You're Not Supposed To Be Here - Level Lore - "Incapharnaum" (level 4/BRL4.map) news - Blast Radius mod for Duke Nukem 3D

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In level 4 of Blast Radius: "Incapharnaum", Duke crash lands in Peru only to witness how Machu Picchu needs clean-up on aisle four. Before he can get there, however, he will have to sanitize his way through the Inca trail, jump the Urubamba river, and reclaim the nearby town of Aguas Calientes (or will he?); then, once on location, proceed with the disinfection of the ruins all the while looking for a way out.

A sudden scenery change from the metropolitan, introductory Blast Radius levels: Los Angeles in 1, San Francisco in 2 and New York City in 3, "Incapharnaum" also departs by no longer merely suggesting, but now downright forcing freedom onto the player, literally overwhelming them with their own sense of direction; all the while spiritually saluting the original Duke Nukem 3D level by Richard 'Levelord' Gray: "The Abyss".

History: Chronologically, "Incapharnaum" was the eighth level designed for Duke Nukem 3D: Blast Radius; it was made May 15th - June 9th, 2021; and then implementing gameplay (after the fact) took twice as long as actually building the map.

"Incapharnaum" is one of the largest levels ever made in the Build engine to this day (only beaten by some levels in Zaxtor's Trequonia TC, according to Mikko Sandt: if not afraid of spoilers, check out Mikko's review of Blast Radius here).

It features a (simplified) recreation of Machu Picchu in Peru, but also of its surroundings such as the nearby town of Machupicchu Pueblo (formerly Aguas Calientes), part of the Urubamba river, a section of the PeruRail train line and a simulation of the end of the Inca trail.

Throughout development and then as late as in the original, pre-updates release, it was erroneously named "Incapernaum", a portmanteau of "Inca" and "Capernaum". "Capharnaum" being the noun for 'a confused jumble; a place marked by a disorderly accumulation of objects' (Merriam-Webster); Capernaum being the biblical town said noun etymologically stems from.

Due to the monumental scale of the action in the level, drawing such a tight parallel with the aforementioned town was tempting, but it was eventually decided only the noun would stick as to not conflict with the localization initially introduced by the "Inca" prefix. Both level names can still be used interchangeably (even the manual still lists "Incapernaum" in the current version).

My original, naive plan for Blast Radius was to make and include several levels which would have been set in Central and South America, and played in succession as a sensible sub-set of their own right after the first three maps, in their own right indirectly forming Blast Radius' 'U.S.A. chapter', and paralleling the pacing those would have just introduced.

More regions, landmarks and countries were being seriously considered - all mostly open places of rather similar spatial nature - then work on the first one, "Incapharnaum", actually started, and it very quickly became apparent how for gameplay flow purposes, only one level of such gargantuan proportions should suffice; and so, from an intended transition, "Incapharnaum" turned into a fracture and adventure of its own which, in order to represent South America as a whole now, called for the responsibility of being memorable.

Real-life experience with Machu Picchu and the Inca trail had already evoked personal inspiration for a Duke Nukem 3D level years prior even considering making Blast Radius, which needed that time span to mature in various ways but from the get-go, my basic intent was clear: a Machu Picchu map would need to recreate not just (a stylized version of) the renowned ruins, but the entire experience it is to trek through the Amazon rainforest, reach the touristic hot spot that is the nearby village, and then climb the whole of the mountain prior to finally dominating the entirety of the surroundings.

The underlying theme of "Incapharnaum" (and a prominent one in Blast Radius altogether) is conquest; in order to make it through, Duke will need to dispute every single patch of land his size 13 boots are willing to tread on - as literally as exemplified by the level's automap, which is clearly split into distinct coordinates and thus now really gets to shine as a tool.

The true conquest, however, shall be the one by the unsuspecting player of a whole new mindset. While it might be tempting - for a minute at least - for the most timid to try clinging to the safer edges of the layout and sticking to the reassuring hug of the cliffs, very much someone just learning how to swim, the explosive action as soon as upon level start and extreme dimensions of the areas should suffice for promptly propelling them into the challenging current and force new approaches and strategies, courtesy of pure survival mode - as would make sense in a hostile rainforest.

