STALE NEWS

It's news that's a bit old, but most definitely not on the nose.

 

DM-1on1-Rivalry a finalist in Phase 2
Tuesday, 20th April, 2004

DM-1on1-Rivalry is a finalist in the Best Level Using Original Content category of phase 2 of the Make Something Unreal Contest :-)

CTF-Unearthed_SE for UT2004
Sunday, 11th April, 2004

I have released a version of CTF-Unearthed_SE for UT2004. It can be downloaded from the following locations:

For those who are interested, some of the new features in UT2004 (including collision detection and texture processing) make it difficult for maps created for UT2003 to work correctly when directly transferred to UT2004. I have rebuilt the map, so that it will work in UT2004.

Testers required
Sunday, 4th April, 2004

I am planning to release a new version of CTF-Unearthed for UT2004 and I need some people to test the map. If you are able to test the map and provide feedback before Friday 9th April, please email me.

ONS-Icarus has been released!
Thursday, 18th March, 2004

I am proud to announce that ONS-Icarus has been released and is available for download:

Icarus is a significant departure from the ONS maps released with UT2004. The setting - a massively tall set of buildings - provides for a more vertical game play dynamic for all vehicles in the region around the central nodes. In particular, ramps and elevated floors/platforms create great opportunities to get some serious 'air time'. Jumping the vehicles is a core component of matches in ONS-Icarus!

ONS-Icarus, when?
Sunday, 14th March, 2004

I previously announced that ONS-Icarus would be available on the 15th to coincide with the release of UT2004. Unfortunately, we have identified an issue (which is out of my hands) that will impact on all community ONS maps and this will need to be resolved first. I apologise for the delay.

More UT2004 info
Friday, 12th March, 2004

As the release of UT2004 rapidly approaches, more information about the game is being released! GameSpy's review is worth reading as it includes an overview of each of the AS and ONS map in the game. Don't forget to read the overview of the assault map that I created for UT2004 - AS-RobotFactory!

UT2004 is GOLD!
Friday, 5th March, 2004

w00t!! UT2004 is gold ... I am really proud of my involvement in this project and look forward to seeing how the game is received by the community. I am confident that, like the demo, everyone will love it.

Once the game has been released, I will identify the four maps that I contributed.

CTF-Hypothermia released!
Saturday 17th January, 2004

CTF-Hypothermia has been released and is available to download from these sites (5.1 MB):

CTF-Hypothermia is designed for matches between 8 to 12 players. The map is quite open allowing for multiple paths, but the general layout - particularly the centre field structure and the bases - provides a balance of good offensive and defensive opportunities. (more information)

Screenshots: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5

Preview of next map
Saturday 27th December, 2003

My next map - CTF-Hypothermia - is just about ready for beta testing. Just thought I would share a few screenshots :D

3rd Place in the MSUC
Saturday 20th December, 2003

It is with great pleasure that I report that CTF-Unearthed_SE was awarded third place in the Best Level Using Original Content category of phase 1 of the Make Something Unreal Contest. Thanks to nVidia, Epic Games and Atari for organising and sponsoring the contest.

You can download a video of the winning entries (15 min Windows Media 9 format, zipped to 170 MB).

New Unreal Tournament WWW site
Friday 12th December, 2003

The new WWW site for UT has been released and it includes a heap of information about UT2004, including a bunch of new screenshots.

As an aside, I am currently working on a new CTF map that I hope to release for beta testing in about two weeks.

DM-1on1-Rivalry released
Monday 6th October, 2003

My latest map - DM-1on1-Rivalry - has been released and is ready to download (2.9 MB) from the following locations (more DL sites soon):

DM-1on1-Rivalry provides for intense battles in a water-worn gorge. The smooth, organic forms of rock surfaces and the calming sounds of running water stand in contradiction to the utter carnage of the 1-on-1 battles. Rather than the hide-and-seek, flinch-and-shoot gameplay common to one-on-one maps (not that there is anything wrong with that), DM-1on1-Rivalry allows players to see each other most of the time.

