Halloween Jam 2018 On The Quake Grave
Beware Quaker, you're in for a scare!
Hi all! I was able to get to the jam here this week, and figured I would share some thoughts on the maps. These are surface level, but feel free to watch the episode for more info or ask me if you have any questions.
https://youtu.be/4RrjcdoEaXU
Going in order of how I played them:
start map - I absolutely love how this set the mood for the rest of the maps. The graveyard, the zombies, the pumpkins and the piano. This is one of my favorite parts of the whole pack! Not to mention being able to jump into the pictures ala Mario 64... I love it.
Ing-ing - Not sure if this was your first Quake map or not as I don't think I've played through any of your maps before? Regardless, good map! This definitively feels like a crazy haunted house with many different secret passages to explore. My main gripe is how tight some of the areas are for fighting monsters. You legit scared the crap out of me in this map in the first couple minutes of the playthrough though which is worth mentioning! =P
Pinchy - I love the harvest style atmosphere of this map! The thresher was really cool to see along with the pumpkin patch. One of the interesting things about this map is the pacing. It's sort of jaunty in the way it's put together because it's an open layout. It's not bad but it doesn't feel...natural? Hard to describe. Fun combat encounters though and fun map overall though!
nyoeieoyn - This is hands down the toughest map in the pack! There were several times where I couldn't believe I survived and a few times where I died and was not surprised. The map has a really cool vibe to it with the blue bricks and floors but mixed with the orangey candles. Honestly, considering the gameplay and pacing, this is a map that would've fit right in with the original AD pack! Had it been trimmed out to hell and back, it would fit right in, no question.
JCR - The atmosphere is this map should be experienced! It starts in on a cold, damp walkway to a church (with Quake Pumpkins in front of it, no less) and it feels like some dark stuff is definitely taking place. You start with no weapons and you will have to work to get that first one, but it feels good when you finally do. I love how the map flows, great pacing and combat! The crypt area is one hell of a fight, so be prepared for that one!
Qmaster - Again, the atmosphere here is really awesome! It feels like a cold, lonely night in the fields -- definitely a great Halloween map! Overall I love the idea of this map. The fact that you're trying to collect items to do certain things, however this also became the downfall for me. I could not locate the damn Hammer! If you watch the episode, I run around for a while looking for it. I also triggered the Wereox event and was not equipped at all for that fight. While fun at first, it wasn't apparent what I had to do to take out all of these zombies. Then I found that the front gate was actually a teleporter to the grande launcher... it just feels a little random. I'm torn on this map because I LOVE certain aspects of it (atmosphere, the wereox, finding items) but the sequence of events feels... out of sequence?
xLarve - Nice job Xlarve! I know that I played through one of your previous maps before and was not a fan, but I can say that with this one, though it's not very Halloween in look and feel, it's very well put together! The map has a fun secret passage type of feel to it and has really fun enemy encounters too! Some areas are a little tight for fighting and the texture usage is a little crude at times, but over all it's a nice fun map! You've improved a lot with this one!
Nice job by everyone, there wasn't one bad map in the pack! I love being able to say that!