Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...
dobu gabu maru

The DWmegawad Club plays: 180 Minutes Pour Vivre

Recommended Posts

MAP16: Sur le Chemin de Satan by Nemo06

 

8d2b5b8868a57ed3bda40a48a4207f5eb5b247dc.png

 

A kind of tech-dungeon with dark corners and varied rooms where different demons await us. The combat style and simple layout make this simple map a fun and fast one, with a decent challenge. 3/5

 

MAP17: Etat D'Urgence by Arnaud Florian (Oxyde) and William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

 

cc7d4a06c9862785095f24d55b4beb08f077ff57.png

 

A huge power station guarded by the infernal hordes. This map has a complex layout that can be a bit lost at times, but it makes up for it with a good design and variety of encounters, as well as a worthy and challenging climax. Among my favorites in the entire megawad. 4/5

 

MAP18: Le Temple des Damnés by Nemo06

 

ba6c9c48234026166b62bb7aa035c859491330ed.png

 

A kind of small temple in the middle of a canyon, colorful and filled with a few waiting demons. A small combat scenario with a short duration. Fun and decent. 3/5

 

MAP19: Inquiétude by William Huber (WH-Wilou84)

 

f13957841cc570a48c7ef06e6ae248933ce050b9.png

 

From one side to the other, we will always find enemies in this medium-sized map that makes excellent use of a constant and dynamic flow that changes the type of encounters and constantly throws new challenges at us. With a simply hellish design and a solid structure, this is an enjoyable, if somewhat punishing, map. 4/5

 

MAP20: Infernale Résurgence by Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore)

 

436b703d8d37d59d30b7e180d0278c5f4c3d39cd.png

 

A small and tight map with a simple and entertaining layout. The visuals create an irritating atmosphere that manages to establish the infernal inspiration without a problem. With simple and uncomplicated combat, it's a short and fun map that works as a good intermission. 3/5

 

MAP21: Canicule by Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore)

 

c543cb72971ff8bac39e2de683f2fdd66f109ca6.png

 

We entered the infernal mouth. We will have to go through a kind of lava river while we face different demons in tight corners, all under an excellent red dye that emanates a great ambience. 4/5

Share this post


Link to post

(Skipping the secret maps for now because I left my notes on them back at my apartment, and I'm visiting my mom this weekend)

 

MAP 16: Sur le Chemin de Satan

 

Very cheeky. I had no idea what I was doing and quit halfway through my first time round, but Sur le Chemin de Satan becomes much more fun once you've got a strategy worked out. My route wasn't all that efficient, but I did heed a few posts above me which warned of the map's low ammo allotment. Don't miss the megaarmor behind you at the start, and definitely grab the plasma before you go poking around, because some doors lock behind you. The chaingunner room is thankfully cheesable if you run in, grab the invuln (or don't), hit the switch, and leave before the door closes, thanks for the tip @rehelekretep. I probably should have killed the zombiemen closer to where they originally pop out to give the two arch-viles that pounce on you more toys to play with. 

 

The pop up chaingunners by the red switch are crappy, and the last fight with the revenants and cyberdemon is a little mean, but you can semi-reliably get cybie stuck on the torch decorations...just don't get caught in them yourself. I like this map, its cruelty is subtle.

 

MAP 17: Etat D'Urgence

 

A relatively wide open shipyard/port type map with two very notable moments: the first is, you can jump from the tower down to the arachnotron guarding the easternmost switch by the water, and skip the blue key entirely, back-tracking and -stabbing monsters as you go. The compromise is you get the plasma rifle later, but it's not as valuable as the element of surprise. I'm also quite sure this route is intended, as Oxyde & WH have taken steps to ensure that traveling the wrong way down this path is as intuitive as going forward. 

 

The second noteworthy moment is the last fight, holy cow. Just, holy cow. The best I could do here was run in, grab some rockets, hit the switch, rocket some of the stacked chaingunners on just one side, run away and hopefully not get torched by a vile, let the cyber infight the chaingunners and arachnos hopefully, rocket the snot out of the teleporting revenants and imps, and with a cleared hiding spot, slowly retake ground by knocking out the arch-viles, picking off the pain elementals, and then tentatively unleashing the nightwatch cacos. This took a few attempts. Very intimidating.

