WAD Review of LEDGES.WAD (ocf.unt.edu /pub/doom/wads/newwads/ledges.wad) ====================================================================== Title : LEDGES.WAD Authors : Mark K. Gresbach Jr. Email Address : Mark.Gresbach@mixcom.com Misc. Author Info : additional credits to: Steve Burg, Douglas Hay, Bill Nowicki, John Washburn and Phil Katz Description: Ledges.wad is a one-room, multiplayer PWAD perfectly suited for a deathmatch. It loads as e1m1, and can be played as a single player or up to three of your friends (four players). "Ledges" is aptly named; it features a large circular open-air room, surrounded by ledges--staircases, balconies and an ele- vator. * * * Ledges can get tough, especially if you start with the monsters. There are a few little secrets--a couple supercharges and one invincibility. The level features all the guns, but if you want the BFG9000 you'll pay with about 25% health for it (unless you get it a special way--no, I'm not telling ;). And since there's only one elevator on the level, you'd better be ready to defend your right to it, because if your opponenets want to live they'll try to stop you from going up. With four people this level is a riot. A fight in the courtyard between you and all three opponents will leave you in a cold sweat, especially if you come out alive. And the weapons are _very_ nicely placed. The chaingun is always within easy reach, while the more powerful weapons are rightly more secluded. Playing with just two people is still exciting, but not as fun. For example, in your quest for more weapons, you will constantly see your opponent on an opposite ledge, gleefully snickering at you and no doubt yelling something about your momma. And you'll end up rushing madly down the stairs, praying to every god you remember that they aren't hiding around the corner, calmly wait- ing for you to pass before they launch a rocket in your direction. Hunting on this level is gratifying. Other than the above scen- ario, if you see someone you can generally find them. The light level in the area is always pretty high, so you won't be craning your neck to peer into the dark areas. The area partly rewards the hunters by giving them a view of everything that's going on while at the same time alotting the defensive players some time to prepare for the onslaught. The only problems I had with this level were some of the room textures, which, in some places, abruptly changed from one motif to another. This leaves something to be desired, and doesn't turn out looking very well. But in all, the level looks fairly nice. And "I wonder why he chose that pattern of blue" is NOT going to be your dying thought as you get blasted to bits with a plasma rifle. One known bug is that in the room that you would start in in one-player play, there is a green armor which sits in the corner but cannot be picked up. On scales of 0 to 10: Layout: 8 Textures: 6 Difficulty: 7 Huntability: 9 Funness: 9 On a Cameron overall scale of 0 to 10, LEDGES.WAD scores a 7.8. Level Hint: Try to be the first to rush up the elevator and get the plasma rifle and invicibility sphere. This way you'll be able to hunt your weapon-searching doomed opponents and not worry about taking the hits. But be prepared to back up your elevator claim with at least a chaingun--your friends may also have the same idea. Daniel. dmccarty@sitvax.stevens-tech.edu