What are you playing now?

Currently playing the Master Levels, using crispy, I played some of them in the PSX version last year, others will be completely new. Attack and Canyon were fine, way overpowered, not sure why those names though. 

I've finished the second episode of Valiant and finished 3 levels of the last episode.

The second episode was my favorite so far! In comparison with the others episodes, each map of that felt more unique, featuring more distinctive architecture and gameplay gimmicks. The last map is really, really good (although some snipers from odd angles were somewhat annoying). For the last episode, I was expecting something different lol It was kinda dissapointing the single shotgun gameplay in the first two levels, which is a really slow weapon and the monster sniping at some sections became really annoying. The third level was really good, though.

The Master Levels were really, kinda ok, some entertaining maps with good looking layouts and fine combat, like Black Tower and Bloodsea Keep, I'd say those were the only maps by Soundblock I truly enjoyed, because then his other maps... Mephisto wasn't that bad except for the sniping mancubi part, Bad Dream was comical I guess, but TEETH was horrible, it started fine but then went downhill with chaingunners in darkness and other annoying bits. Jim Flynn maps were everything I expected ever since I played Eternal Doom, that is to say, cryptic progression, and I wasn't a fan of that. I don't have much to say about the rest of the maps, some were very easy, you can even drown in cells and BFGs in one map and have nothing worth to use them. Anyway, mixed bag. 

So now I'm going to start Counterattack by Mechadon, I have only played his THT and PRCP maps before so I know I'm expecting huge massive non-linear exploration etc levels under beautiful skies.

Played the 2 first episodes from Doom the way id did, because I wanted something short and it's been some time since I last played something with Doom 1 (except 2002 ADO).

First of all, out of all the Doom 1 wads I have played (they are not too many actually), this one manages to look and play exactly like if it was id's creation, but it is not copy paste at the very least, so mission accomplished in that aspect (seriously, no need to describe any map, because for a map to feel like id's maps is already a huge compliment).

I also had fun with the shotgun and the low tier enemies, especially when they would team up in ambushes.

Additionally, the levels have a good difficulty curve and they are fun to play one after another. They have a good connection between them and playing them together as an episode is the ideal way. There was only one level that dragged on a bit longer, thanks to the tons of exploration it contained (it was near the 2nd episode's end) and even that one was pretty fun.

And I remembered something that I had forgotten about the gameplay:

Also, I rocketed the Cyberdemon in E2M8, because the plasma would be too quick. Besides, I wanted to remember once again what E2M8 felt like and I enjoyed it (it was faster than I remembered it to be with the rocket launcher). And as a whole, I rushed more rooms than I could remember throughout these 2 episodes. It was so badass entering an ambush room with Mach 7 speeds, while holding the shotgun!

Can't wait to play E3 tomorrow.

3 hours ago, galileo31dos01 said:

The Master Levels were really, kinda ok, some entertaining maps with good looking layouts and fine combat, like Black Tower and Bloodsea Keep, I'd say those were the only maps by Soundblock I truly enjoyed, because then his other maps... Mephisto wasn't that bad except for the sniping mancubi part, Bad Dream was comical I guess, but TEETH was horrible, it started fine but then went downhill with chaingunners in darkness and other annoying bits. Jim Flynn maps were everything I expected ever since I played Eternal Doom, that is to say, cryptic progression, and I wasn't a fan of that. I don't have much to say about the rest of the maps, some were very easy, you can even drown in cells and BFGs in one map and have nothing worth to use them. Anyway, mixed bag. 

 

So now I'm going to start Counterattack by Mechadon, I have only played his THT and PRCP maps before so I know I'm expecting huge massive non-linear exploration etc levels under beautiful skies.

^ If you think the Mancubi were the worst part of Mephisto's Mausoleum, then I'm guessing you didn't play it on UV - on that setting, I found the reception committee of Revenants inside the main building to be easily the toughest obstacle, and had to switch to HMP in order to progress. I'd like to think I've improved sufficiently since then to complete the map on the harder setting, will give it a try sometime.

