Underworldfan's Single Player Map Reviews

Hosted by the
good folks at
PlanetQuake

## Quake Expo 2008 Articles by Tronyn (August 2008)

## Day 3 Article: Top 10 Runic Maps. 08/17/2008.

Introduction.
ID's third episode, The Netherworld, is in some ways the most peculiar theme found in Quake - whole indoor dungeons built from metal, with lava, gargoyles, and crucified bodies. The theme generally uses a limited texture set, and relies very heavily on lighting to create an interesting visual aesthetic. id demonstrated this; their Runic maps have the coolest lighting found in the original Quake. The whole Netherworld never actually includes any outdoor areas - it is apparently a whole "dungeon world," of metal torture chambers, empty halls, menacing whispers, and haunted despair. In a way, it is a fairly creepy vision of hell, although the theme does not always as menacing or bizarre potential.

10. Morbid_2: Morbidity 2
Morbidity 2 is a curious old map; it begins with a base section and only later moves into Runic; and its Runic style uses modified textures that are made to look faded, even sandy, with some carvings in places. This gives the map a strange theme that appears to be a combination of Runic and Temple. It is because of this theme that the map remains interesting; this particular mix seems to have been hinted at in some of id's Runic maps, with angular architecture vaguely reminiscent of Egyptian pyramids, but this tantalizing combination has rarely been pursued. The map is small and not difficult by today's standards, but it's unique and interesting. Ten years ago, Shambler called this "definitely the best level I've reviewed here," so maybe comparing this to the rest of the maps on this list can be historically instructive in showing just how far Q1SP has come over the past decade.
Theme: Runic Temple
Similar To: id Runic
Size: Small
Difficulty: Low

9. Arcane: Arcane by Matt Sefton
Matt Sefton (of one of the earliest Quake SP review sites) made a few good maps of his own. Arcane is by today's standards a rather small, unambitious level, but its quality is equal or superior to most of id's own Runic maps. Arcane does not do anything really exceptional, except competently arrange all of the elements of a good Runic map (as demonstrated by id), but never the less it is a rather interesting little map.
Theme: Orthodox Runic
Similar To: id E3, The Netherworld
Size: Small
Difficulty: Low

8. RPGSP1: Penile Devastation by RPG
RPG introduced himself to the world of Q1SP with this creatively titled level. It is a multi-tiered Runic map, with halls and atriums open to the sky existing above a subterranean hall reached by vertical wind tunnels. The architecture and lighting is professional throughout. The theme is fairly orthodox Netherworld, although the cavern section is fairly unique in combining rockface and building exteriors with the Runic theme (id's Runic maps are all indoor - they never contain canyons or even caves. If they contain open courtyards, the walls are metal and the floor is lava). From the moment you enter the map Ogres start with the grenades, and the map, despite its low monster count by modern standards, is actually a decent challenge in places. Overall, this medium sized map is well worth a play.
Theme: Orthodox Runic
Similar To: id E3, The Netherworld
Size: Medium
Difficulty: Medium

7. Necro: Escaping Bastille by [Kona]
I've always thought this was Kona's best work (along with Egyptian Myth, Brumal Quest, and of course Rapture). This map opens Kona's unit Necrobrood, and it is the best map in the pack (although the finale is a cool setpiece). In "Escaping Bastille," you begin in a cage in a Runic dungeon, and make your way through a highly intricate Runic environment to the exit. There are cages hung above (and lowered into) lava throughout, and an alarm goes off giving you the sense of being hunted. However, the map is only of medium difficulty by today's standards, so you are more than a match from those who try to stop your escape in most cases. The map as a whole presents a fascinating, and as far as I know, one-of-a-kind variation on Runic - there are many modified copper and turquoise metal textures, and the floors in places are actually grass. Kona's trademark complex angular architecture is presented throughout with excellent and complex lighting, probably his best lighting actually, in that plenty of different sources combine to create many intricate shadows. The map is always visually interesting, and a few other modifications (sounds, modified monsters) also help in giving it a unique feel.
Theme: Unique Runic Prison
Similar To: [Kona]'s other maps, to a degree
Size: Medium
Difficulty: Medium

6. Towers of Wrath by Rogue
This map seems to be a unique mix of Episode 2 (Wizard) and Episode 3 (Runic) themes (not unlike Hipnotic's The Crypt in some ways). More specifically, it is almost like a cross between id's e2m5, The Wizard's Manse, and e3m5, The Wind Tunnels. It is not the best Rogue map (that title surely belongs to "Curse of Osiris," which is not featured in this article because of its Egyptian temple theme), but it is definitely up there. The dark metallic theme, lava, and peculiar machinery give the sense of a sort of Frankensteinian dungeon. Moving platforms are also utilized in places, and water and wind tunnels are both used. The map, for the most part, sticks to using regular monsters (the Ogres fit in well in this setting), but also includes the great rogue Wrath monster. The end segment, the titular tower, is an interesting ascension through machinery that uses lightning and into a lab where monstrosities are made.
Theme: Wizard Runic
Similar To: The Wizard's Manse, The Wind Tunnels
Size: Medium
Difficulty: Medium

