i knew i had seen that link somewhere, but i had thought it was in this thread. when i couldn't find it, i thought i was imagining things. :P 

Strong points: sense of place, solid architectural feel, twisty route, great ogre, scrag, zombie, knight placement.

Weak points: tight quarters and no clip brushes means that i took a lot of damage from getting snagged on pillars and stuff. Lighting should have been gloomier. Larger rooms needed larger forms (arches spanning the broad ceilings would have helped.) Few memorable locations. Vore placement rarely effective.

Also, the flat stone texture on exposed insides of broken arches/pillars that have brick texture on the surface is weird; are they made of bricks or solid stone? 

I must admit I found both the visuals (textures and maze-like corridors) and gameplay very repetitive, which took down the experience quite a bit. Like others have said here, too tight, cramped and since there was quite a bit of backtracking, I also felt lost pretty often.

However, the few big open areas were great, especially the final arena where I found it challenging (in a good way) to find a place not getting ambushed from behind while monsters kept teleporting in. The exploding ground was also well made.

I didn't like the particular rock textures much (a bit Manke-ish), but the rock formations and chasms were very attractive and believable. Lighting was also very good, a bit dark maybe. Weapons, ammo and challenge were all well balanced. I found a few secrets but they were pretty well hidden. I think the repetitive architecture helped a lot in hiding the secrets.

Technically it's an excellent map, but I find your previous work more fun to play. 

"... the flat stone texture on exposed insides of broken arches/pillars that have brick texture on the surface is weird" -
award winning Call of duty has that allover the place 

its a lot easier than making custom textures for each damaged section that reflect where the bricks are inside the arch or pillar that has been damaged. 

It doesn't make any sense but it looks good. 

is that there isnt a feasible alternative that makes sense 

http://www.planetquake.com/speedy/shite/sshot0estalk.jpg 

Yeah I'm looking forward to that one. 

Don't ever, ever, never ever use clip brushes on a map like this: it will totally ruin it - you're SUPPOSED to get caught on the jutty-out bits! You have to adjust your position just right within your location to dodge (say) Shambler attacks, and if you don't, you die. And if players are bored with dying they must, in reality, be bored with the game in general. And that may be the point in forums such as this: I wonder how many contributors are real, honest-to-God players?

Why should PLAYERS want the maps to be easier in layout terms: perhaps they are not players in the true sense but merely onlookers having to play through just to see the point of the map, examine architecture, see the quality of the build etc. I do very often see comments like "had to no-clip", "played in God Mode" etc. You didn't have to do that, you chose to. If you keep dying using one method of play should't you think differently?

Clip brushes have a place in map building but only to avoid 'accidental' snags or to assit the map builder in non-critical areas, but not just to allow the player to run through the map faster (speed running apart).

And here the rant do endeth.

Anyway, brilliant map, best for a long time. Didn't find any secrets as I was too busy with death - it took me 36 minutes and I never lost my way. Quake as it should be.

Well done CZG and thank you.

Honestly now, how long to build the map from start to finish? 

 

...and possibly controversial points, FMB dood. 

I was so keen to play the map that I "couldn't be bothered" to read the text. So, the jokes on me then.

However, perhaps "Been in the workings for maybe a few months" is like January to December? ( That's a compliment czg, 'cause I know I couldn't do it)

And, Shambler, the points really aren't meant to be controversial. But I do get frustrated to see so much effort going to waste because people don't 'play the game'. If people did try to play the game as it was meant to be played I am sure they would get even more enjoyment than they do just by looking around a map.

And that is why we must continue to encourage all of the new mappers, not tear them to shreds because we don't like their texture set (or whatever).

And, brothers, I feel a march coming on. Onwards and upwards, revolution is in the air. The proletariat is revolting! 

And that is why we must continue to encourage all of the new mappers, not tear them to shreds because we don't like their texture set (or whatever).

but some people use some pretty ugly textures... :P 

"so much effort going to waste because people don't 'play the game'."

how true
there are like ~200 ppl who still play qukae 

how true
there are like ~200 ppl who still play qukae

Wow, you must be an all-seeing all-knowing oracle to know figures as accurate as that. 

to his credit, he did put the ~ infront. ;) 

there are 156 ppl
and i'm tracking everyone 

well, there is actually 200 users of this board, counting metl and two moderators 

not all listed there are alive or playing quake. yet i know some ppl who never visited this board but play quake. 

There are only 2 people playing Quake, yourself and someone else. The rest of the accounts are just the other posting as differant names. 

not all listed there are alive

Von rules. 

...that was so profound,it scared me for a moment. 

� 

Quite a few demos have been made on Februus already:

http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~sda/mkt.pl?level:februus