27/07/2024 - "Desperate Dystopia / Phase Shift + The Limbo" by UBerserker

[Sat42]

Map Titles:

• Desperate Dystopia (old version) / (new version) Phase Shift
  The Limbo (both v7.2 and new version)

Author: UBerserker (including redux of "Neve's Crossing" by Nivlek)
From: G59
Filenames:

• EXU2-G59-00-Distopia.unr (old version) / (new version) EXU2-G59-00-PhaseShift
  EXU2-G59-01-Limbo.unr (both v7.2 and new version)

The Limbo (new/last version):




Video Playthroughs:


New Version:


Synopsis: Centuries have passed and Na Pali looks nothing like it was before.
Everything has gone to hell - quite literally as demonic entities are legion. Reality is, for lack of a better way to put it, bleeding dimensions. Both the past and the future are perhaps no more than obsolete concepts, and one single human entity - identified as the Hell Survivor - is now running a seemingly endless race across dystopian lands, with the calvary made all the more vivid by the regular visions of his own corpse lying amidst the ruins of less recognisable carcasses.
There may be a way out - it might be forced upon you: a new power akin to a walking black hole could spell the end of existence.
The chaos hasn't yet eliminated all the patterns: there are recurring elements, like High Lord Morax whose mere presence should suffice to confirm that "scientia potentia est", "knowledge is power", remains true even now. The survival of the fittest is not just a matter of brawn...
The Nebiros Crossing - and the incoming magnetic firestorm - is not the start, but it is a beginning. Perhaps this time, you can make a difference...

Discuss!

[UB_]

Bruh
Lemme see if I can cook up something quick these days and release the reworked versions of these that I never released (as a completely separated thing cuz legit no idea what files they even used) as Limbo has shittons of new visuals all over the place to the point of becoming unrecognizable

[Sat42]

no worries! it's good to have you here UB Everyone was already happy with v7.2, but by all means, if you're motivated, would be delighted to see the new versions of these maps! I am also slowly working on a review for G59, and will definitely check with you in due time before publishing

[UB_]

There you go lol viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4263&p=79089#p79089

[Sat42]

There you go lol viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4263&p=79089#p79089

Happy days! will try to give these new versions a spin before the end of this MOTW!

[Semfry]

I somehow have a funny issue where the dual automag replacements have one side a completely different size to the other, which I don't recall last time I did G59, unless I just didn't see it. I also had to change the RMusicPlayer settings mid-game as they seem to reset (and I probably didn't go low enough because a lot of the sound was drowned out, as cool as the actual music is).

The intro map is very short but establishes some mystery and also hints at the more experimental theming later on in the set, it can also be pretty challenging as the gasbags basically insta-kill you if they get a shot off, so you have to wipe them as quickly as possible, although it's not too tough when you know what to do. The text being blue is unfortunate here because it blends in a lot.

The Limbo follows the EXU aesthetic well and adds some interesting effects with stuff like the meteor storm later on. I'm not so much a fan of the actual gameplay though and think it gives the wrong impression of how G59 is. Firstly there's a bit of a readability issue as the environment is grey-brown and most of the enemies are too, so they blend in a lot (at least the wild skybox later when you're higher up helps), and the lighting is on the dark side which blends it further. For most of the level it's managable though; it's the end fight where it really screws you. The Gatekeepers basically only take notable damage from the Hyperflakker, and even then they're tanky as hell, and you basically have to pray they use the Gasbag summon as little as possible because it gets overwhelming easily. You're also stuck in a small area, and, even if you leave the Gatekeepers having a near-unavoidable (without cover) homing attack that does tons of damage means most of the map is a death trap anyway if they're visible. Plus there's not extra supplies so you are just screwed if you run low, and I realised that just saving as many of the limited flares as possible to nuke a bunch of their health off is the best way to beat them. Having to kill three in a row with no real changes is also a little repetitive. This was on Normal too so I guess it's even worse on higher settings.

