Keyran-Solo Posted March 1, 2021 I think I'm a decent Doomer, and then I saw people like Zero Master and Decino play and realized I'm not THAT great. So I'm looking for WADs that the average Doomer could enjoy. Thanks! 2 Share this post Link to post
Omniarch Posted March 1, 2021 38 minutes ago, NaturalTvventy said: No End In Sight E3M6 and the entirety of E4 say otherwise, me thinks ;) Thread tax: Doom The Way id Did and its various spin-offs. Jan Van der Veken's work Lunar Catastrophe All of the above are, for the most part, similar in difficulty to Ultimate Doom or Doom 2, and are some of my personal favourites. 2 Share this post Link to post
P41R47 Posted March 1, 2021 33 minutes ago, NaturalTvventy said: No End In Sight NaturalTvventy recommendation is excellent for sure, but don't take it lightly, for your understanding, playing it on Hey! Not Too Rough feels like, on some maps, playing Ultimate Doom on Ultra Violence. For a mild challenge, if you not already, you can play all the iwads, i personally love Ultimate Doom and TNT: Evilution. Left The Plutonia Experiment for last as its the hardest iwad, with some nasty traps even on HNTR. Then, if you like more story driven mapsets with good challenge, i recommend this thread here, with lots of really awesome stories told on Doom: Aside from that, if you only want to play and challenge yourself to the limit, read this other thread: That list is kinda curated by the most hardened players on the community and so, it gives a good mapsets difficulty progression to become a really good player. My recommendation is that, instead n trying to become a great player, try to enjoy playing Doom. As you play different mapsets, you will be learning the different situations and how to get through them. So even if you don't push yourself into the fry, you will become a better player as you enjoy the different mapsets as most are designed to be played from easier to harder on their map order. Hope you can have a great time playing with us and sharing your experience ;) 4 Share this post Link to post
dei_eldren Posted March 1, 2021 (edited) i'd recommend Serenity trilogy, and today i started playing a set called Realm of Chaos, which seems, after first five levels, appropriate for an average player (like me, too). 1 Share this post Link to post
Pegleg Posted March 1, 2021 (edited) @Keyran-Solo I am wholeheartedly an average (more likely below-average) player. Remember, nothing says you have to play on UV. If you find a map or mapset to be too difficult, you can reduce the difficulty level. Obviously, for mapsets without difficulty settings implemented (Sunder may be the most well-known example), you're limited to dropping to ITYTD for double ammo and half damage from enemies, but for most mapsets, reducing the difficulty will serve you well. The other question is, what sort of mapsets are you interested in playing? Anyway, here are some mapsets that I played and enjoyed. All are for Doom 2, unless otherwise noted. Flashback to Hell Operation: Biowar Absolute Dishonor Back to Basics (Doom 1 E2 replacement) Fava Beans (Doom 1 E1 replacement) The Classic Episode (Doom 1 E2 replacement) I would also refer you to this post by rd (and subsequent posts are worthwhile, too). Edited March 1, 2021 by Pegleg : Corrected a name. 5 Share this post Link to post
Decay Posted March 1, 2021 (edited) I'm not good at single player Doom, so Bourgeois was made to accommodate lesser skilled players, with fully implemented skill difficulty changes. Map01-02 might be daunting but they are probably the hardest maps of the pack to be honest. It tries a bit more to reflect the iwads rather than slaughtermaps or anything like that. 5 Share this post Link to post
baja blast rd. Posted March 1, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, Pegleg said: I would also refer you to this post by rd (and subsequent posts are worthwhile, too). Also check out: ViolenceIntergalactic Xenology Lunatic Deathless Back to Basics Brigandine Edited March 1, 2021 by rd. 5 Share this post Link to post
