eectestmap2a.wad

Author(s):

AK-01

Year of release:

2005

Map(s):

01

Engine:

ZDoom

Date of review:

06/04/2005

Overall rating:

So, where to begin?...
First of all, this is a „test“-map as the filename suggests, and you really find some bugs in here that should be fixed:
- some „unknown texture“-bugs
- you get trapped, when you jump down through the hole and get the rocket launcher (secret near the yellow key)
- you are able to end the level without finding the blue door. If you jump (or fall by mistake) into the exit hole you can’t leave it.
Ah, the blue door.... I finally found the key after a desperate search. You have to jump from one platform to another over a big lava sea, while you’re bombed by dozens of unreachable monsters (not the weaker ones!). No wonder I missed it 3 times. Behind the blue door you will find another door. I tried hard, but couldn’t find a way to open that door, so I gave up and jumped into the exit.
Doors in general behave in a strange way here: either they open and close in no time or they need far too long to open.

Apart from these annoying difficulties and bugs, we have a very claustrophobic map with some interesting atmosphere of chemical facility (?). The architecture is detailed to some extent and texturing is diverse, though it sometimes looks a bit random (bookshelves in an industrial plant?) or undefinable (what about all these columns behind glass?).
The author made extensive use of Zdoom special effects, though some of them seem a bit incoherent, too. The camera view, for example, didn’t reveal any purpose to me. What did it show? And why? The area that the camera was showing was unreachable (or maybe I would have reached it through the blue door area?)
Other effects are great, like the gangway behind the blue door (though I’d rather not ask what this actually is), the foggy red area or the red-light slope area at the beginning. But the whole thing seemed a bit incoherent to me. Rather like a patchwork of effects and ideas than a consistent storyline.

The map shows some creative powers and good ideas, the fights are tight but fair. However, the gameplay and storyline need some tightening.