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Showing posts from February, 2023

Ragemap 2012 - Dunkelschwamm

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      I'm so angry! Because of this map! Because it is a RAGE map! We return to the collaborative community series with the 2012 edition, more rage and more map. SCMapDB page Authors: Nih, Puchi, Protector, RNG, JPolito, JaF, Tuesday's Avenger, StreamFox, CubicVirtuoso, Aurora, Prinzmetal, Zombiner, Mutant, Maiten, Hezus, Dynamite, Keen, Walter, g1l, AzShadow, Silencer, Zorbos, El Gringo (Due to the number of authors and the page tag limit of 20, not all authors are tagged) Date of release:2007 Maps in package:1 Map review of Ragemap 2012 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 26, 2023 | 5410 characters      Ragemap 2012 is the 2012 Ragemap compilation map for Sven Co-op. Like Ragemap before it, this is a heavy collaboration between many mappers, quilting together several vignettes of varying quality and style. Most of them follow a fairly linear action focus, but there are also lots of visual setpieces and puzzles mixed in.      Given the nature

Ragemap 2012 - GrandmasterJ

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      I'm so angry! Because of this map! Because it is a RAGE map! We return to the collaborative community series with the 2012 edition, more rage and more map. SCMapDB page Authors: Nih, Puchi, Protector, RNG, JPolito, JaF, Tuesday's Avenger, StreamFox, CubicVirtuoso, Aurora, Prinzmetal, Zombiner, Mutant, Maiten, Hezus, Dynamite, Keen, Walter, g1l, AzShadow, Silencer, Zorbos, El Gringo (Due to the number of authors and the page tag limit of 20, not all authors are tagged) Date of release:2007 Maps in package:1 Map review of Ragemap 2012 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 26, 2023 | 4641 characters      More rage in more map. This iteration of the community made ragemaps once again has an incredible diversity of gameplay, architecture, sounds, themes, and everything else. I would even say its got a bit more rage than the original too. So much stuff that it comes in two maps instead of the original's one.      This map is much like the other rage

Ragemap - Dunkelschwamm

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      Do you like to rage? The Ragemap is a community driven effort where many authors contribute parts of a map. The result is a crazy patchwork of different ideas with something new to see around every corner. SCMapDB page Author: A1win, Archanor, cold_blood3d, Crapaccino, cyberdaemon, Dred_furst, Dynamite, El Gringo, Fourth Letter, Frostbite, BlueFeena, g1l, Hezus, JPolito, Killer12137, Mr. Mazur, Nih, Police L.T., cSMG, Puchi, Qwerty, SharkMan, Silencer, Slay, The_6th_Monkey, WAR_Nuker (Due to the number of authors and the page tag limit of 20, not all authors are tagged) Date of release:2007 Maps in package:1 Map review of Ragemap (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 26, 2023 | 3266 characters      Ragemap is an action walkthrough map for Sven Co-op comprised of multiple one-hour map segments stitched together by various authors. Does it work?      The bread and butter of this map is standard Sven Co-op action walkthrough affair- crowbar, wrench, m

Ragemap - GrandmasterJ

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      Do you like to rage? The Ragemap is a community driven effort where many authors contribute parts of a map. The result is a crazy patchwork of different ideas with something new to see around every corner. SCMapDB page Authors: A1win, Archanor, cold_blood3d, Crapaccino, cyberdaemon, Dred_furst, Dynamite, El Gringo, Fourth Letter, Frostbite, BlueFeena, g1l, Hezus, JPolito, Killer12137, Mr. Mazur, Nih, Police L.T., cSMG, Puchi, Qwerty, SharkMan, Silencer, Slay, The_6th_Monkey, WAR_Nuker (Due to the number of authors and the page tag limit of 20, not all authors are tagged) Date of release:2007 Maps in package:1 Map review of Ragemap (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 26, 2023 | 3839 characters      I've never played a ragemap before this so I was pretty excited. It went more or less like I expected, a wild shifting landscape with all sorts of stuff to see and do. Every room offered something new.      I suppose the 'rage' part of this map is du

