Null Bearing Redux

Heavy overhaul/redesign of an older map. Unzip content in your Alkaline folder.
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Submitted by
zbidou72
Downloads
441
Views
1,744
Release date
Aug 31, 2022
First uploaded
Last update
Rating
4.40 star(s) 10 ratings

Latest updates

  1. Version 1.2

    Infighting re-enabled for most ennemies.
  2. Null Bearing Redux - version 1.1

    Version 1.1 - uses new makkon textures, updates based on feedback on version 1.0.

Latest reviews

(Making a new review with more detail, since I played it again)

This map is a hoot and a half. There's so much fantastic brushwork, and I particularly like the wealth of intricate details on all the electronics - everything feels like it would really run and function the way it should, from generators to distilleries. It's quite clear that a lot of care went into this. Encounters are quite challenging, and there are some tricky ambushes where things can pop out of nowhere, but it's still quite fun - it's best to take things slow and study the environment/see what powerups you can take to help you, which suits the map quite well. I've played both versions of the map, and Alkaline definitely fits, given the more technological focus. The secrets were all fun to find, and I love the general motif of statue hunting for a super secret. While it doesn't have the lore PDAs of Zbidou72's other maps, it's still placed within the same shared universe by the secret ending, which I found super fun. All-in-all, this map is awesome!
Big points for ambition and setpieces! Quite an adventure, and the Alkaline monster set serves it well.

Like I mentioned in the discussion thread, a couple of the big outdoor fights were annoying for me (on skill 2 FWIW). I.e.: Cross an invisible line, get spawn-in-surrounded by melee rushers (fiends and axe guys) and snipers (vores and railgunners). OK, need to move. Moving crosses another invisible spawn-trigger line, rinse and repeat. This leads to just a bunch of savescumming and cheesy play to get past the area.

The big fight around the gold key also required some save-reloading, but I enjoyed that one. Partly because it was the last fight (so no need to get past it to other stuff) and partly because there was more room to move and fewer arbitrary triggers. However the fights that were (I think) out back of the "harbor office" and in "dry dock", essentially in big outdoor crate-filled zones, were kinda bullshit IMO. On each one of those I had a brief think about whether I should just punch out and leave the map unfinished.

Glad I didn't quit!

In the end this was a pretty special experience that also had some un-fun parts. That's the way it goes sometimes! I did enjoy Temple of Teuthis more, both from a theme standpoint and also in its puzzles and combat. Still this one is an interesting map worth the touch-up that you gave it.

(P.S. I didn't find three of the collectible macguffins so I don't know what other secret or thingy they might unlock.)

(P.P.S. Every time I see the map name "null bear" it sounds like an AD&D monster or an SCP entry.)
Wow, amazing layout and nice progression in encounters. I prefer this one over Temple of Teuthis, there are some similar combat encounter flaws like monsters at the distance or monsters teleporting on your face when you are about to fire grenades, but its nearly not as big as issue here.

Few times you might get lost because some buttons are hard to notice, some guide arrows are pretty small compared to large scale environments. Running around aimlessly on this scale can be very detrimental for having fun. If you get lost it is really going to hurt. Wasn't too hot on the first objective to progress in the level either.

Amazing use of set pieces and environmental puzzles. Bonus points for making such a difficult combat arenas that are definitely going over some peoples heads when they get near end of the map. I vaguely remember the earlier version of this map and this is clear improvement over on it. Amazing map.
This is a very-very good map. Big, amusing, engaging, inventive. It was initially great and now it looks just perfect (older version was a bit ugly). Also in my opinion it works best if played together with next "water" Zbidou map (Temple of Teuthis)