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[RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

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User avatar AlCapowned
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 16:13

I just started the fourth playable map. I'm really enjoying this pack so far. :D :tup:

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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 17:19

Yay! This should be some fun :D
I'll post my verdict later, once I'm done...
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Doublez-Down
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 17:21

I should say U1 with 227+ is recommended, but it will still work with UT. You'll just have to deal with the weapon showing during the intro/outro and a couple of other nuances.
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UB_
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 17:28

Works perfectly fine in UT.
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User avatar Semfry
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 18:15

I've been really impressed so far (start of the third level); nice visuals and settings, plenty of room for exploration, nice use of RTNP content, gameplay other than just shooting things and an interesting premise that hopefully goes somewhere. Also, this mod has actually made me fear Pack Hunters, which is notable as I've always wrote them off as jokes.

On 227 I seem to have had a bug where the Marine Scubagear has disappeared from my inventory after the first map, and, after a Pack Hunter attack in map 2 the action songsection didn't stop. Hopefully the former doesn't become a problem later.
Formerly Mman

UB_
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 18:53

Those bugs also happen in UT.

A single predator is worth 3 Skaarj (strangely the Skaarj there are really frail and don't even bother chasing you) and the only way to beat those bastards is to go in a water pool and play "stupid" with them. Yet I don't think I have ever used any weapon outside of the DP and I'm late in the 5th map.
It's deja-vu visually because most parts of the maps are based on Unreal/RTNP retail content, while the secrets are very easy to find.
Mappack is pretty damn great though.
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Doublez-Down
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 18:54

That music should stop when you proceed to the next part of the map. I couldn't get it to stop after killing all the pack hunters for some reason, so I made it stop after pushing a button to proceed further. It's a little annoying but the best tradeoff I could think of at the time. Not sure what's up with the scuba gear not still being there, never seen that one before.
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 20:08

Hmm, I seriously need to free up some time, the downloading part is done, and I've moved this to the top of my queue of newly discovered maps to play.

User avatar Semfry
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 20:15

Finished it and the feelings remain the same as it's pretty consistent throughout. Map three in particular is pretty epic in size. The credits for levels seem to suggest a bunch of Unreal content was used, but it seems like they're changed up well as I only really noticed Arcane Temple, and would have just seen it as a homage without the map credits. There's some nice visual surprises towards the end and the boss enemy had a nice surprise addition (although it still felt like it could have been a bit more challenging).

Since it seems like most major modern maps have sci-fi concepts, despite the overall story here it's nice to have a decently-sized modern set that's based around Nali structures and mysticism.
Formerly Mman

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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 20:21

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for having a go at it. We decided to include credits for any architectural content used, no matter how small. Felt it was just the proper thing to do.

Edit - guess I mean we felt it was better to err on the side of giving credit for content instead of others saying we should have.
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UB_
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 23:38

Did actually finish it after I wrote my last post. Didn't encounter any other bug except something related to S3TC custom packs - the standard terrain texture in the first map wasn't in S3TC (tested with Nyleve to be sure and it worked normally) but since I'm talking about DieHard's S3TC utx it's not something big.

I liked the last boss and the fact that you don't need to fight StoneTitans because, damn, Titans have become so STALE now. I'll be writing a review in these days.
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User avatar AlCapowned
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 23:51

Using spoilers just in case:

I liked the emphasis on exploration, and the predators made for good enemies. I didn't have any major problems with the gameplay on Unreal difficulty aside from [spoiler]the stone titan in the fifth map (it seemed like an unnecessary ammo waster after the one at the end of the third map). Also, at the start of that particular section of the map, is there a way to get the nali fruit seeds without losing more health than the seeds would give? I didn't see any slanted terrain to use as a slide.[/spoiler] Even though the secret areas were generally easy to find, they ensured that I always had a way out of a future situation. [spoiler]I had been careless in the fifth map and wasn't up to fighting the skaarj that ambushes you in the oasis/desert section, so I used the invisibility to sneak past it (one of the few times I've ever used that item).[/spoiler]
The scripted sequences gave the pack a certain charm that I wasn't expecting, even though some of them were pretty basic. My favorites were:
[spoiler]Shooting the nali priest into the lava in map one
The whole sequence that started with igniting the two torches in map two
Lighting the signal flame in map three
The activation of the Fifth Vortex in map four :shock: (showing the portal in the skybox of map five was a nice touch, too)
Releasing the warlord in map five[/spoiler]

As far as the story goes, [spoiler]I felt that it was fairly distributed throughout the pack. I liked learning about a new nali god, and the skaarjs' perspective on things and the ship subplot starting in map three were entertaining. Even though the sky island section of map five didn't have any direct messages, I think showing the Fifth Vortex down below was a good way to make up for that.[/spoiler]

The build was generally in keeping with Unreal's style and you were both very consistent with each other. I don't think I would be able to tell which of you made the larger portions of each map if you didn't include the credits. There are some BSP holes here and there, but I didn't see anything major.

Overall, this is definitely a keeper. Well done, you two. \o/

Edit: [spoiler]Ignore my statement about the titan, I didn't think it could be skipped.[/spoiler]
Last edited by AlCapowned on 20 Nov 2013, 00:31, edited 1 time in total.

UB_
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 19 Nov 2013, 23:59

[spoiler]Both Titans can be skipped.
First one you need to be rather lucky if you want to wait directly at the door. Titan did just do earthquakes and didn't bother throwing rocks.
Second Titan was fun. I just crawled all the way to the lake on the right side and he didn't even see me. However ONCE you unlock the door, no matter what you do he'll attack you once you return from the lake cave.[/spoiler]
Last edited by UB_ on 20 Nov 2013, 00:17, edited 1 time in total.
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Doublez-Down
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Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 20 Nov 2013, 00:15

Might be a good idea to use spoilers for this. :)
Last edited by Doublez-Down on 20 Nov 2013, 00:19, edited 1 time in total.
I swear to god this forum isn't going to evaporate into ether within the next hour or so. - Bug Horse

UB_
Nali Priest Nali Priest
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Joined: 11 Nov 2007, 21:00

Subject: Re: [RELEASED] [UT] [U1] The Fifth Vortex - Ehactora's Story

Post Posted: 20 Nov 2013, 00:17

Ok but now your post have the spoiler!
Last edited by UB_ on 20 Nov 2013, 00:24, edited 1 time in total.
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