Perception is the debut Q1SP
from XeNoN (who has released a Q1DM and some
speedmaps, in addition to working on the SoE
project). The map has many strengths, and no
noticable flaws; right now I'll say it's a very
good map.
Perception is set in a Egyptian
temple, with a few new textures but mostly using
the beige Rogue set. Surprisingly despite all
the temple maps there have been, this one stands
out as looking really, really good, for a reason
that I can't quite discern. The texture set
isn't new or original, however, I think it's
the architecture and lighting that make this
map look so good. The architecture is nice and
solid, not overly complex but does have qutie
a bit of attention to detail. The map doesn't
bother with hugely impressive structures or
curves, and is just as well. The lighting in
the meantime is very well done, with skylight
and torches casting nice midday shadows (though
the shadows aren't pitch black - another good
point) and keeping the temple feeling not airy,
really, but natural. I suppose I could say that
it has a good sense of place.
Gameplay is even better than
the looks, with fair, and most importantly fun,
fights. Several fights were really quite good,
and infighting with fiends was easy to encourage
and proved a useful tactic. Supplies were always
fair and the map did get a bit harder as play
progressed. The layout wasn't too complex but
the gameplay used key-seeking well in the layout
- having the player loop back to previous areas
with new enemies (keeping things from being
monotonous). The one strange thing in the layout
was the underwater tunnel from behind the gold
key door - easy to lose your bearings, which
was strange in such a large tunnel. I attribute
this to the lighting down there.
All in all, definately a great
first map and a very enjoyable map in its own
right. Perception is not trying to do anything
revolutionary, just be a good Q1SP, and it certainly
succeeds at that.
