CTF-Baranco

Overview

CTF-Baranco is a Capture the Flag map from Unreal Tournament. It's the exclusive pre-order level for the Babbage's (later known as GameStop) version of the Game of the Year edition, as well as an Ownage map.

Map description[]

The map consists of two opposite, distinct military bases separated by a desertic zone. Both bases are set inside of a canyon. Named areas of the map include:

Blue Base: The Blue base, a multi-level base with the flag behind a glass shield in the very upper level. The lower level contains a bunch of crates and plenty of sand. Two platforms (one of which an elevator with a death pit below it) connect the lower level with the upper. The lower level is also connected with the Central Area via a vertical S-shaped entrance.
Main Bunker 1: A small bunker with three ramps located at the north of the Blue side of the Central Area. It's also connected to the Blue Base itself at upper level. At rooftop level, there's some ammo.
Main Bunker 2: A small bunker with three ramps located at the south of the Blue side of the Central Area. At rooftop level, there's some ammo.
- A bridge overlooking the blue side of the Central Area connects both Bunkers, acting as both a forward post and sniping post.
Although not named, the Blue Backway acts as the west entrance to the Blue base, and ends directly in the Blue Flag.
Central Area: The outside part of the map.
Red Tunnel: The green diagonal dual tunnels with the water current in the lower level that connect the red base with the outside.
Red Backway: The back entrance to the Red Base. It's a series of catwalks going above a pool of lava.
Red Bunker: A two-level room located north of the Red Base. In the upper level, there's an open window that can be translocated through.
Red Base: The base itself, with the flag set between several paths. Lifts connect the Red Tunnel with it, and there's also an entrance from the Central Area via a bridge that also spans the Red Bunker. Above said entrance, there's an open window that can be translocated through.

Weapons and pickups[]

Weapons[]

Weapon	Count	Location
Enforcer	W: 2	Weapon: 1x Red Base, next to entrance from the Red Backway, on top of a crate. 1x Blue Base, next to entrance from the Main Bunker 1, on top of a crate.
Bio Rifle	W: 2 A: 16	Weapon: 1x Red Base, next to entrance from Central Area. 1x Main Bunker 2, lower level. Ammo: 3x Red Bunker, lower level, next to the elevator to the upper level. 3x Red Base, next to the exit to the Central Area. 4x Red Tunnel, next to the lifts to the Red Base. 4x Central Area, blue side, next to the Blue Backway (two near the Sniper Rifle, two near the Ramp). 2x Main Bunker 1, next to entrance from Central Area.
Shock Rifle	W: 2 A: 10	Weapon: 1x Red Bunker, upper level. 1x Central Area, blue side, at the bridge connecting both Bunkers. Ammo: 2x Red Base, next to entrance from Red Backway. 2x Red Tunnel, near the South elevator to Red Base. 2x Blue Base, lower level, next to platform to upper level. 2x Blue Backway. 2x Main Bunker 1, upper entrance from Central Area.
Pulse Gun	W: 2 A: 12	Weapon: 1x Red Tunnel, next to both platforms. 1x Blue Base, lower level, next to the platform to upper level. Ammo: 2x Red Base, next to the flag. 3x Red Bunker, lower level, next to the entrance. 3x Blue Base, lower level, next to the elevator to upper level. 2x Blue Base, next to the flag. 2x Main Bunker 2, lower level.
Minigun	W: 2 A: 13	Weapon: 1x Red Base, next to the flag. 1x Blue Base, next to the flag. Ammo: 2x Red Bunker, upper level, next to entrance from Central Area. 2x Red Base, next to the lift from flag level. 2x Red Base, next to entrance from Red Backway. 2x Blue Base, lower level, among the crates. 2x Blue Base, next to the flag. 2x Blue Backway, next to entrance from Central Area. 1x Main Bunker 1, upper entrance from Central Area.
Flak Cannon	W: 2 A: 13	Weapon: 1x Red Base, next to entrance from Red Backway. 1x Passage between Main Bunker 1 and Blue Base. Ammo: 2x Red Bunker, upper level, next to entrance from Central Area. 2x Red Tunnel, near the North elevator to Red Base. 2x Central Area, red side, next to entrance to Red Backway. 2x Blue Base, lower level, next to the ramp to the entrance. 2x Blue Base, upper level, among the crates next to the entrance from Main Bunker 1. 2x Central Area, blue side, next to entrance to Blue Backway. 1x Main Bunker 2, next to the entrance from Central Area.
Rocket Launcher	W: 2 A: 10	Weapon: 1x Red Backway, next to entrance from Central Area. 1x Blue Backway, next to entrance from Blue Base. Ammo: 2x Blue Base, at the bridge to the Blue Flag. 1x Central Area, next to the open window from Red Base. 2x Red Base, next to entrance from Central Area. 3x Blue Backway. 2x Main Bunker 2, next to the entrance from Central Area.
Sniper Rifle	W: 2 A: 14	Weapon: 1x Central Area, red side, next to the entrance to Red Backway. 1x Central Area, blue side, next to the entrance to Blue Backway. Ammo: 2x Central Area, next to the open window from Red Base. 2x Central Area, next to the open window from Red Bunker. 2x Central Area, blue side, next to the Sniper Rifle. 2x Central Area, red side, next to the Sniper Rifle. 2x Main Bunker 1, rooftop level. 2x Main Bunker 2, rooftop level. 2x Blue Base, lower level, among the crates.

