Strife: Absolute Order - 20/11/2012 download from /idgames!

Wassup.

Lots of work has been done to the project, so much so that release is not far away. I'm aiming for mid November and that's certainly doable looking at what's left to do.

This does mean that I've cut back on the size of the project considerably, roughly 1/3 the numbers of maps I wanted, but it's better to get a solid release out there than have things sitting there being slowly worked on or potentially never released.

Here are two new screens, tuck in!

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Khorus said:

This does mean that I've cut back on the size of the project considerably, roughly 1/3 the numbers of maps I wanted, but it's better to get a solid release out there than have things sitting there being slowly worked on or potentially never released.

And there can always be an AWiS 3 later. :)

Oh yes, yes, YES. Cannot wait for this not too long ago I played AWS Raiding the Dam a brilliant map I must say. Looking really good so far, can't wait!

Gez said:

And there can always be an AWiS 3 later. :)

Indeed. :)

Springy said:

Oh yes, yes, YES. Cannot wait for this not too long ago I played AWS Raiding the Dam a brilliant map I must say. Looking really good so far, can't wait!

That's good to hear, thanks! If you had fun with that map, you'll more than enjoy this mapset. :)

So the first public testing version for this thing is up for download! :D I still have some polish to do here and there, but for the most part this is complete.

Some points to consider. This isn't Doom, if you don't know the Strife weapons and monsters too well it's probably best you hit skill 2 or 3 rather than 4. Knowing when and how to use the Assault Gun is quite important, if it's a lone stalker (spider bot) or sentinel (laser shooting bot) your crossbow is just fine for that. Otherwise you'll probably be out of ammo when you actually need it. While you have low accuracy, tap the fire button when using the Assault Gun to be sure you only fire 3 shots at a time as they'll be pin-point accuracte.

I've done a couple of complete runs on Skill 4 and will do some on 2 and 3 later, but if some people could do a play through on those that would be mighty helpful to see if I've been a baddie and marked a key off of easy or something. I've also only tested in standard Zdoom, so feedback from a GZDoom user would be sweet. Or if you're feeling brave, Vavoom. Testing is where I have most of my work left.

That should be all. Any feedback is appreciated. Enjoy! :)

This is a pretty nice change from a lot of the stuff we see thumbs up to you Khorus for taking this direction!

strife pwad? co-op support? awwwwwwwwwwwwwww, can't wait to try it!

Pottus said:

This is a pretty nice change from a lot of the stuff we see thumbs up to you Khorus for taking this direction!

Thanks! Worth noting I worked with Strife in 2006 (nothing worth releasing there), and have released a large map in 2010 so it's not quite so new to me. :P

Cacowad said:

strife pwad? co-op support? awwwwwwwwwwwwwww, can't wait to try it!

Have fun! :D

Worth noting I haven't tested co-op at all, and probably won't be able to.

This has me wanting to try some Strife mapping now..

Also, I downloaded / played it. Pretty good for what's there so far. Can't wait to see more : )

Khorus said:

Worth noting I haven't tested co-op at all, and probably won't be able to.

That's crazy talk.

Here's a new version: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bui7vvz7enrup1l/SAO%20RC2.zip?m

Fixed a bunch of untagged items on the lower skills (which broke the game) so it's fully tested and completable on there.

TheSpazztikOne said:

This has me wanting to try some Strife mapping now..

Also, I downloaded / played it. Pretty good for what's there so far. Can't wait to see more : )

Thanks! I think my next project will be Strife related, I'm pretty damn sick of working on Doom at this point (hey two full megawads and a bunch of other maps isn't too bad).

I'd certainly like to see others working on Strife, but I've seen many others say the same. Take the dive and give it a go. :)

kristus said:

That's crazy talk.

Ja, we'll have to try and find the time. ZDoom will probably break again, but we'll do bug reports if it does.

nice mapset! i had some trouble finding my way to the mines and couldn't lower the bars at the last playable level, there is a couple of "wtf?!?" moments, but this really push me to try to make a strife pwad! what format do you used to make it?

Just played through this recently (albeit with my own tweak mod that makes electric arrows not suck) and definitely enjoyed it. The alien-ish maps were definitely spooky, and the accuracy powerups scattered about definintely helped. :P

I couldn't figure out how to open the exit in the final map, though. Dunno what I missed, if anything, but it just never lowered. I'd killed everything by that point, though, so I just flew over the door like a mega-cheater. And then pressed tab on the next map. D:

Xaser said:

Just played through this recently (albeit with my own tweak mod that makes electric arrows not suck) and definitely enjoyed it. The alien-ish maps were definitely spooky, and the accuracy powerups scattered about definintely helped. :P

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That's good to hear, thanks. :) Yeah the powerups were worth implementing.

And then pressed tab on the next map. D:

Heh. Well you did have to cheat to get there hahaha :p

Cacowad said:

nice mapset! i had some trouble finding my way to the mines and couldn't lower the bars at the last playable level, there is a couple of "wtf?!?" moments, but this really push me to try to make a strife pwad! what format do you used to make it?

Thanks! Are you able to clarify what you mean with the wtf?! moments? Traps? Or areas that you thought were shit? :p

These maps are Strife in Hexen format, though a few of them started out in plain Strife format with limits removed but I converted them later.

To clarify what you need to do to exit the final map, there is a key in the remains on the tavern and a key near the entry to the 3rd map "H20". These raise a blocking column and lower the wooden exit respectively and are located to the left of the start point, near the stairs.

I'll be uploading to /idgames very soon, so if you have found any issues now is a good time to bring them up. :)

shit? no! only some silly moments (like the last level, paesants!), also it was a lot of time from the last time i played strife, the inquisitor totally kicked my ass again and again (and again, damn granades), now i'm replaying it again, so i can give you a real feedback (maybe).

