TF2 Custom Map Suggestion
When I'm not playing on the GWJ server I surf other servers scrapping for a good round here and there. I've come across many custom maps. Some good and some bad. The other day while I was playing I came across a really well made map. The map was called Smooth_Beta. The balance between the sides was very well thought out and designed. The level itself has a good flow and it plays very very well. So I would like to submit this map as addition to the rotation of maps that we normally play. I enjoy the core pack very much but I can imagine that it will get old sooner or later 
The map can be downloaded here:
http://www.tfportal.de/downloads_show.php?id=332&catid=24&cat=Maps&cat2=...
Try it out and see if you come to same conclusion I have about adding this to the server rotation.
A crazy thought I have had is for something I call "Well II".
Take the current WELL map and move the last point to the upper level with the sniper windows. This area is so under-utilized.
I thought about a point IN the water itself or one that you could only get to through water tunnels but that wouldn't be fair to Pyros.
One custom map I have seen on a pub server should be AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS! It's called Duel 2 Duel. There is no objective here other than a giant fragfest on a timer. It consists of a small blue supply room with a spawn door (red can't go through) a medium sized circular "arena" room and a matching red supply room on the other side. A sniper can stand in his own supply room and shoot into the other supply room when the doors open. The strategy (if you can call it that) seems to be either snipe across and take out anything that comes out the door or be a heavy and rain a constant hail of bullets on the enemy door. Gee, that doesn't get boring fast now does it? Oh, did I forget to mention it has a zero respawn delay?
Goldensly, how did the map flow in an actual game? Do you remember the server it appeared on?
I explored it on my own, and it does have promise. Plenty of alternate routes, complex arena areas, and an interesting return mechanic (instead of returning the intelligence to your intelligence room, you have to bring it to your central tower, only accessible through your base). Though the castles are purely decorative, no sniper platforms there.
One thing jakeleg and the GWJ Steam community could try, if there isn't a consensus about using it, is a special event featuring this map. Try it out for a night, and collect opinions in the forum afterwards. If there are other potential maps, it would be an interesting way to test them out with the community.
I dont remember exactly which server it was. But I narrowed it down to two.
Rotation [Q] 209.160.36.107:27015
]NsR[ Penthouse 64.94.100.55:27015
As for the flow, I thought it was great. I really did not see any times where one team could put a major chokehold on the other. Also I tried the various classes and I never really felt like I had major advantage with any of them. Each had a place where they would be useful but not to the point where they were unstoppable. I've noticed in a lot of custom maps that there are places that can be exploited by a single class that just makes it impossible to pass once they figure it out. This map did not have the problem.
As for the special event night I think that would be great idea. Maybe we could try a few custom maps that Im sure other people have found as well. Weed out the ones we don't all enjoy but keep the ones we all feel were worthy of being put in the rotation.