It all gives the wrong impression that G59 is just a more brutal and punishing take on EXU when it's not really like that later on; even if the bosses and fights are more complex later I recall there being stuff like infinite respawners for equipment that allow you to turn a bad situation around, plus the arenas are more open and have room to move and breathe. Of course now there's the remade version release that maybe already fixes these issues (and really I only feel the first few maps need a refresh in the first place, as those were seemingly before G59 settled on it's final style), and I guess I'll do a playthrough of that too.

[Sat42]

I somehow have a funny issue where the dual automag replacements have one side a completely different size to the other, which I don't recall last time I did G59, unless I just didn't see it.

I am not having this issue myself, could be the ultra-widescreen resolution, here's how it looks like for me (1280x1024, UT 436, EXUOpenGL):



I replayed this over the weekend and, before I get new impressions from UB's remade version of this, here are some comments:
- Desperate Dystopia is very intriguing (leet looks help too!) and a good "WTF" start to the campaign, which is perfect for what the storyline is going for; as a result it's not even an "intro" in the typical sense of the word, you don't get a better understanding for what the hell is going on, AND it's challenging! Even upon replaying now, I still got killed on my first try
- The Limbo: by any reasonable standard, this is a great map, if only because of the amount of spectacle you get - it's not the best looking map in G59, but with that crazy cool skybox - which becomes crazier as events progress - and the insane EXU2-style special effects unleashed during the boss fight, not to mention the difficulty of said boss fight, you're in for a wild ride! It certainly impressed me more than anything in the original Unreal. At the same time I agree with Semfry: G59 gets better from here (and that's pretty sweet considering I said this is already great). My main complaint is also directed at the boss fight: I remember playing the G59 - EXPANDED ROUTE Phase 2 "Deconstruction" version (EXU2 v.5.03), and back then we got a health bar for the boss! which makes it much easier to understand what will work best against it - the decision to remove that is one of the extremely rare downgrades of the final version of G59 (v7.2, discounting the bonus new version of the first maps UB just released), even though I understand it may have seemed a bit awkward to implement with there being now not one, but three "Kerberos" gatekeepers (anyone who ever complained that the Giant Gasbag is too easy will remember that you should be careful what you wish for!). I do appreciate the addition of those purple crystals throughout the level which you can use to your advantage (free hint!), something which didn't exist in the previous version.

The above ties into another aspect that is crucial to understand for anyone new to G59: you just can't play this comfortably before playing EXU2: Batshit Insane. Though not related story-wise, all the new gameplay features of EXU2 are introduced in the Batshit Insane campaign. The guns, the flares (not for making light anymore!), and yes, those crystals. It will also improve your FPS skills, if you stick to it. UB does say on the G59 project page linked in the OP that it "is generally aimed to fans of EXU2", so really you can't say you haven't been warned, but it is a bit of a barrier to entry (even if, as Semfry stated, G59 isn't really just a more brutal and punishing take on EXU).

Anyone who has played Unreal: Return to Na Pali will recognise in The Limbo the general layout of Neve's Crossing https://www.unrealsp.org/game-guide/wal ... s-crossing ah, it was all so cozy back then, with that great piece of jaunty music! Now you get gibbed and they say the chunks are still flying towards that castle in the distance...

[Semfry]

I'm curious about the crystals and I'm wondering if those might be a thing I missed to even the odds a lot, but I guess I can't properly test now I've replaced the old version with the new one...

Added an extra playthrough for the new version. The intro level seems nearly the same although the enemy spawns seem a little more steady so it feels easier to not be overwhelming, and the final chase scripting seems slightly different so there's more chance you see the persuer.

The Limbo fixes almost every issue I have with the original; readability can still be an issue as there's a lot of brown on brown, but the lighting is brighter so you can generally make out the enemies rather than shooting silhouettes. The visuals are better and also distinguish it from both the original game and EXU, and it has a couple of good surprise environmental reveals too. The set-pieces are better and more varied, while also limiting weapons in a way that make it a less overwhelming start despite there being more going on. The horde fights in the side areas can get a little repetitive, but they're not overly long, and the different enemies mix up the threats you have to account for (especially the Mercenaries who can do a ton of damage up close). The boss is pretty simple now it's behind a wall, but it works as an intro boss before more intense ones later, and there's a bonus moment of catharsis now (and it gets bonus impact if you've played the original version).