The distress of the situational emergency is assisted by an unusual take on item (and secret place) positioning; at this stage of the episode, "Incapharnaum" confirms a trend (which had been sensible in the former levels so far, but never as explicit) that is, in the most open levels, utilizing the natural stimuli of reward (and/or the perspective thereof) from acquiring items or unveiling new grounds to guide the player around its intricacies, encouraging or discouraging certain paths, but always responsibilizing choice.

It is then made apparent to the disoriented user how many and how much of the restrictions, corners, barriers and rules they tend to imagine and spontaneously apply onto themselves (as far as in obviously inappropriate contexts) really are just the by-product of their own conditioning to the status quo of the common format, and one possible way of interpreting the same, rich product that is Duke Nukem 3D out of many.

Or, whenever that isn't the case, then perhaps the solution to their struggle lies in a more complete grasp of the (untouched) mechanics of the base game, such as niche weapon and inventory item efficiency (e.g.. the Expander and Freezer actually being strong and not just pleasantry weapons, or steroids use negating shrink ray), which Blast Radius eventually shall teach them.

Now established to consist in a stark rupture from the prior, urban levels, it was decided "Incapharnaum" would shoot for being reminiscent of Richard 'Levelord' Gray's "The Abyss" and similarly punctuate the end of the first act of Duke Nukem's epic journey ("The Abyss" being the ultimate level in the opening episode of the base game), but also consist in a perilous adventure of its own involving unfamiliar, hostile natural terrain, peaks of grandeur, 'forbidden' navigational excitement amongst collapsing cliffs and heights and a large palette of moods. More so than the direct aesthetics of that level from the base game, "Incapharnaum" hopes to recreate, in the veteran Duke 3D player of the current times, something close to the impression of otherworldly wilderness and gloomy environmental oppression "The Abyss" probably instilled in them as a first time player, all these years ago - just on the 2023 scale.

Naturally, the map essentially turned into a three-dimensional landscape painting (an impression facilitated by the impressionism of the tall trees) one can Duke through, interact with, and kick alien ass in, mostly in whichever manner they choose so long as they eventually manage to solve it. This results in a level which simultaneously can and may be completed in three minutes or five hours.

The impressionistic style was particularly important as to confer the desired ethereal value on "Incapharnaum"; as Blast Radius typically does overall, the level uses Duke Nukem 3D almost as an excuse to play on certain frequencies within the player and relies on the universe of the franchise at large as a medium for realization, emotion, reaction.

Here, given the shape "Incapharnaum" was spontaneously taking, it really didn't take long before the level started resembling more and more what the common, arguably naive Duke Nukem 3D player from the MS-DOS era would have, at the time and from the corresponding perspective, projected as the "dream map": seemingly endless, varied terrain to explore and an experience that never keeps on giving, maybe rough in a few places for traditional credibility and charm but, otherwise, with whole, legitimate enemy armies to singlehandedly slaughter, countless options for exploration and traversal and, more generally, absolute excess.

And so, it became a conscious part of the approach to openly embrace those vibes; as to try and fill a shared phantasmal void, and also to consolidate Duke Nukem 3D: Blast Radius as a surreal experience altogether.

Also thanks to the contrast with the prior, metropolitan-themed levels including in visual style, "Incapharnaum" is where the most observant players might start sensing some of the project's underlying meta aspects, all the while still unprepared for the reality to come; and, for the most curious, start pondering if the existence of a "dream" map already might imply the possibility of a negative "nightmare" map.

Indirectly and once the player actually granted the so-eagerly imagined, seemingly endless terrain, "Incapharnaum" also draws the question: what is it that makes a dream a dream? What is it that makes a nightmare a nightmare, and how do those definitions fluctuate as soon as either is fulfilled?

And meanwhile in Duke's immediate reality - whether in juxtaposition or opposition to all existential questioning - what matters remains aiming well, then shooting first, which only confirms the player's improvisational skills, adaptation abilities and general present activity as decisive for drawing further progress.

True to Blast Radius' guideline of subverting expectations, one way "Incapharnaum" does so is by cherry picking, and only progressively revealing, its true sights to the player. It is expected that the somewhat rough allure of the enclosed starting area might confuse the unaware, first time player (all the while betting on their possible nostalgia for the 'plain' environments which, over time, became commonly associated with the first 1996-1997 wave of Duke Nukem 3D user maps); especially as dropped in right from the previous, more condensed and detailed New York City level.

