All-Star CTF

All-Star CTF is the ultimate extension of Quake Capture the Flag. This multiplayer-only mod features new power-ups, a grappling hook, and countless new levels.

When you start a server it will begin in the Welcome to All-Star level, which will allow all players to pick from an episode either from one of Quake One's four episodes, Quake Deathmatch levels, Either of the two Threewave CTF episodes, The Thunderwalker levels, or the Xero CTF levels. Each player that picks an exit is placed in an arena. Armed only with AXES, they must melee eachother to death in a free-for-all deathmatch. The game will track the kills and when time runs out the player whom gained the most kills will get his or her choice and the server will play that episode until it's conclusion before restarting back to the All-Star starting map.

The game is highly recommended for groups of six to twelve. In games ranging from 3v3 to 6v6. Less is not recommended, and more can get very chaotic.

History
The first REAL instance of ANY competitive multiplayer Capture the Flag in video games dates back to Threewave CTF a modification for Quake One, made by Zoid. The game features symmetrical (the same on both sides) levels.

Two teams were introduced, blue and red; they fought to capture the enemies flag. They could only do a successful capture while their own flag was returned to the base, this is achieved by killing the enemy flag carrier and touching the dropped flag.

A special weapon was added called the Grappling Hook, this weapon was bound to the #1 key that could be toggled while the axe was being used. The hook would fire out and bring you to it, it could also be used on enemy players to lock you against them.

Eventually it became so popular that runes were introduced, special power-ups that were scattered around the level that would give your character a permanent boost until you die, where the rune would drop onto the ground for your enemy to get.

A second episode of levels were added later and that is were development on Zoid's Threewave CTF came to an end. It would be a little while longer that Thunderwalker CTF (TWCTF for short) was introduced. In Thunderwalker it introduced new weapons, items, runes, and sounds. It was more or less an enhanced version of Threewave CTF. This became the new standard for CTF severs for a long time and eventually featured it's own levels exclusive to the mod.

Thunderwalker would go on being popular for some time until the majority of the Quake player-base moved onto Unreal Tournament and Quake 2. A little bit before that, all the Threewave, Thunderwalker, and Xero maps would be consolidated under one modification called All-Star CTF.