Routefinding
The layout is relatively simple so learning it should be quick and painless. Once you know your
surroundings you should start planning routes through the map which get you weapons and kills
quickly and efficiently. The map lends itself well to a circuit approach and this is often the
tactic I employ. If I was to spawn at ground level in room 1 this is the route I would probably
take. First you should try to get off the ground level as this is where a lot of the combat takes
place and you are exceptionally vulnerable with no armour and a measly blaster. Head toward the
staircase up to the lower level. Pick up the Yellow Armour and bandolier as you climb the stairs.
Swing right and pick up the Grenade Launcher and if there are any opponents at ground level, give
them a couple of grenades to think about. Go through the short corridor to room 2 and pick up the
Megahealth. This will allow you to safely drop down into the cellar and pick up the Chaingun and 150
bullets before climbing the short staircase and heading up the ladder toward room 3. Next stop is of
course the Quad Damage. Once you have it I would be tempted to jump back to the walkway and head up
the steps to the upper level. However if there are lots of players at ground level I would definitely
drop down and clear up with the Quad assisted Chaingun then ride the elevator instead. Once you
have grabbed the Railgun from room 4 you should find yourself with 20 seconds of Quad left. From the
Railgun position you can easily jump straight off onto the lava trap button so if you see some fool
trying to grab the Rocket Launcher punish them. Being Quadded at ground level is guaranteed to increase
your frag count so I would always aim to be in this situation as often as possible during your route.
Weapons
I have mentioned numerous times already how the Chaingun is the best weapon in this map if assisted
with the Quad Damage. Of course the Quad only respawns after 60 seconds so you will need to
find a weapon to keep your score ticking over until it reappears. My weapon of choice here would
be the Rocket Launcher. Although a risk to obtain, there is an abundance of ammunition available
and it is great for attacking from above. The Railgun is deliberately a pain to get to due to
its usefulness. It is great for picking off opponents riding elevators or running down the
corridors. As always in maps with a strong vertical element, the Grenade Launcher is undoubtedly
useful. Firing grenades from above into large crowds below is a good source of kills. Remember that
a Quad boosted grenade (either launcher or hand powered) is an extremely powerful weapon. In
close combat situations on the ground level the Super Shotgun (of which there are two) is indispensable.
Getting About
There aren't too many cunning shortcuts you can take in KTDM7. Rocket jumping can be used in
numerous places to traverse vertical levels quickly. A full height rocket jump from the walkway
in room 4 saves you having to go through room to get the Railgun. You can rocket jump to the
Quad platform from the ground level in room 3 and in fact you can rocket jump from ground level
up to any lower level walkway throughout the map. A simple jump to save having to use the
stairs in room 1 to get to the walkway level can be made by riding the elevator to room 3 and then
jumping across from it to the opposite walkway. There are also a couple of places where a
combined grenade rocket jump are very useful. Firstly if you are in the cellar (near the Chaingun)
in room 2 and are being bombarded with grenades from above you can utilise a grenade rocket
jump to escape to the Megahealth platform, tricky but very useful. The other place to use this
tactic is to quickly grab the Railgun from the ground level of room 4.
Extra Tips
When listening to the sound of your opponent there are a couple of cues that will allow you
to determine his / her position. The most obvious is the splashing of water near the Chaingun.
Also listen for the distinct sound of the Megahealth being picked up. A rapid succession of mini
health sounds means that an opponent is likely to be about to grab the Megahealth. When you are
about to run the gauntlet and grab the Rocket Launcher make sure you have a quick look around.
Don't forget to look up at the Railgun position as it is easy for an opponent to jump from there
right onto the trap button. Finally, if you do get caught out and end up trapped in the Jacuzzi
don't panic there is still hope. If you have enough health and act quickly you can rocket jump up
onto the small metal ledge right up against the forcefield. I have found this to be a perfect
moment to exercise your taunt keys, there is little more satisfying than taunting your opponent
through the forcefield when he thought he had caught you out.