 

MAP 18: Le Temple des Damnes

 

What a nice surprise: a very short arena map that pretty much comes down to one fight with some imps and all the flying foes in the wad. The secret rocket launcher and backpack make things a bit easy, especially the hell knight cleanup at the end (don't hit the blue switch right away, it makes a needless mess). So yeah, it's a big plasma fest in a hell chapel. Definitely one of the easier maps in E2, and I was very surprised to learn it was the work of Nemo06, who bull whipped me in MAP 16. 

 

MAP 19: Inquietude

 

I recognized the music from HR2 and had to grit my teeth a bit...not-so-fond memoriesThe first decidedly hellish map in 180MPV, WH's Inquietude starts with a run for your life, but don't panic: you'll need to keep an eye out for a few weapons, and budget rad suits to make laps and polish off the monsters here semi-comfortably. The latter half of the map, taking place in a blue-tinged techbase, is where stuff starts getting interesting.

 

The blue key room is incredibly foreboding, and absolutely fulfills its promise to shake you up: it's a four-pronged attack of sniping revenants, two arachnos right behind you, a compactor of hell knights and barons, and a cyberdemon taking potshots at you. The cyberdemon MUST be used as an infighting tool to buy you time to eliminate the spiders, thin out the hell royalty, and slowly whittle down the revenants. It's a fight that really requires you to make every rocket (and every breath) count, because the threat of being consumed by the hell knights or caught in a trailing fusillade of revenant rockets is quite real. This was some real Sunlust shit: it took me probably over a dozen attempts and it was the hardest fight in the megawad so far, I think. It definitely rendered the level's coda (not even worth talking about) tame by comparison.

 

Footnote: WH says in the text file that this map was the first one made for 180MPV and serves as the megawad's "trailer." I think that's an appropriate designation. 

 

MAP 20: Infernal Resurgence

 

Infernal Resurgence starts off sinister, with its blood-red interiors and shadowy lighting, but it doesn't hit much harder than something from say, Memento Mori. I absolutely love the detailing of the baron wall textures getting torches for eyes. I'm pretty sure there's a bug in this map (sorry if someone else has mentioned this already): you can drop in behind the bars blocking you from the plasma rifle and grab it early, but you can't escape. Not that you need it for the four cacos that spawn in. The orange wall secret with the imps and rockets is a difference maker, but only until you get the SSG, at which point the map kind of peters out. I assume the next ten levels are going to kick my behind, so I'll just enjoy my break and shut up now. 

Share this post


Link to post

Map20: Infernale Résurgence - Datacore

100% kills and secrets. Time: 11:01

Deaths: 0

 

I'm kinda surprised I didn't die, cause there's a lot of tricky encounters in this one. The level is pretty cramped, and you're going to be relying on the shotgun for a lot of it since there's not much in the way of rockets and cells. I initially missed the switch in the starting room that lowered the pillars which was a good thing honestly. It does get you the shotgun, but also a handful of revs too. What I did was just hit the switch that opened the door, took out 2 lost souls with the pistol, rushed the RL, rocketed the enemies that emerge from a closet and grabbed a shotgun that way, using it to get rid of the rest. Didn't have a lot of health left, but it worked. "Didn't have a lot of health left, but it worked" was pretty much this map's M.O. Area with the switch that lowered the bar with the red key? Somehow got out of that with like 17% health. Baron ambush when getting the red key? Plasma = savior. Dark room with switch opening final room? idk how I got out of that one after accidentally triggering the ambush earlier than I intended. Plus, the secret area here has shotgunners. 

 

Not much else to say. I like the red theme here, lighting made it more sinister. MIDI was just kinda there, I don't remember it. Fun level with right amount of balance. 

