[WIP] The Rending of Syataqwa - A Lovecraftian WAD for Doom 2 (GZDoom)

 

Map Format: UDMF

Ports Tested: GZDoom 3.2.5. I wish this worked on Zandronum, but it seems to crash on some DECORATE stuff. This will not work with Zdoom due to the use of portals.

IWAD: DOOM2.WAD

Map: MAP01 (EDIT: stay tuned for MAP02: Accursed Circle.)

Music: Just some ambient stuff from here

Gameplay: Single Player

Difficulty Settings: Yes, for HMP and UV. NOTE: HMP will hurt you plenty

Multiplayer: I might go back and add coop if people want it enough. This is not a deathmatch map.

Build time: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 2 months-ish?

Textures: See the txt file in the ZIP for this and the full credits.

Requirements: Jumping is strongly recommended. Be sure you have it bound to a very convenient key. Check your HUD message scaling to make sure it’s reasonable. Freelook is assumed, but probably not required. As for compatibility settings, it assumes you’re using the OpenGL renderer (damn you Plane_Align *shakes fist*)  Note: Because this mod modifies the monsters a little, it is not and will never be compatible with Bloodfixer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DOWNLOAD HERE

 

 

STORY

 

Halfway up the Miskatonic River in central Massachusetts, between the mostly quiet college town of Arkham and the tourist trap of Dunwich, lies Syataqwa Island. No one knows how to pronounce that name. The indigenous tribes claim it comes from an Elder God who built the island untold aeons ago for some purpose best left unexplored. The average suburbanite, of course, laughs all this off. Over a century has passed since the Dunwich Horror of 1928 and the incident at Innsmouth the year before, and the hipsters who moved here out of Boston and NYC to start overpriced microbreweries and gastropubs put names like Dagon and Yog-Sothoth on their IPAs and $20 pumpkin spice kale salads to give them that #local #cachet #OldOnes.

The Miskatonic University System runs a branch of their Extension Service on Syataqwa Island, mainly to support various archaeological projects, but also to help local small businesses and hold summer classes for their Distance Ed students. DoomGuy, after the events of Doom 2, returned to Earth and enrolled in Miskatonic’s MBA program. When he stepped off the Dunwich-Arkham ferry one afternoon, however, he found something had gone horribly wrong. The business instructors uncovered management practices not meant for mortals, and now the geometry of the Peaslee Business Center makes no sense! The Doom monsters are back, but some of them appear out of nowhere without even a teleport flash. Someone...or something...is tearing the fabric of reality apart, and it’s up to you to stop it!

 

 

 

Finally, I have a few specific things I’d like some feedback on in addition to anything else people have to say, not sure if 1-3 should be in the Editing Questions forum:

 

1. The computer I’m building this on is almost 5 years old, and I’m seeing some, ah, cinematic framerate drops to around 30 FPS, sometimes as low as 20. I think it’s due to the use of portals and to a lesser extent camera textures. Is there any relatively hassle-free way to optimize this, or have I gone so far overboard on detailing I have to lie in this bed?

 

2. The custom texture in the hallway leading to the library was my first attempt at a photosourced texture, and I’m concerned it shows. Should I tweak it (and how?) or get rid of it?

 

3. Similar deal for the signs. Should I try photosourcing them?

 

4. I’d like to replace the Product Placement Here sign, and I’ve thought of a couple names for Lovecraft booze:

 

Cthulhu Eggnog'n

Yog-Schnapthoth

NyaRUMthothep

Obed Marsh Innsmouth Lager

Absinthoth

Miskatonic Moonshine

Scotch-Niggurath

Whateley's Unspeakable Brandy

The Cognac Out Of Time

 

Do any of these jump out to people? Anyone want to suggest something else?

 

Ba uvf pbhpu ng R'lyeh, onxrq Cthulhu yvrf gbxvat!!!

 

 

Edited February 18, 2018 by SuperArjunaButt : Make the title a little more descriptive

Dagon's Wide-mouth Ale?

Pickman's Modelo Especial?

 

FYI, there actually is a Dagon Lager Beer made in Myanmar. Unfortunately, the logo is a lion, not a fish.

 

Map seems a bit short - but I'd like to see you continue to map. 

Seems a little like a spooky wad with Lovecraft references...
Great!

