19/05/2014 - "Skaarjmines of Rrajigar" by DavidM and Cliff Bleszinski

[UBerserker]

Map Title: Skaarjmines of Rrajigar
Author: David 'DavidM' Münnich & CliffyB
From: Operation Na Pali
Filename: NP29DavidM.unr
Music Files: DigSh.umx




Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS54a1fci_g

Sypnosis: The ONP guy coincidentally ends up in the mines of Rrajigar in his search for the Vortex Rikers.

Discuss!

[SteadZ]

Not one of ONP's best maps - never really liked the translocator based gameplay

At least the map afterwards kinda makes up for it though.

.......
SZ
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[Semfry]

This was a while ago so I may take another look but my old comments are still around:

I just find it a below-average (by ONP standards) map; I find levels like the Merc base far more annoying overall, even if they have a much greater amount of detail. The use of the translocator is pretty cool though.

I recall someone saying some parts felt like a deathmatch map, which is funny because that corridor with the cool door WAS part of a DavidM deathmatch map (I think some of the other corridors are too).

Oh yeah, and default textured bricks .

[Mister_Prophet]

I watched like a minute and a half of the video and then heard "This Translocator is Leet," which I wasn't expecting and totally choked on my coffee, burning the shit outta my chest and lap. Goddammit ONP....lol.

[Semfry]

The "leet" stuff is so hilariously outdated at this point it's managed to become funny again.

Playing this again I get the feeling it was one of the earliest maps made (it being in the demo seems to support this) and almost seems like a sort of tech-demo for the new features; that area where you get the Mercenary (who itself is pretty randomly placed) is basically a stream of non-sequiturs, with the fancy door, the laser elevator and the random see-saw setpiece that triggers the way further for no real reason. It seems like it's purely to show off cool stuff you can do in the engine/with ONP features rather than be a cohesive level.

Edit: The elevator room also seems to squander a good small puzzle idea, as the shaft could have been made taller so you can't just translocate up, and have to go back to the switch and warp back to reach the elevator on time, as it is the switch is one-use so you can't even try to do this.

[Hellscrag]

When I critiqued each map of ONP, I gave this map one star. My opinion hasn't really changed. But lol Prophet!

Skaarj Mines of Rrajigar is one of ONP's oldest maps, and overall the one I find the worst map of the lot. The player visits some "new sections" of Rrajigar Mines, eventually emerging in the first areas of Cliff Bleszinski's original Rrajigar Mine map, although slightly modified. My main complaint is that, in aid of making the map Translocator intensive, the new areas do not flow together well at all. Plus, the theme on the whole is more Foundry than Rrajigar. Basically, Skaarj Mines of Rrajigar feels like a bunch of disparate rooms vaguely slapped together in pretense of making a map. Cliff Bleszinski's original section of the map is nicest in design, but doesn't look that great with DavidM's texture and lighting changes.
Overall, this map is far from a success story, and is the one map that really should have been completely rebuilt with DavidM's more recent and improved skills. Still, at least appropriate use was made of DigSh.umx sections 0 and 2 as music for the map.

[[UDHQ]Jackrabbit]

This map is pretty disgraceful to the mother game and cliffyB's iconic map Dig. I was never a fan of DavidM, I thought StrangeWorld was nothing great and that voice actor sounds completely out of place and stupid. Good riddance.

Code: Select all

function Tick(float deltatime)
{
    local int i;
    for(i=maxint; i>=-maxint; i--)
    {
         if(i==-maxint)
         {
             log("This is my overall rating of this map: "$i); 
         }   
    }
}


[Sat42]

I will agree to disagree with [UDHQ]Jackrabbit here: I thought Strange World was great, and while it's true that Skaarj Mines of Rrajigar is probably the least great ONP map, I sure as hell enjoyed myself here.
It's true that in this case there's little logic in the way the areas are assembled.
The build and to some extent the gameplay appear like a patchwork showing off various possibilities (I see how this could have been in a demo, as Mman pointed out).
And yet, the translocator based gameplay is fun and IMO it doesn't outstay its welcome. Perhaps this map embraces more than ever the very "arcade" feel of the pack. I mean, sure this isn't the most memorable way of presenting things, but by then you know that the variety of things presented in ONP includes moments which are more comedic and gimmicky and this map is one such moment. I really felt like in the middle of a quasi-platformer level in a 3D game - and frankly, given what I just said, I took it for what it is and had fun. Later parts of the map even managed to be nostalgic for obvious reasons. I actually smiled when ONP guy reflected on what was left of one of the most iconic traps in the history of Unreal. Fuck me, if I were CliffyB, I would find it heartwarming to see players attempt new things (even if in a completely different tone) with the maps that started it all.
Of course, the two following maps are much stronger, and in particular, I'd say David Münnich really outdid himself with the Vortex Rikers redux, but that's for another time

EDIT:
LOL Mister_Prophet, I almost choked on my tea when I read your post!

[TheIronKnuckle]

First time i played this level, i thought it was great cause of the whole revisiting a classic level thing and the unique translocatorcentric gameplay. then again i was 12, 13 or 14 years old at the time. so... easily impressed? :p

also another +1 to proph for tea spilling at ONSP1337speak