Airtime Zones
A zone is a marked volume in the map that does something to you while you're inside it, or the moment you enter it. A boost strip that speeds you up, a lift that carries you up, a zone that teleports you back if you're too slow: all zones.
Every zone is the same idea:
zone = a place + a condition (optional) + an effect
Effects#
| Effect | What it does |
|---|---|
| Push | pushes you along the zone's direction every movement step, like a second gravity (e.g. +1500 ups/s); can cap the speed it gives |
| Set speed | sets your speed to a value (or at least / at most a value) when you enter |
| Teleport | sends you to a destination, keeping or setting your speed |
| Reset | puts you back at the route start or your last checkpoint |
| Gravity | turns gravity in another direction while you're inside (gravity flip) |
| Stamina | refills, drains or sets your stamina (stamina) |
| Give a move | grants a move while you're inside: wall-runs on every wall, a double jump, the jetpack (power-ups are the pickup version) |
| Timer | starts, stops, cancels or splits the run (timer gates) |
| Message | shows a hint or a story line |
Conditions#
A zone can fire for everyone, or only when a condition holds:
| Condition | Example |
|---|---|
| Speed below / above a value | below 700 ups: you're too slow for this jump |
| Vertical speed below / above | falling faster than 1700 ups: you missed the landing |
| Stamina below / above | below 10000: no stamina for the next part |
| Route | only for runners on the left route |
| In a run / not in a run | practice-only helpers |
| Keys held | only while holding crouch, or the jetpack key |
| Power-up active | only with featherweight |
| Team | only for the red team (team modes) |
Common zones#
| Zone | Place + condition + effect |
|---|---|
| Boost strip | floor strip, always, a short strong push |
| Boost ring | ring in the air, always, a push through the ring |
| Boost lane | a long slide or tunnel, always, a gentle push; the longer you stay, the faster you get |
| Lift | a column of air, always, a push upward |
| Brake zone | before a tight turn, always, a push backwards |
| Too slow | before a gap, speed below 700, teleport back to the run-up (so nobody falls for a minute) |
| Too fast | a slow section, speed above a value, reset: a speed limit for a precision part |
| Missed landing | under a drop-in, falling faster than 1700, teleport to the start of the section |
| Leet gate | the fast exit, speed above 1200, teleport to the leet route |
| Gravity zone | a room, always, gravity points at the wall |
| Rest area | a heated shelter, not in a run, stamina refill |
| Route switch | a fork, route = right, teleport to the right side |
Feel and skill#
- Push zones reward the line: a push goes along its arrow. Enter along it and the push adds straight to your speed; enter across it and it mostly bends your path.
- Time in the zone matters: you get more from a lane if you stay in it.
- Push + ice: on ice nothing slows you down afterwards, so a boost before an icy slide carries all the way through. On a normal floor, friction eats some of it.
- Condition zones are fair warnings: a "too slow" zone saves you a pointless fall and tells you what speed the jump needs. A leet gate tells you what speed the shortcut needs.
Readable#
- Every zone shows what it does: arrows that flow faster on stronger pushes, blue for boosts, red for brakes, purple for gravity, a soft green for rest areas.
- Condition zones show their condition: a "700" painted at the run-up of a jump with a too-slow zone, a speed gauge on the leet gate that lights up when you're fast enough.
- Each effect has its sound: a whoosh for pushes, a zap for teleports.
In maps#
- Entry speed: a boost strip at the start of a route gives everyone the same speed into the first jump.
- Rescue boosts: a ring that saves a jump you'd otherwise miss: the safe line for learners, while the fast line skips it.
- No long falls: too-slow and missed-landing zones send you back the moment a jump can't work any more, so retrying is instant even without save / load.
- Leet lanes: a hidden boost lane that only pays off if you enter it at full speed.
- Every zone replays exactly: zones are part of the simulation, so runs with them are verified like any other.
Seen in: speed pads in Trackmania and Sonic, Quake 3 jump pads and teleporters, and the filter entities of the UJM jump servers (teleport only below a speed, above a falling speed, below a stamina, or on a given route), which jump maps like ut4_icytilt use for exactly these zones.