CTF-BlasphemyV2 User Review

[Descore]

This review was moved from the NaliCity main forum where Axiom first requested a review on this map. Here he also posted the following link to the map: http://cdo.dhs.org/clergy/maps/ctf-blasphemyv2.zip

http://www.infowares.com/ut_review/CTF-Blasphemy/Blasphemy-1.jpg

First thing that struck me was the README file. I hope it was a bad attempt of irony but what came out was, simply put, the most arrogant P.O.S. I've ever seen, no useful info is in the readme which consists of just a copyright note and the following rant:


Notes: 'Axiom's Blasphemy' is McNally's Masterpiece and
highest contribution to Unreal Tournament.
A Godlike structure of Strategic layout, Exact
Placement of Textures and Inventory, Precision in
Bot pathing and Player Navigation, and an
Intricate Visual Design to make 'Axiom's Blasphemy'
A sincere competition among the Original Unreal
Tournament Levels.

Ok phew, that was some egorant, so held back a puke and thought, "Damn, this map better be good" and loaded it up..

Well the map is not bad, I'll give it that much, in fact it's fairly good in most technical aspects. The architecture is good but very repetitive. There is only one type of wall/floor on the entire level.

This could be good if it contributed to a great atmosphere, but the lighting doesn't back it up, it's the same dull reddish-brown lighting all over the map. The light is not sourced at all in the hallways below, and there is no real contrast between the lighted and non-lighted areas above - although there are some strange spotlights built into the walls (see screenshot below). These seem to serve no real purpose for the theme, but look as if they have been added because the author saw the need to "do something" with the lighting. The overall effect is a dusty, dullish cavelike atmosphere.

Also the map is a little too dark throughout. I had to manually enhance the screenshots' exposure to even make them viewable. I think this may be what sometimes happens when mappers use the software renderer for playtesting their map, because hardware always seems to render the screens darker, at least I've seen this happen before (eg. AS-Resurrection).

http://www.infowares.com/ut_review/CTF-Blasphemy/Blasphemy-3.jpg

What strikes me is that Axiom has tried to make a map that was perfect in every technical aspect and in trying to do so, he has forgotten about originality and created something that is very dry / sterile, perhaps "state of the art" on the technical front but otherwise quite uninteresting.

http://www.infowares.com/ut_review/CTF-Blasphemy/Blasphemy-2.jpg

The bot-pathing is decent but not brilliant, basically if you take the upstairs route you will get to the enemy base unchallenged most of the time, since the bots certainly prefer the ground floor.

Weapon and powerup placement - again like most aspects of this map it's good, but VERY conservative (ie. boring), there's nothing unpredictable about it, and after 15 minutes of play you feel you know the level inside out.

http://www.infowares.com/ut_review/CTF-Blasphemy/Blasphemy-4.jpg

Layout wise, some design elements remind me of Coret Facility and Command, without approaching the greatness of either of those. Again, it works but it is hardly original.

The music is from Trophy Room :rolleyes:... No custom textures/sound.

A map these days can not win on being technically well made alone. There are enough levels like that out. Something extra is required to make a map interesting, to make it stand out. This map just doesn't have that "something extra".

http://www.infowares.com/ut_review/CTF-Blasphemy/Blasphemy-5.jpg

Last but not least: My judgement is quite influenced by the tone of the readme file and the original post that made me write this review. The map is not bad at all, but then again it's not the amazing piece of machinery it's made out to be. I think a mapper should just say "Hey I made a map", and leave it to the players / reviewers to say "It's awesome" or "Not".

Score: 6.5 / 10

// Descore

PS: As this is my very first attempt at a review I would much appreciate comments either here or at descore98@infowares.com -- Thanks!

[namu]

Link to the map ?

[namu]

OK:

The layout is nice, the architecture is great, the texturing is well done but extremely limited.

The map is ugly.

This map is a rip-off of Darji (which is rarely played online) except it has too long hallways. It is boring to play, and hard on the eyes.

