Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42


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Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42

Posted By: Mark Levin Date: 2/5/04 5:03 p.m.
In Response To: Evil Volunteers: Code 42 (Steve Levinson)

: Code 42 is a very large, very complex vacuum level that can be exasperating.
: Think Acme Station on steroids. It's a lot of fun, but the room of rising
: and falling platforms (compression chamber) is something I could do
: without, as you have to go through it many, many times.
I feel much more strongly about this room- that it's a stupid idea. It would be annoying in a non-vacuum level, but here it forces the player to spend precious seconds traversing it.
: There is a lot of
: potential backtracking involved elsewhere, too, but overall this is an
: enjoyable level.
We have encountered very, very few vacuum levels in our travels; Marathon 2 didn't even have any despite the engine's support for it. Playing with a time limit is arguably against much of Marathon's philosophy, as you don't have time to stop and smell the roses (or the terminals) or use any tricks that take a lot of time, like punching out monsters. It also makes it very easy, as you noted, to get trapped and unable to complete the level.
In Marathon 1, G4 Sunbathing is arguably the best vacuum level in any of the games; certainly it sets the standard by which the others are judged. It's quite large, but composed mostly of empty space and very well-connected. There are 3 (IIRC) oxygen chargers, one of which is in a sheltered "home base" area with a pattern buffer and health charger as well. In Marathon Infinity, Acme Station ups the difficulty, and also cuts down on oxygen with only 2 canisters of air available. Despite its size, the playable area of Acme is very small and the amount of running required to complete the level is even smaller, so oxygen is not a huge problem below TC. On Post Naval Trauma, a very large leve, it takes a very long time to reach the first charger and the level was criticized for forcing the player to skip so much in order to survive. In Tempus Irae, the only vacuum level was pure exploration, with virtually no combat or terminals, and was a very quick play for that reason. I'm less familiar with Rubicon, though.
: Hitting the switch remotely with the
: Pfhor staff is the answer, but it often takes several attempts to realize
: this.
Even more irritating as it's a bit of a way back from the nearest pattern buffer to the exit terminal on For This I Went To College.
: It reminds me of something funny Chris wrote as a placeholder for one
: of the Rubicon terminals on a vacuum level
It also reminds me of FM's complaints about Rubicon that were brought up recently, but such snarky comments have no place here :P
I never ran out of oxygen on this level, although I did have a close call once.
: FM really f***ed up here
Actually, in my copy, the doors are *not* activate once. Perhaps this was also fixed around the same time as the weapons HUDs.
However, the 2 doors to the final control room *do* have this problem, so apply the f***ed up here (more for not fixing them than for making them in the first place, as Evil is not the only scenario to be re-released for this reason.) z
: Now, there is a major secret here.
I became suspicious when I saw that the switch activating the real elevator did not deactivate when its platform did- a dead giveaway that the switch activates a tag and therefore more than 1 element of the map, but I didn't do any exploring, assuming that it was simply opening one of the many doors that "magically" open as you proceed through the level.
: The final area of the station involves taking out a bunch of mystics and a
: couple of drones - piece of cake. Hitting a switch lowers a platform,
: revealing another chip. Inserting it literally moves a world, Funny that
: you don't feel anything in the process, though. A teleporting extravision
: chip would have done the trick IMO. Be sure to tank up on oxygen before
: leaving, as you'll need it on the next level.
There's a bad spot on this final room, though: Be careful when you pick up the chip. If you fall into the pit in the floor underneath it, your only way out will be to shoot the switch and jump off the platform before you take damage.

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Pre-2004 Posts

Replies:

Evil Volunteers: Code 42 Steve Levinson 2/5/04 2:41 p.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42 Mark Levin 2/5/04 5:03 p.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42 Mark Levin 2/5/04 5:10 p.m.

Vacuum Levels Steve Levinson 2/6/04 5:36 a.m.

Re: Vacuum Levels Dr. John Sumner 2/6/04 6:58 a.m.

Re: Vacuum Levels Steve Levinson 2/6/04 7:32 a.m.

Re: Vacuum Levels Dr. John Sumner 2/6/04 7:52 a.m.

Re: Vacuum Levels Mark Levin 2/6/04 7:37 a.m.

Invincible Oxygen Steve Levinson 2/7/04 2:49 p.m.

rofl Mark Levin 2/7/04 3:56 p.m.

Re: rofl Steve Levinson 2/7/04 5:43 p.m.

Re: rofl Little Kago 2/7/04 6:53 p.m.

Re: rofl Mark Levin 2/7/04 9:05 p.m.

Re: rofl Steve Levinson 2/8/04 5:49 a.m.

Re: Vacuum Levels Ben A. Potter 2/6/04 2:22 p.m.

Re: Vacuum Levels C Lund 2/9/04 12:48 a.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42 Elliott 2/5/04 6:22 p.m.

Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42 darakat 2/10/04 2:38 p.m.