Share this post


Link to post

MAP22 (HMP, Continuous, Blind) - Third Nemo06 map, and out of the three, one that i dislike the least.  A different kind of modern take on hell, but for a modern-style map it looks pretty good, not being too abstract, nor boring, and i think the architecture is pretty nice (though there has been evidence of Nemo06's good architectural ideas before.)  The gameplay on the first third of the level i also enjoyed, fighting the Mancubi and the Pinkies and Revenants on the hallways , as well as the ambush of Cacos.  So far, so good, but so what, when we inevitably arrive at an obvious slaughter-arena?  i had too much trouble with the first round of Cacos because i panicked and made it hard for myself, trying to hide behind the pillars (...i have no confidence in myself in these kinds of situations, especially as i'm always fearing it will actually be worse than it often is, like here - the amount of Cacos wasn't even overwhelming!), and of course, missed the obvious opportunity to throw Tomatoes at the Cyberdemon and have them prepare him for me.  The second wave is Barons, and it took some time to kill them all, but it wasn't actually too hard, just took a long time.  But even if this place consists only the second third of the map, there's still a third wave of Revenants, and they caused me some grief, as i'm not very adept at ducking their missiles.  Why i didn't bail out...?  Cause i didn't think straight.  i always get great ideas after the fighting is done.

No matter, as there is still an even more difficult battle to come.  Down the lift, and soon a veritable horde of Pinkies is upon me, and i had fun mowing them down with the shotgun.  Am utterly exhausted by now, only to have to face another Cyberdemon, and a good number of Revenants on the ledges surrounding the central pavillion.  There's no way this is going to happen, and i need to leave as soon as possible.  Luckily, it's a matter of hitting a couple of switches, which even provide good cover from the Cyberdemon, and the doors in the central pavillion, harboring some Archviles, open.  It's as easy as running in, not minding whoever gets left behind, and finally the nightmare is over.

Obviously for me, too much slaughter, but the first third i really enjoyed quite a bit.  And the first slaughter-room also, if it had ended there, it would have been fine (though there were too many Barons).  The basement was also a nicely done place, but i had hit my limit by then.  Because i don't like this style of play, while still being a decent effort, i give this 5/10.

Share this post


Link to post

Map 22 :

 

180_Minutes_Pour_Vivre_MAP22_map.png

 

This my favourite Nemo06 level among his three maps. As the previous levels, I'm not really fan about the aesthetics despite the "sunder-lite" architecture but the gameplay was a lot of  fun with a lot of infights scenarios.

 

I actually enjoy the big fight in the room with the Cyberdemon and Heresiarch at the middle. Everything become random and circle-strafing isn't that easy because of the HK which may block you.

 

The last fight was a bit less exciting but you can manipulate the cyber to do the work for you.

 

Also, I really dig the music from Star Fox which fits with that little slaughtermap.

Share this post


Link to post

Crispy, UV, pistol starts.

 

MAP22 - Une Journée en Enfer

 

For my money, "Journée" is the best of Nemo06's contributions to this WAD. The aesthetics definitely keep to the texturing and colour scheme of Datacore's previous offerings, but the gameplay is definitely a cut above Nemo06's other maps (and offers the bite I missed in Datacore's maps). Not quite as silly/mean-spirited as MAP16, not quite as obviously speedmappy as MAP18, and with a more enjoyable couple of big encounters to boot. The YK fight is straightforward but I liked it; on paper it's much like the ending of MAP18, but the enemy composition and those tempting-but-potentially-deadly hiding spots behind the two pillars managed to give it a nice balance between all-out-clusterfuck and manageable-with-circlestrafing-and-some-improvisation. I liked the exit room fight too, even if I did gladly exit the map without mopping everything up.

