Author: Neveck and Lowtek Release Date: August 9th 99 Reviewed by: Razzimatazz Review Date: September 14th, 1999 Size: 10-24 players FTP: H4RDCORE.ZIP Take a look at the docs H4RDCORE.TXT

Architectural Originality Interior Architectural detail Proper use of textures Light & Ambience	5/5 2/5 4/5 3/5
Speed & Efficiency Documentation (.txt)	5/5 3/5
Respawn position & construction Item quantity and positions Gameflow & Class Specifics My own 2 cents	4/5 4/5 4/5 4/5

TOTAL: 38/50 VERY GOOD

H4rdcore is what appears to be a very functional map, no crap, enough originality to make it worthwhile trying over the many 2forts facing eachother maps. Anyone running around this level for the first time I'm guessing would need a few minutes to think about what the layout means for how they would play the game, as it did for me. Basically though, it looks to provide an interesting game, but lacks the consistency of design and interest to make it the type of level I love.

Firstly, the level is entirely symettrical, along with each base. That is an idea that some may find refreshing, and it does make the map reasonably easy to learn, but not necessarily to play. In between each base there is no outside area, but instead four long passageways, (two different style ones per side of map you are on) which are an important feature of the level I say. They are long enough to get good snipers attempting to defend, but that sniper could be easily avoided by taking one of the other three routes between each base. Also we shoud see less attackers vs attackers fights in this sort of layout, but when the two sides do meet, it will be a bloody battle. Once you manage to reach the enemy base, you either enter their main room, or one of their two spiral rooms (each base is symettrical remember). The main room has the main respawn leading into it, and from here you can either go down the relatively small spiral, or off to the side to either ramps room. Each ramps room has a spiraling ramp, and links to the corresponding lift. The basement, well it is entirely flat, save one spot of sentry gun defence, and it is very large, so I'm sorry but nail grenade defence is likely to play an important role here. Fortunately the flag is in a smaller area off to the side (still symetterical), so I'm guessing wouldn't be the total spam target for defence.

Unfortunately, this level is no where near as interesting as it could be. What I mean is the interior detail, it doesnt make you think at all about how it would affect the gameplay. Almost all the rooms in each base are entirely flat, but this may be a design feature the author set out to do. The light fixtures and random detail that have been used in some places are not the over done fluorescent type light in the ceiling style, but mostly original use of the tech light textures. The lifts stand out mostly for doing this, but why hasn't the same work been carried onto other parts of the level? Without much floor and wall detail this level becomes a bit of a bore for engineers and their sentry gun defence, while there are a few places throughout each base where there seems to have been some effort put into giving defenders options, most areas just encourage you to setup defence nowhere in particular. Lighting is realistic somewhat, but doesn't make you think much about how you play the game, as good lighting should.

The respawn rooms are nice and large, which is better than the cramped feeling many other levels provide, but then when you have to cross the room several times to grab all the seperate ammo you need, you kinda get tired of it. The amount of ammo doesnt suit the size of the level either. The main respawn room actually is above the main room, so there are two holes to drop down through once you have stocked up. There is also a resupply at the bottom of each lift, positioned well enough to not make things too easy for defence, or too hard.

I haven't had a chance to play this level other than testing on my own, so I'm only really using my experience in TF to guess how it would play. I do expect though to get this map up on a local server soon If I'm lucky. I think it would make good fun in clan matches, as defence could be organised enough to cover the wide base. 10vs10 games would be best I'm guessing, it would be interesting to see whether people would go for the rear flag defence or not. In a public server, well I doubt this map would be suitable on most servers these days, depending on the quality of player tactics on the server. One or two man defence while the rest of the team just roams around would not be possible on this, and attacking would be easy if someone was more determined than the weak defence.

The originality of this level makes me want to try it, as I'm all for new things, just not too different eh? If you are tired of playing clan matches in 2fort5r and bam4, I think you could adapt to making this level great fun.

-razzimatazz

Screen Shots:
Image 1: The blue main room.
Image 2: One of red's lifts.
Image 3: The red basement, with flag room to the right.
Image 4: One of the passages linking the bases.
Image 5: One of blue's ramp rooms.

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