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"Vaults" Custom Wad

Tue, 09 Sep 2003 15:27:02

mago

Alright, I've just began to play this magnificent WAD with a Hexen's new episode, called "Vaults". I knew the project a long time ago, but never had the time/patience to try it. I downloaded it today and spent a little time playing the first level, and I must say I was amazed! Great imagination there, lots of fresh, realistic landscape, everything richly detailed and well thought. The guy had amazing understanding of scripts, and made some pretty funny puzzles using it. Those of you who don't know it, have got tho check it out! Here are some quotes from the site: "A complete six level adventure designed by Chet for his favorite game Hexen. Crack the code to the Bishop's Vaults and gain access to the Crystal Caverns, Deep End Bay, Mill Born, Dark Mire and Korax's own heavily guarded treasure laden Vaults!"(...) "Scenario You thought you defeated ol' Korax but it was merely his hologram. He's back with a vengeance! He's locked you up in his maximum security cellblock. You awaken just as the cell door slams shut. You don't like the looks of your cellmates and you surely don't like the sounds emanating from the next cell! You escape, but you're in the middle of a desert where the only water that flows is a disgusting brackish swill. It's here Korax trains his armies. Supplies are sparse until and if you can fight your way through the playing fields. You've heard rumors that this is also where Korax keeps part of his treasure trove guarded by his dark Bishops. If you can find the entrance and decipher the vault's complicated combination, you can stock up on needed supplies and gain access to other domains. Perhaps even find your way to Korax himself so you can serve your own vengeance (a dish best served cold) upon him for a change."(...) "NOTES: This wad contains some never before seen Hexen special effects: Electric fences, spinning flesh tearing hazards, stationary fireballs, electrified invisible force fields, icy whirlwinds, deep water, sparking switches, hidden fire pits, a "basement" that is actually "under" the floor above and much more."(...) This one is extremely wrothy, so go there and visit the site, you won't regret it <!-- s;) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" /><!-- s;) --> <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/vaults.html">http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/vaults.html</a><!-- m -->
Tue, 09 Sep 2003 15:29:27

mago

Damn, there seems to be an even better (!) episode called Caldera, but the damn download link is broken!!! <!-- s:cry: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cry.gif" alt=":cry:" title="Crying or Very sad" /><!-- s:cry: --> Does anyone out there have it or can tell me where to find another placo to download it? If you're not sure what I'm talknig about, here's the site: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/caldera.html">http://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/caldera.html</a><!-- m -->
Tue, 09 Sep 2003 18:27:38

Ichor

Try here. And my main problem with Vaults is that you don't get the second weapon until near the end of the first map, yet there are brown Chaos Serpents and Slaughtaur you have to deal with. As for Caldera, every so often it crashes either on the big fireball throwing script in the ice level, or when some enemies try to throw out projectiles. Also, there's some problems in the final room in map 5 (could be a bad script or a visplane problem, I forgot which) which can crash the game as well.
Tue, 09 Sep 2003 19:19:19

mago

But are the maps any good? I know they are sometimes "big puzzle boards", without much meaning but to serve as a puzzle piece/holder, but I must say the scripts are very well done for someone that isn't from ID or Raven. The complexity is huge, and yet, the maps seem easy and simple... For something free, it's more than worth the download time!;)
Tue, 09 Sep 2003 20:23:11

Ichor

The maps in Vaults aren't too bad. Some are small (Death Wyvern map with the six doors), while others are a bit larger (swamp map). However, they aren't really that complex. On the other hand, the Caldera maps are very large and complicated, with the garden map (the one that shoots all sorts of fireballs if you step on the wrong spot). If you look closely, on that same map, he borrows a little bit of E6M3 from Heretic, but it still looks nice.
Thu, 11 Sep 2003 20:56:56

B0rsuk

How can you say Caldera episode is better, if "download link is broken" ? In my opinion Vaults are much more innovative and funny. Ideas are fresh. Vaults look like original Hexen levels. Caldera doesn't. My favourite maps are Deep bay end and Millborn ! Simply great, Guardian Of Steel forever. First map has some neat stuff, but has some stuff that makes me uncomfortable: - too much severs - bugs in sever doors, sometimes they totally jam if you don't go thru it. - too complex in general
Thu, 11 Sep 2003 22:18:56

RambOrc

Anyone here tried Chuxen? I was quite amazed at some of the maps.
Thu, 11 Sep 2003 22:22:51

Ichor

I have. It was a long time ago though, and I don't remember exactly what some of the maps were like.
Thu, 11 Sep 2003 22:49:56

mago

Actually, my only problem with this kind of maps is the fact that they are totally devotaded to being a big piece of puzzle. Even though I know it's a fantasy game, it's sometimes hard to swallow when the rooms are all traps and the castles are filled with puzzles of every sort. Call me innocent, but I always preferred maps with realistic architecture, and well thought problems to solve instead of just puzzles and find-the-hidden-key types of maps. Anyway, I still lyke these a LOT, not only for all those new effects and scripts, but also for the great effort, storyline and attention to detail. PS: Ichor, I just wished there could be a way to play Carnage Galore without a 3d acellerated port...
Thu, 11 Sep 2003 22:52:08

mago

RambOrc: could you post the wad's link? Thanks in advance. <!-- s;) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" /><!-- s;) -->
Thu, 11 Sep 2003 22:53:44

Ichor

I know. When I first got my compiler, I wanted to use the original .exe file, but I could never get it to work. Fortunately, I could use JHexen, but only later did I realize that not everyone can play it. Hopefully I might be able to do something with ZDoom, but I'll worry about that some other time.
Fri, 12 Sep 2003 06:14:53

dj_jl

And why not with Vavoom?
Fri, 12 Sep 2003 18:46:49

RambOrc

Mago: chuxen is in the SE alpha map pack on kdev (either the old or the new location, check both).

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