[aglavic]

Hello!

It's been around ten years since the last time I've made a map...

There is not much strategy, atmosphere or anything like that. Just shoot all aliens that appear, like old times.

Screenshots below...





And you can grab the map from here:
http://www.amcwebfor...com/m/adg06.zip

Requires Eduke32!

Hope you like it!

[Gambini]

That´s the real, unique, Alejandro Glavic!! with a new map. Honor him!

[Fantinaikos]

That is the official continuation of the ADG episode? If yes you have to contact NightFright, he will need it to update the .GRP in the next version of the Addon compilation.

[Paul B]

Well, another inspirational mapper who comes out of the woodwork. Great attention to detail and sprite objects were really well implemented to make things pop, providing a more realistic look. I took my time playing this map but only found 3 out of the 4 secrets? Afterward, i went into Mapster and noticed the duke button was tagged the same as a secret sector not sure if that matters? But I couldn't find the fourth secret... Okay, I found the fourth secret or should I really say the first secret. Haha Doh!

I like how you've used the two way trains in a way I never thought was possible. I have always wanted to achieve that exact same effect. In fact, I have previously attempted to make a map very similar but of course mine wouldn't have turned out as well. The game play and music on this map reminded me of a 90's console arcade action game, this map totally brought back great memories. I thought the map was really well balanced for ammo\enemies and very well textured, shaded & designed. Definitely a map that stands out as awesome and I'm very surprised you could pull this type of quality off in only 3 weeks... impressive!

There was one small detail I caught right at the start where you happen to use the jail sprite doors to lay over top of several small sectors and as a result the flat sprites flicker. This has always been a limitation of the classic renderer and if you design a map with classic in mind you should avoid having flat laying sprites overlap sectors as they will glitch and it looks kinda nasty. Otherwise, nicely done and you should submit your level to Mikko http://msdn.duke4.net/ and http://www.scent-88.com/ if you haven't already done so.

By the way, i didn't like the map, I loved it!

[aglavic]

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That is the official continuation of the ADG episode? If yes you have to contact NightFright, he will need it to update the .GRP in the next version of the Addon compilation.

Nah, it's just an standalone map... I don't really think I'll make a new episode at this time...
I didn't know about the addons compilation anyway, haha

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The game play and music on this map reminded me of a 90's console arcade action game, this map totally brought back great memories.

Great!! That was exactly the idea.

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There was one small detail I caught right at the start where you happened to use the jaill sprite door to lay over top of several small sectors and as a result the flat sprites flicker.

OMG you're right on this one But I didn't actually design the map "with classic in mind". I just reccommend playing it in classic mode because polymost showed me some permanent flickering on masked walls (which this map uses a lot), and polymer gave me a very low framerate with this map plus some issues with distance rendering (which can make some landscape buildings disappear from certain places).

Thanks for your comments, glad you liked the map

[MetHy]

That 2nd screenshot is amazing. Amazing how you transcribed a modern style apartment with Duke textures.

[brullov]

Great map! Thank you!

[Merlijn]

Great map! If there was an award for "best fucking background scenery ever" you'd surely win it.

But seriously, the way the unreachable scenery is executed here is pretty much perfect. With the distant buildings, the attention to detail, the traffic etc.
That's not to take away anything from the rest of the map, Methy already mentioned it but you did nail the look of modern apartments.
As we can expect from you, the design is great and detailled throughout. Well chosen textures and spriteworks make every location stand out.

It's easily on par with your best maps from the past. Gameplay was indeed very arcade-like, with large amounts of monsters spawning in continuously.
There's also plenty of health, so I didn't die once.

Only serious issue I had:

Spoiler

The friggin' 8 button puzzle! Did I miss a hint somewhere? Because trying to solve the puzzle by randomly shooting the buttons isn't fun.
I eventually cheated my way through (sorry). People wanted my head on a stake after including a 6 button puzzle, so I'd be careful with this sort of thing.

[Danukem]

Merlijn, on 13 April 2017 - 12:56 AM, said:

Did I miss a hint somewhere?

The answer to your question is "yes".

Spoiler

Check the wall right above the bathtub/jacuzzi.

I didn't cheat but it took me a while to find it, and I did wonder very seriously at whether Alejandro would be that mean to us.

