DM-Abandonedcrypt
Map Info
	File Name dm-abandonedcrypt.zip Author VT|CreepingDeath Gametype UT Deathmatch Date Added 07-12-2000 File Version 1.00 File Size 595 kb Player Count 3-6 Map Description None Review Rating 5.5 User Rating 7.5 Overall Rating 6.5
Review
Reviewer ArcadiaVincennes Awe Score:  1.5/3 Date 12-22-2005 Build Score:  2.0/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  2.0/3 User Point:  +1 Overall Score:  6.5/10 DM-AbandonedCrypt (UT99) A dead place below the ground, where metal, earth, and stone met to house the dead in the past. Now, a deathmatch arena, it's kind of fitting, no? A little bit of nice gameplay is mixed with the earth to render a place to spend some time. AWE: 1.5 The texturing throughout is rather basic, but fitting. No real glaring misalignments, but the texture variation could have been developed a bit more. Many of the walls look the same, and the different textures on the architectural elements just aren't enough to break it up adequately. The map is also quite lacking in terms of trim. The textures are different enough to avoid causeing visual boundary confusion, but that extra 'polish' is missing. The choice of textures is fairly nice and they complement each other nicely, but some more would have been appreciated. The lighitng, on the other hand, is quite the worse for wear. The lanterns hung desultorily about do create some nice shadows, but the quantity, doesn't really support the amount of light present in the map. The wall fixtures do a much better job illuminating their surroundings with a more 'appropriate' quantity of light, but the more open areas leave a bit of an 'ambient lit' feel to the map. Also, the author used the lanterns themselves as light sources rather than light actors. The colors are nicely chosen, but should have been spread around more. The one blue area is nice, but could have been scattered around the map more. The red areas I found a little oversaturated because the red highlights the browns in the textures so well. It's not very bad, but scaling it back a little would have produced a better feel. The architecture also does not meet its full potential. The stone walkways and some of the walkways feel a little too 'floaty', in that there does not seem like there's enough visual support holding up heavy stone paths. The lack of trim, again, removes some of the 'polish' that could have helped round out the architecture more. Also, the crypt is only midly crypt-like. Most of the 'crypt' ambience comes from the textures useage and not from the architecture. The admittedly nicely curved passageways don't really feel like they fit in with a crypt, nor do their 'suddenly metal' walls in a place filled with stone. The best aspect of the architecture is the BSP terrain that was excellently implemented into the design. It helped ground the architecture underground. Without this terrain, I doubt the crypt aspect would have come off at all. Finally, almost every doorway is differently shaped, and the doorway merge around the flak area is particularly clumsy looking. Variation is all well and good but variation within consistency is the best. Although the texturing lacks variation and trim, the stone and metal, combined with the BSP terrain are the visual aspects that place the map in a crypt. The architecture and the lighting don't quite do as good a job as they could leaving the map feeling 'unpolished' and a little rough. Still it's not an unpleasant place to spend some fraggin' time. BUILD: 2.0 The BSP work here is at the same time simplistic, yet complicated. Most of the areas are simple geometric shapes, but the BSP terrain and the curves bely some more 'advanced' work. A fair amount of the BSP is not aligned to grid – most notably the curved pieces. The movers works well and also has an appropriate noise attached to it. The bot pathing is pretty good, with the bots traveling pretty much all around the map. There are a couple bot ‘hotspots’ where you’re almost always guaranteed to find one or two, but in general, this is not a problem. The ambient sounds are nicely chosen, but a bit lackluster. The flame sounds are appropriate, and the ‘ambient cavern’ sounds are nice, especially with their frequency variation, but they could have been used a little more creatively around the map. There are no triggered sounds at all which are a shame. The occasional wooden creak or clunk of stone against stone would have added well to the map. In general, the BSP work is adequate, the botpathing is good, but the ambient sounds leave me a little wanting. CAST: 2.0 The gameplay’s best aspect is the variable zaxis afforded by the ramps, walkways, terrain, and stairs. Combined with a fairly well thought out weapon placement, the map does offer some fun to be had. A few of the weapons are placed a little too close to each other, and the shock rifle could have been placed in a slightly more open location, but overall, no big complaints. The health and ammo placement seem just about right as well. I wasn’t so hot about the stream of vials placed against the wall, rather than in the middle, of the passage near the flak, tho. The biggest gameplay hamper was the tight tight corridors and curved passage way with pillars at the minigun area. Despite the creative twisting the corridor does, it is flak heaven and leaves no room to maneuver. The pillared portion can be particularly difficult to dodge in and thus makes the bots, and therefore the player, rather easy prey as well. The other complaint about this area, is the indentation housing the spawn point. It’s too easy to get stuck on it when pursuing, or running from, an opponent. In general, the variable zaxis of the layout makes for some fun gameplay, but slightly hampered by some mild weapon placement flaws, and even more hampered by some extremely tight areas. Despite the somewhat drab and repetitive appearance and below average lighting, the gameplay brings the score back up. If you’re loking for a fun little DM map to pass your time in, it’s worth grabbing. If you’re looking for a masterpiece, you’ll need to keep looking.
Map Comments
Gandalf 11-12-2002 05:41 PM MST Rating: 8   I liked this map. It didn't have many differen't textures used, but it flowed really well, you weren't hard up for weapons, though you weren't tripping over them either. There was health, ammo, everything needed. And the flow was so damn nice, there was such great Z-Axis, this'd be a good download. jordi 06-09-2005 02:14 AM MDT Rating: 6   good map KFH_Foamygal 06-23-2005 03:54 PM MDT Rating: 8   This always has been one of my fave maps. The use of the terrain building tool in the area of raw ground I found especially beautiful and it creates a bobbing when you walk over it. The hall of pillars passage wing is also great. All in all - a really nice mid-size map :D GenMoKai 06-24-2005 04:12 AM MDT   looks nice, i comment later Defeat 08-25-2005 08:36 PM MDT   >Apart from trim missing and the electric lights that don't really fit in, I like this map. cccdeathstorm 01-07-2006 12:53 PM MST Rating: 8.5   i downloaded it, i like it gives me a nice little " where are the nali's and the skaarj" feeling :) 8.5 ;) keep up the work :D ps: foamygal you're right, my view bob ain't even on and it bobs :p kinda fun :p LOL [CODE]OMEGA 01-07-2006 03:52 PM MST Rating: 8.5   Nice map like every one says the flow is so nice. a_z 02-02-2006 04:25 PM MST Rating: 8.5   good map, nice terrainwork, good finishing, good lighting, stuck with theme, im ceeping this 1 8.5 Charon 02-03-2006 07:29 AM MST Rating: 6   Overrated. I agree with review's rating.