The Layout – Map Labs #17

for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

3rd September 2023

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In the mold of Crossfire, which had a huge turnout of authors using the classic deathmatch map as a basis for their own maps, comes this challenge. The Layout asked mappers to select one of 11 popular multiplayer maps from over the years to form the backbone of a new single player map.

So here’s The Layout, with 9 new takes based on classic map layouts!

As always, if you’re interested in learning more about Map Labs and maybe even participate in their upcoming challenges, visit the Map Labs Discord.

Basic Details
  • Title: The Layout
  • Filename: sdk-2013-sp-mlc-thelayout.7z
  • Size : 744 MB
  • Author: shoes, beefbacon, Sensethenn, rojahel, Friendly Russian, Attack Slug, roman_memes, Alivebyte!, Alexandra ‘Maestra Fénix’ Bravo
  • Date Released: 24 February 2022

Download Options

Download to your HD [744 MB]

Manual Installation Instructions
  • Make sure you have the Upcoming branch of the Source SDK Base 2013 Singleplayer installed in Steam and run at least once. (Properties – Betas – select upcoming from the dropdown list).
  • Copy the thelayout, mapbase_shared, mapbase_hl2, and mapbase_episodic folders into your SourceMods folder.
  • Restart or start Steam.
  • The Layout should now be listed in your Library tab.

Reviewing

If you decide to use the Per-Map Opinion Images, feel free to use the file below as a template:

The-Layout-Review-Template.txt

Entries

Listed as they are displayed in the mod itself:
Yellow = winning maps and recommended maps

Ravenholm Reconnaissance Squad by shoes [Avalanche]
Ravenstone by beefbacon (bonus map) [Avalanche]
PastTense by Sensethenn [Sugarcane]
Fallout Valley by rojahel [Mountain Lab]
R.E.V.C.E.T.P. by Friendly Russian [Train]
Sluiceworks by Attack Slug – 1st Place [Gasworks]
Opposing Force, Too by roman_memes – 3rd Place [Train]
Infiltrate The Base by Alivebyte! (bonus map) [Nucleus]
Nal Sidian by Alexandra ‘Maestra Fénix’ Bravo – 2nd Place [Nucleus]

Screenshots

WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.
Each map has 5 screenshots. Thanks to ArctixSnowPup for providing the screenshots!

1600 x 900

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Reader Recommendations
Avoid It!
Think Twice
Maybe
Play It Later
Play It Now!
1 recommendation, average score: 5 (out of 5), standard deviation: 0 (what's that?)
Total Downloads
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    Overall
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Meta Review Data
Statistics based on 2 comment(s) with meta review data.

Installed:
Using Gauge: Users
Manually: 2 Users
Time Taken:
Average: 3 Hours
Shortest: 3 Hours by Hec
Longest: 3 Hours by Hec
Total Time Played: 6 Hours
Categories (?)
Half-Life 2: Ep2 HL2-EP2 Mods Mapbase Play SDK 2013
Tags (?)
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3 Comments

  1. Wesp5

    Finally some great maps! Sluiceworks was fine, besides one buggy door, but I also loved the one where you played a Vortigaunt and the one where you played a magician in a Dark Messiah setting.

    Reply
  2. dougjp

    I couldn’t agree more! I’m trying to figure what MapLabs did to help this challenge turn out different, with so many maps being complete with details along with decent length gameplay. More time given to complete the challenge perhaps?

    Quite a few of these maps are excellent too. In fact Revenholm Reconnaissance Squad is, IMO, a “Its Wow”- a PF. And close to that are FOUR other maps, R.E.V.C.E.T.P, Sluiceworks. Opposing Force, too, and Nal Sidian. That’s a majority of the maps, which is amazing!

    Reply
  3. Hec
    Personal Favourite

    This time I was reflecting on the quality of the entries and I confirmed that the fewer entries you have, are more likely that the quality on them is the better.

    And I guess this is precisely the case in this map lab. Because in this edition, we have just some awesome, and I dare to say classic entries. I also think the layout concept, that is, base the map in some classic MP arenas is possibly the key to the success. As well as having pretty talented authors of course.

