11/05/2015 - "Fortress of K'etrith" by Maekh

[Semfry]

Map Title: Fortress of K'etrith
Author: Maekh
From: Deja Vu
Filename: USP-14-Maekh.unr




Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6h0I0X1Prw

Synopsis: You discover a fortress taken over by the Skaarj, as well as the front entrance to the Temple of Novana.

Discuss!

[Hellscrag]

A map that I have tried hard to love, but can't quite manage it. It's a bit of a slog, despite the fact that I normally like the castle theme. Something about it is lacking atmosphere; perhaps a night time theme would have helped. Gameplay-wise, it's quite challenging, generally in a good way with only a few moments where it goes over the top.

[Sat42]

I think it's a great map, though clearly not among the best maps of the pack. Fortress of K'etrith has a very traditional Unreal quality to it, I think. Average in terms of difficulty (again, I always choose the Medium difficulty setting, so when I say "easy", "average", or "hard", I'm using this baseline), and rather short (anything under an hour on the first playthrough is short to me), but if one thing stands out to me, it's the "connectivity" with the Temple of Novana (I never realised it was meant to be the "front" entrance, though): that added credibility to the world being forged here. I also thought the start was particularly cool because of the tough action.
A night time theme would have enhanced the atmosphere, but the mood was fine in my view. The music track is not anything special to me, but that's it.

[Semfry]

Can someone please upload the texture files needed to fix the black skybox issue? Since I'm using the digital version now I don't have a good way to get them.

[Sat42]

Can someone please upload the texture files needed to fix the black skybox issue? Since I'm using the digital version now I don't have a good way to get them.

Has someone responded yet? I'd help, but I've never had this problem and so I'm not sure what would fix it: the texture files you're talking about, are they simply those I'd find in the SkyBox and genfluid packages (there's one genfluid texture used for the skybox, plus ShaneDay's FLARE10 for the two suns)?

[Jigoku]

...I really need to get around to playing all these mappacks... And maybe make some mini stories...

[Semfry]

Can someone please upload the texture files needed to fix the black skybox issue? Since I'm using the digital version now I don't have a good way to get them.

Has someone responded yet? I'd help, but I've never had this problem and so I'm not sure what would fix it: the texture files you're talking about, are they simply those I'd find in the SkyBox and genfluid packages (there's one genfluid texture used for the skybox, plus ShaneDay's FLARE10 for the two suns)?

Yeah I just need the non-S3TC versions of the texture files with Skybox textures.

[Sat42]

Can someone please upload the texture files needed to fix the black skybox issue? Since I'm using the digital version now I don't have a good way to get them.

Has someone responded yet? I'd help, but I've never had this problem and so I'm not sure what would fix it: the texture files you're talking about, are they simply those I'd find in the SkyBox and genfluid packages (there's one genfluid texture used for the skybox, plus ShaneDay's FLARE10 for the two suns)?

Yeah I just need the non-S3TC versions of the texture files with Skybox textures.

I sent you a link to the skybox texture pack via PM, hope it works!

[Semfry]

I like this level, but I also agree that there's something missing to really bring it together as something that stands out. I think the repetition has a part in that; there's a lot of semi-copy-pasted bedroom areas that you clear the same way. Outside of the nice looking courtyard area the fort is basically corridors outside of those bedrooms, so it ends up kind of forgettable. I think the ending parts are better for that; I find something about the shadow use in the first cellar room evocative despite the relatively simple detailing, and the prison and cave areas stick out more. I'm also glad I was able to get in the idea of the temple front being Novana's, as it brings the world together a little (perhaps the laser corridor could have been added to really drive it home though). It's kind of unfortunate that the small puzzle at the start was deleted in the final release though; "the face will set you free" or whatever was pretty obscure, but it could have been tweaked, and just removing it makes one or two of the starting messages make no sense.

[UB_]

It's the lowest point of DV2 but not the weakest map (Shiadorle Valley is); it has the bad luck of coming up right after a bunch of really good maps and it's followed by two really cool final ones. So it feels like it lacks a lot of quality.

The lighting is really nice, texturing is sort of meh but the translator messages are extremely lazy however. Lastly there are a lot of annoying Skaarj Trooper battles. It's a bit of a torture - just not a fun one unlike Map 15's.

So what was the deal with the removed puzzle at the beginning of the level? I remember one of the stone faces being a pushable mover.