Second map time - RunningMan.wad

For the last six evenings, whilst the rest of my family were wasting their time sleeping, I have been working on my second map - Running Man.

RunningMan.zip

• I did most testing with GZDoom & Zandronum so I recommend a zdoom port but I did try it out in Chocolate Doom and, other than an awful looking sky, I was able to playtest the level a couple of times.  I would have tried crispy doom, but I didn't already have it and my anti-virus got all upset when I tried to install it (like others have reported recently).
• MAP01 replacement for Doom 2, mouselooking is fine but not designed for jumping (although I don't think it will get you anywhere).
• Only one difficulty and no doomer should have any issues here.  I more want to test level design and understand how other people actually play the map, compared the to the playtesting I do.

I tried to take on feedback from my last map, such as:

• New music - found some great metal type track which was posted here on Doomworld by MotorWülf seven years ago.
• Clearer progression - I'm not trying to make a map where the player gets lost, so this one is more focused on what is next.
• Correct use of textures - although i will admit, alignment may be off here and there
• Less shoot the wall BS (although I have a switch that needs shooting but it's much more obvious this time around).
• I wasn't a complete d-bag with the exit this time
• I played through loads of times and I'm almost certain you can't get stuck (gzdoom at least).

Next up I'm going to try and do a doom1 space station style map.  I have an idea around a suggestion from my last upload which was multiple hubs that I am keen to get working on - plus it gives me an excuse to play through the original 3 episodes!

RunningMan.zip

Thanks!!

First of all, congrats on the second map! I haven't played your first map, but in general, second maps are much less common than first so it's good to hear you've decided to continue your Doom mapping journey.

As for the map itself, some comments:

- The opening area is extremely large with not a lot going on in it, you basically have a large flat area with a single elevated section around the edges. The type of texture you are using there (SP_ROCK1) lends itself well to lots of small sectors with varying heights so I would suggest playing around that to try and get a more varied and interesting looking environment. Same thing with the area containing the last big battle - it's basically a flat box

- Two sectors by the SSG are tagged as secret, so that counts as two secrets rather than one

- The soulsphere secret is too obvious to be a secret

- You have the teleport the same height as its surroundings, it looks better if you raise it 8 units and give the linedefs a texture such as METAL. More generally, throughout the map you have quite a few cases where you change texture without changing height which looks odd, in general it's good practice (a Romero-ism in fact) to only change texture if you are changing height

- When you are creating a trap, it is best to tag the linedefs of that sector as 'Shown as 1-sided on automap' (Sector 249 in this case), otherwise players can anticipate the trap with their automap

- You are way too generous with provisions in the final battle. A megasphere, two invulns and more plasma than I could possibly use. Furthermore, given that you bunched up all the species closely together, infighting basically did all the work for me. If you are using lots of species, to avoid/minimise infighting it is best to separate them into different areas at different heights

- If you are making vanilla maps, it is best to test with other source ports as that widens your potential audience, as not everyone here uses GZDoom. Even if Crispy Doom isn't working for you - had you tested prBoom+ for example, I would have recorded a demo for you.

- Keep it up, hope to see your third map soon!