21/07/2015 - "One Day In The Life Of..." by Chris Burgess

[UB_]

Map Title: One Day In The Life Of...
Author: Chris Burgess
From: One Day
Filename: DAWN.unr
Music Files: None




Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMttUJCg8fo

Synopsis: Do you remember this...

Discuss!

[Sat42]

Oh yeah, I remember this!

A good first level, just not great like the rest of the pack. In my view One Day is, perhaps, a bit overrated when compared to how other works are received, but it's got one damn good personality.
This level sets the tone for the rest of your journey, and it works well despite architecture being sometimes rather noobish. Short and easy. The whole thing has this mystique quality to it, sometimes in the same vein as EZkeel's work.

Things really kick off with the following level, though: I really love the atmosphere in that one.

[Semfry]

This level is interesting to me because it has a couple of decisions that should be bad but I think they work. The way into the cave is kind of obscure given the somewhat deceptive lake, but, on the other hand, you're still in a small area so it likely won't be too long for you to stumble on it, even if it feels like you're breaking the level at first. Then again, given the ending involves your character learning to fly the fact your first act to start the adventure feels like you're subverting the level bounds almost seems like some sort of foreshadowing. The cave being textured in a metal texture is also odd, yet I think it somehow works and gives the area kind of a unique atmosphere (and almost complements my first thing to support you leaving the intended level area and finding something strange). There's not much to the level beyond that outside the character's thoughts (which would be better if they were broadcast rather than tiny white text), but it manages to be a oddly memorable start map despite having very little to it.

[Sat42]

Interesting remarks here:

This level is interesting to me because it has a couple of decisions that should be bad but I think they work.
[...] given the ending involves your character learning to fly the fact your first act to start the adventure feels like you're subverting the level bounds almost seems like some sort of foreshadowing.

I had never thought about it like this, but I have to agree with the sentiment - it may be smarter than the author had intended, but it's cool.

The cave being textured in a metal texture is also odd, yet I think it somehow works and gives the area kind of a unique atmosphere (and almost complements my first thing to support you leaving the intended level area and finding something strange).

I had never realised that the cave is textured in a metal texture, so it definitely works if you ask me!

[Mister_Prophet]

The first true level in a mappack I quite admire and regard very highly. It's brief, to say the least. I remember finding it cool how the map was unconventional in terms of giving you an idea where to go, what to do. Like a lot of players possibly, I thought I had found an exploit in the map when I started walking up some terrain only to realize I had simply figured out where the mapper had intended for me to go.

To the initiated, there's not much to this and it's easy to speedrun. To the new player, it makes you play differently and this is a good thing I think. One Day is like that.

I'd also say this is a good example of why some decorations ought to be indestructible