Crow Avenue

for Half-Life 2: Episode Two

8th June 2014

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Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

In this map, that was planned for entry to the RavenholmVille mod competition, you will have to follow your instincts and do your best to escape.

There are plenty of dead ends and false leads but don’t give up and you may be lucky.

One last thing, look behind you.

Basic Details
  • Title: Crow Avenue
  • File Name: hl2-ep2-sp-crow-avenue.7z
  • Size : 2.19MB
  • Author: RedMser
  • Date Released: 08 June 2014
MapTap Users

Download directly into MapTap [2.19MB]

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Download Options

Download to your HDD [2.19MB]

You can still use it with MapTap once you have downloaded it.

Manual Installation Instructions
  • Copy comp_crowave.bsp into your Episode Two maps folder Mine is C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Half-Life 2\ep2\maps.
  • Launch Episode Two.
  • Open the console and type map comp_crowave and press enter..

Alternatively, use MapTap and save yourself a lot of trouble.
If you require more help, please visit the Technical Help page.

Videos

The playthrough below is provided by Custom Gamer. See more of his playthroughs on this site: VP: Custom Gamer

Screenshots

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All sizes are the same screenshots, just in different resolutions.
WARNING: The screenshots contain spoilers.

1024 x 576

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

1366 x 768

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3

1600 x 900

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3 Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Reader Recommendations
Avoid It!
Think Twice
Maybe
Play It Later
Play It Now!
11 recommendations, average score: 3.45 (out of 5), standard deviation: 0.79 (what's that?)
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Meta Review Data
Statistics based on 9 comment(s) with meta review data.

Installed:
Using Gauge: Users
Manually: 5 Users
Time Taken:
Average: 0 Hours, 19 Mins
Shortest: 0 Hours, 12 Mins by PlanetPhillip
Longest: 0 Hours, 45 Mins by brianthesnail
Total Time Played: 2 Hours, 52 Mins
Categories (?)
Half-Life 2: Ep2 HL2-Ep2 Maps Play
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Jump to a review
Phillip says MaybeThink TwiceMaybe?Maybe?Maybe?Maybe?Play It LaterPlay It Now!Play It Now!Play It LaterMaybe?

14 Comments

  1. PlanetPhillip
    Phillip says Maybe

    As with other “Maybe” maps, it’s not that it’s bad or not fun to play, it’s just not really long enough as a single map to get too excited about.

    I did enjoy playing it and there are some nice touches, including a nicely done scare, but as I said, out of the RavenholmVille mod it’s only an okay map.

    The transition between areas is well done and the lighting is just right.

    Good play it but know that it’s won’t keep you happy for long enough.

    Installed:
    Using Gauge
    Difficulty Played At:
    Medium
    Playtime:
    12 Minutes
    Reply
  2. DaZ
    Think Twice

    1st playthrough demo – https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/33279452/daz_crowave.rar

    This map felt very simple with not a lot of gameplay variety. The twist at the end that could have really shaken up the gameplay was underused.

    The large courtyard at the start felt like it should have been used as more of a hub area that the player would use multiple times throughout the level. A lot of the rooms seem completely superfluous and contain nothing more than a few zombies. If there had been some gameplay provided in these side rooms the map would have been much better, as it is the player can easily ignore so many areas as there is nothing critical to do there.

    I would have loved to see some gates or other obstacles that the player would have to explore these rooms in order to open or solve the problem.

    The antlion nest was a nice touch and I thought it would have been really nice to go back through the map with this new threat harassing you but it turned out to be very under used.

    The ending really annoyed me. It looked like a good setup for a climactic battle but it just fades out 🙁

    Installed:
    Manually
    Difficulty Played At:
    Medium
    Playtime:
    15 Minutes
    Reply
  3. dino_yoshi13
    Maybe?

    Overall, I have to say this was in interesting map, but I have to agree with Phillip that there isn’t enough substance as a stand alone map.

    Gameplay:
    First off, the map actually managed to scare me early on when I only had the pistol and four fast zombies after me, and I only found the shotgun after I killed all the zombies in the first half of the level while running around looking for an exit (which was a case of me missing a glowing red light). After finding the shotgun though, the rest of the level felt fairly easy.

    Atmosphere:
    I enjoyed the explosion toward the end of the map. It really startled me, which is good for a horror style map where you want to mess with the player’s expectations. I however noticed many dark spaces contained the way forward, making me think I was headed in the wrong direction. I also thought the slightly flooded room was a very nicely done touch.

    Installed:
    Manually
    Difficulty Played At:
    Hard
    Playtime:
    15 Minutes
    Reply
  4. JG
    Maybe?

    For me, this one teeters on the edge of Maybe versus Play it Later. Then, of course, there’s the question of do you judge this as a 10 day effort or a month long one?

