Forum thread for monastry
46cf4ed6cf8a36ecd4feb09141874431ad3e9e776df49a899d0b4bf22a214d3b
overall_rating
2.777089783281734
19
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There seem to be some critical problems in this map, where it is impossible to proceed without temporarily resorting to noclip (I tested in both Quakespasm and DarkPlaces), but please correct me if I’m wrong. According to this review, hardcore_gamer encountered similar issues: http://www.quakeblast.com/apps/blog/show/24800657-monastery-by-neil-manke-6-10. In a comment on that review, negke explains that it might be because DOSQuake had slightly different physics than modern engines. I do not share hardcore_gamer’s other misgivings about the map, though. I found it easy enough to navigate and enjoyed the exploratory, puzzle-oriented gameplay.
Visually, this has aged the least of all of Neil Manke’s medieval maps, probably because it works with rather than against the limitations of technology, stock textures, monsters, etc. (e.g. no walls of foliage and no monsters that feel out of place). It makes very clever use of zombies, water and lava textures, etc. to create lots of realistic details and a strong narrative, and I would certainly not call it plain (as the editorial description currently does). The predominantly grey/white visuals might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but I loved it and thought it suited the setting perfectly.
Hmm, don’t know why that came out partly italicised.
Ah, it could be because that reviewer’s name is hardcore underscore gamer.
Sorry about that. 
A preview would rock.
Heh, no worries. 
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Here are a few tips for anyone who wants to try this map.
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Normal progression requires that you drop through a hole beneath a bed into a sewer (which is not hard to figure out), but it is important that you grab the silver key BEFORE you do so, otherwise you will end up trapped with no way to proceed and no way to backtrack to the key. One of the zombies on the wall sort of hints at this, but it’s easy to miss.
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The place where players using modern engines are forced to use noclip is the sewer itself. In order to escape the sewer you have to swim under a metal grate and shoot a button on a stone column in the room above (unfortunately, all the shootable buttons in this level use the same texture as push buttons). Then the grate opens, but apparently unless you’re playing on DOSQuake you’ll have to noclip up out of the water.
Lastly, I got stuck on a button after pressing it (in the large underwater area close to the end), but it didn’t happen another time I pressed it. Not sure what is up with that, but the same thing has happened to me on the second level of Travail. Anyway, noclip got me unstuck.
Despite these issues I still think this is a pretty cool map. The custom textures and realistically-proportioned/detailed interiors (complete with bunk rooms, kitchens, pews in the church, etc.) make it feel like a map from a different game, but that’s not a bad thing. It had a feeling of exploration and progression that I quite enjoyed. The use of zombies for purposes other than making the map feel “evil” is novel to me. If you can put aside the problems I recommend this one.
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Unregistered user “The_Pirate” posted:
Again, for me, a Golden Oldie.
There is a issue with newer game engines not allowing the player to climb out of a waterhole if the edge is too high, but all in all a cheerful murder exploration map. For the age of this map, really good.
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