UnrealSP.orgUSP-11, "Entry to Triskaden" by MMAN UGITU
Story
You find yourself in an unused part of a skaarj base. Exploring the area you come across a message from the commander of ISV Epsilon warning you of what is to come.
Even though this is the entry to the Trikskaden station, most people will probably remember this as “The Carpathus map” Here is a quick summary if you are not sure what I’m on about. Carpathus was a very special Nali who fought, and partly drove off the Skaarj hordes. He summoned/created a 5 eyed stone beast that was to follow him, and protect him from dangers. Unfortunately the beast was too strong for him to control, and spawned offspring as Carpathus traveled. (yes, the birth of gasbags) The beast killed all that approach its master, regardless of race, and in despair Carpathus asked Novana to turn him into stone. Carpathus was placed inside a secret tomb where the beast still watches over its master. Carpathus soul is bound to his stone form, and can not be released before the beast is dead.
Creatures and Items
Weapons acquired: None.
Enemies encountered: Skaarj, Tentacle, Pupae, Stone GasBeast.
Architecture
Basic, and a bit uneven in quality. Some rooms like the first cave area and the dark and gloomy first hall of the Skaarj base suck you right in, but towards the end of the map it all seems a bit rushed. The room that is only accessible after you have slain the beast looks a bit uninspired and does not seem to serve a purpose. That being said, the author has solid knowledge of the editor, and makes most of the map look quite convincing. A bit square, and some rough edges, but not a bad build at all. And no MMAN, we won’t tell anyone about your "ghey bsp". :P
Score: 7
Texturing
The map uses two very different texture sets; Skaarj and Skycity, and this certainly breaks up the map. It’s almost as if you’ve played two maps instead of one. There are some misalignments, but very few. The Skaarj ceiling texture used seems a bit out of place in this environment. Especially since it’s nearly impossible to align in a multi angled room. Other than that it appears the author has taken great care when aligning and scaling, and has been very consistent and true to the two texture sets. Most rooms are created using just one or the other set without mixing in other Skaarj or Nali elements. This makes texturing coherent and familiar but leaves little room for originality.
Score: 7½
Lighting
According to the guard at the entrance to the base, the entire area is on a low power status. This means that you are completely reliant on torches and flashlights. At the start of the level it is pulled of very convincingly, and the first large corridor looks both daunting and magnificent. The pale yellow/white lights combined with a few blue lights really bring life to the place. All lights seem well sourced with a few exceptions.
Score: 7
Sound
This level starts of without music, and relies heavily on sound effects. There are lots of ambient sound actors and a few dynamic ones. There are sounds everywhere and while it does provide a scary atmosphere, I can’t help feeling that some of the sounds are just wrong. I hear dripping water all over the map, but haven’t seen a single drop. And why does a solid metal Skaarj base have the sound of creaking wood? This might also be the only map where torches have no sound.
The only time a song section is being played, is during the boss fight, and helps create tension and excitement.
Score: 6½
Technical Execution
No real complaints in this department! Triggers and dispatchers make sure that unexpected things happen while you travel. The earthquake/collapsing floor and the beasts awakening were nice touches.
Score: 8
Gameplay
A very story driven map, with little fighting. The story of Carpathus is sort of what holds this map up and makes it memorable. The boss fight was fun, but a bit too easy because of all the pillars. A real disappointment when nothing happened after you’ve killed the beast. Seeing/hearing/sensing/ or just being told that Carpathus finally was free should have been implemented in some way. Try killing some tarydium, and you might just get a laugh!
Score: 8 (Would have given a near full score for story!)
Overall Effect
A gem for those who are fond of tales from the Unreal universe. It adds an almost rpg like feel to the storyline, and Carpathus is a character you are likely to remember for quite a while. I guess a conclusion might be that this is a great story set in average surrounding.
Map Score: 7½