Bombadilian wrote:I seem to remember playing this but thanks lo my tendency to play Unreal whilst inebriated it escapes me.
Really must give it a try though as since I read Scrag's walkthrough (something I didn't need to do, of course) it's always seemed to me that Unreal has had much the same mesmerising effect on him as it has to me, and I'd like to see what someone like that comes up with in Unreal Ed.
You will enjoy it, I guarantee it!
My past comments still apply of course:-
Vacillations of a Victorian Vagrant is an awesome single player map that stands out as being both very well made and unique. It's true that the level of polish makes this release look like a professional product. And in a way you feel like you're in a new game, too!
It did kind of remind me of
Illhaven when I first started to play the level, but after a while it didn't remind me of that classic mappack anymore. The Victorian theme here takes over completely.
The atmosphere is, to me, the best aspect of this map. It is a great achievement that the author was able to have a pretty humorous storytelling while maintaining a seriously spooky mood.
"That's a queer device... looks like some kind o' musket..."
I felt excited as I moved on and the tension builds up even after hell breaks loose during that defining moment at the docks! The moment the atmosphere of this map reaches its logical conclusion for me is inside the sewers: man I freaked out in there! And I even got a fright during my second playthrough just yesterday! Damn pupae and... bloblets! The latter surprised me by attacking me even as I was retreating on the ladder!
But I was expecting the Slith the second time round
And then there's that final involving the Infernal Machine... very good, very stressful gameplay! I always sort of go into panick mode despite myself, if my second playthrough is any indication. Ha! You run away from the Skaarj by crossing that precarious bridge of planks high above the ground only to find yourself ambushed by pupae! All in all, this is quite a hard map and even on my second playthrough I died once during the final fight (damn SkaarjAngelCommander!).
About that Infernal Machine: great design, and it is such a pleasure to be able to see it in full motion without suffering any framerate drops (thanks to my new rig)!
On my first playthrough, this map also appeared to be a rather long one as it took me over an hour to complete it; evidently (and apart from the fact that I died a few times the first time round), as I have already stated, I enjoy taking my time in order to immerse myself in the game. My second playthrough took about three quarters of an hour as I mostly already knew the level but I still applied the same "roleplaying" approach.
And yes I found all the DP upgrades
"Premium Gut Rot" ale is an excellent touch!
Hellscrag's classic docks touch...
The foghorn moment...
The dark, foreboding feel of the Victorian setting...
Hellscrag's best map as of now. The one that made me consider that he had joined the "leet" designers, if you'll pardon the expression!