Blame it on the Web (5 level WAD for Doom II, v0.52, +custom music)

Hello folks! I got around to learning Doom Builder and put together a little 5 level WAD. No particular theme--just trying for fun gameplay and interesting fights. Thanks to a few friends helping me test it, and I'm certain there's plenty more to improve. Feedback very welcome! 

Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/6dUF4

Download: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1vHhDo2heLtKA1UVthAmeEt71nKrpgr7p

Name: Blame it on the Web
Map Format: Doom 2
Ports Tested: GZDoom (also tested Zandronum and Chocolate, but they it) 
IWAD: Doom 2
Map(s): MAP01 - MAP05
Gameplay: Single player
Difficulty Settings: UV recommended, others function. Similar to Plutonia, perhaps a bit harder. 
Multiplayer Placement: No
Build Time: 40 hours ish, counting learning Doom Builder
Gameplay: Vanilla Doom II (no jumping etc)
Music: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Megadeth midis from http://metal-midi.grahamdowney.com/midi.html

Changelog

• 0.51
  • Texture pass on MAP01, fixed lots of alignment errors and added more variety. Looked over the other maps too, found massively less of it. 
  • Added fences to communicate blocked movement where that comes up, changed some geometry around the starting platform. 
  • Clarified the exit to MAP01. 
  • Made a secret in MAP01 a bit more obvious when triggered.
• 0.52
  • Custom music! 
  • Fixed a bunch more textures throughout the WAD. Hand-aligning rooms full of faces... D: 
  • Fixed a toe trap in MAP01 

Looks nice from the shots...

Welcome and happy mapmaking to you.

I played Map 1. Here are some of  my opinions that you may consider or disregard.

People (self not included) tend not to appreciate stock music. They have heard D_Runnin a billion times and probably the next several tracks quite a bit too. But don't get bogged down with Slade things if it takes away from mapping.

Opening platform was a little odd.

Impassable walls "for no reason" are a little odd in many cases. In other words, make it look like something's blocking it. For example, it very much looks like you can bypass the bloodfalls and simply run across the chasm, but it's blocked by nothing. 

Pay attention to texture alignment. It can be a pain, but it can make a big difference in visual appeal. Here's a hint: when you have windows, upper and lower unpegging will help.

I couldn't decide if the arachnotron trap was kinda interesting or cheap.

The exit was very unexpected. I probably would have been lost forever if not for GZDoom's color-coding of exit lines.

Although you have some interesting geometry, there are a lot of the same textures. Sometimes that can be alright, but don't let it become the standard. It's a bit too much startan here.

I would advise you to be careful with shootable switches. If your wad overall feels classic Doom-ish, then people will not expect to have to shoot many switches, especially not switches that you can obviously (at some point) walk right up to.

You seem to be a gameplay mapper. Some are primarily concerned with the space; some are primarily concerned with the encounters/gameplay. The former is probably more common. A healthy mix of the two is probably best. In any case, the map was playable and not broken. That alone plus some of the detail in gameplay elements show promise.

If the format is Doom 2, I would suggest you test in at least a limit-removing port, or PrBoom+ at the very least. GZDoom can sometimes hide your errors, so if someone sees "vanilla" and "Doom 2" format, they should be able to play it in Chocolate or at least Crispy, but if you only tested in GZDoom, there could be bugs/errors in those less advanced ports.

Keep at it.

2 hours ago, HAK3180 said:

Welcome and happy mapmaking to you.

 

I played Map 1. Here are some of  my opinions that you may consider or disregard.

 

People (self not included) tend not to appreciate stock music. They have heard D_Runnin a billion times and probably the next several tracks quite a bit too. But don't get bogged down with Slade things if it takes away from mapping.

 

Keep at it.

I disagree with this part of your review completely. 

There's plenty of music wads out there, and if people have a problem with D_Runnin they should go get new music themselves. But I do not think mappers should have to provide music unless they want to.

@Pure Hellspawn

I disagree with that part as well, hence the "self not included" part. But since it is an opinion that appears to me to be pretty widely held, I thought I'd mention it.

14 hours ago, HAK3180 said:

Welcome and happy mapmaking to you.

 

Keep at it.

I've implemented most of the feedback here and added a changelog to the first post. Thanks for playing!

The first level intentionally leaned a bit heavily on basic textures, but given the risk of people becoming disinterested after just one level that's probably not a value positive trade. It's still more plain than later levels, but should have a lot more variety now. That said, I'm much happier with how the other levels turned out and am considering replacing MAP01 entirely. Big thanks for the unpegged texture tip, that saved a ton of time!

If implementing your feedback in a timely manner has enticed you back, pistol start on any map other than MAP05 should play fine ^^

I do intend to replace the stock music. I suppose I'll try to figure that out next!

What's a limit-removing port? I'll test in those other ports you mentioned. Mainly I'm concerned about being able to have two things: walls which block bullets but not sight and the ability to hide things in the floor to make use of tiny corners of their sprites and/or ambushes.  

edit: Confirmed that this way of implementing "wall that stops bullets but not sight" errors in Chocolate. Is there a good means of doing this in Chocolate?

When you say the "map format" is Doom 2, do you mean the "game configuration" is Doom 2 or do you just mean that it is intended for the Doom 2 iwad, rather than Doom or TNT or Plutonia?

8 hours ago, HAK3180 said:

When you say the "map format" is Doom 2, do you mean the "game configuration" is Doom 2 or do you just mean that it is intended for the Doom 2 iwad, rather than Doom or TNT or Plutonia?

Hmm... I'm not sure which term covers it. I mean Doom 2 enemies, mechanics (not too picky about freelook but no jumping etc), and Doom 2 textures etc.

Bit lazy not bothering to change the default music if you ask me...

6 hours ago, jointritual said:

Bit lazy not bothering to change the default music if you ask me...

 

Fixed!