Big Scientists - Dunkelschwamm

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      Welcome back to Black Mesa where the scientists are now extra big! This is a very short mod that's been dropped into Sven Co-op to fend for itself. SCMapDB page Original map author: Wil5on Conversion author: Newbai1045 Date of original mod release: 2003 Date of final Sven Map release: 2017 Maps in package:10 Map review of Big Scientists (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by dunkelschwamm | February 19, 2023 | 5015 characters      Big Scientists is a meta mod conversion, because it's an experimental mod about an experiment gone wrong gone wrong. There are 9 maps, yet combined they are barely as much gameplay as many single maps offer. However, for what is there, Big Scientists is an action walkthrough map with a couple cute ideas spread among an otherwise uninspired, unloved project.      The conceit is that you're at one of those fucky science bases where fucky scientists do fucky science, and this time their particular brand of fuckery is making the scientists

Big Scientists - GrandmasterJ

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      Welcome back to Black Mesa where the scientists are now extra big! This is a very short mod that's been dropped into Sven Co-op to fend for itself. SCMapDB page Original map author: Wil5on Conversion author: Newbai1045 Date of original mod release: 2003 Date of final Sven Map release: 2017 Maps in package:10 Map review of Big Scientists (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by GrandmasterJ | February 19, 2023 | 5248 characters      By now I've played a lot of maps. I've played plenty of conversions as well. Most conversions have a minimum of care put in place to ensure a smoother experience for more players, this one does not. It has all the problems of a Half-Life mod being dropped into Sven Co-op as-is on top of the problem of not being a very good mod in the first place.      We start off in a helicopter with a bunch of scientists. These are normal sized scientists, very disappointing. We can look out the door of the helicopter and see a big rectangle textured lik

Between Two Worlds - Dunkelschwamm

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      Between Two Worlds is a Half-Life 1 mod that, as best I can tell, was released in 1999. What we have on the Sven Co-op map database is the first three levels just dropped right into the map folder with zero work done on converting it to actually work. It's playable at the very least. SCMapDB page Author:Andreas Bauer Date of release:1999 Maps in package: 3 Map review of Between Two Worlds (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 16, 2023 | 5175 characters      Between Two Worlds is a Half-Life modification by Andreas "Widowmaker" Bauer. You can learn more about it here: https://www.runthinkshootlive.com/posts/between-two-worlds/      Hosted here on Sven Co-op Map Database is the first three maps of this 9 map mod. It's odd that the rest of the maps aren't included, as my buddy and I threw the last 6 maps into Sven Co-op and they worked about as well as these maps do- which is to say they're abrupt, poorly optimized for co-op pl

Between Two Worlds - GrandmasterJ

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      Between Two Worlds is a Half-Life 1 mod that, as best I can tell, was released in 1999. What we have on the Sven Co-op map database is the first three levels just dropped right into the map folder with zero work done on converting it to actually work. It's playable at the very least. SCMapDB page Author:Andreas Bauer Date of release:1999 Maps in package: 3 Map review of Between Two Worlds (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 16, 2023 | 4758 characters      From what I can gather, this is an unfinished mod for Half-Life that got dropped into Sven Co-op wholesale with zero modification to adjust it for cooperative multiplayer. What we get off the map database is the first three maps of a mod that really isn't all that good.      We start off in a glass dome with a scientist walking over to a button. He presses the button and I guess that button just sets off resonance cascades because that's what happened. My teammate broke out of the glass a

Big Cave 2 - Dunkelschwamm

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    Climb down into a cave system with a lot of science hallways and industrial rooms. The cave itself certainly is big and the map ends once it is explored in a linear fashion. SCMapDB page Author: amckern Date of release: 2019 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Big Cave 2 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 13, 2023 | 5354 characters      Big Cave 2 is an action walkthrough map for Sven Co-op featuring immense scale, impressive brushwork and textures, and some hit-or-miss gameplay.      The idea is that there's a huge base built into the side of a cave. The map is very vertical, with players descending deeper and deeper into the big cave and the base which burrows throughout. The cave is of truly immense scale, and the brush and texture work are fantastic. Not only are the natural structures some of the finest I've seen in the goldsrc engine, but the interiors of the base really manage to make industrial, grungy, brutalist subterranean complex

