Polygon for COD

Level name : Polygon

Author : Robert Wiaz

Date of release : 24 October 2004

Size : 2 563 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : here

Download link: here

Alternative download:



Story:

None but it's a kind of german base headquarter that you need to infiltrate in order to kill Officers.

Note: Since this is a Polish release objective will apears in Polish but this won't bother the gameplay since they are quitr obvious and limited to 3 for a small description:

1. find a weapon and enter the complex

2. kill first officer

3. kill second officer

Review:

This release was found sleeping on a polish server (found them also at modsonline) and is average in design and quite challenging one according gameplay the author did also two others releases, a bunker one quite short and poor and a more historical one with some additional text that i will try to review when i can get a Polish to English translation of the explanation sheets and the string file.

The action is put up in a kind of village occupied but a whole german squadron. The objectif are simple progress (in a linear 'maze' way) kill officers and escape by the back of the headquarter building. Design is correct but not more the environement is too blocky (invisable wall) to oriented you path and ldoesn't let the feeling of something original ( it's obvious that it's just a boxy cube with a limited layout in it.
Architecture of building and surrounding elements is also not that bad but make it clear with progression that a lot of copy/paste building was used so that realism decrease with a deja vu progression. It's certainly according the conception average but at least it keep you back on track.
Gameplay is clear since there are only two main objectives and that your way to progress is really canalized by surronding elements (especially invisible walls) but challenging through enemies placement and amount of them will make it, in a lot of spot, a quite challenging experience.

In conclusion : this mas is certainly not a perfect release but through it's challenging gameplay and correct general layout i had fun enough playing it to add this one to the ww2 sp map corner.



Playtime : 30 Minutes




Rating : A B C D E (59%)

Operation Market Garden for COD

Name : Operation Market Garden

Author : The Benelux Development Team

Date of release : 25 August 2006

Size : 206 855 ko

Number of maps : 11


Website : here

Download link: here



Story:

This ambitious modification that wanted to recreate the entire operation called Market Garden, took part at the end of World War II involving the hugest amount of paratrooper ever (British and Americain) in order to Catch several Bridge in The Nederlands. This opeartion should provide an easy jump (especially regarding troop sulpies) to get into Germany by the West In order to Destroy all Ruhr Manufactury leading to the surrender of Germany. If you want an interire description I suggest you to visit the wikipedia site Here or to watch (which was my case) the quite good movie called A bridge too far

Review:

Important note: I try to play this release through the recommended way of installation but that directly make the game crash through sound missing. I decided to move the pk3 file directly to COD/main folder and after simply launching the original game it too By default OMG.


I won't start reviewing each map separately and will make a general approach for this quite major release. First of all OMG was quite delayed through conflict into rights according the BD team so that it went out not perfectly beta tested but still fully playable.

The whole pack comes with a lot of movies, document (well done), starting page and even an outro small sequence in 2d like the one available in both original releases. Design and realisation of those small cutscene, documents, voice acting (include text shown) was done in a real professional way.

The succession of maps through the Market Garden campain was organized with respect with the happening of them through the original campain (this may look wierd regarding through the player aspect since you will change from american to english soldier in a sometimes confusing mission, especially though the fact you didn't play as a red beret for the english mission), it would have been perhaps better to split every mission like a succession of british and american campain.

First missions mostly start with a droping or landing cutscene (dam well done) and after directly immerged youself into the battle for all those Dutch bridge. Except some wierd behaviour of skybox (not really damagable) all maps are quite well put together they are not perfect but quite from an above average quality (some mirror aspect stil bother me like the slowly moving plane in Artenstein?, all those bombing experience that doesn't toutch a tree or keeps the building undestroyed, ord those exploding traps that try to make you progress in a certain direction Arnhem map) But most of all and regarding the choice of texture coming from the original game and not always fitting the Dutch 'layout'.
There is a good fluidability and also a good cohesion between maps regarding the fact they were created by different mappers. some Bridge archtiecture are really brilliant even in dark maps. was is also to be noticed is that maps even while using huge open area doesn't have some 'slow' behaviour.

Gameplay is well organized in a real mission team and doesn't look to repetitive (since you switch a lot from britich to american) there is also a driving mission and some other surprise. I whish that there could have been a protecting bridge mission as a snipper or using a Flak to resist a tank assault. Health, ammo and weapon are well spread over the whole release and provide a good challenge especially in Oosterbeek mission. Objective are clear an varied a lot from map to map. to create some sneaking mission or intense battle.



In conclusion: Regarding the amount of peoples that were involved into the team and the final release. I, like a lot of people, may look a little disapointed especailly regarding the beautifull Beyond Rostov that was mostly done by only one person.
There are certainly minor flaws, and the problem inside the team certainly leads to a distructive ambiance, which certainly makes a quite good excuse. Hopefully it came out and retrace a important page of end war history (mostly considered as the last real defeat in the europe WWII campaign) For this we shell really be grantfull to the small part of the team that keep out doing a great job and make us able to play another major and recommanded release.


