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Bit late to the party but great to hear you're still mapping Puritan, screen is looking nice and style is looking excellent as usual,

I should be posting this in Reviews & Submissions but 2021 had one more surprise in store for you (and honestly for me too): https://msdn.duke4.net/hotsalvage.php I hope you will like it, some of the stylistic choices do kind of remind me of your own maps for som reason. Happy new year, cheers!

Here is my review of Maarten's Weissensee as well as a few screenshots to save you some time.

Another Attack (Part 2): Weissensee

Less than a year after his former hit Woudrichem War, longtime renowned Duke 3D user mapper from the Netherlands Maarten van Oostrum strikes again with what's already the second installment in his work-in-progress episode: Another Attack.

Not to be confused with his brother Merlijn Van Oostrum's (Red, Shaky Grounds), which relies on the same principle of cleverly reinterpreting and repurposing the original Duke 3D textures but in a fashion that always looked a bit more meticulous, Maarten's style has always instead been about rougher shapes and bigger patches of lands, with less emphasis on micromanagement than on composing coherent ensembles of landscapes of elements seemingly thrown in there Jason Pollock-style. (That being said, over the past two decades, it has been rather interesting witnessing each brother get closer and closer to the other's dimension with every new map). While this aspect was already the backbone of some classic levels by Maarten, including the Alien Planet X-64 2 series or his shared piece with Merlijn Clear The Coast, it really was exploited to its fullest recently with Woudrichem War, an open world-type of city level recreating Dutch urban aesthetics Maarten happens to be especially familiar with. This new level, Weissensee, is a direct continuation to Woudrichem War, picking up exactly where that one left off.

Given the enhanced focus on terrain work, it is only logical to expect from both Woudrichem War and Weissensee a huge reliance on platforming, which turns out to be true in both cases. In this level too, the player is required to look not just around but most oftentimes up, spot their next objective (usually a keycard out there in plain sight) and then figure out the right way to get there. But if Woudrichem essentially consisted in one big, mostly unlinear playground based on this concept, things take a slightly different turn here by breaking down the gameplay area into four subsections: a camping site, a cave and a mini golf site on one side of a river (where part of Woudrichem still stands in the background), and then, on the other side, part of the eponymous city of Weissensee itself (although located in Austria in real-life; so, rather far away from Woudrichem). The basic challenge remains similar, except the newfound punctuation in the action helps push a more tangible feeling of progression onto the player and thus makes the gradual conquest of each segment especially rewarding. The map isn't exactly linear either; there is one part where you can explore about and choose to retrieve two different keys in whichever order. This style of minimalistic sequencing also allows for smoother narration in the general storytelling of the map, with the player remaining mostly free to roam around, shoot some well-placed monsters and stare at beautiful Build environments all the while being dictated a basic direction and rhythm.

This is where the poetry of the map speaks up. The environments you will get to traverse are stunning, from detailed landscapes comprising ancient towers, a bridge and a church to a surreal blue cave, and some other places that will take you way up, where you can finally dominate the landscape (again). Just clearing the first half of the map and finally getting to cross the river is a simple achievement that, with such proper presentation, feels nothing short of majestic. Bits of lore are being dropped here and there, but never pushed onto the player and thus mostly consolidate the action as opposed to distracting from it (like it often can in Duke maps). Each location has its own distinct identity, with the ultimate one being the largest and a (refreshingly) brutally honest switch hunt - perhaps one of the most rewarding ones Duke 3D has ever known given the visuals resulting from its completion - as, eventually, everything comes tied together by universal elements such as that moving bus or boat in the backgrounds.

When it comes to gameplay, more generally, there is nothing to fault. Perhaps the average player might scratch their head a bit looking for a way to get to the red key, but that's only if they are lacking observation skills or basic knowledge of Duke 3D physics. Generally speaking, the map is way more than fair (maybe a lot less forgiving on Come Get Some than on Let's Rock), and the enemy placement is perfectly orchestrated around all the existing terrain work - usually relying on well-timed respawns - in a way that both optimally complement each other, resulting in nothing but peak Duke 3D action.

Weissensee is a beautiful level with soul, that looks marvelous and plays really well. Maybe some of the texture and sprite tweaks here and there (such as the flipped over security screens) persist at looking a bit out of place, and since Maarten's style naturally results in terrain so rich in nooks and crannies, it's tempting to imagine him exploiting that trait even further by hiding more of the non-essential items in all those little caches (something he is already doing to a noticeable extent, though). But there is no question that Weissensee is an instant classic, on par if not wiser than Woudrichem War, and so you should play it - which should take you about an hour - and then, once done, rub your hands together in excitement at the thought of the upcoming sequels.