Big Cave 2 - GrandmasterJ

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      Climb down into a cave system with a lot of science hallways and industrial rooms. The cave itself certainly is big and the map ends once it is explored in a linear fashion. SCMapDB page Author: amckern Date of release: 2019 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Big Cave 2 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 13, 2023 | 6782 characters      As advertised, this map has a BIG CAVE. The story isn't real clear, but we traverse the cave and get to a small door to end the level. It's sort of a beautiful and confusing experience.      Players start in a small camp with a tent, big fan thing, and some ladders down into the BIG CAVE. The tent has a clear window and we can see that it's got a teleporter, but the door doesn't open. We can climb on top of the tent and see that there is no texture on top, so we can see through the level and see a huge vertical climb down ahead of us. The CAVE is at the bottom of a very long shaft with the ladders. The

Unholy - Dunkelschwamm

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      Don't let the fancy title screen that looks like the X-Files fool you, this is a Black Mesa adventure. Players take on the role of scientists trying to escape the disaster, unsuccessfully. SCMapDB page Original map author:LetKyx Team Conversion author: Outerbeast Date of original mod release:2004 Date of final Sven Map release: 2019 Maps in package:4 Map review of Unholy (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by dunkelschwamm | February 11, 2023 | 3117 characters      Unholy is a Half-Life mod converted to Sven Co-op. The mod is a short 4-map walkthrough starring two scientists discussing the story of their daring escapades through the Black Mesa complex as the resonance cascade wreaks havoc.      Throughout the story, players can expect to very slowly gain weaponry, only ever achieving as much as a basic boilerplate loadout of an MP5, pistol, revolver, and shotgun, with some hand grenades to round out the very final encounters. Most of the map involves battling xen creat

Unholy - GrandmasterJ

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      Don't let the fancy title screen that looks like the X-Files fool you, this is a Black Mesa adventure. Players take on the role of scientists trying to escape the disaster, unsuccessfully. SCMapDB page Original map author:LetKyx Team Conversion author: Outerbeast Date of original mod release:2004 Date of final Sven Map release: 2019 Maps in package:4 Map review of Unholy (originally posted on SCMapDB)  by GrandmasterJ | February 11, 2023 | 2613 characters      Unholy is a Half-Life mod that takes place back in Black Mesa, this time we play as a scientist and the twist is we aren't as cool as Gordon Freeman. Honestly the whole thing is mostly vents and is mercifully short.      We start off with a cutscene, I get to see it but my teammate who joins after the map starts does gets to watch a wall. After turning off survival mode we get into the map proper and its a lot of vents. There are some rooms, some hallways, tons of vents, and it is all Black Mesa themed so it

Zapper - Dunkelschwamm

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      One room with a big zapper in the middle and three hallways on the sides spitting out scientists who run straight into the laser. It's all automatic, there is nothing players can do but watch the lemmings die. SCMapDB page Author: Unknown Date of release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Wrath (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 11, 2023 | 1477 characters      Zapper is map for Sven Co-op which shows off the applications of a scientific zapping machine. To that end, a zapping machine sits in the middle of a room between 3 scientist spawning corridors. Each is drawn to the laser like a moth to a flame. With an "argh!" they fall prone, luring the next scientist in to resurrect. For a scientist zapper, it gets jammed with scientists a lot. Alas, I feel this was probably far more functional before the scientists were updated to resurrect one another.      The map also looks pretty nice, with the zapping machine itself being very we

Zapper - GrandmasterJ

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      One room with a big zapper in the middle and three hallways on the sides spitting out scientists who run straight into the laser. It's all automatic, there is nothing players can do but watch the lemmings die. SCMapDB page Author: Unknown Date of release: 2000 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Wrath (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 11, 2023 | 1375 characters      This map is very simple. There is one room with a big laser device in the middle of it. There is a console attached to it but it does nothing, ignore the console, do not bother with the console. Scientists spawn in from three short hallways and they sprint directly into the laser beam in the center of the machine. That is the entire map.      The map looks pretty good, a lot of detail went into the laser. Arcs of electricity power it from the sides, big dual pronged machines along the walls. Scientists will try to revive friendly NPCs and players, so some scientists would revive a budd

