The DWmegawad Club plays: Whispers of Satan

So, Whispers of Satan is a WAD that I've played my way through before, but all of once, and rather a long time ago.  I'm sure recollections will be triggered as I make my way through it again this month, but I wouldn't claim any particular familiarity with it even so.

There are bonus/secret levels (beyond the usual MAP31 and MAP32 slots) and I'm not familiar with how these are meant to be accessed during normal play - what day(s) is it intended that we should play these additional maps on?

Anyway: ZDoom 2.8.1, Hurt Me Plenty, continuous play with saves as and when I feel they're necessary.

MAP01: Sintlabs

Whispers of Satan begins with a fairly conventional techbase that to me was most striking for its deliberate nods toward specific episodes or levels; the early STAR*-textured rooms evoke Knee Deep in the Dead, the "wet room" that bisects the map is very Underhalls in its texturing, and then the loops of corridors at the end with their metal floors, TEKGREN* walls, and tall narrow doors feel like they're straight out of The Focus.  The bulk of the level will be steady-paced pistol work unless you find the early secret shotgun, though fortunately the boomstick itself is right there in plain view and it's not much of a hassle figuring out how to get your hands on it.  I found the design of the exit "cube" to be quite strking, almost like some kind of monolith or high-tech altar mounted atop its dais, and then the revelation of a second loop of corridor with its own containment chamber and cube in turn was just disorienting enough to be engaging.  For the most part, though, this comes across as MAP01-by-the-numbers, which isn't necessarily a criticism but sometimes it's nice to have one's expectations defied.

Also look out for the complete OST in SC-55 soundfont (in one long video) on my Youtube channel in the near future to commemorate the 10th anniversary of it's release.

So anyway as the author myself time for me to admit my guilt and get the worst of WOS out of the way.

MAP06: Covert Operations Facility

The story is I was trying way too hard to make a map with atmosphere and didn't realize what I was doing wrong at the time maybe because at that particular time in my map designing career I was suffering badly from designer's block and was feeling a bit depressed in my life.

So anyway this is perhaps my most talked about map because of the beautiful symmetric design and it appears pretty much the same even if you play it looking into a mirror or not. We'll get this symmetric masterpiece out of the way early.  As you venture down into the dark base and through rooms 1, 2, 3, and 4 as you almost fall asleep from boredom in the process you finally reach room 4 and finally lower the red key. Then you go further into the dark depths and find yourself in a confused, dark and mirror imaged state of terror within a cold, haunted underground setting where you must grab the yellow and blue key in order to descent into the darkest depths of the underworld where you fight some bruiser brothers while watching your step. As you reach the exit you breathe a sigh of relief, thank goodness I'm out of this nightmare.

1: At the start drop down into the water and you'll find a secret SSG.

2: Just the the south of Door 1 is a secret blue Armor. Press the lightning bolt.

3: Walk along the outer ledge surrounding the exit to grab a Supercharge.

This map was about to be replaced with a new map named Processing Bunker but Kristian Nebula told me not to update WOS and replace this level so Processing Bunker, the intended replacement for this map was released standalone. He told me you need to accept the good with the bad. It was from after the release of WOS I learned many new things and the most important thing about map designing is belief and motivation. Enjoy and don't force yourself when you are out of ideas.

Somebody released a map named Whispers of Startan not long after WOS was uploaded to poke fun at this map. Several years later I responded with a map myself named The Real Whispers of Startan which was included in the April Fools Startan project.

I recall my least favorites, each for similar reasons, were Levels 6, 9, 10, and 18. Whereas Level 25 was definitely one of my favorites and I think Levels 7, 16, and 19 too. But making fun of the wad because of some symmetry is and was over the top, IMO. Though I will admit I think Death Tormention 3 might still be the top pcorf/Aro collab.

Haven't posted in one of these clubs in a while due to life getting in the way as per usual but I'd like to give this one a go, at least go into this thing with the prospect of finishing at the end of the month. Latest version of GZdoom, UV pistolstarts until the heat proves too hot.

