Jazz Jackrabbit 2 Online

Prelude
Surely not the first level but the first upload of Plumbe, Crystalline. The word itself means something consisting or made of crystal. Hm, the most logical story I can imagine behind this, is a spaceship, gathering minerals from planets. Sounds cool, even fits the level that way.

Eyecandy
The easiest thing in making a level, still it takes a deal of time. This tileset is quite popular, what to say, i didn’t ever try it, guessably it’s easy to use. Basically it differs from the exisiting levels, is natural and not chaotic, not overdone. With the lowest detail it don’t get way too bad, so it is okay, but probably the one thing you could improve in it, to optimize it for low detail (put all layer 4 backgrounds to layer 5, put layer 3 eyecandy to layer 2). It’s not that important, don’t misunderstand it. I didn’t find any tilebugs, so in my opinion it deserves a high rating.

Rating:23/25

Gameplay
Due to the big amount of ammo, in lead with the seeker crates (EDIT: well i think the seeker crates were fine, you shoudln’t have modfied that thing) and 2 damage PUs the game is full of action. Followed by a relatively small size (as it’s designed for 3v3 and more), but after a 4v4 and a 3v3 i can state that it is pretty much fun. I will mention certean places. To begin with, there is the Toaster PU’s area. it’s kind of campy but can be a trap too. The problem isn’t with that anyway. The trig scenerys block you from shooting in seekers (from the last version it’s partly fixed), and if want to prevent people from going in with tricks, you just need to make the walls of the entrances sharp like this . About the carrot: it’s hardly campable which is definetly a nice thing. Anyway if you shoot it, it usually sets to be in different places for different players. The place under the base is a little weird, there is a fly carrot for going up, which is only acessable for the team of that side. It’s possible to RF climb/WJ up there. Despite its only for the team it doesn’t help, it’s not faster than going up with the springs 15 tiles away, not even put you to the base instantly, you can still be shot easily. The flow is generally fine, yet needs some time to get used to, i rarely find myself hitting the walls, from certean springs. One note about the Team triggers, if nomovement is on and someone uses GMR to get to the base, he can avoid to touch the trig zones, this could be easily changed like this .

Rating:28/35

Layout
To start off, The bases are placed in the sides of the level in the middle height, connected with three main ways. The question of balancing is just a piece of cake, with the symmetry. Yet if look at it, every important thing is in the higher half. This doesn’t mean that the lower half is useless though, you may use it for your adventage, to hide, because people less likely come there. In the middle, the tube with the blaster PU and coinwarp is unique, i like it, even though it isn’t a crucial part of the level, you can access both the carrot and toaster with orher (faster) entrances. Well i don’t know if i missed anything, i already mentioned several parts of the level above.

Rating:12/15

Pickups
There we have RF and Toaster at each side, they are quite close to the base, as with that the spawns. If you died, you have a good chance to begin with a PU. More as a fact, than a bad thing, The PUs aren’t controllable as they are spread out in the level. The type choices are great, no upgaded Bnc and Seeker, the bouncy wouldn’t have too much use and the seeker one would be too strong. The rest of the 2 damage dealers are there, making the survival a little extreme as there is only one full carrot, which is in the center of the map (considering that the warps are the bottom lead to it). The seeker crates are pretty useful what to say, they usually fill your pockets on your way. You rarely have to care about running out of a type of armour, i think its a good point. However the bottom of the level doesn’t have much in it, it could keep some pepper spray, which is a great weapon in linear maps. I can’t deny anyway, RF is superior to pepper in chance of hitting. Each of the pickups are takeable without any tricks, although with electroblaster, you can get the blaster and the RF from below.

Rating:20/23

Music
Fits.

Rating:2/2

Ending
Well deserved to be in the national tournament mappool. Nicely done!
Playing a 4v4:
[13:59:20] [GpW]Kenny: if id rate this it would be 10
[14:03:26] KrytGpW: EPIC MAP

8.5/10
~RabidRabb