============================================================================================
Title                 :Little Skyscraper of Horrors.
Version               :Final
Author                :Nathan Ruck.
Filename              :skyscraper.zip
Email Address         :foolish_mortal@hotmail.com
URL                   :http://www.members.tripod.com/foolish_mortal/
Description           :Pile of crap.
Previous levels       :The Evil Thing.

============================================================================================
*Play Information*

Single Player         :Yes.
Deathmatch            :No.
Cooperative           :No.
Difficulty Settings   :Yes, obviously.
New textures          :Yes, but no good ones.
New sounds            :No.
New models            :The enemy grunts are green so you can tell them apart.  And because I like them that way.
Installing the level  :Unzip into your Half-Life directory, and it should put
                       all the files in the right places in the gearbox dir.
Running the level     :run "hl -game gearbox +map skyscraper0 +skill x"
                       (where x is a number from 1 to 3, 1=easy, 2=medium, 3=hard).  I suggest you play in Hard, since I tested it in Hard.

*Construction*

Base                  :New level from pork scratchings.
Prefabs               :A helicopter (a Huey, apparently) by Kevin Quang (megalixer@hotmail.com).
                       Thanks, respect is due etc.  I altered it slightly to decrease r_speeds.
                       Also used loads of the Worldcraft prefabs.
Editor used           :Worldcraft 2.1.
Build time            :3 weeks.
Compile machine       :P266 with 48Mb RAM.
Other information     :God has a hard-on for marines.

============================================================================================

*Known Bugs*

1. If you 'Use' the engineer while he is performing a scripted sequence he'll stop doing it.  This may mean you can't get past certain areas.  So it's a bad idea.

2. The friendly marines may not always follow you perfectly.  I tried to add some scripted sequences to help them along though.

3. There used to be a mysterious bug in the second .bsp where the game suddenly quit for no reason, but it hasn't happened recently so I hope it's gone away.  If it happens, restart the level and bring less friendly grunts with you at first.

4. Framerates might be a bit high.

If you find any others please tell me.

============================================================================================

*Pathetic excuse for a plot*

The Bad Guys have taken over a building in a Generic American City, and they've kidnapped some Innocent Scientists and forced them to genetically engineer Evil Mutated Monsters as part of a fiendish plan for World Domination.  But the creations have turned on their creators and escaped, and are running amok inside the building, in an orgy of Death and Destruction.  It's up to you, the Good Guys, to recapture the building, rescue the Innocent Scientists, and kill all the Bad Guys and Evil Mutated Monsters.  (Actually it doesn't really matter all that much about the scientists.)

You will be airlifted onto the top of the building by helicopter, along with a small squad of Elite US Marines who will be under your command.  You must fight your way down to the genetics labs on the lower floors (A lot of skyscrapers have genetics labs on the lower floors, you know), where the Innocent Scientists are being held.

One of the members of your squad is a highly skilled engineer and systems analyst, trained by the NSA.  You'll need him to hack into the artificially intelligent central computer terminal (name of HAL), contained within the labs.  Once the central computer has been compromised evil will be defeated.  If he dies the mission will be terminated.  His skills are needed in other, similar, hostage-scientists-in-mutant-infested-skyscraper situations as well, so he must not be allowed to die.   The other two marines are expendable.

We have learned that your Evil Arch-Nemesis is in the building at this very moment so this could be your chance to finally bring him to justice, although it's possible that he might just slip out of your clutches at the very last moment.

Good Luck... and God Bless America!

============================================================================================

*General Hints*

- You'll need the engineer to cut through various things.
- Soda machines contain valuable nutritious fizzy drinks.
- Don't let your engineer die.  Keep him out of heavy combat.

============================================================================================

*Walkthrough*

On the roof: Get the engineer to cut through the door.  Go inside and down the stairs and remember to get the HEV suit.  Get the marines to follow you and wait till they catch up before you go up to the fire door and change the level.

The lift: You'll have to push the marines into the lift yourself since they aren't likely to follow you by themselves.

The labs: Chuck a satchel charge under the broken door that only opens halfway to kill the bullchicken (and any surviving scientists).  Then get the engineer to cut through the glass pane.  He'll go and use his technical expertise to hack into HAL. (I have to apologise for the shitness of this sequence - there just weren't any engineer-typing sequences).

The way out of the building: You've come to the obligatory ', Break the ventilation shaft, push the nearby crate over and use it to climb in' puzzle.  There's even a fan shaft which you can float upwards in (just jump).  My, how original.

The Helicopter: Wait for the gman to teleport away and the glass doors to open.  Go down to the end of the room, the doors will close, it's a trap.  Try and avoid the bullets till the Helicopter destroys the shutter.  You don't really have anything powerful enough to destroy the Helicopter yet, although you could try with the heavy machine gun or the sniper rifle, but it's easier to run out onto the balcony and jump into the swimming pool below.  Climb out, there's a suspiciously convenient dead marine with a rocket launcher just next to the pool.

The Foyer: Find the passage back up to the research labs, open the door, and bring the engineer down.  Get him to cut through the entrance door to the skyscraper.  Go outside and report to your commander, the mission is over.


============================================================================================

*Thanks*
People with Half-Life Web Pages.
Kevin Quang again for his helicopter.
Rene Magritte for making nice paintings of men in bowler hats.
Whoever it was that made Worldcraft.
Valve for Half-Life.
Gearbox for Opposing Force, which always takes about 10 minutes longer to load up than straight Half-Life and is incredibly annoying to make maps for, incidentally.
id for Quake, Doom, blah blah fucking blah.
Friedriech Nietszche for killing God, so I don't have to thank Him or any other supernatural entities this time round.

============================================================================================

*Permissions*

Nibble.

============================================================================================

Thank you very much for playing my level.  Please write me an abusive email or something.