Other things were already nicely covered by Descore ;)

Architecture: 8/10
Texturing: 2.5/10
Lighting: 1/10
Botpathing: 5/10
Flow: 3.5/10
Item Placement: 6/10

Overall score: 4.3/10
I deleted it from my Maps directory.

[BangOut]

6.5 - 5 for horrible lighting :P

[Hourences]

i told you about the light .....

[Descore]

Originally posted by Hourences
i told you about the light .....

Yup you told me to describe it better, which I hope I have done now :)

I still need to implement BangOuts suggestion that I describe the level better, but otherwise I think I have reacted to all comments I have received.

This review was good practice and next one I do, I'll use what I learned building up this one :)

[Hourences]

no i didnt told you about the light :P, i mean i told the author about the light in the original tread :)

[Chrysaor]

"Why do you say the lighting is boring? I try to make my maps look real. I hate that techie bright contrasting blues and reds like CTF-Esprit's inner bases. The geometry isnt just ok:/ "

Where's hackr86's "4SSHAT" award when u need it?

Dip :p

[@kuma]

typically arrogant newbiesh readme, hes hardly the first n00b to sit back from his first map and say "Damn, I OWN cliffyB's white ass"

Funny that this is the kind of attitude that people claim DavidM has when in fact its the 'poor n00bs' he apparently 'bashes' who have the real attitude problem.

Mmm, will download the map just to sample the lighting treats

[@kuma]

good - mostly low poly count (exepct for the 300 spikes where it still looks like 150 polys)

mediocre - layout is dull

bad - reminds me of one of the 50 poly ps2 CTF maps

terrible - lighting is horrid

laughable - the readme

[BangOut]

smell the ps2

[Ulukai]

The night is young and that map is so beautiful

[DavidM]

akuma is mean and bashes n00bs(!)

[@kuma]

its because I'm afraid they'll steal my limelite.

no, really.

[DavidM]

I'll report your mean n00b bashing post to a moderator! :(

[DavidM]

I just reported your rude behaviour. I hope you will get banned for it!

[BangOut]

I just got this (edited):

___________________________________

DavidM has reported this post:

http://forums.beyondunreal.com/showthread.php?postid=879000#post879000

This is part of this thread:
CTF-BlasphemyV2 User Review
http://forums.beyondunreal.com/showthread.php?threadid=93495

This is the reason that the user gave:
akuma is being rude mean and cruel to n00bs he is bashing them yes!

This message has been sent to all moderators of this forum, or all administrators if there are no moderators.

Please respond to this post as applicable.
_____________________________________

Both of you make me so proud. This community would be a barren wasteland of trolls and spam without you.

[DavidM]

why proud of both of us?
I try to protect newbies and akuma is being bad bad bad

[Yoda]

/me slaps Akuma on the wrist

[Ulukai]

*sticks cigar in mouth*

Never before.
Have so many.
Been bashed.
So much.
By so few.

Um, possibly

[BangOut]

Hmm. I'm sorry I helped you out with the review.


<+Descore> blargh
<+Descore> "God Bless America"
<+Descore> damn it

<+Descore> Those americans are so damn self pitying
<+Descore> you would have thought they'd have stopped that crap after 2 months!!
<+Descore> but nooooooo, they whine on
<+SuperBaby> kinda
<+Fuct> what are you talking about?
<+Fuct> the war?
<+SuperBaby> yes
<+Descore> the americans feeling sooooo sorry for themselves
<+Fuct> oh
<+Descore> bs

<+SuperBaby> of course the taliban are buggers
<+Descore> yeah
<+Descore> so fine to beat them up good
<+Descore> but the US should stop whining like sissies

[Descore]

Well easy for you to take out of context from a chat you weren't even participating in.

What I'm getting at was that Yes, the terrorists are bad, but hey! US is not the only country in the world ever to be victim of terrorism and all that "God bless America" etc. was understandable enough for a couple of weeks, but after two months its still on half the US websites, TV shows, you name it. And THAT's why I say, time to quit whining, kick some fanatics' ass yes, win the war yes, but stop feeling sorry for yourself (except for those who actually had relatives/friends lost in the attacks).

