Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...
Jaws In Space

Switcheroom (coming very soon)

Recommended Posts

I played through most of this and have to say, its a really cool and fun idea and is implemented pretty well throughout. I didn't find much in the way of bugs that haven't already been mentioned (there are a shit load of dodgy texture alignments that I figured were just in the spirit of the original game so I ignored those).

I found the best maps were the ones that weren't immediately obvious which one they were, so you get a sudden moment of recognition from a particular area. Some were a bit too obscure and others maybe not changed enough, but overall its a very interesting project.

Share this post


Link to post

Ugh, ugh ugh ugh, I'm so very, very sorry for my unannounced departure. I have had way too many things distracting me and I have just not have the time to even check up on this project for over a month, let alone hardly anything Doom related. I had a responsibility and I blew it.

Unfortunately, I still don't have nearly enough time for this project so, with regret, I announce my retirement as project leader. In retrospect, I suppose I wasn't really a very good choice in leading the project, my input usually was just agreeing with somebody and letting other people sort out issues for me. I guess I was good at putting together the megawad at least, heh. I suppose since Jaws in Space was already doing the work of putting together the wad I'll leave him and Magnusblitz (whom I agreed with on a lot of points the most) as co-leaders.

I allow whoever wants to head the sequel to do so, since there was already one planned and seems there was one discussed.

Also, if I ever post a cool wad idea again and a project starts forming, just make sure I'm not at the head of it, m'kay? My apologies again for not even saying anything before going.

Share this post


Link to post

Sorry to have you go, Death Egg. I'm busy this week but should be free next, so at that point I'll try and get in touch with Jaws in Space to get this sucker finished. (He hasn't responded since I expressed displeasure at the changes to my maps... I hope I didn't scare him out of working on it) :(

Share this post


Link to post

Glad to see a bugfix thread for this project - A worried part of me thought it maybe had been left unattended after everyone's hard work! This is very promising.

Death Egg said:

Ugh, ugh ugh ugh, I'm so very, very sorry for my unannounced departure.


You're not the only Doomer to start up a big community project and then go AWOL ;) Thanks for starting something so awesome, Death Egg!

Share this post


Link to post

Switcharoom Bugfix for Episode 4

E3M3
-Removed steps by red key door
-added SP_Rock1 texture back into the map
E4M1
-Fixed pegging on blue key door
E4M2
-Fixed Multiple Slimetrails on wood platforms in lava
-Fixed tuttti-frutti textures near secret exit
-Fixed pegging on lowering window in index finger
-Removed slimetrails in pinky finger
E4M3
-Nothing
E4M4
-Added Sector so crusher doesn't appear to go into the sky
-some texture alignment
-Added 3rd teleporter near exit area
-Removed slimetrails on platform to rocket launcher
E4M5
-Replaced
E4M6
-removed slimetrails near berzerk
-Added Support 3 texture throughout the map to add a transition between textures
-Changed the ceiling texture of most doors to a more appropriate matching texture
E4M7
-some texture alignment
E4M8
-Rotated entire map 90 degrees to align demon face floor texture with the rest of the map
-fixed pegging on rock wall door
E4M9
-removed tutti-frutti on caco cage in opening room
-removed slimetrails in star room
-removed slimetrails in berzerk room
-Fixed slimetrails around lava river in exit room
-Fixed slimetrails in lower lava river in exit room
-Texturing adjustment throughout the map

All known bugs that will not be fixed
-E1M5 Slimetrail in outside area near start
-E4M2 Slimetrails in thumb
-E4M8 Slimetrails by eye detailing
Slimetrails everywhere inside & outside of Star
-E4M9 Slime trails near exit lift

Share this post


Link to post

Huzzah!

E4M2: One change that seems to have slipped through without being noted was the change of the thumb trap walls to instantly and silently lower instead of lowering at normal speed. I don't really like the change (especially the silence) but I'm open to being convinced otherwise depending on the reasoning or what people prefer.

E3M3: Wait, removing the steps by the red door was all that was needed to fix the seg overflows? Even from views where the bridge was hiding them? WTF Doom Engine. But good job figuring that out, I have no problem parting with that staircase.

