Brute Force - Extended (13brute_xt) is the most recent offering from sst13 and a remake of the exclusive split screen DeathMatch Brute Force (dc_ss404) for the Sega Dreamcast port of Quake III, released a year after the game's official release for PC. Due to the severe limitations placed on developers by the hardware (e.g. 16 MB of main system RAM and the analogue control stick that shipped with the console) the Dreamcast port of Quake III could host no more than 4 players at a time and Raster Productions were forced to keep things small and simple when designing levels to keep the action fast and tight. This would even influence their decisions on what arenas to include from the original PC version of the game. As a result, Raster Productions prioritised smaller arenas and worked with simplified geometry, static textures, lightmaps, and minimal atmospheric detail.
Brute Force (dc_ss404) is fairly typical of Raster Productions' split screen exclusives, utilising a standard hub-and-spoke layout designed around several self-contained atriums intended to prevent system crashes by reducing the amount of level that the engine needed to render. Gameplay focuses on wide corridors, bottlenecks and horizontal (x-axis) fighting. These were conscious decisions on the part of developers to overcome the notorious difficulties analogue controllers have with the rapid movement and aiming required of arena shooters.
sst13's Brute Force - Extended preserves this basic layout but, as the title suggests, "extends" it by including several new pathways around the perimeter, and opening up the interior of the lower floor, to improve connectivity between atriums for players. Teleporters, that were not present in the original, have been added to provide additional connections between the upper and lower floors, beyond those already provided by the bounce pads of the original. Lighting and texturing is kept clean and simple, remaining faithful to the source, while providing just enough detail to create some visual interest without distracting players from the main action. This approach is consistent with the author's previous renderings of levels from the Dreamcast pool. One may wonder what the interest would be for a map maker given that the original design choices were primarily driven by practical necessity and at the expense of greater creative expression. For one thing, such levels provide a clean slate upon which to work, providing a simple base from which the map maker can work. Levels of this kind also possess many advantages when it comes to online play. For example, the layout is easy to learn. Also, simple texturing makes it easier for players to identify a target against the background. The predominance of horizontal stretches makes it easier for a player to take aim. All this makes for more enjoyable games regardless of the individual player's skill level.
The author has included location entities for team games and, for those interested, 13brute_xt is also available on Quake Live where it supports team game types such as Clan Arena, Red Rover, and Domination in addition to the standards.
While these features all count as strengths for online gaming, from a creative standpoint I think there are also some missed opportunities here, especially when considering sst13's larger body of work. The most notable of these is the exclusion of the BFG which was both the defining feature of the original work and the source of its epithet "Brute Force". Sadly, the inclusion of the BFG has been treated as something of a taboo in Quake III level design; largely due fears that it may overpower games, and preclude consideration of a level from serious competition, but in my opinion such fears are largely misplaced. If one exercises some sensitivity and restraint in its inclusion - by removing or limiting ammo clips, situating the weapon in hard to reach places or at pick-up locations that will render the careless player vulnerable to attack - the BFG is more than acceptable for use as part of the more experienced level designer's arsenal. It is, after all, one of the official weapons in the Quake III stock and a defining feature of the game franchise! So, given the author's reputable talents in building humorous secrets and booby traps for his levels (e.g. the Lightning Gun booby trap on The Lost Yard and the Rail Gun trap on Castle Of Aaargh!), I am a bit surprised this wasn't taken advantage of here. Instead, players will have to rely on the Quad Damage to provide all of the "brute force" of its namesake. And while this is by no means a deficit, given the attention to detail the author has applied elsewhere in the past (see: The Dark Zone - RMX and Lost Arena, for example) there is a notable lack on the part of the author to push the boundaries of geometry and texturing here. A brutalist take on the architecture would have made for an original and fitting touch. I would love to see sst13 put some more effort into the overall interpretation of his remakes in the future, as we have already seen him do so brilliantly in previous works.
Bots are fully supported but will not go for the Red Armour and Megahealth which both sit on ledges requiring advanced jumping technique. And while Raster Productions had to avoid such placement of items, due to controller-based limitations in player movement, access to these items should pose no problem for players using the benchmark peripherals.
Yet another solid and respectful release, executed with a high degree of care and attention, from an author who has built a reputation on Quake III remakes but, for me, it all falls just a little bit flat in terms of creative potential. If you are on the hunt for something entirely original and unique do not expect to find it here. However, what I can promise you is some good, clean, fragging fun on a level that is ideally suited for team games and for players of all skill levels.
And, as far as mapping projects go… I am hopeful that sst13 will eventually gift all of the Dreamcast exclusives with his signature touch. We should expect more Dreamcast remakes from this author in the future.
Reviewed by HelterSkeleton
