This is one of the 1999 UT's iconic maps and the shots look good! Im DLing it now. I am going to put a request in to make Morpheus next since a good facing worlds is already out there Thanx for the UT love!
I'm discovering more and more UT remakes and I'm liking it. UT maps convert well into Halo maps, however the action is a little faster paced in UT requiring a few changes to be made when remaking a UT map in halo. I saw a 'facing worlds' remake which was done to good effect, however the level is a snipers paradise. The first person to situate themselves up high with a sniper rifle will dominate the map. Despite that example many UT maps were very innovative in their creation and I hope to see more remakes popping up on the hub. I'm working on a UT remake myself and have been happy to see other doing the same with several different UT maps.
Deck 07 [highlight]Enjoyment:[/highlight] Being a remake from a different game, there were concerns with how well the design would work with the Reach style of gameplay. The structure seems fundamentally sound in most areas, but a few questionable positions can put a damper on the fun and really slow down gameplay. On this map most gametypes work reasonably well though there are definitely some rough spots. A few minor tweaks and improvements would greatly help this map be better suited for Reach, while still keeping the feel of the original. Overall I see a lot of potential in this map but it feels as though improvements need to be made. It does feel a lot like the original, and it has many redeeming qualities that make it fun to play on even with the flaws. [highlight] Balance: [/highlight] While it might not be perfectly balanced yet, I see promise in the design. A few areas create cause for concern, but with some creativity these areas can be improved upon in a way that’s better suited for Halo: Reach. The first area that people immediately commented on was the upper ledge that is only accessible with the man cannon. While this might work in Unreal, it doesn’t achieve the same affect in Reach. I would recommend adding a couple more ways up there. It also felt very difficult to get up top from the base level; I recommend adding more walking routes up, and possible some grav lifts. The weapon placement was a bit unusual. The rocket spawns in an interesting location; it’s a very campable location that discourages players from leaving. Also since there’s only one way in, without jetpack, the rockets are inaccessible during games of stockpile. With a sniper on the map players are often encouraged to move to the top perch to get a good vantage point. This combination is so dominant that the majority of gameplay happens there. With DMR starts it is possible to regain control, though it feels much more difficult with AR starts. The mix of the two areas does have an interesting affect on gameplay, but a few changes to weapon access and route improvements would greatly improve gameplay for the better. At the present it feels good but needs work. [highlight]Durability: [/highlight] Durability begins to take on a whole new meaning in Reach. In Halo 3 it felt almost impossible to create a break proof map that wasn’t already completely open. Thanks to kill barriers it becomes much easier to define where a player can and cannot go. Unfortunately, even with this new technology there can still be bugs. The first thing people noticed on this map is that if you dropped a flag all the way down to the bottom it would reset instantly. It seems as though the lowest portion might be outside the safe zone causing the flag to reset. There were also sections in the upper areas where players could camp. These need soft kill barriers to keep the play fair and moving. With a jetpack the player can easily escape the map and camp outside, but without the jetpack the map can be hard to navigate. Improvements are desperately needed to improve the maps durability. Spawning also had some flaws. The most notable of these was in the lowest courtyard where many spawn points had the player walking directly into the water on the start. These definitely need to be corrected. Along with fixing the angle, it would also benefit gameplay to reduce the number of spawn points in that area. Overall the map appears to have many minor problems, but the major structure of the map is reasonably durable. Without a jetpack the durability is improved, but once you add in the jetpack the durability falls apart. Added care into the kill zones will greatly improve the maps durability and enjoyment. [highlight]Aesthetics: [/highlight] While there might not be any trees on the map, the whole map does seem well connected. The cover is well placed and looks authentic, combined with the building design to create a very natural, forerunner feel. Aside from a few cliché elements the aesthetic touches are well appreciated. As you tended to use larger objects the framerate is good throughout with no notable areas of concern. The aesthetic touches make for enjoyable gameplay. [highlight]Originality: [/highlight] Being a remake there is often criticism that the idea isn’t “original”. While the core of the design is already done for you, actually bringing the design into the game requires a great deal of work. It is fair to say that the map is well forged and looks visually impressive, but still needs work to actually conform to a more Reach style of gameplay. It has a great deal of potential, but changes need to be made to make this into less of a remake and more of a spiritual successor. [floatleft]Enjoyment Rating: Balance Rating: Durability Rating: Aesthetic Rating: Originality Rating:[/floatleft] Overall:
I don't really like the replacement of the bridges with the man cannons. IMO the coolest part about Deck was the middle bridge part because of the options you had. I think it would carry over nicely in Halo as well. You can be on one of the high bridges and jump down to the low one, sprint across to the other high one, jump down to the sword spawn, fall down to the catwalk etc. I think the man cannons remove these options and make play more predictable. just my opinion.