Hi, my name is Jay and  I will be updating this site from now on. I'm looking forward to playing and reviewing some great Quake II levels.  I will continue to update the site as the GuRu did for a wile until I get the new design worked out. 

Well, I have decided to put an end to this Quake 2 review site. This is part my decision and part someone else's who's name I will leave anonymous. My plan was to continue doing this for a long time, but things have come to a sudden abrupt end to force me to put an end to this. Someone does not "approve" of this site from a 23 year older, (all laughs aside) plus I no longer have the time now, or in the future to update, so today is the day I will call it the end. I'm angry about the whole situation and did not really want to stop doing this.  Looking down the road in my life, it is probably not a bad idea though. This day would have come sooner or later. Unfortunately, this day has come sooner for me then later. 

I will still play Quake 2 maps, I just will not be able to run this site and write reviews. If anyone is interested in taking over, a matter a fact, having it all to yourself, send me an E-mail. My only requirements: Keep this a Q2 review site, reviewing maps (daily if possible) and must keep my old archives up and give me credit somewhere on your page of me starting the site. Everything else, including a new logo, new name, new look, new idea's, and a completely new direction is welcomed. I don't want this site to just disappear and I would like it to remain. There aren't as many map review site's out for the Quake community as you might think and we need them. Let me know if you are interested and I'll hook you up. L8er-and look for my maps in the near future. 

Note: If you are interested and E-mail me, I will reply back to you in about a week or two. I will not have access to a computer until then.  
 

Map Name: The Building of Pain 
File Name: tbop.zip 
Text File: tbop.txt 
File Size: 337KB 
Type: DM 
Recommended Players: 2-3 
Difficulty Settings: N/A 
Author: Justin "Stryker" Siek 
Date Released: August 1, 1998 
Note/Additional Info: Copy tbop.rtz file to Eraser Route Directory. 

1 new DM map The Building of Pain by Justin "Stryker" Siek It's a small DM map made for mainly 1 on 1 action. This map is a perfect example that detail doesn't always make a map successful. This map happens to be successful one that plays perfect as a DM map. The author has substituted detail to get the r_speeds down and it seems to have paid off. I rather have a map like this any day then to have a poorly designed, over used textures, complex architecture that slows down the map, and overall plays like shit. It is always nice to have fancy architecture with lots of detail, but you can still make good quality maps without all that eye candy.  

1 on 1 action is a lot of fun, and I would even recommend having more play on this map, even though it is on the small side. The bots behaved all right with the routes included, but still aren't the same as live competition. I felt like I was trapped in some whorehouse filled with lame incompetent half ass bots who couldn't serve me. Bots are never the same as a humans behind the control. I still had fun playing against them though. :P Download this map now and give it a try, especially if your into 1 on 1 type fighting. It gets my recommendation and stamp of approval. 

- Fixed map section. 

- Added more pics. 

- Changed a few things. 
 

No new maps today. I will try to get one up tomorrow. Please don't E-mail me to look at your old map from a month ago. I'm trying to only include new one's that are within two weeks old. Thanks. L8- 

-FAQ is now up here 
 

"I felt like I was a professional play tester getting paid the cash, and shit, when I found HOM effect errors on my third game." 

"I will not update during the weekends anymore, at least that much, for the simple fact that I actually have a life." 

Map Name: Arctic Base v1 
File Name: arcticb.zip 
Text File: arcticb.txt 
File Size: 1.29MB 
Type: SP/DM 
Recommended Players: 2-16 
Difficulty Settings: Yes 
Author: Lari Muuriaisniemi aka CryptR 
Date Released: August 1, 1998 
Note: Map is in .pak format 

1 new Single Player Map called Arctic Base v1 by Lari Muuriaisniemi aka CryptR First of all, how many review sites do you know that have a new map up and ready with a review 5 straight days in a row? Last time I checked there were none. :-)  I'm going to try to make this a regular "daily" thing as much as possible. If it was up to me, I would have a new map up every single day, but that isn't humanly possible and isn't going to happen. I will not update during the weekends anymore, at least that much, for the simple fact that I actually have a life. Can you believe it?? I'm trying not to get in that "review any map attitude" because I'm trying to exclude all maps that nobody should play and basically suck. Including only the best one's on this site will give you the benefit of only playing the best. I was actually thinking about including a WORST maps category for this site, for a laugh, to go along with the best I've played, but dropped that idea.  

My comments will hurt too many people. I don't feel like receiving neverending hate mail over simply writing and telling my feelings of a map, or trying to make a joke out of it. Right now, I think I pretty much tell a good majority of positive's, and you should consider it a positive for even being on this site. I will however, bring up a few faults and suggestion's I see with maps, if any, but will never degrade someone simply over a map. I realize once I release my map(s) to the public scene in the near future, they will be ripped to shreds, simply because I have this review site. That is not what I want. I do and will accept criticism. My maps are far from perfect. 