Persistence should erode their perplexity however with the more they invest into the level, and are gradually rewarded with increasingly spectacular views.

Except that (initially appreciated) input now never seems to cease, going as far as starting to induce panic via information and decision overload and finally culminates, around halfway through the map, with the evident confirmation that the occasional rough edges of the aesthetics really come down to how every single one out of the 16384 available Build walls has been exploited to its optimal potential, completing a monstrosity to which they are exposed and vulnerable...

Until they realize the true hindrance of their own comfort zone, and that they actually are being supplied with enough spatial and lethal resources to - literally - come out on top; thereby revealing to themselves how much of one's challenge can really qualify as self-imposed, depending on more or less literal perspective adjustments.

Some more level design influences on "Incapharnaum" can be traced back to William Gee's long career of trademark large spaces and composed landscapes; Billy Boy's pioneering, avant-garde Duke Nukem 3D user map output from the 2000's, most notably with "Biglight" a.k.a. "Lighthouse"; and Maarten Van Oostrum's approach to terrain practicability as observable in recent pieces such as "Woudrichem War" or "Weissensee".

Just like item distribution rewards exploration but mostly leads progression, and the reveal of new perspectives on the map punctuates it, the introduction of the now functionally coded, originally scrapped beta Duke Nukem 3D enemy, the Organtic, otherwise relatively anecdotal, helps mark it, as their erasure from the skies (having been made a floating enemy) and the resulting dissemination of their dead corpses on the ground help identify and remember the formerly explored spaces; they then start doubling up as navigation helpers, all the while consolidating the '1996' aesthetics.

Secret places are also, in a way, repurposed in a sense that they reward exploration with, or hint at hidden item caches, potentially turning the entire level into one gigantic treasure hunt - with jetpacks provided just to match, as the player slowly realizes how most every visible cliff is accessible.

Such generous distribution also helps convey the appropriate indication whenever the player happens to be veering off the beaten path (for better and for worse). To quote French streamer Geomancien, "maybe the real secret place in this level is the main path?"; either way, it is rumored that one of them in particular (out of 72 as of version 1.0.11) is so unstable, simply walking into it might trigger as much as an early collapse of the historical site...

Finally, albeit heavily simplified and loosely reinterpreted in order to just fit inside the Build engine, "Incapharnaum" does respect the fundamental progression and general order, orientation and basic design of the local landmarks, from the sequencing of the Inca Trail starting from around Hidroeléctrica prior to meeting with the PeruRail train line to the general layout of the ruins including the House of Guards, the Sun Temple, the Royal Tomb, the Noble Houses, the Ritual Fountain, the Room of Three Windows and the Royal Palace, as well as some of the residential remains.

Walkthrough: Used to shot down rides by now, Duke Nukem very aptly and obviously gracefully lands on top of a tall cliff as his chopper plummets to its doom. The Assault Trooper culprits are going to pay and immediately should, but not at the expense of Duke's style points. Smoothly maneuvering down the cliffs, following the conveniently placed Atomic Healths and pistol magazines should pose zero problem to the world's best-trained situationist; jumping down also is manageable if Duke feels particularly daring, albeit at the cost of an easily-healed sprained ankle.

Either way, reaching land will permit handling the attack more suavely, and introducing Duke to a new enemy: the Organtic, a flying creature whose DNA and projectiles are a by-product of their direct environment and will always guard their designated zone, but also wake up to attack Duke when he gets too close.

Exploring the enclosed starting area should reward Duke with ammunition, health, armor, the shotgun and maybe more if he's feeling adventurous, or lucky. And turning the first corner will introduce him to the true nature of the rainforest he landed in, under the form of a wild first fight involving Organtics, Fat Commander snipers and a duo of Overlord Sentries (one regular, one Sunburnt) who will drop down from the cliffs.

Successfully scanning the whole zone should empower Duke with a full Devastator and so, with the amount of space (and steroids) available, this should be just a minor disturbance to handle. Of course, a wider variety of supplies is disseminated around and can be found if ever necessary or tempting.