MAP01: Sintlabs | 100% Kills | 33% Secrets |

A pretty basic techbasey map01 with some cool simple aesthetic touches, such as the helipad visible from the start of the map and some outdoor vistas towards the end. Combat is relatively simple here, nothing beyond standard MAP01 fare with imps, undead soldiers, and the occasional searge or two. Nothing that impressive, but I suppose with a MAP01 of any wad you can't ask for too much, and for 2009 standards this is about par for the course.

I think I dropped this around midway but it was quite some time ago. Aro's maps are cool and I liked the music, which was Paul's strongest point in this wad. For the rest I definetely remember a very boring gameplay and the symmetry.

MAP01: An opener without much ceremonies and your standard easy salad of the weakest low tiers. But it does its job with some nice secrets around and some good details like the helipad courtyard.

Hi. So cool to see you feature WOS in the megawad club. I noticed that MAP30 is credited only to me, it was actually done by both Paul and me where I did the first part of it and Paul the 2nd part of it. Hope you enjoy and will be nice to read your thoughts on the maps :)

What the hey, it's after midnight and tomorrow's looking busy.

MAP02: The Sink

The darkness is your enemy here as much as the demons, with an unremarkable crowd of low-tiers making the most of the map's extensive gloom to scurry about unseen and chip away at your health.  Overall I'd describe the layout as a somewhat disjointed loop of different sorts of corridors around an initially inacessible central core, with a couple of projecting nodes - the northern exterior area, the eastern toxin sump across which lies the exit - located outside of that looping passage.  I lost a lot more health than I should have after picking up the chaingun, though it's nice to have that (and the WAD's first green armour) in hand from here on out.  There are definite echoes of Underhalls present here again, but I was left feeling that there were perhaps too many different visual ideas at work here that didn't have room to breathe or to fully develop or differentiate themselves.

I recently did a casual continuous playthrough of this wad as well as tried it with a few mods like QCDE and D4T.

Will be using PRBoom+, aside from the ZDoom exclusive maps, UV pistol starts, and no saves for some extra tension and since I already know the maps. This wad is mostly on par with IWAD difficulty, so UV should be a breeze for any seasoned Doomer. I'll post some casual max demos too, because why not. -cl -1 because I'm not dealing with shorttics and it feels the same to me otherwise for casual purposes.

MAP01 - “Sintlabs” by Paul Corfiatis S01-wos01-UVmax-225.zip

A classic map01 opener with some Pistol into Shotgun gameplay against low-tier enemies. Visuals are quite simple but texture alignment is on point and they get the job done. The later maps have some impressive detailing. I like the sky texture with the brown mountains, and since this is a Boom wad where sky transfers are possible there will be more than just one sky per episode. There is a secret Chainsaw which is unlikely to get any mileage within the scope of the map. Nice to have for continuous players once Pinkies start showing up, if that's your jam. Not sure those red arrows in the grass were necessary on the way to the secret Soulsphere, as once you leap out the window there is only one way to go.

MAP02 - “The Sink” by Kristian Aro S01-wos02-UVmax-504.zip

A natural thematic transition from the previous map into another techbase with some Underhalls references. The Pinky/Spectre makes his debut and you get a chance to hose down a bunch of weak enemies with the Chaingun. There are no secrets here so things are pretty straight forward. The outdoor area looks nice and I like the water pipes near the wall. There's also a dark crate warehouse which provides a very early backpack for the ammo hoarders out there.

13 hours ago, FrancisT18 said:

I recall my least favorites, each for similar reasons, were Levels 6, 9, 10, and 18. Whereas Level 25 was definitely one of my favorites and I think Levels 7, 16, and 19 too. But making fun of the wad because of some symmetry is and was over the top, IMO. Though I will admit I think Death Tormention 3 might still be the top pcorf/Aro collab.

The theme song!

