An Ode to LavaGiant

[Gumbypants]

When I think back over thousands of UT maps that have been released over the years, I still believe that LavaGiant is truly one of the best.

[screenshot]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Gumbypants/UT/UTShot0066.jpg[/screenshot]

It was large, but manageable. Everything flowed, even the jump boots, which were implemented in very strategic ways. I remember the ******** who would jump boot + translocate on top of the huge wall in the middle to snipe.

Multiple entrances, multiple escape routes, lots of power ups, and very well designed bases.

[screenshot]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Gumbypants/UT/UTShot0068.jpg[/screenshot]

[screenshot]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Gumbypants/UT/CTF-LavaGiant.jpg[/screenshot]

I really appreciate the fact that the Epic team released an amazing updated version of Facing Worlds. It is a very pretty remix of the original classic. Now that we have played it and gotten used to it, we are hungry for just a little bit more (for lack of another patch). Of all the polls I've seen, more people seem excited about a new version of LavaGiant than any other classic map.

My fantasy of an updated LavaGiant would keep that green ground and lava theme by placing it in a jungle environment, like a volcanic rainforest tropical island. Maybe something akin to this:

[screenshot]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Gumbypants/UT/ewok.jpg[/screenshot]
(available here - awesome map by the way)

combined with this:

[screenshot]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Gumbypants/UT/screen1ll8.jpg[/screenshot] (available here - also an ok map)

This combination of themes, placed in the right creative hands, would make an excellent remake of LavaGiant, in my opinion. I'm personally very happy that the XBox 360 is doing well with UT3, but it might be hurting the PC community a little bit. I have seen practically zero CTF players online at all since UT came out for the 360. Is that a coincidence?

Maybe Epic could look into making a new version of LavaGiant to release in a future bonus pack (that would also be downloadable content for PS3 and 360)? Anything that helps with player counts right?

Although, I do have to commend Epic for doing a better job advertising UT3 this time around. I actually saw a UT3 360 commercial last night during the DAILY SHOW. I'd be willing to bet that's a much bigger audience than G4 gets. But I digress.

LavaGiant is great, most everyone here agrees, and I would personally really appreciate it if someone with skill could take a crack at it (not me).

[screenshot]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v335/Gumbypants/UT/UTShot0070.jpg[/screenshot]

[Kiyoka]

Oh for.... is this "make a topic about your/a map and place it in the wrong section" week?

[Willmagic]

Wasnt the UT2004 map CTF-Magma very similar to Lava Giant, nevertheless I wouldnt say no to my favourite CTF map making a return for UT3. And without those ugly hexaginol polygon terrains with stretched textures, but that goes without saying for UT3!

[Gumbypants]

This is more than just a request thread, and therefore I didn't feel it belonged in the user made maps/mods...especially since I was petitioning the developers themselves, not users.

I was also hoping to squeeze some LavaGiant love out of the larger community. You know you liked it (assuming you played it), so don't poop on the effort.

There are a lot worse things that get posted in this section, trust me.

[Flak]

Aww Gumby, you brought back some memories. I wonder if I can still run that map backwards.

[HoMeRS}i{MpSoN]

When I think back over thousands of UT maps that have been released over the years, I still believe that LavaGiant is truly one of the best.

Agreed. this was one of my favorites as well. Used to play a LOT of LGI/135/55 in the old days...

[TheVoid34]

Oh man. This was one of my favorites. I actually preferred this map a lot more over Facing Worlds. Less wanna-be snipers.

Man. If I knew how to make outdoor maps, and could think of a way to turn this into VCTF (I play VCTF, not CTF)... I'd make it in a heartbeat!

[Rhykker]

I'd love to see this map remade (especially by EPIC )

And I'd like to still be able to translocate up to the top of that huge wall (not a fan of blocking volumes - I loved how in UT99 you could translocate to anyplace you could see [within reach]).

[Tailsnake]

This and Morpheus are the Epic remakes I want the most

[sneh]

My fantasy of an updated LavaGiant would keep that green ground and lava theme by placing it in a jungle environment, like a volcanic rainforest tropical island.
LavaGiant is great, most everyone here agrees, and I would personally really appreciate it if someone with skill could take a crack at it (not me).

Lavagiant was cool.
And I really love the look of war-moltencore.. it really "feels" hot, so if something of that style could be made in combination with a jungle kind of theme for a new lavagiant that would rock!!

(I could give it a go, but I'll wait to see if anyone else is interested.. I don't want to "butcher" such an awesome map lol. I'm sure I could do it tho, but I would want to really make sure it was truly awesome in visual quality!)

I'd love to see this map remade (especially by EPIC )

And I'd like to still be able to translocate up to the top of that huge wall (not a fan of blocking volumes - I loved how in UT99 you could translocate to anyplace you could see [within reach]).

Thumbs up to that!

With all these blocking volumes, it can sometimes feel very artificial. Sure they're ok on the very edge of maps (they used to be designed so there was nowhere to really go anyway - like lavagiant, just endless lava)

[sneh]

... or check out this thread?

LavaGiant remake

[Henrik]

What about that thread... The dude doesn't seem like he's ever gonna finish it.

[Dark_Slayer]

My ultimate favorite CTF map.
I bet the UT3 CTF community will grow, if this map is an official part of the game.
So Epic please, make it real

I remember the good times with Excessive Overkill and this map. Rocketjumps on the mountain in the middle and from there directly to the flag ftw

[Henrik]

I like the jungle idea, but I think it is important to make sure the trees don't provide too much cover, I don't mind if the gameplay is changed SLIGHTLY though. The translocator is much more limited now than in UT so we do need more cover than we did then so it's not just a camping sniper fest.

I also feel that jungles played a huge part in the original Unreal and UT "atmosphere" along with old urban environments, both of which have been ignored in the past several games (yes we got "forests") but those did not feel the same. So I'd love to have some of those type maps to play on and give me a bit of nostalgia.