05/02/2018 - "Nyleve's Falls" by Juan Pancho Eekels

[UBerserker]

Map Title: NyLeve's Falls
Author: Juan Pancho Eekels
From: Unreal
Filename: nyleve.unr
Music Files: dusk.umx




Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PA3L43hPVo

Synopsis: Reality is ever broken. Welcome to the world of Na Pali. Again.

Discuss!

[Krull0r]

One of the most memorable map in the game!

I remember the first time when I was leaving the Vortex Rikers in 1998 and looked up to the sky. Pure freedom!

[UBerserker]

So how many legit remakes/conversions this map got, on any platform and on any type, in its lifetime?

Tzero linked me to this one over discord. It's really well-made, except it feels more like a northern location rather than a tropical one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muOLx1tPLMI

[Sat42]

So how many legit remakes/conversions this map got, on any platform and on any type, in its lifetime?

Tzero linked me to this one over discord. It's really well-made, except it feels more like a northern location rather than a tropical one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muOLx1tPLMI

Oh snap, that looks too good! It's photo-realistic basically...

but yeah, not tropical

[Semfry]

My old comment

"Iconic first intro to the world; it quickly establishes things like the Nali (although it getting killed by Tentacles on Unreal difficulty is a little odd), the first proper combat, and also shows how exploration is rewarding by making a large part of the level optional. It's obviously limited by being a very early map, but it fulfils it's role perfectly."

[Sat42]

And my previous comment


"Ah, NyLeve's Falls, the first level to really bring the world of FPS to the outdoors... (unless you count some space sims, but it's not exactly the same feeling!)
Actually, my statement is really only heartfelt if you don't take into account a unique FPS that doesn't even belong to the PC world: GoldenEye 007. In this player's opinion, the latter was the first FPS to bring some expansive outdoor environments into the mix. Of course, I could have missed something. In any case, with Unreal this was really pushed to a whole new level: graphically, it washed away everything we'd seen before. I think enough people have already conveyed the feeling of awe and wonder they experienced when stepping out of the Vortex Rikers the first time round... checking out the animated skybox, and moving up to that point of view and admiring those falls with the sweet ondulating effect on the surface of the lake and everything. Epic really knew what they were doing, putting a claustrophobic and terrifying level in first place, only to be followed by this one. The music is perfectly suited, in fact I remember Alex 'Siren' Brandon saying that he sincerely thought this track (Dusk) coupled with NyLeve's Falls is the best musical fit to a game level ever! What a fantastic start to an epic adventure! Vortex Rikers was scary but so was this one: remember that first scripted encounter with the Brutes? Holy shit! And the tentacles, too... and the manta! Right, and everyone gibbed themselves at least once, if only just to see what happens when you jump off the cliff! Having various peaceful creatures around you (such as Nali bunnies! and birds) also helped to flesh out the outdoors as a believable ecosystem. Realising that the whole portion down by the river is optional also gave me a new vibe, as apart from secret areas, extra gaming space was seldom done in FPS games of that era.
Today it is still a great level. But its historical significance makes it rather more than that."

[Bombadilian]

The level that really grabbed my imagination as a child. For the longest time I was fascinated with the Vortex Rikers and how it came to be wedged in this beautiful valley...I must have spent hours just wandering around this map looking at the ship and imagining it's path of descent.
Really loved Nyleve because a) it's the first taste of Na Pali b) the music track is one of my favourites in the game and c) it contrasts beautifully with the dark, miserable interior of the ship. Very memorable.