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| Author |
File Description |
| CarolKarine |
Posted on 07/13/15 @ 03:23 PM
| File Details |
|---|
| Version: |
Age of Empires II (2013): The Forgotten |
Butting my head against pathfinding issues in the HD edition compounded with time restraints, this entry, while in my opinion prettier, is less atmospheric than my previous (ptc'13) entry.
I quite literally was unable to task any units to bring the town to life without crashing due to pathfinding. so, I present to you the version that works. |
| Author | Comments & Reviews ( All | Comments Only | Reviews Only ) |
|---|
HockeySam18
Staff
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 08/04/15 @ 04:49 PM
Authenticity: CarolKarine’s entry this year improved upon his previous 2013 entry, though many of the concepts seemed a little similar. While little information is given here about the context of the map, which hampers the score a bit, it is impossible to ignore the high echelon of skill put into the map. Nevertheless, the lack of sufficient atmosphere hurt the entry a bit. It is understood that the bugs and general instability of the current version of the HD Edition caused many issues that prevented a proper atmosphere from being achieved, so I won’t be as harsh on the atmosphere front as I might otherwise have been.
Creativity: The creativity manifested itself the most in the style of map design, where a show was truly put on display. CK is already well known as an innovative designer, but his creativity outdid his earlier works here. Especially cool were the mines, a creative representation of a cave, and the many uses of closely stacked buildings and gaia objects to achieve a proper effect.
Layout: The map design was altogether excellent, but not without its flaws. While the countryside was generally top-notch and the urban areas were quite nice as well, I feel that a little more attention could have been devoted to assuring that building combinations in towns and tree rotations in forests meshed well, respectively. While some parts, such as the stacking of yurts and Dark Age houses, were brilliantly executed, other portions could have seen some improvement. The entry also showed masterful implementation of objects in the Forgotten, allowing the author to create a better effect than he might have without.
Technical skill: It’s quite sad that the entry was prevented by issues in the HD Edition from achieving the level of work I know CK is normally capable of. Although the map design was spot on and in my opinion even better than any of his other works, some parts held it back a little. Particularly frustrating were the pathfinding issues created by the placement of thousands of off-grid gaia objects. On several occasions my unit got stuck in forests or was unable to execute a simple pathing maneuver due to the overuse of the off-grid feature. This also detracted from the layout score as well.
A recommended download, but beware of the aforementioned issues. |
Cataphract887
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 03/29/17 @ 06:29 PM |
Possidon
Official Reviewer |
Posted on 07/19/20 @ 01:04 PM
Rating: 4.5
Geundia is a feast for the eyes and a gem of AOK map design. The town is large in scale and beautifully crafted with a bustling town centre within the city walls and lush countryside outside. The countryside is wonderfully crafted with elegant terrain mixing and wonderfully eye candy. As you stroll through the woodlands you notice wildlife and beautiful green trees to wonder through. The countryside is covered in lush farmlands and orchards as well as a mine which sustain the livelihoods of the towns citizens. The town is laid out nicely with good building layout and overlapped buildings. It is designed ads one would expect with a busy market place, a military area where the guards train and a noisy harbour where the towns economy thrives. The scenario showcases some wonderful design techniques, notably the effective use of the off grid placement tool. Other technical aspects you would find include shirtless shallows to create unique looking farmlands and the creative ship siting in stumps to make it look like it’s being sold in the market. On the whole the town is beautifully design but not without its issues. The main one being issues with pathfinding due to the off grid objects and issues with the HD editor.
Additional Comments:
Overall Geundia is a highly recommended download and showcase some creative and technical map design skills
Well Done
Possidon
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HGDL v0.8.2 |
| Statistics |
| Downloads: | 360 |
| Favorites: [] | 0 |
| Size: | 168.19 KB |
| Added: | 07/13/15 |
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