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     <H1 ALIGN=CENTER>Shadow Guard</H1>

     <H2 ALIGN=CENTER>for Descent II</H2>

     <H3 ALIGN=CENTER>

      <A HREF="files/shadowgd.zip">Download the Final Version (214K)</A>

     </H3>

     <H3 ALIGN=CENTER>

      <A HREF="files/shadowgd-old.zip">Download (outdated) Version 0.7 (212K)</A>

     </H3>

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  <P>

   Current Version: 1.0<BR>

   Last Updated: 5/30/97<BR CLEAR=ALL>

  </P>

  <P>

   I created this mission in response to someone's newsgroup posting

   questioning the purpose of flares. The whole thing is designed around

   darkness with very little illumination. It's solely an anarchy mission,

   with goals for flag and hoard play (though there are single and co-op

   starts). There are four levels, each built around a theme. The first ones

   are smaller and good for a two-person dogfight, while the latter ones get

   a bit bigger for larger group games. The strength of the weapons available

   also increases as the levels progress, so don't be surprised if there

   isn't a lot on the first level, you'll find it later on (no Shakers,

   though).

  </P>

  <P>

   The final version is at last released (these spent about 3 months in beta). If

   you really like it, send me your comments/suggestions. If you really hate it,

   tell me and I'll see what I can do to appease players like you (I <EM>may</EM>

   eventually release a fully illuminated version, but not until I get some free

   time and finish my own lighting editor). I may also release a Pro version with

   more textures/custom music, etc...(possibly a fifth level?), but that runs into

   the time thing again. If you're generally indifferent, I'm sorry.

  </P>

  <P>

   Keep in mind, these are not designed to be <EM>easy</EM> levels. The thing

   I find about most anarchy levels is that there is no challenge to

   navigating them. These are not designed that way. They're not made to be

   totally impossible (I mean after all, it's still just flying), but it's a

   bit more than smoothly gliding along until you see something to shoot at.

   And if you really feel the need to complain about the light, look at the

   screenshots below. Once the action gets going, the illumination's fine.

  </P>

  <H3>The Specs</H3>

  <PRE>

   type=normal

   briefing=shadowgd.txb

   num_levels=4

   stonhall.rl2

   aquabast.rl2

   aliencit.rl2

   firewell.rl2



   author=Eidolon

   email=<A HREF="mailto:sundance@sprintmail.com?Subject=Shadow%20Guard">sundance@sprintmail.com</A>

   date=5/30/1997



   custom_textures=Yes

   custom_robots=No

   normal=Testing Purposes Only

   anarchy=Yes

   robot_anarchy=Yes

   coop=Testing Puposes Only

   capture_flag=Yes

   hoard=Yes



   build_time=70 hours or so, who's counting?

   known_bugs=See below for level by level break-down

   game_version=Descent II v1.2 or above suggested

   level_version=1.0

   editor=Descent Mission Builder II by Bryan Aamot / Brainware, Devil v2.1h by Achim Stremplat

  </PRE>

  <IMG SRC="images/stonhmap.jpg" ALIGN=RIGHT

       ALT="Stone Hall Map" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=206>

  <H3>Level 1: Stone Hall</H3>

  <P>

   This level was designed with the idea that you're never sure exactly where

   the ground is. Orientation changes quickly and if you get caught in the

   corners while in the sights of your enemy, you don't last long. The flag

   goals are specifically designed to be hard to get to, but sometimes those

   walls surrounding them <EM>do</EM> disappear. Try flying straight through the

   energy center.

  </P>

  <BR CLEAR=ALL>

  <IMG SRC="images/stonscr0.jpg" ALIGN=LEFT

       ALT="Stone Hall Screen Shot" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=240>

  <P>

   Files: stonhall.rl2, stonhall.pog

   <TABLE>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Primary Weapons:</TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>4 Lasers</TD>

     <TD>2 Spreadfires</TD>

     <TD>2 Quad Lasers</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>2 Vulcan Cannons</TD>

     <TD>1 Plasma Rifle</TD>

     <TD>4 Loads of Vulcan Ammo</TD>

    <TR>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Secondary Weapons:</TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>8 Homing Missles</TD>

     <TD>8 Proximity Bombs</TD>

     <TD>2 Smart Missles</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Accesories:</TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>2 Afterburners</TD>

     <TD>1 Headlight (for wimps!)</TD>

     <TD>2 Flags (Blue/Red)</TD>

    </TR>

   </TABLE>

   <BR CLEAR=ALL>

   <UL>

    <LH>Known Bugs:</LH>

    <LI>None.</LI>

   </UL>

  </P>

  <H3>Level 2: Aquatic Bastion</H3>

  <IMG SRC="images/aquabmap.jpg" ALIGN=RIGHT

       ALT="Aquatic Bastion Map" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=207>

  <P>

   There are not quite as many traps/puzzles, and the geometry is a bit more

   regular, but instead I've added a few more illusions and a lot more hiding

   places (though who needs them in the dark?) and slightly more powerful

   weapons. And if you managed to get the headlight in the last level (good

   luck), it'll be a lot brighter now.