My Playthrough of Whispers of Satan

MAP02: The initial areas seem molded after the original Underhalls, while the rest is mostly original but all is tied by a sewerish theme and the grey & green visuals. It seems that there are some changes on the palette, or some textures like the metals and the browns/slad look darkened which gives a more moody feel and the places look less lit then normal. No secrets to find here and insted of the SSG room in an optional area you can find the chaingun.

MAP03: Poison Sewers

Wait, didn't we just get done with the sewers level?  I guess not, although the relatively benign wastewater of MAP02 gives way here to the familiar churning green toxin of many a Doom techbase.  I'm aware of the criticism that this WAD has faced for a tendency toward symmetrical layouts and that's somewhat in evidence here, with a symmetrical opening courtyard area from which two branches lead in turn to symmetrical rooms, but the whole map is small enough and "busy" enough with easy shotgun fodder that it's not offensive.  Demons and spectres are employed less as threats and more as obstacles to eat up the duration on your radiation suits, though enough of them are provided that you're unlikely to run out.  The hunt for the secrets was an engaging one, although I was left feeling that the way I grabbed the soul sphere was probably not the intended method (although a quick check of the Doom Wiki confirms that it was) and instead I was convinced that there was a switch somewhere that I had missed or couldn't be bothered to go looking for when another approach presented itself.

MAP03 - “Poison Sewers” by Paul Corfiatis S01-wos03-UVmax-823.zip

The start appears like an homage to map05 of the original Scythe and overall the map feels like at expanded take on that Scythe map. There is a lot of Shotgun gameplay front-loaded at the start of the map. I feel like the Chaingun appearing earlier would have been better, as I was maxed out on bullets but only had a pistol in the Imp cage room. The Rocket Launcher and Backpack at the end also feels like a strictly continuous pickup as by that point you're likely to have just the exit Sergeant remaining. I'm curious as to whether the authors prefer continuous over pistol start play? The secret Berserk is essential to punch your way through the sewers past the yellow bars as around 10 Pinkies and Spectres lurk there with about as many more in the room past the red door. That Soulsphere secret can be surprisingly tricky to grab and requires a rather precise SR40 (or 50) off the upper step. Maybe there's a simpler way but that's how I always get it. Overall, a nice and natural progression from the previous map.

I feel like a bit of classic Doom 2 megawad style fun, so I will continue from last month.

I play PRboom+ UV Continuous with saves

MAP01 - “Sintlabs” by Paul Corfiatis
A cute but rather simplistic and 'stringy' map01. A good part of the map (that is to say not very much in absolute terms) seems to be made up of relatively empty corridors. I tend to prefer that a map consist more of areas with interesting structures in (eg. the brown stone red key area in the underhalls for a simple example)  and ideally overlook and interlink with other such interesting structures (ala E1M7). The helipad area is more interesting though - it's very reminiscent of a similar area from Simply Phobos, PCorf's nice E1 episode circa 2004, but with neat simulated flashing red lights - but that's more effective to me as scenery rather than something that affects play very much. Gameplay in any map01 is always simple, but I think this one is more simple than most as the encounters are largely just presenting some weak monsters ahead to shoot what's in front of you. I feel some more monsters attacking from sides and higher vantage points or from a trap went awanting here.

The latter part of the map in the two square courtyards is a teeny bit more interesting though with the chance to pop troopers at a distance through the windows and the introduction of shotguns and imps, although it's repetitive and, I'm sad to say so early in the playthrough symmetrical. I don't necessarily see that that's a problem per se, and symmetry is good at times but the variety that comes from assymetry is often welcome. There are three secrets here which I found both straightforward to work out but also fairly pleasing to solve simple puzzles. Bonus points awarded for doing secrets of the non-hidden door variety, however I immediately regret my decision to use PRBoom+ after discovering the secret exit - I appreciated the label that it's ZDoom only though.

