This is my new Slayer map, Artifact. It's a small/mid-size map that was built primarily for a combination of Team and BTB Slayer. Although I have not set up spawns for Multi-team due to utter laziness it surely is capable of hosting such a game if one felt the need to go in and place the spawns.

Background
When I was first building a mental image of this map I initially wanted to create a location based around moving in and out of cave systems. However, once I started realizing the number of Natural structures I was limited to, I began shifting the map towards a different style.

I thought it would be cool to have a sort of ground level playing field in water as I have seen very few slayer maps which really incorporate water as an active battle area. The end inspiration for Artifact became, as the map description says, an old archeological digsite which became flooded and had to be abandoned.

Design
The lower level, which is covered in flowing water, is an open layout, arena style, battlefield with natural rock formations to used to break up lines of sight. Two "research headquaters" are stationed at each end and have been decorated as if they were built into the stone surrounding the "dig site."

The upper level, originally an observation deck and communications center, wraps entirely around the dig site while remaining somewhat open so that a player can drop down to the main level to flank unsuspecting opponents. Two communications nodes are on opposing corners of the observation deck as well as a glass bridge and two opposing man-cannons to provide quick movement from side to side.

A large "artifact" floats mid air in the center of the map purely as a design aspect. However, it could possibly serve as an obstacle for jet-packers to be conscious of while flying as a death ball is constantly being shot out.

Travel
Moving from the dig site to the observation deck can be achieved in 4 ways.
1. by jet-packing
2. by an elevator placed to the right of each research base
3. via teleporter within each research base (the teleporter sends you to the opposite corner base of the observation deck, not the one directly above)
4. by walking up glass ramps

Weapons & Locations
- Sniper Rifle x2 (laying next to each elevator)
- Rocket (rests upon the rocks in the center of the dig site)
- Grenade Launcher (laying in the middle of the glass bridge)
- Shotgun x2 (along the interior walls of the observation deck)
- Plasma Pistol x2 (laying on the observation deck main paths)
- Battle Riftle x2 (against the wall next to each man-cannon)
- Spiker x2 (laying infront of each base)
- Frag x2 (one next to each plasma pistol)
- Sticky x4 (two on top of each platform on the observation deck)

The placement of the weapons were meant to influence an exciting flow through the map and to provide each area with some incentive to move towards. Hopefully I have been successful in doing so.

Final Thoughts, Images & Video
I hope to have achieved somewhat unique map aesthetics while still making the location fun to play through. I tried to make it as neutral as possible for each AA, I dislike when one AA is clearly the right choice in a map (although it is entirely possible that Jet-packs would be favored...)

Runthrough Preview - Artifact