ROP 2015: Finished!

Unfortunately for myself my personal Heretic projects have been put on hold for most of the year. I have not had the desire to open up DB for a while, in fact I have not been feeling well for the last few months. I am currently learning some basic HTML and CSS and I am hoping to turn that knowledge into reviewing my favorite games and wads (also to put some style into my blog). Whenever the alpha build is ready I will play it and try to give feedback the best that I can. I hope to see it out soon.

I need to get over my thing-placement-specific mapper's block. I've got no less than 6 maps (probably 7) for various things lying around in the "completely done sans things" stage.

Are MIDI submissions still sought after? Wouldn't mind making a couple of medieval/gothic themed tracks for this

Eris Falling said:

Are MIDI submissions still sought after? Wouldn't mind making a couple of medieval/gothic themed tracks for this

It might inspire a few more maps, so I say go for it. Personally I was hoping for a 3 episode set, but then again I'm optimistic like that. :/

Eris Falling said:

Are MIDI submissions still sought after? Wouldn't mind making a couple of medieval/gothic themed tracks for this

By all means, you should create music for this. But on a different note it looks like we have more music than we have levels. Perhaps we can release a MIDI pack along side the levels so that mappers can add unused (or used) MIDIs to future maps. OR we could get some more Heretic mappers up in here . . .

I'd love to work on this, but I'm stretched way too thin... not sure if I posted in this thread before, but good luck all. :)

ROP 2015 - Alpha v1

Levels
E1M1: Arcane Corridor by Du Mhan Yhu (v1)
E1M2: The Magistrates Tomb by General Rainbow Bacon (v1)
E1M3: Skeleton by The Cupboard (v1)
E1M4: System Shutdown by General Rainbow Bacon (v1)
E1M5: Blistering Catacombs by Egregor (v2)
E1M6: Profanum Sanctum by 19Wraith (v1)
E1M7: Nightstone Hollow by Obsidian (v2)
E1M8: The Reservoir by Obsidian,(v2)
E1M9: (none at the moment)

Music
E1M1: Mystic Tides by Alfonzo (v1)
E1M2: The Avenger's Domain by Doom Huntress (v2)
E1M3: (unknown) *please fill me in The Cupboard*
E1M4: Crystal Embers by Doom Huntress (v3)
E1M5: Saboteur - Alfonzo (v1)
E1M6: Oracle Night by Alfonzo (v1)
E1M7: (unknown) *please fill me in Obsidian*
E1M8: Gutter Penny by Alfonzo (v1)
E1M9: (none at the moment)

Nice going! I warped around a bit to check out the map/track arrangement and it sounds like my tracks are significantly quieter than the others, so I'll probably toy with the volume levels a bit to bring it up to par. Can't have the player fumbling with the sound controls every other level.

Also, more MIDIs inbound. Looking forward to hearing what Eris can do on the Heretic front, if he's still keen!

Ah, the music for Nightstone Hollow: the MIDI I used came from MAP10: "Toxic Touch" of Alien Vendetta. Unfortunately that's all I can tell you, as Kim Andre Malde didn't document where he got the music.

Another thing to note is that I meant to have the music on the Reservoir be the stock E1M8 music: it fit fairly well and it's not a track that most Doomers hear enough to be annoying or samey. I'll give Alfonzo's track a listen though, it might fit the map even better.

Obsidian said:

Ah, the music for Nightstone Hollow: the MIDI I used came from MAP10: "Toxic Touch" of Alien Vendetta. Unfortunately that's all I can tell you, as Kim Andre Malde didn't document where he got the music.

Lee Jackson's Plasma from Duke 3D. It's only the second in line for most used E2 track behind Aliens, Say Your Prayers... or is it Space Storm? Surprised you didn't know!

Alfonzo said:

Lee Jackson's Plasma from Duke 3D. It's only the second in line for most used E2 track behind Aliens, Say Your Prayers... or is that Space Storm. Surprised you didn't know!

I don't actually know my Duke Nukem music as well as I should, haha.

Alfonzo said:

Lee Jackson's Plasma from Duke 3D. It's only the second in line for most used E2 track behind Aliens, Say Your Prayers... or is it Space Storm? Surprised you didn't know!

Gut Wrencher (L3) and Future Military Conquests (L1) is the overused E2 track of overuseness, Aliens and Space Storm are underrated IMO. I think Valiant was maybe the first time I've ever heard Aliens in a Doom WAD actually.
I'm yet to hear Departure (E4L10) in Doom as well..anyway.

Looking forward to hearing what Eris can do on the Heretic front, if he's still keen!

First one is in progress! I wouldn't say it's massively Heretic-like, but slow-paced and dark, I hope it should fit in well regardless :D

I'll be away this week, and I'm a bit stumped where to go with the track. To not leave it longer without showing anything, here's what I've got so far

The Occultist (WIP) - 02:14

System Shutdown seems remarkably... unfinished and weird. it's just a small, circular map, 40+ something enemies on it on medium, and if you know the layout you could easily speedrun through it all on the power of the invincibility ring. compared to GRB's previous map, which was much more complete, it just feels like it is unfinished.
on contrast, the first map of the mod seems wsy too difficult: is it really necessary to have every monster and weapon available on the first level?

i haven't been able to play more than that yet, but it seems promising. oh, and Cupboard told in this thread that the track for the level Skeleton is also named Skeleton, made by Illkallio.