Sneak peak
Monday 6th October, 2003

My next map DM-1on1-Rivalry, is currently in beta testing and is due for release soon. Here are some screen shots to whet your appetite.

Unearthed is a finalist
Monday 8th September, 2003

I am pleased to report that CTF-Unearthed_SE has been selected as a finalist in the Original Level category of the Make Something Unreal Contest. :D

A promise kept
Saturday 12th July, 2003

Since the release of CTF-Unearthed I have received a number of messages asking me to fix various small glitches in the map, move the flak cannons out of the water and add a sniper rifle. I've been promising to address these issues for a while now and I have finally made good on that promise. :D

CTF-Unearthed_SE (special edition) is the new version and is available for download now from these locations.

(more mirrors soon).

For those wondering about whether it is worth downloading the new version, here is a list of the changes. The changes are subtle for the most part, but do represent a significant improvement in the playability of the map.

I have also entered CTF-Unearthed_SE in the "Make Something Unreal" contest. :D

Announcing ...
Wednesday 9th July, 2003

Just a short announcement that I will be releasing a special edition of CTF-Unearthed this week. I have looked over the various reviews and comments about the map, and then made the appropriate changes.

The sands of time ...
Sunday 6th July, 2003

How quickly time passes! I just noticed how long it has been since I last updated my site ... phew ... talk about neglect. ;-)

Seen the new shots from UT2004?

Devastation demo is available
Saturday 22nd March, 2003

The multiplayer demo of Devastation is available to download. It features two maps plus the great weapons, character models and effects that should keep you going until the game hits the shelves.

Devastation goes gold
Wednesday 12th February, 2003

With an overwhelming sense of pride, I take great pleasure in reiterating today's announcement that Devastation has gone gold. I worked on this game as a contributing level designer and it is exciting to see a product that I was involved in making it to the market place.

Don't forget to go out and buy Devastation :D

Fake remake
Sunday 2nd February, 2003

Please note there is an unauthorised UT2003 version of CTF-Urban_Uprising available at some sites at the moment. This conversion was made without my permission and in no way reflects how I would choose to remake the original map.

Please do not download it. I'd appreciate being notified of any sites that have the map available for download.

Various bits of news
Tuesday 7th January, 2003

Firstly, I'd like to wish everyone who visits this site a belated Happy New Year and I hope that your year is a fulfilling one.

Reviews of CTF-Unearthed are starting to appear around the WWW. Here are two that I have seen so far:

SFTDM-AfterTheFall was supposed to be released in with version 1.80 of Strike Force, but some how it slipped between the cracks :( I am told that the map will be included in the next patch.

CTF-Unearthed released!
Sunday 15th December, 2002

CTF-Unearthed is now available for download!

CTF-Unearthed is a map based on the major set piece from Katsuhiro Otomo’s excellent graphic novel “The Legend of Mother Sarah: Tunnel Town”. In it a weapon is used alter the earth’s axial tilt in order to bury the contaminated remnants of a nuclear holocaust. Subsequent generations - now living in a barren, resource-poor world - tunnel into the buried cities in order to reclaim and recycle the materials trapped there.

This map is intended for 4 to 8 players.

More screenshots: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6

OWNAGE! Thanks Cliff :D

Unearthed update
Thursday, 5th December, 2002

I've just updated the site with two new images from CTF-Unearthed. Beta testing for the map should start some time this weekend.

A work in progress
Tuesday, 5th November, 2002

Time for some shots of my first map for UT2003, CTF-Unearthed! As you can see, I've created custom StaticMeshes and textures specifically for this map, which I hope will make it distinct.

This is most definitely a work in progress. I have a lot left to do with this map; including the lighting in these shots.