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Pre-2004 Posts

Your Name:
Your E-Mail Address:
Subject:
Message:
: I feel much more strongly about this room- that it's a stupid idea. It would : be annoying in a non-vacuum level, but here it forces the player to spend : precious seconds traversing it. : We have encountered very, very few vacuum levels in our travels; Marathon 2 : didn't even have any despite the engine's support for it. Playing with a : time limit is arguably against much of Marathon's philosophy, as you don't : have time to stop and smell the roses (or the terminals) or use any tricks : that take a lot of time, like punching out monsters. It also makes it very : easy, as you noted, to get trapped and unable to complete the level. : In Marathon 1, G4 Sunbathing is arguably the best vacuum level in any of the : games; certainly it sets the standard by which the others are judged. It's : quite large, but composed mostly of empty space and very well-connected. : There are 3 (IIRC) oxygen chargers, one of which is in a sheltered : "home base" area with a pattern buffer and health charger as : well. In Marathon Infinity, Acme Station ups the difficulty, and also cuts : down on oxygen with only 2 canisters of air available. Despite its size, : the playable area of Acme is very small and the amount of running required : to complete the level is even smaller, so oxygen is not a huge problem : below TC. On Post Naval Trauma, a very large leve, it takes a very long : time to reach the first charger and the level was criticized for forcing : the player to skip so much in order to survive. In Tempus Irae, the only : vacuum level was pure exploration, with virtually no combat or terminals, : and was a very quick play for that reason. I'm less familiar with Rubicon, : though. : Even more irritating as it's a bit of a way back from the nearest pattern : buffer to the exit terminal on For This I Went To College. : It also reminds me of FM's complaints about Rubicon that were brought up : recently, but such snarky comments have no place here :P : I never ran out of oxygen on this level, although I did have a close call : once. : Actually, in my copy, the doors are *not* activate once. Perhaps this was : also fixed around the same time as the weapons HUDs. : However, the 2 doors to the final control room *do* have this problem, so : apply the f***ed up here (more for not fixing them than for making them in : the first place, as Evil is not the only scenario to be re-released for : this reason.) z : I became suspicious when I saw that the switch activating the real elevator : did not deactivate when its platform did- a dead giveaway that the switch : activates a tag and therefore more than 1 element of the map, but I didn't : do any exploring, assuming that it was simply opening one of the many : doors that "magically" open as you proceed through the level. : There's a bad spot on this final room, though: Be careful when you pick up : the chip. If you fall into the pit in the floor underneath it, your only : way out will be to shoot the switch and jump off the platform before you : take damage.

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Evil Volunteers: Code 42	Steve Levinson	2/5/04 2:41 p.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42	Mark Levin	2/5/04 5:03 p.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42	Mark Levin	2/5/04 5:10 p.m.
Vacuum Levels	Steve Levinson	2/6/04 5:36 a.m.
Re: Vacuum Levels	Dr. John Sumner	2/6/04 6:58 a.m.
Re: Vacuum Levels	Steve Levinson	2/6/04 7:32 a.m.
Re: Vacuum Levels	Dr. John Sumner	2/6/04 7:52 a.m.
Re: Vacuum Levels	Mark Levin	2/6/04 7:37 a.m.
Invincible Oxygen	Steve Levinson	2/7/04 2:49 p.m.
rofl	Mark Levin	2/7/04 3:56 p.m.
Re: rofl	Steve Levinson	2/7/04 5:43 p.m.
Re: rofl	Little Kago	2/7/04 6:53 p.m.
Re: rofl	Mark Levin	2/7/04 9:05 p.m.
Re: rofl	Steve Levinson	2/8/04 5:49 a.m.
Re: Vacuum Levels	Ben A. Potter	2/6/04 2:22 p.m.
Re: Vacuum Levels	C Lund	2/9/04 12:48 a.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42	Elliott	2/5/04 6:22 p.m.
Re: Evil Volunteers: Code 42	darakat	2/10/04 2:38 p.m.



	Your Name:
	Your E-Mail Address:
	Subject:
	Message: : I feel much more strongly about this room- that it's a stupid idea. It would : be annoying in a non-vacuum level, but here it forces the player to spend : precious seconds traversing it. : We have encountered very, very few vacuum levels in our travels; Marathon 2 : didn't even have any despite the engine's support for it. Playing with a : time limit is arguably against much of Marathon's philosophy, as you don't : have time to stop and smell the roses (or the terminals) or use any tricks : that take a lot of time, like punching out monsters. It also makes it very : easy, as you noted, to get trapped and unable to complete the level. : In Marathon 1, G4 Sunbathing is arguably the best vacuum level in any of the : games; certainly it sets the standard by which the others are judged. It's : quite large, but composed mostly of empty space and very well-connected. : There are 3 (IIRC) oxygen chargers, one of which is in a sheltered : "home base" area with a pattern buffer and health charger as : well. In Marathon Infinity, Acme Station ups the difficulty, and also cuts : down on oxygen with only 2 canisters of air available. Despite its size, : the playable area of Acme is very small and the amount of running required : to complete the level is even smaller, so oxygen is not a huge problem : below TC. On Post Naval Trauma, a very large leve, it takes a very long : time to reach the first charger and the level was criticized for forcing : the player to skip so much in order to survive. In Tempus Irae, the only : vacuum level was pure exploration, with virtually no combat or terminals, : and was a very quick play for that reason. I'm less familiar with Rubicon, : though. : Even more irritating as it's a bit of a way back from the nearest pattern : buffer to the exit terminal on For This I Went To College. : It also reminds me of FM's complaints about Rubicon that were brought up : recently, but such snarky comments have no place here :P : I never ran out of oxygen on this level, although I did have a close call : once. : Actually, in my copy, the doors are not activate once. Perhaps this was : also fixed around the same time as the weapons HUDs. : However, the 2 doors to the final control room do have this problem, so : apply the f***ed up here (more for not fixing them than for making them in : the first place, as Evil is not the only scenario to be re-released for : this reason.) z : I became suspicious when I saw that the switch activating the real elevator : did not deactivate when its platform did- a dead giveaway that the switch : activates a tag and therefore more than 1 element of the map, but I didn't : do any exploring, assuming that it was simply opening one of the many : doors that "magically" open as you proceed through the level. : There's a bad spot on this final room, though: Be careful when you pick up : the chip. If you fall into the pit in the floor underneath it, your only : way out will be to shoot the switch and jump off the platform before you : take damage.
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