It's about balance. No map will be perfect even with years of testing, but a few outside views can be a lot of help. Having one or two testers run through the pack and give some feedback shouldn't take much time at all (unless you have expanded Illhaven to an epic adventure the size of a sprawling RPG).

Kew, I would suggest adding a _beta or something to the end of your maps if you wish to just release them all before enough bug testing is done, this way it ensures no version mismatches later down the road

edit: I have PMed you my email address

In my experience, often times the worst bugs are found when I hand my map(s) over to trusted outsiders for a private beta test. Even if it's just a couple of people it will improve the chances of excising those pesky release glitches (there's always something).

Let me address some of the recent posts.

Firstly, as always, you make a lot of sense Casey. And in light of it and after some thought, I have decided to go through an additional testing phase, as you always suggested. Additionally, that will allow me time to reflect and work on what I hope will be an ambitious map of Illhaven City, under siege, already started. I am certainly not going to set myself up for a barrage of negative criticism over bugs in any early release. I am just an artist in 3D and make maps for my own pleasure and, hopefully, that of others. No pain.

Secondly, you are absolutely correct, Mr Prophet. At least correct about that but not necessarily over your "classic" review of the original Saga (lol).

Thirdly, Legendslayer, I assume your comment about balance was for the benefit of novice mappers, since I hardly need to be told that after 18 years of mapping, both amateur and professional. But I am sure you meant well.....

Regards to you all

Kew

It's an older review, Kew, and one of the first I did on the site's current schema. If I had written it more recently I would certainly have used less negative vocabulary in some areas but generally my opinion is the same now as it was then. It's a community classic and fan favorite even if I never really enjoyed the second half of the pack myself. That does not mean I don't value the merits of Illhaven a great deal and it is accurate to say my criticisms, however strongly they were worded in that review, stem from how much I really enjoyed the earlier portions of the pack. I'm very interested in seeing how this pans out, as I've always felt a remedied version of Illhaven was essential.

(Kew chuckles) Mr.P, that was a well written review. I was flattered that the Saga was even considered a potential classic. I always regretted that I never had time to fix all those irritating glitches, those torch flames in particular.... (messed up by patch). All that and a lot more has been remedied.

Kew

Does none of this sound a little odd to anyone? A "remastered" vesion which includes new levels in less than a month?

Do you always talk in third person? Is there a reason that you come across as being a total ass?

The proof will be in the pudding with this one.

I have to agree

Stop with this fucking story of the hoax.

Why? It doesn't sound any more odd than the time where a certain somebody released a complete 227 map pack without any form of prior announcement.

I would appreciate it if people could drop the unnecessary hostilities, thank you.

Thank you sana.

To the skeptics, I would point out that, simply because I announced the project several weeks ago, it does not mean that I had not been working on it for some time before that. It seems to me that it is better to get something well underway before announcing it, rather than proposing something right out of the air.

I will not respond to personal insults voiced on this forum.

Kew

Edit: Updated with new information.

2012 - 1994 = 18

There were other games with people mapping for them before Unreal you know.

I am getting tired of these threads questioning my integrity. First, pictures were required as evidence of my authenticity. They were produced. Just recently, the latest attacks are allegations that this is a hoax. That thread was responded to rather succinctly by UBerserker, for which I am obliged. And now I have Pcube trying to be smart in questioning my resume. As Mr Prophet pointed out there were other mapping enterprises before Unreal. I was working with Raven before the first copy of Unreal ever hit the shelves. Before that there was Quake and before that Doom during which time I mapped both with a team and on my own. I recall that Doom came out in 1994. Simple maths cube.

Please don't test my patience further. You may say what you wish when you see my maps but do not criticize me personally.

Kew

Second that.

Don't be so critical. Let Kew make the stuff and release it and then we can talk about the quality of it..
The screenshots look promising, so..

Just wait and see. Be patient.