MAP03: Gythop's Pyramids (Avactor)

MAP03: Gythop's Pyramids is the third map of Avactor. It was designed by Eradrop and uses the music track " ". The par time defined in the DEHACKED lump is 26:00.

Essentials
From the starting ship, proceed up the steps to a large jungle space with several pyramids. Head north to the vault-like structure and enter. Follow the left path around to the skull switch, and press it to reveal the red skull key. Collect the key and continue up the left path to an optional red skull switch which opens a nearby building with a mega armor. Back in the jungle, use the red skull to enter the red-fire pyramid and ride the lift down to the sunken hallway.

When you run across the lava pit, bars will rise to stop you. Facing back the way you came, shoot the bull switch on the left to raise a platform on the right. Use the platform to reach the right side and press a switch to remove the lava. Collecting the optional berserk pack will drop you into a small ambush; jumping into the water will trigger another, larger ambush. Proceed up the stairs to the shoreline, continue north past the red teleporter, and drop in the window of the sunken hall. A switch opens a connection to the previous hall. Across the walkway, the path leads to a large outdoor area with a temple.

Travel to the left around the temple and up the stairs to the top. Enter, grabbing the plasma gun and fighting off the ambush. Shoot the skull switches to escape, then head back to the sunken hallway. The walkway will fall, dropping you in the first hall north of the bars. Approaching them will lower them. At the other end of the hall, a dark stairway silently warps you back to the jungle area near the blue skull key. Pressing the skull switch will lower the column; collecting the skull key will block the stairs and trigger an ambush. Press the skull switch in the monster alcove to remove the bars and climb the blue-fire pyramid.

Inside, cross the room and activate the far door, dodge the crushing ceiling, handle the ambush, press the skull switch back at the entrance door, then travel through the finally-open far door. Reaching a cove on the far side of the island, your exit ship awaits; activate the skull switch halfway down the stairs to access the dock and escape.

Secrets

 * 1) After the first ambush, in a monster alcove, shoot the skull switch to raise two platforms then run across to collect a backpack. (sector 3976)
 * 2) Atop the red-fire pyramid, around the left side, a shadowed alcove contains a backpack. (sector 3031)
 * 3) Atop the blue-fire pyramid, fall down the left side into a hidden area. (sector 3886) Your reward is a backpack and several close-quarters fights.
 * 4) To the east of the vault entrance, near a large bloodstain, activate the wall to reveal some ammo. (sector 2354)
 * 5) In the sunken hallway, collecting the radiation suit in a lava patch will lower you into a lava room. Past several crushers, you can collect a soul sphere. (sector 2556)
 * 6) Near the outdoor area temple, two bull switches hidden along the shore raise platforms to run across to the north. (sector 3772) Your reward is a BFG 9000.
 * 7) When the bars in the sunken hallway retract, a teleport alcove opens nearby. (sector 1230) Your reward is a large cell pack.
 * 8) Near the red pyramid, an alcove with a green mask wall opens upon retrieving the blue skull key. Behind the mask wall is a bull switch; activating it lowers a nearby teleporter to an overlook at the start with a soul sphere. (sector 737)

Routes and tricks

 * Likely due to a multi-use voodoo doll, the blue pyramid cannot be opened until after the red pyramid is complete, limiting potential sequence breaks.

Current records
The records for the map at the Doomed Speed Demos Archive are:

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