[ck3D]

This should be good enough to go, technically fixed every bug/issue etc. but at some point rather late messed up in backup continuity (typical of me at the worst times) and so had to fix a lot of stuff twice, had kept a list but hope I got everything. If the keys fall to the ground before you defeat the enemies/solve the puzzles well please let me know but I suspect for now you would appreciate it, still would explore/play along if you feel like it, and I would correct that soon enough. Realistically though tested everything around the map before the last pass where I lost track and fully traversable, no bugs etc. minus the one I am mentioning in the .txt that is just a visual bug in classic, I think a mix of (almost troll level) fine moving sector geo x layers of TROR just fast enough to hesitate a little from some rare angles. Doesn't appear in the editor and couldn't catch with DNDEBUG but will persist later (e.g.. by trying altering minor heights), does not matter one bit in practice.

Runs smoothly for me in classic/software (old hardware), perhaps slow burns FPS in Polymost, Polymer I can already imagine explodes into confetti.

I will fix any issues that might get reported/after I test the level a couple more times before I upload the map and DNV 0.93 on ModDB but please do not expect the fifth map anytime soon, this week of releases just fried my brain and I already am expecting the next level will be the most annoying (but not difficult, just super tedious) to finalize. Would rather tackle with fresh mind. Right now I need at least one average-length nap and a bean burrito or perhaps four. But I know it is safe to chomp through, if anything perhaps there is cheese.

Love this map off pistol start and so do not feel anxious for playing off pistol start or out of continuity. Also SP DM etc... Pretty fun challenge off CGS for experienced Dukers.

Have a great end of the week!

P.S.. BTW depending on whether I've marked it already or not (honestly can't remember) it's possible one secret may not be reachable in this version/outside of continuity. Shouldn't matter gameplay-wise since IIRC didn't stuff it with items, etc. yet but still worth mentioning.

Testing/traversing everything around the level etc... takes up about 45 mins (if slow/meticulous).

[ck3D]

Link to slightly updated version (literally just slowed down a piston that used to be impossible without roids, and adjusted 4 GPSPEEDs to prevent little visual errors; nothing substantial): https://www.moddb.co...taearly-release

Link to new 4-level demo to play in continuity: https://www.moddb.co...evels-earlybeta

Also to correct what I was saying about the possible inaccessible (unmarked?) secret; was wrong, area indeed is unmarked but not designed to be accessible at all in this version anyway. That's actually problematic for a couple of the Co-Op starts; just for that though. Will address when I can.

[Dr.Panico]

Oof.

I think this is the moment where the episode starts to really show its sadistic streak becasue, boy, this level HURT.
The beginning was rough (it'll probably be less rough when I play the episode) as I was in a very cramped underwater section, having to deal with Octobrains with minimal resources and I struggled to find the Scuba Gear (I did find eventually).
The rest of the map was not much easier. Tripbomb traps, Drones of both types coming out of the corners, mist obscuring your vision, very slow alien doors, enemies shooting you from all directions; all in what is decidedly a very compact and claustrophobic map. The part after the red key with those slow moving alien pistons was downright suffocating.

Don't get me wrong; it is a pretty intricate map and all. But by no means this was a easy pill to swallow. And I'm very scared of what's coming up ahead (Zarathustra 2.0?)

There is one real legitimate, technical problem: the elevator that leads to the red key door area is too tight. You can get up, but you can't get down, because the hole is too small. I'm using the latest version of Eduke BTW, so I don't know what's going on.

[ck3D]

Elevator bug sounds like a real concern because that would be a softlock if the player hasn't triggered all of the switches, goes up and gets stuck, I never had a problem with that elevator going up/down in any way but perhaps is a trick to it that I always hit (entering at an angle, pushing into it?), either way the map shouldn't have that part be finicky in any way for real, I wasn't too sure about that elevator anyway so really might alter the way it functions later. That is super important you told me, could be crucial - perhaps I'm at fault, it is true I am using a (slightly) older EDuke when I should update at least specifically for testing this; seems evident now but somehow had forgotten to. Either way just dragging the wall points further away should suffice to address, will regain energy then look into ASAP.

One one-way 'trip' that is intended is how you can't really go back into the space out of some of the first 6 pipes (unless somehow shrunk) to make sure the player will loop around the dry space and stock up 'the fast way' but I am not so sure about that either I might end up leaving both ways open.

It is a hard map but interesting to hear it was this difficult. It is definitely meant to be anxiety-inducing (culminates at rather hyper levels) then occasionally constrasting with big open crazy space. Freezer, pipebombs, Portable Medkits, Atomics etc. actually all super close to start (in addition to Scuba) but doesn't feel like it when Duke is too preoccupied about oxygen (but the design has multiple air holes). Took me 45 mins the first time I tested it (died quite a bit), then 33 mins then below 30 as I was getting more used to it and running out of errors to check/fix, wasn't dying anymore at that point and usually over 100 HP until the last battle where I would often lose but most often to my own fault/impromptu rocket. Ammo indeed is rather tight (on CGS) and the different types distributed in a manner that is spread out. Probably way less so on lower skill settings that in the case of this map eliminate most of the Sentry Drones, turrets and Newbeasts (plus the usual share of more common enemies). Never mind in continuity too like you said. With jetpack leftovers from previous level can just skip the whole big room puzzle directly to red key and bypass all of the spawns.

(In general throughout the episode inventory will help tremendously, what BR did to expose the timeless(ly misunderstood) efficiency of Steroids, Holoduke, Expander, Freezer etc. to more players, perhaps this can do with e.g.. the NVG's).

Not a bad one to mark a little pause after, honestly. It's a strong but solid note for now waiting for the rest. Break after chapter 3 instead would have misled. More fitting to have a bit of a wall, but nowhere near as high as BR level 4 wall, here.

[unedukecated]

I haven't really played this map (and I'm not sure if I want to), but yeah: Polymer seems to be not working smooth enough as soon as you dive into the first tube. How??? I mean, why? What's funny though is that one can view much higher in Polymer than polymost, see screenshots below. I also like the fogpal lighting there, looks great in Polymer, and is just red/gray flickering in polymost.

Polymer:

Polymost:

[ck3D]

I have updated the map again (same pages new files), just had to check out the elevator thing for myself and it was true it could be problematic, no idea why I had never run into it. Thanks again Dr. Panico for pointing that out.

Changes: that, also changed how that elevator activates (a little); couple of forgotten lights fixed; marked/made useful the previously blocked secret (but it will only be accessible in continuity or DM so not sure I should mark it unless I switch up approaches to it), peppered some extra items around the start to make it a tiny bit easier. Oh ended up opening up the holes around the pipes too so now should be able to go back inside the caches for cover which should have made sense to begin with.

[ck3D]

Mikko's take on the experience (so far): https://msdn.duke4.n...vdukenukumv.php