Score: 98

Maarten just released his new epic: https://forums.duke4.net/topic/11712-release-another-attack-part-2-weissensee/

I will contribute with a review of it soon. Very inspiring level.

Also, William Gee has repackaged his entire career into one .grp: https://forums.duke4.net/topic/11711-wg-mega-pack/

And there's a new Michael Hunt map: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2528311462

Ah I see it now, thanks. See maybe that's actually the whole problem, I never thought of the Map Search section of the site as its own sub-website (which it basically is), I normally just go to Map Listings because everything is so well organized there things are more convenient to find than by manually looking them up, which I suspect a lot of people do - except Map Listings is just that, and so missing directions to all the content accessible from Map Search. Thinking about it, maybe it's just the Map Search name for the section that's a bit misleading since it actually redirects to much more than a search bar. On my end as a user I have to admit I never really understood the structure of the website the way you intend it to be grasped until now, I would always find whatever file I'd be actively looking for but contents off that beaten path are something else with the two different pages with different menus - for instance I believe this is the first time I'm realizing you have a tutorial section on here (and a good one too) despite visiting CGS frequently for a very long time, that kind of content and work on your end deserves better exposure and so if you can use the criticism, then maybe there's something simple to do with highlighting that Map Search is more than what it sounds like and actually the hub that it is sometime. Now I know I've accessed that hub many times before throughout the years, mostly via Google searches, but never really realizing by which exact means since there are redirections to different parts of the website all over and its organization is complex, you know? Would be a much more simple solution than reworking the actual pages too, when they don't really need to be. Perhaps something akin to Contents Search or something more general altogether would be more fitting.

I'm totally fine with you adding some spacing to the text, sure. Honestly just spent five minutes looking around the website trying to find the Tutorials section but couldn't find it, would you happen to have a direct link? In general, would you be receptive to some criticism regarding the general navigation on CGS, as I can tell there is a lot of info on here and you put in a lot of work to try and keep it organized but sometimes it can be weird spotting this or that button, or some behave in ways one wouldn't spontaneously expect them to and take you to another page than you really intended. I'm not even talking about aesthetics, but I believe this website is too good to have this type of very basic issues and could use some microscopic reshaping up here and there to be more accessible and look as practical as it really is once you're more familiar. But if you don't feel like bothering then I would also understand that as running this platform as it currently is already represents lots of work.

That's great to hear you've been busy and having fun, and even greater to hear how mapping is still in your plans, looking forward to your next map then, cheers!

All the screenshots on this page look really cool, how are you doing with your map project Puritan? I've been checking out more of your releases lately, especially in video form as my playing time is non-existent and thus all of it goes into mapping instead but watching videos is easier. Someone on YouTube is actually in the process of making of map-per-map playthrough of Vermin Clearance, I think the first four levels are up for now (should be easy to find, if you can't try looking up something like 'Vermin Menace' because I seem to remember they botched some of the upload titles). Always love your style and general activity and so I hope to see something new from you sometime!

For those who don't want to Duke4, I started a ModDB page for my current project: https://www.moddb.com/mods/duke-nukem-3d-blast-radius by the way there is also the revised version of a Mapster speed/structured mapping tutorial thing I originally wrote in a Duke4 post up on there as an article, if you think that can be of any use for CGS, Puritan, you have my authorization to copy/host it.

I was taken by surprise by Ivan Petrosevic today.
Found "HappyLand Water Park" in my mail box.
It's been 23 years since he released a Duke map 

A fast paced action styled map you shouldn't miss!

HappyLand Water Park

Man, thank you, this is great news! I was stoked to realize we're talking the author of Crash TV, I was just thinking about that map the other day, it's a classic. If he has been out of the loop Duke-wise for all these years, he must have been tripping balls realizing that his old map was still out there online (and people were still actively reviewing it; Forge's review on here isn't that old, from 2014). Screenshots look super cool!

Puritan, I have yet to play it but that JABA map you just posted looks really cool: http://www.scent-88.com/reviews/J/jaba/jaba.php

If you ever find more from the same author or more levels released out of Japan in general, I'd be quite interested in seeing them pop up.

Been enjoying the latest uploads and frequent updates as always despite running out of time to play Duke lately. Thanks again for your work!

Also, review of Fallout Freeze never went up?

Wow, that was fast 
A superb in-depth review it is.
Thank you very much!

