Finding Outpost Omega in Doom 64

I feel surprised that I haven't been able to find discussion on this topic.  Is the path to Outpost Omega entirely trial and error in Doom 64?  Every guide I've seen simply gives the correct sequence of switch presses to reach the level, but if you're playing without a guide is the only way to get there really just guessing and restarting the map if it was wrong?  (No mid level saves in the Nintendo 64 version.)  Or is there some subtle hint that I'm just not observant enough to see?

I know it would only take 9 runs to brute force worst case (3 with a realistic left to right strategy), but it just seems odd to me since I believe this is the only time the game does something like this.  Especially since it's not a gimmick level like Hectic.  Although I'm not sure since I'm hearing impaired, but I think Hectic has an aural cue if you happened to destroy all the barrels the first time around?

Could be completely wrong, but I think trial and error is pretty much the only way to solve that puzzle. I've looked this up in the past, and just like you did, the only thing I ever found was the solution, no hints mentioned anywhere. Looking around on the map doesn't hint towards any mysteries either, but then I'm also not the most observant person out there, at all.

Ironically, Hectic did have a hint from my POV, and that being none other than the secret teleporter that takes the player back up to the starting platform. It doesn't make much sense to place a teleporter that redirects the player there for no reason, unless they missed something important.

I remember when I was a kid playing Doom 64 on the N64. Outpost Omega was the first secret level I found in the game. I think I just ended up pushing the switches in random orders through my multiple playthrough since I played this game a shit ton back then and was quite surprised when I managed to discover it.

It wasn't until few years later as a teenager that I finally got all the other secrets levels. That was the time back when I wasn't digging the Internet yet. Fun times.

15 hours ago, seed said:

Could be completely wrong, but I think trial and error is pretty much the only way to solve that puzzle. I've looked this up in the past, and just like you did, the only thing I ever found was the solution, no hints mentioned anywhere. Looking around on the map doesn't hint towards any mysteries either, but then I'm also not the most observant person out there, at all.

I don't think you're wrong! It does seem to be purely trial and error as far as anyone can figure out.

It is a bit odd that there are no hints to it. Doom 64 Reloaded did add a hint to it in Hectic. However finding Hectic isnt straight forward either.

12 hours ago, Immorpher said:

I don't think you're wrong! It does seem to be purely trial and error as far as anyone can figure out.

It is a bit odd that there are no hints to it. Doom 64 Reloaded did add a hint to it in Hectic. However finding Hectic isnt straight forward either.

The same could be said about the secret levels in general honestly. None of them are really straightforward, but at least offer a hint or two in places, like Altair of Pain having a crude arrow on the automap pointing to the fake wall.

7 hours ago, seed said:

 

The same could be said about the secret levels in general honestly. None of them are really straightforward, but at least offer a hint or two in places, like Altair of Pain having a crude arrow on the automap pointing to the fake wall.

Yes it's pretty obvious now, but as a kid I was probably too dumb to notice that or didn't took enough time to analyze the map...

I think I missed all of them besides the last one on my first run.

Doom 64's secret levels are really good though, I think they're the best parts of the game, they're well made and more suspenseful than the others, and there's the addition of that very tangible treasure that you must capture, if only you knew how. Leaving without it doesn't feel like a good option.

Agreed there.  Doom 64 using the secret levels to give a tangible benefit (after solving another puzzle) makes finding them far more rewarding.  Just a shame how they implemented getting to the first one since not a huge fan of permanent lock out if it's not a gimmick level.

On 12/17/2020 at 4:06 AM, seed said:

Ironically, Hectic did have a hint from my POV, and that being none other than the secret teleporter that takes the player back up to the starting platform. It doesn't make much sense to place a teleporter that redirects the player there for no reason, unless they missed something important.

Good point, although the teleporter by itself isn't the hint.  The fact that there's a secret up there with a berserk pack is technically something missable that you might want to go back for.  However there is a pool of blood right in front of where the exit will appear.  Logically since wall humping the area yields nothing you do need to do something in the rest of the level and come back up.