DM-HauntedHouseXa
Map Info
	File Name dm-hauntedhousexa.zip Author thomas Gametype UT Deathmatch Date Added 07-20-2003 File Version 1.00 File Size 830 kb Player Count 4-8 Map Description Trying to escape the onslaught you run in to the house to escape, and find a better weapon to defend yourself. Once inside you find yourself in an ambush set up against you. You turn to run back only to find you can’t get out. Now you must search through the maze of rooms to get out ALIVE. Review Rating 4.5 User Rating 6.5 Overall Rating 5.5
Review
Reviewer Mister_Prophet Awe Score:  1.5/3 Date 01-31-2004 Build Score:  1.5/3 Review Schema Cast Score:  1.5/3 User Point:  +1 Overall Score:  5.5/10 Not long ago, I reviewed a map called DM-SmallHouse. Map was pretty wacky. HauntedHouse is an updated version of this map, and there are lots of changes. The map has gone through a big revamp in looks and atmosphere this time. The original had overly white day lighting, while this one is set at night and has a more creepy presence. Eerie sound effects and images that remind me of an old 50’s horror flick make a big part of the thematic attitude. The rooms still seem rather blocky, but this time there is much more detail included that gives the place some fresh blood. Fireplaces, books, tapestry, cobwebs, candles, boiling pots of liquid hot sludge, old chests, boxes, and comic book styled spook windows load this place. I like what the author tried to do here, I have a soft spot for that goofy B-movie type of groove. The outside of this “smallâ€� house is basically the same low quality terrain I saw in the earlier version, only the lighting hides it more. Plus, there is more content outside to mask the novice building structure, like the rest of the map. I think I like it better when learning mappers are aware of their limits and try to spice up their level’s features by other means. Kudos to the author for that. But make no mistake, there are flaws. Lighting isn’t quite as lavish as it could be, a lot of areas seem to have too much light and others too little. The different color uses in the lighting are uneven and without coordination, there is rough blue sometimes, then hard red, and then randomly used warm and cool lights. Architecture is pretty plain and limited to primitives for the most part. Gameplay was weird. I didn’t sense the spam of the previous version, but what replaced the erratic kill-fest was a new wave of uncomfortable play style. In the last version, the house was cut into segments with warpzones to give the small house a big interior. Same was done here, only now rooms lead to unexpected locations. I turned a corner to one room, and tried to circle back but I was in a new part of the house. This really gives the theme a thumbs up, but damn it can get confusing too. I ran into a room and saw myself running into a room in the room I was running into. Then I get shot by a Bot that I can’t see because there is a limbo portal between our fields of view. This of course makes Bots a bitch to play with since they have that A.I. coordination to follow path nodes into zone locations and they don’t seem to feel the disorientation. This map would be much more fun against human enemies, where the illusions and uncertainty would be shared by all and not just that one player who isn’t guided by artificial intelligence. The Prophet’s Verdict: Got kind of nauseous in this one, and the bots are aware of things a little to well to make it fun so I recommend you only play it online against human opponents. No Z-axis, but you have enough to worry about on 1 floor. If you find your way out of the house, you should stay out there and fire projectiles inside till a lost buddy finds his way around and corner and gets slammed in the face by your rocket. Then you have the amusement of seeing his response as he types, “WTF? A rocket came out of thin air and smashed my junk!â€� Because the map is so weird and because I can’t begin to accurately judge its style, I’ll just give it the standard score.
Map Comments
XepptizZ 07-20-2003 09:47 AM MDT Rating: 6   It's great fun with al the warpzones!!! But the roomes are too small for a good gameplay. The theme is great and when I brainstorm a little, much more ideas come uptoo make it even greater fun. Amisa 07-20-2003 04:49 PM MDT Rating: 7   Nicely done ! And with warpzones you can play against yourself ! 2-4 players would be enough. thomas 01-31-2004 11:09 PM MST   The idea behind some of the stuff I did. This is a much better version of another map I did DM-SmallHouse it's in the Nailcity3 map section. -weapons outside are limited to force you inside -kept the inside simple so its easier to move around (center of the room clear) -With the rooms I want a tight indoor fighting, so I need rooms that weren't to small and not to big. -with maze of rooms was to have that feel of the old 80's B horror movies, were the group of people get trapped in the house. tips: -if you learn the inside layout, some doors are like one way mirrors you can see they but they can't see you good place to pick players off. -the basement is good place safe place and to set a trap. The entrance is on the graveyard side of the house. As you go down into the basement to the right of the boiler is a Archway a crushing trap. To they left of the Archway between the Archway and boiler is a button, if it's blinking red the trap is set. their is a button on each side that turns the trap on&off edit Jan 31. yeh the box room I have to move away from, but with warpzone to get them to work right and keep track of them a box style room helps when your still learning how they work. There's more I want to do but stoped to keep from getting lost with to much a once. darkjaxx 08-18-2003 07:27 AM MDT Rating: 6   The warpzones are really good job, somtimes it's like weird, But this map is not so bad at all This is more for the harcore fans Fernando 08-31-2003 10:43 AM MDT Rating: 8   Well done. This was a very good implementation of portals. The rooms are well furnished with objects that make sense, and the use of prefabs was creative. I especially like the ambient sounds and cobwebs added into the level- they fit well. If you ever make a haunted mansion, it might be a good idea to add some indoor Z-axis combat. You could put in a large creaky staircase and catwalks or whatnot. Zygar 02-05-2004 10:36 PM MST Rating: 7   I enjoyed this map. The way that the rooms change behind you is cool, very original! Since this is a haunted mansion though, you should put in a few traps. Not much more I can say on this. Good map! CromlecH 03-13-2004 02:00 AM MST Rating: 6   Just stayed outside usin shockcombos takin out the bots... inside the house the action was a bit too "hectic" with 8 players on. Gotta try with less opponents. The sounds were workin very well creatin a nice athmosphere. Sgt.G 04-15-2004 11:29 AM MDT Rating: 6   How much fun is this map? Its crazy! I dont know if the novelty will wear off but its certainly something a little bit different. I agree with Zygar, some traps would be good, loose floorboards, a room that gets smaller and crushes or summat like that. newbie 05-07-2004 04:37 AM MDT Rating: 3   Great map but very confusing. How about some traps? Taydawg 07-27-2004 01:06 PM MDT Rating: 8   Great map! I loved it!