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Map Designer: Marcus Hutchinson [marcus3@mediaone.net]
Reviewed by: Tarrant[9th]
Story From the Text File:
"Big Map with lot's of stuff, good 2hr battle"
Number of Players: 2-4
Starting Units:
Resourcers - 1
Controllers - 1
Research Ships - 1
Multi-Beam Frigates - 5
What I Thought:
Layout -
This is one of the larger 4 player max maps that I've seen and it uses one of the cooler backgrounds (in my opinion) from the game. This background was the perfect choice given the title of the map as it really reinforces the feeling of being in "deep space". From the screenshots, it's apparent that there isn't a lot of vertical axis movement required but don't let this sway your opinion to the negative. It's really fun to play and it left me with this feeling of being all alone in the void. Very nice.
Combat -
As you can see from screenshot #2, the resources make a "ring" of sorts around the center of the playing field. Starting positions are located inside this ring. Since, as with most maps, combat takes place around resource collectors, I found that 90 percent of my offensive (and, unfortunately, defensive) action was located in the aforementioned ring. This map is also distinguished by the addition of 5 multi-beam frigates (you heard me right, multi-beam frigates) that are included with the starting ship lineup. I like these little bastards but found that they are extremely tricky to use. First, you can't hyperspace them. This means that they are best hotkeyed to their own group and moved around the map on normal propulsion. It's also a good idea to keep some strike craft in defensive posture close by. Anyway, with multi-beams, you have pretty much only two choices on their use. You can 1) leave them to defend the mothership or 2) set them out from the beginning to go start blowing stuff up. They are too slow to bring into offensive action quickly especially if you plan on hyperspacing your other capital ships into a fight. Second, they seem to attack better if placed on evasive tactics. The only reason I can think of to explain this is that they, theoretically, move a little faster/better on this setting. On aggressive, they were pretty much useless for me as they kept damn missing what I was telling them to attack. Very weird. But, when they hit what they're supposed to...whoa baby! Try to imagine smoke, ashes, and tumbling space debris and you'll get the picture.
Resourcing -
Being only a 4 player maximum map, there are a ton of resources for the taking. And, no matter what position you start from, you're going to be able to grab $$$ left and right. Note though that this is a pretty large map making controllers a must have item. My advice? Either draw some money from your off-shore savings account or build many many collectors with at least 1 controller for every 4 resourcers because those destroyers you're going to need ain't cheap.
Overall -
I autodownloaded this map from a team fight I was in the other night. We won after a very close finish but, even if we hadn't, I felt secure in the knowledge that I had obtained one kick ass map from the deal. Resource levels are very high which means that you're not going to hear "Resource levels depleted" unless you just don't realize that resource collectors are really important to have. The addition of multi-beam frigates was really sharp too. You don't see them all that often in custom maps and anything that enhances my ability to vaporize someone that much quicker gets a thumbs up from me. That combined with the "all alone" feeling I got from the game atmosphere makes DeepSpace a real winner in my opinion. So, in short, I think it rocks the house. But, don't just take my word for it. Download this bad boy and show some other players what a multi-beam frigate whammy feels like!
Overall Rating: 90
Download "DeepSpace"
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