https://anonfiles.com/file/9a984559edc30a3c62a4aff109ce8cbc

Demo... 

so I started a second demo from where I got stuck on the first demo above. I didn't get all the secrets or kill all the mobs but I'm pretty sure I did practically everything on the map that there was to do.

https://anonfiles.com/file/98ff730ecdacd5a30784f1e1678bbcd6 

Unfortunately your download links never work for me, the download buttons do nothing. 

Ok got the files, the download link does nothing for a very long time and then works. I watched your first demo and what engine are you using? Are you using Quoth!?! :) 

I should probably stop using anonfiles.

As for the engine I realised I'm using Fitz 0.88 when I went back in for the second demo, maybe it's that? Although it may not be since I got it to work the second time. Must be gremlins in the system :S

I really enjoyed the map btw, hard mode isn't mucking around! (just the way it should be!)
I'm envious that you can bosh a map together so quickly and with such amazing quality. I kinda wish we could get them all in one folder/pak since I hate my directories getting all cluttered (OCD). ;) 

Is that a typo? 

Wow your second demo is crazy, I honestly thought you were a gonna several times. Totally respect for trying hard skill first and making it to the final room. The key to the map is certainly using the crushers.

Fitz 0.88 is the Mark V engine, unfortunately this engine has problems with this map. I am not sure when Baker will get time to have a look. This is why I don't recommend it (readme file, top post) 

I recorded a first-play demo using Fitz 0.85. Playback locks up when the map reloads after difficulty selection. I don't remember if cross-map demo playback is supposed to work in 0.85 or not?

Playing back the demo using Mark V works across the map reload though, and at least for the next few minutes... I haven't watched the whole thing to see if anything breaks later. FWIW, here it is: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11690738/temp/jlaw_back_hard.zip

For me, in the fights with the crushers in the room I was always kind of running around with my hair on fire; couldn't use the crushers effectively. I think I tried once or twice but just managed to get myself into more trouble. 

This map is fuckin awesome :D

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/103186490/scamp_bs_normal.zip

my playthrough on normal. 30 minutes, 6/10 secrets, 223/224 monster kills (on retrospect, I wished I had gone and searched instead of immediately exiting)

Really enjoyed the combat and the secrets of this map. I'll have to play again and find the rest!

(I played with Quakespasm because I am a bad man and don't listen to sock) 

Aight I watched my whole demo using Mark V, it seems to work!

That was fun times. I actually had just got out of some QuakeWorld DM right before playing that, so I was a bit tired/twitchy, but I liked the combat a bunch. Monster choice and placement, ambushes, and also some opportunities for the player to do ambushes... good stuff. Although more than once some guys seemed to spawn in right on top of me. Honestly though, at this point I kind of expect/hope for a map to be a little unfair if I play it on hard difficulty; I just want the exploration and fights to be engaging.

The mix of stone and brick worked for me, especially with the warm lighting. It never felt same-y. For my tastes, high-tech base themes aren't as Quake-ish, and so I enjoyed seeing a good mix of the low-tech textures. Plus the special models you've added fit in quite well. I think I was a little slow to pick up on the visual cues for "this is a lift" and "jump up here", but I picked up on it after a bit.

(And I got slightly lost after the silver vault.)

I'm not 100% sure what to think about the "gotcha" traps that spawn a ton of monsters when you pick something up. I guess that is very much in the tradition of id games :-) and they were certainly well marked. A few times, the pickup was something I didn't really seem to need (already had the weapon or whatever) and I knew that I would probably come out of the fight with fewer resources than I started. But I did it anyway cause I likes to fight! Some of those combats were pretty extensive and interesting... if the player avoids the trigger pickup does that fight just never happen at all? 

Another masterpiece.

Fifth: You can upload your demos to Quaketastic (pw: ilovetheshubhub). Or in this case sock's own hosting site would be appropriate, too. 

Demo : 23 odd minutes, 3/10 secrets, not all enemies killed. Hard skill https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33279452/daz_backstein.rar

Great map! The arenas were very cool. I loved how rockets and cells were very much rationed and I was always juggling whether to use those or stick with the nailguns/shotty. It got very interesting at times :)

Great secrets (of the ones I did find!). I blame morning sun glare on my monitor for not finding more :)

I'll definitely be doing a vid for this, this time with non fubar'd gamma. 

