A HISTORY OF PARADISE
Feb 7, 2010 | By Alex "RyokoTK" Bolton

The netpack Paradise Lost has 36 original maps, and I think most people agree that's far too many for one pack. This collection splits up the 36 original maps, as well as the 3 "revisitations" of earlier maps, into four different periods that I consider to be sufficiently different from each other. Most of Paradise Lost was actually made in a few different time periods anyway, with long breaks between them.

All of the maps included are at the most recent update available. The four no-rocket map variants that are in Paradise Lost XV are not present here.

This pack is not intended to be the "new" Paradise Lost. It's just for people that want some help sifting through the stacks and need help with organization.

The four map packs are:

1. THE LAST CITY -- 7 maps
These 7 maps were present in Version 5 of Paradise Lost. I consider this to be the "original" pack.
-- 1. Darkest Insurrection
-- 2. The Serpent's Kiss
-- 3. Oculus ex Inferni
-- 4. Paradigm Shift
-- 5. Acid Rain
-- 6. The Downfall of Paradise
-- 7. SCB

2. BRAVE NEW WORLD -- 10 maps
These 10 maps were made from Versions VI to X. I think I hit my stride here; most of my personal favorites are in this pack.
-- 1. Biohazard
-- 2. Metropolis Part I
-- 3. Polaris
-- 4. Hourglass
-- 5. Fatal Tragedy
-- 6. Killer Instinct
-- 7. Dance of Pales
-- 8. Hydro City
-- 9. Fortress Morrolan
--10. Sevil Alucard

3. THE MACHINE -- 13 maps
At this point I started making maps with a ridiculous efficiency. The end result is a bunch of fairly samey maps that are generally my least favorite of the bunch. These 13 maps came from Versions XI to XIII, and include both the "revisited" maps from the first pack as well as the remaining maps ported from my other project Power Drive. Of the four main periods, I think this was the least successful.
-- 1. Last of the Wilds
-- 2. Temple of Syrinx
-- 3. Bladestorm
-- 4. Hammerdown
-- 5. Insurrection
-- 6. For Want of a Nailgun
-- 7. Freedom of Speech
-- 8. Nosferatu's Coil
-- 9. Principality of Persia
--10. Obstructionism
--11. Versus Marx
--12. The Filth Element
--13. Winterfell

4. FINAL DESTINATION -- 9 maps
Some of the maps near the later end of the previous period started to stretch into a new sort of direction, and I think the maps made for Versions XIV and XV are a substantial improvement, as well as a return to the intense visual detail that was a hallmark of the very first few maps. Some of these maps are also from the XI-XIII range.
-- 1. Satellite of Love
-- 2. Abattoir 5
-- 3. Junker Headquarters
-- 4. X Syndrome
-- 5. Snake Charmer
-- 6. Landing Zone
-- 7. A Clash of Kings
-- 8. Thorn Keep
-- 9. Official Tallmap