5. ant: Antedilluvian by Metlslime
This stylish Runic map imitates id's e3m5: The Wind Tunnels very nicely, but brings the concept up to date with neater, more stylish architecture and modified Runic textures. The whole map is nicely built, with many pipes and open shafts, and great use of angles all over the place to increase visual interest. The texturing is also good, with a wide variety of different metal textures giving the strong impression that the whole place is built out of metal. As in e3m5, water is featured, although not to the same extent. Metlslime also gives the map a bit more of a functional feel than e3m5, with sewers and grates and interconnected atriums, providing a stronger sense that a place like this might actually exist for some reason (a long-dead and highly eccentric civilization's playground?). Plenty of vores and ogres are present to provide a challenge, in addition to scrags, knights and so forth. All in all, a worthy update on a classic concept.
Theme: Modified Runic
Similar To: The Wind Tunnels, Quake 2 slime maps in places
Size: Medium
Difficulty: Medium

4. Imp1sp2: House of Spikes by Biff Debris
Biff Debris' second Q1SP map is a very stylish Netherworld map, featuring custom Runic textures and curvy architecture everywhere. Lots of arches, curved pillars, and impeccable texturing and lighting make this one of the coolest-looking Rune maps of recent years. There are also some great atmospheric touches, like crucified zombies hung above a pit of lava that you see from an elevator as you descend, and a spikeshooter trap that greets you when you arrive. The use of inset lights is also good, and there are some cool traps and moving sections. Ogres and Hell Knights are your main enemy here, but Vores become a real pain in the ass later in the map, as there is not much cover. There are some cool secrets including a great one in the end area, which mimics the ending of one of id's Runic maps. Overall, a top quality map.
Theme: Modified Runic
Similar To: id E3, The Netherworld
Size: Medium
Difficulty: Medium

3. Kellmet1: I Pity The Not by Kell
Kell's latest is a true-Runic map, with a plethora of modified Runic textures (including one of small repeating gargoyles, just like in Doom!). The map is medium-small, but it is sheer quality throughout. The architectural detail is great - plenty of interesting ceiling details and skylights, and a ton of detail on all of the walls, from insets and support beams to lights, grates, runes and gargoyles. The texturing of this architecture with modified Runic textures makes it look great, and oversized textures as used to good effect. Also, each "major" gargoyle decoration only appears in one area, which makes each area distinct, and prevents a sense of "so what, there's demonic skulls everywhere." In fact this map has a really unique, disturbing ambience, due not only to the aforementioned texturing (and the use of blood-soaked metal in places), but also because of the exceptionally cool lighting. The lighting is somewhat similar to id's e1m6: The Door to Chthon, which was one of the best examples of lighting in the original Quake, with plenty of crisscrossing beam shadows cast from a variety of torchstands. Use of quoth extras, as well as tons of cool ambushes and some homages to id's original Runic maps, keep the gameplay interesting. However even without the close-quarter fights with the quoth enemies, the map would be great simply to stroll around in and just look at. That is right, it is one of the most visually interesting Runic maps of all time.
Theme: Quoth Runic
Similar To: The Netherworld meets Kell's arcane weirdness
Size: Medium
Difficulty: High

2. e1m8: Ziggurat Vertigo by id
What can I say? The only id map to make any of these lists, Ziggurat Vertigo is still very obviously one of the best ten Runic maps in Quake. Its huge vertical element, low gravity, strangely stacked rooms and lofts, not to mention weird pyramid architecture and excellent spotlighting, make it an obvious choice. I have no idea who came up with the idea for this map, or why there haven't been any imitations of it, but it's complete genius, one of the coolest maps I've played in any game. You get a real sense of cryptic weirdness in this map, and because it was a secret map id let themselves exceed their normal r_speeds, as well as pack it with Shamblers, a monster they used everywhere else in Quake except end.bsp with the utmost reserve. Not that this matters here, but I've always enjoyed this map in deathmatch too (thankfully, there's also a Quake3 version). A strange classic.
Theme: Orthodox Runic
Similar To: id metal! hah!
Size: Medium-Large
Difficulty: High for an id map

1. Nesp09: Dawn of Eternity by Necros
One day notorious evil bastard Necros decided to make the hugest and most blatantly evil (as opposed to subtle, creepy evil) Runic map known to man. Just look at these shots. Gargantuan multilevel architecture in massive outdoor courtyards packed to the brim with Runic architecture. Gargoyles. Cages. Huge cliffs. Gargantuan flowing lava-falls. The whole thing is just so incredibly over-the-top. The gameplay matches the map's scale; tons of modified monsters, hordes of dragons, at times you will literally find yourself fighting hordes of modified Shamblers. There are multiple Chthons and a few shubs in there too, and plenty of the stronger monsters blow up with quite a bit of fireworks when they die. Basically flesh, lava and explosions are everywhere in this map. Your ammo limits have been raised to cope, and you'll get a LOT of use out of the perforator. The layout has tons of different vertical levels, interconnected halls and canyons and dungeons, and you'll wind around the massive outdoor areas, coming in from angles you couldn't have expected, while also trekking through a good deal of indoor architecture as well. The map's finale, inside a gigantic lava fall, is also awesome. This was one of the biggest maps ever in Q1SP when it was made; even now there are very few maps which match it in size, scale and ambition.
Theme: Hellish Runic
Similar To: id Runic meets Necros' hellish evil
Size: Large
Difficulty: High

Full List:
1. Dawn of Eternity
2. Ziggurat Vertigo
3. I Pity Thee Not
4. House of Spikes
5. Antediluvian
6. Towers of Wrath
7. Escaping Bastille
8. Penile Devastation
9. Arcane
10. Morbidity 2

## UWF: Many Thanks to Tronyn for this excellent Top 10, check the Quake 1 articles page for all of Tronyn's Quake Expo 2008 Top 10s.