odessa 14 - bob evans

Filename: odessa14.zip

File size: 379K

Author: Bob Evans

Homepage: none to my knowledge

Other work: 2 levels in Eternal Doom, other ODESSA maps

Nomonsters LMP here (05:31, 2.7K)



Odessa 14 is a medieval-style map built by the person responsible for two maps
in Eternal Doom (20 and 30), as you may have read above. It's very well built, the
structures look convincing enough to be fairly realistic, and the lighting is just
about right for the size and amount of shade in the map. On looks alone, it's
excellent.

The gameplay is the only let-down in this map. The main gripe I have about it is
that it's just not explantory enough; you often have to look for small switches
hidden in places that I would classify as 'secret areas' - ie. hidden in areas
that are almost invisible in the surrounding region. For instance: to actually
get to the exit, you have to press a switch in the map. This switch is hidden
in an alcove high up on a pillar that houses a lone chaingunner. Now, the main
problem with this is that the alcove with the chaingunner just looks like another
alcove, nothing obvious at all as to its significance! This alcove is also vital
in getting to one of the keys, as it lowers an entrance... enough already.
Once you have learned the map and what the various switches do, it is no problem
at all, however. Another area I didn't like was one near the blue key in the
south-east in the wooden tunnels. Pictured below, the only way to get out of it
is to press a switch in a hidden area (to the right). I spent some minutes stuck
there wondering 'What is this??' Because of other areas like this, my first
successful attempt wound up at something ridiculous like 36:54.



This, as I have vouchsafed before, is possibly the only bad thing I have to say
about this map. There are, in fact, no bugs at all. Seriously! No monsters
stuck in walls or each other, no HOMs, no Tutti-Fruttis, no VPOs, no bugs!
This must make it one of the best independent maps for that sort of thing.
I have seen many maps where it's nothing like as good as this. (I'm sure
you have as well) If/when I get a 56.6k connection, I'm gonna download Eternal
Doom 3 (within three hours :-) and play it, being assured of its high quality
from the various authors, Bob included.

In the outdoor areas, the textures are (90% of the time) perfectly placed.
No misalignments that I could see, but it's not easy to misalign textures such
as the ones that Bob has chosen. There is occasionally (in the indoor areas)
an oddly-chosen texture here and there, making it look quite odd. Nothing
for me to gripe about at all. :-) Below is an outdoor area near the yellow
key, which is one of the nicest looking areas in that map.



Thing placement is quite well done, with decor items being placed when necessary
and on no other occasions. Ammo distribution is fairly uneven, however, so that
warrants my docking off a point or two. :-) That's the only reason for me to do
that, however, so no problems there, either.

verdict