E4M5: Heh. I believe I said one of my issues with the map it replaced was the monster overload, such as having 4 barons in those cages. That doesn't mean replace them with Cyberdemons! LOL. It's a nice looking map. Only concern is that it seems like it might be too hard or even unbeatable from a pistol start (needs more ammo?) I'll have to give it some actual playthroughs though to figure that out.

List of things to do:
- Still need a TITLEPIC
- Need map names for E2M3 and E3M5
- Intermission text for the above, and E4M5 (possibly more, need to check)
- Minimap name replacements - originally we had them all as "E1M1: E3M1" or the like, but those seem to have disappeared
- Make sure you spell the final product with an E not an A, as that's how Death Egg and the Switcheroom 2 guys are spelling it :)

Share this post


Link to post

E4M2: One change that seems to have slipped through without being noted was the change of the thumb trap walls to instantly and silently lower instead of lowering at normal speed. I don't really like the change (especially the silence) but I'm open to being convinced otherwise depending on the reasoning or what people prefer.

A leftover remnant from when I was trying to make this map 100% slimetrail free. Considering that went out the window due to the lava in that area I'd be willing to change it back.

E3M3: Wait, removing the steps by the red door was all that was needed to fix the seg overflows? Even from views where the bridge was hiding them? WTF Doom Engine. But good job figuring that out, I have no problem parting with that staircase.

Man this map was really pissing me off because I could not figure out what the hell was so different between the original map & the switcharoom version. I actually figured out that things you can't see still add to the seg limit on E3M6.

E4M5: Heh. I believe I said one of my issues with the map it replaced was the monster overload, such as having 4 barons in those cages. That doesn't mean replace them with Cyberdemons! LOL. It's a nice looking map. Only concern is that it seems like it might be too hard or even unbeatable from a pistol start (needs more ammo?) I'll have to give it some actual playthroughs though to figure that out.

But at least you can avoid the cyberdemons, that was a big issue for me with Joseph Lords version, it was extremely linear. Also you may be right, at least I can't kill all the cyberdemons from a pistol start, I'm actually pretty terrible at Doom so I consider a level well balanced when I can no longer beat it, especially so for an E4 map. I guess if enough people are unable to beat it I'll just add a stash of ammo right before the exit.

Share this post


Link to post

Has someone compiled all of the fixes for the main download in the OP yet? I'm just wondering what I should get for a test-run.

EDIT: alrighty, will attempt a playthrough of switcheroom.wad from OP then.

Share this post


Link to post
schwerpunk said:

Has someone compiled all of the fixes for the main download in the OP yet? I'm just wondering what I should get for a test-run.


Yes

Share this post


Link to post

I (almost) completely ran through E4, and enjoyed it for most of the time. Found a gamebreaking bug in E4M4, this teleporter isn't tall enough to be stepped in. In E4M6, I suspect that a swarm of cacodemons woke up earlier than should have been, and the cacos have been chasing me all over the map and I kept encountering them individually, yet everywhere. I have to say that I hate E4M5 and I refused to play it (started E4M6 from pistol start instead). While I didn't like the previous version much, I don't think this version with Cyberdemons is an improvement of any kind. Also I just hate Unholy Cathedral as the original map too, so that may be the reason.

I played only with Zandronum, though, so vanilla compatibility issues might have slipped through my fingers.

Share this post


Link to post

Just popping in to say that I played E4M5 for a bit, and good lord is it hard from pistol start. Much tougher than UD E4M6 or anything else in that episode. I don't know that you should change it, but I can see why people might not like it.

Poked around at some other maps, pretty fun so far.

Might be worth releasing a bonus episode of the best rejected maps too, at a glance most of them look pretty good.

Share this post


Link to post

Just got to give a kudo to Jaws for really cleaning up E1. The map layouts seem untouched, but everything just 'feels' better. I used to think E1 was kind of a weak start to a great megawad, but now I think it's an excellent start.