Edited by ironicmoustache

Share this post


Link to post

MAP22 - Une Journée en Enfer

HMP | Continuous Play with Saves | GZDoom + Dead Marine

 

Nemo returns yet again with an interesting Hell map that complements Datacore's MAP21 really nicely visually. There's some curious texturing at work with mostly red rock and lava with smatterings of wood (with bookshelves even) and metal. Combat is fun but a little more laid back this time with some sneaky surprises here and there. I found the final fight to be the most challenging mainly because of the close quarters and splash damage from a Cyberdemon's rockets. Thankfully, I was able to make him an unsuspecting teammate for a bit to help me rid the Barons and HKs hidden aloft throwing their snot-balls and being grumpy sods. Sadly, it's left not much of an overall impression for me. It's another one of those maps that is perfectly fine in its own right, but nothing really stood out to me on a grander sense, which will see it get lost in the crowd of the maps I've enjoyed far more. Much like Roofi, I too thought the music for this one was oddly appropriate hehe.

 

 

For those of you who enjoy my videos, I'm sorry to report that I neglected to re-adjust my microphone's audio levels after a recording session for something unrelated from the other day, so you won't get to hear any of my commentary in this one.

Share this post


Link to post

map22

I agree that this is the best Nemo map so far, I had a fairly good time, so with that said here are my gripes. First and biggest one, is why the hell would you make the plasma a secret if you're also dropping a zillion cells all over the map as if it's a mandatory pickup? I wanted to get through the map without wasting too much time so I didn't bother finding the little switch, but if I had known I would have to SSG a cyber and a bunch of viles at the end for my hubris I would have taken more time to look. The question of course is, if you're going for a Sunder inspired map why have any secrets to begin with, much less important secret weapons? It's not just a pointless convention that a lot of slaughtermaps have no secrets, because it keeps the structure and balance of the map consistent if everyone gets the same stuff in the same order. To me it would have been way more simple and logical to just give the plasma as a reward for finishing the fight in that area and let the player move on. That said, the fights in this map were mostly pretty good, with the exception of a couple random barons and the imps and viles in the hallway that weren't dangerous and seemed like they were just there to be a grind. The arena with the Heresiarch and cyber was cool, it's probably the most interesting use of the Heresiarch so far, although it felt kinda weird that the player has to release he hell knight wave by picking up the YK, since if you wait for the first wave to fully die before grabbing the key, you're left with a bunch of harmless hell knights that you can just circle around to win. It's faster and more fun if you release both waves at the same time. Overall, it was a pretty fun time with a couple of head scratching moments.

Share this post


Link to post

MAP 21: Canicule

 

This one checks all the boxes for a megawad third episode opener (lots of red and lava, low monster count, hinting at incoming escalation of difficulty), but except for one room Canicule didn't really catch my eye. I stalled a couple of times at the start, hesitant about which way to progress; I found that you can sprint across the gap to the door in the north (the one with the pain elemental behind it) using the pole sticking out of the ground. Not sure how to use that skip functionally, just thought it was interesting. The lava river section is a bit scary with just a chaingun and shotgun, I took the elevator back up as soon as I could.

 

The best fight in the level is the square cyberdemon arena with all the heavies and sniping revenants. I found a secret that took my health back up to 100% and I don't know if I would have survived that particular run without it. The second switch in that room summons an arch-vile, who's harmless by himself, but a death sentence if triggered prematurely. The visuals are the strongest attribute of this map, very economical, precise, and moody.

 

MAP 22: Une Journee en Enfer

 

Inspired by Chillax? I don't see how...I was able to beat it. Inspired by Sunder? That I can see. Nemo06's last map is definitely his prettiest, and features another optional weapon that can really improve your odds in the later fights. I kind of like that (if you know how to obtain the secret) you can choose to play the level "the easy way" or "the hard way." Une Journee's got some quirky music, I quite like it (txt says the music won't work in ZDoom but it seemed to play just fine). 

 

The big fight with the Heresiarch, barons, and checkered cacos was my favorite in the map. I hemmed and hawed a bit about whether I should release the hell knights before or after I dispensed with the rest, but ultimately discovered they were good at blocking stray Hereisarch projectiles and cyber rockets. Re: the cyberdemon, holy cow, he stands no chance against that spellcasting S.O.B. The splash damage immunity and massive DPS gives him a decisive edge. I'm positive that Heresiarchs have killed 100x more monsters than Doomguys in my playthrough so far, they're essentially damage fountains made for infighting. 

