[Dead Simple] Megawad Project - Interested?

Okay guys,
I had a little idea some months ago when I was working on UTNT:Invasion and now that I am done with most of my stuff, I just thought it would be nice to open a little thread here and ask about this new idea I have, what others think and if we actually could make a megawad out of that ;)

So what's it all about? Doom2's "Dead Simple" was always a very popular map for most of us. For me it was the mid-boss map that I kept remembering, it was so cool the first time when I killed the Mancus and suddenly, doors around the single room opened, the map got larger and even more monsters appeared. Sad for me that this only happened once in Doom2 :(

What I would like to have now is a full mega wad with "Dead Simple"-kinda maps were you kill some monsters, surroundings open, more monsters, some puzzles maybe, again battles, more surroundings opne, the map gets even larger and even more monsters appear... a slaughterfest for coop games I think ;)

Basing this on ZDoom/GZDoom/kulltag might make most sense as these are the best ports for such a project in my eyes (acs, popularity, etc)... and well, everyone could join here, maybe we also put together a little base resource wad and then we could start.

Right now it's only an idea, just a bit of brainstorming :) Let's see what others think ;)

I think what you have identified as being so special about "Dead Simple" might be diluted by being in a megawad of levels that work on similar principles. Instead of being "Woah! I didn't expect that" it would become "OK, so when's the wall going to drop".

I'm sure people would be able to come up with cunning and alternative ways to use such effects but I'm not convinced it would work brilliantly as a megawad. It actually feels like something that might be more suited to a "competition" kind of WAD. You know, the kind of thing where a tight-ish deadline is given and people are invited to submit their own dead simple-like level for the grand prize of nothing more than the kudos of having done it.

It sounds like "Progression Waves" from MechWarrior 3. Basically you have enemies (from A - Z, A being weakest, Z being hardest), and you'd start off fighting 1 B-Class enemy.

Then when you kill him, you fight 2 D-Class enemies, and it continues on and on. Also sounds a bit like Invasion mode of Skulltag, which I always love playing ;).

Could work, but, a megawad? You'd have to keep the levels interesting and 'in-character' with the theme of the level. I'm thinking perhaps levels which could involve:

MapXX - The Cathedral

* - Start off inside tunnels underground, fight 3-5 waves of enemies.
* - Walls blow up, as the 6th wave comes from the catacombs into the tunnels to attack you.
* - Move into catacombs and fight another 3/4 waves of enemies (you could even have enemies coming out of grave's or coffins :P)
* - Sections of floor collapse and give away (ala Doom 3-style) and a whole new room forms around you, in which you have to complete some sort of puzzle -- when completed, either room turns back to normal, or just the new section opens up
* - Move in a similiar fasion to before, from catacombs to the cloister / outer grounds... then Chapels/Workshops/inner cloister... then main cathedral ground floor... then perhaps a climatic boss fight in the Bell Tower.

...mix in a couple of puzzles in the process.

This could really work, but I'm not sure about a megawad... you might run dry of themes/creativity.

Just my thoughts.

Enjay said:

I'm sure people would be able to come up with cunning and alternative ways to use such effects but I'm not convinced it would work brilliantly as a megawad. It actually feels like something that might be more suited to a "competition" kind of WAD. You know, the kind of thing where a tight-ish deadline is given and people are invited to submit their own dead simple-like level for the grand prize of nothing more than the kudos of having done it.

That's something at last :P Well, the interesting thing about this would be to make the "Simple Principal" of "Dead Simple" still interesting with some slight changes or cool ideas, you know

Would such megawad end up very, very, very predictable and "simple"? Yes. Would that necessarily equate boring and bland maps? No, not at all. I don't see how it would be technically any different from normal slaughter maps, in fact Dead Simple themed maps should have plenty of potential for interesting layouts and fights. The whole wad could be made even more interesting by enforcing a rule that each map must support coop as well (extra monsters and ammo, mostly).

If the coop support would be a major feature, I'd say it should be limited to Skulltag, otherwise ZDoom with Skulltag support.

Well if the project will kick off the ground, I'd probably do a map or two. The concept has plenty of interesting possibilities.

I've had ideas similar to this, the whole multi-wave arena level concept. The idea has potential, provided it's kept interesting and doesn't become repetitive, predictable and boring. Now keep in mind that isn't an easy thing to do. Especially if it's a megawad.

I think your idea is really cool, Dead Simple was always a mini boss level like you said, and it was hard as hell the first time I played it! I will make a map for this if you want. I usually map in ZDoom or Skulltag so my map will fit the description. BTW should I include a lot of multi player items and guns, or should I leave it rather stock with just difficulty settings?

i think this is a pretty cool idea. i am considering to make a contribution to this if it this project will happen, but i got not that much time to map due to school and all that shit. could i use 3d floors in a map though? just wondering.

I doubt that this will work out. This will get quite repetetive.

Graf Zahl said:

I doubt that this will work out. This will get quite repetetive.

Of course it would be quite repetitive if you'd just play the whole wad from the beginning to the end on one go, but there's no reason to do that. From a player's point of view, playing, say, one map in a day or two wouldn't be even nearly as bad. It's just a different kind of gameplay which, granted, would fit some people more than the others, but there's nothing wrong with that either.

Isn't it basically how most of Skulltag's "invasion" maps work? Kill all monsters of the first wave, map expands, second wave appears, once you kill them all the map exapnds again, and so on until the last wave.

The biggest difference is basically that here, all the monsters are there from the start and it uses thing tags rather than wave count to know when to drop the walls.

Played some "Dead Simple" remakes Map07 out of head: hell revealed 2 and alien vendetta (both map07). Some ideas: Simple Dead, like a Russian doll and you start in the biggest doll. When the walls open teleporting monsters in the previous room appear.
Making use of platforms example: when the wall lowers in the first room. Four platforms become visible one is reachable via a teleport and has lowered walls.
Put the mancubi lower then the floor and release the spiders at once.

Kaiser_3 might be of interest.

I hope i finish my megawad first, or everyone will think I don't come up with original ideas. (I'm not currently doing the same thing, mines a little different)