Now, finally to this map Arctic Base v1  This map sucked..nah j/k It's a very nice constructed single player map based in a cold arctic setting. A brand new sky and snow texture's give it the winter mountain feel and look.  The majority of the map is inside the walls of the compound, where over a 100 plus enemies are waiting. Having this many enemies increases the difficulty and I wish more would include this many in their maps, especially in the single player game. The mission objective has been implemented nicely, and flows from one to the next. It doesn't seem difficult to follow at all, which is another plus in my eyes. I was never into puzzle solving. I was never into Unreal.  

The architecture was on the extraordinary (I only use that word in reviews..heh) level, and once again, the massive amount of detail the author added is evident and can clearly be seen. There were many area's where I would look and see a couple extra things that I liked. I remember seeing some railroad tracks outside the window, which I thought added a nice touch.  The whole outer area, appeared realistic from the inside. I feel the author did a superb job getting the feeling that you were actually engulfed by the surrounding beauty of the icy wonderland. 

I actually played this map 3 times.  I felt like I was a professional play tester getting paid the cash and shit when I found HOM effect errors on my third game. This is really no big error, since you are unlikely to run into it. I found the problem near the door, towards the end, if you are wondering..This doesn't bring down the map. A matter a fact, nothing brings this map down because there is so many positive's that out weigh the negative. Download this map now and play it three times, so I'm not the only one who can be considered crazy.  

- Changed links  

- More map pics added.  

- Listened to the Real Audio Show Spew. A new show daily. :-)  

- Listened to IMMorTaL's Pointless Audio's First Official "test" live show and laughed my ass off. This guy is the God of prank calls. 
 

"Detail separates the cheesy ass maps from the good one's." 

"Best vehicles EVER designed by any author in either Quake 1 or Quake 2 map, and this is coming from someone who has played a lot of fu@#$^ maps." 

"Not all the time hard mode is actually "hard", but rather more suited to the average 4th grade elementary student." 

Map Name: Forces of Evil I 
File Name: foe1.zip 
Text File: foe1.txt 
File Size: 629KB 
Type: SP/DM 
Recommended Players: 16 starts 
Difficulty Settings: Yes 
Author: Chris Spain 
Date Released: August 1, 1998 

1 new map today by Chris Spain called Forces of Evil I A very impressive map put together that visually "looks" outstanding. A relatively small single player mission with a short objective. Lots of detail was implemented, along with some vehicle's that look exceptionally realistic. I can honestly say they are best vehicles EVER designed by any author in either Quake 1 or Quake 2 map, and this is coming from someone who has played a lot of fu@#$^ maps.  You would not think you would be able to pull off making it appear this realistic, since you are limited to Quake texture's and the basic Quake 2 engine itself. The way the effect is done, with the tank crashing threw the wall, just adds to it. I have told you in the past that I'm a detail man, and always like seeing it in maps. Detail separates the cheesy ass maps from the good one's. I did not think this map was anything special, until I went into the open area and saw how good it looks and how well it was put together. It will hit you harder than a hot chick who never returns your phone call. 

The single player mode game on hard skill was challenging.  Rarely is the hard difficulty mode created actually "hard", but rather suited more to the below average 4th grade elementary student. I'm not saying I'm on Thresh's level of game play, but I am pretty damn good, and I need a challenge, especially if I am playing the single player game. Simply not adding enough enemies, along with bad placement, is just about as bad as making a map and not including weapons in it. I wonder if people actually realize that they can ruin their entire map by simply not placing weapons in it! You wouldn't believe that it happens, but I see it all the time. I think if you spend hard hours into crafting this thing, you should at least take the time to think about adding some weapons where we can all get them and actually use them. The same goes with adjusting the difficulty level to get it up on a reasonable level. I can't believe how many maps I have played where those two things have literally ruined the map and it is a damn shame. Oh, by the way, this isn't one of those maps..hehe..Just thought I would bring that up. :-) 

The author states that this map is playable in the DM mode with 16 player's. I didn't try this map out in the DM mode, so I'm not going to really comment on it when I haven't tried it out. I will say one thing...from what I can see from the layout, it doesn't look bad for it. Lots of wide open space. Lots of wide open space period, after you leave the holding cell area. It is not actually a huge map, and I actually thought that there was going to be more to it in the area outside where the jeep is located. It ended sudden, with the text, "Make sure you save it here if you don't have the next map." What the F$%^ is that all about? I don't know if that was a joke or what. I guess it is a continuation to a map to come down the line. I don't know if I will be going back to my saved games though to play it over again where I happened to leave off at. I think the author should have waited and completed the second map if he has it set up as a series of maps that connect. Once again, that is my opinion, but that whole "save your game now" appearing where you mission briefing pops up on the screen is lame. That should have been left out. Besides this minor thing that was annoying, even though it was at the very end, it is a solid single player map that deserves a click on the mouse button. 

- Changed a few minor things 

- Added map pics (The never ending quest continues! Playing maps just to find good locations for pics isn't my idea of fun) 

- Fixed Archive mistakes.