what was your favourite / most inspiring map

[Mvllsk]

Well they are all clones. As I said, I'd change a few things to the map (even though I love the overall layout). I might sound hypocritical right now xD

[blackdog]

This was a really fun map while playing UT

God, YES!

(I think I interviewed the author of de_torn as well for HLItalia)

[Sprony]

[Puddy]

One of the coolest levels for me, thematically at least, must've been the Chernobyl section of CoD4. The way you patiently played the mission from start to finish, with all it's twist and turns was incredibly immersive and impressive. Nowadays, it feels like CoD and similar games just jumps straight to the "explosive parts" with no real buildup or atmospheric sections. 

 

 

For gameplay, I remember really enjoying the finale fight of HL2: Episode 2. Half Life in general has a lot of cool design.

 

 

Nostalgia wants me to mention a lot of CS 1.6 maps. I'll go with Office. When I was young, I was a little pub scrub so I didn't really do competitive defusal and for pubbing office was a lot of fun.

 

[st0lve]

Clankiller, I believe that photo is from a town in Norway called Kragerø. I can almost guarantee that it's at least somewhere south along the sea.

 

Rogue Spear, Siberian Base 1 (I think). Great SP mission, great on MP. Great mix of height, long range and short range.

 

The HL mod The Wastes had a great map called silo, can't find any screens, but it's was a fun DM map.

[text_fish]

The first level of Mysteries of the Sith, where you're in a rebel base getting stormed by the imperials was awesome.

[DrywallDreams]

School II

 

[Shandy445]

[Sigma]

Dod_avalanche. Sniping either from allies window OR the axis doorway in the dark and unseen. Favorite of all time. The most inspiring map to me would probably be De _ Aztec from cs 1.6 or cs _ militia on 1.5. Teaches a lot about volume (geometrically) differences and the importance of line of of sight variations (particularly now that I am more technically minding when creating levels). Starcraft 2 taught me about importance of balance though (started too anyway).

Technically simulated would have been America's Army when it was still 1.X or even 2.X days. That medical training actually came in handy as did the firearms training (clearing a jammed weapon properly). Also, special forces training mission... daaaaaaaaang

Edited December 28, 2014 by Sigma

[ics]

Most inspiring map for me, since i started doing maps, is propably from TF2, pl_goldrush. When it came out, i was playing that map alone for a month. It was just so good. The theme was excellent and the payload gamemode was new. Took me a lot of time to understand all of the awesome things in it. But the displacement work in it is something you don't see every day. Also the layout of it, i know it's based on dustbowl, but still it's made a lot differently and the visuals are better.

 

Another map that kind of made me open my mouth was pl_upward. Again the theme and map location is excellent how the map is built around it. You don't see levels like that every day.

 

What's my favorite map? Not really such of a thing, but in CSGO, i have to say de_cache blew in a  way that it's layout just works. It's not too CT sided or T sided.

[Klems]

Probably Well from QWTF or TFC.

 

The remake from TF2 is great, especially in CP (TF2 doesn't play well in CTF to be honest) but the flag room doesn't allow for impressive plays anymore. I really liked the small window, anyone who watched TF Done Extreme will know why.

 

Also Dustbowl and Goldrush from TF2. Especially with their uses of translucent surfaces, 1-way doors, flank routes, etc.

 

 

Life of a Party from Thief 2 is a classic.

 

 

Also if anyone remember the game NoX I think the wizard guild is the best part from the warrior campaign, along with the final boss. It almost plays like an arena FPS sometimes.

Edited January 3, 2015 by Klems

[tr0nic]

L4D No Mercy Campaign... it felt great to run through in the first days of L4D. Eventually, everyone began to corner camp and abuse of things such as meleeing the door in the Gas station level, elevator bug smoker tongue, tank blocking elevator, and the narrow ladder chokepoints. The campaign is a blast to play on expert though. I love the atmosphere! It is far from perfect but I had so many epic moments that it is one of the most memorable set of maps for me.

 

Edited January 3, 2015 by tr0nic

[ElectroSheep]

Tomb Raider 3: The Jungle

The music, the sound, the secrets, the animals, ability to explorer. I never felt so immersed in a level as this one. As a kid I couldn't solve anything except by trial and error. Ran around for hours in this map, not getting bored. Only when I got impaled by spikes I'd get a bit frustrated.

 

inspired me sooo much too that I made a cs map for it a looong time ago 

 

 

One of my favorites world from Tomb Raider serie.

[jackophant]

I've seen some great games and levels, real nostalgia trips... BUT! Does anyone remember this beaut?

 

 

 

 

Some parts were very linear, but I just loved this so much

 

Such an eclectic mix of environments! I was probably too young to really know if this was a "good" game, but it has dinosaurs, robots, cow boys and space!

 

Sadly I can't find any good "signature" images.

 

EDIT: It's Gunman Chronicles if anyone needs reminding

Edited January 5, 2015 by jackophant

[Squeebo]

Rutherford Manor in Thief: Deadly Shadows is pretty memorable to me, just a really fun level

 

 

 

Or Lord Bafford's Manor, of Thief: The Dark Project

 

Or the opening sequence of Half-life, in the testing chambers

 

Or the opening level in Unreal

 

Or the first few testing chambers of Portal.

 

Apparently I have at thing for first levels! I just love seeing all the mechanics get set up, especially in gradual and organic ways.

 

 

As far as multiplayer levels go, I'd have to say:

CS:

CS_Office

DE_Inferno

 

TF2:

PL_Goldrush

CP_Well

CP_Dustbowl

CTF_Gravel Pit

CP_Steel

 

UT99:

CTF_Facing worlds

DM_Deck16

DM_Morbias

CTF_Coret

CTF_November

DM_Pyramid

 

 

Alright I'll stop; there's a bunch more I could probably think of. I'm really bad at picking a favourite, I love all these maps! This thread is really stirring up some nostalgia.

 

I find a lot of the new maps being released in the Operation map packs in CS:GO very inspiring as well, I love seeing what people here come up with. Cheers!