Q3DM17: The Longest Yard

Q3DM17 also known as "The Longest Yard", is the most influential and one of the most popular maps of Quake 3 Arena. Since Q3A released this map got so much attention from the modders of the other communities as well as Quake community itself.

The Map
The Longest Yard is a medium sized map made for 4-6 players. Map generally revolve around medium-long ranged fights at the largest side platforms. Being space themed, map includes very little spots to hide or sneak. Even recovering health back is a risk on its own because how open this map is.

Main arena consist of a pair of identical hovering floors across each other. Have teleporters on each floor, sending the player to the catwalk bridge on top of a flat area below both hovering floors at the center of the map, connecting them both.

Most beneath area, larger than the twin floors above it and house a complexity of five bounce pads that elevate players back to the rear floors and the middle bridge-catwalk. 4 of them facing at the general directions angularly to elevate the gladiator to their next destination, while middle top one is parallel to the ground acting like a roof to connect all four.

Medium sized identical hovering flat platforms cover the each corner of middle floor across each other. They're tied with small boost acceleration pads across each. Larger middle hover floors lead to each of them with a simple bouncepad. They provide cover from any attacks coming from lower floors.

Map is crowned by a smaller platform on top which can be reached via beneath bounce pad complex and pouncing from a midair pad. All teleporters in the map; at the top small platform and rear sides of the main arena, lead player to the middle of the bridge again to face every foe in the middle of the arena.

Lastly the most infamous sniper porch of this map is reach via a long flight from an accelerator pad at the end of a catwalk under the thin bridge connecting middle floors. Sided by two long launching bouncepads at the rear flinging user at the middle floors across.

Weapons
Ground floor leads to 2 packs of Slugs, next to acceleration pad to the Railgun platform. Bouncepad complex at the midst of the area will elevate player to the side platforms, where player can grab Rocket Launcher and gather a pack of Bullets and Rockets. Another bouncepad at the middle twin floors, will elevate the player to the Shotgun platform, in which they can gather Shells.

Goodies
At the center of the map there's a complexity of 5 bouncepads. The middle one will lead the player up high where they can grab Megahealth. Megahealth has a spawn time of 1 minute.

Side ones elevates the player to the middle floor RL platforms above, and Railgun porch side one leads to the Heavy Armor bridge. Heavy armor has a spawn time of 35 seconds. Teleporters at the middle floors and at the small crown platform at top of the map, send players at the same Heavy Armor spawn at the middle of the bridge.

One of the side bounce points at the center of the map, approximately; the back one, throws player to a floating secondary bounce pad which will elevate the player to the Quad Damage platform at the top of the map.

High floor middle platforms connected with acceleration pads which player can gather Light Armor with small Armor Shards by flinging across.

Map is also pretty scarce of health recovery. Only a four +50 health globes scattered around the main arena. Two at the very corners of the most below platform, and one each at high Shotgun platforms looking to the Railgun porch side of the map. Trying to grab one may be a risky endeavour. Railgun porch at the distance have smaller +25 health on sides as well to bear some incoming shots.

Noticeable

 * Most infamous sniper porch in Q3A, may be in the entire Quake series. Only a few small spots in the map are covered against potshots from Railgun porch.
 * In a crowded match, using teleporter to reach Heavy Armor or trying to reach the Mega directly generally answered with heavy focus fire.
 * You can telefrag your foes by abusing either of the side teleporters easily.
 * Waist-high covers at each side of the middle bridge provide cover against Railgun fire as user can crouch behind them. Likewise, top platforms and behind of bouncepad complex is safe against stray fire.
 * May be it's not possible to respawn kill someone directly, but it's pretty possible to push anyone back into the deathly abyss waiting behind them. Some respawn points in this map is tediously put at the very edge of this map.

Strategy
At the multiplayer, this map can be very populated and crowded. Mayhem arises quick as player count increases because this map almost have no place to hide.

Expect some resistance around the Rocket Launcher spawn, because everyone will want this weapon in their arsenal. If you keep going down when trying to get this weapon it would be a smart move to slide back on to the Shotgun or grabbing Bullet packs so you can have a shooting spree.

