*2020 HAKAWARDS* I'm Also Looking to Play and Record Your Maps 2 *CLOSED*

Hi! I've been trying to get some external input on my WAD, but my initial post here didn't get much response, mostly due to poor planning on my part.

This is my MEGAWAD with 18 levels, two of which are secret and can be difficult to find. This WAD uses GZDoom. The playtime is a few hours, there are a lot of secrets so if you're secret hunting it can increase the playtime a lot. I wouldn't consider this perfect yet, and there still may be some problems, but I'd love for some feedback or what could be improved. If you're looking for a hard challenge Ultra-Violence is the way to go, if you're looking for a moderate challenge Hurt me Plenty would be preferred, anything below that can be pretty boring in some places.

Table of Contents

@Octillion

Doomworld forum topic

If Octillion has a strong suit, it’s layouts. This one again features an intricate layout that also allows you to choose your path in  many places. It was a lot of fun avoiding monsters by taking a different route. Supply balance was still an issue in this one, but more minor; mostly I just had to skip some monsters and wished I had more rockets at times.

Bottom line: you had me at “city”

  Glad you liked this one. I definitely had a lot of fun building this map.

  The 6 switches part is actually a puzzle that unlocks a secret area, 5 are dummies that ruin the script and one correct answer. I give a clue to the answer of the puzzle, but it's hidden as well. So it's a double secret that unlocks the door in the same area, a bit convoluted yes, but the reward behind that door is huge. A mega armor, cells, rockets and health. Definitely worth it if you get it right. Or you can go the boring way of trial and error of course.

  The secret switch that lowers the path to the soulsphere, is actually doable without freelook. It requires a certain angle with the rocket launcher. (Triggered by splash) Only reason I did that was to annoy UVMAX players lol.

@HAK3180 If you've already played and recorded my map then disregard this. But I found a bug that can prevent progression due to a mistagged archvile and a thingcount script. Updated version is in the thread.

@Aku

download the .wad

It is a first map. It’s not a tech base. It’s not ridiculously easy. It’s not a series of square rooms connected only by one door. I’d say we’re off to a decent start.

Bottom line: a simple, but somewhat effective hell fortress

@Aku

download the .wad

It’s another decent looking hell map. I didn’t have much to say about visuals, and that’s definitely a good thing for a new mapper. The layout is tried and true: a hub + 3 keys situation, although I don’t know if teleporters is the best idea, as it allows for some cheesing and cowardly retreating. I also don’t think the monsters and ammo/weapons were chosen carefully enough. The paths all look the same, but it seems one of them is by far the best option to start with, but even that’s only if you find the secrets.

Bottom line: Tried and true layout/progression but monster choice and ammo balance is off

@damned

Doomworld forum topic

It’s kinda a modified hub + 3 key situation. I actually enjoy the progression with the creepy clown music. In the end there’s way too much plasma, but I never really used it, expecting some epic boss fight. Visually, it’s a little boring with some textures really dominating, but I don’t much mind the gameplay here.

Bottom line: It’s really not that boring

@DavidN

Doomworld forum topic

The one I played has a nice, intricate layout. I like the hub system and the story being told here. The gameplay changes seem to be well implemented. However, there’s enough departure where I can safely say, “This isn’t Doom.” I know a lot of people like all sorts of video games or all sorts of FPS, but me – I just want to play Doom.

Bottom line: this seems great, but it’s not something I’m interested in

Thanks so much for your insights - will give it a watch! I definitely love taking my Doom content further outside of what Doom was originally, and both preferences are fine :)

I see a lot of Project Brutality similarities in Keeper of seven keys, minus the fps drops. Interesting.