[Merlijn]

Thanks Dan!

Spoiler

I did look around for clues, also went into the bath, but I still managed to miss it.
At least now I know there's an actual solution that doesn't involve randomly shooting buttons haha.

[Lunick]

I absolutely loved watching the cars (and train in the distance) pass by

[Sanek]

I can't beelive it's really happening. A BRAND NEW MAP FROM ALEJANDRO HIMSELF!
I've already played it. It's not as detailed as say, It Lives or The Thing, but the attention to details, gameplay and overall visual design is amazing. The background scenery is one of the best (if not THE BEST) we've ever saw in Duke. Considering it was made in just 3 weeks makes this map great. By far it's the map of the year.
My only complaint is the map's length. It took me only 9 mins to complete it. But who cares about it when you can just stop and watch cars and trains drive by all day long.

[quakis]

Played on CGS, all secrets found. Yeah that was a fun romp, while not much of a challenge combat was still engaging and paced well. I would however avoid giving an RPG immediately before a Battlelord though since it only trivialises the fight haha. Glad to see you still poking about in the editor, hoping you'll consider more in future. Visuals were definitely my favourite, as most have already mentioned the distant scenery is just on point and moving traffic/trains brings everything to life. Those buildings across the river were something I originally wanted to achieve in my last map but couldn't quite pull it off convincingly at the time. Inspirational from a design standpoint I'd say, good results for modern interior decoration and how most of this is achieved via simpler means without going absolutely crazy with wall and sprite counts. Cheers for the release!

[CryptKiller]

Great level, great balance and great architecture!

[Sanek]

[aglavic]

Hey, nice to see this gameplay! Thank you!

And thank you all for the comments!

[Polunka]

Holy cow! It's like a blast from the past! Downloading.

[Polunka]

Hell yea! I've played the map. One couldn't probably imagine how much detail went into this masterpiece. Like c'mon: the city in the background, the road with cars driving about which makes the map more lively (and two bridges with arches that the cars go into and outta which makes the whole road system look more convincing), the broken-open doors which actually leave some door pieces after themselves thus making it look realistic, so much spritework like chairs, screens, pictures etc. And yea, the music track is really catchy! I gotta admit, I've not played such a thoroughly constructed level in a while (I think it may be my own problem since recently I've been playing almost solely old maps, mostly downloaded from CGS, that I for one or another reason failed to try out in the past ).

The gameplay was fine as well, I liked the respawns placed neatly (IMO). The only thing that can (arguably) be a subject of nitpicking are fairly easy secrets (at least in my case), found all of them.

Btw, it seems surprising to me that you still haven't lost your skills by the slightest bit. How long did you get re-used to mapping for after such a hiatus? (just interesting)

I hope we'll ever see another level from you!

P.S.: Just read Lunick's comment. There was a train as well? Woah! Guess I didn't see it because of the classic renderer.

[DavoX]

Haha loved it Ale!

So far I recognized puerto madero, the obelisco and 9 de julio, the claro building, and there are probably other locations from argentina there

Great map! Played with keyboards only because Im using the notebook right now.

[aglavic]

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How long did you get re-used to mapping for after such a hiatus? (just interesting)

Haha when I started this map I was looking to the mapster controls guide every five minutes Gambini also helped me to refresh my memory about them at first
But I'd say that everything started to work as always after three or four days of doing it, I didn't really have any problems with getting things built

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There was a train as well? Woah! Guess I didn't see it because of the classic renderer.

Yes there is a train appearing some times on the other side of the river (just a small detail for those who get to look at it )
I was also going to add some boat sailing at the river but the scene looked too overloaded so I decided not to add it
It's not really about making a lot of moving things, I just wanted to give this city a more "alive" feeling

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So far I recognized puerto madero, the obelisco and 9 de julio, the claro building, and there are probably other locations from argentina there

Haha yeeeah, now that I think, I believe this is the first map I do inspired in real places...

[Micky C]

I've played the map. I see why people say it's got an arcade feel. The map looks very clean and polished. IMO it could have used some more shadows, but I guess you were going for a more subtle look in that department, which as a plus was nice and consistent. Gameplay progression was nice and gradual, as was weapon balancing. Needless to say the moving traffic was spectacular. I particularly liked the look of the grey bedroom you pulled off, it looked very fresh.

