Slaughterfest 2014: Let's get started

Okay, here's the new thread people.

TimeofDeath and I have decided on a variation for this year's 'fest. Make the hardest slaughtermap you can. The idea is to make one that is so hard you cannot beat it yourself, whatever your level of experience is.

Include difficulty levels as always.
New textures allowed.
New music allowed.

Is 2013 even done yet? Or is this just to get a head start, like last year? I'll finish up one of my slaughter maps for this one, seeing as I now have an excuse to using Jonathan's Erratic texture pack just in case anyone else wants to use it. Note: This starting room is pretty bare at the moment though but I do have plans for the rest of it.

Saint Pope and I have decided on a new rule added due to a variation for this year's 'fest. You need to add a maxdemo along with your hardest map ever to prove it's beatable otherwise your map gets rejected.

I'd be interested in an impossible difficulty as long as it doesn't replace UV and is just considered a novelty. Otherwise, you'll have a bunch of unplaytested maps and a bunch of players specifying "HMP" on all of their demos. I personally wouldn't want to make a map I couldn't beat.

General Rainbow Bacon said:

The idea is to make one that is so hard you cannot beat it yourself, whatever your level of experience is.

Uh, you sure? I could do ...

j4rio said:

Saint Pope and I have decided on a new rule added due to a variation for this year's 'fest. You need to add a maxdemo along with your hardest map ever to prove it's beatable otherwise your map gets rejected.

Heh, sure. Lemme just put 1 monster on ITYTD ...

Yeah what ToD said. I meant the "impossible" difficulty to be a novelty, in a separate wad or something like hiding it somewhere.

j4rio and Saint Pope: You guys are silly, maxable and beatable are two very different things.

Springy: No '13 isn't done yet, this is just a head start again.

General Rainbow Bacon said:

The idea is to make one that is so hard you cannot beat it yourself

Eh. You were doing that already. And it's a terrible idea that produces boring, unplaytested maps

Can't 2014 just be the year of frightening people? There's not enough fear around generally :/

I dunno, maybe you're right. Let's see how a map or two goes with that in mind and if it doesn't work, we can scrap the idea.

Actually i think 2014 should be the year of poop. I haven't taken a good crap since 2010 :/

it might be a funny idea to have HNTR/ITYTD be the "impossible" difficulty. That way standard UV-max and multiplayer gameplay is preserved. Because who the hell plays slaughter wads on those settings anyway?

This idea should be scrapped right away, don't be ridiculous. I - and other sane players I suppose - prefer maps to be enjoyable, not frustrating.

If you want novelty - map something decent.

@ Ribbiks: I'd rather not implement difficulties at all, because fuck them.

I agree it's a questionable idea, but I was just suggesting if a map author is insistent about including this new difficulty it would have minimum impact in the -skill 2 slot.

@ no difficulty settings, sf14: revenge of the hardcore

Slaughtermaps always aim at hardcore enthusiasts and maybe coop/survival freaks. Thoughts about lower difficulty levels being able to bring more 'casual' players are pretty naive, and this is why I've been always thinking that their implementation is pointless. Besides, they never get playtested thoroughly and are thus present just for the sake of being there.

So, revenge at no one.

Just relabel the difficulties:

ITYTD = Piss easy mode (heh)
HNTR = Easy mode (a slightly easier version of what you'd regularly make)
HMP = Regular mode (basically what it'd be like on UV)
UV = Impossible mode (the mode GRB and ToD were talking about)
NM = Game crash mode (:P)

Personally I think implementing at least 1 easier difficulty is a good idea, but then again I'm somewhat rubbish at most slaughtermaps.

Here's an unfinished map of mine for anyone to complete for this.

Better idea: 1024 slaughter. Ok, its settled then, 1024 slaughter it is.

Personally, I think implementing easier difficulty settings would help introduce the subgenre to a class of less experienced players. Maybe some ideas on a method to do so without taking a lot of time? Perhaps more generous powerups or using a lower equivalent of monsters on the lower difficulties?

Obsidian seems to understand what I'm talking about.

Also, slaughterfest 1024 would be cool. Let's do that as a side project or something.

Yes Marcaek, I do still want 1 easier setting for not so good players.

Ribbiks said:

it might be a funny idea to have HNTR/ITYTD be the "impossible" difficulty. That way standard UV-max and multiplayer gameplay is preserved. Because who the hell plays slaughter wads on those settings anyway?

That's genius. Would be so awesome to see some authors implement this. No one will get hurt and those 2-3 masochists like me would have something new to play for the next 5 years.

Can I ask people to play through the Hell Revealeds before they simply create three giant arenas linked by copy-and-paste fights against ten million Knights or Revenants?

The HR maps became classics because they're actual, playable, Doom maps, rather than just BFG spam. Please, please let's see some properly playable maps in SF2014.

I'm not knocking the previous Slaughterfests, I just feel that the point of a "slaughter map" might have been missed.

MajorRawne said:

Can I ask people to play through the Hell Revealeds before they simply create three giant arenas linked by copy-and-paste fights against ten million Knights or Revenants?

The HR maps became classics because they're actual, playable, Doom maps, rather than just BFG spam. Please, please let's see some properly playable maps in SF2014.

I'm not knocking the previous Slaughterfests, I just feel that the point of a "slaughter map" might have been missed.

You are just pointing out common knowledge, you do know that?

It might be common knowledge, I was asking people to consider using it. Just my opinion, that's all.

MajorRawne said:

It might be common knowledge, I was asking people to consider using it. Just my opinion, that's all.

Well, it's certainly one that I agree with seeing as some people do make BFG spam maps and they aren't as much fun or as challenging as some maps are.

I want in on this, but prefer to make smaller and tighter maps. I have a slaughterish one in progress right now, won't be too vast in scale.

Do you guys take less-than-huge maps?

Jayextee said:

I want in on this, but prefer to make smaller and tighter maps. I have a slaughterish one in progress right now, won't be too vast in scale.

Do you guys take less-than-huge maps?

All my entries for sf2013 were small and had less than 500 monsters. I think many prefer small maps due to being much more demo friendly.
I have to admit I do feel keen on doing something a little different this year, perhaps more complex maps with good tactical encounters and monster usage instead of mass hordes.

Yes, as long as its slaughtery, it's fine. Although I love huge maps just like anyone else.

Also, MajorRawne, I agree. I love HR because they're slaughters that have interesting gameplay.

Double post:

I was also thinking that we could replace the SS nazi with another monster to throw a curveball in gameplay wise. Anyone else like this idea?

E: I hate seeing the SS nazi in normal doom maps and I think another mob would make for more interesting fights.

Go on then, another year and another SF project. Any port specific rules this time? Are we going to stick to Boom compatibility or can go nuts with ZDoom this time around??? I really think that allowing people to map for a preferred port is better - works fine for other projects.

Anyway, count me in :)

Dave

No, sorry. Boom is the intended port. We like recording demos here.

Hmm, might be cool to have the baron cloud guy from scythe 2 in it. Not too hard to kill, but a serious addition to any slaughter. I can't think of any reason to have anything less powerful since only one, maybe 2 mobs can be added. What mechanic hasn't really been explored that can be done in boom?

What is the consensus on the skill to do uber mode on, skill 2? Since people would drop down just 1 skill at a time anyway.

Heh, this could be the perfect chance to use some of the stuff I jazzed up for you GRB. :)