EDIT: Never mind, turned out a trigger failed or something.

I just realized that some of the texture replacements in The Reservoir didn't stick: the candles are a lavafall and the vertical flowing water flat is now some smoky looking liquid. Were there texture clashes with some of the other levels? Because if nothing else I kind of need the vertical water, because for some inane reason the Heretic IWAD only has horizontal. Also it looks like I'll need to redo some of the obstacles in Nightstone Hollow, because trees usually don't tend to grow out of solid rock. :P

@obsidian: i guess you never saw a common fig tree, those thing seems to grow out of thin air sometime :P

I'll replay the compilation sometime in the near future to see if there is something wrong like in Obsidian's map.

Obsidian said:

I just realized that some of the texture replacements in The Reservoir didn't stick: the candles are a lavafall and the vertical flowing water flat is now some smoky looking liquid. Were there texture clashes with some of the other levels? Because if nothing else I kind of need the vertical water, because for some inane reason the Heretic IWAD only has horizontal. Also it looks like I'll need to redo some of the obstacles in Nightstone Hollow, because trees usually don't tend to grow out of solid rock. :P

Yes, the alpha was compiled incorrectly. I'll update it in a week or so to include those texture glitch fixes. Sorry.

https://sites.google.com/site/dacupboard/_cupROP2.zip?attredirects=0&d=1

Here are my two maps. Could you please change the name from "Skeleton" to "Fossilized" on the first map. 2nd map is called "Cragskull"
Unsure if I will finish the 3rd map in time for release. Both midis are included.

The first map should have the midi "skeleton" (it's in the wad)
The second map should have the midi "plasma" (it's in the wad)
Both midis are by Ilkallio he should be in the credits.

TheCupboard said:

https://sites.google.com/site/dacupboard/_cupROP2.zip?attredirects=0&d=1

Here are my two maps. Could you please change the name from "Skeleton" to "Fossilized" on the first map. 2nd map is called "Cragskull"
Unsure if I will finish the 3rd map in time for release. Both midis are included.

The first map should have the midi "skeleton" (it's in the wad)
The second map should have the midi "plasma" (it's in the wad)
Both midis are by Ilkallio he should be in the credits.

Just got around to trying this second level. It's even better than your first one! I love everything about this one; the gameplay, the aesthetic, the music. Clocking in at over 7 minutes! Woah! Anyways, I will make sure to include this in the next update.

Would you guys welcome another submission? Or is it too late to get started at this point?

SYS said:

Would you guys welcome another submission? Or is it too late to get started at this point?

Go for it!

Sweet, will do. Good thing that I've already started :D

Thanks Egregor that means a lot considering your level of mapping ability. Maybe this weekend I will have time to test a good chunk of the alpha compilation.. Good luck to e'rrybody

Right, think my MIDI is done! Ended up at just over 5 minutes, which is what I was aiming for actually. Just under a month to make this, about my usual pace, heh :P

The Occultist (05:07)

edit: If more maps start coming in, I'll be glad to make another track.

Good fuck Eris, shit already gets real at 0:30. This is a prime candidate for any worthy map which does not have original music yet. Because Christ, this rocks, it even has an interlude. What I like is at the 4:00 mark where you psychedelic (as a verb) with the keyboard notes. And let us not forget the inspirational contributions of Doom Huntress, on pages 6-7! There is so much talent being devoted to this project, and I can't help being overly-enthusiastic-drunk-type-A-personality about it.

My reflections on the current maplist will be forthcoming, I just have to complete some IRL paperwork.

Again, bountiful luck to all contributors and be merry

Thanks Cupboard! Oddly enough that entire bit around 3:40-4:10 was done at like 2am and I was really tired, so that section should have been a disaster that got deleted, but IMHO it's the most interesting sounding section I've ever written.

Let us also not forget Alfonzo's contributions. Oracle Night is really nice :D

E1M1
I'd be inclined to get rid of that pillar with the crossbow and just have the crossbow in plain sight. I completely missed it, was trying to tackle the map with just the gauntlets, switching to the wand and claw when I could find ammo for them D:
Linedef 3496 should be flagged as impassable, as it's possible to run through it. Haven't found any other cases of this yet, but it might be worth investigating further.

Seems quite a tough map for an opener actually, far too tough actually. though it could easily be my lack of Heretic experience (playing on HMP-equivalent).

Eris: heeh, so i was not the only one to have missed it completely... btw all maps are more or less equally difficult from what i can remember, so i don't know if will make any difference.

(btw: your last submission was great)

Hmm I felt both E1M2 and 3 were easier than 1, continuous play aside. and thanks for the comment on the music :D

E1M5
Huge epic adventure map, this had me very lost, though after D2INO MAP11, I expect that from Egregor :D and I ended up resorting to GZDB to find the way forward. Not sure I'd file a proper complaint about linedef 3690 also activating sector 320, I may have been lacking in observation a bit.

After over an hour of deaths, searches and fighting, my plight through this behemoth was unceremoniously brought to an end by linedefs 2121-3 signalling sector 345 to open like a door when it is in fact a platform that should be lowered by about 16 units :)

EDIT: Perhaps it's my Heretic-noobishness that leads to inefficient use of the quartz flasks, but I'm finding this set to be very tight on health overall. I'm losing count of the times I've been under 10 health, and virtually no health to be found. E1M4's damaging floor run then immediate wizard and iron lich fight was ruthless because of this for me