One drawback was that there was a switch needed in the 'secret area' needed to progress. I didn't see the switch when I first went in, and after I left I got stuck and needed to see the video, as it never occurred to me that I'd have to go to a secret area in order to actually progress. So if I was a beta tester I would have told you to remove the 32767 tag from that room.

[Lunick]

I agree, the switch in the secret room was not something I was looking for. I'm also not a fan that a lot of the enemies in the map spawned in rather than being placed.

[aglavic]

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One drawback was that there was a switch needed in the 'secret area' needed to progress. I didn't see the switch when I first went in, and after I left I got stuck and needed to see the video, as it never occurred to me that I'd have to go to a secret area in order to actually progress. So if I was a beta tester I would have told you to remove the 32767 tag from that room.

Yes I don't know if there are any maps with "required" secrets (at least I don't remember) but, altough it's easy to find, I think that room has the prerequisites for being referenced as a secret area and so that's why I tagged it as one

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I'm also not a fan that a lot of the enemies in the map spawned in rather than being placed.

In this case I had to put so many spawning enemies mostly because of two reasons:
1) To have some new challenge in the cases you have to return to a place obviously, and
2) Because there are many open areas from where you could see a place you're be going to visit next through just a masked wall (for example the terrace at the beginning, or the place outside the apartment, etc.), in these cases if the enemies see you in advance then they'll start trying to make their way to your place, eventually giving you a lot of challenge before where you're supposed to have it, and leaving the desired area empty for the moment you finally come there

[Lunick]

aglavic, on 14 April 2017 - 07:56 PM, said:

Yes I don't know if there are any maps with "required" secrets (at least I don't remember)

Fahrenheit and Red Light District

[aglavic]

OMG well one can forget after 20 years hahaha I'm the worst

[TerminX]

Death Row?

[Kawa]

Well, this was enjoyable.

[MetHy]

Just played the map on CGS, found all secrets, took me 15mins.

Great map. Great visual design all the way through. Clean, modern visuals.
Gameplay flows well, too. When you think about it the available player space in each area isn't that big, but it never feels cramped.

The theme begin reminiscent, I couldn't help but think you would have made a great Duke Hard map!

On the downside I thought gameplay was a bit too "shotgun/chaingun" oriented.
If I had to nitpick I'd say some of the invisible walls don't always make sense to me but I understand it's this way to have a clear (great) view on the rest of the map, also a couple of decorative doors can't be told apart, and secrets were on the easy side.

Nitpicking aside it's great, and it's good to see a new map from a returning veteran. Hope you make more.

Edit : Also I thought the map could have used more interactivity though the map didn't feel stoic mostly thanks to the moving vehicules in the background.
Speaking of those, you really made them lively. I tried to do something similar with cars in "Lobby" for Duke Hard, but they felt more mechanical in comparison.

[The Mechanic]

Well, what can I say that hasn't been said already ?



Great map and the attention to detail outside was awesome ... right down to the train in the distance stopping at station.

Totally enjoyed the map - though if I might, perhaps a little too easy, completed without the chaingun (about to go back and find it!).

I did encounter the previously mentioned issue with flickering floor sprite (basic renderer). Easy fix, just replicate the sprite, put a copy in each sector then set their x,y offsets to overlay them; when one dissapears the other will be there. Or, just go "serves 'im right for being too cheap to buy a decent PC to run a different renderer"

TTFN,
Jon

[aglavic]

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On the downside I thought gameplay was a bit too "shotgun/chaingun" oriented.

I know! It's just that suddenly I started missing these times when gameplays were just shoot at everything that moves I mean, it's cool to have all these mission orientated gameplays in modern games, I like them, but it's not what I've enjoyed for so many years in the past.
Btw I should try the Duke Hard mod, I really missed a lot of stuff while I was out of Duke...

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Or, just go "serves 'im right for being too cheap to buy a decent PC to run a different renderer"

Hahaha, no, that overlapping sprite is just my fault. I just forgot about some of these rendering issues...

I already have an idea for a new map, it's something extremly hard to build haha but I think it's possible. However I've just got a lot of work and also I'm going on vacation in June so I can't really talk about dates or anything now but well, might be some day (?) we'll see