Disclaimer

  I not only authored this level but humbly offer my own review of it as well.
I realize the many qualifications of creating an excellent product & sincerely
hold confidence that I can accurately judge & present a fair & unbiased review.
I strive to critique my own effort, while retaining cognizance of the necessary
accountability to the stringent-standards of the overall mapping-community.


Architectural Design

  This raucous playground is solidly-built for the kiddies on your menu. Set in
symmetrical-waste, a German-style pillbox is situated to one side of the small,
rectangular arena. The most intense-fighting is focused near the RL in front of
this bunker. From atop, one can maintain a tactical-position over the majority
of the level.

  Architecturally, the station is fairly simple. Stout pillars tower above the arena &
along the 4 side-rooms, providing support for heavy-blocking to which the walls
are attached. It seems to integrate well into the terrain as you'll find a large, arid
lava-cave at one end. The overall design promotes fast gameplay on what is almost
a flatland approach like the early-tiers of Q3.


Atmosphere & Lighting

  Its open-air design inhibits feelings of claustrophobia while reducing the layout.
Ambience is appropriate, yet subtle enough to keep all the battles very much in
focus. I rather enjoy the implementation of a rotating-sky. It makes you feel as
though you're stranded in a remote-outpost, forever lost on a deserted asteroid.

  The sourced-lighting is well-done. Hallways are a bit on the dark-side & the
lava-cave is darker still, ominous even. With default gamma-settings, my TNT
renders the level just fine. But I've heard a few reports of the map being too dark.
I was unsatisified with the non-sourced lighting in the cave at release but feel
that its mood increases realism to mild degree.


Style & Textures

  Waste is the main texture-set used in Millennium & is one of my favorites.
I'll admit the walls are drab & definately cry-out for more detail. Furthermore,
my choice of the few textures making an appearance is average. Being only my
second-level though, I must state that my consistency is much better than before.
It has been said that the bunker seems a bit out of place in this level. Perhaps a
different texture might have enhanced its fit, but I think not.

  The lava-room looks fairly nice. This was my first attempt at ground-work & I
tried to make it look natural & as realistic as possible without killing the r_speeds.
I think this was accomplished but also believe I could have done even better if I
had more time of course. The stalactite-stalagmite combo is a nice touch.

  As with my previous level, I levied a painstaking attention to detail. I'm sure that
any texture-misalignments can be found only in the cave. Gratefully, this becomes
irrelevant due to the lighting & frenetic-pace of this map.


Weapons, Ammo, & Items

  All weapons save the BFG & SG make their presence. Placements are close to
every spawn-point & is probably average considering the limited size of the board.

  I let you start with a MG as opposed to the feared blaster. I've enclosed all my
DM-spawns inside little boxes outside the main-level. I drop the weapon on a
teleport which is placed on the spawn. This way, you'll spawn, grab the MG &
teleport into the level. Beautiful, all this happens so quickly that you think you
spawn holding the MG. Granted, the MG is not all that powerful but is plenty to
take out that rail-totin' bitch you might come across.

  The Body Armor is with the Quad-Damage on the plateau in the cave. Quite an
equitable RJ there but take care if you miss, for you'll sizzle half your health
away as you take the lava-plunge. Also in the cave is the hyperblaster. The only
reason I put this weapon into the mix was to really just give the player some extra
cells for the Power-Shield which is found to the side of the bunker in the arena.
It is almost ineffective but indeed gives you something extra to play around with.

  The items seem haphazardly thrown about or left behind. They sit at random
angles almost like they are in disarray. The bandolier is teamed with a backpack
which means they share alternate spawns. This teaming is also done with the
Combat & Jacket on the bunker.

  The Mega-Health is not an easy reach during the heat of battle in the arena
where most battles take place. It is fairly-high up on a ledge & requires an
accurate rocket-jump to net. A hook-mod aids alot here & in the lava-room.

  The Railgun can be obtained by running up the curved-bridge between the
side-halls. You have the chance to stockup on some quick shards while you're
at it as they lead the RG on both sides. If you're down on health, hug the wall
leading into the cave & jump up on the door-frame. Adrenaline! I love to turn the
tables on my foes by jumping through then whippin' a 180 on their asses as I drop
down & run back through the doorway.

  Now that you have your precious Rail, RJ up to one of our prime camping-ledges.
These are found in the arena, side-halls, & connecting hall above the doorways.
Wait... wait.. just a little more... Next!


Balance & Gameplay

  While specifically designed for 1v1, extreme-gibbage occurs in the confines
with 3+ in FFA. The most unwelcome aspect is the fact that there are so many
places & items requiring a rocket-jump in order to attain. In most cases however,
the reward is very equitable. Although it becomes much more challenging to
navigate safely as the player-load increases.

  Everthing is nicely balanced in Millennium. The mirrored-layout presents
a regularity to expecting where players will be. One might get trapped in the
U-shaped hall running behind the bunker though. This is due to great connectivity
between the arena, side-halls, & behind the bunker itself.

In the lava-room you'll find a plateau, an RJ is all that is needed. Once up, you'll
see a teleporter that assembles you inside the bunker in the arena. Grab the
Grenade Launcher & start tossing your boom-boom pineapples out the slits
wrapping around the front corners of the bunker. Visibility is decent from within.
Another tele ports you up top & outside once again to join the fray.

  Assisisting your vertical-element, you'll find Q3-style jumppads. One puts you
on top of the bunker in the arena, & one in each of the side-halls land you up the
next level. A peculiar feature of the 2 pads in the halls is that they are each
constructed with two trigger-pushes. One gives the elevation, while the other
pushes you horizontally onto the floor above. This right-angle movement of your
character indeed feels a little weird. In addition, the existence of the horizontal-
pushes actually prohibit you from jumping down while coming from the deck
above. Simply run off the edge instead rather than jumping.

  From atop the bunker, you can basically dominate the lay of the land & actually
herd players in any direction you choose. In 1v1 play, you can try to out-camp
each-other in a game of cat & mouse, or have an all-out war. Controlling the RL
or preventing someone who has just spawned from reaching it seems to be where
the action always is.


Technical & Presentation

  I am very pleased with the technical aspects of Millennium. In general, my
approach in development was fast with a coarse grid. This manifests itself by the
architecture revealing a heavy demeanor. The result is much lower r_speeds. I think
they average <200 & peak in the higher-400s when looking from one side-hall
across the arena to the other.

  Unfortunately since I rushed this level out the door, it lacks proper
implementation of hint-brushes. Absolutley no clip-brushes were necessary
though. The only areas where you might get hung up is around the base of the
columns which actually make for other prime camping-spots. These are large
enough as to not require the use of clips.

  There are no console-errors upon loading. As in my previous level, the
documentation provided is top-notch work. To my knowledge, all relevant
information is included & contains no typographical errors.


Conclusion

  I pulled a winner out of my ass with this one. Without question, this puppy
ROCKS with as little as 3 players! Remember Q2DM7 full with maxclients=8?
The furious gameplay is really what makes this level outshine many others out
there. Its back-end connectivity allows domination that hasn't been seen really
since Q1. Millennium plays very well over the Internet & I'm so glad that its
reciept was so favorable. The layout is too simplified but you cannot argue with
the great time found in this map... B