Retribution (single level)

Short, one-level WAD that was just me practicing more or less. One secret, final boss, total playtime 1-5 minutes depending on playstyle. If you need more info or I've done something wrong, tell me how to fix it (I use DOOM Builder 2) and I'll get back to you.

Format: DOOM II

Port: GZDOOM 3.1.0 Windows 32-bit

Criticism welcomed and encouraged!

https://www.mediafire.com/file/xat8q5v2hw8h07l/Retribution.wad

Well, prboom+ can open this wad without any problems. I could do demo, but you don't have that port, so it would be useless, unless other people want check it. 

1 minute ago, MysteriousHaruko said:

Well, prboom+ can open this wad without any problems. I could do demo, but you don't have that port, so it would be useless, unless other people want check it. 

I'm sorry, I really don't get what people mean by port. I have never in my life done mapping until yesterday, I'm not familiar with the lingo and terminology.

2 minutes ago, mysistersbike said:

I'm sorry, I really don't get what people mean by port. I have never in my life done mapping until yesterday, I'm not familiar with the lingo and terminology.

Program which lets you run Doom and player created content. Demo stands for demonstration, like a movie which runs in that program, for example in prboom+ or zdoom. 

Just now, MysteriousHaruko said:

Program which lets you run Doom and player created content. Demo stands for demonstration, like a movie which runs in that program, for example in prboom+ or zdoom. 

Alright, understood. Now, what is the problem with my wad or the port I use to run it?

Just now, mysistersbike said:

Alright, understood. Now, what is the problem with my wad or the port I use to run it?

Well, no ammo, no health/armor bonuses, no corner to hide in map. I just mentioned prboom+ port if people are curious if your wad would run here. 

1 minute ago, MysteriousHaruko said:

Well, no ammo, no health/armor bonuses, no corner to hide in map. I just mentioned prboom+ port if people are curious if your wad would run here. 

So the ammo and health aren't appearing, is that what's happening? I'm thoroughly puzzled.

Double check your difficulty settings on said items.

1 minute ago, mysistersbike said:

So the ammo and health aren't appearing, is that what's happening? I'm thoroughly puzzled.

Put some of them in main area. 

8 minutes ago, Glaice said:

Double check your difficulty settings on said items.

That was the issue! I'll replace the link with a new one.

Edit: No it wasn't....

Just now, mysistersbike said:

That was the issue! I'll replace the link with a new one.

There are enough to complete the level if you know where to look.

29 minutes ago, mysistersbike said:

Short, one-level WAD that was just me practicing more or less. One secret, final boss, total playtime 1-5 minutes depending on playstyle. Latest version of GZDOOM, standard DOOM II format, all that jazz. If you need more info, tell me how to find it in DOOM Builder 2 and I'll get back to you.

 

Criticism welcomed and encouraged!

 

https://www.mediafire.com/file/xat8q5v2hw8h07l/Retribution.wad

There's mapping formats and sourceports. Sourceports are EXEs you run doom with, mapping format is what you choose when you're in your editor. In case of Doombuilder2, unless you specify anything else, the default mapping format will always be doom2.

1 minute ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

There's mapping formats and sourceports. Sourceports are EXEs you run doom with, mapping format is what you choose when you're in your editor. In case of Doombuilder2, unless you specify anything else, the default mapping format will always be doom2.

Thank you!

GZDOOM 3.1.0 / 64bit

I guess I got pretty lucky with the infighting, as I managed to survive the first room and picked up the chainsaw. The infighting outside with the cacos and revs worked alright. All in all this map felt like it makes you work to get armed and ready, which makes me want to play map2 so I can put that to full effect ;)

Just wanted to point out two door textures that were messed up (edge of the door running through the middle)
x -1277 y 171
x 607 y -60

Really barebones map though i understand you never Mapped or did anything like that and its fine, but putting all high Tier enemies right in the beginning its something you shouldn't do, Though i did like the usage of Outdoor areas and the final boss its fine.

also i encourage you to use Different type of textures and not stick with the same all along otherwise the level is gonna look boring and uninteresting.

1 hour ago, mysistersbike said:

I'm sorry, I really don't get what people mean by port. I have never in my life done mapping until yesterday, I'm not familiar with the lingo and terminology.

Doom is an old game and has gone through many levels of evolution as technology advanced and programmers modified its engine. There are many different tiers of compatibility. Its easiest to simply list all the source ports you tested it in but in general there's 4 basic categories:

1. Zdoom/gzdoom compatible

These are the most advanced source ports with nigh limitless modding capability and/but will basically run any map, broken or not.

2. Boom compatible

a bit more advanced than the original doom with additional effects and linedef specials to give more flexibility to level designers. Most actively developed source ports support this compatibility level, but its still a pretty big leap away from zdoom/gzdoom.

3. Limit removing

Uses only standard Doom or Doom 2 mapping specials and effects and should run on about anything.

4. Vanilla

Restricted to be within the original Doom executable's fixed engine limits and therefore should literally run on any device that supports Doom, even your grandpas 486 that's collecting dust in the basement

My first impression of the map: I can appreciate a run for a gun early on, and you made that interesting by placing moving obstacles which aren't hitscanners, so that's a choice I personally appreciate. Once the shotgun is obtained, it's possible to get a lot of mileage out of the shells by letting things infight, however that's something players won't always do when they see a map for the first time, so I feel like placing 4 or 8 more shells in the outside area would have been okay to make it a bit more forgiving for first attempts.