Splatter of Matter - Dunkelschwamm

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    The map description says 'jump around on steel beams' and it certainly looks like that in the screenshot, but there is a minimum of jumping. Walk up the beams to the top, explore dead end hallways, and maybe jump to your doom. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Splatter of Matter (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 11, 2023 | 1224 characters      Splatter-of-matter (or SOM for short) is a Sven-Coop map experience by robootto. It features a four-way symmetrical layout (or, as my buddy pointed out, "rotational symmetry") and a spiral ascent with branching hallways. One hallway leads to a shotgun shell room. The rest lead to dead ends, though some of those dead ends also have ammo. There's a ring of every weapon at the bottom where the players spawn. If you jump from the highest point down to the middle, you will gib and splatter. I have to imagine that is the intent of the map.

Splatter of Matter - GrandmasterJ

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      The map description says 'jump around on steel beams' and it certainly looks like that in the screenshot, but there is a minimum of jumping. Walk up the beams to the top, explore dead end hallways, and maybe jump to your doom. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Splatter of Matter (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 11, 2023 | 1370 characters      I was afraid this was going to be a hardcore climbing map, but it's really not. The whole map is one big room with a series of metal bars connecting platforms in the corners. There is no jumping around needed, just balancing on the bars is enough.      The way the map is laid out, there is a hallway at each corner of each landing, enticing the player with no less than 12 dead ends. At the top there are actual rooms down these hallways but only one door opened and it only had shotgun shells. One other room had shotgun shells as well but the other r

Big Room Guy 3 - Dunkelschwamm

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      The whole map is a skatepark, with one half indoors in what one would call a big room, and the other half is outdoors. There is a drivable skateboard but it is on a track and does not go outside. SCMapDB page Author: Unknown Date of release: 2001 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Big Room Guy 3 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 11, 2023 | 2477 characters      Big Room Guy 3 is a hangout map for Sven Co-op featuring two skateparks and one skateboard between them- and NO they may not share. Skate around inside of an indoor skatepark, becoming the envy of your friends and enemies alike. Walk around in an outdoor skatepark, wistfully wishing you either could bring the skateboard outside or at least open any of the doors out here.      The indoor skatepark includes the basic accoutrement one may expect: rails, quarterpipes ramps, the works. There's also a bar with taps which make funny sounds. This interior looks pretty nice, is conveyed simply,

Big Room Guy 3 - GrandmasterJ

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      The whole map is a skatepark, with one half indoors in what one would call a big room, and the other half is outdoors. There is a drivable skateboard but it is on a track and does not go outside. SCMapDB page Author: Unknown Date of release: 2001 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Big Room Guy 3 (originally posted on SCMapDB) by GrandmasterJ | February 11, 2023 | 1750 characters      This map is a pretty cool skate park. There are two areas, an indoor park complete with bar area and rideable skateboard, and an outdoor park with no interactive things but it does have enticing doors that to not go anywhere.      The rideable skateboard is pretty cool, it's stuck to a track and rides around the level, going up and down ramps. It will absolute splatter anybody who gets in the way. The rest of the map is just half-pipes, rails, and other constructions that aren't really fun to interact with in the goldsrc engine. That skateboard is really the best thing in the map and t

Big Coop Map - Dunkelschwamm

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      If you are looking for a lengthy cooperative experience with a friend then you could do a lot worse than this map. It may be a bit generic, it is called 'Big Coop Map' after all but the title is accurate and its not bad. SCMapDB page Author: Robootto Date of release: 2005 Maps in package: 1 Map review of Big Coop Map (originally posted on SCMapDB) by dunkelschwamm | February 11, 2023 | 4109 characters      Big Coop Map (BCM for short) is an action walkthrough map for Sven Co-op with a military complex theme. Battle a little bit of each faction in a surrealist, nightmarish take on Half-Life gameplay.      While the map begins with some fairly standard outdoor urban combat with turrets and snipers, the moment you enter the complex is the moment you fall down the rabbit hole. This map looks on the surface like a beginner's Black Mesa imitation map, but it is wacky. Consoles (yes, plural) will display an inaccessible dance hall full of aliens when used. Walls