Pickups[]

Pickup	Count	Location
Health
Health Vial	38	6x Corner passage between Main Bunker 1 and Blue Base. 4x Main Bunker 2, among the ramps. 8x Blue Base, S-shaped entrance to lower level. 6x Red Bunker, upper level. 3x Red Base, on a ledge near the flag. 8x Red Tunnel, near the crates. 3x Main Bunker 1, lower level.
Health Pack	16	2x Blue Base, near the flag. 2x Central Area, blue side, next to entrance to Blue Backway. 2x Main Bunker 1, rooftop level. 2x Blue Base, lower level, among the crates. 4x Red Base, next to the flag. 4x Central Area, red side, next to entrance to Red Backway.
Big Keg O' Health	2	1x Main Bunker 2, on top of the crates in the lower level. 1x Central Area, red side, on a ledge next to the entrance from Red Base.
Armor
Thigh Pads	1	Central Area, at the middle, on the red side, between both entrances to the Blue Base.
Body Armor	2	1x Red Base, on top of a ledge accessible via Translocator. 1x Blue Base, lower level, on top of a ledge accessible via Translocator.
Shield Belt	2	1x Main Bunker 1, below the ramps. 1x Red Bunker, rooftop level.
Powerups
Damage Amplifier	1	Central Area, at the middle, on the blue side, atop of a crate, next to Red Tunnels.

Tips and tricks[]

The fastest way to the flag in both cases is via the bridges connecting the bunkers/bunker and base (if you mastered translocation) and the Backways. Protect the Backways and have at least one player guarding the bridge.
The red side has the benefit of a closer access to the Damage Amplifier and a dangerous backway, but it also has a more exposed red base, not having anything acting as buffer between its base/flag and the Central Area. Good timing on the blue side may allow them to escape with the flag easily.

Trivia[]

Accolades[]

The map was given the CliffyB's Ownage award.^[1]

"This is one ass kicking CTF map! There are several key things that I look for when I'm trying to figure out whether or not a CTF map 0wns or not.

First, at any point in the map can I figure out what side I'm on just by looking around a little? If the answer is yes, then add one point.
Second, can I find my way to and from the flag base easily without getting lost? If the answer is yes, then add another point.
Third, are there multiple paths to the flagbase? If the answer is yes, then chalk up another point!
Finally, does the flag BASE look like a BASE or a flag CLOSET? If the base is roomy and feels like a base, add another point!

If you got all four points then your map might 0wn. Baranco got all four points and 0wned. Look, listen and learn!