 

The last room wasn't so great, at least for me. Better players may find their fancies tickled by the act of juggling four arch-viles exit (which I didn't want to save until after cybie finished chipping away at the peripheral demons), but I wasn't fond of baiting them out and SSG-ing them from the safety of one of the switch cubbies. 

Share this post


Link to post

Map 21, Canicule

 

Fun Map, good secrets. Not enough health, and the Cyberdemon can be annoying for UVMax.

 

9/10

Share this post


Link to post

Map 22 Une Journee en Enfer

 

Perfect. Just Perfect.

 

As a Ratchet and Clank fan, the music hit just the right nerves for me.

The difficulty was hard, and it took quite a lot of tries, but that's my personal sweetspot. 

The level looked good, and the gameplay was varied and well balanced.

 

10/10, simply perfect.

Share this post


Link to post

Map 22 UV Max, pistol start

 

Oh boy....this one. The presence of a rocket launcher and super shotgun at the beginning are evidence are what you're in for. The catchy upbeat tune that was taken from Star Fox on SNES and doesn't work on GZDoom for some reason sort of betray this. It's more like a Map 05 alternate track, but I don't care.

 

The hell theme arguably constricts Nemo06 ion certain ways, but he was still able to insert some bright red wall textures at certain places in this demonic mansion of which the hallway just down from the starting location is a bit uncomfortably reminiscent of Barrels o' Fun, only without poorly-placed Pain Elementals making a pistol start in that map a must for idiotic masochists. Without initial Revenant spam, (though there are Revenants) there's nothing too dramatic as you push the somewhat-hidden switch to lower the pillar to get a plasma rifle you absolutely need for later.

 

The real action of the level comes as you enter the grandly-built room. Soon as you press a rather obscure switch on the left, the area is suddenly swarming with enemies. Shoot when things get too crowded but largely watch for the joy of seeing a Heresiarch take out a Cyberdemon! Nightmare Cacos should probably be targeted if they get too close to you. Anyways, once they're down, along with most of the Cacos, hit another switch that has become available and watch the area get absolutely flooded with Hell Knights, a la Sunder. Don't be like me and find yourself not having enough ammo to takr out the cheeky quad of Arch-viles at the end, and try to manage things carefully. Because after this, you still have to tangle with a couple large packs of demons each after you take the lift behind the yellow door by punching them from a corner next to the lift. I enjoyed punching them, but maybe that was unnecessary. I would've also punched a few more of the Hell Knights, but past 3, I don't have the reflexes, regardless of how large the room is (and that is one thing Nemo06 absolutely NAILED, which he kinds did in his last entry, but I digress). So after dispatching them, you'll have the exit shed and 3 hallways leading off, containing the somewhat meager supplies you'll need for the final battle. Hit the switches both on the structure to the sides, and then, side chambers will open up containing Revenants in two of them and Hell Knight and Barons of Hell in the other two (I think it was unwise for Nemo to put more than 2 Barons in each of them, but I digress), and then a Cyberdemon, along with an Arch0vile will teleport into the central area. I dunno how @MtPain27 was able to find the patience to trigger infighting with the Cyberdemons because doinf that while dodging Cyberdemon and Revenant rockets.....yeah, but I barely had enough ammo for the Arch-viles after reloading another save(I had 6 shells left when it was done). I died so many damn times in this second to last fight....like probably 20?

Share this post


Link to post

Map21: Canicule - Datacore

100% kills and secrets. Time: 10:03

Deaths: I don't remember, I had to put dinner in the oven while doing this. Probably 7.

