-Sirian

Elegies Level 1 "When Karash challenged me to a title match, I asked for his home level. Found out it was the same as mine, Elegies level 1. Most of the action was down in the main room, but we had a few skirmishes up top. There was lots of gauss, and then it was over, 20 14. He said, "Next time we can play your home." I told him, "This is my home. ;)"

-UsuL

-Sekmu

-Sirian

-Troop

-Sirian

-Xciter

-Sirian

THE ELEGIES are a level set produced in tandem by level masters NuKE and Karash of the PPG. NuKE designed the odd-numbered levels in this set, and Karash designed the even-numbered levels. There are six levels total, three by each designer. One of the first things you will notice when you fly these missions is the abundant presence of gauss. Every level has a horde of ammo. The gauss dominates almost every match played in Elegies, and each level provides a slightly different balance of weapons and tactics. This entire production is first rate, and the Descent community eagerly awaits the release of the long-anticipated sequel series, Astralwerks.

The Elegies were the first significant multi-level anarchy mission produced since Total Chaos for D1 and are largely responsible for reviving the trend of multi-level mission sets. Each level has a custom soundtrack, so the mood of this series differs greatly from your typical D2 level. What is perhaps most ironic about this set is that Karash eventually settled on one of NuKE's levels as his preferred home turf. And that level is Elegies 1.

Level 1

THE first level in the Elegies set is a simple design. There is a big loop where most of the fighting takes place. The center of the loop's larger side is a dogfight room, and the energy bay sits to one side. The upper level consists of one long looping tunnel in the shape of a figure 8. One crosspiece of the 8 is a bridge that passes through the smaller side of the lower loop. The other crosspiece contains a small pool, which hides a few items in its shallow depth. The smart mines are located on the bridge, and there are two small chutes connecting the upper level to the lower loop.

Elegies Level 1 is one of the premiere gauss levels. Its small size reduces the favored "gauss and retreat" tactic, and instead turns the player into an aggressive stance. Fast action and lethal combat often characterize games played here. Although its simple design and layout offers peace of mind to the first time player, if you do not know how to control the tempo of the game in this level, you are toast. Overall rating: 8

Here are some tips from "Elegies Master" Karash for level 1:

Know the gauss and how to use it. If you are not comfortable with gauss, you might want to practice before playing matches here. A lot of the start points are along the top bridge. Know that once you kill your opponent, the most likely place for respawn is up top. Get up there and try for an easy kill against an opponent without weapons. Only 4 homers are in here. Scrounging for them and using them are key to your victory against an equally matched opponent. Plasma is devastating up close in this level. Because of the general lack of height to the level, plasma streams are harder to dodge than normal and are great for leading an opponent right into an opposite placed smart missile. Tricording / Afterburn usage is required. Your speed is key in dodging in a 2D level. Use the ES convertor. Most kills happen in the lower room next to the energy center. Recharge quickly and grab your opponents energy star before heading upstairs, and convert that to shields.

Level 2

LEVEL 2 was designed primarily for four-player anarchy. The level is flat and square, and there are no rooms. In effect, it is all one room, broken up by columns and small walls, with one open 3D area and two small nests where the gauss and ammo begin. The reactor is tucked away, accessible only via a long, arcing tunnel, which is the most fertile ground for growing missiles as you are ever likely to see in any missile farm.

Head to head matches in this level are often characterized by peekaboo exchanges of gauss or plasma combined with an endless love train of homers, mercs, smarts and guideds. Quads rule here in multi-player games, but in ladder matches they are often relegated to those long distance telegrams that you hope a careless opponent will fly into. With the length of some of the straight areas, it is possible to send shots that will probably not arrive until the next morning. :)

There is only one energy bay, but it is easy to reach. The reactor tunnel is often the centerpiece of the fight, and it is possible to camp in there. Skilled use of guideds can sometimes make campers pay, yet because the homers are so important, and so many of them respawn in the tunnel, it is foolish to refuse to go in there. Make sure you don't dip into that well too often, though, or your opponent will make you pay. While this is a grand design for large anarchy games or team action, it serves less sufficiently for two players, so for ladder matches we give it a modest Overall Rating of 6.

Level 3

PLAYING a match in Level 3 is like crawling into a ventilation system to track down an alien predator. There are tunnels that lead all over the place, and if you are not familiar with the layout, you can expect to meet a gruesome fate when the alien jumps out at you from some dark corner or corridor. The soundtrack is a mournful dirge, and it sets the mood well for games played in this tunnel rat habitat.

Elegies 3 is one of the fastest scoring anarchy levels around, due mostly to its cramped size and lack of dodging room. In head to head play, though, it turns into a stalker's paradise, often characterized by a head game of ambushes and by schemes to turn the hunter into the hunted. The level is very dark, and you may find the headlight of some use in here. Just be careful not to run around with it always turned on: remember, the aliens you are tracking are intelligent, and they will dismember you unless you can outthink them as well as outmaneuver them.

There is only one energy bay, tucked behind a lavafall at the end of a small tunnel. The level consists of three areas: the ring, the figure 8 loop, and the reactor room in the middle. Since there are only so many places you can go, opponents will find it easy to predict your moves unless you make a deliberate effort to confound them by doubling back, pausing, or even camping for a while every so often. If an opponent can get a bead on your patterns, you are toast, so don't let that happen.

