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Custom Map Reviews |
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USP-16, "Location Z-14" by Mister ProphetStoryYou materialize on a teleporter pad in a stark, white, decayed temple. The sky is clear and all seems calm. Quickly you learn of others who’ve passed through somewhat unsuccessfully. One learns also that this is the White Temple, built by the Nali to honor Eldora, who gave them charge of the land. As usual the Skaarj have moved into the neighborhood and made life miserable. Worse than that, you’ll learn their toughest ranks are present including a boss...The Elder. This might indeed be your way out…one way or the other.
Creatures and ItemsWeapons aquired: Weapons acquired: ASMD, Flak Cannon, Eightball Gun, Rifle, Minigun. ArchitectureQuite nice indeed. We all know Mr. Prophet as one of the premiere mappers in Unreal and it’s a foregone conclusion that this build generally rocks. Loving details abound here, loose, fallen tiles, smoke issuing vents, contrast galore, sky through ceiling, excellent 2D work. masked sheets and so many other touches. However, in brief momentary flashbacks, Xidia kept crawling into the recesses of memory…no matter. Nothing is boring to look at here folks. It is impressive, imposing and professionally accomplished whether in ancient or tech motifs. TexturingSeveral sets are used here including Ancient, DecayedS, GenEarth, GenFX, Hourlightedskaarjtex, Skaarj, ShaneSky and others. You’ll likely love or hate the my level textures of the temple as it’s a bit of an adjustment after immersion in more traditional Unreal sets previously used in the pack…for better or worse. Both ancient and tech areas have their respective textures applied generally well. LightingWe were not sure if the following matter was best presented in architecture or here. We’ll do it here! The sky looks bad. When looking up outside, you can plainly see the edges of a “box”, at least in OpenGL. Upon checking in the editor, a traditional skybox was not employed in
deference to just a cubic shell around the area using a sky texture and high radius lighting. Not being familiar with the technique we can not fairly continue in a technical vein other than to say it looks bad. Otherwise, the level is quite well illuminated. Lights are well sourced, nicely tweaked as to brightness/radius settings and exhibiting nicely applied corona and lightbox effects in certain areas. No zone light is employed.
SoundThe ingredients of sound, silence and music are cleverly mixed providing areas ranging from a creepy ambiance to dread anticipation. Music events are used to transition at various times to Guardian, Unreal4, Warlord and BlackDawn .umx files. Technical ExecutionWithout enumerating the list again, the major tools of the trade are used well here. Teleporter use is also an especially nice touch in the map. The level contains 13 zone info actors. The only down sides in this area are the aforementioned sky “box” and a mover which looks hi-tech in the first Skaarj panel room, but emits an ancient stone sound upon moving…just seems a little weird. GameplayThis is it- last level…get ready – go! This aspect has been slightly altered from the authors’ original but it’s still not a stroll in the park! Mr. Prophet is well known for the inclusion of challenging gameplay in his creations, and though modified, it’s still pretty much here. You’ll battle new and meaner variation of Skaarj from the previous levels of the pack, including Praetorian, Protector and our good old boss Elder. You’ll not escape without truly earning the right. If you can do it playing in Unreal or even Hard difficulty settings, you’re among the leet players of this game! Overall EffectStunning architecture flawed sky, challenging gameplay, tension packed atmosphere and excellent lighting technique combine to leave a favorable impression. Though at times one might keep getting those momentary Xidia flashes. All in all, it’s still impressive. Oh yes, before we forget, immediately following Mr. Prophets map the player is launched into an ending sequence. Or... maybe we should forget it... we were expecting more. 'Nuff said.
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