So overall I think this is not the greatest as far as first levels go but not terrible - I tend to find it a tad sprawling and stringy as discussed. PCorf mentions he had bad mappers block, so I'm presuming this was among the earlier maps. Contrast this map01, with something like TNT's System Control, which I feel managed to be far more varied in play and structure, yet also more succint and compact with less filler. I had much the same issue with Map01 of Doom 2 Reloaded from the Club playthrough then, a few years ago. Anyway, this is only a map01 and it serves absolutely fine for it's slot, so fair play.

MAP02 - “The Sink” by Kristian Aro
So whilst the last map didn't feel much like an iwad homage, it didn't take long after entering this map and taking the first left (by the imp receptionist(?) or something) to see water, pipewall textures and lightgrey stone and the Underhalls part of my brain promptly lit up. Really though, the map is reminiscent, as we have the same corridor based circuit forming a hub structure with side areas as short spokes, however it doesn't take as inspiration the 'snappiness' of the original - the initial lap around involves just a sprinkling of zombiemen to be plinked and shotgunners to be shotgunned (I try to match ammo expense to ammo drop). So initially as a result this map feels quite slow and not so interesting, there isn't so much of the satisfaction of being able to take down several former humans at the same time with the shotgun as occurs in the iwad map02.

However, it isn't simply the same map though: a second scenic outdoors area is present to change things up a little and improving matters gameplay wise is the ending area and the chaingun trap. Really the chaingun trap is probably my favourite part, as although it is not at all surprising as a trap it is still amusing to fight through by virtue of the different locations from which the monsters approach and the larger number of low level monsters to put down whilst dodging and trying to preserve the soulsphere health. The ending has a cutesy pillar raising mechanic which gives it a simple low level sense of progression, though I feel another opportunity for a trap was missed: reaching the central pillar might have been a good time for an imp teleport in from the sides or similar. Also I could imagine the rather superfluous blue key irking the likes of @Capellan

MAP03 - “Poison Sewers” by Paul Corfiatis
This is a bit more like it - from a starting area resembling Scythe map05 (A source of inspiration?) we have a quick dash through some slime tunnels before some genial little fights with more low level riff-raff. The monster encounters are far more varied than before, with attacks coming from heights, more corners to check and so forth and a nice classic bit of crate/secret parkour (incidentally, it took me several jumps to reach it - I felt like almost as if there should've been a simpler more obvious way of getting it). A later area making good use of the imp's natural camouflage to make them better at harassing the player whilst attempting to cover-snipe the hitscanners. I also appreciate the way the map leads back in on itself to the yellow key on the E2M7 projecting  raised walkway, although the winding corridor leading to it was a bit dull.

The second half of the map is briefer with a short scoot to the second key and back to the penultimate area involving going one way to gain access to the opposite side and thereby reach your goal. That general form does seem to be something of a pattern in the progression mechanics in this wad so far, actually. A couple of the level's secrets are in this penultimate area also, with one being fairly apparent but fun to work-out, but the other was less obvious to me and I had to return to it from the end after checking the automap.

Overall this seems like a better designed map, but the imp traps tended to be ineffective due to plenty of space, not that I don't appreciate them though. Not too shabby.

MAP04 - “Lost Beacon” by Kristian Aro S01-wos04-UVmax-749.zip

I don't think I played that start correctly but it does show what I meant when making that thread about repeatable door cheese. This level is slightly more hostile than the previous maps and it's certainly possible to get yourself caught with your pants down and walled in during the yellow key trap. Which is why I prefer the bail-out strategy 95% of the time when a lock-in is not used. We finally get an SSG and fight a couple of Hell Knights and Revenants so the wad is progressively ramping up both weaponry and bestiary. I've always liked the original soundtrack in WoS and the midi in this map is pretty darn good.

13 minutes ago, Sui Generis said:

Also I could imagine the rather superfluous blue key irking the likes of @Capellan.

It might, if I were playing this month, but I have other priorities.  Most of them alas have nothing to do with Doom ... but it's just possible that one of them does. :)

I had this sitting on my hard drive already but IDCLEVed around and didn't remember much, so, not sure how much I played.