This level has two serious technical flaws, which can be easily overcome if you are aware of them. One is that a respawn point is messed up, and your screen will get scrambled when you start there. Fortunately, all you have to do is move to clear it up, most of the time. The other is that the reactor room is so heavy with cubes, it provides a very poor fps even for systems with 3D accelerated video. So either avoid fights in the reactor room or keep in mind that your aim there is going to be sluggish and adjust accordingly. As with most of the Elegies, this level plays better as an anarchy or team level than a head to head battleground, and so it receives a lesser rating than it would earn if judged with larger games in mind. Overall rating: 7.

Level 4

WHEN you think of gauss + homers, one person instantly leaps to mind: Karash. These are his favorite weapons, the ones at the top of his autoselect order for primaries and secondaries, and his D2 levels ALWAYS feature these two items. Elegies 4 is one of Karash's masterpiece levels. It is not especially popular outside the PPG, but it incorporates a large amount of design gimickry that leads to the most unusual accoustics in any level yet produced. This is the premeire level in D2 for skilled use of homers, and a wise player will opt to enter missile boat mode from the moment he appears in the mine.

There are two main dogfight rooms, but they are oddly shaped and you will spend much of your time firing and dodging homers, so actual gun battles are not that common. The only energy bay is right here, as well, so it is fairly accessible most of the time. The reactor room holds the fusion and smart mines, and some missiles will respawn here, but for the most part this is a trap and you don't want to get caught down there by an opponent. There is a secret compartment under the water where the omega is hidden. Two oddly shaped ramps abut the lower dogfight room, and fights in these tunnels are a unique experience. Both gauss and plasma have their place in this level, depending on the particular circumstances.

You will need plenty of skills to compete in this level. Like Mori, Elegies 4 is difficult to learn and requires tons of level knowledge if you are to succeed here against a veteran player. Like all the Elegies, this level has a custom midi track that can help set the mood for a different sort of Descent experience. The layout is strange, but well crafted. Overall rating: 8

Level 5

LEVEL 5 is the black sheep of the Elegies. The entire level is made of large pentagonal-shaped tunnels, and NuKE threw in a mega to provide a different weapon mix.

There is not a lot of complexity or scheming to this level. You can missile boat, but there are not nearly as many missiles in this level as some of the other Elegies. Gauss hit and run is an option, but for the most part this level is all about dogfighting, and it is one of the few levels around where the watered-down D2 spreadfire can prevail over plasma or quads, if you know what you are doing.

Big Red definitely has an impact on any matches played here, but it is not as dominant as you might expect. If your opponent relies too heavily on the missiles, you can hoard them and force him to use guns. As with all of the Elegies, this level has only one energy bay, and you will need to make frequent pit stops even if you are using gauss, because of how much burner you will be consuming. Although this level is not widely liked, it is technically sound and well balanced. Overall rating: 6.

Level 6

THE final installment in the Elegies set is one of Karash's personal faves. Yet he also admits that it is designed for large games and does not lend well to ladder matches. The large main room allows for some grand 3D gauss dogfighting. The cloak tucked away in a secret area lends a different spin to the strategy. Tunnels surround the main room, with four entrances per side, and the lower level is made up entirely of tunnels.

Elegies 6 has only one energy bay, shown here in the shot on the left. It is located on the lower level, far away from the main fight area. While this is rarely a problem in a 4-way or 6-way LAN anarchy fest, because of how short the life expectancy is, in head to head games it disrupts the rhythm of the game pretty badly. Karash is known for making levels with low energy availability, because he loves gauss and prefers to feature it, but in this case he went just a bit too far.

The tunnel environs on Level 6 provide a nice change of pace from the open room. You will need lots of dogfight skill to play this level, but best not leave your ratting skills at home or you may come up short. Energy is so hard to come by here, you had best not wait until you are low to refuel, at least not all the time, or that will surely haunt you.

The coffin room in this level far predates the making of Vampyro. Perhaps that is coincidence, or perhaps it served as an inspiration. Either way, I think it was really cool of Karash to give us a glimpse into his personal life. Note which gun he keeps beside his bed. Mmm-hmm, that's right. Interesting, don't you think? Elegies 6 is a blast to play with a bunch of friends, but we must rate it low for head to head games. Overall rating: 4.

Summary

If you like gauss, you'll love the Elegies. Every level features gauss and has plenty of extra ammo. In fact, the Elegies set a trend of juicing up levels with tons of gauss ammo that lasted for a very long time. It was not until The Manes for D2 came out that designers started to move back toward balanced weaponry by including gauss as just another gun, instead of having it dominate all games by the sheer amount of ammo made available.

If you have never played the Elegies, you are missing out on one of the all-time classic Descent anarchy missions. This level set is a must-have for any serious D2 player.

-Ratings-

Level Name	DF	TR	TM	TP	EB	GM	3D	WF	CR	LV	ST	Overall	Special
Elegies Level 1	8	5	10	3	7	3	2	7	8	8	5	8	DG
Elegies Level 2	6	7	7	3	6	3	3	6	4	7	4	6	GL
Elegies Level 3	3	9	6	2	5	4	2	8	5	5	9	7	G
Elegies Level 4	8	8	4	4	5	6	7	4	5	8	10	8	DGL
Elegies Level 5	7	5	4	1	4	3	3	6	2	5	4	6	CG
Elegies Level 6	9	8	5	4	1	4	5	7	6	7	4	4	GHL

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