TARANTULA TOWER
Map Download: Bungie.net : Community : Forum Topic Listing : Forum Reply Listing
Gametype: Spider Flag
Gametype Download: Bungie.net : Community : Forum Topic Listing : Forum Reply Listing
Suggested # of players: 4-6

EDIT:
Version 2 differences
- It is now impossible to get out of the level.
- deleted excess, distracting scenery behind the map, viewable from the lower D base
- added a couple more spawn points, and another respawn area to the attacking side
- added a Power Drain to the defensive side (spawns one minute into the round, and will only be available again if sudden death comes into play)
- added sound effects:
- shield doors around the outside of the map on the defensive side
- man cannons and grav lifts around the outside of the map on the attack side

Influences: There’s a tiny bit of Ivory Tower in there, but other than that basically just my extreme fear/hatred of spiders

Brief Description:
Tarantula Tower is a symmetrical map designed for One Flag, specifically the Spider Flag game-variant. The attacking team spawns against the back wall and may either travel through the tunnels, or over the top (quicker, but with less cover) to the Defensive Base covering 3 levels. 2 top entrances, 2 tunnel entrances, and a lift spanning all three levels provide multiple ways in and out of the base. Since the map, despite being built from foundry’s man-made objects, has an alien feel to it, I decided to make all the weapons covenant, and split the grenades between plasmas and spike grenades. That’s right, no human weapons (other than the AR) and no frags. I wanted to create a unique experience that makes you forget about foundry all together.

Since the map is somewhat small, I created a specific One Flag variant to make it flow a bit better. 2 minute rounds, making the Beam Rifle and Plasma Cannons available only once per round. Players start without grenades, and without the luxury of a motion sensor (giving the map more suspense, and a little less grenade-spamming). Once you have stolen the flag, you’ll find your speed has been reduced to 50% in order to balance out the short distance from the top of the D base to the flag return point, and I changed the flag carrier’s color to black (the spider). Flag return time and flag respawn times are both 15 seconds.

The map is mostly close-quarters, so the screenshots don’t really show you all that much, and might be a bit confusing. Just DL the map and check it out, because I guarantee you can’t really get a good idea from just the screens. All the same I took plenty to still try and capture some of the magi…er, horror.

Screenshots:

When first beginning to build this, I started with the tunnel structure… before I knew it, it had taken on a spider-like form with 6 legs. And once I added the brown-ish walls lining it, “Tarantula” just seemed to fit
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From the middle of the attack base looking between 2 corner wall-covers up to the D base
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Looking down at the attack base
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The right-side attack tunnel leading to the sword room
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Sword room from the attack tunnel, you can see one of the D-side tunnels on the opposite side
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The left-side D tunnel leading to the sword room
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Lower level of the D base
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Another angle
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The lift, which takes you from the lowest to highest levels in the D base has somewhat of an Ivory Tower feel, and is where the “Tower” in the map title came from. Be careful not to get caught in the spider web, the triangle made by the fence boxes just in front of the upper grav lift (just to the left of it in the pic) will suck unsuspecting players up into it as a trap. you can blow up the lift to release yourself, and it will respawn 10 seconds later. The lover lift will however, still take you up to the top level regardless of the upper one being there.
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Mid-level D base, left side
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More D base
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Mid-level lift, great for assassinating players ascending the lift from below
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Top of the D base, looking to Attack
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Looking through the separated-double fence walls down at the sword room (kind of an Epitaph feel if you ever check out the ground floor)
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2 two-way teleporters reside across from each other along the open field above the tunnels
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You can drop down to the lower D level through the fence box
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Which ends up here
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Weapons: AR (starting weapon), 4 Carbines (2 per side), multiple Plasma Rifles, 2 Plasma Pistols (one per side), a Beam Rifle (attack, one spawn per round), a Needler (defense), and 2 defensive Plasma Cannons (150 one spawn each per round)

Equipment: The attack has a Bubble Shield (60s), and a Deployable Cover (45s, NOT placed at start). The equipment is intended for some cover traveling across the middle, and a deployed Bubble Shield above the sword room can make for some interesting battles for those underneath.

That’s about it for now, I hope you all enjoy Tarantula Tower. It took me probably 15-18 hours, give or take. Lining the upper tunnels with walls proved pretty difficult with the odd angles and interlocking them (they aren’t pristine-perfect, but they’re darn close. Plus I feel it adds to the atmosphere). As always, I look forward to hearing what you think, whether you liked it or not, and why. I’m open to constructive criticism, as I know I’m not perfect.

STAMPED WITH LIGHTSOUT225’s SATISFACTION GUARANTEE OR YOUR DL BACK.