A little bug that wasn't fixed in RC2.

In Void, the two Acolytes in sector 110 that only appear on Skill3, are too tall for the sectors they are in and hence can't move.

Strife: Absolute Order is now up on /idgames! :)

Vermil said:

A little bug that wasn't fixed in RC2.

In Void, the two Acolytes in sector 110 that only appear on Skill3, are too tall for the sectors they are in and hence can't move.

ah crap

City Sweetwater, really? What’s next, satellite Sugarpuss? Hey, could work for Duke Nukem.

Shooting at the gun range will alert the whole city.

Mines don’t look like mines at all, no industrial or deep underground feel. When i saw the sign I thought it will be something like the horrible mines in Strife, instead, thankfully, I got a nice small underground… umm, underground. Like a cellar or something.

In the Lowest pit I really liked encounter with spiders while I was on a pipe in the middle of a toxic pool, that’s the right way to use them.

The robot with a flamethrower and rockets (yeah yeah, I don’t remember his name) right behind the gates after the Lowest pit is a bad idea, he looks silly because he can’t walk through the gates and out of place because the fight is too close to populated area. I had to run back to the city to make sure that my fight with him didn’t alert the whole city.

H2O starts ridiculously, you got a flamethrower lying around surrounded by acolytes, and only one available way that is blocked by a robot. When you see the robot and try to back away, you pick up the flamethrower and start the fight without firing a single bullet. Well, if that was the idea then it’s pretty cool, it just that the map starts as one of those peaceful, ya know, where you had to talk to someone, that got me confused.

On the same map, one of the three guards near the locked door at the beginning is stuck.

Void and Null are well made, great atmosphere.

I had almost zero fun overall, but that’s the fault of the IWAD. Strife has some major problems with its arsenal and monsters that can simply annihilate fun. Someone should make a balance patch.

Oh, one more thing: one waterfall on the hub wasn't animated. Texture worked everywhere but there.

Thanks for your post! :) Sorry for the lengthy reply.

Harmata said:

City Sweetwater, really? What’s next, satellite Sugarpuss? Hey, could work for Duke Nukem.

Heh, it's a Might and Magic 6 reference. I really didn't care much for any real story and preferred to let the maps themselves portray the progression. It's hardly right in your face. :P

Shooting at the gun range will alert the whole city.

Hadn't even thought of that oddly enough, I'll make that work in the next version. :)

Mines don’t look like mines at all, no industrial or deep underground feel. When i saw the sign I thought it will be something like the horrible mines in Strife, instead, thankfully, I got a nice small underground… umm, underground. Like a cellar or something.

Yeah the mines were one of the weaker maps in Strife, so I definitely didn't want that again. I feel that the map being dug out rock that's had some "additions" from the order was enough to suspend some disbelief.

In the Lowest pit I really liked encounter with spiders while I was on a pipe in the middle of a toxic pool, that’s the right way to use them.

Thanks, I do try. ;)

The robot with a flamethrower and rockets (yeah yeah, I don’t remember his name) right behind the gates after the Lowest pit is a bad idea, he looks silly because he can’t walk through the gates and out of place because the fight is too close to populated area. I had to run back to the city to make sure that my fight with him didn’t alert the whole city.

Hmm. Initially I wanted the city guards to be woken up at this point, but when I decided to cut back on the number of maps (thus the player wouldn't see this hub again as it's changed after H20) the point was defeated. I can see that the town not being woken up by the fight is against logic. You think it would be better if the Crusader wasn't there at all? Open to suggestions. :)

H2O starts ridiculously, you got a flamethrower lying around surrounded by acolytes, and only one available way that is blocked by a robot. When you see the robot and try to back away, you pick up the flamethrower and start the fight without firing a single bullet. Well, if that was the idea then it’s pretty cool, it just that the map starts as one of those peaceful, ya know, where you had to talk to someone, that got me confused.

Yes, this is again a sign that the project changed direction. You could originally go to this map straight from the beginning as it was an optional map (so the guards wouldn't immediately want to kick your ass), but you'd get the flamethrower earlier than you would otherwise. It goes against logic as it stands, but for the gameplay scenario that you presented I decided to leave it.

On the same map, one of the three guards near the locked door at the beginning is stuck.

Yes, one of the couple of bugs that have been noticed post release. I must have just poison arrowed them every time heh.

Void and Null are well made, great atmosphere.

Thank you!

I had almost zero fun overall, but that’s the fault of the IWAD. Strife has some major problems with its arsenal and monsters that can simply annihilate fun. Someone should make a balance patch.

Well I'm thankful you decided to try my little mod for the game despite not enjoying Strife to begin with. :) I personally enjoy its differences from Doom, though it is a flawed game at heart.

A side point as I haven't seen it mentioned by anyone yet, how was the music? I'm assuming that because no-one has complained about it yet that it fit ok. :P

I noticed the waterfall in the town hub just yesterday when I felt like playing through it again. For over 2 years that bastard was flowing, and now it isn't. Heh. I'll be fixing that sod in the next version for sure.

EDIT:

Vermil said:

A little bug that wasn't fixed in RC2.

In Void, the two Acolytes in sector 110 that only appear on Skill3, are too tall for the sectors they are in and hence can't move.

Thanks for the report. :)

You think it would be better if the Crusader wasn't there at all?

Just put him near the entrance to H2O, this will make fight take place further from the city and will make that Crusader a guard of the entrance, cause now his placement looks very artificial.

how was the music?

Very Fallout-like. Creates good feel on hub and void 'n' null maps.