[WIP] Vile Shatters, agitating

So hi there, for some time now, I've been working on a map pack, slowly but surely.
and now I kinda felt I think I might finally have some guts to post it in here.

Presenting:

[size=150]Vile Shatters[/size]
"Fuck you and your bullshit difficulty"

Vileshatters map pack that's general theme is hellish corruption and varying difficulty, usually on the harder side.
You can be ensured that each map has atleast one archvile. Fact.
So not recommended for the people who have traumas on their laugh.

Current map list content:

New monsters:Download of the current version:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/v1vvyuvdhl9qb6d/shatterspkd.pk3


as final work before credit list, I will say that I am aiming to keep this project more on the map pack side and try watchout not to make it break with some gameplay enchancing mods, like samsara, doomrla, etc.
And I hope these map provide some amusement on their play.

Credits:
Credit to nintendo for some music and other soundtracks

Some old screenshots:
http://imgur.com/a/3qjQ6
http://imgur.com/a/nIk5k
http://imgur.com/a/Y8tdC

Some more fresh screenshots:
http://imgur.com/a/QCNdr
http://imgur.com/a/LkoG4

Is it a slime trail that I see here?

ducon said:

Is it a slime trail that I see here?

Probably, I've tried to fix those errors but they just keep on re appearing constantly and I have no idea how to fix em.

So been a while since I checked back here, seems this didn't really attract much attention, but oh well, then again this is pretty newbie stuff I guess?

Anyway some update log;

-Fixed some ammo stuff in map 04, mostly ammo related causes. I was informed that the amount of ammo was a bit low so I added some more. Appereantly this is a common thing in many WIP maps in general so I'm gonna aim to remember add some caches of ammo in future maps.

-Did some rearranging of sectors to more smoother less freehanded ways in order to try fix the slime trailing here and there. No idea if it worked but it seems to have lowered it a bit in the open space area.


New map WIPs:

Map 05 (un named generic base level)

Some Screenshots here

Map 05 is going to be a less corrupted and messed up/Broken base that still has hellish infestation here and there. Generally, the more hellish and corrupted areas are more of secrets and contain extra challenges for rewards, for exsample, its easy to get a plasmagun early, but will you fight for it?

Map 05 is very WIP right now. It has been on my laptop most of the time thus I have not worked on it during the summer that much.

Map 06 Dark Sector (Original, I know!)

Screenshots (ignore the wrong screenie at the end)

Dark sector is kind of what the name implies. Very dark, maze like map that has a pair of viles stalking you across the map.. The map is very freeform after the first button that opens the paths and you need to go quite far across the map to get the keys.. All of them.
I will aim to have a little fun mechanismn here that will allow the vile pair to stalk you in any area regardless of the order you visit them in.

Map 06 progress is about half way done or so?
I've focused on it the most during the summer.

Secret map. (Accessed from map 06)
It's blue
Very blue

And it's very STRANGE with some surprises.
Fun fun stuff.


Anyway, that's about that.
I'll aim to release another update to the wad with the fixed up map 04, and added multiplayer starts for the maps so far later on.
I'll also tweak map 01 a little, there's appereantly some sectors where the textures are off.

I love MAP06 shots. So dark *m*

Keep this theme up for later maps too!

I am sorry to say, but many of your design choices seems really ugly to me. But I think I can tell you why it is. The textures are often unfitting and clashing with each other. There are too little details unevenly spread over the place. Lighting sometimes doesn't make sense, like the darkened doors and holes in walls. And most importantly, there's A LOT of odd angles and shapes. I suspect you don't use a grid. Grid is very helpful. Not only it helps the map to look much more professional, but also helps you to produce nicer maps much faster. Maps usually sticks to 32x32 or 16x16 grid, and goes to 8x8 grid only for doors and occassional detail. I recommend that. Your maps actually are overdetailed while the result isn't that eye-pleasant, and with some of the lighting/blinking effects, even eye-disturbing.

Gameplay also features some unfair situations that cannot be managed if the player doesn't know what exactly is in front of him (numerous archvile and chaingunner encounters, nukage maze in MAP02...). Some monsters are stuck (like pinkies at start of MAP04) or get stuck during the game (arachnotrons on the ledge in MAP03). On the other hand, it's obvious that playtesting happened and you tried for ammo balance and logical progress, also it's obvious you aren't at all a "lazy mapper" as many newcomers are. I mean, most beginners maps are composed of bland, monochromatically textured rectangle rooms and are loaded with nonsensically placed items and monsters. Your maps seem much advanced from that level, but instead you've got there... Those things I listed in previous paragraph, which quite degrade my overall opinion on your maps.