    There’s nothing technically wrong with this map. It’s not frustrating to play and it’s better than some entries in the RavenholmVille mod. But it also doesn’t have a whole lot going for it either. It’s a meandering series of dark rooms populated with boring Zombies and other enemies that are waiting for you to show up. As DaZ alludes to, the map is not built with an efficient flow. You travel through the rooms in a linear progression and never have a reason to look back. In a contest environment, you always need to be on the lookout for how to get the most out of the least, since you don’t have a lot of time to build a map and if you sprawl too much, bringing things up to a high standard of detail and quality is that much harder.

    The map throws a curve ball with the Antlion caves near the end and this could have been a neat idea if they were used in a more interesting way. James Partridge’s entry, for example, had to do with igniting bombs planted underneath the town. A concept like that would have worked well here, such as arming explosives in the dangerous Antlion tunnels and getting out. Instead, we emerge from the Antlion tunnels to be surrounded by a handful of easily conquered Zombies in a massive field, but we fade to black with the promise that we’ll “never escape.” We could have easily had a showdown with an Antlion Guard or something to end on a high note, but nope, we’re done.

    Eh, I think I just talked myself into a Maybe. Sorry.

    Installed:
    Manually
    Difficulty Played At:
    Medium
    Playtime:
    15 Minutes
    Reply
  5. Dysprogue
    Maybe?

    This map was ok, there were good parts there were a few set ups where players could take out zombies before they aggroed which was pretty cool.
    There is a scene where a zombie falls through a window which was also well done but also in instances like this where you would expect to find the path you find a dead end repeatedly the author uses things like lighting or enemies typically used to indicate paths to indicate dead ends which given the ending may be the point but it just seemed strange.

    There were a lot of side rooms which seeing as their only function seemed to be as side rooms were a bit too large and often quite unremarkable which is no doubt partially due to the almost uniformly dark lighting it was generally hard to see throughout the map and although you do get a flashlight that’s no substitute for good lighting (as in well lit opposed to quality lighting work) While searching in the darkness for zombies can be thrilling in this map I felt the mechanic was over used.
    The Antlion caves were better lit although they did seem quite out of place with the tone of Ravenholm.

    At the end the anticipation builds as you climb the ladder, peering over the the top you see you are surrounded by zombies, you ready your shotgun take a deep breath and go once more unto the breech… then you get a bit of text in your face telling you you can’t play anymore. 🙁
    I was absolutely gutted!

    Generally this map feels a bit like it’s incomplete, I would imagine that this may be because it was designed to be completed in 10 days and I don’t think the author built much past these initial plans which is slightly disappointing because as a result it just doesn’t feel as fleshed out.

    Reply
  6. dougjp
    Maybe?

    Not much to add to the comments above, its “ok” to play but that’s it.

    I found what makes it more fun is to play the map, until the antlion part begins, using just the gravity gun.

    Installed:
    Manually
    Difficulty Played At:
    Medium
    Playtime:
    20 Minutes
    Reply
  7. Hec
    Play It Later

    To me this Little map didn’t appear to be so bad, I guess it felt quite empty in some sections, but overall it was OK, I guess the whole feeling is that it was quite unfinished, but the whole concept feels right, I mean, the environment transmit it’s quite dark and mysterious map though maybe some more zombies would have come handy.

    I don’t really know what to say anymore.., I felt entertained with this map, though the finale is quite about that old cliché thing of “you can’t escape from this miserable place and blah blah blah…”

    Installed:
    Using Gauge
    Difficulty Played At:
    Medium
    Playtime:
    15 Minutes
    Reply
  8. brianthesnail
    Play It Now!

    I actually liked this map,and although I agree with some of the above comments ( such as unfinished ) it looks good and everything works well
    I know how hard it must be to create a map(or mod ) and less experienced mappers need to know their maps are appreciated …. and theres no doubt that RedMser will release better maps in the future and I look forward to this
    I have a easy method of judging maps and mods .. if I don’t exit the map within 3 minutes then its ok with me … and “crow avenue ” kept me playing until the end …
    so in my opinion crow avenue deserved a “PIN” and I look forward to RedMser,s maps ( and hopefully mods ) in the future

    Installed:
    Using Gauge
    Difficulty Played At:
    Easy
    Playtime:
    45 Minutes
    Reply
    1. Dysprogue

      I get not wanting to discourage new mappers and I try not to but giving a 5 star rating on the merit that you were sufficiently motivated to finish it seems a bit excessive in this regard.

