Looking for beta testers for my WAD

The latest version of my WAD is playtested and ready to go. Since there are significant overhauls to the map, I've decided to changeover from 3.xx to 4.xx. This is version 4.15.38

http://www.filedropper.com/jupiterstationv41538b

Fixes and changelog from version 3.77.74

- added 87 monsters, bringing the total to 1,087
- added 4 secrets, bringing the total to 17
- added several areas to the blueskull room, providing cover, ammunition, and escape from the monsters
- widened and deepened the lifts in the blueskull room
- moved the switches which control the lifts in the blueskull room
- added an auxillery passageway from the top of the staircase in the Northwest, it provides one way access to the blueskull room
- narrowed the entrance to the first SpiderMastermind's lair, this should ensure she cannot get out of her lair, providing an easier opportunity to kill her.
- random bug fixes and linedef fixes I found

Note: This will, I hope, be the final beta on this section of the map. I've overhauled numerous areas using feedback given by everyone. The textures and jarring transitions are meant to be that way, this map is meant to be an extremely difficult, challenging, disorienting WAD, designed to keep you on your toes the whole way through. If I've fixed everything to everyone's satisfaction, I will be moving on to creating the third section of the WAD. If not, of course, I'll keep plugging away at this section.

The first public beta version was 3.46. Fixes and changelog from version 3.46 to 3.77.74:

- fixed some stuck monsters that might not have been able to move
- added health and ammo to the fight in the blue skullkey room
- added a secret, bringing the count to 13
- added 68 monsters bringing the total count to 1,000
- fixed several sectors which would not open
- fixed something I broke inadvertently (hence the new version)
- fixed a few minor things which bring it in line with my vision.


Thanks for playing, and keep telling me about bugs and stuffs! I'll edit the WAD with all that I/others find. Thanks very much everyone.

Screenshots:
Your first look at Jupiter Station


The first battle you encounter


Hell is creeping into the base:


The second area of the map, look, it's a chaingun and some ammo!


All those hanging bodies... better make sure you're not next


Massive outdoor area


Giant battle for the right to begin your journey back


Back to the beginning

I played on Zandronum, found a couple of bugs on my playthrough.

- In the blue door room there are two Demons near the back that were stuck on each other.
- In the room with the blue key (I'm not sure hiding the blue key in a secret corner is such a good idea? I basically ran around every wall trying to open something until I found it) there are quite a few monsters trapped on top of each other and can't move.
- In the blue skullcard room, I couldn't get the pillar in the middle to lower all the way, but maybe I missed something.
- At the yellow door, just to the left there seemed to be some HOM.

You seemed keen on large areas with lots of weaker hitscan enemies. They by and large took themselves out, but if the areas hadn't been quite so vast they could have been a bit more threatening. The automap really helped with finding some of the things you'd hidden away in corners, so that was a good pickup. Unless I missed something, the blue skullcard fight seemed to be virtually impossible with a lot of Arch Viles and no cover. The first Plasmagun secret (by where you spawn) seems to be quite redundant because you find a lot of them soon after. If you removed the masses of Plasmaguns lying around (and maybe replaced them with some small cell packs), it would make that secret a bit more important.

Overall I had fun playing through it, and for a first map I'd say it's not bad because it takes time to learn how to do everything. Hopefully some more experienced players/mappers will be able to give you some more detailed feedback.

degree23 said:

I played on Zandronum, found a couple of bugs on my playthrough.

- In the blue door room there are two Demons near the back that were stuck on each other.
- In the room with the blue key (I'm not sure hiding the blue key in a secret corner is such a good idea? I basically ran around every wall trying to open something until I found it) there are quite a few monsters trapped on top of each other and can't move.
- In the blue skullcard room, I couldn't get the pillar in the middle to lower all the way, but maybe I missed something.
- At the yellow door, just to the left there seemed to be some HOM.

You seemed keen on large areas with lots of weaker hitscan enemies. They by and large took themselves out, but if the areas hadn't been quite so vast they could have been a bit more threatening. The automap really helped with finding some of the things you'd hidden away in corners, so that was a good pickup. Unless I missed something, the blue skullcard fight seemed to be virtually impossible with a lot of Arch Viles and no cover. The first Plasmagun secret (by where you spawn) seems to be quite redundant because you find a lot of them soon after. If you removed the masses of Plasmaguns lying around (and maybe replaced them with some small cell packs), it would make that secret a bit more important.

Overall I had fun playing through it, and for a first map I'd say it's not bad because it takes time to learn how to do everything. Hopefully some more experienced players/mappers will be able to give you some more detailed feedback.

In the blue skullcard room - you have to hit each switch one at a time. I'm not really sure WHY that is - but it is. Maybe because I scripted it badly (I'm not good with scripting)

I'm working on some quick fixes to bugs I just found playing it right now. I'll update the OP with a new version shortly.

Edit: New version up! Please play and provide feedback!

