Circus
| Circus | |
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| Basic Information | |
| Map type: | Player Destruction |
| File name: | pd_circus
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| Released: | October 10, 2024 Patch (Scream Fortress XVI) |
| Variants: | Nucleus (King of the Hill), Galleria, Nucleus VSH and Nucleus (Arena) |
| Developer(s): | Liam "Diva Dan" Moffitt Aeon "Void" Bollig donhonk |
| Map Info | |
| Environment: | Circus |
| Setting: | Nighttime, Halloween |
| Hazards: | Pitfall, banana peel, fire |
| Hazards (Underworld): | Health drain |
| Map Photos | |
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| Map Overview | |
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| Map Stamp | |
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| Supporters Leaderboard | |
| “ | WELCOME TO THE CIRCUS!
— Circus publicity blurb
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” |
Circus is a community-created Player Destruction map added in the Scream Fortress 2024 update. It is set inside a macabre circus tent implied to be run by Merasmus. The goal is to deliver Funny Bones to the Circus Core, which opens periodically at the center of the map. Funny Bones can be acquired either by picking them up from dead players, or by passing through the central ring via jump pads that appear on the sides of the map. Various displays around the circus show the arena of the Circus Core, allowing players to observe it from outside.
Circus was contributed to the Steam Workshop.
Contents
Locations
- Outside Grounds: Unlike other maps, teams do not spawn in their respective respawn areas. Instead, they are first placed inside an isolated section of the map in which they can access three portals that lead to their spawn rooms. In order to prevent spawn camping, players are invulnerable and have increased move speed while in and shortly after exiting the portals. On each portal's end is another green exit portal that returns players back to the Outside Grounds, should they so desire.
- Lower: This is the left-most/right-most portal. It leads players to a secluded spawn room that exits onto the Perimeter.
- Main/Middle: Takes players to the central spawn room located behind one of the Bridges.
- Upper: The right-most/left-most portal. It leads to another secluded spawn room, this one being near the Cannon Building.
The spawn area.
Lower exit and spawn.
Main exit and spawn.
Upper exit and spawn.
Exterior of the lower exit.
Exterior of the upper exit.
Portal for returning to the Outer Grounds.
- The Hoop: The rotating, flaming hoop which dominates the center of the map. Jump pads that alternate in placement can launch players to it, allowing them to pass through the hoop to collect Funny Bones and gain a temporary speed boost and health regeneration, as well as to quickly cross to the opposite side of the map. Every 74 seconds, the base lowers with bridges extending to it so that the portal to the Clown Core can open and players can deliver the Funny Bones they collected in order to score.
- The Bridges: Once the aforementioned time limit has expired, the portal to the Clown Core opens and bridges extend out so that it is reachable. There are four bridges, one on each side in front of each team's main spawn, and two far bridges in the center between the spawns.
- Bonzo's Pit: Directly below The Hoop is Bonzo's gaping maw with a narrow catwalk suspended just above it. The catwalk holds a medium health kit, but the pit is unavoidable death - unless the player manages to land on one of the floating bongos, which bounce them back up to safety.
- Jump Pads: The main way to access the Hoop. The Jump Pads have two possible configurations. The first one is a single large pad positioned centrally inside the Cannon Building. The other configuration is made up of two smaller pads which are placed on the opposite sides of the Jumbotron Building. Every time the Clown Core closes and the Hoop is raised back up, the message "Swapping the jump pads..." appears, after which the pads disappear for a couple of seconds before appearing in a new configuration, followed by the announcement "The pads have moved!" Outline of the pads, in whichever position they may be in, is visible through the walls at all times.
The Hoop.
The central pit, with bridges and portal to the Clown Core.
The pit without bridges and portal.
Right Jump Pad in Jumbotron.
Left Jump Pad in Jumbotron.
Cannon Buillding Jump Pad.
- The Perimeter: The series of ledges and catwalks which directly surround Bonzo's Pit. The Perimeter is further divided into RED-Side Perimeter and BLU-Side Perimeter, based on which spawn room is on that side of the map. Narrow wooden bridges to the Clown Core appear across the pit after the portal is opened.
- Roofs: On top of the buildings along the perimeter are roofs which are accessible by Rocket Jumping or Sticky Jumping. These are useful spots, as they give a great height advantage and a view of the entire area.
- Jumbotron Building: The Jumbotron Building is one of the buildings on the perimeter. It has no bridge connecting to the portal from it, but has a bridge connecting to the catwalks at the base of The Hoop.
- Cannon Building: Directly across from the Jumbotron Building is the Cannon Building. It is entered from each team's side by a set of staircases and in its center are two sets of staircases which lead down to the central bridge of the portal. On each side there are entrances to balconies which overlook most of the area. In the far back of the building is a hazardous pit.
Inside the Jumbotron Building.
Exterior of the Jumbotron.
Inside the Cannon Building.
Entrance to the Cannon Building.
Pit inside the Cannon Building.
Exterior of the Cannon Building.
One of the displays.
- Clown Core: The delivery zone. It lasts for 43 seconds before closing. Players are overhealed when they enter and have a continuous speed boost while inside, as well as increased weapon stats such as faster firing and reload speeds. To score, players who have picked up Funny Bones must stand at the base of the exit portal without any living enemies present. Although the exit portal is permanently open, its high placement make it difficult for classes without jumping techniques (like Heavies and Snipers) to reach it, which need to jump onto the thin low walls surrounding the delivery zone first and into the portal second if they wish to leave early. When the entry portal is closed, the previously green atmosphere turns orange and players still in the Clown Core start taking damage, however the exit portal gains a strong gravitational pull that helps players escape. Once they exit, players are dropped through a dropdown into the main spawn room.
The Clown Core.
Another view of the Clown Core.
Clown Core once it begins damaging players
Dropdown through which players exit the Clown Core.
Area view.
Strategy
Main article: Community Circus strategy
 | “Sun Tzu's got nothing on us!” This map's Community strategy page is a stub. As such, it is not complete. You can help the Team Fortress Wiki Community Strategy Project by expanding it. Notes: None added |
Update history
October 10, 2024 Patch #1 (Scream Fortress XVI)
- Added Circus to the game.
- Fixed spell books being prompted despite none spawning in the map.
- Reduced points per player from 6 to 5.
- Reduced distracting lighting and details around the inaccessible areas of the circus.
- Fixed being able to place Teleporters too close to spawn doors.
- Fixed erroneous collisions.
- Fixed small displacements cutting through walls.
- Fixed some gaps in geometry.
Gallery
Steam Workshop thumbnail for Circus.
Overview of the initial spawn area.
Overview of the Circus' underworld.
The Funny Bones pickup.
The Funny Bones skull pickup.
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