Marathon: Phoenix Specialer Edition

[RyokoTK]

http://www.simplici7y.com/items/marathon-phoenix-2

The Special Edition for Marathon: Phoenix is now live and available for download!

Marathon: Phoenix is an action-oriented scenario with particular stylistic emphasis on strong level design and very fast-paced gameplay, with a good level of challenge on any difficulty level without resorting to cheap tricks. What was once originally an updated re-envisioning of The Gray Incident has become almost a brand new scenario with a new plot, new weapons, and all new levels. For those of you that prefer more relaxed games, this isn't the one for you. It features an entire arsenal of new weapons, 35 large levels, and a great soundtrack by CryoS and Kevin MacLeod.

1.3 incorporates stats uploading to lhowon.org, and also some bonus levels attached to the end of the scenario for a personal project that I'm discontinuing, as well as new music from that project.

[Wrkncacnter]

Sorry, this just doesn't seem special enough to me.

[mchief111]

Lol what's different about this special edition?

[RyokoTK]

Lol what's different about this special edition?

Digitally painted some rocks over a Defender in the part where he's hiding from some Pfhor.

Phoenix shoots first.

Edited in a scream when Ryder falls down the pit in the big battle in the second level.

Had an Uncle Tom Bob go "wesa free!" in the last level.


...or was that a serious question?

[Drictelt]

Heh, you re-added the flame to the title screen

You kinda had to, I just realized, seeing as I didn't remove it from the final screen.

[RyokoTK]

There was a centering problem in the title screen that really, really bothered me. That's the main reason.

But I think the flames were just a little more interesting than the plain text.

[???Durandal???]

Is this really worth playing through the whole thing again?

[ukimalefu]

Is this really worth playing through the whole thing again?

Pay attention, there seems to be A LOT of new stuff.

I've played all major scenarios more than once. Phoenix was great the first and only time I played (when it was originally released. I WILL eventually play the newest version available.

[RyokoTK]

Is this really worth playing through the whole thing again?

There is a very considerable amount of new content. So, if you enjoyed it the first time, then yes.

If you hated it, I guess you'd still hate it now.

[gmanyo]

Digitally painted some rocks over a Defender in the part where he's hiding from some Pfhor.

Phoenix shoots first.

Edited in a scream when Ryder falls down the pit in the big battle in the second level.

Had an Uncle Tom Bob go "wesa free!" in the last level.
...or was that a serious question?

Fuck Goerge Lucas.

I'll play this sometime soon. Never finished the first, anyway. Is there much of a plot to this game or is it mainly GUNS GUNS GUNS SHOOT DIE GUNS SHOOT SHOOT GUNS. Either way, looks fun.

[RyokoTK]

There's a plot, yeah. It's not tremendously complex like that of Eternal, but there's an honest-to-goodness story to the game.

[RyokoTK]

Is anyone having trouble with the Crossbow looking like the SMG when it's in your hand?

Edit: Specifically when it's firing, I suppose. Someone is getting this glitch and I don't know of the source.

Edit 2: Seems to be a conflict with some motion blur plugin? Disabling that fixed the issue. Motion blur is stupid.

[President People]

I loved Phoenix when it was released summer '10, and I've been holding off playing through it again until this release. I even took the time to look over all the cool new menu screens before I started playing.

Pretty awesome work so far!

[ellio7t]

Is anyone having trouble with the Crossbow looking like the SMG when it's in your hand?

Edit: Specifically when it's firing, I suppose. Someone is getting this glitch and I don't know of the source.

Edit 2: Seems to be a conflict with some motion blur plugin? Disabling that fixed the issue. Motion blur is stupid.

I had a weird problem with it popping up then automatically going to next weapon as if it were out of ammo. I'll see it it still is acting up later today.

[Dracheseele]

Such a mean secret on Nottingham Lance! Now I gotta replay the stage haha.

[RyokoTK]

I'm working on a walkthrough/spoiler guide for Phoenix right now. Unlike the TGI guide, which was on a webpage and done in HTML, this one will be a pdf; I'm using InDesign for the layout.

Each level will have a two-page spread using basic Letter sheets. The guide can be therefore read either as a spread or as two individual pages for each level.

Here's an example -- I exported the walkthrough for A Space Marine is You into jpegs:
(note: each image is about 2 MB; final product will have a smaller file size)
Page 1: http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/1817/asmiy.jpg
Page 2: http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/5167/asmiy2.jpg

Advice on the layout? By the way, I tried using a white background and it didn't look good -- mostly because of the greens of the automap image. Thus, I went for the black background instead. It just worked better with the images. But it's been a couple of years since I've done serious layout design so I'm a little rusty.

[L'howon]

Admittedly having a monitor at 1920x1080 creates an effect similar to smashing my face into those images, but otherwise I can't find any fault. The typesetting is easy on the eyes, the secrets are noticeable but not disrupting, I think the two column flow fits the purpose nicely and the various screenshots of the levels round it out. If I had to gripe about anything, it might be that having companion images for the secrets would be convenient, but that's a relatively large amount of work for what the text essentially already does. Looks good. I spoke too soon, I didn't make the connection between the labeling and the accompanying level map. I think the size distracted me, my apologies.

[RyokoTK]

I thought about companion images but it would take too much space. Consider some of the longer levels that will have more text. I don't want to have too many pages for each level.

And yeah I set the DPI setting too high for the Jpegs, so they're enormous (I also have a 1920x1080 monitor). The PDF will be a normal size.

[President People]

In the first terminal of Running From Evil, there are two pictures missing. I really hate to point it out after such an epic update.

[RyokoTK]

Damn! Thanks for the heads-up. I will fix it for a (surely inevitable) 1.2.1 release.

[President People]

Since an update is inevitable, then, I'll post a reminder of those two misaligned textures on The Bistromath, by the first save area.

[RyokoTK]

Hey look, the Phoenix Walkthrough is finished.

It's a 15mb PDF. Has a spread for all 35 levels.

[President People]

Hey look, the Phoenix Walkthrough is finished.

It's a 15mb PDF. Has a spread for all 35 levels.

Looks great, I already hate myself for looking at the last secret on Shades of Gray. :P I should've known to look everywhere, but the spot didn't even cross my mind. Though, I may have found it on my first run through in 1.0.

Oh well, no more cheating for me.

[Dugit]

Since an update is inevitable

Then, there's something I'd like to point out. The cyborg here always manages to get stuck over here if I don't shoot at him before he gets there. Without fail. Once he's there, he can't get out. I believe the level is Dark Pfhorces, which, apart from this, is quickly becoming a favorite on TC.

[mchief111]

That awkward moment when you save while flying through the air, so going to your only save throws you into inescapable lava.