UnrealSP.org

Map Title: Nested Interests
Author: Jazzyb
From: Project Xenome : Interloper
Filename: ONP-map21NestX.unr
Music Files: None




Synopsis: You enter the incubation section of the secret Skaarj base, time to shut it down!

Discuss!

This map jesus is absolutely fucking amazing.

UBerserker wrote:This map jesus is absolutely fucking amazing.

and difficult
I can't remember how difficult it felt like on Medium but on Hard I had a good hard time. Luckily I had just about understood the true power of the BioSludge which made survival a lot easier than you would expect looking at the number and power of the enemies. As difficult as it may be, there are few assaults which are totally unexpected and no horde assaults (IIRC) and I almost always had room to maneuver and retreat if necessary.
On first playthrough the map is confusing though (a bit more than other maps) but that is compensated with some excellent secrets (one passage is in clear sight but I'm sure many won't realise it's passage). And on second playtrough the whole layout of the map will be better understood, but not how an engine as old as UT can cope with such a design.
It's not my favourite map but that's probably because by the time I reached Nested Interest had been so overwhelmed by the sheer size, the puzzles, the unexpected pathways and the sometimes unforgiving resistance that it seemed normal and nothing exceptional that this map is so full of quality.

Of all the levels built, this one took the longest. The physical size wasn't an issue; it was the amount of times I scrapped whole areas to start again.
Originally the whole level was sort of a vast cave like feel to it with pup eggs everywhere. This idea was thrown because it was mundane, no variety, with roughly four things for the player to do before the end.

I went back to the drawing board and settled on quasi-techno/organic look. Again I scrapped a good deal of that because of re-occurring BSP issues. After weeks of play testing the level with no assets I settled on what was made in the shots, a sort of 80/20 split of tech and organic.

It wasn't my original intention but I was happy with the result. I thought at one point of adding the queen for good measure because of the level genre but decided to omit this until maybe later.
In summary, personally, I think it is my best work to date. When I play the map I just, well, like it!

Great like all the Skaarj maps in the latter half; interesting geometry and vast designs, along with varied gameplay and multi-layered areas that loop all over each other. The glowing-eye Skaarj also being in greater numbers here toughen it up the smaller number of enemies without being too frustrating (especially as the tougher Skaarj have a clear visual warning). The story aspect of almost making you feel bad for what you're doing to the Skaarj also adds to things. I don't think it's as impressive as some of the other Skaarj maps in the set, but it still has great setpieces like the vast cloning vat place and control room at the end.

Can't say I've played it.