Your favorite levels ever

[MegaDescent]

Simple question here, what is your favorite single player Descent (I and II) level you've ever played? The only restrictions are that it cannot be an XL exclusive level, cannot be a secret level, and must be just ONE level (so if it's from a mission give the level name or number). Three to five all time favorites would be an ideal amount. Both official and custom levels are fair game. So that all said it should be good to list away!

[Alter-Fox]

It's an XL exclusive level that I never released.
I call it 7-up, because of the bubbles.

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No, it exists.

I'm getting a little bit tired of these threads...

[Pumo]

You're putting it pretty hard, as choosing just one level is not an easy task with so many missions available.

I might be able to say my favorite level of each official (Parallax-made) Descent mission, and maybe a favorite from fanmade missions.

[Xfing]

Hard to say. I love playing D1 level 12 for some reason. From D2, it would be level 2 or 3.

The Apocalyptic Factor rules all, though. Any level from the pack could qualify.

[Pumo]

Right now it comes to my mind as some of my favorite levels, D1 level 9, D2 level 11 and Vertigo levels 3 & 4.
Note I love volcanoes and fire themed ones are some of my favorites.

Although being a mars level, D1L9 shouldn't really be a fire level, but whatever.

Will think about fanmade levels later.

[vision]

D1, Mars and Uranus.

[Xfing]

Well, since the thread prohibits secret levels, I can't really say D1 S1, but it was one amazing level, one of the best and most atmospheric in the game.

I have to say that as a kid, finally getting to the levels from the stock demos carried an amazing sense of accomplishment. So I sure like playing levels 10, S1 and 18 too.

[MegaDescent]

I wish Parallax could have kept their level sizes closer to something like Phobos Encounter. That's overall my favorite set of levels I've played so far (which include First Strike, Counterstrike!, Chasm, and Phobos). These levels just seem a lot more organized and manageable than some of the uber massive designs that were used especially in Counterstrike!. That said, just peeking at Vertigo it looks like they cut the level size down just a touch, which would be nice.

My favorite level so far? Not entirely sure. It wouldn't be a D1 level, even though it had its good ones. Level 2 of Counterstrike! seemed like some thought went into its organization and it wasn't too big either; I could see it being one of the levels I revisit a bit more. That said being such an early level in the game I doubt it's actually my favorite, just one of my better-recalled ones. So I'd have to guess some Phobos map is my favorite of what I've played so far, and I don't know which level to pick.

I'm definitely not a fan of just one huge level after another, especially if they just seem like lots of different areas with not a whole lot of organization. I prefer more medium sized levels, or more organized/focused designs.

Given Vertigo seems to be received as the superior quality mission compared to Counterstrike!, I should probably give it a go, at least once I know I've got the skill.

[Pumo]

In that case, you may not like some of my Pumo Mines levels that much as they are a 'bit' long.






(this last one is still a WIP)

[Alter-Fox]

D1 level 9 is one of my favourites too, but more because I absolutely love that level's music.
I actually tend to like the bigger maps, though even I think some of D3's missions went too far down that road.

[MegaDescent]

It wouldn't be correct at all to just simply say 'I don't like big levels'. In fact I played Lost Levels some years back (I only ever got around to it and Vignettes - the D1 version of the later, as D2 Enemy Vignette unfortunately wasn't out yet) at the time) and I remember liking its layouts overall better than the original D2 ones, and some I thought were really nice. Many of them are pretty large, so it definitely doesn't bother me 'across the board' at all. Maybe it has more to do with the 'style' Parallax took in Counterstrike!.

[Sirius]

Ah, yes, Brimspark fatigue.
Basically, the levels get so large people get lost, and all of them are like that, and that seemed to be the point in co-op games where people would get tired/have to go do something else and leave.

Doesn't mean Limefrost/Baloris were any better, just that it was less frequent that anyone got that far.

[MegaDescent]

Dead on, Brimspark fatigue is it. Limefrost 1 and Baloris 4 (at the bare minimum) are better. I don't think any Baloris level is quite as giant as Brimspark gets (and the rest of Limefrost as well). They're still pretty big though, but probably more manageable.

[Naphtha]

I've definitely fallen victim to Brimspark fatigue as well, since in single player that's usually the point where I run out of the energy to play multiple levels in a row. At least the first two Limefrost Spiral levels and one or two of Baloris Prime's levels (at least 19, dunno about 17 or 20) are a bit more comfortably-sized, but Brimspark... yeah. If it weren't for the oversized-ness, I think I'd enjoy those levels a lot more.

If I had to pick from Counterstrike, my favorite level would probably be 14 for hitting that medium size (and well, I like icy environments so yeah). Out of all of Parallax's levels, though, I'd probably pick either Level 5 or 14 of Vertigo since those were where they got particularly experimental with advanced cubing and level layouts. D1 single-player doesn't quite have the same appeal to me as D2 does, but Level 25 of First Strike still stands out even now.

[MegaDescent]

I think every system other than Brimspark can probably be said to have at least two of the four (main) levels more reasonably sized. But I find very few levels in Vertigo that look truly enormous, although I haven't played them yet.

(Oh and by the way, the second half of Limefrost Spiral is DEFINITELY oversized just like Brimspark.)

[MegaDescent]

Also one thing I find slightly odd (though it's not an issue) is that although Level 3 and Level 5 of Vertigo look to be fire levels, they are presented with the Zeta Aquilae look rather than Brimspark look.

[Xfing]

"Brimspark fatigue", what a dead-on term, haha.

I couldn't even design a level as big as that, I'd run out of ideas halfway through. What doesn't help is that the Parallax levels are mostly naturalistic, so they're designed without a geometrical theme in mind (most of them). Just tunnels, rooms and more tunnels and rooms. Still, I need some such levels for Descent 1/2 too.

[MegaDescent]

Vertigo is better and also plays a bit more well on this regard though right?

[Xfing]

Vertigo is fantastic. It's all but impossible to make better Descent 2 levels.

It could use some Descent 1 content which was axed in the transition to the second game, though. But that's just my taste letting you know of itself, haha

[oklok]

For me I prefer D1 level 9, the map is not to big, and not to small. The music is catchy and the level just feels awesome.

[Calmarius]

My personal favorite is 'Cubik' from the 'levels of the world' collection.

I like the 3D 'Nine Men's Morris' table level design and the strong blue color of the outer frame.

[Alter-Fox]

For me I prefer D1 level 9, the map is not to big, and not to small. The music is catchy and the level just feels awesome.

I found out that track was based on "Nature's Revenge" by Skinny Puppy. Well, very very probably. The similarities are just as clear as those with the map 19 song and "Blood on the Wall".

[Xfing]

Level 12 is a very pretty level by Descent 1 standards. And very fun to play, too. I think I'll run it on Insane from cold start just to see if I'lll be able to make it on the lives granted to me, hee hee.

EDIT: Didn't, managed to get 2500 points. Lol.