EDIT1:
E1M7 as always is a thing of beauty - a simple switch hunt that somehow doesn't annoy. I see the lines in the starting area got cleaned up, but there are still some lines that could use hiding right at the exit room (the grey lines nearest the player).
EDIT1.1:
I've been out of touch with this project for a while, but has there been discussion of changing the intermission text, or the flat that's in the background? For instance, maybe something a bit more iconic of E2... like cratop, lol, I dunno.
EDIT2:
Ahh, yes, traversd's intro to E2, E2M1. I'd recognize his chunky, broad strokes anywhere. Still love the look and flow of this map, and still think the tan ceiling in the PG room looks a bit weird, but much better in Chocolate Doom. Nothing strikes me as needing attention.
EDIT3:
E2M2. Who designed this disgusting map? Clearly, some deranged crate fetishist. ;P
EDIT4:
E2M3. Texture work is still really strong. I kind of blew through this one (I blame the music), so I didn't have time to notice if anything was awry. Good use of midtex, and excellent 'flow.'

Share this post


Link to post
schwerpunk said:

I've been out of touch with this project for a while, but has there been discussion of changing the intermission text, or the flat that's in the background? For instance, maybe something a bit more iconic of E2... like cratop, lol, I dunno.


I was toying around with some intermission text replacements, with the idea of taking, say, E2's intermission text and rewriting it to fit the E1 story (moving from Phobos to Deimos). The main problem was that it wasn't noticeably different. I might still end up doing it "just because" though.

Changing the flats is a good idea.

Share this post


Link to post

Nice. Will the rejected levels be compiled into another WAD like how Doom the Way id Did has a lost episode WAD?

Share this post


Link to post

I think the idea of having an "episode 5" for the unused maps is wonderful, they're all quite fun!

Share this post


Link to post

I played through RC3 this weekend. I do have some issues. I'll just start with the bad ones since those are the ones people want to read, apparently.

Some areas felt sameish later,because the layouts were used later with different theming. This doesn't bother me too much, but it's some mad deja vu going on.

Playing through each episode, I noticed a weird pendulum swing of circumstances - Either I had no ammo but plenty of health, or plenty of ammo and no health.

E4M2 is almost impossible from pistol start, there is no forgiveness from a wrong path taken.

The entire 3rd and 4th episodes use way too many barons. I can see why in Doom2 that I didn't have a problem with them, because the SSG was available. having more than three barons at a time without the SSG makes for a very, very boring slog.

There isn't much thought to some of the monster placement on some maps- there are no "highs" and "lows" (too many of these moments to list). A lot of times I thought to myself "Really? Another Baron? when there had been an insane fight with barons and cacodemons just moments before. Some maps also had hordes of low-level monsters in a "grid" pattern with no real reason to be there other than cheap hitscan shots. E4M3 has this problem. I assume that the intended path is to grab the invuln sphere, then go into the hitscanners room, but with the cyberdemon present, it implies the powerup is there to deal with him, even though there is little time to grab enough weaponry and ammo for that.

I enjoyed a lot of the fights, but there isn't much room for error on some of the later maps, especially when health is low and a damaging floor must be crossed with water "stepping stones" (this was NEVER in any id map).

Then there are just the monsters in general, but that's a Doom1 thing, so it's not entirely the team's fault that the stock original doom monsters were so bland. Good job given the limited colors you could use to paint the gameplay canvas.

Share this post


Link to post
Csonicgo said:

Some maps also had hordes of low-level monsters in a "grid" pattern with no real reason to be there other than cheap hitscan shots. E4M3 has this problem. I assume that the intended path is to grab the invuln sphere, then go into the hitscanners room, but with the cyberdemon present, it implies the powerup is there to deal with him, even though there is little time to grab enough weaponry and ammo for that.

That's nothing more than just my author's immaturity, I admit it. I've never much thought about a map like a sophisticated collage of elements that must make sense or imply anything to the player. The thought process of "let's roughly put there monsters and items and let the player do what he wants" always seemed to me as totally legit and enough for a successful mapping, while maybe not the toptoptop-quality one. It resembles the original map, it's playable, let's call it finished - that was my approach a year ago. Maybe I see things a little differently now, but as I'm no pro, the view still stays in me.

Thanks for mentioning it, nobody ever pointed out anything like this regarding the map.

Share this post


Link to post
Csonicgo said:

Some areas felt sameish later,because the layouts were used later with different theming. This doesn't bother me too much, but it's some mad deja vu going on.


