NaliCity 3 - Map Hub - DM-Aristocracy2004

DM-Aristocracy2004

Map Info

File Name	dm-aristocracy2004.zip
Author	TAZ
Gametype	UT2k4 Deathmatch
Date Added	04-05-2004
File Version	1.00
File Size	10.82 mb
Player Count	4-8
Map Description	None
Review Rating	8.5
User Rating	9
Overall Rating	8.5

Review

Reviewer	Shadowlurker	Awe Score:	3.0/3
Date	06-02-2004	Build Score:	3.0/3
Review Schema		Cast Score:	2.5/3
		User Point:	0
		Overall Score:	8.5/10

No "In Short" here - this map needs no introduction. This is a ut2003 to ut2004 switch by the author, and much needed. One of, if not the, best custom maps for UT2003, and having been ported to UT2004 it hasn't lost it's great looks or gameplay. Perhaps as mappers have grown used to the new editor, gameplay has become more refined and this is the one area the map might lack a little on.

This map was once the benchmark for mapping on this engine. The standard has been moved since, but this is still a great map.
This re-review is for the ones who missed it first time round.
Mister_Prophet summed the map up pretty well last time round, so here it is...

"If ever there was a map worthy of your hard drive, this is the one.

I heard from several reliable sources that this map was the real deal so I checked it out and sure enough, my balls were launched into a new level of rockage. Where Nirvana 2 set a new standard for ut2k3 maps, Aristocracy blows every other map available out of the ballpark. This map kicks Epic’s ***.

Aristocracy is set in an ancient village of some sort, but a village like no other. Instead of basing a theme around a standard gaming layout, Taz created a map where the location itself sucks the game into its atmosphere. This map has more presence than any other map I’ve laid eyes upon, take away the guns and power-ups and you still have a full functional town. The sky rushes by with an onslaught of dark clouds, chimneys from various buildings get carried away in the push as the clock tower looms overhead like a distant giant. The windows from the houses cast panning glares over the outside grass, rocks and pebbles make up the trim around the porches and walkways. Pulleys hang overhead with iron hooks resting after a long day hauling supplies from the wooden harbor depot by the water. This place is alive, and we are along for the ride.

Visually superior to anything else I’ve played for UT2K3, and hands down the most convincing theme to yet be made. Other maps have came close. Addien gave us a haunting plantation overrun by rust, leaves, and moonlight, but the map itself could not shake the “serving as filler for a classic CTF setup”. Victoria showed us just how much farther the factory theme could go with a convincing olden power plant. Nirvana 2 presented us with a place of worship that far exceeded anyone’s expectations. But, Aristocracy outdoes them all. Taz, in an almost humble way, shows us that you can make a real environment that, for once, engulfs the gameplay rather than the other way around. This is where Angelheart repeatedly fails, he tries too hard to make a location and forgets that there are people playing this game. Angelheart should look for a clue with this map, THIS is how you grab players by the balls.

And let the stars shine upon me as I dance with glee, this map actually plays as awesome as it looks. The layout is so unique to the map’s structure, it’s amazing that he pulled it off. The map contains all the elements that make a great Deathmatch: Speed, flow, playability, easy access, high and low points, risk locations, escape spots, alternate escape spots, fantastic pathing, easy to learn navigation, satisfying sense of original location, and most of all Fun Factor. This raises the bar in all aspects equally and it surpasses its predecessors.

This map waxes my carrot for me.

The Prophet’s Verdict: You have no excuse not to play this. Simply the best for what is currently available. There is simply nothing worth *****ing about. The only thing I can gripe about is the music track, a map like this deserves some truly specific music. The sky could be better but it serves its purpose. Taz strays away from our conventional way of going about mappage and hits us hard with a new concept of what is “Fun, yet equally stunning”. Good for him, he did a hell of a job. This map makes 90% of Cliffy’s “Ownage” maps look and feel like retired waste of time, all over again."