Pseudonaut Posted March 1, 2021 I first played the original games + various wads in roughly this order, if I recall correctly: Ultimate Doom Doom 2 Final Doom Hell Revealed (quit after map13, it was a bit too much for me at the time, I don't recommend this wad to beginners) Scythe Lunatic Japanese Community Project Going Down (some of these maps seemed extremely difficult to me at the time, but they're short) Alien Vendetta (I'd seen more hype about the difficulty of this one, but it wasn't that hard after playing some of those other wads). All of this was on UV with frequent saves, in GZDoom, with freelook (gasp!) and no infinite height. I had never tried another source port at that point, didn't even know infinite height was a thing. 1 Share this post Link to post
Steveb1000 Posted March 1, 2021 I'd support the Alien Vendetta recommendation. I'm new to community WADs too, and not a great player, but I found that playing AV on HMP was the right balance for me. The difficulty progresses fairly well, so that by the time you reach the crazy stuff I was getting some skills. When I got stuck or stressed that it was too hard, I check playthroughs on YouTube to help me out - there are several for Alien Vendetta. Plus it's a great set and I felt like I was getting a feel for the history of community maps without playing something very outdated. 1 Share this post Link to post
RottingZombie Posted March 1, 2021 (edited) I suggest Zone300 Short maps, not too tough, great music. May be my favorite wad, and I like vanilla difficulty or a little higher. I usually play it on HMP, and it is a little tougher than vanilla. I'm due for a playthrough, actually. But first I have to check out Lunar Catastrophe (thanks @Omniarch) 3 Share this post Link to post
Doomkid Posted March 1, 2021 Heh, maybe I'm just rusty, but AV strikes me as a bit of a mean recommendation for a newbie.. Try something like these! https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/d-f/doomcity https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/p-r/puppy https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom/p-r/phobos https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/a-c/area51 https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom/Ports/p-r/ph_mini Some easier stuff I've made: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/m-o/mohawks https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/p-r/rwdyrudy https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/s-u/sinseven And here's a mod I designed to specifically cut all enemy health in half. If you want to play some of the "big, grand" wads but don't have the skills, this is what you're after! 6 Share this post Link to post
666shooter Posted March 1, 2021 I would caution that Episode 4 of Lunar Catastrophe on UV is no walk in the park, taking distinct inspiration from the first two maps of UDoom's E4, and keeping that streak of absolute spite throughout. The first 3 episodes are mostly reasonable, but be warned that the boss fights are very nastily designed. (Though I can't speak for the lower difficulties, and the rest of the maps are still worth checking out). I'm shocked no one's mentioned one of my all-time favorites and a Cacowards Classic: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/megawads/tvr Also, if you want something short and sweet: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/megawads/dmonfear 4 Share this post Link to post
continuum.mid Posted March 2, 2021 (edited) Difficulty settings are very relevant here. You might not be able to beat, for example, Alien Vendetta on Ultra-Violence, but on Hey Not Too Rough it might get a lot easier. Regardless, some of the less difficult WADs I've played: Freedoom Phase 1 and 2 (Ultimate Doom and Doom 2 IWAD replacements, similar difficulty but slightly harder) SIGIL (John Romero's E5 for Ultimate Doom - about as much of a difficulty hike from E4 as E3 to E4) Japanese Community Project (there are some really hard levels, but nothing ridiculous and the average level is relatively easy) I have also heard that Scythe 1 and 2's early maps are easy (I can only vouch for Scythe 2 here), though the difficulty curve is very steep and both MegaWADs increase to extreme difficulty in the final levels. 0 Share this post Link to post