Compiled Quakespasm from SVN just now. Saved after the load so I could record a demo. Trying to load that demo makes the engine quit with "QUAKE ERROR: Z_Realloc: failed on allocation of 53248 bytes" 

Fixed by adding "-zone 512" to the commandline. Oh, all that non-standardised engine hubbub is so annoying. 

That was a lot of fun. First run on hard: http://www.quaketastic.com/upload/files/demos/sleepback2.dem.7z

No complaints from me. The map looks great, has plenty of atmosphere, some great monster placement, nice secrets, and it's not unfair. 

Custom Quake Engines
* Fitz 0.85 works perfectly, fully tested by me
* Quakespasm works fine as far as I know
* Mark V (0.88+) does not, it has spawn issues and monsters become impossible to kill, but it does play back demo's perfectly.

So far I have got 6 demo's and they were an awesome treat to watch, thank you everyone. I am totally surprised how many people tried hard skill first time. Personally I would have died a lot, I find normal skill is just about right me.

I am glad so many people explored the skill selection area, it was certainly a lot of fun to create. I think the vertical space sets the mood perfectly for things to come.

I did try to keep all the visual clues consistent, lifts look the same, button types work as expected and runes on the floor to symbolize function, trap/respawn.

One area which constantly changed was the very beginning with the GA/SSG. I am disappointed how difficult it is to find the button considering the reward, should have been more obvious.

I like how some people used the crushers, some just killed things and some even used the spikes traps. I tried to give as many choices as possible and I am glad they all got used.

Also the map can be put into the ID/maps folder, it does not require its own directory. I setup the map this way because I like to play with custom models and texture settings.

If anyone is interested in more map waffle from me, there is a ton of extra information in the readme file. Thanks everyone. :) 

if the player avoids the trigger pickup does that fight just never happen at all?

Yes, some trigger pickups can be ignored/skipped, even the whole of the silver key side can be skipped. There are loads of shortcuts and different ways to approach areas. I tried to cater to as many player types as possible and give loads of choices. 

http://www.quaketastic.com/upload/files/demos/backstein-spirit-normal-firstrun.7z

I loved the skill selection area (I love exploration like that) but the actual map somehow did not "click". I kept feeling rushed by combat, often I wanted to explore an area more. I also got lost quite a bit, the map seemed very samey to me! Maybe some obviously different (colored?) structures would have helped me. Awesome brushwork.

I felt like it was a bit a case of pearls before swines to have such nice surroundings for hordish monster slaughter. Maybe I am just tired of Quake though ;)

Sometimes I was not sure what were secrets and what not (the Vaults?). Loved the Shambler placements! 

There were a couple of instances where I was running around in circles and the progression didn't seem immediately obvious. However I loved that the different areas were different hues, it really made it feel like "yes, this is a different area now". 

I was going to peak at the .map file but it doesn't open in Trench. Says something about an integer parenthesis or some junk.

I just re-watched my demo, I didn't realise how close and often I was to dying. But then again I had about 5 or 6 beers by the time I had booted up the game :D

Also I don't think I fully appreciated how good the brushwork and texturing was. I love the soft lighting that you achieved too. 

Is it in the pak files? It says "The source map file is in the zip file for viewing pleasure." in the readme, but there's nothing to be found there. 

Yeah the source files are inside of the first pak file under a source sub directory. I assumed anyone who be interested would check out the contents of the pak files.

The map file is saved with a Q3 GTK editor and contains a lot of extra information. Probably why Trenchbroom does not like it. I also included all the map texture plus some extra stuff in a wad file for anyone who wants to create their own brick themed map. 

Thanks! If the sources are Q3, then TB will not like them, yes. Well, not right now, anyway. 

And it didn't go too well. Was also recording a demo which I don't often do and therefore become far too conscious of eventually having my gameplay watched and make too many mistakes or be overly cautious. Used the axe a lot to conserve ammo, which didn't go too bad, but hordes constantly caught me off guard and chipped away too much health. Got as far as the first Shambler. Not sure its worth posting that demo... :p

Doesn't matter though since I accidentally used Mark5 instead of Fitz. Will give it another attempt later. Might have to force myself to play on Normal though just to enjoy it, then check out Hard another time. We'll see. 

Very satisfying map in all aspects: fat meaty gameplay, cool secrets and exploration bonuses and of course trademark atmosphere of sock.

sock u rok as ever!

here're two demos. first one i have failed aggroing big horde of mobs, second one went more smoothly till the end.
http://vondur.net/files/backstein.7z