Simply following the path up the accessible cliff Troopers and Fat Commanders are defending will lead Duke straight to the level's first (non-secret) RPG, and view angle on the scope of the situation to attest. He should be a bit mindful when going to retrieve the gun, though, as it's reasonably well-guarded.

The city and the mountain are revealed; now, Duke's gotta find a way to get over there. The mountain is his final goal; the city exists to be traversed, although a particularly well-equipped, or exploration-prone player might find ways to skip it entirely.

Choosing to follow the most obviously traced path and venturing ahead towards the north will take Duke the longest and most perilous way, but also compensate with the most items, strategic sniper spot domination, and potential secret places that equate early access to more gear. Notable features: an assured chaingun and direct access to the blue key, all secured by the means of one large-scaled triple Overlord Sentry battle and then some more Sunburnt Battlelord Sentry resistance.

Opting for keeping ahead on top of, then around the cliffs too will be met with strong opposition, in particularly delicate conditions to boot, albeit more condensed; Duke might stock up on explosives there while he's at it. Either way, as soon as the silhouette of a distant bridge appears, that should become the next spot for our hero to investigate.

Paths should meet again, eventually, near the bridge and around a PeruRail train entrapped within the rubble of a collapsed tunnel. The blue key is there and doubles up as the introduction of the Cycloid Sentry, including a Sunburnt duo which will leap towards Duke with Expander and Shrinker ray spam as soon as he gets close.

Kindly extinguish and then, a security camera screen (as well as a Devastator weapon) can be found on the train if ever pondering the meaning of life. Otherwise the blue key can be snatched any time, but of course that won't be without triggering enemy reaction (and Duke should be mindful of one particularly treacherous Sunburnt Battlelord Sentry).

After he's cleaned up the general area, Duke can now inspect the collapsed bridge. It has been completely blown up, except for the metallic structural beams on its sides which are intact and traversable. Falling into the slime river down below would be a major bummer, as that would mean shit on Duke's boots as well as a two-minute time loss while he has to make his way back up (if out of jetpack, the cliffs he may use for climbing are further down the current, just left around the next waterfall).

Thus of course, the second Duke steps onto the beam, two Copium Battlelord Sentries manifest themselves from the opposite side to try and shrink him through the gaps. Getting hit just once by one of their green blasts will instantly result in disgrace and so as to maintain honor, Duke needs to run across in a straight line as fast as he can (unless he's long given up on it and opts for just flying over the whole pit). Once on firm grounds again, the Copium Sentries become a breeze to deal with.

Keeping advancing should reveal how the basic principle for the next part of Duke's progression involves the gradual, yet imminent conquest of literal patches of land. Each new coordinate Duke will visit boasts its specific share of more-than-welcome supplies, at the risk of possibly triggering new enemy waves.

One strip of land down, Duke should notice this suspicious disposition, shown below.

The second strip of land eventually branches out in two directions; venturing to the dark woods up north will cause more Overlord sentries and Blast Radius' first Protector Drones to appear as to defend the shrinker.

Following the train tracks to the south will take Duke to the blue key pad. An angry pack of Octabrains will rise from the river as he gets close that is nothing the Devastator can't handle.

Finally getting to swipe the blue key will cause the 3D Realms-assisted collapse of the tall alien cliff just across the river. More Octabrains will rise from the river while more Protector Drones leap off the nearby cliffs towards Duke, Commanders step up as rocket turrets and formations of flying Troopers emerge from the city skyline across. Duke must defeat the assault, and then inspect the formerly encountered suspicious spot off the cliff again.

With the opposite cliff brought down, a steroids-fueled jump across the river is now doable. Duke could use or shun closer study of the set-up pre-jump in order to get familiar with the relatively tricky landing; either way, he should go for it eventually (and in the improbable case of a miscalculation, the way back up from the river is close by).

As soon as Duke sets foot on the other side comes business. Sanitize the impacted cityscape by all lethal means; this includes the erasure of several (regular and Weak Sauce) Octabrains, Fat Commanders, a couple of Protector Drones and some more Organtics; last but not least, there's one particular Bomb Squad Pig Cop on the torn building Duke should keep a keen eye on.