[UB_]

I'm curious about the crystals and I'm wondering if those might be a thing I missed to even the odds a lot, but I guess I can't properly test now I've replaced the old version with the new one...

The ones over the mountains were just for decoration

[Sat42]

I'm curious about the crystals and I'm wondering if those might be a thing I missed to even the odds a lot, but I guess I can't properly test now I've replaced the old version with the new one...

The crystals can "amplify" the Piddledoper's primary fire, acting like the ASMD combo very useful when all those demon gasbags come swarming in...
I'm keeping both versions of the map for posterity! they're sufficiently different...

Now that I've played the new versions of the intro map (now called Phase Shift) and The Limbo... holy shit! Phase Shift is just a bit improved and is otherwise the same map, but The Limbo is almost entirely new! And it has definitely stepped up to greatness tier 2, which is like only a small step behind the absolute best G59 has to offer! That new finale is the definition of "awesome" (and yeah, nice bonus catharsis x2 for old timers), and the general result really showcases UB's growth as a mapper. The remake of this map brings UB's mature style from the latter stages of G59 back to the start of the campaign. It's still challenging too (starting with those arena fights), but unlike with the previous version, now you don't need to have played EXU2 before in order to fully enjoy this. So a significantly improved introduction to the campaign all-round!

I will also note that the writing has generally improved! not everything was rewritten but where UB rewrote or otherwise added text/translogs, it's noticeably better. Nitpick: the starting log of The Limbo (by Morax) is truncated in a way that makes it partially nonsensical (I corrected it in my new version, just dumped the full text from the previous version); oh and before someone asks - the length of UB's translator messages for G59 v7.2 are always within the original limits of the EXU2 translator screen which was designed around 1280x1024, it's just that ultra-wide resolutions can screw that up.

And thank you Semfry for making another video playthrough for the new versions! I'm amazed it took you only half a minute longer in total
I will add screenshots for the new version of The Limbo in the OP. EDIT: DONE

[ebd]

I don't think I'll have time or energy to play the new version and edit a video in time so here is the version I played. I have to admit, I am curious about the later levels once G59 found it's own style, but EXU2 gameplay is not my personal preference.

[Sat42]

Thanks for your video ebd! I lol'd at the change of soundscape and have to say it makes for a nice contrast given the absolute mayhem we're treated to also damn, really felt for you on this journey, that ending was bittersweet! I should have immediately declared upon starting this thread that you can 1) use the purple crystals with the Piddledoper and 2) get great gear by activating/touching all four sigils across the map! It was fun seeing you rediscover the power of the flares though
For sure, EXU2 gameplay is significantly different from the original Unreal experience (much more so than e.g. how Xidia and ONP differ), it goes into Serious Sam territory so won't necessarily appeal to the same people.

And yes, we'll get around to the later G59 levels

[UB_]

I have to admit, I am curious about the later levels once G59 found it's own style, but EXU2 gameplay is not my personal preference.

Mainly more original content visual-wise and the gameplay shifts from swarmy to way less dense, fighting mostly new units. Closer to Unreal in a sense.

tyty for the vids and thread everyone!

[Aspide]

G59 is one of the best campaigns that UT99 has, is so professional, refined and full of custom content. If EXU2 left you hungry for more then G59 is the perfect thing for you. Now G59 isn't for everyone and I understand if some people don't like it, it's a very different kind of SP experience, more arena fights and over the top action rather than Unreal's slower gameplay with more focus on exploration. I personally love playing both EXU2 and G59 but I have to admit it gets tiring after a while, this are two campaigns that you should never beat in one sitting otherwise you could get a headache from all the none stop action. My two biggest complains with these campaigns is first the translocator, with its awful mechanic that kills you instantly if the module gets damaged, I would prefer if the translocator simply resets the module instead of killing you, that mechanic makes sense in DM but in SP is a big no no, the second issue is that EXU2 is infamous for the save glitch where you can't save the game for some unknown reason, one day I'll try to investigate what's going on because other campaigns also have this issue but nowhere as often as EXU2.