// Descore

[BangOut]

Originally posted by Descore
And THAT's why I say, time to quit whining, kick some fanatics' ass yes, win the war yes, but stop feeling sorry for yourself (except for those who actually had relatives/friends lost in the attacks).



^ Um, yeah because I count in that group. But why should only people like me be carrying the burden of keeping the country's spirit in mind? Answer: we shouldn't. Happy Thanksgiving.

[BangOut]

I'm also sorry that you feel 5000+ people are only worth two weeks.

[Descore]

In 1998 alone, 30,708 Americans died by gunfire: 17,424 in firearm suicides, 12,102 in firearm homicides, 866 in unintentional shootings, and 316 in firearm deaths of unknown intent, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.


I'm not saying it's ok, but... Why is it so much worse when terrorists kill 5,000?

The risk that any American knows someone who has been killed by another American wielding a gun during just the last year, is quite a bit higher than the same American knowing someone who was killed by the terrorists.

[UnrealGrrl]

Originally posted by Descore

What I'm getting at was that Yes, the terrorists are bad, but hey! US is not the only country in the world ever to be victim of terrorism and all that "God bless America" etc. was understandable enough for a couple of weeks, but after two months its still on half the US websites, TV shows, you name it. And THAT's why I say, time to quit whining, kick some fanatics' ass yes, win the war yes, but stop feeling sorry for yourself (except for those who actually had relatives/friends lost in the attacks).
// Descore

and thats EXACTLY why no other country will ever be like America. we have PRIDE in the US, we will not sit around and WHINE like you seem ta think we are... what we're doing is showing PRIDE in ourselves and our country and RESOLVE not to FORGET what happened like you seem to want to do...
maybe your country or another other would whine for a couple monthsand let things slide... aint gonna happen here...

why dont YOU go back to whining about petty bbs forum BS or STFU and not talk about stuff you dont have a clue about...

better yet, why not come over to my place and help clean up the body parts that are still being removed from the site at the WTC...

'nuff said!

[GMotha]

Got a point there...

[axiom82]

Akuma, first of all, I bought the game when most people were playing the demo. I finished my first level in March of 2000. Why don't you stop calling people who just started playing the game, "newbies"?

You are supposed to be the almighty Akuma...then why do you lower yourself immaturely to call me or any human being a "newbie"? Who cares how many days someone has played this game!

Also, If I feel like busting out some pride about my map, whether true or false, I would enjoy you to keep yourself contained if you dislike it. It is my readme, not yours. Take care.

[@kuma]

I would enjoy you to keep yourself contained if you dislike it


You are cordially invited to kiss my ass. RSVP.

seriously, everything about the map and the readme smacks of newbish arrogance so it's a fair assumption to make that this was your first tinkering with the editor... if anything the idea that you've been doing this for over a year makes the whole unsavory package even more objectionable.

[MrFawn]

ROFLMAO

[namu]

I personnally didn't find the readme "n00bish". "Shameless" for sure, but not n00bish.
Axiom: learn from Nachimir about creating an atmosphere, and your maps will kick äss ;)

[Descore]

Originally posted by namu
I personnally didn't find the readme "n00bish". "Shameless" for sure, but not n00bish.
Axiom: learn from Nachimir about creating an atmosphere, and your maps will kick äss ;)

Yeah it wasn't "n00bish", you don't have to be a "n00b" to be arrogant :)

Not that there's anything wrong with being arrogant (ok just a little maybe :)), but your map had better 0wn if you are.

// Descore

[axiom82]

AKUMA: hey as*hole, bite a fat d*ck! lol. I hope your lips sift through sh*t deposits for a week. Go on talking about whatever little kid newbie sh*t you were talking about.....

newbie this, newbie that....F*CK off FAG
Your wanna-be KING sh*t smells the worst.

You care so much about my readme that you sound like you are spanking it to the PC screen while reading it.

[Descore]

Well the readme's suckage was considerable :)

BUT note that I did give ur level a decent rating (6.5), in spite of its flaws it was not a bad level.

