Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector


	/-/S'pht-Translator-Active/-/

Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector

Posted By: Mark Levin Date: 1/13/04 11:07 a.m.
In Response To: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector (Steve Levinson)

: We also encounter what
: I believe is the first working force field in a Marathon scenario.
Yep- a fact which FM has announced several times by now. The reason the liquid must be lowered so low is so that the player cannot see the liquid surface and deduce how the trick was done (although it's pretty obvious from the orange color of the polygon on the map.)
: Once again there is a penalty for
: indiscriminately flipping switches. One of them actually
: "closes" access to central command and, unfortunately, it is
: back at the beginning.
The trick is even nastier than that: One of the parts of the door is marked as activate adjacent on deactivate, which means that once it is opened, it causes the platform next to it to close back up. I managed to "trick" it by hitting it *while the other platform was still moving*. This caused both platforms to be in the "closed" state at once. Hitting the switch again caused them both to open.
Another nasty bit of trickery that fortunately is not used all that much here is the mazes that extend down from the ceiling, which don't appear on the map view.
: Once the proper switch is
: re-flipped, access will be granted to the area with the final two
: switches, and a hoard of hunters. Now up to this point, things have been
: pretty easy (really), even if the player manages to end up in the brig.
Worth mentioning that this is the first point in the story where the Pfhor leader Karth Pa'Korh, appears. He sends us terminal messages as the Hunter did in Tempus Irae, marking yet another point where a Pfhor speaks directly to the player.
Another story point is the appearance of the Hellraiser, which we'll become more familiar with (and blow up) in Evil.
: Central Command is filled with fighters, compilers and a couple of
: double-turrets that fire intense guided S'Pht bolts. These may be the
: first turrets in a scenario, and it is pretty obvious if one fires at them
: that they actually house major S'Pht. Theoretically it should be possible
: to kill them manually, but it is doubtful that the player would succeed.
I checked- It's impossible to kill them manually. The monsters in the turret are invisible compilers, and they're set to constantly spawn when removed. This scenario was made before the game gained the ability to attach custom physics models to maps; gun turret monsters in Infinity are altered so that they're impossible to kill with weapons in the first place.
This level has a simple but elegant design, with the everpresent "striped" corridors and lava scenery. The retractable room lights are a very nice effect, and even more so in millions of colors (where there is no visible banding on the walls). Other notable areas are the collapsing room in the north (not sure WHY it's there, and it's rather annoying to bump into, but it looks good...) and the lava waterfalls in the southeast. This level has several paths you must take, but they're all intertwined and visible from different places, and you'll be visiting most large rooms more than once. At the beginning this can be frustrating as the terminals/PBs/chargers are invariably on the wrong side of the path.
This level also had the best chapter screen so far, a detailed illustration of the player preparing for an ambush.

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Pre-2004 Posts

Replies:

SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector Steve Levinson 1/12/04 2:39 p.m.

Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector James Smith 1/12/04 6:09 p.m.

Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector D-M.A. 1/12/04 11:10 p.m.

Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector Mark Levin 1/13/04 11:07 a.m.

Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector Keith Palmer 1/13/04 4:27 p.m.

Thanks D-M-A. *NM* Alexander Smith 1/14/04 6:08 p.m.

Re: Thanks D-M-A. Adam Ashwell 1/14/04 6:31 p.m.