Restarts: 1

 

I botched this one pretty badly. I didn't see the SSG, I let a baron go through the teleporter to the pinky, rev, and cybie arena, and saved with only like 18% health before going there myself. And I died like 5 times beforehand So I restarted. Not good play on my part

 

I didn't remember this being that difficult last time, but I did continuous then, not pistol-start. And the lack of ammo in this one is felt. You have to face a bunch of goon with only a shotgun and chaingun until you make a weird jump to get a RL, which of course lowers a wall with mancubi. Since ammo is scarce, you don't really want to waste those rockets on them initially, but it may be the best option since most of this level is cramped, so using the RL isn't a good idea. The only place I actually used it was in the room with the columns that lowered revealing some hell nobles, and even that was iffy. I do like the clue to the secret in this room: Before those columns lower, you'll notice one has a different texture. The wall behind it can be lowered, so make sure to do that before jumping in the teleporter if you need some shells. The aforementioned pinky arena isn't really bad since it's a much bigger area than the rest of the map, especially once you lower the walls in the middle and get the mancubi out. Run around and get them to infight the cybie for a bit while you try to lower the bars around the big door. An archie will eventually appear on the middle fountain, but you can hide behind some cover, just make sure it's not in the line of sight of the big rocket guy. You can also find the second secret with a much needed berserk, since health is scarce here too. Putting the plasma gun just before the end is not very nice, since there's only like 7 enemies left, and half are zombies. Though it is useful for going back and taking care of the cybie.

 

For a third episode opener, this was pretty challenging. I wish there was much more health around as it's really easy to get beaned by projectiles. Visually, it's fine. Nice little lava outpost. MIDI was pretty rockin'. My annoyance with having to restart has made me not like this map as much anymore, but that's just a me thing. Everything is better when you have an idea with what's coming up.

Share this post


Link to post

Map 21 - Canicule

Really tricky putting a pinky right at the starting area. Very similar look to the last level but the music gives it a different atmosphere. I think I made this map much more difficult than it was supposed to be. At the initial area where you have a choice of 2 routes to take, I took the north route, not knowing that there was supposed to be an area that you raise up in order to cross over the lava. I just sort of ran onto the support beams and got to the other side. As a result of this I didn’t have the rocket launcher for the big arena battle. Even still I managed to make it through by getting the cyberdemon to infight with the mancui and barrons while I super shot gunned the pinkies and revenants. Very fun battle, but not too overwhelming. By that point I was low on ammo, skipped fighting the cyberdemon. Anyway I got to the exit and figured  that I had missed a good portion of the map, so went back to grab the rocket launcher and mop up the remaining demons. To my surprise coming back to the arena with the cyberdemon there was now an archville in the fountain (nothing that the cyberdemon can’t handle). Anyway I used nearly all the ammo I had left on cybie and limped out of the level with like 40 health. Fun map, didn’t find any secrets though.

 

Map 22 - Fun little slaughter map. Took me several tries, especially the large arena. The hallway with the imps and 2 archvilles was pretty sinister, with no clever strategy for that area I just unloaded rockets at the group until both archvilles were dead. One thing I do wish was that the large room had some wider walkways between the pillars, but that could make it a bit too easy. I liked making the enemies infight and just hanging back to pick out the stragglers, but at certain points the room gets so filled with enemies it’s difficult to navigate around them. At one point it looked like there were clouds of cacodemons around. Anyway I’m just wondering if all the rest of the maps are going to be slaughter fests from this point forward.

Share this post


Link to post

MAP23 - So, the time has come that i can't finish the level?  H.A.R.D. as nails from the first room, whilst pretending not be a slaughtermap, ha-ha!  No, that was unexpected with the brutal encounters that came before that.  i guess these are technically called 'dynamic encounters', and the map is chock full of them.  So when one presses yet another switch and all the Imps in the world come charging at you, with some Hell Knight friends of theirs, one is slightly taken aback. 

Unable to formulate any strategy to manage one meaningful step of progress, i finally QUIT.  Sigh.  For about two hours, thinking that there must be some sort of reasonable solution to this, obviously plasma isn't fast enough for the Imps and there's nowhere to run unless they are slaughtered faster.  So i finally decide to try rockets, and it works - must be the splash-damage that kills more than one at a time, unlike with plasma.  So yeah, finally that gives me some space to maneuvre and deal with the Hell Knights.  Except, there's a couple of Archviles, too.  They actually don't give much grief, as they are perched on top of pillars, and just keeping away from their line of sight it's alright.

