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kildeth

NOVA: The Birth - v1.1 release now on idGames!

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Alwaysdoomed said:

glad to see theres still activity going on here. But im still waiting to see the finished product of my map =P


Don't worry I haven't forgotten about it, I just haven't had much time to work on it lately as I have been busy looking for work. I'll probably add some more stuff to it today.

In other news, sgt dopey has just given me his completed map. This makes 4 finished maps so far. :D Sgt dopey's level will be added in an update to the current 3-map demo I've compiled which should be out sometime this month.

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Finally got around to playing the NOVA alpha. It was just a quick play on UV so here are some quick thoughts:

MAP01(kildeath):
+loved the flow and pacing of the map
-wonky linedef placement could use a tuneup
-needs some tex alignment in the start area...probably others too.

MAP02(Arjak):
+started off nice. Flow was good.
-By the time I reached the revanent and pain elemental area, I had already ran out of ammo. Needs some more balancing.

MAP03(FuzzyFireBall):
+Great visuals
+Not at all a bad representation of the "walk down a twisting hallway until you get to the end" style of map
-Its a "walk down a twisting hall until you get to the end" style of map.
-Runs on for a little to long IMHO. Could be quicker and less bogged down.

...hmmm WDATHUYGTTE, naw that doesn't work as an acronym my bad.

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fiend-o-hell said:

MAP02(Arjak):
+started off nice. Flow was good.
-By the time I reached the revanent and pain elemental area, I had already ran out of ammo. Needs some more balancing.


LOL! The same thing happened to me while playtesting. I'll add this to my list of things to fix.

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MAP18(sgt dopey's):
+Backtacking. Usually bad, but actually used to good effect here. Didn't have to many problems finding my way around the map.
+Challenge was great. Balance is right where it needed to be.
+Switch hunts were very fun!

-Riddled with questionable design choices:
1.The way you use CIEL3_3 (brown tile) ceil (sector 108+) is kinda off putting, especially where the sector isn't squarish.
2.GRNLITE1 flay looks out of place and overused. (sector 106)
3.ASHWALL2 out of place
4.Lighting to just to uniform across the board.
5.Sharp edges: vertex 305,526/520,584
6.add some height variance when transitioning from rock to grass (sector 242+)
7.Make switches more noticeable and put in more accommodating spots.
-Red key door tagged as blue key.
-Completely broken towards the end
-Unpeg the following lines: 427,433
-Textures could be more uniform across the level

This really has some great potential. Work on those design quirks and your good to go!

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Are you going to post an update of your map sgt dopey or are you going to leave it as is? There's no real time limit on this project so you've got plenty of room if you want to tweak it a little more.

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Hi. I'm new-ish to doom map making, and I would like to participate in this. I've never made any maps that I've released publicly, and to be fair all the maps I've actually finished have been in zdoom format, so I think improving my ability to map with the old format would probably be useful to me in the long run.

A few things I'd like to ask before I make anything though:

-I assume these maps will all be made with pistol start taken into account, correct? Or are they intended to be played sequentially?

- Should the level be speedrun friendly?

- Should the map be reasonably playable without mouse controls (including mouselook)?

- Is there any particular style of mapping to pick/avoid? As in, don't make slaughtermaps or "monsters teleport in after every key/switch/item/door you interact with" style mapping?

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kildeth said:

Are you going to post an update of your map sgt dopey or are you going to leave it as is? There's no real time limit on this project so you've got plenty of room if you want to tweak it a little more.


Probably get it in tommorow

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Paul D said:

Hi. I'm new-ish to doom map making, and I would like to participate in this. I've never made any maps that I've released publicly, and to be fair all the maps I've actually finished have been in zdoom format, so I think improving my ability to map with the old format would probably be useful to me in the long run.

A few things I'd like to ask before I make anything though:

-I assume these maps will all be made with pistol start taken into account, correct? Or are they intended to be played sequentially?

- Should the level be speedrun friendly?

- Should the map be reasonably playable without mouse controls (including mouselook)?