I also tried Counterattack a couple of months ago. Found it to be a painstakingly constructed effort, with highly manicured maps and huge attention to detail etc, but somewhat lacking a soul. I gave up from sheer boredom after 2 levels. I actually prefer a lot of 1994/5 maps to this, even some of the more rudimentary stuff, which often has a raw edge and energy that's lacking in quite a few modern offerings. Just my own opinion, of course!

58 minutes ago, Summer Deep said:

^ If you think the Mancubi were the worst part of Mephisto's Mausoleum, then I'm guessing you didn't play it on UV - on that setting, I found the reception committee of Revenants inside the main building to be easily the toughest obstacle, and had to switch to HMP in order to progress. I'd like to think I've improved sufficiently since then to complete the map on the harder setting, will give it a try sometime.

Setting was UV for all the maps, the revs take over the bridges quickly, and taking them out with only shotgun/chaingun from below wasn't very fun. The thing with the mancs was crappy autoaim, so much ammo wasted. But nothing beats the end, because IoS=ew, well, there was a neat secret to put up with the moment. 

@galileo31dos01 Yeah that IoS was BS.

SlaughterMax, Struggle, and Toad.  I need to squeeze in this castle styled map that elmle sent me and ESP2 sometime soon.

Swim With The Whales (swtw.wad). What a masterpiece!!

Finished Valiant yesterday :P
Here's my shitty review:

Just finished Laboratory of the Devil. The upload date in the Legacy Idgames site says 2005, but surely it's a good deal older than that (looks mid-90s)? Anyway, it's quite a large map, almost 300 monsters on UV, and is a bit tricky because of the large number of chaingunners and sergeants, combined with limited health availability. Could have done with more ambitious wall textures (almost all plain grey-white), and more variety in the bestiary (no Cacos, PEs, Lost Souls, Revenants or Mancubuses).

Not available for review in the Idgames (Beta) section, but I'd award it around 6/10.

Edit: just noticed that it is in that section. Oh well....

Gonna start playing Valiant sometime today.

*skillsaw intensifies*

Wow, Counterattack was amazing, unexpected twists near the end and some incredible hidden stuff there... anyway, today I'll start The Rebirth with crispy, plus the custom midi pack. It's not entirely complete so I added some random tracks for myself from other wads, they should fit the maps of course.

So today, or yesterday actually, started Stardate 20x6 with glboom+. I'm glad I chose HMP based on generous recommendations, the cramped combat gets harsh when the curvilinear geometry plays against me, I should stop getting stuck in the walls, doomguy turns into a homing missiles magnet when that happens. However, it's been fun and the visuals are so polished, I mean, purple, duh.

I just started this wonderful little TC.

@Halfblind It was pretty good, I liked Machines of Death more and you may too.

4 hours ago, galileo31dos01 said:

So today, or yesterday actually, started Stardate 20x6 with glboom+. I'm glad I chose HMP based on generous recommendations, the cramped combat gets harsh when the curvilinear geometry plays against me, I should stop getting stuck in the walls, doomguy turns into a homing missiles magnet when that happens. However, it's been fun and the visuals are so polished, I mean, purple, duh.

Movement in some places gets....interesting.  I had some unique yet irritating elastic collisions that forced ends to fights previously going so well.

I'm having some much fun with Colorful hell combined with legendoom. I'm completing 3 heures d'Agonie 2 and and it really becomes a mess in slaughtermaps. lol

(Map 28 from 3 heures d'Agonie II)

Recently finnished Stardate 20x6 on my usual settings (Saves, semi-filthy continuous, HMP this time). Excepting a few particular cases in the sixth map, it was a very fun experience overall. Tomorrow I'll start 2002: A Doom Odyssey, 10th anniversary edition, using crispy and back to UV.

@cyan0s1s I actually started Machines of Death before I found out it was a sequel to Shadows of Destiny. I had to quit so I can start playing this one.