Next up is a Cyberdemon, i mean, of course... to be fair, i think at this point it was already possible to leave, but not realizing that (it should be simple enough even for me - you get the key, you  can bail out!), i actually finish him off.  Then for the exit, which has one more little trap, by way of thanks for doing such a good job.  However, not expecting anything too nasty after all of that, i decide to trek back to hunt for secrets - a decision i genuinelly come to regret.  There are more enemies in already cleared places, and they aren't any more of the straggling kind than before.  Anyway, i do manage to get even the BFG, which would've been helpful earlier!, but only to find my way back is blocked by -another Cyberdemon-!  Whom i must kill from below by the elevator (laughter and tears) with rockets.  

 

All this takes place in grotto that has been turned into some sort of installation for some unholy purposes, and the design in this collaboration work of Datacore and WH-Wilou84 is beautiful, and the layout is interesting and complex.  But as you might have guessed, i wasn't fan of the fighting style, and especially not of the slaughter-part and the Cyberdemons, even if i have to admit, it was rather pleasing to manage it all.  This isn't one that i would play again, so i can only give this 6/10.

 

But at least this shows i'm not willing to give up on this set before i absolutely can not make more progress.  i suspect, though, that there will be no more breathers at this stage.

Edited by dei_eldren : BFG

Share this post


Link to post

Crispy, UV, pistol starts.

 

MAP 23 - Anomalie Eternelle

 

Oof. Now this hurt. The opening room caught me off guard before I twigged that the AV only teleported in after you crossed a linedef. Once I figured that out the rest of the map wasn't too bad, although it's certainly a significant cut above what's come before it. The real meat comes towards the end, with the massive Imp + Baron + HK fight that: a) I wasn't quite prepared for and b) grew to admire over the course of my retries, especially that lone Pain Elemental that serves enough of a nuisance to let the Imps get out of hand if you train your attention away from them for even the short moment it takes to get rid of it. 

 

I had no idea the map had a BFG until I opened up the text file to copy the level's name, or else I'd have spent more time looking on the way back to the fight (that is, before I succumbed to just reloading a save). Would probably have made this section a bit easier.

 

The ensuing Cyberdemon clusterfuck I found a little bit less enjoyable. Even then, I have to say that I thought [WH]Wilou-84's choice to add pinkies in the room with the switch was a nice touch. The perfect enemy to accompany that Cyberdemon, and also to stop the player from just making a quick beeline for the switch. Sure, maps of this tier are slightly above my pay grade, but I appreciate all the little things that add up to create the punishment that they dish out.

 

I lucked out on my third try by running around like a madman to draw one of the AVs out, spamming the other one down, and exiting under a hail of chaingun fire. The layout is great and while I appreciated the red-overload aesthetic choices of the previous levels, this is how I like my Hell levels to look. Brutal, but still very admirable even as it's kicking your ass. 

Edited by ironicmoustache

Share this post


Link to post

MAP23 - Anomalie Eternelle

HMP | Continuous Play with Saves | GZDoom + Dead Marine

 

Hoo boy, this one was fucking MEAN! Probably didn't help that I was forced to start this map with only 25-30% health left because Nemo decided to be a stingy bastard when it came to health in the last map. Datacore returns and has teamed up with Wilou to bring us a real nasty little map that's aesthetically awesome and brimming with vicious little traps that kept me jumping and panicking all the way through. Not going to lie, this one kind of pissed me off a tad, but nothing too serious I promise you hehehe. The boys here make a good team creating this utter bitch of a map that left me rather grouchy at points and exhausted at others, but I prevailed with only a couple of deaths. Gritty, dark, nasty and tough as nails. It's a solid outing to sharpen my Dooming skills on that's for sure. I can only imagine what an even harder time I would've experienced on UV. But that's for another time, kids. Much like dei_eldren, I too feel like this map serves as a dangerous omen for what lies for us ahead. Hold onto your spines, marines. Shit's about to get real.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post

Map 23 :

 

 

180_Minutes_Pour_Vivre_MAP23_map.png

 

I really like this map. It is one of my favorite maps from Datacore. I don't forget Wilou's intervention but he mainly made some changes like in the 07 map. We instantly recognize the typical cavernous layout from Datacore.

