Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
DeMarkated (qbb1_burnham) has a more satisfying progression, but also ends in a no-escape arena fight, albeit a more realistic one. More enjoyable … Though the “strange door” secret at the end is particularly unrewarding 
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Really enjoyed Dangerous Curves (qbb1_greenwood) — and it’s particularly fascinating playing it directly after The Successor and DeMarkated, since it’s so obviously the same basic layout. This time, everything works right: combat balance, ammo allocation (at least until it gets a bit over-generous at the end), sense of discovery, and sheer quadded chaos. The Chthon was fun, too.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
But Blended Blender (qbb1_coce) was a bit much for me. At first I enjoyed the novelty of the fog, and the challenge of picking off half-seen enemies, luring them to areas where I had a bit more room for manoeuvre. But after a while, I found the continual invisible assaults, combined with the chronic lack of ammo, just stopped being much fun. Promising, but not quite there.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “Cocerello” posted:
MikeTaylor I would need to see a demo to know what happened, but the map has several ammo boxes more than needed even if you try to kill them all, not counting secrets. In fact the people who provided demos finished it without taking some.
Tried it again just in case and finished with 170 nails, 2 rockets and 86 cells, and no infighting. I did not kill the shamblers but the exit usually opens before they even appear. The only place i was a bit low in ammo was before getting the NG/SNG.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Oh, Cocerello is Coce! I guess that was obvious in retrospect.
I did go back and try it again, and finished legitimately, with I think all but three kills. I never saw a shambler so I guess you’re right, I exited before they arrived.
I think what happened before is that I did part of the level in the wrong order — jumped past barriers — and so supplies did not materialise at the times they were supposed to.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Starting out on Mimene Kolbei (qbb1_ish). Come on, ish, give me some ammo. Nothing is less fun in a Quake map that running around trying to avoid monsters because you’ve got nothing to kill them with.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Pushing on with Mimene Kolbei, using some infighting and some careful running away, I was able to reach the point where you can unlock the rocket-launcher secret. At that point, it started to feel tractable, and I quite enjoyed the rest of it, including the double surprise at the end.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
After that, Ruins of Pillars (qbb1_nolcoz) was relatively straightforward, especially as I was able to mitigate the early ammo shortage by having the ogre and death knight infight each other almost to death. I enjoyed the traps in this one, which is unusual!
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Pael Folke Keep (qbb1_palmlix) was OK, but like everyone else I got stuck behind the too-fast door. After I noclipped out, I went to the final battle, which was quite funny the first time, but much less so when I had to sit through all the comedy again a second time, after losing the fight due to taking the quad too soon.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Raging Nali (qbb1_poolboyq) is among my favourites of these maps, for a gnarly sense of place and a slightly more inventive progression than some of the others. I particularly enjoyed the way the gold-key combat came in waves, and the end combat could be done by sniping.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
I’m Sorry LOL (qbb1_quasiotter) is a nice idea, but just too frustrating to actually play.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Untitled (qbb1_rhoq) is a blast, especially the quadded final battle. But I’m taking a point off for not bothering to name the map. Name your maps, people! It takes, what, 20 seconds?
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
I admired the attempt to do something different in Growth and Decay (qbb1_snaut), but in the end I found the puzzles too awkward to work, and “Bill” too awkward to manipulate. So I gave up pretty quickly once I’d reached the puzzle area. Sorr
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Excruciating Commute (qbb1_strwrk) is a breath of fresh air, with its London Underground theme. Maybe the combats are nothing particularly special, but the setting made it a lot of fun. Also, it diverged rather more from the base layout than some of the other maps in this pack do \u2014 which I think is to the good.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Cthulhu Resort Demo (qbb1_void) is just an empty and largely untextured area. It’s pleasant enough to run around in, but it really shouldn’t have been released in this nowhere-near-ready state. I’ll hope to play the real thing some time in the future.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Finally, Under a Black Sky (qbb1_zig1) is an enjoyably straightforward blast with ugly early-1990s Doom-style textures and even uglier early-1990s Doom-style music. Lots of opportunity here to take combats carefully and strategically, which I always enjoy.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
[User added a rating.]
Unregistered user “MikeTaylor” posted:
Overall, playing this pack has been a strange experience. There were times when I became bored with playing very similar layouts over and over, times when I was intrigued to see how the next mapper would use the same setup, and times when I was pleasantly surprised by a clever departure. But in the end, no one of these maps really ticked my Quake spot, and I am left feeling a degree of relief that I am finally done with this pack. It was an interesting experiment, but not one that I am keen to see repeated.
[This comment had to be restored. See this thread for context. This means that there might be problems with its formatting or content missing. The information if the user posted while being logged in was not restored. -Spirit]
[User added a rating.]
[User added a rating.]