It is now time for Duke to take the city back from the alien scum; a task which can be approached from a variety of angles, either faced head-on or by circling around more of the newly reached region and unveiling alternative strategies and item pick-ups. For a clean conscience though, every invader should be eradicated eventually. Duke especially should not miss the particularly vicious Mistaken Assault Taxi Driver on top of the bus ticket booth.

The village won't feel very populated and clearing it will mostly come down to the stomping of a few of the now usual tougher suspects at the very first; except it is riddled with particular points of interest Duke might desire visiting as to replenish his supplies or health, and those aren't just on his radar. Daring trouble the local fauna (and/or threatening to pillage its powerful armament) will, in most cases, provoke a town-wide reaction from its current population.

On one end of the city, behind the café, this spot in the shade is home to a bunch of relatively harmless Protozoid Slimer eggs, a few trashcan-inhabiting Octabrains, a shrinker with spare crystals and no less than three Atomic Healths; Duke should pick at his own risk, as getting anywhere near the items invariably will degenerate into a combined Protector Drone and Fat Commander onslaught (with an extra couple of Sentries to assist). Thankfully, Duke can always use the abundantly distributed steroids if shrunk.

Confronting the Bomb Squad Pig Cops for their deep stock of rockets is feasible whenever Duke runs into a way up the red-lit, lowest fraction of the torn hotel. However, retaliation will be attempted by the local forces under the form of a Pig Cop and Scorpion Tank raid which intends to come at Duke the second he ever steps back into the city.

Getting anywhere near and around the central fountain might spawn a few extra baddies all the way across the football field; whether those ever get to catch up or not solely depends on Duke. Up the stairs from the plaza is some more ferocious vermin and then the Machu Picchu ticket office which, for now, is closed and undergoing renovation. But it already is possible to go around, erase some Organtics and run into an isolated, grassy area alongside the river which conceals another huge stock of rockets from the blast.

Security camera streamable from the entrance of the Machu Picchu ticket office (boleteria) indicates how the yellow key Duke needs in order to get in is sitting in a perilous position, on top of a wall of the torn hotel. By just climbing up the rubble, Duke can spot an opening and infiltrate the place any time he pleases. Therefore, at the cost of handling the final members of the local Pig Cop Bomb Squad and some elementary platforming, he's always free to go grab it.

Once unlocked, the boleteria will immediately unleash the fury of its Drone guardians on Duke, assisted by a few meager Troopers and, more importantly, several Sunburnt Battlelord Sentries coming in from the cliffs to try and snipe our hero with mean side barrages of rockets. The Drones should be disposed of as soon as possible (and so, preferably by the means of the Expander), so that Duke just as promptly gets to put the smack dab on those fried asses.

Clearing, then traversing the boleteria will reveal the existence of a cracked door on top of stairs on the opposite side. Blasting the explosive barrels there will grant Duke access to the second floor of the ticket office, under renovation and so empty of everything but a window out on the central hotel, and a switch marked as 'sponsor reveal'; positively flicking it will lower the central elevator platform, simultaneously disclosing the full, giant Babe Land sign and the way ahead to Duke.

Riding the elevator platform up will present Duke with its own dimension of new possibilities. From his now even vertically superior position, he gets to display his talents as a high wire artist extraordinaire in order to reach the next rooftops whenever he desires to progress; tripping without a jetpack would result in having to go flip the switch in the boleteria to lower the platform again and so, such a stunt shouldn't be deliberate. Another, questionably safer option is turning back and around the Babe Land sign, in order to reach hidden rooftops; walking those shall awake a few unhappy residents, and also clarify Duke's current quest via a screen showing him where the red card and locks are.

Continuing onward to the next rooftop by the means of some peak balancing on the high wires will result in the appropriate crowd reaction which consists in a major long range, 360-degree ambush (during which Duke really should watch out for Fat Commander backstabbing), then a similar set-up where the steroids are recommended - albeit it in moderation, since this one leads to a close range encounter now.

Duke hates busy work and therefore already despises the mere consideration of ever falling off the building. Keeping progressing up the ramp, and then across the last gap will reward him with the red key in addition to another popular revolt, below and formations of flying Troopers, above. Only once both the perimeter and key are secured, Duke is free to get back down to street level and head over to the baths, just across the football field.

