A fun campaign amalgamation that suffers from poor naviagtion

First the good stuff.  The random weather is a nice touch.  The randomly blocked paths and the changes to some of the gauntlets freshen things up enough to make it feel different.  Didn't have any crashes either.

However, the random paths are really detrimental to bot navigation.  They keep getting stuck and/or having to teleport.  I used the console to warp the bots more than a few times. Also, right on the first level, the random paths bugged out and blocked both the main street and the houses to the side.  I restarted, because I simply couldn't find any way I was supposed to cross. Additionally, the super long ladder in mercy hospital is not a great feature.  Because infected climbing down can block you, and jockeys can get insta-kills too easily.  I had to warp the bots to the top.  Also the second-to-last level is an impossibly hard continuous escape sequence.  Brutal to have tanks spawning in the entire way.
 All in all fun, but the poor bot navigation hurts.

Dam It

Playing this was an uneven experience.
There were a couple locations that worked really well aesthetically, like the orchard and and the bombed out field; but other than that I wasn't too impressed.  There are a lot of large squarish areas that are bland or repetitive.  Parts of the finale that can kill you without warning.  It's worth playing to see what they had planned, but I wouldn't play it again.

Also, fair warning, it's riddled with dev textures, missing textures, missing models, invisible elevators, etc.  If you are looking for immersion, look somewhere else.
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One more things to add:
It also comes with 2 survival maps, which are well made and worth playing.  The freighter was reused in The Sacrifice.

Global Radar

While it certainly has a "cheaty" vibe to it; it's not much worse that playing with subtitles on, and is arguably less bad than using one of those mods on the workshop that lets you see special infected through walls and objects or that makes them glowing red or white.  I don't see why they banned you while leaving other mods like that in the workshop.  Yes, I suppose you are doing scripting via vmts, but this certainly isn't a conventional script cheat, since its purely client-side.  

In any case, I don't see how this violates any of the gamemaps terms of use; so you should be fine posting this here :)

Die Screaming II

Pros
-enough supplies
-difficulty ramps up gradually but is manageable
-very few bugs
-a good a amount of detail
-believable immersive environments


Cons
-broken window areaportal in map 2
-door into nothingness (I think towards the end of map 3 or 4...)
-a few minor nav issues (survivor bot suicided off the long ladder on Rooftops, and a tank got stuck in the rocks in the finale).
-some nav areas don't seem to be "clearable" when they should be - ie. infected are spawning improbably close in areas that have already cleared of all infected.  I think this is part of what makes this campaign harder than average.
-difficulty perhaps a bit too hard for inexperienced players.


General thoughts
In my experience, the difficulty definitely ramps up as you progress.  The first map is very manageable once you find those tier 1 weapons.  The second map isn't too hard.  The rooftops were a lot more challenging, with one bot being punched off the map, one falling down the ladder when I went back to the rescue closet and one being killed by a witch (two witches and a tank for me on this map).  The 4th map is brutal - it didn't help that there was a witch in the middle of the "run through the horde" part.  I was one survivor bot with 2hp away from not making this map.  The finale is reasonably difficult too, mainly because of the low supply density and the wave with multiple tanks.

I do like the fact that the difficulty gradually builds up and gets harder - it's not something you see very often in custom maps.

Skipping Class

Pros
-good map design
-lots of areas to explore
-unusual finale concept

Cons
-rather limited supplies
-finale enters "escape mode"  with permanent tanks too early when playing single-player (because it takes a long time to carry back the gascans).

Beginners luck

PROS
-short and sweet
-enough supplies
-everything worked like it should
-survivor dialogue

CONS
-too much sewer time

Forgotten Mist

PROS
-good map design
-sufficient supplies
-nice and detailed
-average difficulty

CONS
-various nav issues; especially in the finale

Excellent

I played this map back when it was just chapters 1 and 5.  I decided to come back to try it again now that it has all 5 chapters.


pros:
-well-designed and realistic environments
-enough supplies
-not too difficult
-the new maps complement the existing ones by adding a storm level, a daytime level and an underground level


cons:
-none

PIZZA!

I heard that you were in search of reviews :)

pros
-multiple potential hold-out spots (of varying difficulties)
-lots of supplies
-nice layout
-realistic Pizza Hut

cons
-bots don't follow you on to the white van at the front
-bots occasionally get stuck above the radio due to the low ceiling
-mini-gun is next to useless because so many zombies spawn behind you when you use it
-(minor) toilet doors should probably open inwards or both ways instead of outwards

Conclusion:
A great survival map.  I especially like the fact that there are different potential spots to camp and some of them are easy to hold out in (ex. back of the Pizza Hut) while others are harder (ex. by the mini-gun or the empty shop).