52 minutes ago, galileo31dos01 said:

Tomorrow I'll start 2002: A Doom Odyssey, 10th anniversary edition, using crispy and back to UV.

I'm playing this as well. I was stuck on E4M3 for the longest time. (As a continuous/saves player, that episode is not particularly kind if you exit a map below 50% health as I did a couple of times.) I recently gave it another go was able to slip by a couple major roadblocks (both having to do with mobs of barons pinning you in a cramped corridor) and am once again enjoying myself. E4M6 in particular was amazing.

21 hours ago, Roofi said:

I'm having some much fun with Colorful hell combined with legendoom. I'm completing 3 heures d'Agonie 2 and and it really becomes a mess in slaughtermaps. lol

That reminds me of a playthrough I did a while back of the 3 heures d'Agonie quadrilogy with Colorful Hell, LegenDoom Lite, and Trailblazer. Yeah, the slaughtermaps become very hectic but I loved that, especially when I was able to keep Quad Damage and Infinite Ammo going through most of those slaughtermaps and just annihilate everything with the Nutcracker. :v

I've got a backlog of things to play through so I'm probably gonna start later on Dark Universe Pt. 1 with Colorful Hell, LegenDoom Lite, Mikk's Champions mod, and Trailblazer (again, I love Trailblazer lol).

I finally finished Shadows of Destiny, now I am going back to finish up this wonderful TC.

I'm at Map18 of Resurgence (replaying it with as little midmap-saving as possible). The only map I've midmapped saved in is Map32 (and only once, which is a record for me. And apparently, I didn't even need to, since I didn't even die). Much better than its predecessor (Speed of Doom).

Well as it can be noticed from another thread, I started Sunlust last night after finishing Valiant.

It's fun, exciting traps until now (but ok, sometimes they want to put you down really quick on narrow alleys :v ) xdd.

2 hours ago, Agent6 said:

Well as it can be noticed from another thread, I started Sunlust last night after finishing Valiant.

 

It's fun, exciting traps until now (but ok, sometimes they want to put you down really quick on narrow alleys :v ) xdd.

What difficulty are you playing on?

22 minutes ago, Poncho said:

What difficulty are you playing on?

Unlike everything I've played until now, HMP.

UV is supposedly only for "Doom gods", so I guess that difficulty was beyond me this time around. I wonder though what's with the optional rooms early on, I've actually just finished a level with 40% kills. Wow, I certainly missed a lot of action there.

I'm trying to beat valiant on UV difficulty/pistol start/no saves, and I must say, I have quite interesting relationship with it so far. I would describe it like that: It's like eating hot pizza, it's melted cheese will disintegrate your mouth into bloody mess, but it tastes so good, that you just can't stop, no matter how painful it is.

53 minutes ago, BioRenegat said:

I'm trying to beat valiant on UV difficulty/pistol start/no saves, and I must say, I have quite interesting relationship with it so far. I would describe it like that: It's like eating hot pizza, it's melted cheese will disintegrate your mouth into bloody mess, but it tastes so good, that you just can't stop, no matter how painful it is.

If you like it check Ancient Aliens after you're done, but expect greater difficulty.

On 5/8/2018 at 11:35 PM, Salt-Man Z said:

I'm playing this as well. I was stuck on E4M3 for the longest time. (As a continuous/saves player, that episode is not particularly kind if you exit a map below 50% health as I did a couple of times.) I recently gave it another go was able to slip by a couple major roadblocks (both having to do with mobs of barons pinning you in a cramped corridor) and am once again enjoying myself. E4M6 in particular was amazing.

I just played that E4M3 map, boy some of these maps would be downright terrible from pistol start, I can notice the unbalance in regards to resource placement, one map gifts you a berserk pack, next one pure shotgun gameplay for every single pack of barons/cacodemons/pinkies dudes in narrow hallways. Aside from that, even on my semi-filthy style of continuous gameplay, the mapset has been either bad or not that bad, with the few good maps being "outstanding" compared to the rest. Seems to me a case of "interesting concepts, questionable execution".