Duke's next imminent goal, as previously indicated on the security camera screen, should be the red lock which is located at the public baths (baños termales), themselves situated at the southernmost edge of the city, across the local football field (zona fútbol) and marked by the Inca Kola banner.

Stopping at the football field to kick some ball will (markedly) cause Duke to 'NOW PLAY' as the entire place now collapses and gives way to an optional, throwback battle against an entire team of Cycloid Sentries that is breaking through the depths of nostalgia just in time to fittingly complement Duke's witty remarks.

The baths themselves can be explored any time and while navigating the variably toxic network of pools already is possible, for optimal efficiency and the corresponding social gratification, Duke is better off getting down to business with a couple of tasks right away. The first one shall be using the red key on the lock, behind the counter, so as to open an underwater shaft at the core of the pools' circuitry - as evidenced by the nearby surveillance screen.

Duke should expect the aforementioned opening to upset quite a few locals and so, an imminent Scorpion Tank and Drone raid sent in as defense. Thankfully, our hero happens to be surrounded by just enough space to easily maintain his innate advantage.

In order to survive down there however, Duke will need to get his hands on, and ass into a scuba gear somewhere. A couple of those can be found on the rooftop that is looming over the baths; the way up there is almost too easily climbed, until Duke finally reaching his objective suddenly triggers a wave of anguish-fueled madness just across the river, as the fauna there starts dreading Duke's imminent arrival. And in a more directly offensive effort to further cockblock him, on his side of the toxic trench, Octabrains will start rising from the baths.

Swimming down the underwater shaft the red key opened will reveal a passageway across the river that traverses under the waterfall, and the presence of dormant alien technology sunk down there since who knows how long?

The flick of one command switch shall suffice for partially reviving it, unblocking the way ahead but also freeing up two very pissed off Battlelord Sentries; this is the introduction of the Ice Cold Battlelord Sentry, and this one is particularly psyched on finally being uncovered. The best things in life are free and so Duke should make them pay.

Now, the brutal sight of Duke fantastically emerging from a slime pond only logically will be met with absolute denial by this side of town, which immediately will materialize under the form of a massive, defensive onslaught featuring Sunburnt Battlelord Sentries coming down from the mountain while more guard one particularly remarkable item cache in the center of the plain, and Overlord Sentries lurk around the woods.

While able to navigate to and around the northern region of this part of the map at any time (which mostly comprises secret areas and very strongly guarded, but deep item stashes), in order to pursue actual progress, Duke should rather stick around the south of the mountain (as encouraged by the purple lava) and follow the path up after the stone gate which, after a handful of sequences, encounters and events, will finally take him to the ruins at the summit.

Once up there, it's preservation time by way of removing all the vermin presence from the ruins, and finding five green switches to press - both scattered throughout. Most of the switches are out there in plain sight and each one of them corresponds to one specific landmark around the ruins, but some are tricky to get to, and some of them are ambushes.

If Duke isn't in the mood for puzzles and has retained some jetpack, then maybe he can try exploring the ultimate heights of the level and find a spot which will trigger the final sequence early. Otherwise, the default sequencing is as follows:

- just on Duke's right upon entering the central square is the Temple of the Sun, which bears a very evident switch at its very top. That one is very accessible, only requiring Duke to climb around the structure, if not directly up there in just one well-aimed jump. Being out in the open also means it's very much exposed to all kinds of aerial threats, and so Duke should make sure the surroundings are safe whenever he feels like getting close.

- next to the Ritual Fountain is the Room of Three Windows, atop of which another switch is visible but seems awkward to reach. Pressing the red handprint inside will raise three platforms from out of the ground in order to facilitate access. Getting anywhere near the switch might cause some more map-wide movement however, with Assault Trooper formations suddenly flying in from both the city and the forest and a Sunburnt Overlord guardian waking up to Duke's noise, and so our hero ought to be prepared.

- the next switch is way up Nusta's bedroom, which is the southernmost building in the ruins - leftmost one from Duke's perspective when he first reaches the main square. Venturing inside for now will only lead Duke to a seeming dead-end that is also guarded by one ferocious Ice Cold Battlelord Sentry, whose freezing blasts are likely to rebound off the surrounding walls and take a deep toll on Duke's HP. Going around the building however will reveal the existence of another handprint switch, the pressing of which will trigger the elevation of the pedestal the Battlelord is guarding; that means Duke can choose to either confront the enemy in pure toe-to-toe old-school fashion before the fact (if feeling daring), or from a safer, looser spot outside and through the central window after the platform has been raised.