Great

Pros
-custom weapons
-custom sounds
-believable custom panic events
-beautiful skybox in map 1
-clever jokes and references in the graffiti
-sufficient supplies
-lots of detail
-chatty survivors


Cons
-the custom weapons lack HUD icons
-there is a ramp (I think it is the one from the sugar mill) that turns invisible as you walk up it


To anyone who also sees ERROR signs – I strongly suspect that these would be fixed by using “Valve's Missing Content Fix”.  Valve removed some models from the game after this map was already complete, so it’s not the author’s fault that you see errors.


Conclusion
-a well-made campaign that isn’t too hard.  Worth downloading and playing.

Playable, but not necessarily worth playing

Pros
-5 full maps
-plenty of detail and believable environments
-adequate supplies
-decent map design

Cons
-Recurring nav issues; especially in maps 4 and 5
-Overly excessive hordes in map 5
-Witches allowed to spawn during gauntlet events
-Many unbreakable doors
-Reflections are messed up (they reflect the sky-box)
-Radio event (map 2 I think) didn't trigger when using the radio
-Some areas (especially map 1) show noticeable performance issues.
-Minor stuff like a ladder that was intended to be climbable, but isn't.

Conclusion-
The campaign is alright; about borderline between me being able to recommend downloading it and suggesting that you skip over it instead.

Great campaign, but the finale is a death sentence if you are alone with bots

pros
-well-designed and varied environments
-lots of detail
-plenty of supplies
-some custom panic events

cons
-16 gas cans in the finale is excessive (especially if you are only playing with bots).  Considering how far away they are from the boat, about half that amount would be appropriate in my opinion.

Conclusion:
A great campaign overall.  I can definitely recommend downloading it.  Just be warned that the finale is hard and tedious, so consider lowering the difficulty when you reach it.

Interesting, but buggy

pros-
-some custom content
-decent map design
-a cool rescue vehicle
-movies being played in the cinema

cons-
-bots pick up almost nothing
-missing textures in a few places
-boss infected (like the witch) can spawn before you even have primary weapons
-too few supplies
-1st tank suicided in the finale

Some nice concepts, but only marginally playable

pros-
-finale with a castle and a blimp!!!
-many decently designed environments

cons-
-map 2 is non-functional
-map transitions broken
-bots fail to pick up weapons and kill themselves on ladders
-poorly ported to l4d2
-invisible walls
-random panic events
-A lack of details in some areas

Pros:

-Optional side-quests
-Darkness isn't too bad if you use the generators
-Believable panic events
-Acceptable difficulty
-Ammo is thinly spread, but still sufficient.
-Train finale

Cons:

-Low weapon diversity in the first two maps
-Occasional minor nav issues
-The finale radio doesn't glow through walls

Conclusion:

Relatively bleak environments, sort of like crash course except more underground areas-

Pros:

-Very original
-Probably looks like the actual ride
-Option to do ride without zombies
-Good use of various zombie models to populate everything

Cons:

-Bots have trouble staying on the boat if you choose that route

Conclusion:

I haven't seen the ride in real life, but I imagine that this is quite a decent recreation of it.  It's not very challenging, but that's probably for the best, because it allows people to take time to look at everything.

Pros:

-Looks just like a zoo
-Custom tank skin
-Lots of beautiful environments to explore

Cons:

-Only 1 ammo pile 
-Not many throwables
-All the doors are locked

Conclusion:

It's a very nice looking map, that convincingly looks like a zoo.  It's hard to hold out anywhere other than where you originally spawn, because that's where the only ammo pile is.

Pros:

-Extensive alternate pathing, especially on the 4th map
-Plenty of signs
-Sufficient supplies
-Good overall map design
-Bonus content on the website
-Lots of details to explore

Cons:

-I suppose there could be more of an emphasis on the "mountains" aspect

Conclusion:

As long as you actually follow the signs, you won't get lost.  I like exploring all the available paths, and so I ended up finding myself back at the starting point a couple of times.

Pros:

-6 chapters
-Cool textures and water effects (aquariums)
-Lots of custom content
-Unusual safe-rooms (safe!)
-Sufficient supplies
-Not 100% linear, but still easy to follow
-Not to difficult

Cons:

-Color correction transitions in the first few maps aren't subtle enough in my opinion
-One indestructible door in the cinema

Conclusion:

Excellent campaign.  It's rather long, but it doesn't get boring because you keep seeing new environments and having to solve unusual panic events.

