| Reviewer's comments |
"The builder was thirteen years of age at the time and made a test level that he called Test Level, so what do you expect. It is indeed not a very good level; it’s not much of a level at all in fact, and taking the builder’s age into consideration fails as a rescue strategy, because we’ve had a few levels by builders that age or even younger who managed to do much better than this—though to be fair, we’ve had worse levels by builders who were older as well, so I guess it evens out in the end.
The builder raised a number of very, very tall city blocks (which are just very, very large Editor blocks, so none of them can be entered) with very, very stretched textures, thus creating a very, very large maze in which you’re supposed to find the Jeep keys, which are placed in some random spot, of course. There’s something like a parking garage, and poles endearingly stand in for street lights—which is, however, an unfortunate choice, as you could climb up them until you bump your head into the invisible ceiling, should you wish to substitute one form of misery for another; and in case you feel the need to get your vehicle stranded, some ramps are provided for the purpose. Otherwise everything looks the same. The map is wallpapered throughout, yet even so parts of it are untextured. There is no finish trigger. One point for sheer size." - Mulf (09-Jul-2021) |
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| "Nothing really interesting here, look for a ladder to go down to ground floor, look for the keys to ride the jeep, find a crowbar (what is the crowbar for?) and finally get stucked if you drive the jeep into a narrow pit. The architecture is very simple and the textures are very elongated in the buildings. Of course, only a test level but not a level to play or enjoy." - Jose (26-Jan-2018) |
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| "This was the author's debut and he has produced
much better levels since, so I won't waste too
much time. This is basically Lara running round
a blandly textured environment, finding keys
and a crowbar and riding a jeep. That's all,
folks!" - Ryan (10-Jul-2016) |
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| "Another incredibly boring and outright horrendous test level that tries to simulate a city-style environment, but ultimately fails in every way it can, with the obvious inexperience of the builder demonstrated throughout the time you'll spend playing and with no finish trigger to properly end the level in question, turns out to be a massive waste of time for any poor soul who approaches this one out of sheer curiosity.
So do yourself a favor and avoid this one like the plague, as there's literally no redeemable factors here whatsoever to justify the download." - Ceamonks890 (30-Nov-2014) |
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| "I interviewed Barry a few years ago,but had never actually got around to playing his very first level.Not that I had actually missed much;for,aside from a rather boring hunt for the Jeep Keys and a subsequent zippy but pointless drive,there is absolutely nothing to do here;and even less to look at." - Orbit Dream (02-Nov-2013) |
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| "I spent five minutes in this level and did all the things that
were in the walkthrough. Really glad it's over, sorry, but
texturing was streched, no lighting, only objects were tons of
jeeps, gameplay - well, a bit jumping and driving and finding
a jeep key and a crowbar, that's it. As this level is not
really worth flat 0, a consolation point goes to gameplay." - manarch2 (22-Feb-2011) |
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| "Man, this is a whole new level of enormity, it is more than 3D, as it gives the 4th dimension to the word "oversized". Even riding a jeep on full speed seems to be slow. We pick up two items, including one useless. Texturing is stretched and far beyond the average. But you can still see you're in some kind of a city. SUMMARY: This level busts the meaning of every term expressing hugeness you've been using in your whole life." - DJ Full (07-Oct-2010) |
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| "Gorblimey! I have rarely seen so much cheese on a heap. The whole level exists only of stretched textures and/or missing textures. No horizon, no sky and no Finishtrigger. Here there is absolutely nothing to do. It would be great if the inclined players could award minus points. This level would be anyway a suitable candidate for such minus points." - Scottie (10-May-2010) |
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| "For a first attempt, I guess you could excuse how poor this level is. What really annoyed me also was the fact that there was no finish trigger. You could effectly, run around aimlessly and not know that the level had ended. I would have used a better "artifact" than a crowbar at the end. As far as lighting and textures - no effort was made whatsoever to create some kind of atmosphere. There were stretched textures and in some places, no textures. the only impressive part of the level were the jeeps that drive off as you enter your own." - Necro (13-Oct-2008) |
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| "You know you shouldn't expect an epic seven-hour adventure when you download a level simply called 'Test Level'. What you get are a few minutes of driving through a badly textured city, with no enemies, no gameplay, and no redeeming features whatsoever. But we all have to start somewhere, and my last test level from two years ago was nothing more than two water rooms with a small island I used to test objects I had downloaded on. The difference is that I didn't release my level. Kudos to the author for actually picking up level building again two and a half years later, though." - Magnus (15-Oct-2006) |
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| "As a test level it's ok. The builder really should work on the stretched textures. Go on building." - Tinka (28-Oct-2005) |
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| "This isn't too bad if you take into consideration the author's age. When I was almost thirteen years old I tried to install TRLE but since I didn't get the best solution to getting rid of the 'Illegal operation...' message (I was told to upgrade my video card which I refused to do. Three years later I found out that I had to install TRLE and THEN tomb4.exe in order to make it work properly) I have decided to leave the TRLE disk alone for almost three years. But it was probably a good thing because my ideas weren't as fertile (eg. 'Louis XIV's Star-shaped Citadel) as my current ones and my computer skills weren't as good as now (I have discovered a few things back then but there were still more things to learn and there are still new skills to acquire like in any other domain). Aside from finding a safe way to get off the skyscrapers and obtaining keys that allow Lara to drive a jeep (and a useless crowbar too) there isn't any gameplay at all. The textures are original but some of them are stretched. The horizon doesn't exist at all the lighting is always at R 128 G 128 B 128 and I haven't found a iota of atmosphere." - Sakusha (01-Aug-2004) |