    Ravenholm Reconnaissance Squad by Shoes [Avalanche]

    It is great!

    This map was kind of confusing at first as you are in a very open map so it is actually up to you which path to take and follow to complete it. But, once you get you have to carefully fetch for the batteries and escape I think you are going to make it. The environment in this map was amazing too as it feels like a purist Ravenholm zombie map.

    Ravenstone by beefbacon (bonus map) [Avalanche]

    It is WOW!

    Man! This was truly great, the whole feeling is that this is a different game from HL2, so the author is truly a genius for exploiting the advantages of the source engine this way. Overall my whole feeling about this entry is that I would love to play a full game with more and more maps like this, enemies are just amazing, the Grav Gun dynamic is right on your hands, and the environmental combat is just pretty sweet! and that whole aura of pirate-magic retriever atmosphere on the map is delightful, this truly is an instant classic, and I can only hope the developer dares to make this one a full-scale game with so many more maps someday.

    PastTense by Sensethenn [Sugarcane]

    It is great!

    I have never enjoyed a combat arena so much as this one before. The layout was great as you can combat and plan your battle in many ways possible, but I think the key on this one was to battle from the bottom up. The Combine tries to get you of course, but you have plenty of room to run across the map and escape their strikes, and also many cool places to ambush, this one felt like a realistic close infantry combat mission so yeah it felt great to play.

    Fallout Valley by rojahel [Mountain Lab]

    It is bad

    I’m kind of sorry to say this, but I think this was the only bad entry in the entire game. It doesn’t mean the concept or layout was bad, because it was a great idea indeed, but having to cross that toxic river full of annoying zombies was a big pain in the butt, so that part where you have to cross that river, is utterly anti-climatic and very harmful to the player that once you reach the other side of the map and then you get to that control room in which you, again, find another obnoxious hindrance like these 4 f*cking turrets to get the sh*t out of you is like a big middle finger to the player, I know in there you have to input a number on the door keypad so it is manageable, but this whole entry feels just very anti-climatic in the middle of other great maps, sorry.

    R.E.V.C.E.T.P. by Friendly Russian [Train]

    It is okay

    I liked the concept of the combat training simulation in this one, but I just loathed the orange textures… I think that aesthetic detail could have made a great difference in this map as the other elements, combat, and the train layout map, were well done.

    Sluiceworks by Attack Slug – 1st Place [Gasworks]

    It is WOW!

    This was a greatly deserved winner, and I can only think that Attack Slug only improves and improves as he faces each map-lab after another, so yeah in this time he delivers a beautiful map. The textures and environment kind of remind me of those great HALO 2 maps where you face the covenant, is amazing to think this is a kind of environmental puzzle map, and despite some (including me) usually hate puzzle games, find this entry just great, a truly art work that I can only hope the developer mingle together one day in one big mod release.

    Opposing Force, Too by roman_memes – 3rd Place [Train]

    It is great!

    This was a beautiful tribute to Opposing Force, the map was greatly done, and despite it being an MP layout Roman achieves a great Single Player exciting combat journey, so congratulations for that well-deserved 3rd place.

    Infiltrate The Base by Alivebyte! (bonus map) [Nucleus]

    It is okay

    This was a nice little story to give context to a huge FPS arena, so good for that. The combat was nice but felt overall kind of plain as you just battle the CMB terrorists with that classic and kind of boring HL2 SMG and once you finish them all you end the map, so yeah: complex story, simple gameplay.

    Nal Sidian by Alexandra ‘Maestra Fénix’ Bravo – 2nd Place [Nucleus]

    It is WOW!

    I just loved this one and just blew my mind off. Reminds me a lot of the classic POV HL1 mod as you play as a friendly Vortie, the whole combat dynamic of the Vortie is greatly done in this entry, and the layout of the map is great, is a well-deserved 2nd place, and a truly instant classic, can’t wait to play its sequel in “A Place on the West”

    So yeah that’s it. a great map-lab, full of exciting fun entries to just enjoy.

    Installed:
    Manually
    Difficulty Played At:
    Medium
    Playtime:
    3 Hours
    Reply

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