Alien Vendetta - Map 7 - STUCK

Hi, I'm playing Alien Vendetta via PRBoom-plus and I'm stuck on Map 7. The exit drops into a "acid/lava" pit where you end up dying. I read there is a compatibility problem so I switched to Doom 1.9 in the menu and it still doesn't fix the problem. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help

You need to set PrBoom-plus to -complevel 2 (or make a comparable adjustment in a different sourcepot, e.g. enable "Use Doom's linedef trigger model" in Eternity or the like) to get that setup to function properly. A platform across the lava is supposed to rise once you've killed all of the arachnatrons in the map (via one of the map 07 special flags), but it will apparently malfunction in PrBoom-plus's default configuration.

Note that you need to have the requisite settings in place before triggering the action--changing the configuration after the fact won't retroactively fix the problem.

I'd recommend just skipping to map 08; once the Arachnos are dead, you're done with the map.

(And this is probably the worst map 07 ever created. I love AV, but damn that's a shitty take on Dead Simple; it's even worse than the Scythe 2 take on the style.)

Thanks for the help guys. I'm actually using GL Boom +, but I noticed it doesn't allow me to open the console. I know about IDCLEV## to skip the map, but is there any other command to just change the map and keep my guns, etc.?

Nope; you can't change maps while keeping your guns.

AV is balanced for pistol starts, and the next map is a pretty easy one, so it shouldn't be an issue.

Cynical said:

Nope; you can't change maps while keeping your guns.

AV is balanced for pistol starts, and the next map is a pretty easy one, so it shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks! I don't mind pistol starting, but I figured if there was a command to carry over my health (or lack thereof) and guns, then I may as well use it since I don't like "cheating". I technically finished the level anyway - just could exit. Lol

You can also just 'noclip' through the broken passage.

Anyway, this map still being broken is just one of the big mysteries of the Doom community with none of the mod makers caring that their map is broken in nearly all current source ports.

This map was one of the main reasons why Zdoom introduced the 'compatibility' lump.

Graf Zahl said:

Anyway, this map still being broken is just one of the big mysteries of the Doom community with none of the mod makers caring that their map is broken in nearly all current source ports.

Isn't it the other way around? The mod makers made sure the wad was playable in the intended port, which is the original executable. Shouldn't it be source port authors caring if their port didn't break any perfectly working maps?

Depends on what you want.

AV is old enough to get away with having ignored Boom when it was released.

What bothers me is when map authors do not care about such problems later. It is well known that Boom's default setting fixes the bug in this linedef action and the actual fix to the map is utterly trivial (as in adding two valid textures to the bridge's sides.

Some map authors listen to feedback and ensure that their mods continue to work with evolving engines while others just shrug it off - unfortunately this is mostly the same who feel the need to slap a 'may not modify' clause onto their mods and ensuring that they remain broken forever.

As for ports having to ensure that maps run out of the box, tell that to Entryway and Quasar. ;) ZDoom already takes care of such issues when they come up. Compatibility options with no means of auto-applying them to maps that are known to require them is somewhat of half a feature only...

ZDoom's internal compatibility lump will also ensure that Map15 doesn't break.. though I don't think Boom based engines have a problem there, I think it was more just working around a bug ZDoom fixed.

Correct. Doom completely ignores any linedef with both sides in the same sector when doing a hitscan trace. This means that you can shoot through any self referencing sector, i.e. invisible platform.
ZDoom checks the openings at all linedefs - because the trace code is completely different, the change wasn't even deliberate, it just so happened that it never checked for both sides of the linedef being in the same sector and then ignoring a linedef.

And as it so happens, changes like this are hard to revert without creating a shitstorm of people having gotten used to the altered behavior...

I'm having yet another problem. I finished Map 12 and it brought me to a random starting point on Map 13 (Suicidal Tendencies) - it started me off at a room with tons of chaingunners. I already had all three keycards at the start of the level but I can't open the door to the courtyard with the Spider Masterminds (near the yellow skullkey that should generate on top of one of the two circular green acid pits). I overwrote my last save so now I'm literally stuck... Anyone else know about this problem? I'm considering downloading a new sourceport (recommendations please) and just skipping to level 13 with pistol start rather than starting all over again

Thanks for any help

Get a port with a console, like Zdoom, Eternity or Doom Retro, start a new game in your preferred difficulty, warp to the map you were and give yourself the weapons and ammo you had.

But I don't understand the problem you encountered, sounds weird.

Jeffo2448 said:

I'm having yet another problem. I finished Map 12 and it brought me to a random starting point on Map 13 (Suicidal Tendencies) - it started me off at a room with tons of chaingunners. I already had all three keycards at the start of the level but I can't open the door to the courtyard with the Spider Masterminds (near the yellow skullkey that should generate on top of one of the two circular green acid pits). I overwrote my last save so now I'm literally stuck... Anyone else know about this problem? I'm considering downloading a new sourceport (recommendations please) and just skipping to level 13 with pistol start rather than starting all over again

Thanks for any help

First of all: IDCLEV12, and go for it. You cannot miss out on this map! Also, wtf? I dont get how you even manage to get that error. Ive played AV literally a hundred times and Ive never encountered any stuff like that..

Anyway, just download GZDoom if you want another sourceport.