Disintegration

A 6-level multiplayer set for Descent 2

Overview

Disintegration was the first collaborative release Darkhorse and Sirius made for Descent 2. It numbers six levels, the odd-numbered levels being designed by Sirius and the even-numbered levels being designed by Darkhorse.

It features some complex geometry and unique looks, while still being a solid 3-dimensional dogfighting set.

The texture schemes in fact progress from red through green up to blue; each level has a strong identity and playing style.

Notably, Disintegration was also Level of the Week at PlanetDescent shortly after its release.

The Levels

Level 1: Bloodstone
	The red level, and easily the smallest. Bloodstone is basically one big room, with a couple of energy centres in the floor, for nothing but a pure dogfight. While that didn't make it popular with everyone, many people like the style. It has a very light loadout, the main weapons being lasers, vulcan, spreadfire and plasma.
Level 2: Riverbed
	Riverbed progresses to the brown shades, and features mainly a set of large parallel corridors which join in various manners. The weapon selection is much the same as Bloodstone, although you may get a Fusion or Super Lasers if you're lucky (but there are no quads yet, sorry). It should make for some ferocious twisting and turning gameplay, while not being large enough to draw fights out.
Level 3: Emerald
	By Emerald, as the name suggests, the set reaches a brilliant green, and more steep 3d gameplay. While not as open as Bloodstone, Emerald does feature some large rooms and spacious dogfighting environments. Bottlenecks must be run to pass between the rooms, though, but again the reliance is placed on piloting skills rather than trickery. Emerald carries some heavier weapons than the previous two levels, with Gauss Cannons, Homing, Smart and Mercury Missiles entering the fray. Super Lasers are becoming more common, although the quad laser boosts have yet to make an appearance.
Level 4: Reversion
	Reversion is an icy blue-green shade, and the most tricky of the levels, with numerous interconnecting halls and rooms. Ammo racks show up here, and quad lasers finally come into play (although they will take some looking for); these features combine to make it the ultimate brawl-fighting level of the set. It still has a fair bit of height, though, so it will be a brawl with a twist. It probably is on the large side for simple duels, but for tactical four-way games you can't go wrong.
Level 5: Frostbite
	Frostbite has a cold blue scheme, and is easily the tallest level in the set. It consists largely of wide, rounded corridors wrapped around a central shaft (and made heavy use of hallway generators). This will undoubtedly result in a lot of chasing around. The weapons still get heavier; Gauss cannons are present as always, and more homing missiles show up; quad lasers move into the open and even the Omega Cannon makes an appearance. This level is pretty big, so six players might be a necessity before you get enough action.
Level 6: Polarity
	The long, looping violet corridors of Polarity play host for the first time to the Phoenix Cannon. Its shape makes this one of the ideal weapons for this level, but there is only one so it will be a fight. Polarity is a bulk of near-cavernous rooms in the middle, surrounded by two giant elliptical rings, which will undoubtedly encourage long-range play. Apart from the Phoenix, expect to see Gauss cannons and Mercury missiles a lot here. Polarity is ideal for a larger game, with about four players as a bare minimum, and will only begin to shine by six or eight.

Download

Disintegration (Descent 2, 131KB)