Ultimatum - Riding on the Backs of Giants [Now on /idgames!]

I tested my map again today and found a softlock and some minor visual errors.

Hextech V0.96

Pinchy said:

I tested my map again today and found a softlock and some minor visual errors.

Hextech V0.96

One big issue is that (don't read this if you're not Pinchy and want to play the map)

DeathEgg's map:

- Interesting. I feel ever so uncomfortable as a player when walking on the sky.
- Cyber felt kinda pointless when on a sky as his rockets don't explode. Maybe that was the point?
- the limitation felt noticable, but that's not an issue necassarily
- I found all the secrets. :)
- There was rocket ammo, I never saw a rocket launcher (UV Playthrough)
- I found the difficulty fluctuated all over the place. The main fight that was hardest is in the below screenshot (about texture alignment)
- I noticed a couple of misalignments: screenshot

All in all I enjoyed myself. I liked the ending as you habitually navigate that part of the map only to notice something different. I really felt there should have been a fight here before exiting, though.




Pinchy's Map:

Pinchy said:

Restriction: 50 Monsters.

- I see:
- Further checking: Skills 1/2, and 4/5 have 51 monsters, skill 3 has 52 monsters.
- I guess I took a wrong turn or something but I had so little ammo for the majority of this map
- Fighting mid -> high tier enemies in 64px wide corridors just isn't fun in my opinino, had to save-scum my way through some of this map
- The map looked good
- Cyber fight was 'easy' in that I didn't every actually fight him, just waiting for the exit to become available.
- fitting music, I like it!
- I didn't find a reason for 51 enemies, I assumed there may be a special reason but I was unaware.




Walter's map
- Great map considering the limitation!
- The texture choice, the music.. it all works well.
- Difficulty was respectably easy, map02 as intended seems ideal
- No way out of lava pits, sadly. I understand this may be bound to the limitation but an elevator switch to lower one of the adjacent sectors would have been fantastic.
- I found all the secrets. :)
- I could exploit the limitation easily though, open one door, and all doors open. Consider it speedrun strats:

Hahaha that's the sort of "bug" that's so silly it's a feature. Anyway, I played the map the usual way and liked it.

Thanks for the playing dragonfly!

How about some teleports that could be signed with a special thing (a evil eye, for example), that leads you back to a safer spot?

And some idea for the title?

Also DeathEgg's is the most weird map so far... also i'm pretty sure to have played a 1994 doom map with the same concept of this level (yeah, there's alot walking on hair into a indoor section of the map, i remember it was a skinface cave or something like that...)

One monster was miss tagged as medium and one extra in general removed.

Hextech V0.97

The low ammo and optional cyber are intentional and there's no place where you are forced to stand in a 64 wide corridor and fight anything with large health in order to progress.

Managing your ammo types will make strong enemies a non issue.

Like said, I believe I probably took one of the most ammo inefficient routes.

Also, there is a baron in a tiny corridor.

Here's one skyscraper out of four.

Dragonfly said:

Like said, I believe I probably took one of the most ammo inefficient routes.

Also, there is a baron in a tiny corridor.
https://i.gyazo.com/3cda56608a925062ff5b7400e0686be8.png

Yeah, he's not mandatory for progression and you can shoot him from outside. You only need to get past him for the yellow key.

The strategy for this map is, if you want to kill the tough guys, avoid them at first and then pass through the mid way point where the cyber is and load up, there's even a shortcut back there later from near the start position, so you can loot the optional locked doors and clean up.

I've tweaked that corridor so his sprite doesn't clip through the ceiling obviously and added some rockets and small ammo around but I'll hold off on uploading though in case other issues turn up.

Pinchy said:

Yeah, he's not mandatory for progression and you can shoot him from outside. You only need to get past him for the yellow key.

The strategy for this map is, if you want to kill the tough guys, avoid them at first and then pass through the mid way point where the cyber is and load up, there's even a shortcut back there later from near the start position, so you can loot the optional locked doors and clean up.

I've tweaked that corridor so his sprite doesn't clip through the ceiling obviously and added some rockets and small ammo around but I'll hold off on uploading though in case other issues turn up.