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| "First and only attempt at building for this fellow but why did you stop B. Practice makes perfect. The idea is good of Lara starting on top of tall buildings and trying to find a way down to street level where there are lots of jeeps. Now you know it works and you got stacked rooms sorted build on this. For example if you do something with textures you could get those skyscrapers to look really good add a nighttime sky and already you have the basics for a good city level. I liked that little animation of another jeep going out of control and crashing into a building as you take one of the jeeps. Everyone is encouraging you to try so perhaps we'll see another level soon!" - CC (25-Jul-2004) |
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| "While I was on the rooftops of this level I thought it wouldn't turn out so bad but when I hit the ground floor boy. It kind of reminds me of my early days and although I don't want to discourage this author I believe that test levels are NOT meant to be released. When you test you try to find out ways to stuff to eventually release an integral level. Here you don't do much apart from driving the jeep in a snow-white huge and empty city. So B. don't give up. We all have to start somewhere right?" - Treeble (11-Apr-2004) |
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| "As for the name of it this is a test level. There are no enemies. You have to jump around on the top of the buildings till you can climb down a ladder on the ground. In one of the buildings on the stairs you will find the ignition key of the jeep. On the street you can even choose your jeep and ride through the quarter. Getting out in a garage you will find the Crowbar in the building but it won't be needed as the level finishes here. The textures are a bit unfinished there are no added sounds but I am happy for the new member of the TRLE community. I am sure the author will have much better levels! There are huge areas on the level with numerous possibilities. :)You can find a Hungarian walkthrough (as we don't have English version) savegames and pictures here: http://www.freeweb.hu/treditor/12/test_level.htm " - Obig (01-Mar-2004) |
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| "Hmmmmmmmmm. A lot more practice with the level editor is needed here. I really couldn't recommend anyone to play this but it IS a first attempt by a young builder and hopefully he will get better. I applaud anyone for having a go - it's more than I've done. Keep trying." - Jay (26-Jan-2004) |
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| "I'm not exactly sure what is being tested here but if it is the gullibility of people around the world to download a level that isn't a level then the author has succeeded. What is here is just a couple of minutes spent getting down from some skyscrapers and driving a jeep to a crowbar this apparently has no use and supposedly signals the end of the game. If the author wants to test out his texturing then a word of advice texture the roads and tops of the buildings because blindingly stark white is not the way to go." - Sash (24-Jan-2004) |
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| "*review comments unfortunately lost*" - bERT (03-Jan-2004) |
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| "Is it a test is it a level..... no it is a first attempt of a 13 year old builder (according to Michael). Jump around find that ladder to climb down get the keys and you can even drive two jeeps in the prize of one. Couldn't find a finishing trigger though. 29-12-2003" - Gerty (01-Jan-2004) |
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| "What the hell was that!? Well I do not want to turn off any potential builders. But anything but that blinding white on the roofs and the streets! I gave 1 for the gazillion jeeps and the keys. Keep building though sweetheart (Don't you hate it when old ladies call you that lol!) Well I am not an old lady but to a 13 -yr old anything past 18 or so is prehistoric I imagine." - Lady Lara (28-Dec-2003) |
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| "As the title indicates it's a test level testing textures and creating rooms. There is a set of keys to drive the jeep in a huge area with textures missing and being stretched all over the place and a crowbar to find which I found no use for. The building around are huge as well with a ladder to help Lara climb down to the many jeep areas. The author is just starting to learn how to create a level so we have to encourage him to continue by reading the manual and start adding puzzles enemies objects and paying ore attention to the textures. We are looking forward to see an appropriate level." - Kristina (26-Dec-2003) |
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| "Well my son played this level with me and he enjoyed driving the jeep I know that this level is built by a 13 years old kid and I'm sure that in the next level he will be much better." - Yoav (26-Dec-2003) |
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| "You get what the title promises - a test level where you start jumping atop some high sky-scrapers then climb them down find the jeep keys and ride the jeep to the crowbar and that's where the level ends at least according to Michael's review it does. Well what more can I say about this? I liked the enemy jeep getting away in the wall when Lara got into any of the jeeps but that's about it - a typical first attempt level. I highly suggest the author to work through the tutorial level and manual to get the grips of the LEing as otherwise I can't call this level anything promising sorry." - eTux (25-Dec-2003) |
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| "Ok - he is a very young builder (13) and only getting started with TRLE and when he sent me the level via email already told me that it is not a very good level. But we all start somewhere and what you get here is about 5-10 minutes in a kind of City making your way down from the top finding the Jeep keys driving around a bit and then the level ends (without finish trigger) when you reach the crowbar. Very much work needs to go into the texturing (don't use the texture wall/ceiling/floor buttons in the editor) as some are missing and almost all others are endlessly stretched (check the manual how to avoid that). Also lighting has not been added at all so definitely some practice needed there. So as somebody else once said - file under: first attempt. Onwards and upwards from here..." - Michael (23-Dec-2003) |
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