Those errors in MAP04 (and I think I noticed them in other maps too, but can't remember where) are unclosed sectors. To fix them, you need to redraw the problematique sector, which means to draw it again over the same lines. If it doesn't help, try to also redraw all surrounding sectors. If that doesn't help too, then probably the best thing you can do is to delete the whole surrounding section of the map (several sectors away) and remake it from scratch.

The problem is a result of uncareful deletion of linedefs or vertices. You should never delete a linedef which has different sectors on each side. If you want to do that, you first need to Join or Merge the two sectors this linedef separates.

I hope my feedback would be useful for you.

scifista42 said:

I am sorry to say, but many of your design choices seems really ugly to me. But I think I can tell you why it is. The textures are often unfitting and clashing with each other. There are too little details unevenly spread over the place. Lighting sometimes doesn't make sense, like the darkened doors and holes in walls. And most importantly, there's A LOT of odd angles and shapes. I suspect you don't use a grid. Grid is very helpful. Not only it helps the map to look much more professional, but also helps you to produce nicer maps much faster. Maps usually sticks to 32x32 or 16x16 grid, and goes to 8x8 grid only for doors and occassional detail. I recommend that. Your maps actually are overdetailed while the result isn't that eye-pleasant, and with some of the lighting/blinking effects, even eye-disturbing.

Well the first maps kinda were grid at 32 + free drawn. bit embarrasing to say but i kinda learned about the grid size being changeable bit too late. I actually am using the grid at 4 - 8 - 16 - 32 and only using free hand for tiny tiny details where 1 wides are needed currently. Though I probably should be more careful with the tiny details, I kinda tend to forget the overall, and I can see it now that little details might be bit distracting if the overall of the room doesnt seem pretty enough.

scifista42 said:
Gameplay also features some unfair situations that cannot be managed if the player doesn't know what exactly is in front of him (numerous archvile and chaingunner encounters, nukage maze in MAP02...). Some monsters are stuck (like pinkies at start of MAP04) or get stuck during the game (arachnotrons on the ledge in MAP03). On the other hand, it's obvious that playtesting happened and you tried for ammo balance and logical progress, also it's obvious you aren't at all a "lazy mapper" as many newcomers are. I mean, most beginners maps are composed of bland, monochromatically textured rectangle rooms and are loaded with nonsensically placed items and monsters. Your maps seem much advanced from that level, but instead you've got there... Those things I listed in previous paragraph, which quite degrade my overall opinion on your maps.

Well proberly balancing is bit hard, when attempting to keep things hard but not too hard. I've done changes though to the encounters before when I had a few guys play test (the revenants in map 02's yellow key room were originally much worse, map 03 was even more annoying), but I could still do some nerfing to them. I'll try see about making the monsters unstuck, though I havent seen the pinkies getting stuck in map 04 myself, I've seen the arach get stuck and have tried to make them unstuck a several times. Gonna try spread out the pinkies and give the arachs more room though.

scifista42 said:
Those errors in MAP04 (and I think I noticed them in other maps too, but can't remember where) are unclosed sectors. To fix them, you need to redraw the problematique sector, which means to draw it again over the same lines. If it doesn't help, try to also redraw all surrounding sectors. If that doesn't help too, then probably the best thing you can do is to delete the whole surrounding section of the map (several sectors away) and remake it from scratch.


The problem is a result of uncareful deletion of linedefs or vertices. You should never delete a linedef which has different sectors on each side. If you want to do that, you first need to Join or Merge the two sectors this linedef separates.

I'll keep this in mind and try to avoid such situations from happening. I'll try the redraw on the areas at map 04 and see if it works out.

[i]scifista42 said:
I hope my feedback would be useful for you.

It is very useful! I am grateful for it infact cause you managed to point out issues I'd had never actually noticed myself.
I'll try avoid some of the issues pointed out in the future maps and also fix the earlier maps a little bit to make them slightly more enjoyable.

Thank you!

Long time no post huh.

Regardless, time for an update

- Map 05 is now finished.

-Maps 2 - 3 - 4 have had little fixes here and there, map 2's noticeable fix is a little arrow. Still attempts to patch up map 04's slimetrails, but no dice.

