BOBSP2: Paranoia

Introduction

The reactor and its subsystems have been all shot to hell and not surprisingly the state around here is even worse. More importantly, someone has been scavenging parts leaving behind a big mess, was their intention to cause a meltdown? Duke decides this ticking time bomb needs patching up long enough for technicians to arrive and prevent everything going up in a mushroom cloud.

Review

The second entry is a direct continuation from where BOBSP1 left off, having now gained security clearance into another section of the abandoned facility for additional maintenance work. As noted by a terminal message, your first call to action is reducing tank pressure before a gas explosion occurs, achieved by realigning the satellite dish which remotely vents toxic gas build up. It’s another simple objective that involves pushing a single button while an elaborate sequence of moving parts take place, a reiteration of cause and effect from activating the water pump during BOBSP1 only with different set dressing. Therefore, much like before the experience doesn’t really differ too much from that linear showcase, aiming to reinforce concepts Averill introduced as a reminder regarding their varied applications. But that’s not suggesting there hadn’t been some evolution of these ideas either. Take the control room where several measurement devices are displaying information, embedded into the environment on a much bigger scale and not restricted to a security monitor viewpoint, bringing the whole room alive as an active entity beyond placing a sole ambient noise to say otherwise. Although a small, perhaps insignificant aspect, these have always been enjoyable features to gawk at for me and become another BOBSP specific staple which too found imitators across other works. Submachine as a recent example poked fun at one meter making for a cute humorous nod.

One big difference going for BOBSP2 is a prior absence of aliens would soon be broken, revealing themselves after crashing a tram right into the facility walls and going guns blazing. Or rather they made an attempt to, as something between us kept blocking attacks from harming either side of the conflict which diminished what effect this little sequence brought to the table. Combat doesn’t play an important role however even with enemies shifting back into focus, remaining a muted part of gameplay that blended into white noise. Most of their attacks are limited externally as if slowly surrounding the facility to box Duke in, only having access within parts that connect outside or by creating their own entrance through destructive means. Your only internal threat is a Protozoid swarm pouring in through a supply belt. In most cases you could simply avoid fighting altogether as foes won’t make an effort following you inside, bound outside meaning their ambush attempts lack any real bite. Of note there’s the Battlelord using TNT blowing open a hole with an entourage of Pigcops in tow, only for you to waltz on by unless you care for statistical completion. Upon further testing while grabbing screenshots, I discovered you could even avoid triggering the tram sequence by not grabbing the shotgun. Only up until reaching the last stretch do you need to get a little serious, but even so this is miniscule in comparison to where BOBSP3 leans for its action. Enemies exist here as an extension to the narrative, they don’t pose a challenge but at least provide substance tying them to the events brewing here.

Your second objective involves unclogging a water inlet and manually using a shut off valve, the only concern being limited time due high toxicity. This is where Averill showcases his translucent water effect, a visual trick allowing visible geometry above and below the water surface where upon diving underwater appears to have a seamless transition. Similar properties wouldn’t become an official feature of the BUILD Engine until around Shadow Warrior’s release. How this was otherwise achieved for BOBSP2 was through exploiting particular behaviours with parallax skies when an additional inner sector is raised or lowered at different heights. This creates an invisible but solid floor or ceiling meaning sector functions for diving and resurfacing remain a possibility. Comparing to DOOM it’s not too unlike how self-referencing sectors are utilised, albeit with major technical differences. Flat floor sprites with reduced opacity then make up a water surface layer, while opaque floor sprites are positioned to hide any parallaxing from bleeding through. The same underlying system for water sectors and swimming is still applied here, so all surrounding architecture has to be repeated on both sides, more smoke and mirrors at work. This means there are limitations for practicality where utilisation is possible, should there be any enemies lingering nearby they would disappear from sight when taking a dip below water thus breaking the illusion. Dropping a pipebomb on nearby solid ground can function as a similar demonstration to test out if curious. Translucent water would find use in other community works for similar purposes in levels such as Hydrostation or KaiseR Land 02, while these days because of the extended feature set in Eduke32 these constructions can be side stepped using TROR while transitions become much more seamless. Whether or not as a result of Averill’s showcase here, I find a fascinating development of the tricks using parallax skies later branching off into new forms because of community input. One example meshes them alongside masked walls to fake three-dimensional shapes that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible at the time using spritework alone, often used as free floating doors or staircase panels as seen in either Pascal’s or Glavic’s work.

What caught my attention the most across BOBSP2 though is its unique take on aesthetics. The facility goes for a gothic tech design akin to a style straight out of QUAKE3, not a look you would typically associate with a base setting but does stick out, very apparent with features like fire sconces adorning a tunnel entry. Averill took advantage of slopes and curved surfaces wherever suitable, the ribcage archways supporting the internal base is an easy favourite of mine that defines exactly what I enjoy about the design here. Not a single room was allowed to appear empty nor look too similar with another, often helped by various other decorative elements creating a believable and functional environment, such as pipework and ventilation shafts leading off elsewhere or taking opportunities to fill ceiling spaces with details like skylight windows and special light fixtures. Signs of dilapidation from abandonment can also be witnessed from crumbling walls overlooking a beach front, cracks forming across the walls or even a wooden bucket left out for collecting leaking water. There’s not a moment lacking or sectors being wasted, unlike one particular hallway from BOBSP1, each addition having clear purpose for being applied. Even the last hallway with its simpler construction, possibly once resource counts were becoming low, still remains an appealing sight due to gradient shading and precise texture alignment. If there’s anything that bothered me worth mentioning, it would be the few invisible walls. Some kept you safe from decorative elements with tight spaces which might squish Duke, while others that shouldn’t have posed a problem never felt good to bump into.

Conclusion

The second level from a classic trilogy follows along the footsteps of its own making and remains another technical showcase to reinforce concepts previously established, revealing some new tricks all the while making an attempt at reintroducing enemies into the fold. Combat didn’t pose much of a problem and the general experience doesn’t bring the same wow factor this time, more so here to reiterate upon ideas using a different coat of paint and showing possible versatility. Design is most definitely BOBSP2’s strongest aspect and it’s translucent water forever remains a fine case of clever application of engine exploits along side visual coherency to make it all work out.

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