- Is there any particular style of mapping to pick/avoid? As in, don't make slaughtermaps or "monsters teleport in after every key/switch/item/door you interact with" style mapping?


Welcome aboard!

- Even though the levels are going to be played sequentially, I would advise that one sets them up for a pistol start, even if it's a tricky one. It makes it easier if someone wants to shoot a demo for that particular level.

- Speedrun friendly is a good thing to keep in mind but not a necessity.

- I would say so. It should be playable without mouselook at least to keep with the original Doom spirit I say.

- Any type of map goes, just stick to the stock Doom II textures and limit-removing map format and everything should be just fine. Feel free to get creative about it.

I'll add you to the mappers list now. Feel free to post screenshots in this thread as you progress and then just give us a download link when you're done.

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Just played the alpha. I agree with Fiend-o-Hell's review and wanted to add a some constructive criticism:


Map01/Kildeth:

This was a great way to start out. I love how the rooms interconnect, especially the jumping through windows. My biggest gripe was how restricted things were. A level like this makes me want to explore, or maybe deathmatch, but the keys force a stricter route. Excellent use of small spaces, the allmap secret was clever.

+Ideas:

* Give some way out of the deep slime trap. I had the radsuit and saw the lost souls, so I jumped down looking for loot. It sucks restarting, and I wasn't going to wait for the 1-minute timeout. The off-texture walls also beg for a secret.

* You can rush-grab the blue key without lowering the monsters. I rather liked this, but I don't think it was the intent.

* In the triangular slime room I'd nix the chest-high walls and rework the space. As it is there's slime, but it's not easy to see and nearly impossible to fall into.

----------
Map02/Arjak:

The flow was the best part here. Fun as it is, but I see a lot more potential in it.

+Ideas:

* In lieu of more ammo, more strategic barrels and/or a berserk are also an option.

* The slime immediately in front of the blue key does not damage you.

* 10% damage is too much for the rest of the slime tunnel, especially when it's the only way out. I'd also nix the pain elemental in there. Between the floor damage and getting blocked in, I died even with 200/200!

* Following this, if you didn't have to cross the slime to get the radsuit I'd be more understanding.

* Great opportunity to have the far wall of the blue key room open up to something, especially with the metal light section.

* The red key chamber computer is suspicious, a switch to something would be interesting.

* I would make both key rooms larger. The red room's thin tunnel and steep stairs make it hard to even see the chamber before you get there, and it doesn't change the difficulty. The blue room is just more interesting if you run into it to fight, but the modest size and enemies at the door mean you probably won't. A shame since it's a fun room, the barons behind the door are more fun than the original occupants.

----------
Map03/Fuzzy:

I REALLY don't like pure linear maps. If you threw in a few loops or branches it would be a lot more interesting. You have a good feel for encounter balance, but without harder encounters or breathers it all blends together. Tension should ebb and flow.

+Ideas:

* You could have another large room in the middle of the level. The first was an interesting way to get started. This leads to

* Look for potential in rooms you have. The raised "ring" around the first room made me want to loop it and look for a secret in the rear, but the lamps stopped me.

* Think of the Nightmare! This was practically impossible since the monsters clog up the only hallway. A rocket launcher secret would fix this, the encounters are PERFECT for it. IDKFA and see what I mean.
----------

Speaking of criticism, is this the appropriate forum to discuss design theory?

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Just gave it a quick playthrough Paul and I think it's quite a solid level. Well done!

Of course the texturing needs some work, including unpegging, texture alignments and more detail in general to help the level shine. That and I found two revenants that appeared to be stuck in torches. But other than that, the gameplay runs rather smoothly.

What do you plan to name the level?

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I'm not sure yet.

How was the difficulty? I was kind of totally blind as to how hard it was while making it, I just had a friend test it out a little but aside from that I really have no idea where it would be in a multiple map wad.

It isn't necessarily supposed to be a map 01, I just left it as such so that you don't have to do anything either in a console or idclev to get to it.