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Pre-2004 Posts

Your Name:
Your E-Mail Address:
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Message:
: Yep- a fact which FM has announced several times by now. The reason the : liquid must be lowered so low is so that the player cannot see the liquid : surface and deduce how the trick was done (although it's pretty obvious : from the orange color of the polygon on the map.) : The trick is even nastier than that: One of the parts of the door is marked : as activate adjacent on deactivate, which means that once it is opened, it : causes the platform next to it to close back up. I managed to : "trick" it by hitting it *while the other platform was still : moving*. This caused both platforms to be in the "closed" state : at once. Hitting the switch again caused them both to open. : Another nasty bit of trickery that fortunately is not used all that much here : is the mazes that extend down from the ceiling, which don't appear on the : map view. : Worth mentioning that this is the first point in the story where the Pfhor : leader Karth Pa'Korh, appears. He sends us terminal messages as the Hunter : did in Tempus Irae, marking yet another point where a Pfhor speaks : directly to the player. : Another story point is the appearance of the Hellraiser, which we'll become : more familiar with (and blow up) in Evil. : I checked- It's impossible to kill them manually. The monsters in the turret : are invisible compilers, and they're set to constantly spawn when removed. : This scenario was made before the game gained the ability to attach custom : physics models to maps; gun turret monsters in Infinity are altered so : that they're impossible to kill with weapons in the first place. : This level has a simple but elegant design, with the everpresent : "striped" corridors and lava scenery. The retractable room : lights are a very nice effect, and even more so in millions of colors : (where there is no visible banding on the walls). Other notable areas are : the collapsing room in the north (not sure WHY it's there, and it's rather : annoying to bump into, but it looks good...) and the lava waterfalls in : the southeast. This level has several paths you must take, but they're all : intertwined and visible from different places, and you'll be visiting most : large rooms more than once. At the beginning this can be frustrating as : the terminals/PBs/chargers are invariably on the wrong side of the path. : This level also had the best chapter screen so far, a detailed illustration : of the player preparing for an ambush.

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SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector	Steve Levinson	1/12/04 2:39 p.m.
Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector	James Smith	1/12/04 6:09 p.m.
Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector	D-M.A.	1/12/04 11:10 p.m.
Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector	Mark Levin	1/13/04 11:07 a.m.
Re: SoNK Volunteers - Central Command Sector	Keith Palmer	1/13/04 4:27 p.m.
Thanks D-M-A. NM	Alexander Smith	1/14/04 6:08 p.m.
Re: Thanks D-M-A.	Adam Ashwell	1/14/04 6:31 p.m.



	Your Name:
	Your E-Mail Address:
	Subject:
	Message: : Yep- a fact which FM has announced several times by now. The reason the : liquid must be lowered so low is so that the player cannot see the liquid : surface and deduce how the trick was done (although it's pretty obvious : from the orange color of the polygon on the map.) : The trick is even nastier than that: One of the parts of the door is marked : as activate adjacent on deactivate, which means that once it is opened, it : causes the platform next to it to close back up. I managed to : "trick" it by hitting it while the other platform was still : moving. This caused both platforms to be in the "closed" state : at once. Hitting the switch again caused them both to open. : Another nasty bit of trickery that fortunately is not used all that much here : is the mazes that extend down from the ceiling, which don't appear on the : map view. : Worth mentioning that this is the first point in the story where the Pfhor : leader Karth Pa'Korh, appears. He sends us terminal messages as the Hunter : did in Tempus Irae, marking yet another point where a Pfhor speaks : directly to the player. : Another story point is the appearance of the Hellraiser, which we'll become : more familiar with (and blow up) in Evil. : I checked- It's impossible to kill them manually. The monsters in the turret : are invisible compilers, and they're set to constantly spawn when removed. : This scenario was made before the game gained the ability to attach custom : physics models to maps; gun turret monsters in Infinity are altered so : that they're impossible to kill with weapons in the first place. : This level has a simple but elegant design, with the everpresent : "striped" corridors and lava scenery. The retractable room : lights are a very nice effect, and even more so in millions of colors : (where there is no visible banding on the walls). Other notable areas are : the collapsing room in the north (not sure WHY it's there, and it's rather : annoying to bump into, but it looks good...) and the lava waterfalls in : the southeast. This level has several paths you must take, but they're all : intertwined and visible from different places, and you'll be visiting most : large rooms more than once. At the beginning this can be frustrating as : the terminals/PBs/chargers are invariably on the wrong side of the path. : This level also had the best chapter screen so far, a detailed illustration : of the player preparing for an ambush.
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