- Map 06 advanced a bit, still underwork and thus not completable.
- Map 08 added, heavy WIP.
- Map33 slighty progress, but still heavy WIP so dont expect much.

Download

newest Zdoom recommended port.

Map 05 also has some.. new fun around. even though it's about finished, it still might have things here and there that need fixing that I havent noticed yet.

It also still lacks some custom graphics on a few... things.

Regardless I hope Map 05 is enjoyable enough.

Oh hey another little update:

-Map 04 has been remade, the old map 04 has been tossed to slot 34.
The new map 04 oughta proof to be... agiating.
-Tiny things in map 06 have progressed but not much has been added on the wad itself. But a room of spiders is still a room of spiders.

-Fun monster stuff. "fun"

Download

As far as the screenshots go, allow your geometry to flow gently as you want it and make your texture combinations potent yet sensible (nothing too clashy, never clash a tech theme with a sewer theme or a hell theme). When you make transitions between themes, try to make the experience believable and tidy, as in, make the transition as gradual as possible.

TheCupboard said:

As far as the screenshots go, allow your geometry to flow gently as you want it and make your texture combinations potent yet sensible (nothing too clashy, never clash a tech theme with a sewer theme or a hell theme). When you make transitions between themes, try to make the experience believable and tidy, as in, make the transition as gradual as possible.

I've been doing that on the recent maps, I should probably update the first posts completely to reflect that

it even has the old map 04's screenies that is ugly all sin

So update time!

Lot of things have changed on this wad project over the time and I've kinda negletted this topic in here.

Regardless I updated the first post to reflect most of the changes.

Generally there's been map remaking, map 01 is remade and the old map jumped to slot 35.

Dark sectors been ready for a while now and now Frozen Bones is ready for testing but I am not adding it in a public release yet before I finish the secret map Magic!

So yeah, lot of stuff been going on.

Also:

I am planning to make this wad now into a more open one, cause I am gona be honest: I cannot really fill ALL map slots alone. There's plenty of room for maps from 14ish to 32.

Also most of my old testers are too busy nowdays to help me get some good feedback, so testers could also be appriciated.

So yeah

If you are intrested in mapping or wanting to be a tester please let me know!

I'll give this a go when I get some time soon. I'm not a great bug finder, I more focus on what the balance and stuff is like.

Balance and other related stuff is also very welcome.

News and update time:

-Maps 02, 07, 33 have been added.

-Map 07 can be reached via map06's normal, not so nice exit or via map33 if you're smart enough.

-map33 will make you hate wizards.

-New enemy randomizers added in for shotgunners starting from map 02 (not map 03 tho), sometimes your dice roll might make you encounter some more... stronger or strong and generous shotgunners.

-Little bit of soundworld added in. A little mood never hurt anybody. Might need tweaking still.

-Map list updated. Retaken the plans to be more episode focused, maybe.

-A lot of other small tweaks and the like such as turned to basic pk3 for space saving.

-Uhhh.. Chilling winter frosted ice puns?

-Oh yeah, latest development build Zdoom/Gzdoom definitely needed to run cause lot of these effects and monsters require them. Zandronum might not work either.



Download

I tried this in the latest build of GZDoom and it wouldn't run :/ Not sure if there's something I'm missing. I'd like to give this a shot, though.

I've managed to run it with my GZDoom. I have GZDoom "G1.9pre-639-ge84dc99", a development build which I've downloaded roughly 7 months ago, at that time it was the newest.

StupidBunny said:

I tried this in the latest build of GZDoom and it wouldn't run :/ Not sure if there's something I'm missing. I'd like to give this a shot, though.

Are you completely sure you have the latest?
As I mentioned, develobment build is the one thats more of needed.
If you don't know where the get them, here:
http://devbuilds.drdteam.org/gzdoom/

I recommend keeping that site on bookmarks.


Little updating:
-There were some bugs in map 02, such as few spawn ID's being incorrect resulting in a few floating ! marks here and there
-The map end line doesnt always activate due of it being bit too far back.
-Map 08's on the way being worked on really hard, contains snow castles.
-Working on some decorations for map 11, gotta get fleshy and flashy


I'm gona upload the updated pk3 that should fix the map02 issues shortly, considering how mediafire works I probably wont need to update the link on the first post but ill check it once I get it up.