Game On!
Saturday, 19th October, 2002

The wait is finally over ... UT 2003 has been released in Australia! Apparently the publisher/distributor set a "street release date", which meant that even though some stores had the game in stock, they still had to wait until Saturday to sell it! Supposedly this allows more stores/chains to get the game in stock for sale. Stupid thing is that of the eight different chain stores that I checked (big retailers and software stores), only one had UT 2003 in stock. One day someone will have to explain to me how setting a 'street release date' is a good business model.

Rant over ... time to go and mess with UnrealEd a little more!

Living in a 'back water'
Saturday, 5th October, 2002

It's been out in the US for a week now, it's been released in the UK/Europe today, but in Australia we have to wait another two weeks to purchase UT 2003. According to the Infogrammes, UT2003 wont hit the shelves in Australia until October 19. Unbelievable!

The joys of living in a back water :(

Long time, no see ...
Saturday, 21th September, 2002

Whoa ... over two months since my last update! That can't be right :P

Looks like the wait is almost over and we should be able to get our hands on the full version of UT2003 late next week or early the week after that. WOOT! The demo is impressive so I imagine that the full game will be be worth the wait.

TO: AoT map pack released!
Saturday, 12th July, 2002

The 2v2 map pack for Tactical Ops has been released and is available for DL (34 MB) from these sites:

This pack is comprised of 12 new maps including TO-Bridge. There's also an interview with me to read.

Coming soon ...
Thursday, 4th July, 2002

A 2-on-2 map pack for Tactical Ops will be released soon and it includes a new map from me - TO-Bridge. Terrorists have kidnapped the mayor, but their escape across the river has been blocked by a jack-knifed truck. It's now up to the Special Forces team to take the bridge and liberate the hostage.

In other news, I've decided to hold Final Confrontation over until the release of UT 2003; at which point it will be reworked to make full use of static brushes and a much higher polygon count.

Devastation
Sunday, 26th May, 2002

It's official, Devastation will be co-published by ARUSH Entertainment and Groove Games. A glut of new information about the game has been released for E3, including: the official press release, a fact sheet and eight new screenshots.

On the near horizon ...
Saturday, 19th May, 2002

The radar indicates a number of interesting things are on the horizon and approaching fast, including:

  • a map for TO:AoT

I also noticed today that the official UT 2003 WWW site has been launched - another promising sign of things to come!

UT 2003
Thursday, 18th Apr, 2002

News of the next version of UT has been doing the rounds for a while and finally some reports from hands-on game testing are available. Unreality's report is worth reading. I'm really looking forward to playing UT 2003 and, more importantly, making maps for it. :-)

It's officially a Strike Force map
Friday, 12th Apr, 2002

You may have noticed at Strike Force Centre or at StrikeForce.dk that "After the fall" will be released as a Team Deathmatch map for Strike Force. StrikeForce.dk has a collection of new screen shots.

 

On its way ....!
Friday, 5th Apr, 2002

"After The Fall" is currently in the second round of beta testing and should be released early next week. For now, here's a new screenshot.

Fanboyitus ][
Saturday, 23rd Mar, 2002

More shots of the pre-beta version of "After The Fall".

Fanboyitus
Tuesday, 19th Mar, 2002

In a move that a colleague of mine would label as a serious bout of fanboyitus, I have been working on a map inspired by movies like Saving Private Ryan and Enemy at the Gates, and games like MOH:AA and RtCW. Yes, I'm making a map set in a war torn environment - see the shot on the right (it needs some work on the lighting still). The map is called "After the Fall" and it should be released in the next couple of weeks.

CTF-Antagonism-100 has been released!
Thursday, 31st Jan, 2002

It's finally here - CTF-Antagonism. Set in an industrial complex, decks and gantries provide for intense z-axis battles while the overlapping paths ensure that you are never far from the action. CTF-Antagonism is designed for matches involving from 4 to 10 players.

Download the map from FilePlanet or Unreal Center (1.3 MB).