@Alfredo

Doomworld forum topic

Alfredo does a nice job with the layout. There are a lot of choices to make. The only layout thing I found unfortunate was that I did not get a rocket launcher until very late, and I’m not even sure I could have gotten one earlier. Visually, Alfredo knows there’s not too much here, and I think bigger maps do need to take that aspect more seriously. However, it’s not so homogenous that you don’t know where you’re going. I had little trouble finding/remembering where things were. The gameplay itself was a mixed bag. A couple big fights, in particular, seemed to be a rather amateur attempt at a major encounter or slaughter fight. It just seemed like a bunch of monsters were randomly placed, going for quantity shock factor more than tactical fun. But that was just a couple fights. Much of the combat was much more interesting. All in all, not bad, but I wish I could take some of the quantity here and apply it to quality instead. I’d like to see more polish on a shorter map from Alfredo.

Bottom line: It’s interesting and pretty well put together but sometimes a bit of a chore

@Roofi

Doomworld forum topic

Bottom line: a compact conventional map

@R2card

Doomworld forum topic

It’s short and to the point. If this is R2card’s very first map, it’s a good start. It doesn’t create a bunch of square rooms with no real sense of progression. In fact, you can see the exit from the start and you can also see when the pillars guarding it lower. Decent combat for an easy opener. I would say one thing to look at would be varying the scale. Everything seemed quite big in this level, z axis included.

Bottom line: Not exactly innovative but does create some interest

@R2card

Doomworld forum topic

Well, this got better as I played it. My first thought was, “Oh, an Underhalls tribute. Meh.” But I really like the way this map unfolds. It’s not hard, so I think the next step would be working the layout into the monster encounters, but it really is an immersive experience here. Suits are well placed. Progression is puzzling in a fun and simple way. And the combat, for all its ease, is not tedious.                      

Bottom line: Blast through the fodder in a well-crafted layout

@HAK3180

You mentioned whether if it was meant to be played as continuous or not, it's intended for both ways, if you'd like a bit more of a challenge a pistol start is possible for all maps. All down to preference really.

I don't think that this is a nice wad, and it's not done yet, but I just want to recommend this wad.

@Octillion

Doomworld forum topic

This is a map that never makes you want to ragequit and never makes you want to bow down at the mapper’s feet. “Adequate” is a good word to describe it, I think. It’s got a decent story behind it, decent progression, some good fighting, and an admirable effort put into visuals. It’s just that you can tell it’s not exactly an “expert.” So nothing stands out great or horrible. It’s the kind of map that Octillion will probably look back on and say, “It’s not up to par now, but it’s not something to fix either.”

Bottom line: this is a Doom map

    @HAK3180 Map 14 is my take on a little bit of horror-ish atmosphere. Lower monster count but lots of sudden fights is what I went with as you can see. The secrets on this map are the most well hidden out of the rest, mainly to give the "forsaken" more meaning to it. One cool thing about this wad is you can see my progression climbing the mapper's ladder through it. The last 3 maps (13, 14, & 15) are the most well-thought out.

    The fight at the blue key door was supposed to be dealing with the chaingunners/revs and the demons/hell knights swarm you in the middle of it, but I never got to get it right and it turned out grindy like you said. The fight at the circular area with the spiders, imps and zombies has a "lucky" factor to it. I did it a couple of times and it turns out different every time depending on the zombies pacing getting in the room. If they got in too early, you'll be cornered like a mice at the crates. (Especially if it's the chaingunner that comes in first.) Same thing at the bridge fight, hell knights can sometimes get a good hit on you when you cross the bridge because you don't hear them teleporting in.

    Yeah, I should've done more with the outdoor area at the end. A third texture should've been mixed with a different height. I went for textures with the same color to compliment the skybox, giving it a "sulphur" vibe to it. Also, it seems that you have the previous version of the wad and map 15 will be missing. The skybox is different in the newer version.

@slush59134

Doomworld forum topic

Bottom line: Welcome to wad making, young man.

@slush59134

Doomworld forum topic

I appreciate the unassuming nature of the wad so far. Besides perhaps a little bit of vertical size, it’s not trying to be epic. It’s not trying to overwhelm you with tough encounters. It seems to understand that it’s just a simple beginner wad. This one almost felt rail to me at times. You were often in a hallway and though not inexistent, the sightlines didn’t do much to convince me that it wasn’t a linear journey. There’s some obvious juxtaposition of hellish and techish elements here, but in order for that to be effective, I think the dominant marble needs to be cleaned up and broken up. There’s not much to the combat. slush59134 should think about surprises/traps and multidirectional threats in general.

