THE TEMPLE OF DEATH (vanilla wad)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x2ebh5eracd38za/dethtemp.wad?dl=0

yoU R a demonologist who opened the Portal to another dimension to learn the secrets of the hell but they wont give it up easy

I really want to like this map as some of the new textures are cool (especially the sky but not that RK1 texture-that's an eyesore); and I like the layout's look in the editor, but there's no breathing space with the limited weapons you give us right away. You have like 29 enemies immediately opening fire upon you with a total of 16 -20 shells and 50 bullets in that area.   No health on HMP in the immediate area, 30 health points on Skill 1 in that same area and the entire eastern section is so fricking dark you can't see anything.  (also the western stairs up are too dark).   I like hectic maps but this seems ridiculous.

The opening area would work better with the chaingun (or even a RL) as the first pick-up, then grab a shotgun from a sgt.   Green armor on HMP or lower in the start area seems essential; maybe block the southern passage until a switch lowers it.  Like I said, I really want to like this map, but on the lower skill settings it basically is unplayable.

I've tried running through the opening areas to get to the central areas, but this too is problematic with health and ammo shortages.   Also it seems that you don't use sound blocking or monster blocking lines to control areas, so everything just comes at you from the start; when you reach the upper start areas, the former humans from the central areas have the halls choked off as the cacodemons, revs and other monsters squeeze you from behind--add a lack of health/armor and ammo with small bits of architecture the player can get stuck on and the map becomes completely frustrating instead of fun.  

Everything is as said above - the map is cool, but the gameplay is a real pain in the ass. I just included iddqd, since the moment with Cyberdemon and mancubuses made me doubt whether you were testing the map at all. . . The design is good, like the style, but the gameplay is a complete sadism on the part of the author to the players, this is fucking not playable map.

Bold minus for the gameplay, fix it.

OK, map was updated:

easy/medum made easier

   -more deaf monsters (espscially hitscanners and flying monsters)

    -less hitscanners (more ammo added to compensate)

     -more health and armour

    -on easy there is chaingun as well at the start

    -fixed a baron who wouldn't teleport in on easy

hard is unchanged except a few boxes i forgot 2 add for people who don't pick up RL at the end

Quote

since the moment with Cyberdemon and mancubuses made me doubt whether you were testing the map at all

UV was playtested a lot, no matter what order of keys, i didn't run out of ammo, or have trouble dodging to require too much health, the ending used to have only 1 difficulty setting though

update 2 some textures have been realigned

update 3 minor texture changes, plasma gun added to one area (so you don't have to run away from cyberdemon if u don't have ammo), monster block lines to stop pain elemental shooting through some bars

Only played one of yours before, but I like how much of a break in style this is visually.  The orange theme is great, really gritty and nice in crispy doom. Architecture was simple, but design looked good in a solid sort of way. The detailing with the lava holes in the ceiling near the keyed switches probably my favourite touch bar the end.

Use of light and dark was very distinctive, quite 90s in its refusal of realism. It contributed to the generally weird mood along with the glowing coloured tile textures, which I personally liked.  Except in that middle room where you used them everywhere, that was hideous :P

Difficulty was eat-your-own-boots hard as I'd expect. I went to yellow first, so had a rough time having only a shotgun, relying on a lot of infighting until there was room for me to flee back to the opening arena to watch monsters kill each other there instead from the safety of the northern platforms. Ammo is too tight or I just don't have enough patience to enjoy waiting out the monster civil war.  The other thing is I was a bit disappointed to realise that the super shotgun was just a little distance from the start, RL close too.  Agree with joepallai, I think it would be better if you give one power weapon to the player off the bat, then area play order doesn't matter as much.

That said, I mostly enjoyed the first 3 quarters of the level, I like Doom best when things are unpredictable and coming from all sides which I think you do excellently. Althogh the double cyberdemon fight took me about 12 reloads, jesus. Can you do that in one go, first go? I feel like save/loading has to be expected here, not good.

That last quarter then. I thought the jump to TOTAL abstraction was fucking brilliant in a weird way. Totally unexpected and slightly headache inducing, but I loved it. The starfield looked great in nostalgia res. Didn't like the manc/cyber pairing at all though. I could see what you were going for gameplay wise, but IMO again, with the way it was set up it requires gratituous use of the reload crutch. Maybe reduce the number of mancubi? Actually, thinking about it... i didn't play with headphones, maybe it's more doable if you can listen for the cyber on your right.

When I saw the revenant horde and mostly only had shells left, I thought fuck that and idkfa'd to get some ammo only realising later what was going on.  Shells/cells visual pun?

Fun overall, marred by some seriously frustrating parts.

hEllo there, glad you liked WAD :), i make level pretty challenging (what i think is appropriate to UV), on lower difficulty settings it is much easier (particularly the end). i placed little ammo into the early parts of the level so that player will have encouragement to continue forward momentum, and make hiding/sniping more difficult (but not impossible). but on lower difficulties is much more ammo everywhere and less healthy monster so you won't find run out as much

soon i will upload demo UV max so that you can see what tactics/strategy i use to complete this map, that way will know what is easiest way to play/complete

thank you all posters for play/feedback

demo is here (ping anyone do wants help/strategy)

On 2/4/2019 at 7:06 AM, joepallai said:

I really want to

2 hours ago, holaareola said:

fuck that

On 2/4/2019 at 9:48 AM, MAN_WITH_GUN said:

Cyberdemon