Either way, after he's triggered the handprint, a running Duke can just about make it around the building in time to reach the ascending pedestal before it's too high up again for him to jump on (but if he struggles, then steroids might help). Now, from the highest position, the switch shall be in Duke's reach, albeit via some narrow platforming which is assured to disturb one pissed pack of Fat Commanders; those will do their best at troubling his balance with rockets shot from the distant cliffs, while a swarm of airbone Drones rises from the residential area, only to dangerously resume closing in.

- another of the five switches can be spotted on top of the Royal Temple, but that's another ambush: right after Duke gets in, gates will rise behind him, trapping him inside as a duo of Battlelord Sentries appears to try and toy with our hero like he's fish in a barrel. Once those corrected in their living ways, pressing on the handprint shall lower the doors again, but also trigger the raising of new platforms, up to window level. Riding one of those, and then some smart platforming will reward Duke with the power of touching the switch.

- finally, the fifth switch requires no puzzle solving but finding the most appropriate way to it. Duke should explore around the residential area, climb up the side of the mountain and then parkour off the ruins themselves in order to get there.

The activation of all five switches will result in the lowering of the central column in the main square, which itself will start emitting strange sounds and reveal one final Atomic Health.

Simply jumping onto the lowered column will upset the stability of the terrain (which is an actual issue with the real-life Machu Picchu) and cause the central cliffs to completely collapse, thereby revealing what looks like a plane and so a possible way out, and also the presence of three different Sunburnt culprits; this shall be Duke's final battle in Peru, as emerging victorious, then exploring the newly accessible rubble will be met with the uncovering of the end-of-level Nuke Button.

Par time route: The route used to get sub four minutes off Come Get Some pistol start is as follows. It's probably not the fastest possible way of completing "Incapharnaum" at all either, but is pretty fun.

Drop down the first cliff (of course make sure Duke survives the fall) then rush to the blue key; now there are several paths Duke can choose to get there already: he can try and navigate the cliffs (on any side), jump into the river (watch out for the current) then climb back up the cliffs nearby as the way back up from down there is close to the key, find and use steroids on land, jetpack there if he came equipped... Once in possession of the blue key, it's a race to the corresponding lock (which is in a straight, mostly unobstructed line) in order to trigger the collapse of the alien cliff and allow for the steroids jump into the city.

As soon as Duke lands said jump, he should keep going in a straight line and then up the rooftop marked with the Inca Kola sign (near the waterfall, where the scuba gears are). Now, here's the crucial moment: Octabrains will rise from the baths down below to try and catch up, but they are a slow enemy and their position here just so happens to be ideal for some enemy surfing and hopping towards the cliff next to the waterfall.

A secret place then exists on Duke's left that holds a jetpack. From this point on, Duke can and should rush to the ruins, using the wisest possible combination of jetpack and steroids optimization; then keep flying up, either to the regular or secret trigger for the last terrain collapse, which reveals the exit.

Particularities: Either none or the map as a whole is one big particularity, depending on how one looks at it.

Soundtrack: "Peruvian Skies" by Dream Theater / "Falling Into Infinity" / EastWest Records, 1997 (MIDI version)

Actually not much to say about that one - I don't even listen to Dream Theater - except confirm that I did first run into the track at random while exploring the www in search of all sorts of possible .mid matches for a Peru-themed level, and it just so happened to fit both the supposed settings and the adventurous atmosphere perfectly.

The song itself is progressive and varied enough in its structure to only ever get so old in spite of possibly looping dozens of time; the quieter moments tend to lend themselves to the player's introspection upon their terrain exploration and assimilation quite well, while peaks of heavy, saturated action discreetly build up in the background before finally breaking, then dying out, thereby revealing more of the mysterious calm again.

Automap:

Map stats (as of v. 1.0.11): 2014/4096 sectors, 16383/16384 walls, 12210/16384 sprites.

Download Duke Nukem 3D: Blast Radius (last update: 03/04/2024; v. 5.0.2)