MAP25: Catacombs: Ruined Temple (Strife)

MAP25: Catacombs: Ruined Temple is a level from Strife, accessed from MAP13: Catacombs. It uses the music track "Sad".

Overview
Once you have found Richter in the commons, he will tell you that in order to enter the factory you need a key. An agent stole it but got lost in the catacombs. Richter sent about ten good men to find the key, but they never returned. He believes that there is something down there, and wants you to find the key and fight this thing. He will open the entrance to the catacombs once you are finished talking.

The ruined temple is a big but simple area resembling a Sigil symbol. Around the center area are smaller areas containing items like health and ammo. The level has many enemies, including acolytes, sentinels, reavers, templars and a few crusaders, yet the highlight of this place is a spectre that is inside of what seems to be a small pyramid, that stands in the center. This spectre is believed to be that of the Programmer, since it uses Sigil A blasts, like the Programmer.

Essentials
As the level starts, fire some phosphorous grenades into the narrow passages either side of the raised platform in front of you. This will draw a number of enemies to you who will perish in the flames. Once the way ahead is clear, go forward and climb the steps into the round walled area where you will find a step pyramid. If all the crusaders have been destroyed then the pyramid will be open and you will be able to fight the spectre instead.

The spectre uses the same attack as the Programmer but gives no warning, so stay on the move; if you are close enough then you may be able to destroy it with a single Sigil blast. Once the spectre is destroyed, collect the mine and factory keys from inside the pyramid and then backtrack to the starting area. Go down the steps to return to the catacombs.

Other points of interest
Go into the eastern dead-end and head around the stone structure to find a square platform between two pillars. Step on the platform and it will lower like a pressure pad; the walls of the stone structure will also lower to reveal a pile of high-explosive grenades, plus a grenade launcher in multiplayer.

Official
There are no official secrets in this level in the original game. The Veteran Edition changed the non-official secret below to be official.

Non-official

 * 1) In the north, there is a lane with many waterfalls. When you press a recess on the western wall (the second one from the north), you will reveal a narrow passage that leads to a smaller outdoor area. A surgery kit and some ammunition can be found there, but beware of two sentinels. You can exit via two ways: either use the way you came from and maneuver through the freshly activated crushers, or press the damaged pillar in the southeast corner to lower a teleporter which leads to the center of the pyramid. (In the Veteran Edition, pressing the pillar also lowers the western wall to reveal the green talisman.)

Player spawns
This level contains fifteen spawn points:
 * 1) facing south-west. (thing 6)
 * 2) facing east. (thing 24)
 * 3) facing south. (thing 25)
 * 4) facing south. (thing 26)
 * 5) facing west. (thing 27)
 * 6) facing south-west. (thing 28)
 * 7) facing north. (thing 29)
 * 8) facing east. (thing 30)
 * 9) facing north. (thing 31)
 * 10) facing north-west. (thing 32)
 * 11) facing east. (thing 160)
 * 12) facing east. (thing 161)
 * 13) facing west. (thing 162)
 * 14) facing south. (thing 163)
 * 15) facing east. (thing 164)

Things
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level:


 * The item is only present in the Veteran Edition of this map.

Technical information
The walls blocking access to the pyramid's interior use tag 667, and are coded to lower when the five crusaders in the level are destroyed. The barrier blocking the level exit uses tag 999 and will lower when the spectre is destroyed. In deathmatch, all these barriers will lower when a player climbs any of the staircases into the round walled area.