DOM-Nuclear Winter
Map Info
	File Name dom-nuclearwinter.zip Author Bean Gametype UT2k3 Double Domination Date Added 12-28-2002 File Version 1.00 File Size 2.9 mb Player Count 0-8 Map Description None Review Rating 5 User Rating 8 Overall Rating 6.0
Review
Reviewer Twrecks Awe Score:  1.5/3 Date 01-21-2003 Build Score:  2.0/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  1.5/3 User Point:  +1 Overall Score:  6.0/10 Two control points below freezing DOM-Nuclear Winter provides the chill factor for your dual domination pleasure. The two CPs are spaced more than the eight count allows so depend on defense and your team mates to hold the other CP. The icey surroundings convey the atmosphere well and the new engines snow a benny that is still fresh. The default grey skybox is a let down, since the texture is marked fake_backdrop yet there is none... A single custom static mesh in ways of a lamp/torch post accompies the mylevel package. Blocking volumes are well used even if antiportals could have been better placed and more of them to prevent FPS stutters. True, there is only one subtractive BSP brush, but then theres only one zone with all the polys to occlude as well. Though an attempt to paint out unseen terrain triangles was made, not all possible were wiped out. Every poly increases your render time ppl, true distance fog helps but not enough in this case. A good way to check poly saturation is the Depth_Complexity icon in the 3d view of the editor. See how Antiportals hide meshes but not terrain... Lighting is a three color affair, too white, too red, and too blue. Color saturations should be lower (Under Light_Properties, Light_Color, Light_Saturation a higher number lowers the color saturation). While the added color does aid gameplay in telling which CP is which way, colors should not appear at ghey disco levels unless intended. Item placement was fair but I would have prefered long range weapons centrally located with short range weps closer to the CPs. Armor and Health close enough by to lure defenders out or make a stronger offense was a welcome addition to the layout, however the entire map is very 2 dimensional with only the visually weak bridges offering any true z-axis oppurtunities. On the whole not a bad Doudle-DOM map. Good on lower player loads and resolutions to prevent frame rate hiccups. Could be made better with the antiportal improvements and a skybox. Some BSP architecture might create a reason for all those fences and a power source for them lights. Other than than the itchin for a fixin, acceptable playability with a few of the new editor toys on display.
Map Comments
MusicMan 12-29-2002 10:22 PM MST Rating: 10   hey, i think there are some files missing from your map download Bean 01-21-2003 07:30 PM MST   Good review, thanks Twrecks. Gargorias 01-25-2003 02:19 AM MST Rating: 6   I'll have to disagree about the fog. I thought it saturated the map with a dank, cold and eerie feeling, quite fitting, given the Title. I have no quams about mappers using fog to give there map atmosphere or to make them more FPS friendly. Hardware fogging was something that was sadly missing in UT. Anyhow, fog occurs in the real world so why not have it in maps, if it suits! The only quam I had was that the overall ambient lighting of the map didn't quite match the fog color, shadowing here and there didn't quite fit. I enjoyed playing this map on Adept, probably because it was too easy, way to easy to hold the bases. I had no trouble with FPS on my system either: 'Athlon 1.2ghz' '64mb G4-MX440' '640Mb Ram' '1024*768 Screen Res' and all setttings up high. Draco 06-01-2003 04:50 PM MDT Rating: 7   Nice map. Good gameplay.