  </P>

  <IMG SRC="images/aquascr0.jpg" ALIGN=LEFT

       ALT="Aquatic Bastion Screen Shot" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=240>

  <P>

   Files: aquabast.rl2, aquabast.pog

   <TABLE>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Primary Weapons:</TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>6 Lasers</TD>

     <TD>2 Spreadfires</TD>

     <TD>1 Fusion Cannon</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>2 Vulcan Cannons</TD>

     <TD>1 Plasma Rifle</TD>

     <TD>2 Quad Lasers</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Secondary Weapons:<TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>8 Homing Missles</TD>

     <TD>2 Smart Missles</TD>

     <TD>8 Mercury Missles</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>4 Proximity Bombs</TD>

     <TD>8 Flash Missles</TD>

     <TD></TD>

    </TR>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Accesories:</TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>2 Afterburners</TD>

     <TD>1 Energy->Sheild Converter</TD>

     <TD>2 Flags (Blue/Red)</TD>

    </TR>

   </TABLE>

   <BR CLEAR=ALL>

   <IMG SRC="images/aquascr1.jpg" ALIGN=RIGHT

        ALT="Aquatic Bastion Screen Shot" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=240>

   <UL>

    <LH>Known Bugs:</LH>

    <LI>

     Some of the thin cubes in that main room can cause depth-sorting errors.

     This is due to a simplification in Descent's engine which small, thin

     cubes bring out. But, they simplify the geometry enough to maintain what

     framerate there is in there, so I've chosen to keep them.

    </LI>

   </UL>

  </P>

  <BR CLEAR=ALL>

  <IMG SRC="images/alienmap.jpg" ALIGN=RIGHT

       ALT="Alien Citadel Map" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=206>

  <H3>Level 3: Alien Citadel</H3>

  <P>

   This level has a lot more open space in it, and not nearly as many

   illusions as the last. It's made for an all out dogfight, preferably with

   three players or more (it's just too big for two players, but that's what

   the first two levels are for). It's central design is two concentric

   circles, linked together in several places, but of course it's more

   complicated than that...

  </P>

  <IMG SRC="images/aliescr0.jpg" ALIGN=LEFT

       ALT="Alien Citadel Screen Shot" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=240>

  <P>

   Files: aliencit.rl2, aliencit.pog

   <TABLE>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Primary Weapons:</TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>8 Lasers</TD>

     <TD>2 Plasma Rifles</TD>

     <TD>2 Quad Lasers</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>2 Vulcan Cannons</TD>

     <TD>1 Gauss Cannon</TD>

     <TD>2 Loads of Vulcan Ammo</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>2 Spreadfires</TD>

     <TD>4 Super Lasers</TD>

     <TD></TD>

    </TR>

   </TABLE>

   <TABLE>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Secondary Weapons:<TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>8 Homing Missles</TD>

     <TD>8 Flash Missles</TD>

     <TD>8 Mercury Missles</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>16 Proximity Bombs</TD>

     <TD>8 Guided Missles</TD>

     <TD>8 Smart Mines</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>4 Smart Missles</TD>

    </TR>

   </TABLE>

   <IMG SRC="images/aliescr1.jpg" ALIGN=LEFT

        ALT="Alien Citadel Screen Shot" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=240>

   <TABLE>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Accesories:</TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>3 Afterburners</TD>

     <TD>2 Flags (Blue/Red)</TD>

     <TD></TD>

    </TR>

   </TABLE>

   <UL>

    <LH>Known Bugs:</LH>

    <LI>

     Some more depth sorting errors, but they shouldn't affect gameplay at all.

     You can even look at one in the screen shot on the left.

    </LI>

   </UL>

  </P>

  <IMG SRC="images/firewmap.jpg" ALIGN=RIGHT

       ALT="Fire Well Map" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=206>

  <BR CLEAR=LEFT>

  <H3>Level 4: Fire Well</H3>

  <P>

   Hmm, lava in the dark? Well, watch out for the floor, where ever it is. Not

   quite the size of the last one, but should hold eight people nonetheless.

   The twisty tunnely section in the middle should be fun to chase people

   through, if you don't blow yourself up in it ("Uh, who'd be dumb enough to

   do that?" "Shut up!" :). The force-field walls in the tunnels at the

   top should be interesting, as well. The heavier weapons include a mega missle

   and a pheonix cannon, plus my all time favorite, the fusion! &#60g&#62

  </P>

  <BR CLEAR=ALL>

  <IMG SRC="images/firescr0.jpg" ALIGN=LEFT

       ALT="Fire Well Screen Shot" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=240>

  <P>

   Files: firewell.rl2

   <TABLE>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Primary Weapons:</TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>2 Vulcan Cannons</TD>

     <TD>1 Fusion Cannon</TD>

     <TD>2 Quad Lasers</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>2 Spreadfires</TD>

     <TD>6 Super Lasers</TD>

     <TD>4 Loads of Vulcan Ammo</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>3 Plasma Rifles</TD>

     <TD>4 Gauss Cannons</TD>

     <TD></TD>

    </TR>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Secondary Weapons:<TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>8 Homing Missles</TD>

     <TD>1 Mega Missle</TD>

     <TD>4 Guided Missles</TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>8 Proximity Bombs</TD>

     <TD>4 Flash Missles</TD>

     <TD></TD>

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>3 Smart Missles</TD>

     <TD>4 Mercury Missles</TD>

     <TD></TD>

    </TR>

    <TR><TD COLSPAN=4>Accesories:</TD></TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD>

     <TD>4 Afterburners</TD>

     <TD>1 Cloaking Device</TD>

     <TD></TD> 

    </TR>

    <TR>

     <TD></TD> 

     <TD>1 Ammo Rack</TD>

     <TD>2 Flags (Blue/Red)</TD> 

     <TD></TD> 

    </TR>

   </TABLE>

   <BR CLEAR=ALL>

   <IMG SRC="images/firescr1.jpg" ALIGN=RIGHT

        ALT="Fire Well Screen Shot" WIDTH=320 HEIGHT=240>

   <UL>

    <LH>Known Bugs:</LH>

    <LI>

     Well, since DMB2 has very poor support of replacing animated light

     textures (read: none), and DTX 2 b4 refuses to run on my system, one of

     the textures I replaced is currently not aminated, though it should be.

     What an amazingly earthshattering bug

    </LI>

   </UL>

  </P>

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