Preview of next CTF map
Monday, 21st Jan, 2002

The next CTF map -- which is called Antagonism -- is about to go to beta testing and should be released inside the next couple weeks. See the screenshots on the right.

As mentioned previously, I'm also working on a Team DM map of Urban Terror for Strike Force. Additional paths being created the map and I plan to release a XL version of DM-Urban Terror for UT as well.

What's cooking?
Friday, 18th Jan, 2002

At the moment I am working on two maps. The first is a brand new CTF map for UT (see the images on the right). The second is a Team Death Match version of Urban Terror for Strike Force. More information soon!

Happy New Year
Tuesday, 1st Jan, 2002

May 2002 be productive, rewarding and enjoyable, but above all else I hope that everyone who visits this site has a peaceful and safe New Year.

Best wishes from Plutonic.

CTF-Revenge LE 102
Sunday 23rdDec, 2001

The latest version (102) of CTF-RevengeLE has been released; it includes a minor tweak to remove a potential 'flag-dropping' cheat.

New information about Devastation
Monday 16th Dec, 2001

HomeLAN Federation and Alliance has an interview about Devastation with Vic DeLeon (producer, Digitalo Studios). A number of screenshots are included.

Here are the thumbnails for all the shots.
It is so great to see these shots!

Cool Tool
Monday 10th Dec, 2001

Every now and again someone in the Unreal Community comes up with a utility that is a significant asset to map and mod makers everywhere. MeshMaker is one such utility!

If you want to add more decorative details to your maps but are running out of polygons, give MeshMaker a go. It's very easy to use and I heartily recommend it.

CTF-Revenge LE 101
Wednesday 7th Nov, 2001

Version 101 of CTF-Revenge LE is available for download. The fixes to this version reduce the potential for cheating and some minor game play issues.

Take the battle to the streets
Thursday 1st Nov, 2001

After over two months, the results for the AusUT CTF competition have been announced and CTF-Urban Uprising was awarded first place!

Take revenge online
Saturday 27st Oct, 2001

CTF-Revenge LE 100 has been released and is ready for online gaming! Thanks to Cryton coordinator of the CTF league at Barry's World for suggesting and advising me during the construction of the LE version.

CTF-Revenge League Edition
Sunday 21st Oct, 2001

The league edition of CTF-Revenge will be released some time next week. It includes changes to improve its worth in online games.

An obsession can be a good thing!
Sunday 7th Oct, 2001

DM-Obsessive has been released. It is a small UT map intended for 1-on-1 matches, but can accomodate up to four or so players. Download it from File Planet or Unreal Center (707 KB).

Preview shots of DM-Obsessive
Friday 28 Sept, 2001

Here's two more preview shots [ shot 1 and shot 2 ] of DM-Obsessive. The lighting and sound placement is finished, just item placement, path noding and beta testing to go. :-)

Sneak peak at the next map
Wednesday 26 Sept, 2001

Time for a preview of my next map for UT - DM-Obsessive. The geometry and texturing for the map is more or less finished; with lighting, item placement and beta testing to be done.

Strike Force version of DM-Urban Terror released
Friday 21 Sept, 2001

The Strike Force version of DM-Urban Terror has been released. Two versions are available for DL:

DM-Urban Terror for Strike Force
Saturday 15 Sept, 2001

The Strike Force version of DM-Urban Terror will be released at Strike Force Centre next week. The map includes some minor alterations to the UT version to make it more suited to the game play of SFDM.

New site design
Monday 3 Sept, 2001

It's long overdue and finally I've managed to update the design of this site.

CTF-Urban Uprising to be released soon
Monday 3 Sept, 2001

The final results for the AusUT mapping contest will be released on the 12th September. CTF-Urban Uprising will be released to the community on this date.

 


Lasted updated: June 5, 2004

Site content and original site art copyright© 2001 Chris Blundell.