I did assume I was handling the map incorrectly. So it's essentially intended to be played as 'mostly pacifist' until you get hold of the ammo; makes sense. Thanks for making the adjustments.

Guys, I think I drop my slot. Mappers' block + exams + I doubt I can do anything with 50 shades of GRAYTALL (at least right now)

Alright, I've updated the first post and topic name accordingly.

Added teleport pods (they are signed with a evil eye) for getting out from the lava pits:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/7o4r2g4rrw40cni/ult-e1m2a.wad

Also, nobody want to try this thing? We have only 4 days until deadline!

Can I get a greytall map slot? I can use it for sure ad I would like to take part in some community project.. I hope its still free to take :) reply, please

It's yours then! Hopefully we can get the rest of those maps in soon. I've been meaning to do work on my map according to suggestions and play other people's maps but work is swamping me.

Thank you! I gotta finish my single map project, but its done soon anyway, so i'll start working on it :)

Made a bit of an update to my map. Changed the layout a bit according to suggestions with the time I have available to me.

Oops, got lazy with uploading these demos.

I played the original versions, so here are FDAs for them. (If you need them, I still have the original wads on my HD. :))

http://www.mediafire.com/download/a3f593s0keffnik/ult-e1m2a_rdwpa_fda.lmp
http://www.mediafire.com/download/y4ds128fg9imd9p/6464_rdwpa_fda.lmp

Both were pretty surreal. In WC's map, the silence of the lifts and the overall repetition of certain designs and monster placements made me feel like I was in some bizarre fractal-like pocket of hell. DE's map is like a base corrupted by hell, but not with the usual corruption. It's more like, "techbase as seen by someone on drugs".

Hextech 0.97 Demo

An absolute blast to play! Wasn't exactly on my A-Game as you can see. I expected some kind of final battle in the exit room when I was leaving, so I was caught slightly by surprise when I beat it before entering that last room, otherwise I may have explored a bit more. Love the open layout with tons of areas I didn't even get a chance to see, and the perfect usage of 50 Monsters that still provides a good amount of difficulty.

Should mention it's -complevel 3

walter's map Demo

Really enjoyed this map too, the atmosphere set by both the music and the large open spaces (Which likely weren't that avoidable considering the limit) were very foreboding. Ran very low on health towards the end and had to be careful with every corner I turned around. Map is also -complevel 3

...And here's my contribution. Sure took a lot longer than I had planned. I haven't had the time to look at your maps yet, but I will tomorrow now when I do.

EDIT: Link removed, please see below.

Information about my map:
Skill levels implemented - Lots of thought went into this. Even the easy levels should prove a (limited) challenge, and Hurt me Plenty is to be regarded as the standard setting.
The "music" is PSX-style background noise, but nowhere near as melodic.

I took the liberty of including a WILVxx file for the map name, but that and the .mus file will have to be renamed depending on where my map ends up. I suspect that you will handle that, DeathEgg?

http://www.filedropper.com/ is an easy no-registration file hosting site that doesn't require people to give their email addresses to download a file.

rdwpa said:

http://www.filedropper.com/ is an easy no-registration file hosting site that doesn't require people to give their email addresses to download a file.

I second this notion - please re-upload VORTEX to a place I needn't provide my own email address.

Olroda said:

I took the liberty of including a WILVxx file for the map name, but that and the .mus file will have to be renamed depending on where my map ends up. I suspect that you will handle that, DeathEgg?

Yep, I'll handle all of that, thanks for getting the step done early though! I'm also reminded I should really name my map... Perhaps "Nothing's Underbelly". Sounds cryptic enough.

rdwpa said:

http://www.filedropper.com/ is an easy no-registration file hosting site that doesn't require people to give their email addresses to download a file.

I'll sort that out as soon as I get home from work later today.

EDIT: Here's a better link to my map.

http://www.filedropper.com/vortex

Death Egg said:

I'm also reminded I should really name my map...

Please call my map "Pestilence".

Hey guys! :) I've been working hard today, so map is ready, I did what I could with that limitation, I personally was having fun playing the map, hope you will too :)

DL: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6kfhkijdgrr17x3/GREYTALL.wad?dl=0

Just played it. Didn't enjoy the cramped-ness of it all, especially since the limitation is supposed to promote interesting layouts and fun gameplay over the need for detail.