Just so happened to find the perfect window of time (well, as perfect as 5 am gets) rather promptly, yeah. Always a pleasure!

Here's my review while I can:

Back In Business as a title bears a double entendre as this original fan Duke 3D episode also marks the return of its author, the Poland-based Alex/Aleks Pistol to the community after a long hiatus, only to release this considerable piece of work on the very seventeenth anniversary of the drop of his classic user map AlexCity 1: Bank Heist, a much celebrated one in the early naughts (to the point of being cultivated by some as emblematic of that time period). AlexCity 1 (and only, for nearly two decades, till today) featured a rather unique approach to both design and gameplay, involving nifty, smart sector- and sprite-based constructions and effects in the player's progression. That niche principle resulted in a level that could be a bit of a head scratcher to begin figuring out in some parts but, as a result, conquering for the first time felt not only satisfying but also like just the start of the fun - the replay value greatly benefiting from the user's newly acquired intel and better grasp of all the little functionalities of the map.

Essentially, the exact same could be said about Back In Business. The episode is a succession of mission-based levels where you'll have to keep an eye out for detail and clues, and is bound to have you spend at least some time figuring out not where to go next (as special care has been put always indicating that fairly well with constant messages, viewscreens and efficient respawns), but how to actually get there. Every map's structure is coherent (Aleks also doubling up as a civil engineer, which really shows) and thus test the limits of your (Build game) logic in a rarely unfair manner. It is also worth noting that although the first levels in the set are historically much older than the last, the author has constantly been refreshing them over the years and in the end, they all share comparable qualities both in the progression patterns and the high-quality design (again with top notch sprite and shadow work, clever sector construction, impressive engine manipulation, particularly close attention to detail and even some new .art that manages not to clash against the original Duke 3D universe).

The first level is a short (and timed) rush through a small but beautiful and well-constructed casino-themed city level where you have objectives to complete in any order before you can automatically lose against the watch. While it's rather unlikely that your first attempt will be a success, it should definitely suffice to get a solid grasp on the map so that the second will be a no-brainer (and it's indeed easy to get sidetracked by staring at the surrounding eye-candy, or level of interactivity with the props). A computer is there in the starting room to guide you through this little journey with hints that keep updating themselves; chances are you won't be going back there after you leave it if you're focused on making it on time, still it exists, representing how the experience here really depends on your constant judgement and choices as the player. There is one elevator that may or may not malfunction if operated improperly, which may lead you to spend a few precious minutes making it out should you ever get stuck, but it's doable and - in a way - hilariously realistic.

Second and third level are both base maps with, again, objectives to complete. The first one of the duo, Mutant Mayhem, is an average-length romp through a facility where experiments are being conducted on aliens, in labs you're charged to sabotage. The general mood is actually pretty dark (and complete with Lost Highway references), but the level plays well with a straightforward layout and some original Build tricks on display when destroying the experiments. Ambition-wise, it's quite reminiscent of the typical user map of the 2000's which makes sense as it was built pre-1024+ sector limit originally, so in terms of scope but also of general feel. The next map, Freezing Fear is a personal favorite and partially takes place in more open spaces with great visibility relying on white textures and strongly contrasted lighting. While its navigation may be slightly confusing at first if you don't know what the personal assistant type of devices you're supposed to find look like (it doesn't help that they are small objects situated at floor level and some of them don't have a practical purpose but one of welcome comedic relief), once the clue picked up, the layout and its flow should become crystal clear. The map makes good use of vertical terrain variation, and the final fight sequence consisting in several waves of enemy assault culminating in some engine mindfuckery is especially amazing.

The fourth map is called Piggish Prison and the most ambitious (and recent) one of the whole lot. Your objective here is a lot more explicit and won't rely on scripted tasks as much (at least past your escape, itself an adventure of its own) and instead way more on exploration. Once out in the open, there are vast amounts of space to comb through and navigate in between firefights that easily could have gone the slaughter map route in the hands on a less experienced mapper due to the available room, but actually take a very wise route instead relying on scientific monster positioning and choice, as well as top notch use of respawns and savantly partitioned and orchestrated action sequences. The environments are credible and so is the constant feeling of adventure rampaging through the prison ward and the surrounding cliffs, riding a motor boat, looking through binoculars. The progression itself is sequenced around different zones the player has to explore in succession, solving the occasional Zelda-flavored puzzle and witnessing some great sights on the way, and leads to an ending scene you really should have seen coming but probably thought couldn't be done in Build.