Map Comments

Doriz 04-05-2004 01:07 PM MDT	Rating: 10
Still the most perfect map on NaliCity :D At least a 'must have' for those who not have this map!
sulkava 06-03-2004 05:08 PM MDT	Rating: 10
Ownage: 10! Never ever seen a map that's so goodlooking like this one. And it also got a good gameplay. damn this map rules. To TAZ: If you make a next map, make a icecastle. :)
Obi-Wan 04-06-2004 01:10 PM MDT	Rating: 9
OMG what the hell have you done with the map!?! It's ruined!!! hehe jk still brilliant ^.^
capone 04-06-2004 05:51 AM MDT
What are the differences?
PaulMader 04-06-2004 09:54 AM MDT
Hi and Thanks for your ratings. Sorry guys no changes! (it was requested by epic) and I also got some mails about General protection fault errors when playing the old version with UT2k4.
Bot40 04-06-2004 10:23 AM MDT	Rating: 8
hmm, yes. Still ownage quality, just having to lower my score a bit because I just got so blown away by the 1on1 pack. Makes the gameplay look very weak on this map now in comparison.
Fliegenklatsche 04-06-2004 03:57 PM MDT	Rating: 10
.....WOW !! I am totally at a loss for words. Best map I have ever seen in ut2k3 and ut2k4.
endocrine 04-06-2004 04:24 PM MDT	Rating: 9
Still one of the best, I'm glad there are no changes. I had been playing the original UT2003 version in UT2004, since 2004's release, and never any probs.
Shao 04-06-2004 07:15 PM MDT	Rating: 9
This map is Great!
sandorski 04-07-2004 08:47 PM MDT	Rating: 9
Fantastic! Looks great, lots of paths, plays fast, just great in every way.
Manticore 06-03-2004 02:37 AM MDT	Rating: 7
Aristocratic.... but I'm reducing my rating due to clonage.
Granular 04-16-2004 05:26 PM MDT	Rating: 9
Great map. Very nice
djbars 04-22-2004 03:21 AM MDT	Rating: 10
I have not problems with old version of this map. So...why i most download a new? heh... To author: you make it in UEd3.0? or with other 3D soft?
Clobyn 04-22-2004 03:06 PM MDT	Rating: 10
Awesome visuals, awesome gameplay!
rustyblade 05-04-2004 02:15 AM MDT	Rating: 10
The map needs no improvement. It is still one of the very best. Its like a good poem. You enjoy it, you put it away, and you envariably pull it back out for more enjoyment. I ussually play DM-Bloom and this map in the same sessions. I rebuilt DM-Bloom myself for my own use. But the author of DM-Aristocracy2004 did the deed himself. Thank you.
FraGnBraG 05-04-2004 05:29 PM MDT	Rating: 9
certainly still, an good example of the level of quality mappers should try shoot for...
rsplitter 05-04-2004 05:37 PM MDT	Rating: 10
Absolutely brilliant! Nice job mate ;)
SealClubber 05-05-2004 12:50 AM MDT	Rating: 7
good map!
Emerald 05-09-2004 10:05 PM MDT	Rating: 10
Definetly an upper class map. This is the first map that made me take notice of the Unreal mapping scene a few moths ago. The visuals knocked me on my *** the first time i saw a screen. Then i played it. I had to visit a proctologist! My personal favorite map ever.
surrealist 05-10-2004 02:05 PM MDT	Rating: 10
This is an inspiring map. Everything is perfect. Not too big, not too small. Original, the only one of its kind. Get it. Or I'll kill you.
nightshadow 05-10-2004 06:31 PM MDT	Rating: 10
Maps like this set the standard for all others to follow. The detail, speed, smoothness, placement, and well...everything are beyond excellent. This map puts professional mappers to shame. Excellent work!! raises his beer mug to TAZ
Daedalus 05-21-2004 07:11 AM MDT	Rating: 10
absolutely stunning map with awesome flow, awesome looks, and pretty much awesome everything. Definitely needs to be in everyone's map rotation.
hunter 05-22-2004 03:16 AM MDT	Rating: 9
wow, just wow. only a couple nit picks, and i am one nit picking out mothafucka. this needs to be in everyone's ut2004maps.
lieman 05-24-2004 03:59 PM MDT	Rating: 8
great map but still... the favorite map is DM-Alpsdawnduell by Krolizard. But this map rocks
CodenniumRed 06-03-2004 10:30 AM MDT	Rating: 10
