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Tempus Infinity - Solo Levels

7 Wiping Away The Dirt and Glue

Tips and Secrets

Holds the distinction as the scenario's first level [created].

After surviving the ambush from your starting position, you'll notice two buildings - one on the left, one on the right. Both of their doors are secret, and do open. The building on the right (grey brick with pillars) can be entered by leaping down to the lava river, following the grass to the right until you enter the cave, and taking the teleporter back to the top - this action triggers the door, and exposes a nice ammo stash, and a 1x powerup canister.

Once the player has killed the low flying drones, killed the aliens surrounding the mysterious lava fountain, and entered the outdoor area with the hunter - they'll be greeted by 2 troopers. Inside the room the troopers came from (necessary to grenade hop) is a hidden SMG and some ammo. The alcove with the enforcer and MOAH's is inaccessible.

The player then enters a zig-zag hallway (decorated with wooden ceiling beams), which leads to a leafy trellis room - occupied by another enforcer. The switch on the wall opens the door to the Chapel. Directly across from this switch, is a hidden switch on the opposite wall. This "L" switch opens the "other" secret door at the start of the level (the building on the left - decorated with arched ceilings - it is full of ammo). Also in this same room with the switch and the enforcer, is a secret platform which leads the player to the fenced in corn area - occupied by the hunter. It can be accessed by following the hallway which seemingly comes to a dead end - opposite where you entered the room, and tabbing the short wall.

The player must walk across the back of the altar, in the Chapel to access the rest of the level. If at all possible, save the 2x powerup until after you've disposed of the troopers waiting for you at the bottom of the stairs. After going down the stairs (passed the save term), the player is required to take a lava bath. This elevator leads to a room which holds the manuscript. It is also possible to grenade/bullet climb up to the area occupied by the fighters - eliminating the need to bathe.

At the top of the platform is a switch activated door (much to others dismay, the quick action of the door is to discourage grenading the cyborg from outside the room - doing so may result in causing yourself damage...I call players using this technique "doorway slingers"). Inside this room is a small ammo stash, a 1x powerup, and the door to the manuscript. There are also 2 switches near the back wall - the first switch reveals the second, and opens a door leading to the exit teleporter. The second switch opens the panel where the ammo was, in the previous room.

With the manuscript is in hand, a very slow moving platform exposes the entrance to the rest of the level - be careful not to pass it on yor way out - it's the only way to continue. The room on the right contains a save tem, and some ammo. The door on the left does nothing. The center door (at the end of the hallway) leads to the entrance to the cemetery. After "negotiating" the enforcer, trooper and friends - the player stumbles across a 2x's powerup, and more ammo.

The only requirement in this next outdoor area is to survive the aerial onslaught. Make your way to the door at the Southern most part of the map - eliminate the fighters, enforcer, cyborg and hunter...they can really slow you down. Inside the room with the coffin are some munitions, and a save term. There are three doors surrounding the "morgue": one is switch activated - 2 are locked. By entering the area with the Tower of Drones, and checking the 2 doors (which will not open), you unknowingly activate the previously locked doors surrounding the "morgue". You can reach the end of the level by taking either route. By going up the stairs, you are greeted with an ammo stash, a 1x powerup, and an unfriendly group of characters. You can get a good vantage point to take out the MOAH's from the enforcer's window - if you're up to the challenge.

By taking the "other" door (the one across from the "morgue"), you are faced with (an enforcer, a fighter, and) 2 more locked doors. "Attempting" to activate the door on the right - activates the door on the left. This is where the 2 staircases intersect to allow full level exploration - no matter which route was taken.

Once the trooper and the stairwell fighter are removed, the player is rewarded with another 1x power up, and a switch activated door - which leads back to the save term, and the Chapel ceiling. The door (previously locked) at the end of the hall leads to the final room. Inside are a handful of fighters, and an ammo stash. Located in the back of the room is a switch which opens a hidden platform, and unleashes some troopers and hunters. Nestled in the back of the lava fountain room, is the switch that reveals the exit teleporter

Map Making Notes

Creating the entire Sistine Chapel ceiling is essentially what fueled this whole scenario. Alone the ceiling is 24 textures - almost an entire set. To include it, I needed to add to the set. This level endured over 60 revisions - that's over 60 changed, merged, posted, and tested maps. As each revision was made to the Shapes file (over 50 of those), and more textures were added - the level just grew, and grew ; ) By showing the possibilities of having side-by-side textures used to make a complete image, we were able to include such treasures as The Last Supper, and huge stained glass windows. On the flip side, James also had the brainstorm to include several usable textures on one tile - using portions of the tile only. One tile may be comprised of a key lock, a small grate, and a cross. Applying both of these texture "tricks" truly helped make Tempus Irae as visually stunning as it is.

(Level name dedicated to the process used to clean Michaelangelo's paintings)


Michael K. Neylon / mneylon@engin.umich.edu
Last Modified: Thursday, July 31, 1997