It seems SG5 is getting a lot more hate than it deserves, but, if I remember correctly, SG4 immediately got hate and was disregarded almost entirely for about a week after release, and now look at the little bugger. Same goes for Breeze, which, in the first batch of community maps, was largely ignored in favor of it's more outwardly impressive (but later entirely unsuccessful) co-released map, Overgrown Arena. I feel that much of the in-game community here is pretty bad at judging anything based on substance.
Now, I've only played SG5 3 times, since I had to go someplace and actually *shudders*
do something. I was brutally murdered the first 2 times and got around 9th place. The 3rd game I won due to other peoples stupidity, which I tend to be good at. Since I've only played 3 times, I can't make a concrete judgement about the map just yet, but here's my initial impression.
First, it seems like there's some complaints about the appearance. At least it's better than SG4. I hate that dirt. The snow helps players show up more, and allows a bigger, more expansive map, but still allows for quick games, since players are easily spotted aboveground, and the
incrediblyconfusing tunnel system will keep most players aboveground, where they will battle. The color scheme of white and gray was initially a turnoff for me, but after a couple games, it definitely started to grow on me. It makes me feel like the world is against me, and helps keep me paranoid and fired up. It's an acquired taste, but a good one at that
Second, cornucopia balance. Okay, seriously. I love this cornucopia. After my first game, in which I failed to get anything, I figured out that, unlike other maps, one cannot simply rush forward into a chest. They need to rush forward, jump into the hole, and aim straight down for a chest. Because it seems like I figured this out before anyone else, I got full iron from the cornucopia my 2nd and 3rd times, without any competition, since, by landing on the chest, you deny other people access. Also, you can punch people in midair, which I did on my third try to kill someone with fall damage on the mid-floor ^_^
It was brought up by G33ke that players with high points or wins can be easily targeted and killed at the cornucopia. Well, first, I think that's irrelevant, map makers shouldn't have to worry about player grudges and targets. Second, pretending that actually
is a concern, that makes a wonderful equalizer. Since people with more points/wins are better at PvP and tend to give off an air of intimidation, making it harder to fight them (at least for me), they will either be quickly killed or be forced to scavenge more, while the newer players who aren't very good at PvP or finding chests won't have to worry, since they'll be decked out from hole-chests!
Finally on this topic, deathmatch on SG5! I'm not sure if this was intentional, but this is my FAVORITE thing about SG5's gameplay as of yet -- jumping into that hole kills players with lightning unless they are in the very center of the cornucopia. What does this mean? One: sparta kick your enemies into a hole and watch as they suffer. Two: Jump into the hole and stay at the middle. When they chase you, fishing rod them toward the edges, where they will promptly die. I honestly don't think that if I make to into deathmatch on this map, I will ever lose. Period.
The rest of the map! People say that the barren white landscapes are a pathetic attempt at terrain, but SG4 has lots of those spots too! It just seems that people avoid those areas, since they have set paths in more chest-populated areas like the city and the airfield. Appearance-wise, they really are pretty bad, but, like it has already been said, the realism makes it more intriguing as a whole. Gameplay-wise, the snowy areas, like I said before, broadcast player locations and push them all together. Also, the creativeness of hiding different blocks/terrain under the snow was brilliant. Sometimes it's icy and slippery, sometimes it's just snow, and, I'm not sure, but I think I saw some soulsand. Those sections with the waist deep snow was pretty amazing too. That is really cool, I loved it. The city is quite interesting, having half of it buried under snow. It serves as a complex, at times frustrating network of tunnels that I assume can be used very effectively by the resourceful player. The statue of liberty seems a bit small though, but maybe that's just me. I don't have a lot to say yet about the city, since I stuck to the barren areas, the tunnels, and the cornucopia, since they seemed the most tactically articulate. Sorry
The feel of the map. People say it doesn't have an "SG" feel. Oh god, it definitely doesn't. And thank you so
so much for that. It provides an effective retreat from the typical SG maps and Breeze and all that. It's depressing, it's confusing, and, hell, it pretty much demands that you use your
brain. The buildings feel different, and the map feels alien, and I
love it! At first, like I said, I was against the map, but then I played it a few times...it's just wonderful. I forgot what I was going to say for the rest of this, but my brain has gone and wandered off, as always -_-
I guess that's what happens when you write an English Paper on "The Merits of Survival Games 5".
I really hope this begins to grow on other people like it did me, because it's one of my favorite Survival Games maps so far. My mind and opinions are probably different than other players, but this map's execution is brilliant to me. Hope people see the light.
-Nada
