08/08/2016 - "The Triamid Ruins" by Turboman

[UBerserker]

Map Title: The Triamid Ruins
Author: Turboman
From: The Triamid Ruins
Filename: tridigmap.unr
Music Files: Chizra1.umx, EndEx.umx






Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHT5i6gnzR8

Synopsis: As an archaeologist, you're assigned to explore three pyramid-shaped ruins in the middle of the ocean of an unknown moon. However, the team you were going to meet up has vanished. Are you ready to take the journey through this mysterious land?

Discuss!

[Semfry]

Forgot I had recorded this one already. I guess this is recent enough that my old comment applies:

Insanely good looking map with massive amounts of detail and variety despite most areas managing to be relatively conservative poly-count wise. I like how the texture themes shift throughout while all fitting the theme, especially the orange/yellow DecayedS (I think) textures underground that I haven't seen used like this anywhere else. It has also got a ton of good exploration, and really makes you think about how the space comes together at times. I think the combat could be a bit more intense though; I don't want the level to become remotely combat focused, but I think spread out yet much more dangerous encounters would fit better than the pest slaughter it currently is. As it is the amount of guns you get feels like overkill.

► Show Spoiler

The fact there seems to be no actual sequence for the Squid alien genetic code integration also seems odd, unless I missed something...

[Buff Skeleton]

Absolutely stunning visuals, if buggy in spots, with incredibly novel use of stock assets to create unique effects. Using gib meshes for the alien segments, and the skeletons out of "bone" pieces, was absolute brilliance. And then there are some views in the map that make you want to print out and frame a screenshot.

Combat sucks since it's mostly nonexistent, but for an exploration-heavy map, it's OK. It would have been more tense if, like Semfry noted, there were fewer, but more dangerous, encounters throughout the map, especially in the underground sections. Even just patrolling enemies. Hell, it could have gone with the "no weapons, evade enemies" style of gameplay and still fit. But having craptons of ammo for every gun when all you fight are flies and mantas is a bit much

[Doublez-Down]

I'll have to give this one another whirl. I remember getting stuck somewhere and just not giving it much more effort, probably too busy IRL or something.

[Kaka]

One of my favourite SP levels. Great technical execution, puzzle based, great lighting.

[salsaSkaarj]

I'll have to give this one another whirl. I remember getting stuck somewhere and just not giving it much more effort, probably too busy IRL or something.

Exactly what I wanted to say.

Let me add that is was visually stunning, the combat was minimal but kept you on your toes and the puzzle theme was refershng. Unfortunately at the time when I played the final version, I had no clue about how to progress further and got a bit fed up with swimming for one island to the others.
Now that I've watched the playthrough (not until the end), I've got a better idea about what has to be done.

[Sat42]

Seems like an über-awesome map!

One of those "best of" maps I'm keeping for "last" looking forward to it, and hardly looked at the screenshots to avoid spoilers

[Legendslayer222]

Seeing those first couple of screenshots it hardly looks like the Unreal we know and love, but this map is something else just as awesome. I agree that progression can be tricky sometimes, I think I got stuck on my first playthrough, but this is one of those maps where it kind of doesn't matter to me? Even as a gameplay-less atmospheric exploration it would be something special, and worth a run through. As it is, the map has a story that runs surprisingly deep and comes together to allow you to do several cool things (like activating the energy bridges, watching the ship crash then getting to explore it, going underground into the squid alien place).

[UnrealGecko]

MUST. PLAY. THIS. NOOOOOOW!!!