SEXR - Dunkelschwamm

 

    SEXR is a rats map set in the author's bedroom. It's not meant to have linear progression, the map description clearly states it is meant to be a lobby map. Despite this there are areas that act very much like a linear sequence of objectives.

SCMapDB page

Author: SharkMan

Date of final release: 2004

Maps in package: 1

Map review of SEXR

(originally posted on SCMapDB)

by dunkelschwamm | December 12, 2021 | 3114 characters

    I sometimes think that making Sven Co-op maps might have the same appeal as making model railroads- creating a tiny little world and journeying through it. It's this combination of concepts in my mind that makes me a big fan of rats style maps in Counter-Strike and Sven Co-op. Maps in which you play as tiny soldiers in a gigantic version of mundane locations, turning everyday household items into tactical positions for going to war, are just endlessly charming to me. So, how do you mess it up?

    Firstly, SEXR misses the mark by throwing spawnpoints around all willy nilly. You can appear all over the map when you first spawn, next to an assortment of weapons you may or may not get in other spawn areas, with your only opportunity for continuing falling from great heights. There's a few areas where you can spawn near a barnacle, though it takes a bit of experimentation before you might learn that the big balls of what appear to be gum are barnacle-friendly to help the player get around fast of rappel down. At the bottom of the room there's a longjump module which is crucial in quality of life attempting to traverse this map. There are multiple areas where the player can find hallways or alcoves to explore, many of which spawn enemies out in the main playing field. The player's starter weapons range from the sniper rifle to the rocket launcher depending on spawn location, so how you deal with enemies will be largely dependent on that. Every now and then the players must fight robo grunts and apaches on the floor of the main room. Every now and then you find an area full of soldiers to fill with grenades. It's action that should be good and fun but is made a bit frustrating with each death bringing with it the stress of not knowing where you'll spawn or what equipment you'll spawn next to. Really, that aspect of this map dragged much of the experience down. If travel throughout the room were simplified and respawns were more reliable I feel like this whole experience would have been far more enjoyable.

    The brushwork is well done and there's tons to explore. There's a fishtank with an ichthyosaur and a computer desk and a bed and everything. It's really cozy and neat and interesting to look at.

    If you have a server rotation which is mostly chill and laidback and spends lots of time just meandering in maps, I think SEXR would serve you well. Overall, I don't think it's the type of map that's for me.

Pros:

• Great visual representation of being tiny in a giant room
• Some really neat battles here and there
• I really like the mounted guns and the vehicles
• I like how many weapons the player is given and that the barnacle is put to use as a mobility weapon

Cons:

• Level really meanders
• Respawning is an inconsistent nightmare
• Restocking ammo and weapons is an inconsistent nightmare
• Gets pretty boring at many points before the map is fully explored.

Score: 4.5 / 10