Urban Terror Review: Ricochet by WetWired
Ricochet by Brent “WetWired” Waller
| Brent “WetWired” Waller | Score: 5.2 | By Oswald |
A shopping mall car park it is approaching closing time for its shoppers and store owners, but for others the sales are just beginning. As you and your team members wait for the car park to clear, your team finalizes the attack plan one last time. The sniping team has rooftop secured, will provide your cover. Your team awaits the arrival of the armored guard to restock the Automatic Teller Machines. Things are not as straightforward as they seem, someone has ratted you out. In place of the armored van, pulls up it the UTPD S.W.A.T. team. Can your team on the ground handle the opposition? Will your snipers provide you with the cover you need? Just as the sweat drips down your brow into your eyes the streets are engulfed with the sounds from the hailstorm of gunfire. As the bullets fly past your ear and ricochets dance at your feet, you begin to panic…Welcome to Ricochet.
Texturing [5.0]
Probably the first area you will take notice of, is the use of texturing through out Ricochet. Unlike any other Urban Terror map, Ricochet seems to have textures that complement each other exceptional well through the entire map. The texturing brings this concrete parking garage to life, with the most realistic looking textures to date. The rough contour edges of earthen rock and the cold, life less, grey concrete are just a few of the flawless texturing used to create this carpark. Stainless steel glimmers on handrails and ventilation shifts. All the colors seem to mesh and complement each other. The only aspect which I found a bit lacking, was the solid white lines, which divides the street and garage. While it helped to break up the monotony of the cold, grey concrete, it was lacking the nice fluid curves we are used to seeing on streets. It looks and feels like an after thought in an attempt to increase the detail.
Ambiance: [5.5]
Much too often, ambiance is taken for granted, or worse yet, not even considered. This is definitely not the case in Ricochet. The evening setting is brought to life by a plethora of sounds, coupled with the outstanding lighting effects sets the tone for the rest of the map. Crickets are chirping, air conditioner fans are whirling and sounds of splashing water all work to create a level of ambiance, yet unmatched. When you wander into the atrium, you could actually loose yourself in the serenity of the small, lily covered pond, which is lit by the glass skylight, as the night light cascades onto the water giving off a white glow through the knee high fog. Step out onto the roof and your movement is concealed by the whirling of air conditioning fans and pyramid shaped glass work. Seems one of the SID guys left their blue pick up truck running in the garage. The interiors are aglow in warmth of yellow lighting cast down from the ceilings, which helps to offset the outdoor lighting, which feel more crisp and clean, like a chilly winter evening.
Creative Spark: [5.0]
Finally an Urban Terror map that is ready to stand up and be recognized above and beyond the Urban Terror community. WetWired brings to life a seemingly lifeless carpark, through the use of many effective items. First off the layout receives top billing, which is the foundation to any successful map. WetWired practices what he preaches, leaving gamers with optional routes when faced with a challenging situation. The layout is further supported by the high quality texturing used on every square inch of the map. This build of Ricochet has access to much of the interior, which is split into two levels, without usable elevators, players must access a single hallway, or climb the latticework to gain access to a secluded perch in a library. Not the best option at times. The garage winds diagonally under the map, allowing access into the office building via two separate doors. Roof areas provide a good birds-eye view of the streets below.
Construction: [5.5]
A very well balanced layout, which could prove to have many dead areas. Fortunately with the skill of a surgeon, WetWired has been able to keep the game flow moving and the action fast paced. Gamers seem to be drawn to a few particular areas, such as the library upstairs and the corner of the roof above one of the garage entrances. The map moves flawlessly behind the strength of the Quake III engine, which is not even straining to reproduce this amazing looking map. WetWired took advantage of the ‘func_breakable’ and included quite a bit of glass. This added to the aesthetics and overall appearance of the map. Check out the domed glass ceiling in the atrium, as is the spiral staircase leading up to the room. Just some amazing work!
Playability: [5.0]
When it comes to the, “thrill of the chase,” Ricochet does not leave you standing still. To be successful on this map, players must coordinate their movement as a team and not individuals. With many areas having multiple access routes, you always need to paying attention to your backside movement. “CHECK YOUR SIX!” This is no more true when attempting to hold and control the rooftop. That door leading onto the roof can sometimes become forgotten, that also goes for the ladder in the storage room beneath.. That door plays a dual role as well. Snipers located across the street can have near perfect aim if forgotten about, while could lead to a turkey shoot for one team. Don’t get caught playing in the streets, this could get you killed. You should of listened to your mother when you were younger! The library has been redesigned and now gives gamers better protection, but also allows for more maneuverability when climb up the wall. The garage is the last area where many teams face off. Again, it is all about teamwork and watching your back. If a well coordinated team gains the upper hand, it is all over.
6th Sense: [5.5]
Ricochet deserves all the praise and attention is has been receiving. WetWired has produced a quality map, which takes the overall quality of Urban Terror mapping to a new level. While he did not include any revolutionary ideas or introduce anything new in terms of features, he never fails to pay attention to the small things. Details. I am not only talking about the audible or visual detail, but the technical aspects which need to be taken into account, such as line of sight and player tendencies to gravitate to those “dead” or secure areas of a map.
Final Score: [5.2]
[Oswald] What can I say? This level was really the one that other maps were compared to. WetWired did an amazing job on the entire level, to create a unique gaming environment. This is what all Urban Terror maps yearn to be when they grow up. Ricochet was designed by a gamer for the gaming community. When it comes to the areas that factor into a successful map, WetWired does not come up short. His expertise and experience in level design never ceases to amaze. It just leaves of begging the question. What next?