It is often a good idea to post screenshots of your level when making threads like this, since it can both show people roughly what your map will look like without downloading it, and also because it can increase other's interest in your levels. A simple download link with no pictures isn't very interesting.

I am not trying to be rude or anything, just pointing this out :)

It's by no means a must, but most of us use the same template for our text files. It contains categories for all the information a player needs about the level.

This generator will help you make one: http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/?textmaker

hardcore_gamer said:

It is often a good idea to post screenshots of your level when making threads like this, since it can both show people roughly what your map will look like without downloading it, and also because it can increase other's interest in your levels. A simple download link with no pictures isn't very interesting.

I am not trying to be rude or anything, just pointing this out :)

Cool, thanks!
I'll take some screenies tonight and update the first post with them.
Not rude of you at all, thanks very much for the helpful advice, friend.

tejdog1 said:

In the blue skullcard room - you have to hit each switch one at a time. I'm not really sure WHY that is - but it is. Maybe because I scripted it badly (I'm not good with scripting)

I see. That doesn't change the fact I'm still not sure how you kill everything in that room with so many Arch Viles around though.

degree23 said:

I see. That doesn't change the fact I'm still not sure how you kill everything in that room with so many Arch Viles around though.

I had a fun time with that, too, lol. Hence me adding in several stimpacks and ammo. What I did was hit all 4 switches to begin the perpetual platforms, then run to one of the 2 passages out of that area (yes, there's 2, one is a secret), then wait for whatever rode the lift up, and killed it. It took a good half hour or so just for that battle.

If it's still too difficult, let me know and I'll add in something else to make it easier.

Your maps are hilarious, good job.

tejdog1 said:

If it's still too difficult, let me know and I'll add in something else to make it easier.

It's more that that is incredibly tedious and not very fun at all. :P

Looks like something that came straight out of maximum doom to me..

joe-ilya said:

Your maps are hilarious, good job.

Why hilarious?

degree23 said:

It's more that that is incredibly tedious and not very fun at all. :P

Should I just get rid of the Arch Viles, then?

Well the problem is that there are so many of them and almost no cover. Their line of sight attack is incredibly deadly in such situations, and even though there is infighting there are so many Arch Viles that some of them are bound to hit you. Removing a few and maybe adding some pillars in the corners to provide something to break up the LoS would help.

Do note that I haven't tested it for gameplay, but if I may give you some pointers regarding aesthetic stuff -- you seriously might want to change up some of the textures. Wide open areas in general tend to have some extra lines to break up the monotony of one repeating texture. More than that, the colour contrast between textures and flats ranges from jarring to outright painful; at large, there are a handful of unwritten rules regarding using certain particular textures with certain particular flats.

Just regarding the posts about Archviles: Archviles without any cover are more or less a big no-no in Doom, for obvious enough reasons. I guess there are exceptions, but they're extremely few and far between.

I suggest you start by trying to add some cover. It can be in the form of walls, pillars or height changes and just by being there, they will naturally break up the monotony of big one-sector rooms.

degree23 said:

Well the problem is that there are so many of them and almost no cover. Their line of sight attack is incredibly deadly in such situations, and even though there is infighting there are so many Arch Viles that some of them are bound to hit you. Removing a few and maybe adding some pillars in the corners to provide something to break up the LoS would help.

That whole room is lined with walls which are see through, but block projectile/block monsters, so nothing SHOULD be getting through (except at the lifts). I've tested it and it works for me.

I can add pillars and such, sure.

Looking at some of your screenshots I noticed that you appear to be using wall textures for floors. This looks really baffling and is not really that wise. Certain textures are only intended to be uses for walls while others are intended for ceiling and floors. Source ports remove this restriction but it is still not that wise to do this most of the time.

I suggest re-texturing some of those areas.

Newest version of the WAD, version number 3.78.13, is posted. Reduced monster count in the blue skull room by 29. Did not touch any other area of the map. That seems to be the lone remaining problem spot for me. I want that fight to be extremely difficult, but also not tedious. Thanks to everyone for helping me out!

Edit: I've had a brilliant flash of inspiration, and am rescinding 3.78.13. Thanks everyone for understanding and going through all these iterations with me.

I'll post a revised version of the WAD in the OP sometime tomorrow, when I finish the new version. I think I've hit onto something here.

The newest version of my WAD is ready to be playtested by you guys! I changed a great number of things, and am really looking forward to hearing what you think. Please be as honest and brutal as you can.

However - keep in mind - the textures, floors, ceilings, etc... look the way I want them to. I want this map to be a blending of Hell and Earth, not one theme, but a mixture of the two. Thank you.

Pretty random texture choices? If that's not the final version i suggest you choose your textures more carefully so it overall looks better. I'm being as honest and brutal as i can and right now this things just looks plain shitty. And i recon your a beginner pretty much, i suggest do some more mapping on your own, polish your skillz and then start releasing something.