UBerserker has proven to be one of the best mappers around, always pushing UE1 to its limits, the best example is Xeops which uses lots of stuff from EXU2 and looking at that map in the editor I really don't know how UBerserker did it without crashing the editor. My only complain with UBerserker's level design is that the levels are too big for their own good, backtracking is a miserable experience because of the players walking speed, at least you get plenty of time to see the beautiful visuals.

Desperate Dystopia / Phase Shift : pretty good introduction to the enigmatic storyline of G59, the Level entry message gives you a clue of what's going on and the rest of the map does a great job setting the mood of the rest of the campaign. The only difference I noticed between Desperate Dystopia (original version) and Phase Shift (new version) is that the first fight is much easier, I recently replayed the original version and I couldn't beat the first blue gasbags . The textures are amazing, if I'm not mistaken they are from Unreal 2 and I appreciate the fact that content from that game is put to some good use.

The Limbo: Neve's Crossing but with a little bit of violence , EXU2 recreated plenty of maps from the original Unreal but with a new spin to them and G59 continues that tradition, it's almost like this map is a callback to the style of EXU2's campaign before G59 starts to go in a different direction and becoming its own thing. The usual EXU2 level design style is intact: go to a place, save the game (if the game lets you ), collect items, shoot everything that moves, grab the rest of the items and read messages and then repeat the process again and again until the map is complete. I have to admit it can get repetitive especially when you notice that almost every map does the same thing. At least the action is very satisfying and that's thanks to the core gameplay of EXU2: great weapons with excellent sound effects and gimmicks to make them unique from their UT99 counterparts, enemies with more complexity forcing players to prioritize and selecting the right weapon to finish them, new items that add to the insanity of the game (especially the flares) and the awesome music made by Cybernetika that hooks you in and never lets you go. This map is a great introduction to the rest of the campaign but it's also a warning if you don't like this type of FPS, if you don't like this map then don't continue because G59 gets more crazy and hard as it goes along. One thing I never liked about G59 is the removal of the EXU2 Impact Hammer, I really like that gun and after cheating by summoning one I think it enhanced the experience, especially considering that G59 doesn't have a fallback weapon if you run out of ammo for all weapons. The boss fight is very hard even on Medium difficulty and it requires you to play the game in a specific way to beat the boss with little trouble (using flares and the EXU2 Flak Cannon), I have mixed feelings on the fact that you need previous knowledge in order to stand a chance against the boss, G59 definitely requires a lot of patience, lots of trail and error, which isn't that easy since G59 can very easily trigger the save glitch. The new version of Limbo is like a completely map, new geometry, enemy encounters, completely new areas and even new music. This new version of Limbo reminds me a lot of Abyss from the original version of G59 with the many arena fights one after another to unlock the final area. However I still prefer the original version of Limbo, that one is shorter, has a fun secret where you have to find and touch four glyphs, has the EXU2 Bio Rifle and has those purple crystals that are very useful when dealing with lots of enemies (use the EXU2 automag on those crystals). The one thing I really like about the new version is the final boss, unfortunately one big issue is that the only effective way to deal with them is using the EXU2 Flak Cannon and if you run out of ammo for that gun then it's game over, also this version of the map doesn't have flares so you better be careful with your ammo in this map.

I also played the rest of the maps recently released by UBerserker and they show a completely new G59, it's not a simple patch but a completely new experience, however I don't like that the new version of Jigoku.u replaces the first map of G59 with the new version in the OldSkool menu, also I don't like that both Limbo maps use the same map file name, I don't like replacing the old campaign with the new one considering that the new one only has four maps and it's incomplete.