Cammy Posted March 2, 2021 (edited) If you haven't played it already, I'd strongly recommend The Plutonia Experiment. It can be a tough SOB even on the lower difficulties, but stick with it. It requires you tackle every fight with much more care and strategy than pretty much any Doom 1 or 2 map (except maybe E4M6), and gets you familiar with what every enemy and every weapon can really do. It won't be easy, but you will be a far better player by the end of it, and much more prepared for the kinds of fights that most wads will spring on you. Aside from that, Deathless is an excellent Doom 1 wad with a lot of tight and well-rounded maps - I don't even like Doom 1 combat and I had a blast with it. Both of the Back To Saturn X episodes are pretty tough when they want to be, but they never get crazy hard and would be a pretty good next step up from Plutonia. You could also just play back through wads you've already beaten, but raise the skill level up a notch or two. Wouldn't be getting into anything super unfamiliar, but the new placements and combinations of enemies could take you out of your comfort zone just enough to improve. It's a journey for sure - but ultimately what's important is you play how you want to. Games are supposed to be fun, after all. 2 Share this post Link to post
roadworx Posted March 2, 2021 i agree with alien vendetta. i s2g, that wad is like a rite of passage. i legitimately became much better at the game after finishing it. it was hard and some levels (especially map26, holy SHIT) are hard af, but it's 100% worth it 1 Share this post Link to post
xX_Lol6_Xx Posted March 2, 2021 I'd play Ray Mohawks Manic Monday, it's very good, it's awesome and has pretty good gameplay and has awesome midis (the link is in doomkid's comment) 1 Share this post Link to post
VoanHead Posted March 2, 2021 Here's my Recs: Revolution! Darkening 1 + 2 Perdition's Gate Japanese Community Project DTWID 1 + 2 Any of the Doomer Boards Projects Reverie UAC Ultra 1 Share this post Link to post
ReaperAA Posted March 2, 2021 (edited) 10 hours ago, Keyran-Solo said: I think I'm a decent Doomer, and then I saw people like Zero Master and Decino play and realized I'm not THAT great. So I'm looking for WADs that the average Doomer could enjoy. Thanks! If you can handle Doom 1, Doom 2 and TNT: Evilution, I recommend you to try: DTWID and D2TWID FreeDoom phase 1 and 2 Deathless JiffyBag NRFTL Fava Beans The darkening E1 and E2 Icarus: Alien Vanguard Memento Mori 1, 2 and Requiem Perdition's Gate TVR: Revolution If you can handle Plutonia, I recommend you to try: Lunatic Vanguard Eviternity (hardest levels in this wad are hard, but an average Eviternity level isn't much harder than an average Plutonia level) TNT: Revilution (a bit harder than Plutonia, but still manageable if you can beat Plutonia) BTSX E1 (BTSX E2 gets harder but still doable if you can beat Plutonia) Sigil Bourgeois: Deathmatch (note that the wad also supports SP. Short and punchy maps) Doomer Board Projects Scythe 1 (last few maps will get crazy hard though) Alien Vendetta (I agree with Pseudonaut that the difficulty of this wad is overblown. The hardest levels in this wad are really hard, but an average AV level isn't much harder than an average Plutonia level) 8 Share this post Link to post
Phobus Posted March 2, 2021 This is why Doom II: 25 Years on Earth exists. I’d also recommend The Rebirth, TVR!, most of Jimmy’s work and recent works by Doomkid, off the top of my head. These megaWADs and episodes can get difficult by the end, but picking lower difficulties (where implemented) should take the edge off. Generally speaking, stuff for The Ultimate Doom has easier combat than things for Doom II, due to the limited bestiary, but environmental hazards, resource limitation and confusing layouts tend to feature more to make up for it, plus shotgunners become ubiquitous to devastating effect when the difficulty is stepping up. Thanks to @Doomkid for shouting out Mini Doom, by the way! 4 Share this post Link to post
smeghammer Posted March 2, 2021 You could try Compendium. It's a huge collection of classic megawads. There's probably some in here that would suit... 1 Share this post Link to post
PeterMoro Posted March 2, 2021 @joshthenesnerd made a really good Ultimate Doom style wad called In the mess of it. Not too difficult but not too easy either. https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom/m-o/messofit 0 Share this post Link to post