Pros:

> Plays like an official campaign (ie. very well made)
> Excellent pathing and supply density
> Almost no nav issues
>Finale combines scavenge and survival
>Custom sounds

Cons:

- Nothing major
- Safe-room sound isn't very upbeat

Conclusion:

Of the same standard as the official campaigns (at least for coop, I haven't tried any of the other modes). Easier than your average custom campaign.  The finale seemed a bit too easy ... until 2 tanks spawned at once.
Definitely recommended, especially for players who want something that's not too hard.

Pros:

-Enough supplies
-Lots of custom content
-No bugs
-The forest is just about navigable by following vague lights in the distance.
-Blades to chop up zombies in the finale
-Some alternate pathing
-Burning green goo

Cons:

-Some parts drag on for a very long time while being confusing to navigate (map 4 especially)
-Overall, if it were maybe 5%-10% brighter that would make things a bit easier, and also allow player to appreciate the map design more

Conclusion:

I really liked the first map.  Although the forest was incredibly dense and dark, there were always a few lights in the distance that made it possible to find the right way (and it helped a lot that the bots could shoot the boomers and other zombies that I couldn't see).
The second and third map were quite good as well, except for the one point where I followed a black arrow first instead of an orange one on map 3 (I decided to no clip back up after that).
Map4-  The ladders at the beginning were excessively long, and the bots kept falling down and then grabbing on again,  miraculously without losing any health.  Anyway, somehow I felt that this map just dragged on an on, with lots of gore but not that much interesting stuff.  I literally found myself going in circles because the darkness made it hard to find the right way.  At some point I got fed up with it and turned on mat_fullbright for the rest of that map.
Map 5 - It takes a long time to actually reach the surface (too long, in my opinion) and the crypts quickly get repetitive.
Once you reach the church, the rest of the finale is great, especially the blades in the church.

Overall, it's very well designed and almost completely bug-free.  Whether you enjoy it depends on what kinds of atmospheres you like for your campaigns (the 4th level really wasn't my thing).  All the levels are quite long, which is great, as longs a players don't feel that it gets repetitive.

Pros:

-Nice intro and outtro
-Soldiers (a bit to strong IMO)
-You get to build your escape vehicle
-Custom witch skin

Cons:

-General lack of ammo/weapons
-Some nav issues (the first escalator and the swimming pool come to mind)
-Many of the stats in the credits don't display correctly

Conclusion:

Overall quite a decent campaign, but with a few rough edges.  Some of the custom stuff could be better implemented, like the cola, which is too far from the cars.  The soldiers are a  bit overpowered, but at least they drop weapons.  The looting is excellent and it would be great to see this in other maps too.

Pros:

>Nice intro
>Generally good map flow and path-finding
>Realistic panic events
>Good map design
>Plenty of supplies

Cons:

>A couple of minor nav issues

Conclusion:

A good campaign with only a few minor glitches here and there.  Path-finding might seem a bit confusing, but it's no more confusing than your average official map on the first play-through.  Levels are very clean and bright and there isn't much (any?) fog - that's what makes this campaign feel different from others.

Pros:

- Cool Music
- Lots of supplies
- Nice sky

Cons:

- Too few details
- Misaligned brushes and textures

Conclusion:

It's fun to play, but the map itself is basically two big boxes, so nothing special.

Pros:

- Good map design 
- Creative panic events
- Alternate pathing
- Unique finale

Cons:

- Alternate pathing results in way too many dead ends that look just as correct as the actual path (map 1 mostly)
- Parts of it are too hard (very long run to the safe room) (the finale, when playing with bots).

Conclusion:

Overall, very well designed.  The first map could make better use of lighting to guide people the right way.  Also the finale winch machine is a bit confusing too use.  I didn't know where to attach the final piece and ended up getting it stuck behind and underneath the machine.

For anyone playing this campaign: Consider turning down the difficulty a bit the first time you play.

Pros:

- You get to make your own music
- Lots of crazy custom stuff to do
- Just generally fun

Cons:

- None

Conclusion:

A map to just have fun while listening to cool music.

Pros:

- Lost of custom content
- Unique panic events
- It actually feels like a story 
- Details used to create great environments
- No bugs

Cons:

-Level 4 is a bit long and dull and less detailed than the rest

Conclusion:

Excellent campaign, definitely worth downloading!

Pros:

- Includes a castle
- Jump scares

Cons:

- Map 2 is way too dark and has no indication of which way to go
- Constant hordes make it impossible to find your way through the darkness
- Some of the scares can go unnoticed due to excessive hordes

Conclusion:

This was a good attempt to make some maps that are actually scary, but the constant hordes kind of ruin it.  It would be ok to have darkness or constant hordes on their own, but both together is a bad combination.

