[WIP] Jeem I

Update: I finally "finished" the 3 map pack. By that I mean I deleted the incomplete fourth level and officially "released" this little pack. It is on /idgames (link below under download). Nothing else is really changed I just wanted to slap the word "finished" on this project. I doubt I will finish the fourth level but I may make another 2-3 level wad in the future, who knows.

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So, I am planning on releasing a 4 map pack. I currently have 3 maps done or near done (still need some visual detailing). They are all playable and can be completed from pistol start. I am uploading the first 3 levels for feedback before I start map 4.

This is my first map pack, I have only made 2-3 maps before these. However, I would like full critique. What do you like what do you hate. Anything from gameplay to aesthetics. Don't hold back.

Requires zDoom. Jumping is not intended. Difficulty levels are not implemented (and they may never be). These maps are intended to be difficult. I can beat them easily but I want to see what others think.

Download:
https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/j-l/jeemi

Screenshots:
Click Me

FDA from MAP01 to MAP03 They're recorded with ZDoom.

For the first map pack, the architecture is pretty good, and the layout of maps are also not bad overall. MAP01 was a little bit annoying for me(wide open area with hitscan monsters) until I got the shotgun. I was out of ammo while in MAP02, and I realized that I was picking up boxes of ammo while I was spamming bullets to deal with teleportation trap. Maybe a backpack could save me from later misfortune, or I was lazy to find secrets. In the end of MAP03, I was stuck at the drain of slime although I thought that was the exit from pit.

MAP03 also got some texture alignments, for stairs most of the time, and HOM as you can see from the screenshot below. Overall, It needs some changes and fixes. But for the first map pack attempt, It was impressive.

looks pretty cool, good job for a first time map pack!

antares031 said:

FDA from MAP01 to MAP03 They're recorded with ZDoom.

For the first map pack, the architecture is pretty good, and the layout of maps are also not bad overall. MAP01 was a little bit annoying for me(wide open area with hitscan monsters) until I got the shotgun. I was out of ammo while in MAP02, and I realized that I was picking up boxes of ammo while I was spamming bullets to deal with teleportation trap. Maybe a backpack could save me from later misfortune, or I was lazy to find secrets. In the end of MAP03, I was stuck at the drain of slime although I thought that was the exit from pit.

MAP03 also got some texture alignments, for stairs most of the time, and HOM as you can see from the screenshot below. Overall, It needs some changes and fixes. But for the first map pack attempt, It was impressive.

Spoiler

http://puu.sh/kPCau/defca2fbc7.png

Tried the recordings with the latest revision of zdoom, they went out of sync immediately :( Granted, I have never used recordings so maybe I did something wrong. In MAP03, the slime pit is meant to just be a pit of doom. Maybe I could find a way to make that clearer. I'll check out that HOM as well. I had went through that room quite a few times on my testing and had not noticed anything before. Thanks for the feed back!

walter confalonieri said:

looks pretty cool, good job for a first time map pack!

Thanks!

Mechazawa said:

Tried the recordings with the latest revision of zdoom, they went out of sync immediately :( Granted, I have never used recordings so maybe I did something wrong.

ZDoom demos need to be replayed with the exact same version of ZDoom on which they were recorded on. Antares031 should have said which version he used.

My experience says that sometimes it goes out of sync even if you use the correct version, though (for example when the player brings up Menu or when he temporarily Alt-Tabs out of the game during recording).

scifista42 said:

My experience says that sometimes it goes out of sync even if you use the correct version, though (for example when the player brings up Menu or when he temporarily Alt-Tabs out of the game during recording).

The only time I tried making a GZDoom demo, I went back to watch it immediately after recording, and it desynced like a minute in.

Gameplay is OK. I guess Troopers are your fav monster.

Map03 has inescapable pit (green slime after blue bars). Never make inescapable pits. They dont make a map more challenging, they do just one thing - piss players
off. When you can fall somewhere, always make also a route to escape.

Also, these maps dont look like something that would necessary require Zdoom. These could have even limit-removing compatibility with minimal edits.

NinjaLiquidator said:

Gameplay is OK. I guess Troopers are your fav monster.

Map03 has inescapable pit (green slime after blue bars). Never make inescapable pits. They dont make a map more challenging, they do just one thing - piss players
off. When you can fall somewhere, always make also a route to escape.

Also, these maps dont look like something that would necessary require Zdoom. These could have even limit-removing compatibility with minimal edits.

They rely heavily on ACS and zdoom specific scripting. Half of the monsters in the maps are spawned in via scripting, not monster boxes.

The pit is supposed to kill you, but I made it an instant death floor and it crashes the game...so yeah. For now I made it very deep so that you would never think of jumping down, it is also damage 20. If I can figure out a way to make it a kill zone then I will do that. Kind of like falling into a black pit, screen goes black, you die.

I would also like to know if anyone got 100% secrets on all of the maps. I want to know how hard the secrets are to get. There are a couple I think may be too difficult.

I put so many troopers because its so satisfying to mow them down, that is purely the only reason they are there in the later maps.

scifista42 said:

......Antares031 should have said which version he used.

I recorded with ZDoom 2.7.1, which is the latest official release. Strange thing is I played the demos before I uploaded them to check with no problems. :S

Mechazawa said:

The pit is supposed to kill you, but I made it an instant death floor and it crashes the game...

Did you use sector type 115 (Instant Death)? It really shouldn't crash the game.

Having made instant death floors myself, you can't really fuck it up.

Update: I finally "finished" the 3 map pack. By that I mean I deleted the incomplete fourth level and officially "released" this little pack. It is on /idgames (link in first post). Nothing else is really changed I just wanted to slap the word "finished" on this project. I doubt I will finish the fourth level but I may make another 2-3 level wad in the future, who knows.

Wow, its been almost 2 years.