That aside, some of the choices do not make much sense to me, for instance the blue key, which isn't even required to finish the map, and the placement of the romero head that finishes the map when killed. As for the romero head, it think it would be better to place it a bit further away from the barons, to make sure people can kill those without ending the map on accident.

The hurt floor near the key is easy to overlook, which is okay, but what makes it actually awkward is how there's no height difference between the hurt-floor and the non-hurt floor. Given how small your map is, there's not much I can say that has not yet been said already. Some texture variance goes a long way, a bit more detailing and lightlevel variation would also be nice to have.

Those concerns aside, if your goal was to create a functioning map that is more than just pick up weapon and mow down all the things, you made that happen, and I'm looking forward to your next mapping ventures.

Well, without doubt this Map just was made to try out stuff and learn Mapping. Nothing wrong with that. But why upload it to the forums ? There's nearly nothing to this Map you could give tips about. Just the Basic stuff like Texturing, Monster/Item Placement or Heights and Lighting. Try to improve these Things in your next wad and I'm sure people can help you more :)

3 minutes ago, DAZZER said:

But why upload it to the forums ? There's nearly nothing to this Map you could give tips about.

I disagree. I think there are some deliberate design choices here which, from my point of view, are different from other people's first mapping attempts. That aside, I don't think discouraging people from sharing their first maps like that is something you should be doing, especially if they're new around here.

46 minutes ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

I don't think discouraging people from sharing their first maps like that is something you should be doing, especially if they're new around here.

I would never try to discourag a new Person in the Forum. I just wanted to say that I didn't know what Tips I could give him about the Map after I played it beside the standard stuff :) Also in what way this Map is different to other first Map attempts ?

2 hours ago, Maisth said:

Really barebones map though i understand you never Mapped or did anything like that and its fine, but putting all high Tier enemies right in the beginning its something you shouldn't do, Though i did like the usage of Outdoor areas and the final boss its fine.

 

also i encourage you to use Different type of textures and not stick with the same all along otherwise the level is gonna look boring and uninteresting.

2 hours ago, TacoTurtle said:

GZDOOM 3.1.0 / 64bit

I guess I got pretty lucky with the infighting, as I managed to survive the first room and picked up the chainsaw. The infighting outside with the cacos and revs worked alright. All in all this map felt like it makes you work to get armed and ready, which makes me want to play map2 so I can put that to full effect ;)

Just wanted to point out two door textures that were messed up (edge of the door running through the middle)
x -1277 y 171
x 607 y -60

1 hour ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

My first impression of the map: I can appreciate a run for a gun early on, and you made that interesting by placing moving obstacles which aren't hitscanners, so that's a choice I personally appreciate. Once the shotgun is obtained, it's possible to get a lot of mileage out of the shells by letting things infight, however that's something players won't always do when they see a map for the first time, so I feel like placing 4 or 8 more shells in the outside area would have been okay to make it a bit more forgiving for first attempts.

 

That aside, some of the choices do not make much sense to me, for instance the blue key, which isn't even required to finish the map, and the placement of the romero head that finishes the map when killed. As for the romero head, it think it would be better to place it a bit further away from the barons, to make sure people can kill those without ending the map on accident.

 

The hurt floor near the key is easy to overlook, which is okay, but what makes it actually awkward is how there's no height difference between the hurt-floor and the non-hurt floor. Given how small your map is, there's not much I can say that has not yet been said already. Some texture variance goes a long way, a bit more detailing and lightlevel variation would also be nice to have.

 

Those concerns aside, if your goal was to create a functioning map that is more than just pick up weapon and mow down all the things, you made that happen, and I'm looking forward to your next mapping ventures.

1 hour ago, DAZZER said:

Well, without doubt this Map just was made to try out stuff and learn Mapping. Nothing wrong with that. But why upload it to the forums ? There's nearly nothing to this Map you could give tips about. Just the Basic stuff like Texturing, Monster/Item Placement or Heights and Lighting. Try to improve these Things in your next wad and I'm sure people can help you more :)

Thank you all so, so very much! I'll definitely take all of this into account with my next map! I really appreciate the warm welcome this community continues to give me. :)

18 minutes ago, DAZZER said:

Also in what way this Map is different to other first Map attempts ?

It is pretty unusual for people who make their first maps to have people work for their first weapon in a way that's more than just killing a shotgun zombie, or something along those lines. On a closer look, it is made interesting even if you know where the shotgun is, since there's still pinkies to push you back etc. More often than not, first maps are a lot more straightforward in terms of item/weapon placement than this one is. On top of that, the run for the weapon is kept fair and skillbased, since there's no hitscans around, but neither is there any health pickup available right away, aside of a stimpack which barely registers if you get tripped up. That's what makes it different from many other first mapping attempts, including my first "doodle-sessions" in Doombuilder2, for example. That is what I like about this map, because it shows that eventhough it is a rather basic map all things considered, the item/monster placement and usage already is deliberate and works well, which is a huge plus in my book.

3 hours ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

 On top of that, the run for the weapon is kept fair and skillbased, since there's no hitscans around,

+1