Yes, this is a problem that was raised quite repeatedly in later stages of the project, but apparently too late to matter. Lots of people missed the idea of "map X in theme Y" and instead started producing maps with lots of homages to the theme slot's map, making the end result more of a mashup between two maps.

At this point though, it is what it is, and every map is basically done. Conceivably we could blow up the whole project and be a lot more demanding on the quality side or rules adherence, but at this point I think people just want to get it out and done with.

Csonicgo said:

E4M2 is almost impossible from pistol start, there is no forgiveness from a wrong path taken.


Can you elaborate on this? I purposely wanted E4M2 to be hard (like the original) but not frustratingly so. I've played through it a lot and I've been able to beat it (without secrets) many times on UV. Every monster is usually guarding enough ammo to kill it (for example, a baron will be guarding a 5 rocket box). So, you might need to drag the monsters off their start locations, and grab their ammo and then waste 'em, but there should be enough.

The baron by the secret exit is a bit problematic because he guards cells, which aren't useful to a pistol starting player until they find the plasma gun secret, admittedly. So I'll throw in a few more rockets here or there but beyond that I'd like more specific points here since I've tried pretty hard on the ammo balance on this one.

As far as the barons, I realize this was a more general complaint, but at least as far as E4M2 is concerned, there's 14 barons in the Switcheroom map and 12 barons in the original (plus a Cyberdemon).

Share this post


Link to post
Magnusblitz said:

At this point though, it is what it is, and every map is basically done. Conceivably we could blow up the whole project and be a lot more demanding on the quality side or rules adherence, but at this point I think people just want to get it out and done with.


Alternately -- and I'm completely serious -- I wouldn't mind doing a second version of Switcheroom 1 all over again, maybe with an additional gimmick. I have no idea what I'd change for a repeat of this project, but I'm happy with any excuse to continue mapping for a community project centered around Doom 1.

Share this post


Link to post

My idea for another Switcharoom Project would be to create 4 separate wads all for Doom, but only replace 27 maps for each wad. So wad 1 would leave E1 untouched, but E2, E3, & E4 would be turned into Tech base maps. Wad 2 would leave E2 untouched, but E1, E3, & E4 would be turned into Shores of Hell maps. Wad 3 would leave E3 untouched, & E1, E2, & E4 would be turned into hell maps. Then for wad 4 E4 would be left untouched while E1, E2, & E3 would be turned into E4 style maps. I even suggested as similar idea to Scifista42 when he was asking to start switcheroom 2. Since the maps would remain in their original map slots there would be no reason to put homages into the maps.

Share this post


Link to post

Here's my initial offering for a TITLEPIC:



I suck at image editing though, so if anyone offers up something better (or even just constructive criticism), please feel free!

Share this post


Link to post

Not sure if this is fixable.

On e1m1 by the exit. When the door was closing I pressed use on it and it stayed stuck (the door). Id say 2 units off the ground

Share this post


Link to post
Magnusblitz said:

Here's my initial offering for a TITLEPIC:



I suck at image editing though, so if anyone offers up something better (or even just constructive criticism), please feel free!


Conceptually, this is a great idea for a title pic. The R just needs a more polished look and it would be perfect. Maybe a line of small text at the bottom saying "by the doomworld community" wouldn't hurt either.

Share this post


Link to post

Yeah, if anyone wants to take a crack at the R, please do. My skills are limited to copy-pasting stuff and hand-drawing stuff by pixel. Unfortunately copying other parts of the letters and rotating them really messes with the pixels (when done so diagonally). Hence the screwy R.

Share this post


Link to post

Posting here to avoid bumping two separate threads.

I somehow completely missed that Jaws in Space put in a new version of E3M4 as a replacement, took the first spin through it today. Looks pretty nice, but a couple bugs (I think):
- The yellow door going into the exit room from the east (the room with the giant flesh block falling to the ground) doesn't actually require a yellow key (despite having yellow trim on the door)
- Also, this is more of a personal thing, but I think the door texture on this door would look better starting at the bottom than the top, but that's just me.
- It's very easy to strafe-jump up the stairs across to the exit without hitting the switch to raise the bridge

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×