12/01/2007 @09:01:31 ^09:26:34
Just played the Flashback demo again. Executive summary:
- E1 map, seems quite empty somehow. Needs a bit more detail or at least texture variation. Far too much STARTAN3 makes it look like one of those early DEU maps.
- E2 base which I cannot seem to praise enough, this is easily as good as anything you'll find in the Classic Episode or whatever. Superb progression and the outdoor areas especially look great.
- Another E2 base clearly influenced by Doom's E2M4, some great secrets like the plasma gun but the blue armour at the end is a bit pointless. Maybe a few too many demons, it gets boring using the shotgun on them after a while.
- Red brick castle. Quite hard to begin from scratch due to lack of weapons. Feels like it should be bigger, somehow, like it needs an extra section or something. You get one key and then it's over. Still, pretty good.
- Pretty much a clone of E3M2. Supposedly resembles a foot, but I think only superficially (the original was a hand) Another difficult start due to lack of ammunition, helps a lot to know exactly where to go. Decent map, nothing spectacular.
- Green brick castle thing with typical E4-style nastiness, traps and barons all over the place. Definitely easier if you bring a pile of rockets along from a previous level! Another one with good progression.
This was one of the most promising projects ever and I still hope it will be completed; however I don't think it will live up to the promise of the demo as the good mappers have apparently left the project, instead there was a thread where it was opened up to all comers on Doomworld last year (so it will be more of a "mixed bag" I suspect)
If you liked this wad remember there were also two other Flashback maps released as part of DAC 2005.