[Hourences]

Originally posted by axiom82
AKUMA: hey as*hole, bite a fat d*ck! lol. I hope your lips sift through sh*t deposits for a week. Go on talking about whatever little kid newbie sh*t you were talking about.....

newbie this, newbie that....F*CK off FAG
Your wanna-be KING sh*t smells the worst.

You care so much about my readme that you sound like you are spanking it to the PC screen while reading it.

nice flaming, youre making it only worse now :)
NOW people will really start thinking you are a noob you know, an arrogant noob too

[MrFawn]

mess with the best
die like the rest

...

[@kuma]

You sound a little upset there, son. What are you, 12?

Ok, so your map was piss poor and apparently you're a bit of an **** but there's no need to get so worked up - Nali City has a 'Basic Editing' section & I'm sure the people there will be happy to answer your questions... provided you ask nicely and remember to take your Ritalin before posting.

[Chrysaor]

That's the most painful post I've ever read. 5 gold stars for Akuma :)

[axiom82]

Originally posted by Descore
Well the readme's suckage was considerable :)

BUT note that I did give ur level a decent rating (6.5), in spite of its flaws it was not a bad level.

I agree with you:)

[axiom82]

Originally posted by Chrysaor
That's the most painful post I've ever read. 5 gold stars for Akuma :)

I didn't know c*cksucking was aloud here. Jesus, homosexuality is spreading again. :(

[axiom82]

Originally posted by @kuma
You sound a little upset there, son. What are you, 12?

Ok, so your map was piss poor and apparently you're a bit of an **** but there's no need to get so worked up - Nali City has a 'Basic Editing' section & I'm sure the people there will be happy to answer your questions... provided you ask nicely and remember to take your Ritalin before posting.


If I am 12, then why are you the antagonist of this situation? You are the one blowing your nut over a virtual readme. Take a seat. Whether or not you are the real Akuma or a fake @kuma....I could care less. I have never seen Innox here...why are you posting here?

Why don't you stop pissing me off and make another UrbanArena Cheeze map.

[Hourences]

cool, now he even doesnt want to believe akuma=akuma :D

[@kuma]

You flame almost as pitifully as you map. Seriously aren't you even slightly embarassed when you read your own posts? Don't you cringe at your laughable arrogance and your clumsy attempts at putdowns? No, of course you don't - because you're a class A ****.

Quite why Descore feels the need to sugar-coat the truth about your worthless attempt at a map is beyond me, but it's probably the same reason that people coo over small children's finger paintings.

My parting advice to you is to find another way of getting the attention you so obviously crave - like exposing yourself to small children perhaps - because with your complete lack of talent mapping just isnt going to give you the ego boost you're after.

That's it, I'm done with you - but feel free to embarass yourself futher :)

[jreister]

- Just downloaded the map - see what it´s all about....

[namu]

http://namu.free.fr/dragonashed.gif
http://namu.free.fr/fired.jpg
http://namu.free.fr/uglycated.png

[BangOut]

I downloaded the map to see what all the fuss was about.

on my scale, it's a 2-4 at the very very best

on NC's system, it's 3,4,5,6,4,3,5,3,5,3 = 4.0234982735814658358791235

at Booty it would have been "94 THIS MAP RU><OR!!!ZZZ!!!"

but if you want some feedback, don't pick on people who may be giving you help no matter how backhanded it may be....

-crappy lighting... start reading some intermediate/advanced tutorials
-boring layout... needs more than a bend in a tunnel
-runs well (obviously)
-fair item placement
-make the bots use the whole map, not just the elbow area
-TERRIBLE music choice... trophy room is a no-no
-Don't say stuff like that in the readme... say "This is my first map, I'd appreciate feedback at axiom@angrylittlemapper.com"
-Make alternate routes more of a viable option
-Include some viable z-axis while you're at it


overall: it's like Thorns was put in an oven and the heat warped it to bend to one side. case closed. good first try, make another map and don't flame people for something that could help you out.