      If that’s how much you genuinely liked the map that’s fair enough but giving a 5 star rating to be nice seems pointless.
      Now I don’t argue that my rating system is the right one, I’m almost definitely too harsh with my ratings and I’m not sure that it comes across in my review that I actually quite enjoyed the map in spite of its flaws.
      What I’m getting at is that there is a balance to be found, a 3 star rating is decent in my books where as a 5 star rating is exceptional a 5 star rating as standard is awfully kind of you but it also doesn’t give the mapper a score to beat with their next map.

      Feel free to review games as you see fit, each reviewer has their own system, but I really just want to point out that myself and other reviewers (I’m fairly sure) aren’t giving lower ratings to discourage the mappers or to be mean but to show them where to improve.

      But yes I do understand the implied counterpoint that focusing entirely on the negatives can be disheartening and where the mapper went right is just as valuable information as to where they went wrong and I think some reviewers (myself included) could do a better job at doing this.

      I wrote this comment under the impression that brianthesnail was giving a 5 star rating pretty just for posting a map, if this is incorrect this rant is unwarranted and I apologize though the more general points remain. I also would like to note that this impression I got has nothing to do with the quality of the map being discussed.

      Reply
  9. CK_The_Boss
    Play It Now!

    This map goes at the top of my favourite Ravenholmeville maps, which includes Overrun, Rabbitholme and Demons. So what if its not complete? As long as an author takes the utopia of head-humpers and moulds the jump scares, eeriness and combat into new and thrilling ways, whilst keeping to black streets and building that is Ravenholme, I will enjoy it.

    If you want me to explain more here goes. When I first heard that this map was a “maze”, I thought it meant going though a criss cross of hallways, not a whole street with many places to explore (that’s me not reading “Avenue” in the title properly). The court yard at the start did not make a good first impression as you could see zombies laying down in the distance. It was also a shame that you started with weapons instead of finding them. But when you are past that, the map has impressive gameplay in it.

    there is a good balance of enemies, and did a good job of giving you zombies from behind without you going “OMG, WTF die they come from”. I will say that putting an antlion section at the end destroyed the atmosphere of the map. I think it would of been better had the area been darker and with zombies attacking the antlions (it made an amazing first combat in ep2).

    all in all, this map feels different than most exploring in other maps, as instead of feeling like your detouring, it feels like your figuring out where to go. If this map ever becomes complete, it would be cool to have paths cross each other and many different ways to finish. If you liked playing Ravenholmeville, I would recommend you play this late entry. And if you haven’t, download it after playing this.

    Final note to author: I know that you stole the barnacle bit right out of ep2. Try to hid it more next time.

    Installed:
    Using Gauge
    Difficulty Played At:
    Medium
    Playtime:
    15 Minutes
    Reply
    1. CK_The_Boss

      Looked at what Dysprogue said above my review. I have to say I was a little bias, but I still think for a map that was made in around 10 days, the rating system shouldn’t be that harsh, so it keeps the 5 stars I have given it.

      My way of reviewing is explaining in depth what the maps pros and cons were for me. Yes this map has many cons, but it didn’t make me go “it maybe fun for some”. It made me go “people who loved the Ravensholmeville maps will enjoy this”.

      I can understand Dysprogue for posting his view on reviewing but I feel like I have given good reason for my 5 star and have still pointed out the negatives.

      Reply
  10. datguykirt

    Very easy mod and disappointed with a couple of things.
    1. Unrealistic popping in of zombies from a place I just cleared.
    2. Lame ending…you lose even if you win.

    Reply
  11. Steve
    Play It Later

    I actually liked this map a lot. I thought the map was interesting and certainly far from linear… but… being the awkward person I am, I sometimes didn’t like the options open to me. As I backtracked a lot to see where the other room might lead me. So making a map linear might be something my brain prefers? lol I dunno but I thought I’d put that out there.

    I know this is supposed to be a spooky map but I kinda got sick of the overly dark atmosphere all the time. Sure, it’s creepy but I’d have like something more. It’s weird to see some places that are pitch blackness, not very realistic. But, again, this is my personal preference.

    I was glad the ending parts weren’t made fro a constant flow of antlions, that would have been disappointing. But it was short until the ladder. Shame it ends. I wanted more.

    I liked this. I liked the ideas and layout but perhaps a little less choice in where to go? The idea of having just a pistol was nice, and I found myself using the gravgun far more than I normally would have otherwise. Yep, this is a little rough but it’s great too.

    Installed:
    Manually
    Difficulty Played At:
    Medium
    Playtime:
    20 Minutes
    Reply
  12. Captain Crap
    Maybe?

    The entry is somewhat okay to me. Combat is quite easy, I have nothing much to say about the level design, it’s Ravenholm. What frustrates me the most is the ending. Why’d you have to make it a cliffhanger instead of making your way out of the Crow Ave. as expected? Was this entry rushed?

    Reply

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