Casablanca
Casablanca by Comic Relief
Review
Report

This tropical feeling map makes for some great fun. You can ride the flying carpet to the BFG or walk the rooftops for Quad. There are two neat spots that I'm sure you will be bound to camp. One gives you armour in small doses and the other gives health. I'll leave it to you to find them. My only big complaint is the music. Instead of including a music file, the level uses an ambient sound. The mild synth stings did not go well mixed with my MP3 collection. You can fix this by replacing the file "cb_noise.wav" in the PK3 file by placing a silent sound in the /music directory with the same name. Then delete "cb_noise.wav" from the pk3. The music didn't suck, I just wish I could turn it down. The texture mapping could use more depth, but it's only really noticeable in the flower beds.

Fun for all. Download and enjoy.

Reviewed by BadMonkey.

Second opinion

A map based on a romantic black-and-white classic could make a change from the usual cult sci-fi. However, there is little in this map that captures anything of the mood or style of it's namesake. Only a few signs bearing familiar names.

The most obvious problems are the textures. Almost the entire level is blanketed by a pale, monochromatic texture. Old fashioned adobe is perhaps what the author intended; bright and bland is the actual result. Most of the surfaces underfoot are equally drab. One feature I did like was an accurate rendering of a roulette table, but it's out of place.

The texture problems are compounded by the architecture. Archways appear in every structure, but no attempt seems to have been made to take advantage of the Quake 3 engine's potential. They are badly faceted, with no texture alignment. Furniture and wall details use too few brushes to be convincing, and proportions make traversing the level awkward. Lighting in places is moody and subtle, but in others frustratingly dark or near-fullbright. A BFG floats overhead, accessible by a flying carpet that moves too slowly. The remaining item placement has some logic to it, but its uneven. Consequently, bots invariably cluster in the bottom corner of the map. An original soundtrack is provided in the pak, lending an unconventional atmosphere and the piano in Ricks Bar emits a slightly tinny series of chords when investigated by the player.

Overall a novel idea, let down by inexperience, the author obviously has imagination, but presently lacks the skill to match.

Don't play it, Sam.

Reviewed by Kell

Ranked: 4.3 out of 5 (31 votes)

Download: Casablanca by Comic Relief

Clear