High & Low Map, version 1.0

This is a Marathon1 map, intended primarily for network play.   It comes
with an optional (but recommended) patch/Physics Model that adds fusion
pistol and rocket armed Bobs, and rocket armed troopers.  The map will work
without the patch/Physics Model, it will just contain normal Bobs and
troopers.  If you want to try it out as a solo map, you may want to use OPE
(by Eric Bennett) to increase the number of aliens (but beware of those
rocket troopers!).

High & Low is large, and it looks much better in hi-res, so a PPC machine
is strongly recommended for reasonable performance.   However, it was
created and tested mostly on a 68K machine, so it will run on 68K machines
(you may want to use 50% screen size and turning off the ceiling textures
instead of going to low-res).  It takes a long time to load.

The map is set in and around two large, outdoor "loading bays".  There are
no secret doors.  Doors that won't open with the action key are just for
looks (they cannot be opened).  There are three 1X shield rechargers and
one 2X shield recharger.

I started this map last spring, inspired in large part by the "look and
feel" of G4 sunbathing.   I also wanted to make a map that took advantage
of the ability to look/aim up and down.  The idea for the high bridge (the
"passenger ramp") came while driving by a ship loading terminal on the
Seattle waterfront.   I put the map aside last summer (to work on the Hutch
Map with David Waring), and recently decided to finish it up.  Along the
way, I made the fusion Bob/rocket trooper patch, which seems to fit with
the long distance shots found on this map.

High & Low was created using Pfhorte d6-d25 by Steve Israelson.
HexEdit1.0.5 by Jim Bumgardner was used to set the wall textures for the
teleporters.   If you edit and save this map with Pfhorte, you will lose
those textures, so if you just want to change the number of aliens or the
amount of ammo, use OPE instead.

Known problems:
There have been a few crashes at the end of a game (after quit, or when the
carnage report screen should come up after a net game).  These are rare,
and so far not reproducible.   Giving Marathon 8-12M of memory may help,
and using a PPC is probably safer, although I'm not certain about either.

Also, from a couple of the highest overlooks, there is some smearing of the
floor texture at the back of the bay with the "passenger ramp".  This isn't
severe, and it turns out to be hard to fix without major changes, so I have
elected to ignore it.   It does not show up at 50% screen size.   Please
let me know if you find other bugs.

Thanks to David Waring, and to Chris Vargas and friends at Miller Mauro
Group Inc. (Wilmington, DE), for suggestions and for helping to test the
map.


Dave Turner

dturner@fred.fhcrc.org.