To sum things up, Back in Business is a very original piece of work and take on the Duke 3D universe, with lots of passion and care put into its own niche specificities, making for some occasionally unorthodox and disorienting gameplay but also a brand of fun of its own. While it may tickle your traditional reflexes as a seasoned Duke player, the experience presents quite the fresh challenge; some practical issues can be addressed, but the remarkable quality and structural coherence of the overall design undoubtedly suffice to make this episode worth your time. Seventeen years after AlexCity, the author has only been cultivating and refining his trademark style, of which Back In Business so far is the apex - and also as a whole, in itself, quite the Space Oddity.

Score: 96

Congrats on the release (for the billionth time) Aleks! Going to have a busy rest of the month but I'm down to try and write a review when I can find the time, unless someone else precedes me, in which case all good!

Glad you liked the map!

And honestly, Kim's reviews on DN-R were the best. Short and to the point, usually overly nice and lenient and never too analytic, but you could tell he really dug the maps with his little descriptions and that's really what matters in the end, the enthusiasm. I don't think you should shy away from reviewing maps like it has to be something ambitious, with your writing style I think you capture the fun factor of individual levels pretty well too. Most Duke websites have that problem of putting maps up without ever describing or even rating them (late Dukemaps.net, Arrovfnukem, etc.), which is only that constructive as then the platform becomes a repository but also less federative (because more anonymous); and the ones that do take the time consequently don't update as often. I don't think you need to worry about the idea of just throwing in a quick line when needed (all the while remaining open to contributors).

Always a pleasure to be of help!

CBP 9 Halloween 2020 released: https://forums.duke4.net/topic/11448-cbp9-halloween-2020-release/page__pid__351779#entry351779

Yeah I finally just played it, top notch stuff, I especially liked the last few maps. Here's a review you can use (in addition to yours if you're already working on one):

Downtown Journey is quite the epic new 8-level Duke Nukem 3D adventure by Brazilian author Preto Murara, marking his first public release despite two decades of Build mapping under his belt. Preto is such a purist he even used a classic Pentium with the original Build.exe to craft the whole package (no Mapster32 convenience and enhanced limits; also meaning that the set is fully compatible with Duke Nukem 3D 1.4+), a trait that can be retraced even in his mapping style at the core: clean, simple architecture and interconnected layouts very much in the tradition of the original episodes, with some creative twists here and there that only rarely feel out of place.

As the title implies, your whole journey as Duke will be of the urban kind, with a feel somewhat reminiscent of popular community add-on Metropolitan Mayhem. Spoiling every level individually and thus the sense of progression would be a shame, but it can still be said that every single one of them bears a strong sense of location (some more than others) and successfully pulls off specific themes or concepts that have only rarely been tackled in Duke, all the while never really falling into the gimmicky.

Some of that experimentation turned out for the best and some for the worst, though; for instance there is one train level that looks magnificent, yet is completely unpractical to navigate due to the amount of decorative sprites cluttering the player space. Or, also, a hotel map in which extensive use of the jetpack is required, but what's always an interesting concept falls flat here due to the scarcity of the item, making for a good chance that Duke's ride might softlock. A few of the levels also use too many decorative doors, in-your-back respawns and at least a pair is way too dark (especially if you don't play in Classic mode as intended). A handful of keys and puzzles might feel a bit mean, too.

What's good is really good, though. The entire adventure feels almost canonic due to how much respect was given to the traditional style with each map, be it in terms of clean looks, straightforward and coherent storywriting, and science in the layouts and transitions from level to level. The author really only took liberties when it comes to picking new themes (for instance, a bus station or a mall), experimenting with concepts (that jetpack level) or enhancing visuals - not counting that train level, sprite work has been put to excellent use everywhere to simulate both small objects and entire floors depending on the settings, and it always looks really clean all the while usually consisting in uncommon tile picks. A lot of the maps are littered with singular instances of smart constructions, small or big, and the result only complements the classic tone instead of clashing with it. The mall level is an especially great representation of that, in addition to being a fantastic map altogether.

In the end, Downtown Journey is an instant classic, and another sweet reminder that sometimes simple is best. It has its own quirks and flaws, but also its strengths and then some more when you count those directly inherited from the greatness of the original game design, which it certainly doesn't shun. The quality of its attempt at looking and feeling professional all the while comprising some nice bouts of creativity definitely justifies its place in your Duke 3D directory.

Rating: 92

New, good-looking 8-level episode release by Brazilian author Preto Murara: https://www.moddb.com/mods/pretomurara