My SP DOOM 3 map finally released!

Finally after years of on and off (mostly off) work on my SP map for DOOM 3, I've finally managed to complete it and release it on my website.

If anybody is keen they can download it from here: fatangus.nz

Feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

I played a beta version of this level not long ago and can recommend it. A solid and fun level.

Nice. There is not nearly enough Doom 3 material out there. I'm going to check it out/review (possibly) for Doom Wad Station

Well I played through it, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Which is rare for a Doom 3 level. The overall design was really nice, it seemed a bit more original Doomish in that there was a key hunt, backtracking to open up other areas, and I liked the fact you had to use an elevator to get to the upper levels, and could see into some other areas. It didn't seem quite as 'linear' as the original Doom 3 levels, which was refreshing. And the overall aesthetic is great, the architecture is spot on, and it's really quite a nice looking map.

The downside though, it was still Doom 3. I'm playing through Doom 3 again, since it's been 10 years since I did so, and I can appreciate the changes Doom 3 made more now than I did then, but I really hate the fact that every single demon teleports in. I'm always refreshed to see a z-sec running around a corner or hiding behind a crate, or just an imp walking around in a room when I open a door, because most rooms it's the same. Open Door, walk a few feet wondering when you'll trip the teleport, kill the enemy in front of you, turn around and kill the enemy that's teleporting in behind you. Maybe if there's a corridor to the left or right, kill that one when it teleports in.

But again, that's how Doom 3 has always played, so it's not a critique against the level, and generally the combat felt good. Never felt unfair, ammo was scarce enough for each weapon that I needed to use them all at one time or another to get through. Maybe a little too much health,especially with the souls sphere, but overall it felt pretty balanced.

One suggestion, I think it should've had more pinkies. The two in it are just stuck in a corridor and it's pretty easy to just run straight up to them and pump a few shotgun shells into their head. Just a suggestion, maybe in that large room with the central pillars and the souls sphere access, one or two in there might work, give them more room to run around. I've always kind of had fun with them when they have some space to move, reminds me a bit of the Fiend from Quake.

One question though, and maybe I missed it; I never found a PDA with a code to locker 070, the one in the lab (I think that's what the room was referred to as) where you can access the secret area with locker 071 that has the plasma rifle. Looked all over, found codes for 069 & 071, but couldn't find a code for 070.

All in all, probably the most enjoyable custom Doom 3 map I've played; and the fact that the layout reminded me of Episode 1 worked in its favor. Thanks for releasing it.

Edit: One more question, is there a way to get this to work with the Steam BFG edition? I tried putting it in the Base folder and in the Maps folder and it wouldn't work. Luckily I still had my original Doom 3 discs, but I'm sure there's people out there with only the BFG edition.

Jello said:

Maybe a little too much health,especially with the souls sphere, but overall it felt pretty balanced.

With all the chaingunners out in the open (that I honestly don't know how to fight effectively) it felt about right. Maybe I'm just rusty, I haven't played Doom 3 for a few years.

Overall, the map seemed like a regular Doom 3 lab, which is both good (it's quality material) and slightly underwhelming (nothing really fresh here, other than the aforementioned fact that there's slightly more backtracking than in the official levels). Sure better than nothing. D3TWID when?

Well now I feel like an idiot for not finding the code for locker 070. I even thought the PDA should be in that exact room. And I spent time scouring textures and terminals for a 3 digit code, including in that room, and completely missed that one. Good secret though. And I figured it was an issue with how BFG edition handles mods, but I wanted to double check. Glad I still have my original copy.

I do want to apologize about the health balance issue I mentioned earlier. I thought I was playing on Veteran, since I started a single player game on Veteran, then loaded the map. Apparently it was still on Marine.

When I replayed it just now on Veteran, knowing for the most part which enemies will show up and where, it still provided a challenge. I walked by most health packs, and only got the soul sphere when I got down to 24 health, courtesy of the chaingunners. But there were a few tense moments, especially when I got a Revenant instead of an Imp. Just wish I would've played on Veteran to begin with.

But this level did teach me a valuable lesson about Doom 3, that grenades are actually very useful. Especially against the commandos with tentacle arms. Just sprint backwards and throw grenades at their feet. Never found them useful in the original game, but they do come in quite handy. And this level actually got me excited about playing through Doom 3 again after 10 years.

So thanks for taking the time to make and release it. It was fun. Kudos.

Jello said:

Well now I feel like an idiot for not finding the code for locker 070. I even thought the PDA should be in that exact room. And I spent time scouring textures and terminals for a 3 digit code, including in that room, and completely missed that one. Good secret though. And I figured it was an issue with how BFG edition handles mods, but I wanted to double check. Glad I still have my original copy.

I do want to apologize about the health balance issue I mentioned earlier. I thought I was playing on Veteran, since I started a single player game on Veteran, then loaded the map. Apparently it was still on Marine.

When I replayed it just now on Veteran, knowing for the most part which enemies will show up and where, it still provided a challenge. I walked by most health packs, and only got the soul sphere when I got down to 24 health, courtesy of the chaingunners. But there were a few tense moments, especially when I got a Revenant instead of an Imp. Just wish I would've played on Veteran to begin with.

But this level did teach me a valuable lesson about Doom 3, that grenades are actually very useful. Especially against the commandos with tentacle arms. Just sprint backwards and throw grenades at their feet. Never found them useful in the original game, but they do come in quite handy. And this level actually got me excited about playing through Doom 3 again after 10 years.

So thanks for taking the time to make and release it. It was fun. Kudos.

No problem. I learned my lesson from other maps and mods I made from other games that you can always have too much health, so I was a bit more conservative with them this time around. Plus, especially on Veteran difficulty, I wanted the emphasis to be on the soulsphere, as I wanted the map to bring back elements of the old id Tech 1 DOOM series, such as the color coded keys, locked door messages and of course, the soulsphere.

Well I say you did a pretty good job at recreating the old id tech levels in Doom 3. I'd like to see Gamma Labs 2, but I won't hold my breath.

Jello said:

Well I say you did a pretty good job at recreating the old id tech levels in Doom 3. I'd like to see Gamma Labs 2, but I won't hold my breath.

I would have loved to have made an entire "mission", but timewise that isn't possible.