MAP01: Sintlabs

100% kills, 3/3 secrets

As others said, very by the numbers opening map, with small fry opposition and arsenal, and a not-very-difficult layout. Pretty boxy too, and the texturing scheme tries very hard to ape the IWAD starbase aesthetic so it doesn't feel original, but the lighting helps make it look nice. And I'm always a fan of jumping secrets at least.

MAP02: The Sink

100% kills, no map secrets

If the last one felt like a general starbase episode homage, this one is full-fledged Underhalls texturing in places, fitting right in after the Doom 1 expys we played last month. Again, looks nice, gameplay is pretty forgettable except for the fun chaingun ambush (I like the trio of barrels that serve both as a warning and a tool to be used). Also we see the first use of bars by switches to indicate 'this switch unlocks this key' rather than 'requires this key' that I remember from 2002ADO, which will no doubt confuse someone later on.

MAP03: Poison Sewers

100% kills, 4/4 secrets

More enemies in this one, which makes it a decent romp, though stuff like the demons/spectres in the sewer parts feels a bit like padding. Some more open areas means more chances to get sideswiped (especially those imps being hard to see with the vine camo behind them), especially if you're letting the MIDI guide you into rushing forward aggressively. :)

MAP04: Lost Beacon

If four levels are enough to establish any kind of trends or discern any sort of pattern (and it may be that neither is true at this early stage in the WAD) then I'd describe those levels by @Kristian Nebula that we've seen so far as possessing more "greebled" detail and using darkness more extensively as a textural and gameplay element, whereas @pcorf's maps have a somewhat sharp-edged quality and present themselves in a more bold and direct way; for example, the extensive ceiling lights throughout this map blend neatly into its overall structure, whereas the wall-mounted light strips of MAP03 in its various hallways and sewer tunnels stood out more to me as objects in their own right.

I feel like the overall tempo of the gameplay here is a notch or two lower than in the preceding map, a pleasantly engaging "background noise" level of bloodsheed and violence that spikes suddenly at a couple of points to rouse the player's attention and keep them on their toes.  These are generally pretty telegraphed (hit a switch, or grab a key...) and while the WAD isn't exactly treating its players with kid gloves, there's definitely a sense that neither mapper involved in the project has gotten "mean" with the player just yet.  I'm fine with that, there's twenty-six maps plus secret levels yet for me to learn firsthand just how creatively cruel they each can be.

MAP03: We keep going with the sewer theme and this base look rather pretty. The symmetry is starting to appear but is still in a bearable ammount but the gameplay was really the weakest point, lots of shooting galleries in corridors. At one point I started to think about other things and I "woke up" when I saw the exit button, this is the problem I recall for many other maps of this wad. The lack of the SSG shouldn't be a big problem as for the enemies used (and the theme) this is like a KDitD map but it's lacking dynamics in the fights, everything is plain. I don't know why those unreachable closets with imps were made as a trap at the RK.

MAP04: Not the best map of Aro I guess. Good enough but nothing that standout, even though the various outdoor courtyards with the detailed views of the buildings create a good sense of place, and the level is well detailed. I don't know what went wrong with the trap at the YK, you can easily escape from it and the monsters that are released are trapped in that area.

If anyone wants to run through with EE, I made an EMAPINFO wad.

Normal progression of map35 doesn't seem to work in EE, but the secret exit is doable. Not sure about map34, but everything else should be fine.

Also adds creator tags to each level. But I didn't know who made the warp zone. It also lacks a level tag, which is probably better, I guess.

MAP04 - “Lost Beacon” by Kristian Aro
Taking a cue from the slightly grungier tunnel corridors of map02, comes another map with more low-ceilinged tunnel corridors! In fairness the two maps are quite reminiscent of one another, sharing a kind of hub and spokes layout, with one of the spokes being more naturalistic and undulating. So for me it falls to the monster population to carry the map, and in this respect, there's still a fair amount of mostly being attacked from the front. The traps for me were well telegraphed, with the chaingunner switch trap near the SSG being fairly apparent, and the yellow key trap being especially blatant. The oddly quiet arena around the key with UAC bay doors will immediately have most players on alert for what to expect. Then it's easy to blast a niche in one of the monster closets to camp out the rest and then corner snipe the revealed chaingunners. Personally I think the chaingun trap from map02 was better worked with the reduced amount of space relative to monster numbers.