T-Rex Posted March 2, 2021 (edited) It's interesting how still to this day people debate over which wads are easy and which are hard, but to help things out with what wads to try if you're an average Doomer, I can give you a quick rundown on which wads I recommend. Easy wads (Roughly around the same difficulty as Ultimate Doom and Doom II) The Twilight Zone Project X Icarus: Alien Vanguard Dimensions of Time Revolution! Fava Beans Perdition's Gate The Darkening Episode 1: The Nameless Project The Serenity Trilogy (Serenity, Eternity and Infinity) Slaughter Until Death and The Evil Unleashed Phobos Revisited, Deimos: Slight Return, and Infernos Death Tormentation 1 The Raven Series Demonfear Chris K BF_THUD! Doom the Way Id Did & Doom 2 the Way Id Did Dawn of the Dead The Classic Episode No Sleep For the Dead Moderate wads (Slightly harder than Doom II, but still accessible. TNT Evilution and Master Levels for Doom II difficulty) Obituary The Trooper's Playground Memento Mori 1 & 2 Requiem STRAIN Eternal Doom The Enigma Episode Back to Basics 2002: A Doom Odyssey The Darkening 2 Jenesis Japanese Community Project Doom Core Reverie The Wicked series Hard wads (Not recommended for beginners, but doable if you have no problem with Plutonia) Hell Revealed 1 (Pseudonaut may say it's too difficult, but it's actually doable if you can beat Plutonia. A warning though, it's not pistol start friendly on UV) Alien Vendetta (I used to think it was much harder, however after going through it, I can say that it's equally as hard as Plutonia and Hell Revealed) Scythe 1 (first 2 episodes are mostly on the easy to moderate difficulty side, but it gets crazy hard in the third episode, hence it's placed here) One Bloody Night Kama Sutra (another wad I thought was harder, but the average KS map is about as hard as Plutonia/HR/AV, and Map28's not as hard as HR Map24) Whispers of Satan 3 Heures d'Agonie series TNT Revilution (surprisingly as hard as Plutonia despite being a sequel to Evilution) And that's pretty much all the wads I could recommend for average players. I know there are others out there, but I haven't played them yet. Everything else harder than the hard wads I listed, stay away from them. Edited March 3, 2021 by T-Rex 7 Share this post Link to post
VoanHead Posted March 2, 2021 13 hours ago, ReaperAA said: If you can handle Doom 1, Doom 2 and TNT: Evilution, I recommend you to try: DTWID and D2TWID FreeDoom phase 1 and 2 Deathless JiffyBag NRFTL Fava Beans The darkening E1 and E2 Icarus: Alien Vanguard Memento Mori 1, 2 and Requiem Perdition's Gate TVR: Revolution This list right here is pretty tight, but idk so much about Memento Mori 1 and Requiem. While both are pretty easy, the quality of the two aged like a gallon of milk that's been left out in the sun for too long... and ran over by a car. 0 Share this post Link to post
ReaperAA Posted March 2, 2021 1 hour ago, VoanHead said: This list right here is pretty tight, but idk so much about Memento Mori 1 and Requiem. I haven't played Requiem myself yet (only watched a few vids), however I do agree that MM1 hasn't aged as well. However, if OP ends up liking TNT: Evilution, then they might get some enjoyment from MM1 as well. 1 Share this post Link to post
ax34 Posted March 2, 2021 - Freedoom 1 and 2 - Chex Quest on high difficulty 0 Share this post Link to post
NaturalTvventy Posted March 2, 2021 On 3/1/2021 at 12:24 PM, Omniarch said: E3M6 and the entirety of E4 say otherwise, me thinks ;) No one can find E3M6. I hid it too well! 3 Share this post Link to post
Omniarch Posted March 2, 2021 22 minutes ago, NaturalTvventy said: No one can find E3M6. I hid it too well! 100%-ing E3M5 still gives me nightmares (finding E4M6's ZDoom secret exit takes the cake, though) 0 Share this post Link to post
Andromeda Posted March 2, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, T-Rex said: (list) Good list, seems pretty accurate from what I remember of the wads I've played. I'd say Perdition's Gate and Jenesis could drop down a layer and Icarus could be bumped up though. 0 Share this post Link to post
dei_eldren Posted March 2, 2021 i'll still add a rather clever one-level WAD, Sacrifice. 0 Share this post Link to post