This is sort of a big deal: Lightning Hunter's ambitious project RTNP: The Ultimate Edition is now finished and ready for consumption.

Here's LH's own feature list:

• RTNP conversion to UT, without the pesky bugs that have come with previous RTNP conversions.
• The original 17 RTNP levels with bug fixes, texture alignments, game play enhancements, and more. Some maps have been given the treatment they should have received when the Expansion pack first came out!
• 10 new levels, completely restored from Beta content of Unreal. This content was originally cut from the official game. It has been modified to fit right in with RTNP, including proper transitions between levels. All of it feels right at home in RTNP!
• Restored beta content has been completely revamped. This includes better lighting, enhanced game play, new stories, added RTNP content, texture alignments, technical revisions, and much more. None of it is in beta form any longer, but finalized.
• Restored music from the beta releases, which are used in the new maps and even some of the old maps.
• Implemented Oldskool features, including permanent carcasses, weapon decals, scoreboard with kill counts, and more.
• A great menu system created by Integration.
• More of a challenge when used with the 'Limbo Difficulty Mutator', which has been included with this conversion. This is recommended for veteran players who found the original RTNP to be too easy!

Now if that isn't a campaign worth playing RIGHT NOW, I don't know!

You can find Lightning Hunter's project thread (including downloads) here.

Sounds like a dream came true!

Wow, I forgot actually linking to the thread. How horrible!

Respect to Lightning Hunter This will be my first choice when Christmas holidays start.

This is an exceptional achievment. As someone who has personally disliked many of the previous attempts to "restore" RTNP, I am really looking forward to giving this one a go. Much of that has to do with my confidence in Lightning Hunter

It's definitely fantastic. Some of it confuses me story-wise, but the I realize that a lot of that stuff is magic-oriented and all is okay again. Some nitpicky aspects exist, but they're not the kind of things that break the game, so I won't worry about it too much (especially on an announcement thread). Anyway, at present I'm still trekking through this, but man, is it a blast. Great job Lightning Hunter.

Thanks, guys. I did my best to make the story as engaging as possible without the presence of intermissions. It was very difficult to figure out how to explain the SpaceMarines among other things without voice acting. I was worried it would be a tad bit confusing, but I hope most of it is explained. In the end, I wanted RTNP to be more like Unreal - with engaging subplots in each level, rather than one large story. At the very least, I hope the subplots are entertaining!

Now at the Tarydium plant. Have been enjoying this very much.

I have a technical issue: occasionally fps drops to a single-digit slideshow but a restart of UT fixes it. The drop continues to the menu interface so it's probably not the pack but a driver issue. I have UT 436, Oldskool 239, Oldmodels from LH's pack, UTGLR 36 so I should be okay? Or should I try Direct3D? (C2D, 8600GTS, gobs of RAM, so it's not the h/w.) Not a biggie though.

The other small issue is that while I use a male character, the jump and "ouch!" sounds are still the female and don't fit in so well. Is it some simple setting I've ignored? I have audio taunts (or sumthing) off as I associate those more with UT than USP. (Different strokes for different folks and all that.)

The beta maps fit in perfectly. I liked Cryox before, aside from the (now fixed?) navigation problem, so I'll be one of those madmen who like both it and the Crypt maps. There's some new stuff in the old RTNP maps as well? I don't remember e.g. that uber-cool DP powerup from Velora Temple.

Really skilled work with the plot, the translator messages and all. Enough messages for clues (and atmosphere) while not too much. It's definitely improved over the original RTNP. The short scripted sequence at the end of Prometheus was good, the important plot event justifies the "pause for emphasis" very well. (And I'm glad the original voice-acted intermissions are gone.)

Gameplay balance is very good, I've gone from 100+ health and shield/armor to 50 health, have run out of some ammo now and then; been an engaging struggle and the fights have been fun.

All in all, finally RTNP really feels like part of the Unreal saga, and the beta content has a natural home. Truly atmospheric. A big hand to Lightning Hunter!

Now back to the adventure...

[Edit] Now in Cryox and really enjoying it. BTW, the pirates were bloody excellent for the Merc lane: the flat map is ideal for fighting them fast bots, and they fit very well into the storyline at that point -- again the storytelling (ranging from map order and modding to translator messaging) proved to be really splendid. A lot of thought has gone into it. Kudos!

[Edit2] LOL. Never noticed before that those little lizards actually start running away if you shoot them. Now I'ce chased three inside the Gala's Peak castle to harass the residents. Simple minds are easily entertained [Okay, enough spoiling here...]

Hey Torquemada, I'm glad you are enjoying it! Thank you for the comments.

What a surprise 'blast-from-the-past'
Thank you so much.

Personally...and everyone will probably think I'm nuts...I think with the extreme textues (or even just the high-rez textures) of S3TC, I just think Na Pali & Unreal iteslf look brighter,sharper,& better thru the original Unreal than thru the Unreal Torunament engine...its just muddier thru the latter.
But thats picky...it looks great still,this is a wonderful release,& of course the new (old-beta) maps are a thrill to play.

I didn't really appreciate the beta maps till I got to the Nexus complex...
...but I REALLY appreciate them with the Soledad map!
not THAT's a Primo-Unreal mapp...just beautiful.

I must admit I got stuck about 3/4 thru on Soledad...where you ae told to destroy the 4 locks to advance...and then find the secret ("solitary") level in the pool.
I found all 4 locks...not sure how to 'destroy' any of them but I activated them all...
found the secret pool area (assuming that means the place wi the dead guy by the fireplace).
but what I canNOT find is how to lower that bridge on the highest level point that then allows you to cross & finish...so I 'ghosted" to do that.

Is there a walkthru for any of the beta maps..?
Is there a walkthru for Soledad map?
Does anyone know how to lower that bridge?

Than you in advance

ericjmz

There is...but for the unpolished maps. I don't know the exact differences...
http://www.unrealsp.org/gameguide/beta.html

You need to destroy the four metallic locks that hold the bridges. Shoot them with the Dispersion Pistol alternate fire.

Downloaded, can't wait to try it !!

Thanx for the Soledad tip.
I need to get better eyes; reverse aging might work?!?!?

I could not visually differentiate the locks holding the bridge from the bridge itself.
thank you; that did the trick.

ericjmz