If the map is crowded using teleporters will take too much unwanted attention from newly spawned players, you'll end up at the center of the map. If you don't have enough strength to bear the shots, avoid teleporters on crowded matches. When player uses teleporters, it surely forces them to time the goodies or have an evacuation plan to get away from unwanted attention. Although teleporters also allow you to get rid of Quad runners with a gut blasting telefrag when timed right. Even if you missed the attempt nothing stops you from trying to sucker punch them back into the abyss with a crouched Gauntlet jab.

Bouncepads can be exceptionally dangerous when there's a railgunner shooting away at the main arena. Top platform Shotgun spawns can be covered from that sort of attack. Bridge also have small waist-high covers that you can crouch behind. With a good timing it's not hard to position behind them after dropping onto the middle floor. Behind of the most below bouncepad complex can be used to peek from rear at the RG porch and take potshots to force the sniper out.

Either way or not you have to time the Heavy Armor at the middle of the bridge and hold the control of acceleration platforms so you can be sure that no one reaches the Quad once before going through your sight. If you miss the opportunity of getting the Heavy Armor again it's advised to go for the Railgun point and stack up some shots.

Another thing that makes this map interesting are air steering (plain strafing in mid-air) and rocket ramp shortcuts. Just a note; If the map is full of good players it would be almost impossible to abuse rocket jump or going aerial for a long time unless you have a blessed aim. You will find yourself pushed to the abyss by a Railgun or consecutive Machine Gun shots before you know it.

Alternatively, you can basically jump away from the Railgun platform but it's not really recommended to go for a straight line up to Railgun platform in crowded maps or someone is already occupying the platform.
 * 1) Accel platform to Heavy armor Enter the acceleration pad at the Shotgun platform and just hold down a sidestep button in mid air, you'll probably land on the RL platform do a little strafe jump as you hit the ground. If you pulled it right you'll dash into the teleporter which will send you to the middle of the bridge.
 * 1) Floating bounce to Railgun That's a rather unnecessary one; Rocket Jump away from the second floating platform to the Quad Damage. If you done it right you'll fly above the Quad platform and land on either the Heavy Armor bridge or the acceleration platform to the Rail. This can be a surprising move if you have some extra hitpoints to sacrifice and check on Quad Damage.
 * 1) High floor to Quad Climb to Shotgun platform then jump-dive back into the bouncepad that elevated you there and Rocket Jump away with 1-2 rockets as you hit the bouncepad. It may require one to pre fire a rocket down below after a blast jump then do it again with a chain explosion of 2 rockets. May be a couple of tries only elevate you up to the skirts of the top platform, but after a practicing session it's possible to step onto the Quad platform above all. Risky and requires one to have high armor stacks.
 * 1) Rail to Quad from the front edge of the Rail platform run towards any bounce pad at the wings and Rocket Jump away from it by aiming diagonally down and air steering by the center of the map. Risky again and requires performer to have some armor stacks again to bear a small amount of self damage. You may get pushed over the edge in a crowded match while trying.
 * 1) Rail to Mega Health Interesting one, when entered the accel pad to Railgun porch steer to the sides slightly aim for the wing bouncepads near the RG spawn. If you done it well, you'll step on one of the side bouncepads of the RG platform and become mid-air again. Once you bounce back, do a 180 degree turn. Don't let go of the sidestep button yet. Start to tap backpedal a few times (so you don't fly away to the void because of imminent acceleration) and aim for top of the bouncepad complex at the center of the map. If your calculations are right you'll elevate to the MH by landing on center pad.

Trivia

 * This was one of the four maps included in the original Quake 3 demo. Others being Q3DM1, Q3DM7 and Q3TOURNEY2.
 * Perhaps this map is the one got the most modifications among the Q3A's history. It's possible to find customized versions of this map where it's hard to tell which bouncepad leads to which platform complex before a throughout gameplay.
 * This map is now in Quake Champions as "Longest Yard".