I played through on UV, and aside from the comment about the absolute lack of space for the player to move in, the other issues I have are the ammo and monster counts.
There is not even close to enough ammo to take care of the barons, should the player wish to. Fair enough, you want them to be a permanent threat perhaps, but then to place a baron in the way of the exit is then pretty insulting, especially as the area is too cramped to bait the baron out of the way.

The gameplay seems to consist of randomly drawn 64px wide corridors filled to the brim with equally randomly selected monsters. Nothing poses any threat except the lack of movement space, except the final 'battle' where you have the barons behind you as you try to push your way back to the 'teleporter'. The teleporter's existence wasn't made obvious at all.

There are secrets in this map, one of which you have to open to progress, and the secret is more obvious than the way the player has to go. The second of which gives the player absolutely nothing for finding, even though it's pretty hidden with no indication that it's become available.

I'm not meaning to shoot this map to the ground but I really think it could do with more work and being made more enjoyable to play. I thought the map's gimmick was going to be that all the walls lower to the floor and the map becomes a huge open square, but nothing of the sort happens, sadly. Please don't be demotivated!

Well, sorry. I really thought I did good job with using the textures. I mean, if you place greytall above, Its so bloody ugly. I thought map worked out pretty well. I tested ammo, worked for me, dunno why didnt work for you. And of course you have to fear closed space, I mean, every noob can fight on terrace. Still, I can try to modify it, but I dont know if there is enough time, so ill try to do something with it tomorrow and send you final version in the evening.

Olroda said:

I'll sort that out as soon as I get home from work later today.

EDIT: Here's a better link to my map.

http://www.filedropper.com/vortex

-skill 4 FDA (one death): http://www.mediafire.com/download/ns9xei4j0m99n28/vortex_rdwpa_fda.lmp

I was going to say I can't really complain about the combination of low heath and mandatory blood crossing and obscure switchery since I ignored the "skill 3 is the default setting mode). But looking in the editor, it seems like HNTR and HMP don't have much health either. That should probably be addressed.

Anyway, quite spooky -- enjoyed it, and also the fact that former human troopers are legitimate threats. LOL.

Libor_john66 said:

Hey guys! :) I've been working hard today, so map is ready, I did what I could with that limitation, I personally was having fun playing the map, hope you will too :)

DL: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6kfhkijdgrr17x3/GREYTALL.wad?dl=0

A pinky used the first teleporter and then for some reason I was completely unable to use it. Stuck. I hope this was tested in prBoom+ or something similar, not ZDoom or higher!

Anyway, reset and played the rest.

Gameplay doesn't work at all, as Dragonfly mentioned. You also have a pile of medkits and shellboxes directly in front the rocket launcher. What if the player doesn't want to pick up the medkits and shellboxes . . .

All right, I've played three maps so far, all on UV. No errors found. I have a hard time finding any faults, so here are some compliments instead:

Walter Confalonieri
I'm liking the eerie atmosphere of the map. The music fits well with the hellish architecture. Pretty non-threatening for the skill level, but should work well as an early map, I think.

Dragonfly
A straightforward map with good layout and lots of action. I'm impressed that you managed all that in one hour! I sure know I wouldn't!

Death Egg
The most bizarre and difficult map so far, and I mean that in a good way! I got my ass handed to me on several occasions, and I even fell for the shotgun "trap" at the beginning. Perhaps I can write that one off due to fatigue - it's late here, currently - but maybe not. Without spoiling too much for potential readers, I also managed to get a Baron (there are Barons in this map!) pissed at another Baron through some barrel infighting!

rdwpa said:

But looking in the editor, it seems like HNTR and HMP don't have much health either. That should probably be addressed.

It was my intention to keep the supplies low - and thus the threat high, but I might have been too stingy. If others agree then I'll see what I can do.

rdwpa said:

Anyway, quite spooky -- enjoyed it, and also the fact that former human troopers are legitimate threats.

I'm glad that you liked it, and I'm also glad that you wrote that last part, since that was my intention. I'll watch the FDA tomorrow, it's already past midnight here.