Clock tower

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Clock Tower​

Enjoyment

First of all, the Clock Tower was designed for small, 1v1 matches. While it does support larger games with up to eight players, its small size means it is really best used for those one on one games. On that basis, the map performs decently enough, though it is clear that much more effort was put into the aesthetics over the gameplay. Clock Tower would act as a good enough setting to settle some "unfinished business" with a friend, though there are plenty of better maps which fulfill the same purpose, and to better effect.

Regrettably, the energy sword, which is obviously used for quick, close-quarters kills, was easily over-used in the small map. The 1v1 game, which demands level footing, soon melts away into a game where one person has the sword, and the other tries to take the sword from him. Simply put, this is not fun.

Although Clock Tower was meant for one on one games, it is also usable for games with a larger number of people. As more players join the fray, the gameplay becomes more and more manic, though not it a good way. In short, Clock Tower should not be used with the intent of having a large game. It's small size and mostly open area means that it is rare that a player can last long without being fired upon by several enemies at once. In this environment, the flow of the map disintegrates entirely, and Clock Tower becomes almost unplayable.

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Balance

As mentioned before, power weapons do not work well in 1v1 games. In such a situation, one player ends up with the weapon, while the other tries to take it from their grasp. Not only does the weapon last longer, but it is used repeatedly on the same player until it runs out, creating a terrible imbalance which quickly stales.

Between each sides of the map, there is a difference between weapons. This is made painfully clear by the energy sword up against the blue team’s wall, while the red team is given a shotgun further away. There are also more plasma grenades on the blue team’s side, and the team's DMR is placed closer to their initial spawn points.

As for the layout, Clock Tower's lack of symmetry doesn't seem to affect its balance. There are only slight variations across the otherwise present line of symmetry which make the map asymmetrical, and none of these differences give either side any clear advantage.

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Durability

While a soft kill zone is present over the cogs near the ceiling, it is still exploitable. On one set of gears, a player with a jetpack is able to crouch safely on the cog, escaping the grasp of the soft kill zone’s boundary. Apart from that though, there is no other escapable area which is not covered by a kill zone.

The respawn points are a little subpar and could be greatly improved. There is little variation in a team’s respawn areas, and a player can often spawn in the same place several times in a row. Especially in 1v1 games, respawn locations can get a little tiring. A player is often spawned quite close to the main area and out in the open. This makes players unable to explore the map and acquire decent weapons before finding and fighting others.

Although Clock Tower supports Capture the Flag, there is really no point. If the compatibility was intended for 1v1 CTF games, then it would definitely not work. CTF is meant to be a team-based gametype, and wouldn’t function well in Clock Tower anyway because of its small size. Simply put, each team’s capture points are too close together and too many people are able to stop the flag carrier before they even make it to the capture points.

There was an odd area up against one wall, which forced the player to be permanently immobile. Due to an odd glitch due to awkward angles, a player is unable to move or jump. They can only escape through death, or if they’ve been lucky enough to have chosen the jetpack.

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Aesthetics

Obviously, the strongest point of this map is its architecture. On the exterior, the map looks exactly as the name suggests. A giant clock is set on the face of a large building. This does not sacrifice gameplay at the risk of having players perch atop the numbers of the clock, because soft kill zones are placed in order to keep the clock entirely aesthetic. Although the clock face was created well, it seemed particularly out of place with the slightly awkward use of pieces for numbers.

For the interior of the map, a series of interconnecting gears and cogs work as well for the theme of the map as they do as pieces of cover. On some stations throughout the gear system, several merged flag stands act as a makeshift crank.

In all other areas despite the above, it feels like the Clock Tower is very basic. Many small points around the map are indeed novel, but everything else in the map’s geometry is quite simplistic. There is little decoration along the walls despite a few gears here and there, and the outside section of the map is filled with nothing but a few covenant barriers.

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Originality

Most of the small touches of Clock Tower have been clearly borrowed and adapted uncreatively. Examples would include the use of merged over-shields as aesthetic props as well as the use of side by side one way shields as an elevator. These concepts are indeed unconventional, but are definitely not original as they are tricks used widely by the rest of the forging community.

While the concept of gears is kind of original, it’s not like a bit of block rotation is particularly ground-breaking. That being said, it was done well and to good effect. The illusion of a giant clock works well and goes without fault aesthetically. Though as stated earlier very little of the map, regardless of its general theme, is particularly different. In fact by excluding the clock theme, the map is outstandingly plain.

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[floatleft]Enjoyment
Balance
Durability
Aesthetics
Originality[/floatleft]4/10
5/10
4/10
6/10
3/10

[floatleft]Average Score[/floatleft]4.4/10

The way I see it, Clock Tower has garnered most of its downloads from its aesthetic appeal. As someone said on the thread, it would be better to consider is as a casual map, or even a purely aesthetic one. While playing on the map, you get the feeling that the Clock Tower was just a map made around an aesthetic idea, and is playable just for the sake of it. That being said, it does well at what it primarily aims to achieve; to create a very realistic clock.

Understanding the Review Hub's Ratings​

 

Wow , this is an awesome map. Nice aesthetics, especially like the cogs and the Roman numerals. Makes nice battle space and inside clock feeling inside. Excellent forging, well done

 

Great aesthetics is all I have to say. Although I can't comment on how good or not the gameplay is since you don't have action shots, I can comment saying this: Looks great for a 1v1 game. It is cramped, however, even for a 1v1. But that's only from a first person perspective. You might want to watch the exact alignment of the blocks, as a lot of z-fighting might go on. Other than that, well polished; I hardly see any blocks sticking out. 4.5/5

 

thats kinda obvious isnt it? i mean you cant expect to have action shots or youtube videos on every single map post. i mean some people dont care enough(like me) or just dont have a capture card to take youtube videos

play the map yourself and be your own judge.I think its fun for a few people. the review is just silly i know the faults of the map but the unoriginal thing is just complete bull (no offense to the reviewer or anything)