Concentric Devastation

Author: Matt “Lunaran” Breit | Rating: 8.00 | Download: lunsp1.zip

Concentric Devastation is Lunaran’s first Quake 1 singleplayer release, although he has an accomplished body of mapping work for other games including Quake III. It is an excellent map that serves as one of the best examples of a modern quake techbase map.

If there is one map theme I like the most, whether we’re talking about Quake or Quake 2, or Doom, it’s techbase. So I’m a bit biased when I say I like this map, but it should really appeal to any q1sp player. Set in a rocky region, the map’s curved, complex architecture, and textures from the Quake II expansion, The Reckoning, remind me of a combination of Quake II’s base levels and the first map of Czg’s Insomnia. Concentric Devastation avoids the blocky monotony of standard base architecture. Terrain is also used to good effect. Much of the level sits on a lake of nukage with areas separated by gaps. This means you do a fair amount of jumping. There is even a small platform jumping bit. I know many people hate that, but since it’s not necessary to cross the area to complete the map, it’s no big deal. Make sure to take the time to especially appreciate the bridge which extends at one point in the level and then forms into a staircase.

A concentration on Human/Strogg type enemies helps establish that techbase feel, yet the author wisely chose not to limit himself to the standard Quake troopers and grunts which tend to make techbase maps too easy. There are new red troopers (who have personal shields, fire deathknight spread projectiles, and fire rockets) and blue troopers (who fire quick triple-blasts of blue laser fire and also wield grenade launchers). Both are tough and take a major beating before going down. A vore and several shamblers also make an appearance as well.

Concentric Devastation is a relatively long map with a nonlinear flow. You will be forced to backtrack as you follow a standard silver key/ gold key progression. As a nice change of pace you must also find and defeat the 5 red troopers around the map to gain access to a boss fight near the end of the level. The boss is a green version of Cthon. You still need to zap him to death, but must lower 3, instead of 2, electrodes into place before you can do so. Unfortunately, getting all 3 to be in the down position at the same time is a type of “lights out” puzzle that you will need to solve while Cthon is constantly flinging molten boulders at you as you run for your life. Many people will get stuck here and while I appreciate the author’s effort to jazz up a Cthon fight, I think the puzzle aspect negatively breaks up the map’s otherwise excellent flow.

Ammo and health are both balanced well. On normal there are probably one or two unnecessary health boxes, but ammo is spot on. You will often be right on the verge of running out when another precious box of ordinance comes into view. All the weapons make an appearance except the rocket launcher, although it might appear in a secret. There are eight secrets in the level, but I didn’t need to find any in order to survive. With 137 monsters on normal including the boss fight (which you should really save after, by the way) difficulty is moderate on normal and the map took me about 50 minutes to beat on my first playthrough, not counting all the times I had to reload my save file at the boss fight.

All in all, Concentric Devastation is an excellent q1sp map and a great techbase. If you are a fan of either, you shouldn’t pass this one up.

- Marius