2 hours ago, Pure Hellspawn said:

Map seems a bit short - but I'd like to see you continue to map. 

Yeah, I was wondering about that when I started on the detailing pass.  On the other hand (and not trying to argue with you), I have played plenty of WADs where they keep MAP01 kind of short to introduce the themes.  I'll think about adding a few more encounters this weekend.  Thanks for the feedback!

11 hours ago, SuperArjunaButt said:

Yeah, I was wondering about that when I started on the detailing pass.  On the other hand (and not trying to argue with you), I have played plenty of WADs where they keep MAP01 kind of short to introduce the themes.  I'll think about adding a few more encounters this weekend.  Thanks for the feedback!

 

That is true, but I still think with all the screenshots and opportunities the map could have been a bit bigger. Especially since there's about 100 monsters and when I finished I killed maybe about 20. It's a really nice map and making the player go through more of it before finishing would enable the player to see more that this map already offers.

 

Are most of the areas in this map optional? 

8 hours ago, Pure Hellspawn said:

Are most of the areas in this map optional? 

There's two flavors of optional in this map: One is "I split the critical path and you can pick either branch" (ex. the path to the library), and the other is "If you know Doom well enough (cough rocket jump cough), here's a little treat for you".  Now that I think about it, the ferry has some treats, but it is just kind of there.

Since you didn't upload a demo, can I ask what path you took to kill that few monsters?  Maybe there's some goof in the flow of the level I didn't think about.  Nbd if you don't remember.

Edited February 4, 2018 by SuperArjunaButt

1 hour ago, SuperArjunaButt said:

There's two flavors of optional in this map: One is "I split the critical path and you can pick either branch" (ex. the path to the library), and the other is "If you know Doom well enough (cough rocket jump cough), here's a little treat for you".  Now that I think about it, the ferry has some treats, but it is just kind of there.

Since you didn't upload a demo, can I ask what path you took to kill that few monsters?  Maybe there's some goof in the flow of the level I didn't think about.  Nbd if you don't remember.

The beginning monsters followed by the ones in the lowering walls, plus the floating commander keen. Pathwise, I searched the borders outside to see if I could get in the water and when I did in the deep part where the exit was.

*facepalm*  Thank you so much.  I knew I should have gone back and checked those lines again.

This whole area.

 

https://ibb.co/i3H9G6

 

EDIT: Going back and playing the map it took me 19 seconds to beat it. On Nightmare.

Edited February 4, 2018 by Pure Hellspawn : speeded on nightmare going through the lines

I just uploaded an updated WAD that should fix this, available at the download link above.  Here's a screenshot of the area in question as it looks now.

 

Much better. Things like that can make or break a wad.

Judging by the screenshots, it looks atmospherical and good

the screenshots look really cool. when my PC is capable of running GZDOOM (current one is not open gl3 compatible) this will be near the top of my list of wads to download.

The halls with the crazy echoing going on first got me confused a bit, since I thought something's wrong with my PC, but then I realized that's exactly what a lovecraftian themed .wad needs.

 

And I had some problems in the library with the mages, but I figured I could just hide around the book shelves.

 

Didn't record a demo, but I might replay this if you release it one day.

22 minutes ago, torekk said:

And I had some problems in the library with the mages, but I figured I could just hide around the book shelves.

Was it still challenging, or could you make short work of them by funneling them?  I just tried this and it gets a little difficult once the shelves come down.

 

Quote

Didn't record a demo, but I might replay this if you release it one day.

 

Oh I'll put this on /idgames and update the post when I'm done with it.

Edited February 13, 2018 by SuperArjunaButt

Just a note, I found two bugs in playtesting earlier today.  This new WAD should fix the Commander Keen entrance and a thing special goof that breaks the level when playing on ITYTD or HNTR.

2 hours ago, SuperArjunaButt said:

Was it still challenging, or could you make short work of them by funneling them?  I just tried this and it gets a little difficult once the shelves come down.

I tried to hide behind the shelves and then peak around the corner, that seemed to work.

 

I don't remember at which skill I played though, propably hurt me plenty.

Cool, just wanted to make sure it didn't make that encounter too easy.

 

Good to know the sound effects work as intended :P

Old thread, but I still want to say that i found the atmosphere very very cool. This community definetly needs more Lovecraft inspired wads.