How to play user levels with DScent (Descent DS Port)

This is not really an in-depth guide, but it is more a suggestion and a bringing to the attention of many the existence of this old and forgotten port of one of the first FPS created for dos, and precisely Descent by Parallax software.

The latest, most recent version available (that I know of) is 4.2, and the author of the DS port is Kayvenm. Perhaps many already know its existence but few know, perhaps not even the author himself who does not mention it, that it is also possible to play with it numerous additional levels contained in some old, famous (for connoisseurs) collections (Levels of the World, Level Contest '96, Mission Contest '97 etc.), some of which are really well made, visually colorful and varied, and very compelling.

One of the great, most striking advantages of this port is definitely the playability, of which I was surprised by first. Moving the view with the stylus and proceeding with the directional button is immediate and easy to use, and the ship responds surprisingly well, much better than it did with mouse and keyboard in the good old days. Unfortunately the buttons on the right are awkward to reach and to shoot it is better to use the shoulder buttons.

The only flaw that should be noted is that music (in MIDI format) often blocks the loading of the level, so it must be deactivated by editing the .cfg file like this: 'midivolume = 0'.
And every time you start a game, when you go to the options, the volume slider still need to be moved to turn of music. On closer inspection, in this genre of games bgms are superfluous and often ruin the atmosphere of suspense and mystery, better supporter by silence.
Remember that to play the main game you will need the descent.hog and descent.pig files updated to version 1.4a, placed in the same folder as the .nds file. I repeat that if it does not work this is due to incorrect version of these files.

So to play the various custom made levels you will have to insert the .hog or .rdl files with the related .msn files in this same folder, and then select them at the start menu under new game/select mission.
I have tried more than 200 maps and only a handful didn't work, because they exceeded my DS lite's meager RAM memory, a problem that DSi owners won't have.
The settings vary from larger, colorful and multi-thematic ones to more restricted, gloomy and convoluted ones, an intertwining of dim corridors and dark labyrinths.

If anyone wants to follow this humble suggestion of mine, they will be pleasantly surprised at how immediate, engaging and exciting it is to venture armed with a stylus and directional button in these multiform, colorful, convoluted and claustrophobic labyrinths.
They say that one of life's most sublime pleasures is to travel the world to admire its wonders; but I, in my oddity and madness, am content to travel the imaginary world, full of endless adventures, provided by old school video games like this one.

I conclude by humbly apologizing for my poor and limping, but i hope at least effective, english.

 

Hello. The Descent port on DS can be found here: https://gamebrew.org/wiki/DScent
The two main Descent .hog/.pig files are not freeware/abandonware, i believe, but if you have no pricks of conscience look on archive(dot)org for 'Descent anniversary edition', however I'm not sure if it contains ver1.4, the only one compatible.