Inginuiity and new technology

I'm worried. I'm worried that there isn't anything new in doom levels anymore. My question is, do you think that new technologies like the emerging 3D floors will improve this situation, or make it worse? I must admit that I am enjoying playing around with the 3D floors so far, but I haven't created anything yet that structurally has any different flow to a standard level. I played a megawad the other day, and half of the maps were all the same, identical it seems in flow, differing only in detail.. which bored the life out of me.

Well, I haven't tried the 3D floors yet but it sounds like it's a really awesome concept. I think that someone with creative genious could really whip up something amazing with EDGE. I wouldn't worry too much Teppic, somebody will make something decent to play...it just may take a while. I'm fixing to start a thread that asks if you've played a certain wad that I have played and beaten. If you want something to play then go get this!

Well, I don't see how 3D floors could make it worse... People just get used to thinking a certain way about maps, and it takes them a looong while to learn something new. There's not all too many TC's or maps that really max out any engine except for vanilla doom2.exe. Nobody really used MBF to it's fullest (and I doubt anyone ever will). The full potential of ZDoom has yet to be explored. I don't see how EDGE is any different in this regard.

To be honest, I hate all this updating technology. I almost had 3 TCs done, then Boom comes out, thus making it for almost anybody who uses it's new features to make their maps better than mine (the majority of which were much better than original Doom2). Then the vast array of ports comes, ZDoom topping them off, and once again I update stuff to Boom but then it's outdated. I spent like 2 years making 4 big maps for Doom Millennium using a decent extent of the MBF-based Millennium source port. And now what, 3D floors? You wonder why I haven't released levels. I stop work for a day and they're outdated by some newbie who figured out a few of the features in the latest edition of the newest source port. Rather frustrating, to say the least. Well guess what, you guys will be getting some good "classic" maps over the next [probably] 6 months because I'm just plain sick of trying to keep up with all this stuff. I remember when it was a hobby and didn't require the concentration of a full-time job.

As for new stuff... Doom Millennium is up and coming, and hopefully some of it's new content should hold most of you over for a short while. Redundant it ain't.

Fanatic's QDoom should be around eventually too, and so will TeamTNT's Doom2K; to name a few that come to mind.

If I were you guys (meaning the Millenium team) I'd sratch out the sprite over sprite feature in your engine (unless you can really make it work pefectly well), and then fix any maps that had parts that needed that feature.

What do you mean by sprite-over-sprite feature? If I'm thinking what you're thinking, it's either been in there since doom2.exe was around or came about after Boom was released.

Hmm... what do you imply? Your disillusion seems to me quite "pointless". Old style maps are boring and new technology is useless?

I myself do not have this problem with older maps (or those using old style techinques and technology), the new stuff may contribute some nice stuff, but I don't care too much for it. I gather the new DOOM will use newer features more intelligently... so even though I may appreciate the better WADs creatued using that stuff, I myself won't meddle with it too much, at least not until I feel I have created my "magnum opus" using doom.exe or any the ports sharing its basic qualities. And, by then, maybe the new DOOM will be finished, or the true 3d ports will be worthy of my attention as a WAD maker.

No your missing the point, I don't think new technology will improve the quality of _new_ levels released. I have no problems with older maps, they are great- its modern stuff that I think is lacking in originality and gameplay.