, they don't handle the terrain at all. Hardly Relic's fault, though.

In summary, a classy ONS map with a theme that hasn't been done too many times before. I had fun just driving around on it in the Scorpion, and had a blast when I tried it in botmatch. I expect to see this one on quite a few ONS servers.


[u]2. [b][i]ONS-TR-TheIsles[/i][/b][/u]

Ah hah! [i]Now[/i] we get back to Relic's uniqueness theme, and we get back to it with style.

Personally, I love this map. Maybe because I generally like aerial combat, but probably because it's a whole new challenge for me.

Anyway, that's enough babbling. What's in this map, you ask? Each team has a cruiser for a base. It's carrying three Cicadas and four Raptors, as well as some turrets, weapons, and the powercore. The powernodes are hidden on three islands, which you must reach by air. Once you've taken an island, you can also unlock the Manta, which works as a hovercraft due to it's nature. Don't think of taking a swim, or you're finished.

The map is impressively wide. I sure hope y'all have a good sense of direction. Teamwork is a necessity. If you want to get anything done, you're gonna need those Cicadas with their heavy firepower, which means you hot-shot Raptor pilots are flying escort. Mantas are good for little other than scouting, since the Raptor missiles will wipe them out.

There are a few graphical problems, mostly due to the size of the map. Seems UT2004's vis range doesn't stretch that far, and things just don't look good when fading in from the horizon. I also spotted a few minor clashes, mostly on the islands, where the water sometimes pops up through the rocks. No big deal, though.

A unique map with a unique style of play. Definitely one you'll be wanting to try.


[u]3. [b][i]ONS-TR-Transmission[/i][/b][/u]

This map has already been hosted here seperately. For a full review, check [file="75022"][u]this page[/u][/file].


These maps won't be to everyone's taste, of course, but they're definitely worth trying if you're into Onslaught.

~ Kouen

[b]NOTE:[/b] You will need the [file="52476"]UT2004 Mega Bonus Pack[/file] to use this map, as it includes the Cicada bomber.