I found both secrets only really via the automap, along with a dash of wall sawing. I must be missing something as otherwise I didn't see much in the way of clues, other than the different door texture on the berserk secret. A smattering of mid-size monsters are introduced for the SSG, but there aren't many situations for which there is a burning need for it.

Both of Kristian's maps so far have felt very flat and on a plane to me; I hope to see more height variation in later maps, as it would make them more architecturally interesting in addition to the detail.

MAP05 - “Pumping Station 083A” by Kristian Aro wos05-S01-UVmax-1049.zip

I assume this is not the most pleasant pistol start affair if you don't happen to go down to the basement with the SSG at the start of the map. It also triggers a Chaingunner closet holding a Berserk which is a one-time only secret. It is also possible to miss the tag for it if you happen to be moving quickly enough as the secret sector itself is quite small. The warehouse hub and a few other sections are quite dark in Software mode. Those Revenants in the control tower outside are surprisingly difficult to kill from outdoors with Doom's default autoaim. Taking the lift up there and using the Berserk is also not the brightest idea but is the one I went for. Probably better off saving the secret Plasma Rifle for that part. The Cacoswarm is cute, though not particularly threatening unless you shoot a wall with a rocket or a Spectre managers to sneak in front of you. The overall detailing is quite nice, especially the natural landscape in the background outside. I also like how enemies are placed across the lake from where the Cacos are released. It makes the map feel larger than it actually is when things happen beyond the scope of what you can traverse.

MAP05: Pumping Station 083A

Overall impressions from MAP04 are continued here: darkness as a gameplay element, and lots of "greebled" detail dressing up a somewhat blocky layout, though it's interesting that we're now moving away from sewers and fluids when the map's title might have suggested doubling down on those elements instead.  There's lots of pipes and machinery for sure but the river or canal into which great quantities of water are dumped forms more of a backdrop to the action here, with the lion's share of the playable real estate given over to a crate-filled warehouse area and adjacent facilities.  I'm not generally a fan of one-time secrets and whether any given player gets this one seems like it's going to depend equally on whether you notice it opening (when the nearby revenant is doing its best to draw your attention elsewhere) and whether you've got the right weapon in hand to deal with the chaingunner inside and dash through his toppling corpse to grab the berserk pack before it's sealed away forever.  And with the addition of a plasma gun to the player's arsenal and the inclusion of revenants, cacodemons, and hell knights as "stock" monsters from this point onwards, things are definitely heating up further as we draw toward the expected first intermission text screen.

MAP05: The good things about the previous level are still here, this is another great looking techbase with lots of detail in the interiors and a brief visit outdoor where you can have a view of the base from outside and the hills on the other side of the water canal. I'll echo @Sui Generis comment about the flatness that was pretty prevalent in the previous levels, and also here but a bit less. Though I had more fun with this map becuase it gives you a bit more choices of how to tackle it and it's less trapped in a very linear path to follow. Pistol start can be a bitch, like it is Brotherhood of Ruin, where the resources are tightly balanced and there aren't many secrets that could help (I remember that the plasmagun secret was one of the few times years ago that I had to read on the wiki how to get it). It was pretty cool how outside there are some enemies on an unreachable place, where the cacos will come from later.

MAP05 - “Pumping Station 083A” by Kristian Aro
Happily this map breaks free of the conventions from Aro's previous maps; an inauspiciously symmetrical start notwithstanding, this map soon comes down to a much more open, fairly busy warehouse area with side corners and structures. The crate stacking is non-uniform and there are plenty of gaps, nooks and crannies to explore and clear out. The inevitable crate parkour is not too obvious either as there are red herrings for climbing points and it generally takes a good deal of looking.

