SourceForts

SourceForts
SourceForts logo
Developer(s)	SourceForts Mod Team
Engine	Source engine
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows client Windows and Linux server
Release date(s)	February 25, 2005 (2005-02-25)
Genre(s)	First-person shooter, Capture the flag
Mode(s)	Online multiplayer
Distribution	Internet download

SourceForts is a multiplayer capture the flag mod for the computer game Half-Life 2. Two teams, red and blue, construct forts made from metal cubes and panels to protect their flag, and attempt to break into their opponent's fort to steal the enemy flag, which they must then return to their own fort to score. The mod was first released in 2005.

Gameplay

Screenshot showing a member of the red team capturing the blue flag, a wall construction next to the flag, a skyfort above it, and one end of the map sf_reservoir.

Players in SourceForts have the ability to spawn and manipulate blocks and panels, being able to freeze and unfreeze the spawned blocks and panels to create and modify the fort. A typical SourceForts match is played out in a series of Build and Combat rounds. During the Build round players construct forts, and during the Combat round players duel in a capture the flag match, using the forts as bases.

Build Phase

During the Build Phase the two teams are restricted to their own side of the map and cannot use any weapons. The only equipment is the Gravity Gun, used to freeze and unfreeze blocks, pick them up and move them. Each side has access to a limited number of blocks (default of 50, but can be set to any value), which can be spawned (using buttons in a spawn bay) and then picked up with the gravity gun and used.^[1] Blocks come in five different shapes (2x1x1 oblong, 5x1 panel, 3x2 panel, 2x2 panel, and 2x1 panel) which enable the players to create a wide variety of structures, which include crawl tunnels, sky forts, sprint ramps and walls.^[2]

Combat Phase

An in-game screenshot of SourceForts 1.9.2, on the map sf_conduit.

During the Combat Phase players are given weapons according to their chosen class and attempt to breach the enemy's constructions, ultimately capturing their flag. On most servers a successful capture and base return is worth 100 points and a capture without returning it is worth a single point. To win a map a team must achieve a total of 1000 points, or be the team with the most points at the end of a set number of build/combat rounds. This number is variable depending on the server set up and admins.

History

SourceForts was originally created by Daniel "Knifa" Callander who at the time was a twelve-year-old from Scotland,^[5] with its first release on February 25, 2005.^[6] He was responsible for all versions up to 1.4.1, until he ceased development due to frustrations with an update released by Valve Software for its game Half-Life 2: Deathmatch.^[7] on which SourceForts is based. As of September 1, 2009 SourceForts is on its sixth lead programmer.^[8] Development crossed from Alpha into Beta on January 10, 2006,^[8] only to later be completely scratched from development.

SourceForts in the media

On August 5, 2006, the SourceForts trailer movie was added to Steam.^[9] Over the following weeks, SourceForts rose in Steam's official game statistics, although it has since suffered a loss in its player base over the years, and has fallen off the statistics page. SourceForts has been featured on the Steam website since August 2006.^[10]

SourceForts was featured on Giga TV, a German television show, on August 10, 2006.^[11] SourceForts version 1.9.0 was included on the cover disc of PC Zone magazine issue #163, January 2006.^[12]

In January 2007, SourceForts was awarded 'Mod of the Year' by the French Steam gaming website Vossey. They praised the mod for 'its originality and gameplay'.^[13]

Requirements

To play SourceForts a copy of Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, which comes free with Half-Life 2 (and is also included in a number of Steam game packages^[14]), must be installed along with the Source SDK Base.

Although SourceForts users have previously encountered problems when attempting to install it with Half-Life 2: Deathmatch alone (i.e. those players who did not own the single-player Half-Life 2 game), this problem seems to have been resolved with a Steam software update; these users may install the mod in its default location.^[15]

It is also to be noted that some SourceForts servers automatically kick players who are using DirectX 7 and below.^[16]

See also

• Half-Life 2
• Valve Software
• List of Half-Life 2 mods

References

External links

• Official SourceForts website
• SourceForts at Mod DB