Bottom line: It’s very simple but shows a little creativity

Try this and let me know what you think, it's a submission for the (forgotten?) Final Doom the Way ID Did proyect, it's a Plutonia map
MAP17 - Exodus, made to imitate the style of Dario Casali.
I don't know if the proyect is going to some day see the light, nor if this would be accepted, but it's just cool as a standalone map anyways, or a map for another proyect.

Got another Interception2 map for you to try by Jading Tsunami, Map20 no name yet. Would appreciate all the feedback and so would Jading I'm sure.

Also note, don't mention or include TheMysteriousMoustachio, as of a while back he left the project for personal reasons and as far as I know has been absent from DW. I'm trying to lead the project with the rest of the mappers currently.

22 hours ago, HAK3180 said:

@slush59134

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

I appreciate the unassuming nature of the wad so far. Besides perhaps a little bit of vertical size, it’s not trying to be epic. It’s not trying to overwhelm you with tough encounters. It seems to understand that it’s just a simple beginner wad. This one almost felt rail to me at times. You were often in a hallway and though not inexistent, the sightlines didn’t do much to convince me that it wasn’t a linear journey. There’s some obvious juxtaposition of hellish and techish elements here, but in order for that to be effective, I think the dominant marble needs to be cleaned up and broken up. There’s not much to the combat. slush59134 should think about surprises/traps and multidirectional threats in general.

 

Bottom line: It’s very simple but shows a little creativity

thank you for advising about so many directions, I'm still working on these maps and now I am fixing that you mentioned as the wad id did. 

I'll (maybe)completly re-make these maps and maybe there are some new maps. and other pieces of stuff with... full of ammo. but It takes time, you know, that Korean-time is full of studying...

@damned

Doomworld forum topic

This one has a train (station) gimmick. It’s somewhat mild for the most part. I don’t know how you feel about realism in Doom, but I think a little bit more could have been done to sell it in this case. More importantly, this map’s gameplay fell flat for me. The beginning is easy and simple but also grindy. I got a secret plasma gun early and a rocket launcher very late but never found a super shotgun, so a lot of the early combat was stuff I would have simply skipped if not recording. You can get away with shotgun/chaingun/a few cells with mostly fodder, but I was asked to take down revenants and cacodemons and nobles with that weapon lineup. It was not hard to do so at all, but it was tedious. Gameplay picked up a bit near the end but the limited rockets and no super shotgun still felt weird.

Bottom line: Pretty underwhelming gameplay until very late

Hey I have map for you to try - you need doom 1 iwad and boom compatible engine. Runs in slot e1m1:
 

@Roofi

Doomworld forum topic

Bottom line: Almost an arcade style survival map where you feel like you’re accumulating points, but it’s definitely maxable.

On 11/8/2019 at 9:53 PM, DerFurer'sFace said:

Got another Interception2 map for you to try by Jading Tsunami, Map20 no name yet.

Two questions:

1. So where can I actually find this map?
2. Do you and/or @DMPhobos want footage of "The Systems Have Gone Berserk"? Because that's what's in the Map20 slot, hence what I played.

2 minutes ago, HAK3180 said:

Do you and/or @DMPhobos want footage of "The Systems Have Gone Berserk"? Because that's what's in the Map20 slot, hence what I played.

Just to confirm, that map is no longer part of Interception 2 and instead will be on another separated release

@HAK3180 Yeah Sys gone Berserk was removed, I sent a link with the new map 20 along with the current alpha in my post. I will link the file again for you here

Sorry if there was any confusion.

@DerFurer'sFace

If I load either of the two .wads or both of them, this is Map 20. Is this what you want? Perhaps you just didn't change the "metadata" in Slade yet?