Matt H
Dark Trooper Phase 1
Joined: 24 Sep 2003
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 Posted: Apr 17, 2004 16:20 Post subject: Asteroid (* * * * *) |
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Asteroid by Eric Pauker (* * * * *)
Crow's Nest gave it 96%
Ord Mantell gave it A-
Katarns review: 96%
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Barry Brien wrote:
Great great level.
[Message edited by Barry Brien on April 02, 2002]
DarthDoctor wrote:
When some mentions the name name Eric Pauker, one word comes to mind: Asteroid.
When one mentions Asteroid, one word comes to mind: beautiful.
You feel as though you are crawling through an Asteroid. You go from rock to hallways, to roughly carved tunnels again. The inside rock chambers, with welders melting away the stones to forge out the Imperial base, feel like the hollowed remains of an Asteriod commendeered for use as an Imperial weapon.
The planet is breathtaking, as well as the famous "window hallway" shot, where a corridor, darkened yet for the light streaming in from the windows, looking upon the planet. And I had to take 5 minutes out of blastin down Imperials to just stare out from the command node sitting atop the station.
There are a few puzzles, as well as a non-linear approach to the mission goals. My favorie puzzle is the downstairs hall. After I rode the elevator down, I stopped. Little nitches lined both walls of the thin hallway. Something wasn't right. I fired a shot straight down the hallway, then troopers boiled from the doors, and I was snapping off volleys of blaster fire faster than I could think.
Lack of airlock on the fuel dump door is a bit of a minus, and sometimes there wasn't enough health, but, all in all, a very fullfilling play. Just get ready to say 'oohh...' and 'ahhh...'
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"Goin' out west where the alligators fight;
They duel all day and they duel all nite;
Afterwards it's all all right;
Out where the alligators fight."
Charles Rigby
Sheldon wrote:
Asteroid is beyond belief, to me on the level of Mt. Kurek. Pauker was just the master of texture. How he managed to give us the real feeling of being inside the asteroid, with the low-res of Dark Forces, really remains a mystery. I mean, I just get the feeling like I am really there. And the layout of the base is great too - you never see rooms that give you the feeling they were made by an editor, just duped in by a keystroke(the quality of cheap levels that makes me sick and sends me to my "delete" command). Each room seems to have a purpose, as if it really was dug out in the asteroid. I just feel so sad we can't contact Pauker to tell him how much his work is appreciated.
[Message edited by Sheldon on April 06, 2002]
Emambu wrote:
Just a few random thoughts:
* From a purely aesthetic standpoint this is one of the most beautiful levels in all of DF. The architecture and the texturing really help convey the feel of an asteroid. I especially liked some of the opening scenes that take place before you reach the main base. The broken terrain, rocks strewn about, and plenty of welders add to the detail.
* I just can't get enough shots of that planet. What an incredible skybox.
* Favorite scene: Goin on the above tangent, I'd have to say it's a tie between the one room where one side looks like a giant window and you're treated with a shot of the planet, and the "window hallway" that DarthDoctor already mentioned (the lighting in there is amazing).
* Non-linear movement is another key point to this level's greatness. The objectives window has you believe that you need to shut down the defenses before blowing up the fuel. You can do that, but the first time I played the level I did the exact opposite.
* Puzzles, and forcing the player to play hunches, also work well here. First time I played this level, I thought I was trapping myself by jumping off the bridge in the power generator room. Who would have thought that the blue key I needed would be down there?
* I like the base layout, but it has some of the screwiest room designs. The room with all the diagonal panels jutting out from the walls is one example. It makes for an interesting fight in there, but who the heck would build something like that in the first place?
* Anyone else think the amory room made the game a bit too easy?
* Also, did anyone else have to use the LABUG cheat to get around the power generator and flip the three switches controlling the forcefield? I'd have to say that that was the biggest (and only real) detractor to the level.
* I really enjoyed the fuel explosion. You have plenty of time to get away but you don't want to be anywhere in the cargo room when time runs out.
* Runner-up for favorite scene in the level: The area where you kill the officer and get the yellow key. I'm guessing that's the main weapon on the asteroid that the imperials were going to use. Either way though, it's a really cool shot.
* Conspiracy theory: "Asteroid" is about the imperials converting an asteroid into a weapon, and using them to attempt an attack on an Alliance base on the planet below. You, Kyle, must infiltrate the base and disable it. The first four levels of MotS are about the imperials converting asteroids into weapons and using them to bombard a New Republic base on Altyr 5. You, Kyle, must infiltrate the asteroid and destroy it. Coincidence? Anyone else see the similarities?
* Challenge: Beat the level of Hard without any help from the armory.
---Emambu
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Burning Gundam
Kell Dragon
Joined: 28 Sep 2003
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| Posted: May 21, 2004 06:20 Post subject: |
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There was a lot that I liked about this level, but it suffered one critical error: The level would randomly crash and freeze my computer so I had to be very careful with it when I played.
But that was really the only real problem I had. The rest of the level is beyond amazing, especially in the detail department. I must say the lighting and detail was spectacular and texturing was done pretty good as well. It was fun to play (When it didn't freeze up) and presented many new ideas that I think may have been a catalyst to the newer generation of DF levels to date. A good level to play and a great level for reference material as well.
But I have to give it a lower rating because of its crippling bug 
6 of 10 (would be 9.6 of 10 without the bug).
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I don't think outside the box... I customize it. |
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Nottheking
Kell Dragon
Joined: 29 Sep 2003
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| Posted: May 21, 2004 20:29 Post subject: |
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Asteroid is definitely one of the finer DF levels to have been made. It is truly a masterful work, and each piece seems to have had a large amount of thought put into it, as well as large quantities of INF. The only thing that really hurt it for me was an almost (or is it full?) lack of new materials. It's fine to re-use LEC's textures most of the time, but I don't think the sewers music was terribly fitting for it, just as it didn't really fit Mt. Kurek. Otherwise, the level was quite nice, using several tricks.
Oh, ant the arcitecture left a little to be desired, if only a very little ammount. His signature collumns-by-the-doors was fine, but it seemed as if all the ceilings were rather flat and bland, where I might have reccomended adding detail such as bars of ceiling lights, girders, pipes, etc; especially considering that this is supposed to be more of an "experimental" superweapon, and thus not necessary for it to be "nice" to those working on the inside. However, the arcitecture problems there are somewhat offset by the excelent use of lighting. The scenes of the planet in the distance, reflecting light into the corridors makes for excelent screenshots. I've been impressed enough to try to work with that idea myself...
Overall, this level is qutie nice. Objects are given fairly balanced placement, and the design is good enough to support the levels many features. This is easily above LEC's original levels.- Quality: 85%
- Atmosphere: 95%
- Innovation: 98%
- Gameplay: 92%
- OVERALL: 93%
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Wake up, George Lucas... The Matrix has you.. |
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