sajbear666 Posted May 2, 2020 (edited) Hello everyone! I have started a mega wad project called "The Dreamlands" LOOSELY based on lovecraftian lore. The idea is to bring great combat but also cool set pieces and moody architecture to life. The I have just "finished" the first map "A Nameless City" and want people to test it. Currently the wad requires gzDoom, because I have pngs in the wad. I wanted this to be more of an old school wad so I want the compatibility to be as high as possible. So I hope to fix this in the future. This might be hard though since my textures looks super ugly when I convert them to the doom palette. I'm using the Boom: Doom 2 (Doom format), I'm using the Doom2.wad textures and a few made extras I made. The music in the first level is temporary is going to be changed. (want something more moody and mysterious) *** So what do I would like to have help with? 1. I would love for people to test the first map. (and the others when I make them) 2. If someone would like to help out with my textures, that would be super awesome. The custom ones so far are in the wad, please feel free to take a look at them! You can also see my "idea" with the main menu and logo. If you want to "redo" them, go right ahead! I would love some help! 3. Do you have "moody" lovecraftian/dreamlike/horror midis around? I would love to listen and hopefully include them in the wad! EVERYONE that helps out will of course be credited it including txt files in the wad! Words of encouragement, bugs, etc, etc is more than welcome in this thread! I have include some screenshots and the wad with the first level here! dreamlands_PRE_ALPHA_0.0002.zip Edited May 3, 2020 by sajbear666 : Updated the pre alpha release fixing the Hall of Mirrors bug 19 Share this post Link to post
Spooky_Skeletons Posted May 3, 2020 Testing it out now I will let you know what I think as soon as I'm done! 1 Share this post Link to post
Job Posted May 3, 2020 13 minutes ago, Tor1zo said: i like what i see Same. Good sense of place. 1 Share this post Link to post
Spooky_Skeletons Posted May 3, 2020 Ok I have now played through the first map and I am very impressed! It definitely achieves the old school feel that you were going for and includes plenty of impressive architecture. It took me about 35 minutes to complete (although I was taking my sweet time) so it is definitely not a short map, I think it has quite a nice pace to it and it kept me on my toes. I did however have a few issues with this map, the first being a hall-of-mirrors effect that I got in the area shown in the final screenshot you posted. I would also say that some of the monster placements became a little bit predictable towards the end and the ammo became a little too hard to come by for my taste, but these are just minor nitpicks in an otherwise solid map. I look forward to seeing this project continue! 1 Share this post Link to post
sajbear666 Posted May 3, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, Spooky_Skeletons said: Ok I have now played through the first map and I am very impressed! It definitely achieves the old school feel that you were going for and includes plenty of impressive architecture. It took me about 35 minutes to complete (although I was taking my sweet time) so it is definitely not a short map, I think it has quite a nice pace to it and it kept me on my toes. I did however have a few issues with this map, the first being a hall-of-mirrors effect that I got in the area shown in the final screenshot you posted. I would also say that some of the monster placements became a little bit predictable towards the end and the ammo became a little too hard to come by for my taste, but these are just minor nitpicks in an otherwise solid map. I look forward to seeing this project continue! Wow, super cool! I'm relieved! Do you have a screenshot for the hall of mirror effect? :) I will ofc fix it! :) Also in what area did you start to run out of ammo? After the blue door area or the yellow? EDIT: Fixed HoM! Edited May 3, 2020 by sajbear666 0 Share this post Link to post
sajbear666 Posted May 3, 2020 @Spooky_Skeletons Uploaded a new version that fixed the hall of mirror effect! :) 0 Share this post Link to post
Misty Posted May 3, 2020 I'd include new moody sky, default one doesn't invoke any dreamy feelings to me. Besides, map feeling would be drastically changed and make some places shine. 4 Share this post Link to post
sajbear666 Posted May 3, 2020 4 minutes ago, Misty said: I'd include new moody sky, default one doesn't invoke any dreamy feelings to me. Besides, map feeling would be drastically changed and make some places shine. Absolutely! 0 Share this post Link to post
Spooky_Skeletons Posted May 3, 2020 10 hours ago, sajbear666 said: Wow, super cool! I'm relieved! Do you have a screenshot for the hall of mirror effect? :) I will ofc fix it! :) Also in what area did you start to run out of ammo? After the blue door area or the yellow? EDIT: Fixed HoM! I started to run out of ammo in the blue door area. Also love the new sky! 1 Share this post Link to post
sajbear666 Posted May 3, 2020 4 hours ago, Spooky_Skeletons said: I started to run out of ammo in the blue door area. Also love the new sky! Alright I might have to balance it a little. :) Thanks! :) 1 Share this post Link to post
JDR Posted May 4, 2020 (edited) Wanted to check this out, cause no matter the texture set - i can't miss on city themes. Some somewhat harsh criticisms: Nice opening shot, confined streets is exactly what i wanted to see more of in this map, but then dynamic abruptly shifts to the big marble keep with those jagged platforms and on to more wide areas. Even though the last area's megastucture looked awesome, i can't say the same about symmetrically placed combat around it. I feel it could've been better if you divided the confined streets and big open areas in those separate distinct maps; level is too bulky for a opening map for a megawad. Played on UV, having no problem maxing all items, secrets and kills. Pretty neat secrets aside from the push walls in the marble keep, secret with rocket launcher opening up to a starting area is what the map needed more of in it's normal routing - the bulk of areas didn't have any connectivity between them (even if you wanted to backtrack to first area for health - it would be a massive route to take back). Given how many hitscanners there are spanning throughout the map i feel like you probably should've been more generous with armor, maybe to have it in the midst of blue key section. A couple of problems: Spoiler Bleeding texture Really hard to squeeze between these platforms (i don't like this very jagged design for them tbh) Very dark wall; same goes for the plasma secret, which looks cool, but i feel like that area should fade into darkness more to the end of a road. All in all, i've liked the grimy city theme, hope to see something less bulky for another map. 2 Share this post Link to post
