This map, along with its companion Abhorrent
Bone, is Kona's first Q3A map according to the
read-me file attached to the download. I'll
be the first to admit that this map is not without
its problems, but damn it there is such a unique
'voice' to it that I can't help but like it.
The more I play it the more this feeling grows.
It's fun, and in my book that's worth more than
innovation and technique.
The map is like some sort of futuristic holding
pen in a zoo on a distant planet. A central
arena dominated by giant stone 'bullets' similar
to Moorish minarets is surrounded by mossy stone
and walls. A couple of outlying 'corridors'
circle the perimeter and there is one second-level
platform with stairs leading up to it. But,
fully 90% of the action happens in and around
the map's center.
Weapons and ammo are plentiful, with the 3
primary guns being the shotgun, the plasma gun
and the rocket launcher. The rocket launcher
spawns in the map center encouraging everyone
to fight over it since it's probably the most
useful weapon on a level of this size (small)
and constrictiveness (you're almost guarenteed
to frag someone just by randomly firing the
rocket off in different directions.) Connectivity
is decent but not great with some strange game
flow occuring around the stairs. This isn't
anything major but it can certainly be offputting.
Generally, just stick to the first level and
you can't go wrong. Bot utilize both levels
but focus mostly on the central floor near the
rocket launcher.
Textures are used very well in conjunction
with the strange style of architecture Kona
brings to the table. As I mentioned above, you
feel like you're in some big predator's holding
pen in a futuristic zoo. I kept expecting to
see tigers lounging on the rocks. The lighting
is probably the weak link in the map's theme,
as is the smog-colored sky, but it isn't so
bad that it detracts. Frame rates are high with
virtually no lag or stutter, even with 7 bots
and full gore on.
The map is fun to play despite the inappropriate
lighting and slightly un-intuitive connectivity.
Playing against 3 bots was fun and fast-paced.
It became even wilder with 7 bots as you'd expect
on such a small map. The longer you play the
map the harder it becomes to dislike it entirely.
It grows on you. (In all fairness, this was
the first of the two maps built, and the second
one, Abhorrent Bone, plays much better.)
I'm torn between giving the map a 2 and a 3
- I would prefer 2.5 but that's not an option.
So, I'm going with 2 - the map is good, don't
get me wrong, but its good in the amateurish
way that Star Trek fan fiction can be good.
Don't let the 'low score' dissuade you, however,
from downloading this map because it's certainly
worth it.
