07/11/2011 - "Sacred Passage" by Juan Pancho Eekels

[UB_]

Map Title: Sacred Passage
Author: Juan Pancho Eekels
From: Unreal
Filename: Passage.unr
Music Files: Dusk.umx



Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5EuSSc9FiI

Synopsis: Prisoner 849 crosses a small valley found between the Rrajigar Mine and the temple of Chizra.

Discuss!

[UB_]

Decorations (mostly plants, palms, candles, etc...) are not unlit in the shots. Funny how they are originally throughout the whole game.

[Buff Skeleton]

Is it bad to admit that I didn't find that lever to open the front gate until, like, LAST YEAR? Maybe a little earlier.

[Jigoku]

Lmao, you can't be serious Waff. I've only started playing Unreal again back in 2009, this time going thru the maps.

[Tarydax]

I thought this was a good transitional level, and it introduced the temple theme nicely. I missed the mini-temple when I first played it; I didn't think there was anything behind the rock.

Is it bad to admit that I didn't find that lever to open the front gate until, like, LAST YEAR? Maybe a little earlier.

That's not so bad, really. There isn't much of a point to it anyways if you're already at the pool area.

On an unrelated note I recently discovered how to properly kill the Stone Titan on Velora Pass with the bridge (I never thought the button on the throne actually did anything, so I would just cheat to get to the other side of the lava and pull the lever).

[Doublez-Down]

One of favorite parts of Unreal is getting to this level...just because it introduces the temple theme that I love. Like the atmosphere in this one too. The first map of Fifth Vortex is similar to this but bigger.

[Mister_Prophet]

I remember being blown away by the water pool effect the first time I saw it. Especially when the water rose and suddenly I was wading in it. Was the coolest thing with water I saw in a game until I played Undying, with that one pool surface that floated up in the air in a giant bubble.

I think I just like looking at water effects in games.

[Lightning Hunter]

This definitely serves as a good transition map. Waff, I also didn't find that lever to open the front gate for a long time, although it was sooner than last year. It also took me a long time to discover the secret in the small temple.

Was the coolest thing with water I saw in a game until I played Undying, with that one pool surface that floated up in the air in a giant bubble.

You know, I really liked the beginning part of Undying, but found the later parts of the game to be repetitive. In fact, I never did get myself to finish the very last level, because I was just too bored. The game had great level design and some wonderful game play ideas, but was let down by the lack of variety. You seem to fight the same monsters throughout the entire game, and the AI isn't that great. I did really like the creepy visions, however.

Whoops, didn't mean to turn this post into a review of Undying.

[AlCapowned]

This is one of my favorite transition maps. I can't think of anything I don't like about it.

[Semfry]

While short and simple in itself, it's position in the progression works perfectly; it provides some more outdoor action to mix things up after the mines, and it introduces Nali design for the first time (the hut in Nyleve aside). Swimming in through the lake gives a nice feeling of finding your own path, and the open-air temple entrance design is quite interesting in general.

Is it bad to admit that I didn't find that lever to open the front gate until, like, LAST YEAR? Maybe a little earlier.

I don't know when I found it, but I definitely don't recall finding it the first time I played. I think it was when I was playing co-op or something and noticed that the gate had somehow been opened.

[salsaSkaarj]

...I don't know when I found it, but I definitely don't recall finding it the first time I played. I think it was when I was playing co-op or something and noticed that the gate had somehow been opened.

Amost the same here. In fact I still don't know where that lever is (no need to tell me, I'll find it now that I know there is one there).

[Z-enzyme]

Most maps here I don't remember or I didn't play. This one though I do remember and, what's funny, I've played it.
I liked it very much, great transition to temple theme and the atmosphere was really nice as well. (I didn't say anything new here)

I remember I got killed the first time I played it by the devilfish. Well, my first Unreal playthrough was rather painful really back in 99. I died many times. I think the only level I didn't die in was Vortex Rikers... And I didn't finish it. I stopped on the Skaarj Mothership, I guess. Bah.

[Anreel]

Was I the only one who couldn't find that tunnel in pool for a bit? But to my defense I had only played one FPS before Unreal in 1998 - Shadow Warrior, although Shadow Warrior had quite a lot of underwater stuff hehe

[Darkon]

Was I the only one who couldn't find that tunnel in pool for a bit? But to my defense I had only played one FPS before Unreal in 1998 - Shadow Warrior, although Shadow Warrior had quite a lot of underwater stuff hehe

From what I remember, that kind of 'underwater' was different...

As for finding the tunnel.. yeah, I'll have to raise my hand on that one as well. I found that out after I read the playthrough here on unrealsp.org. I NEVER could find my way in.. I always tried to get on top of that big rock and then jump somehow.. Never worked, so I always ghosted through the wall, just to get into it...
For a transition map I really loved the build of the temple. Pretty plain, nothing that fancy, but it just looked right. Water thingy (that Proph described) was also a jaw dropper for me: I don't think I've ever looked like that while getting my feet wet.... (from the rising water of course)

[UB_]

Biterfish stopped me right here for a while.