Perfect looks, peerless gameplay... therefore, the best possible map! :)
hampel 06-04-2004 02:32 PM MDT	Rating: 9
very nice!
KaiSeun 06-05-2004 08:28 PM MDT	Rating: 10
Very playable on my old rig, and it looks good as well. Its the mix of eyecandy and playability that would be great in other maps too.
Gargorias 06-05-2004 10:27 PM MDT	Rating: 8
I still do not like the sky!
[[TDW-KkillgasmM]]] 06-08-2004 09:15 AM MDT	Rating: 5
i REALLY dont see what all the fuss is about with this map. sure, it looks good and has amazing architecture, but the flow of the map isn't anything special i found. everytime i play it it just feels like im running around in circles. also, the item placement isnt very helpful, some weapons and items just take too long to get to, and when you eventually obtain them, you die seconds later. but my main problem with this map is the flow of it, if there was more routes to certain areas of the map i would probably play it more, ive had it for about a month now and it is one of my least played maps. having said all that, my reasons for thinking this is only an average map is probably due to me prefering more compact, fast paced maps, i dont normally play any maps bigger than DM-Corrugation [one of my faves], so everyone is probably going to think im insane for giving such a high-rated map an average rating!
Shadowlurker 06-08-2004 03:35 PM MDT
"going around in circles" Thats normally a good thing. Personally, I think this map has pretty good flow. (hence the review)
biditm 06-09-2004 09:30 PM MDT	Rating: 5
Gorgeous map but lags and freezes like a bitch.
zzeta 06-10-2004 09:23 AM MDT	Rating: 9
HEY Taz own u
WiSpHeR 06-11-2004 04:16 PM MDT	Rating: 9
Very, Very well done, TAZ I suspect by now epic or atari have send you job offers ;) I'm working on a map or 2 of my own... not anything compared to this... but I think that they have a interisting bit or so to them... I had a great Idea and designed a map around it! But anyways... Excelent work mate... hope we can expect more soon.. although it will be really hard to produce something Awe-insipring after you have created something like this... its like improving on the mona-lisa, although it is possible, the right artist just needs to be discovered... you could be that, Well at least I see this as a form of art Thats me for Tonight, Regards, WiSpHeR...
Kobra 06-12-2004 08:08 AM MDT	Rating: 10
Very good and beauty map... What are you waiting for??? Download it NOW!!! :)
Trynant 06-24-2004 06:53 PM MDT	Rating: 10
excellent map, looks great even on my crappy PC, no errors i saw so far, gameplay is solid. Has anyone else noticed there seems to be a lot of places that you can jump to? Z action is good considering I end up fighting someone above or below me more often than facing someone level with me. And the map is fun.
)Hidra( 08-14-2004 03:24 PM MDT	Rating: 10
okay .. 10 .. PS- first guy who put a 1 is dead by all pll there ^_^
DrDeath 09-18-2004 07:32 AM MDT	Rating: 10
This map is a beauty....Mister Prophet is right as usual.....CliffyB, are u listening?....this map knocks EVERY other map out of the ballpark, CliffyB Ownage maps look like they belong in a garbage dump when you play this really cool map.this is mappage!!!
redfist 09-18-2004 10:57 PM MDT	Rating: 6.5
I played this map ,and it aint a frickin 10,9,8,...
Vipermx 10-31-2004 10:04 AM MST	Rating: 9
it s look pretty good, but not easely to play! PS -Короче реал
RayZidane 10-31-2004 05:19 PM MST	Rating: 9
This one is a Master Piece
mrgroovy 02-26-2006 06:27 PM MST	Rating: 8.5
Nice Nice Nice ^^ this map made me think of harry Potter, i like it :D
Wesley "Boreas" van Dijk 02-27-2006 07:51 AM MST	Rating: 8.5
I don't think a 10 would be suiting here. Looks are nearly perfect, but ammo placement and gameplay aren't.
SmokeScreen 04-26-2008 02:14 PM MDT	Rating: 9
Wow! Great map. Excellent gameplay for a "designmap".
dabomb 05-03-2008 08:55 PM MDT
awesome map

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