Pros:

- 5 complete maps
- Enough supplies and ammo
- Similar feel to l4d maps
- Layout is intuitive to follow
- No major bugs

Cons:

- Gets a bit repetitive after a while
- Nothing distinctive
- Tends to be a bit too linear in many areas

Conclusion:

A solid campaign that is completely playable and fits with what you see in the maps from l4d1.  There isn't anything special or spectacular about this campaign, but there is nothing obviously wrong with it either except for a few minor visual details.

Pros:

- Large open maps with some alternate paths
- Arrows to help show the way
-You often get to work your way vertically up a map - getting a better overview as you climb
-Plenty of supplies
-The author is actively working on improving the maps

Cons:

In order of importance:

- Too many panic events for no reason (no sound that would have alerted the horde)

- Arrows are sometimes misleading or hard to see and map flow doesn't always point you in the right direction. 

- (related to the previous point) Buttons to push without any indication of where they will open the path for you.

-An unsafe safe room 

-A lot of areas were devoid of detail (it's still being worked on)

Conclusion:

I downloaded the map because I thought that 2 stars was a really low average rating and that it must be better than that.
After playing it, I guess I can understand why some people didn't like it.  I didn't.
Overall, I think it's a well built set of maps but I personally didn't find it very "fun" to play.  That in itself isn't very helpful feedback, so I'm going to try and explain why I felt the way I did as well as point out all the actual bugs that I encountered.


Map 1:

>An excessive number number of panic events ("here they come...") with no apparent trigger (I'm guessing it's either trigger brushes or a timer).  In my opinion there needs to be SOMETHING that actually alerts the horde - either sound or light.  At the very least you could use the crows to alert the horde (although then you would need to remove them from the ambient audio loops so that they only play when there is actually a panic event).
If you want more random hordes to make the map hard, you should to find some way to get rid of the "here they come..." message - that should be reserved for player-triggered hordes.  A custom director script might do the trick.

>The first arrow you see (well, I saw) points you in wrong direction (and this is only one example of a recurring issue).  The parts of the map that you need to traverse multiple times are only complicated by having arrows.  An arrow should be only be placed somewhere such that following the arrow is the right thing to do regardless of what stage you are at (in terms of pushing buttons and stuff).

>You push several buttons without any indication of what they are going to do, and then you have to go search for which passage has been opened.  A large and visible explosion, or a game instructor hint to tell you why you are pushing the button would be helpful.  I mean there usually is a fire or something but it needs to attract more attention.  You did this nicely with the explosion in map 4.
Also, some of the buttons make no sound and still alert the horde (see earlier point).

>I liked the fact that new passages became unblocked to help you move around the map once you've reached a certain point.


Map2/3:

>The safe room isn't safe!  The window breaks open open letting stuff in before you ever open the safe room door.

>A panic event is triggered as soon as you leave the room (see point about panic events).  This happens in all the maps.

>You have to walk through fire at one point, which is counter-intuitive and damages your health.

>The same issues relating to panic events as in map 1.  

>Overall this was the least interesting section with lots of long dull areas to traverse.

>Also at least one arrow that points in a direction that you can't go (where the floor is broken).

>There are some overstretched textures in a few areas here and in the first map too.

>The witch in the fog is nasty but also a good idea.


Map4:

>A floating rifle in the starting room and a floating Molotov near the starting safe room.

>Shadows are cast even where the sun sprite isn't visible.

>The elevator shaft could maybe use an arrow in my opinion (because it's counter-intuitive to want to climb down an elevator shaft). And the rungs aren't immediately visible unless you look down (and who looks down elevator shafts?)


Map 5:  

>The starting safe room was empty (devoid of supplies) if I remember correctly.  Or maybe this was the double safe room with and extra door...

>Ladders textured onto walls which are not climbable

>I found an area towards the end where it's possible to look out of the map (this is very minor)

>Weird bluish fog


Conclusion:

The structure of the maps isn't too bad - I especially liked 1,4 and 5.
The two areas that that could use improvement are the panic events (both random and button activated) and the "flow", by which I mean the use of arrows, lighting, high ground, landmarks, dialogue, instructor hints etc. to help the player intuitively find the right path.  I didn't like the feel and atmosphere of the map, but that's mainly personal preference and doesn't necessarily need to be changed.

I hope this feedback is helpful, and I'm certainly willing to look at the maps again in the future once they're complete.

Pros:

-Well made vertical map design
-Non-linear flow with alternate paths
-Way finding to help you you with the alternate paths
-Plenty of items if you go looking for them 
-Awesome view from the finale

Cons:

nothing serious
-On map 2, I manged to get stuck once between a truck and a fence, but eventually I got  unstuck again.
-Very occasional areas where the infected can't reach you

Conclusion:

Playing through this, there were quite a few places were I would stop and think "this would be an excellent spot for an SI attack on versus".  
One of the best maps I've played.  I'd definitely recommend it!