The exterior area is very much a breath of fresh air and greatly enhances the perception of size and the verisimilitude of being a place. Ironically though that section is essentially still just a corridor really, due to the inability to get off the veranda, but hey, at least it has a nice view. The pair of revvies guarding the red key switch seemed very limited in how to deal with them: either take the lift up and go toe-to-toe at the cost of a lot of health or just cheese through the window - not the greatest use in my opinion. However in general the more generous dose of revenants and the swifter music increase the tempo and fun factor of this map. Plus there's an enjoyable little cacoswarm at the scenic area for my stockpile of continuous rockets to blow up, which is always good fun.

I appreciated the plasma gun secret, although it was far from obvious to me and more luck than skill that I found it. The second secret with the berserk late in the level seems to be a one-time door, which I personally am not a fan of. Also, the ending trap is again quite predictable, but overall I think the map quality is improving from both authors a little now.

MAP04: Lost Beacon

100% kills, 0/2 secrets

Liked this one, simple but straightforward. I think it tends to get glossed over these days since we're all so intimately familiar with the bestiary, but I like the way both the chaingunner and revenant are introduced here as the first/central enemy of their respective encounters. The chaingunner then gets used throughout, though the rev is forgotten until the exit room. Liked the detailing too, it might be a bit overwrought in some areas but generally I liked it. I agree that the level does play pretty 'flat' and I'm already a little tired of the very linear design (especially the bevy of "only one door opens, that one contains a switch/key to open the next door, repeat" progression) but for the fourth map of a megawad it's fine to still be in the introductory stages. Missed both the secrets despite looking around those areas, didn't think to shoot the wall and just barely missed humping the blue armor one.

MAP05: Pumping Station 083A

100% kills, 2/2 secrets

As @Sui Generis this map does a good job of breaking from the convention, and while it's still a bit linear in that you have to go from the switch in the crate area to the blue key to the red key, the map does a better job of disguising it with the outdoor area and the crate 'maze'. Things also heat up a bit in the difficulty department, as the rev/chaingunner two-prong near the SSG claimed my first death. Also a few spots where hitscanners can get a bead on you from a shadowy window.

MAP06: Covert Operations Facility

@pcorf has written above about the highly symmetrical nature of this map and some of the reactions to it, and I don't think such criticism is necessarily invalid.  Symmetry is a design choice and just one tool in the level designers's chest which can be used appropriately to great effect or improperly used (or over-used) to the detriment of a map.  I think this level's saving grace is its brevity and relatively low intensity, which allows the player to experience the symmetry and deliberately repetitive nature more as an element of atmosphere or story structure than as an ordeal-like arrangement of gameplay tasks to be completed.  Instead of engendering fatigue, the repetition of rooms and the constant downward progression via elevator shafts possesses a quality that's both hypnotic and surreal, imparting to the player the feeling of sinking deeper into a nightmare as they descend through the layers of an impossible environment, a building that's both underground and suspended in an impossibly vast and empty void.  Charming too is the climactic battle against a pair (or squad) of Barons of Hell when the player finally arrives at the nightmare's deepest reaches, harkening back to the boss battle of the classic E1M8: Phobos Anomaly that is itself in hindsight suggested somewhat by the straight north-south spinal corridor of this map; the environment the player has navigated to reach that battle here is certainly an anomalous one!

MAP06: Covert Operations Facility

100% kills, 3/3 secrets

I didn't mind the symmetry at first, especially in the first area where it feels like there's a story behind it (activating or unlocking four linked reactors or something to unlock the red key) but the fact the entire level is symmetric, even the outcroppings with the barons at the end, is a bit much. The long boring elevator ride doesn't help either, though the final area does look pretty cool and there's a nice setting to it all that you can see when you look out the windows and see the building suspended in darkness. I would've tried to use the symmetry to throw a curveball at the player, maybe hide a shotgunner in a corner on one of the latter parts or something. In any event it's a quick episode ender that's easy to blast through with the SSG.