Rock and rollFinally, I can say it -
WipeOut is simply one of my two favourite levels from
Operation Na Pali, the other being
Thra Fortress.
Runners-up: Prisoned, Skaarj Outpost (Part 2), Nali Mountain Fighters (Part 2), The Volcano, Vortex Rikers (redux), and Na Pali Heaven (Part 2).Mister_Prophet wrote:As I remember it, this was more or less the mascot level of ONP back during the heyday of its release. No matter how you felt about the campaign the WipeOut level was just really cool for Unreal. Too cool to ignore, really.
After so many years I still think it's really amazing that a match up between these two designers actually happened and a level like this was attempted.
Damn straight.
It blew me away on my first playthrough. One of the best looking maps in the whole of
Unreal/UT. Incredible attention to detail, and the fact that the first time you
will have to reload (likely multiple times) means you actually get a chance to appreciate just how generous the level is. Some assets here aren't used anywhere else in the campaign. It's a place - actually it's
multiple places - and it's alive. Yeah, Skaarj and turrets will fire at you, silos will open and close, stalactites will fall, cargo will be moved etc., and I really like smashing through the windows of that walkway in the cave!
Course.umx is fast-paced, it's fine but I will say it is not ideal - the only aspect that is not remarquable IMO, even the sounds in some areas of the level are more memorable.
WipeOut is actually one of the few hard levels in
ONP, and probably the hardest as to this day I'm unable to make it through in one go - I still have to save before the vertical tunnel and try again
(I just played it again now so I know what I'm talking about; however, this time I also discovered that the level automatically provides a checkpoint just after the first vertical bend, and at least one more at the beginning of the final cave - if you crash, just click the left mouse button and the level will send you to the last checkpoint, pretty neat).
This map is up there with my favourite SP maps for
Unreal/UT (which, btw, are all custom maps), and there is only one SP map I prefer to these so far - I'll tell you about it when it comes up in Map Of The Week
UBerserker wrote:Still baffled how NPResurrect was used like for only few minutes in the whole of ONP, probably the best music track in the pack.
I'm baffled too even if I prefer some others from the pack like NPIntruder.umx.
NPresurect.umx (yeah it's spelt that way, typo probably) got one single appearance in
Sharuk Crossing but that passage was badly set up in terms of music, so to tell you the truth I never even realised I had heard it (for probably less than a minute) while playing
ONP, and it was only while mapping and checking out the custom tracks that I actually got to appreciate it.
Fucking genius playthrough video for this MOTW by the way - I never did finish the level upside-down like that!