Playtime : 3 Hours




Rating : A B C D E (93%)






Additional screenshots

St Lamaire for COD2

Level name : St Lamaire

Author : Ryan 'Ace008' Krysiak

Date of release : 28 May 2007

Size : 27 684 ko

Number of maps : 1



Website : none

Download link: here

Other map reviewed from the author :

Normandy,Reusville

Story:

none described but it could easily be the simple continuation of the two previous releases from Ryan (Reusville and Normandy ) and so another part of History counter offensive after D-day in a small town near Sainte-Marie Du Mont called Lamaire (I didn't find the place browsing through the internet except a town called St Loup Lamairé which is far away, more than 400 km...)

Review:

In this new mission you and your squad will need to securize a small town on a cloudy rainy afternoon. I will First complain about two minor glitches that really impact (sadly) the start of the game first, the loading screen is nearly unreadable and this is, I think, just due to some image convertion; second the mission start with an on screen message telling you it's 25 00 hours... those things should have been easily avoid by a correct beta-testing!

So here we go in a well entering sequence of progression (planes) through a quite destroyed city leading to the main village. First of all, a brief mission will be tell by your officer using some custom voice acting that is sadly messed (but regarding to times I encounter this through maps and mods it seems not that evident to make something really audible or at least understandable).

The environment is well put together with a really neat terrain creation and houses arround with the mess of destroyed things on the road. My attention was just catched by blue stagnent water close after the start that looked a little out of context (screenshot 1). Progression make you move fast without ambush to the objective update. Design continues to be brilliant and nearly perfect through you progression that is quite unlinear (different path leading you to the main street).

The house you will need to visit though objectives are well put together and always provide variety in their architecture and construction (the church has perhaps a too modern touch?).

The fact that the location look quite dark didn't bother me cause it look logic for me that a house in a town during havy bombing on a dark cloudy afternoon looked this way. In the other hand it's quite unrealistic that bombs are only falling on you main travel path and not on surrounded houses (at least one or two should have been hit or destroyed).

You will also encounter several 'colateral cutscenes' like the tank battle whish was interesting but didn't lead to a continuation (for example it would have look logic that you meet with the tank to continue the path and sudenly it would have been hit by a flak or something that would have been the next objective).

The gameplay is well crafted even if at first it seems to be a simple walk through the city, when you reach the first crossing with objective update the real action will start. Objective are well put together and well balance, the good enemies placement makes it difficult to take cover and really force you to rush into the battle. Afetr 'cleaning' the first area the objective that follow is to destroy the Flak (a little bit strange to walk arround at first without any objective on it and after finishing the mortars objective it become the new one..).

Progression is well slow down by some german reinforcement in a real realistic way (not hords of them as they were falling form the sky) and will lead you to another part of the town where you will need to take back all house and also pick up some document the whole beeing accomplished when you need to meet with your officer and will see to rest of the batallion entering the town.

There could also be a complain about save point integrated that make the gameplay tight in some spot this add certainly in play time but don't forget that when you are seriously hit it's time to take cover.

In conclusion: There is no doubt that Ryan can handle the editor and that his experience from previous releases certainly help him making such a strong map. I really thing that in the future attention to what can be called negligable details (intro screen, voice acting,...) and perhaps to some more historical base experience with a good 'beta testing', could lead easily to some map comparable with IW map quality of original game. Defenetly another recommended release.

Playtime : 40 minutes



Rating : A B C D E (89%)

The Spear of Bellerophon for COD

Level name : The Spear of Bellerophon

Author : Adam 'SK Commando' Watts

Date of release : 24 October 2004

Size : 5 022 ko

Number of maps : 1


Website : here

Download link: here



Story:

None this release was developped as a tutorial map from a quite interesting project that never came out, certainly because it was too ambitious


Review:

In this test map you will travel through a kind of complex after you land with your squad, Design is ok but not really above average, the author tells this was mostly published just for scripting and doesn't really shows his mapping quality. All considered it's quite well done and even if it looks a little restricted by walls or mine field it is correctly squaled and well lighted (especially indoor).

Gameplay through scripting is the most interesting part of this release objective are well crafter through your mission and qsquad experience and will through you in some nasty traps and battle (surpise when you put the bomb in the control room or when you need to pass the mine field) battle are well put together to create an enjoyable experience and make it worth to play.

In conclusion: this 'test' release shows really the mapping skill from Adam but sadly since 2004 there is no more news about the mod they were working out trying to retrace the history of English airborne... hope their could be still, on one day, several map released cause i quite be should they are from great quality regarding this small intro we can play


Playtime : 30 Minutes




Rating : A B C D E (73%)