Saturday February 10th 2001
Project Magma Executes 'Co-op d'etat' { Lophan }
We received this rather long peice of PR in the mailbox today, and it our pleasure to deliver it to you:'Project Magma', a team of TFL diehards, has released four quick-to-download co-op maps based on solo level TFL games, re-scripted with M2 units. The co-ops focus players to work on seriously demanding teamplay. In addition, the Magma team has created an M2-stocked, 33-map sequel to the Clan of the Bear's landmark 'Unity' series, and have ported the M2 "Lands" maps to TFL with original and brand new variants.
Four co-ops, based on TFL solo levels "Ambush at Devil's Overlook", "Flight from Covenant", Shadow of the Mountain" and "Forest Heart", have been overhauled to test the most disciplined of teams. Near-impossible played solo, these maps have been stocked with powerful M2 units, souped up TFL units, and a horrifyingly vast host of enemy units waiting to exercise a team of 3-5 players in strategy, communication and adaptation. The maps weigh in between 0.1 and 2.2MB (zipped), so they are set to be the best bandwidth-friendly training tool any group of hardcore players could use for tournament-level practice.
'ľnity3' brings M2 units such as Stygian Knights, Heron Guards, modified TFL units, Mauls, Mortar Dwarves, Ghasts and other M2 regulars to TFL's netplay maps in a vast array of tilt, slugfest and irregular army combinations. Aiming to encourage large team games and some refreshing twists on the Slugfest rules, ChrisP of the Underdogs designed an incredible variety of TFL and M2 unit mixes bringing new tactics into old territories.
Project Magma has also released their port of the "Lands" maps featured on M2 for TFL. This map is considered by the porting team to be the best-looking and most fun map to date and contains all three 'Super-Script' units - Myrkridia, Myrkridian Giants and Warlocks. Almost completed are M2 maps "Venice" (complete with destructable walls) and "Grounds". All M2 ports come with the original unit stocks, as well as several new variations, team numbers and difficulty-level dependent settings.
'Project Magma' began in February 2000 with the intention of enlivening TFL netplay by porting M2 units, models and maps to TFL. This means several of M2's units are able to use TFL's more streamlined game engine, making enjoyable M2 games less dependent on high-end hardware. Some compromises had to be made, but Magma maps continue to be the most-played third-party maps on TFL today.
The first five maps ported were Bungie Corp's "Gyre & Gimble in the Wabe", "Drowned Kingdom / Empire", "Clash / Cracks in the Cloudspine", "Dead Man's Chest / Float" and "Dead of Winter".
All maps can be downloaded from http://www.udogs.net/magma/.