Jump in the Hole

Bewilderingly fast paced and zoomingly fluid in it's execution. This, of course, won't become apparent until you've spend many a lifetime (losing those that is) in here. Once oriented it is an indulgence in the surreal - make that claustrophobically surreal. The map's primary fault (and this is not a feature of the map but the user) is it's size. JumpInTheHole ascribes itself from the maps primary component: a central square exit / access port that leads to a second layer arrived at by a mere leap. This layer will return you to the one above via teleporters. A third chamber of this map contains a killing, chopping fan that will dump your remaining carcass into a green vat of leftovers. Thus the point of the JumpInTheHole is to navigate the entirety of the map that consists of a duplicity of linked areas severed only by a trap door, like a button rigged monster's jaw, at the bottom of the central JumpInTheHole tunnel. It becomes an exercise in a race between survival and slaughter that ultimately mimics the JumpInTheHole's surrealistic theme. It's small size and repetitiveness of design would ordinarily churn up a negative CON were it not for "this maps" overwhelming interlaced morbius (the real thing) quality that takes a player out the front of his/her head and bring them in the back. Weird - wild - and way cool !!! Albeit, in such a tiny place. d:-)

It has the feel of Dm-FITH (Fire in the Hole) and some of the basic features as well. It reminds me of the UT map Dm-Fractal in some ways but is incredibly smaller than Fractal. As Flap suggested it is definitely to small and the author suggests a 2-8 player load. I wouldn't dream of anything but a 1 vs. 1 for this level as any more players is a complete frag fest. The map has two main levels and the teleporters lead to upper "sniping" spots which include a rifle and more than enough ammo. Once arriving at the sniping spot your only choice is of course snipe, jump into the lower level or go back through the teleporter. Once you've jumped from the sniper spot your only alternative is to "Jump in the Hole" or trigger the floor trap on the underlying level. The level is pathed for bots and they work well as long as there is only one bot. Ammo is abundant, in fact to abundant. I seriously doubt any ammo is needed at all because a quick death is imminent upon spawning in. Movement can be tricky as I found myself getting caught on the walls while acquiring the items, etc. The map is novel in retrospect but I'm afraid that leads to disappointments as most novelty maps do. I do feel however the map has potential had it been made larger and allowed for more escape routes. One isn't left with many options other than what the title suggests. (Jump in the Hole) There is also a bug which I believe is caused by the teleporters and can be seen in the picture below. Click on the picture for a larger view and you'll see what I mean.