DM-Spiridian
Map Info
	File Name dm-spiridian.zip Author Goldabar Gametype UT Deathmatch Date Added 11-12-2001 File Version 1.00 File Size 2.3 mb Player Count 6-12 Map Description None Review Rating 6 User Rating 8 Overall Rating 7.0
Review
Reviewer ArcadiaVincennes Awe Score:  2.0/3 Date 01-21-2005 Build Score:  2.0/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  2.0/3 User Point:  +1 Overall Score:  7.0/10 DM-Spiridian (UT) If BSP could sleep, it would have nightmares about Spiridian. A very large DM map that gives you plenty to do and plenty to see. A rollicking good time despite some drawbacks, it manages to please overall. AWE: 2.0 The textures seem to be sprinkled randomly throughout the map but upon closer inspection there does seem to be a method to the madness. However, due to the many, many faces to texture, it’s not surprising to find some misalignments and sometimes a texture application that should have been something else. Overall one has to respect the amount of thought and time that went into texturing the map. The lighting was also well executed but it leaves most of the map feeling like one is traveling through different zones of ambient lighting. There is some shadow work here and there but most of the surfaces are fairly consistently lit. The colors for the lighting palette were well chosen and work with the textures very well. The architecture was extremely complicated but not so much in terms of the individual pieces themselves but how they all fit together throughout the map. There are some places that seem a little ‘forced’ but overall the architecture is consistently complicated throughout the map. I applaud the effort that was put into this. Overall the theme was a little inconsistent just because there was so much going on throughout the map. But the lighting was above average, the texturing competent, and the architecture very interesting. BUILD: 2.0 Despite the massive undertaking to construct all the BSP, I did not see any obvious HOMs. However, the preponderance of brushes may very well cause some older machines to chug a little. The movers were nicely made and added a nice touch to the map. However, the jumppads were a little clumsy. They had a good sound but their functionality was a little suspect. That is to say I wasn’t always clear on where they were jumping me to. The soundscape was nicely fleshed out with many different locational sounds based on the environment scattered through the map. Of decent volume and radius, it was really nice to hear a well-thought out sound map. On the downside, there didn’t seem to be any ambient sound between the location sounds. So a little more sound work would really have tied the sound together. Because there are so many location sounds, it’s odd to have no sound between them. Well built and conceived, the map suffers a little from wonky jumppads and a spotty sound map. CAST: 2.0 With so much map, there’s so much to do. The bots get around the place pretty evenly and don’t seem to congregate at any specific points. The weapon layout is good – I was expecting to have to hunt for weapons but they were all easy and quick to get to. The flow was a little off with so many places to go and so much ground to cover but it was decent enough with a healthy dose of z-axis. The jumppads were a curiousity, however. Sometimes they’d toss me exactly where I was expecting, other times, I was expecting to end up on the opposite side from where it did push me. The down tubes also had an odd exit jumppad. I was never quite sure where I was going to be flung. It was kind of fun when I was alone, but when fighting a bot it was an unnecessary challenge. Alltogether the map has good gameplay but it’s so spread out and sprawling that it takes some of the fun out of it. Combined with the odd jumpads and odd flow, there is good gameplay here, but you need to look for it. A very large DM map with so many bits and pieces that it’s difficult to take in one lump. The lighting is fairly good, the textures and BSP are complicated but fairly well done, and the gameplay is there but a little lacking. Download this to check out the architecture and to play with as many bots as you can handle. Otherwise, it’s a little bit of a miss, but it’s not far off target.
Map Comments
lightninghunter 12-12-2004 04:23 PM MST Rating: 9.5   This is one of the best maps DM maps out there. I haven't checked every texture, but so far, I can't see any alignment problems. The texture usage in this map is very nice. The geometry is fantastic! The game play is as good as the map looks. The bots even navigate the map perfectly. Why this hasn't been reviewed, I don't know... Jinpachi 12-12-2004 06:47 PM MST Rating: 10   This map has the greatest architexture I've ever seen. To my surprise,this map has been released in 2001! Definitely marvelous. Lok 12-12-2004 08:22 PM MST Rating: 8   MY GOD whats that! That sure ,this map is one of the most impressive architectural work. The light is very sample :l The water seems strange :l the gameplay is excellent ... this map seems at dm-asbestos in ut2003 ... No BSP holes !?!... That strange how do you do that?! Very good , it sure that ill keep this beauty ... GTD-Carthage 12-13-2004 04:15 AM MST   The guy looks like he used lots of semi-solid brushes judging by how the BSP was built. I'm sure he has a good understanding of the Editor. CursedSoul1 12-13-2004 07:31 AM MST   ah old goldabars spiridian. not the best layout, and over time i began to understand that this map isnt as good as it looks when you first play it, but its very solid. but i still have to say that this is one of the maps that helped me to understand more of some of ued. but that was waaaaaaaaaaaay back.. about 3 years or so :p even saying this, id give this map somewhere around an 8.5 Derdak2rot 12-17-2004 02:14 AM MST Rating: 8.5   this map is one of the best tech-metal architecture themed maps . The author did a great brushwork with some simple forms , that's why the map have a good fps/polycount issue . the lighning is a little bright in some areas but some things like the blue "neons" beside a kicker are good ideas . Just i don't like some textures of the SGTech pack , but its just my opinion . Great work !! Aggressor 01-22-2005 06:48 AM MST Rating: 7   Probably the most colorful and well-textured UT99 map, but I didn't like the layout. Not enough Z-axis & stuf. redfist 08-09-2005 11:13 PM MDT Rating: 5.5   Now this map is the perfect depiction of what I think about ut2004,it's the SAME as ut2004 same same same. however the zones to go up and down are a better feature than a lot of maps,and that area with the purple trim,how the hell can purple be so vivid and bright,whoa !!!. Pretty good map,waaay to big,but all you ut2004 mappers,you sure you all didnt take after him,or mabye Epic saw this and said,hey lets make maps for ut04. It's more of a ut04 put down than the mapper,he did do a great job here,but I judge maps on many aspects and it being so big,I really hate posting a 5.5 .But all you ut2004 players should be posting 10's because being the age of the map,it puts many of you ut2004 big ass map makers to shame. And the zone lifts textured areas and other areas are also done very well,looks cool. milb 08-10-2005 05:51 AM MDT Rating: 6.5   I give this one a 6.5, coz of the textures. For sure the brushwork ist good, but all those detailed tex suck. And the gameplay isn't wht I expect after looking at the screenshots of this map. Kantham 09-19-2005 02:24 PM MDT Rating: 9   holy crap tell me this is the biggest map with so much details. It don't lack of details at all. the only thing i don't liked where the fact that i got stuck in the architecture of the vertical corridors near the jump pad, i had to suicide. And the fps, but looking at how much detail this level have. It is normal to don't care about it. The texturing is awesome, i don't noticed any major texture miss alignement at all, the bots don't seem to be an issue either. I really love the theme, and yes, miracly no bsp hole. Really recomended download, so much work!