new30, by Gary Ragland (map theft?, see final post)

Well obviously this is his first work and, as could be expected, it is almost immediately obvious that it isn't nearly as good as his future masterpieces. But I'm one who gives sets equal opportunities, and it doesn't look like work of someone who had no clue what they were doing either. So I'm wondering just how bad (or not so bad) this is considering the superb stuff he would soon make thereafter.

For poll purposes, as such, treat it as just another mapset; the poll selection isn't meant to be in comparison to anything though feel free to comment on that regard.

Spoiler:

It's not bad but doesn't have the magic of Ass. Hitler. I voted Above Average.

That is totally true (you can tell just by looking in an editor practicslly). I'd say S2000 is just as good as AH as well. Ep4 and C2D perhaps not quite but still quite a bit above this. Very good at least for those two I'd say.

However that said this is far from the worst you can do as far as mapsets go which is why I feel that considered on its own merits, above average is most suitable.

In fact I'd say it's somewhat reminiscent of comparing The Renovation to BJ Rowan's other releases.

Well if you looked at the spoiler, then you know this set has some myterious maps replaced that the author doesn't notice. Now, if you want more Gary Ragland (albeit not in his magically superb form), Episode 4 is fine to make a quick play through the first 5 levels of. But Gary probably knew that any player who saw these new maps on Episode 4, which I will stress again, have no mention at all to be found within the text file, could quite plausibly look over all the remaining levels to see if the author snuck any surprises in.

You'd subsequently notice that there are indeed a few, on E5L7, E5L8, and E5L10 to be precise. Well, these aren't honest NEW levels.

I had already identified that E5L7 and E5L8 are near-direct copies of Levels 11 and 12 in SodBlase 2. Well, my mention that E5L10 looks like SoD's Level 6 wasn't enough. It's actually a life of Level 6 in Sod_cc1, a mapset that contains lots of levels with layouts that remind of, but don't blatantly mimic, the original.

Now, maybe it's also possible Episode 4 was never mentioned is because it isn't finished. Reach E4L6, and you're done. No ending fight or anything.

But regardless of where it is, and whether you catch it or not, it is quite apparent that because those were all Spear sets, Gary didn't use any of this as a base. Well right there common sense definitely is a point to this being done on purpose

Don't worry over it; it's such an old set and the levels ripped are old even comparison to it, but unless it's the default ID Software maps, or have clear author's permission, I should NEVER find unexplained ripped off levels anywhere in a set. Period. I'm not sure I could call i plagiarism, But it doesn't add a bit of sense to doing it. These maps were from sod files to boot. So right off the bat you can bet he had to do minor tweaks an convert them. You should never use anyone else's levels without even giving credit.

Doesn't affect my rate though. But you should never rip other levels, even if they are placed in spots that. It just isn't being hones. And shocking is that this all came from an author who immediael thereafter would produce a 100-fold quelity ncrease. But then the question loops around: why bother?

WolfForever wrote:Well obviously this is his first work and, as could be expected, it is almost immediately obvious that it isn't nearly as good as his future masterpieces. But I'm one who gives sets equal opportunities, and it doesn't look like work of someone who had no clue what they were doing either. So I'm wondering just how bad (or not so bad) this is considering the superb stuff he would soon make thereafter.

For poll purposes, as such, treat it as just another mapset; the poll selection isn't meant to be in comparison to anything though feel free to comment on that regard.

Spoiler:

You're the only one on planet earth that would notice this kindda stuff. True story.