Underworldfan's Single Player Map Reviews

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## Reviews: 6th January 2008 Review 3

SUMMARY
Game: QUAKE
Map - thehand: (Dont Bite) The Hand That Feeds You
by: RickyT23
Download: thehand.zip
Overall Verdict: Excellent large custom base map with superb lighting.

FULL REVIEW:
This map shares some characteristics with the authors previous map, Sickbase, but with the technical issues that plagued that previous release now learnt from and absent, this map can be enjoyed purely for its architectural and gameplay improvements, which are many. This level also seems slightly influenced by "Bile Plant" from Warp Spasm in both gameplay style and texturing/architectural theme.
The theme is a very consistent base/greenish look, offset with a striped yellow/brown trim for good highlighting of the chunky curves and edges of the base environment & structures. The base layout has many very well built and constructed rooms and areas. The map also features a well done underground caves/tunnels section. Brushwork and texturing are both hugely improved over sickbase, this map feels like a much more complete and polished layout. Another one of the highlights of the map is the excellent colored spot lighting and effects which is highly effective throughout the level at illuminating the hazy environment, this is some of the best lighting i have ever seen in a quake 1 map, subtle yet effective and excellently implemented throughout the map design. Use a good colored lighting engine like my default engine of choice, FitzQuake.

Gameplay for the most part matches up to the excellent environment. Similar in style to sickbase, clusters of often mixed monsters wait in groups to ambush. Theres lots of respawning enemies that appear as you backtrack through previously cleared areas and progress through the map. Once more the custom base enforcers and a small amount of Quoth enemies enrich the gameplay considerably.
Gameplay is better tuned than sickbase, the monsters are better spread out and better placed throughout the layout. There are less unfair, random swarms that are badly placed. Ammo and health are reasonably well balanced, and skill levels are well used to create significant differences in challenge with monster count rising significantly on hard skill as compared to normal. In summary, with the excellent lighting, brushwork and exciting gameplay this is an excellent custom base map.

overall score: 18/20
This map enters the Q1SP Hall of Fame 2 at position 12 in Q1SP single Maps.

## Reviews: 6th January 2008 Review 4

SUMMARY
Game: QUAKE
Map - kellmetl: I Pity Thee Not
by: Kell
Download: kellmetl.zip
Overall Verdict: smallish metal map from kell, fun for a quick run-thru.

FULL REVIEW:
From Kell, this is a small to medium sized metal map. Its clear that this is one of Kell's less ambitious map designs, with a basic corridor, square room layout, and no spectacular architecture or setpieces. Yet the typically excellent brushwork and build quality and trademark high quality and detailed texturing elevate this map above average and make it a pleasure to play. The metal architecture and lifts are all very neatly built and there are a couple of nice sections with moving platforms and lifts. The layout is broadly split into 2 subtle variations on a metal theme corresponding with the 2 areas you must explore to find the 2 buttons needed to exit.

There are 66 monsters of the mainly medieval type, but the map has the surprising flaw of being too easy at the beginning with not enough monsters and too much ammo and health. Its a shame the gameplay was not a bit harder as this would have improved the maps replayability. Having said that difficulty and monster count does scale better towards the end with less health packs also around for the final 20% or so of the layout. Its a Kell map, which means it top quality anyway, so download this now.

overall score: 14/20