Oh, a few minor gripes- the map is a little bit slow and there is some "lift wackiness." (one lift goes down and you fall off of it often and another lift is butt-ugly with orange crap on it.)"

– Cliff Bleszinski

Reviews[]

Kain from NaliCity gave the map a score of 8.0.

"This one must have been a bitch to build. Although massive, each section of the level has been highly detailed. There are plenty of cool effects, a huge well-made outdoor area and slanted brushes that would normally have unleashed a legion of BSP demons. I found one, yes one BSP error on the whole map.

It seems to be a simple 2-forts style CTF map, with two opposing bases at opposite ends of a ravine. However, the map is asymmetrical, with each base being completely different and so big that much of the fighting takes place inside. This is no bad thing although does not make the fighting very different from all the other tight DM maps that there are. The architecture is varied and of a very high standard, with a noticeable but understandable drop in trim in the outdoor areas. This shows that the author, Rogelio Olguin, is a good mapper, knows the limits of the Unreal engine and compensates to keep framerates high.

The canyon is quite a thing to behold - very natural looking and with rocks even where you cannot reach to create a sense of scale. The orange sky is different to others I have seen but is great to look at and adds to the effect of being in a desert canyon. If I had a criticism it would be that the ground is entirely flat, but then the author is not trying to make a outdoor trench-fight with this map so the very even ground does not matter. Lighting is, as in all the best maps, tastefully used and has appropriate light sources. It is usually easy to tell which base you are in by finding a colored light nearby. The lens flares near the base main entrances look like the ones in CTF-Terra, and they look equally good in both maps.

Right, onto texturing. This was the one thing about the map that I didn't like, with main textures taken from the DecayedS, Mine, Playership and many of the UT packages such as UTech1 and UTech2. Perhaps if each base had a package to itself it would be more effective. As it is, the textures are mixed up and therefore the theme seems confused. This will not bother some people - unfortunately I believe in creating a well-defined theme which adds to the atmosphere of a map. In terms of texture alignment there are a few problems but they are not very noticeable.

Items are never hard to find, and the flags are well-placed to make defending difficult but escaping with the flag just as difficult. I feel that there is perhaps a little too much ammo spread around the map. Getting the Udamage requires an Impact jump while under fire, which is hard. Bots are pathed well and will function well (and even snipe) if left to their own devices, although they never get the aforementioned powerup.

There are many cool little features that you can find throughout CTF-Baranco, that shows that Rogelio is not afraid to try things with UnrealEd. There is a whole corridor that is slanted downwards, and while you are in it you start to think you are walking horizontally until you jump or reach the end, when your orientation can get really messed up (in a good way ;-) ). There are skylights in the bases allowing light to enter and players to catch brief glimpses of the sky. There are lava-falls, which pan at a good speed and make good sounds. Oh yes, ambient sounds throughout the level are great.

The music track used is 'Strider', the same one as used in DM-Stalwart. To be honest I never did like the track and I don't think it fits this level. There is a screenshot, location strings etc.

Although I could only find one BSP hole in the whole map, it's a bit of a killer. It is at the bottom of the large blue corridor leading underground, as in the second screenshot, and I would advise the author to try and fix it as it effective prevents people from using this route for fear of being pulled through a hole in the floor. This is a shame because if it wasn't for this the playability score would be a lot higher, as frame rates are high throughout the map.

With the textures better chosen and the BSP hole fixed this map would get a 9.

--- It turns out that the bad BSP problem is due to the UT v4.20 patch, when I downloaded v4.25 everything worked fine. The map now gets a higher score :-) ---"

– Kain^[2]

External links and references[]

↑ Bleszinski, Cliff. "CliffyB's Ownage Archive". CliffyB's Ownage. Archived from the original on June 24, 2007. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
↑ Kain (Aug 2, 2000). "CTF-Baranco". NaliCity. Archived from the original on Jun 30, 2004. Retrieved Nov 10, 2024.

"El Baranco". Unreal Archive. Retrieved Oct 14, 2024.