I left the detailing kind of bare because I wanted it to be pretty close to the stock doom 2 maps.

which lines need lower unpegging? I've unpegged all of the doors, but I know some of the raising ceilings and stuff are not unpegged.
Also, most of the texture alignment seemed okay to me, what areas do you mean specifically? Do you mean the yellow key room? Cause I'd been having a bit of trouble with it.

I'll fix the revenants.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/39292814/MBALPHA2.wad

This fixes the revenants.

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Gents, I am still in this project but I've had a HORRENDOUS time dealing with crap in the real world: work, renovations to the house, stuff like that, and I have barely had a minute to plonk my arse in front of my computer (which was actually in storage for 2 weeks anyway).

I am still very keen on this project and hope to get something done soon!

EDIT: Memfis, those pics at the top of the page are awesome mate. Reminds me of Alien Vendetta.

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Here is the first beta for my level:

DOWNLOAD EXTORTA NOVA HERE

Screenies:


It's a spin-off level of Extorta Montra (which I'm also finishing up) meaning it borrows its theme and a lot of prefabs from it. I also gave it the music that was originally featured in the Memfis scrap that I claimed. That scrap became Montra btw.

I tested in prboom -complevel 2. Need some play tester feedback to see what else I should incorporate.

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Looks great so far, the map submissions are only getting better!

I'm a bit busy IRL at the moment to test many levels so it would be great if we could get someone to play through the new levels and study evenything, especially Paul D's map and Extorta Nova.

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I have some unfinished maps or maps that were done a long time ago when I was a newbie. I'm in and will release these maps, someone may clean them. Will upload soon.

And maybe I will coop with someone else.

(Shall I PM to the leader or publish in public?)

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I didn't work on my level for a long time now, but I will post some screens very soon. I'm happy to see that this project is still alive. I just want to say, that my level is designed to be one of the first levels in the megawad.

There need some remodeling to happen and some extra designing. I'm planning to extend the level with an older idea of mine, but then slightly modified to fit in. I got my inspiration everywhere. When I am walking on the streets, of sitting in the back of my parents car when we got somewhere and I see something as a shape, I just can reprint it in my head and can use it in my levels.

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Sounds great Killer Z. Either way C30N9 although I'd rather the maps download links be published in this thread rather than through PM (I'll be linking them in the first post of this thread regardless).

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I should be able to get some testing done over the weekend, so expect a PM, contributors.

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Thanks, Snakes.

If anyone wants to add any fixes to the finished levels, now is a good time as I'm thinking of releasing a second demo, this time comprising of all 6 near-finished levels just to track progress and see how everything runs together in a single wad file.

The progression will likely run like this:

----------------------------
MAP01: Hazard Facility
MAP02: Sewage Processing
MAP03: Paul D's Level
MAP04: Suspend
MAP05: Warehouse District
MAP06: Extorta Nova
----------------------------

Music will be added for the maps lacking a midi file as of now.

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Here's another short level i drew. It was originally in zdoom hexen format ( and had scripts and stuff), so all the line actions were removed, and I didn't really want to go through and add them all again. Also, there were a fair bit of unfinished possibilities in terms of hallways to nowhere and such.


http://dl.dropbox.com/u/39292814/doodlemap.wad

maybe somebody could use this as a base for a pretty cool hellish map.

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Here is hellzalp.wad. It is a 5 horrible map pack that were done when I was a newbie at the forums. If one wants to take a map should think about working too much on it.

This runs on Doom II with ZDoom (Hexen actions):
http://speedy.sh/sgfHY/hellzalp.wad

Enjoy my early days of mapping.

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Thanks to everyone's feedback and constructive criticism (as well as a little extra level-editing experience), I have just completed a major update to my map, 'Hazard Facility'. I plan on making this version the final as I want to move on to 'Sensorium' without having to go back and fix this some more, so unless anyone picks up any glaring errors or particularly annoying mistakes, this is it:

Download link - Hazard Facility v2.0:
http://www.mediafire.com/?52l4d18fyi4588p

And a before and after:

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Just played through it. Looks good. I like the increased light and height variation.

I think the old music was better though, haha.

I'm starting another map, with warhammer 40k in mind...

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