11/05/2014 - "The Elder" by Jaspos

[Semfry]

Map Title: The Elder
Author: Jaspos
From: The Elder
Filename: theelder02.unr




Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9lq487HbHQ

Sypnosis: You continue your journey to rescue the Elder.

Discuss!

[Semfry]

I'll be gone most of tommorow so I may as well put this up now. Seems my comments for this weren't that long ago:

The Fly area is an interesting idea, although the way they all get alerted when you get the artefact makes the implied "stealth" pretty pointless and a borderline death-trap. The Temple areas after aren't so memorable, although the Squid pit is kind of interesting in how random it is (and making a death-trap based on easily evaded enemies is a bad idea). The main stand-out is the ship battle; the arena and set-up don't really create an especially good combat situation, but being swarmed by a horde of Skaarj (along with a boss) is a nice surprise after the relatively low-key action of the rest (this is probably one of the first packs I saw that used so many Skaarj at once).

[SteadZ]

Might try this one out today, never played it before... Shame Jaspos' stuff for Unreal 2/UT 2004 was never released

.......
SZ
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[EDIT:] ooh I'm a Warlord now too

[salsaSkaarj]

The Fly area is an interesting idea, although the way they all get alerted when you get the artefact makes the implied "stealth" pretty pointless and a borderline death-trap.

This was a difficult one the first time I played it. First of all the surprise when suddenly thay all start attacking, and secondly instead of running backwards changing multiple small targes into a large target, I took them on one at a time. Needless to say I learned the hard way .
Yes, it's and old map and it wasn,t polished properly ... but it has it's moments which make it memorable: the fly-area in this map, the puzzle with the switches (it took me ages to notice that I had to go up instead of down) and the end battle: first time I thought that it was crazy and would be impossible to beat.

[StalwartUK]

Might try this one out today, never played it before... Shame Jaspos' stuff for Unreal 2/UT 2004 was never released

That sounds disappointing. I wonder, anyone ever try getting in touch with him?

The Elder I would still say is a pretty good level even after all this time though I will admit that it can feel a bit "rudimentary" these days. Certainly worth a go if you haven't beaten it already or in a while.

[Sat42]

It's a great map and a great mappack overall, though it's true that there are lots of better works.

You know, this map actually scared me at one point: it was in that area shown in the top right screenshot, suddenly Pupae came falling down on me and I really wasn't expecting it

The Fly area (top left shot) was fun, and borderline scary too! I actually didn't take any chances, and started shooting when I realised how many Flies would surround me if I tried being "stealthy". Quite impressive to see a true swarm attack you!

It took over an hour the first time, the puzzle was nice, and the last area with the spaceship is awesome: the horde of Skaarj and the Warlord took a few tries, and there's a proper ending with a little flyby.

I totally understand why Hellscrag used this as an example to illustrate the point of conceptual grandness over build.