This map is a "level design test" created by the author as a portfolio piece with the hopes of landing a job as a designer in the game industry. It must have worked, Cayle went on to work at a number of game studios including Valve Software itself for a number of years. Don't believe me? Go check out the Portal 2 credits! I'll wait.
For this level design test I created all except 2 of the textures (approx 100 in all), a custom skybox, looped and blended 3 ambient sounds, created and textured 11 custom models with 1 new weapon and a new seagull creature, created special "z axis" locked sprites and weapon selection sprites and most importantly did all of the brushwork.
Cayle George's XV Test should now be listed in your Library tab.
I will be adding screenshots and more text when I get home from work later today.
Admirable work. A mappers map. Not really to be played, just looked at.
Palm tree, a small italian harbour, bacon- and terrorist facilitys, a few enemies. Worth a look.
Very well made and designed map, annd on medium or higher the enemies REALLY give you a chalenge, great map.
Yup, this was short fun!
I did like the setting in Italy, the new textures and sounds, flying birds, great atmosphere!
The battles are tough but doable, meaning very good balanced!
The only thing is that is rather a demo than a real SP map, what a pity!
-Many new textures, etc. – it has it's own style!
-A few "puzzles" – doors locked? Hmm..find a way!
Recently we've seen a handful of single-map Half-Life releases that are not only worth playing, but they also provide satisfying (if brief) experiences, and some even incorporate a solid story. X-treme Violence, the follow-up release to Caged, continues this trend.
Mapper Cayle George originally designed XV as a level to demonstrate his mapping prowess to game companies when he applied for designer positions, which is why it's referred to as a 'Level Test' throughout the game (and in the Custom Game menu). But it's enjoyable to play – it's a coherent, challenging map that is definitely worth a look.
XV offers a fairly complete experience in its small package, though it should only take you 10 minutes or so to finish it. A short set of instructions sets the background for your mission, and as you spoil the terrorists' plans the straightforward plot is fleshed out with little details throughout the map. This seems like the perfect way to tell a story in such a short mod, and in fact the original Half-Life did a good chunk of its story development using the same method – by including small, (relatively) subtle details that made sense within the confines of the existing environment and plot.
But the story isn't what this map is really all about. Cayle has really given Half-Life a fresh feel with a ton of custom-made textures, new models, and a couple of new sounds. XV takes place in a seaside town in Italy, and the new textures really make this map shine visually. The architecture is fairly basic, but the layout combined with the lighting result in a convincing, attractive map. Combat can be a bit on the tough side (though I'm a glutton for Difficult mode) – you'll only face human enemies, but the manner in which you must approach some of the encounters makes them more challenging.
X-treme Violence offers a short but fulfilling experience that is certainly worth the download. Here's to sincerely hoping that Cayle applies his talents to producing a longer, deeper mod in the future, perhaps for Half-Life 2.
This review is republished here by permission and was originally published Monday, 1st December, 2003 by Unquenque.