 

Actually, I really like how the map has been stuffed with monsters like a turkey at Christmas. The fight in the upper part against the cybers, imps, HK figure as my favorite part. Also, you can get the BFG in secret.  This is very rare in 180mpv. It is comforting to be able to use it after so many levels focused on RL and Plasmagun.

 

My only complaint is the number of times monsters teleport, especially towards the beginning of the level. This makes us always go back after activating something to see if monsters have appeared.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post

Map 23: pistol start, UV

 

Datacore brings us yet another cavernous level. Pour Vivre's yellowish-brown cavern textures, as well as the red brick textures scattered throughout, lead me to conclude that we're in a military installation. "Sign of Evil" is honestly the perfect mood setter, as many of the encounters have a certain touch of hopeless regarding their setup. Unlike the last huge fight of Map 19 for instance, though, moving and rocket ruthlessness will save your ass most of the time, though a scrub like me takes forever to figure out the right strategies. Although I'm sure most of the large monster swarms and the Cyberdemons near the end are Wilou's work, I think the obligatory Datacore Arch-viles have a less calculated placement than Wilou normally practices. The monster closets which open up in front of the red door demand rockets be lobbed toward the strongest enemies, clearing them just enough so you can focus on the Revenants behind the enemies coming from the room on the other side of the hallway.

 

The serious action really comes in the red-walled room toward the end. Hit the switch near the plasma rifle and another cavern connecting to the room with the aforementioned Revenants will open up, and you'll be greeted by an absolute FLOOD of Imps, Hell Knights, and Barons of Hell. Take care of the Pain Elemental that teleports in front of the nearby door before you handle them though. Don't let got of the fire button and take an opening if you're able to find one, but tread carefully if you enter the caverns, because you'll run into a pair of Arch-viles on a pillar.

 

Things aren't over yet though. Hit a switch near where the Arch-viles were and you'll get two Cyberdemons teleporting into the central area you came from, along with some pinkies and a third Cyberdemon who's revealed when another room opens up containing a striking statue of some demon who's his presumable guardian spirit. In this room is a switch which opens up the exit door where the above-mentioned Pain Elemental was, revealing an Arch-viles pairing because of course. Let's hope you found the secret BFG, located in a chamber behind your starting location. This doesn't open up right away, though you should probably collect it not long after you find the red key because you'll find the switch that allows you to use the lift to backtrack from the red door room is blocked off for no apparent reason. That REALLY sucked, though you should save a good chunk of cells for the Cyberdemons because rocket fighting in relatively narrow space is so frickin' tedious, holy shit. I feel fortunate to have found 5 of the secrets, though the little-caged Plutonia homage with Revenants and Manicubi surrounding you and the berserk pack to the west of the exit room was......eh, not that great, but it could be worst

 

 

Edited by LadyMistDragon

Share this post


Link to post

Catch-up Day #3...

 

MAP 31: [Long winded French title]

 

This map by Jambon (which bears his charming stamp in the automap) is a secret map in name only. I suppose it's somewhat visually unlike the other maps in 180MPV, with its somewhat ascetic detailing and bloody floors, but in all other ways it's just another speed map. You're stuck with the shotgun for 2/3rds of the level, which is made doubly annoying by the arch-vile appearance that triggers (I believe) when you jump the first two revenant platforms. The second jump to the red key is more awkward, and made doubly irritating by the presence of enemies below you. I just played through this map a second time today, planning to pop in, refresh myself with the visuals, and duck out, but I ended up beating it saveless, so I guess it's fairly easy...I don't know. I'm ambivalent about this one.

 

MAP 32: Reve Brise

 

Let me say first that I'm glad I took a few days before issuing feedback for this map, because it had me steaming the day of, frankly. In retrospect, Reve Brise is diabolical in a good way, but you MUST EXPECT TO DIE if you want to have a (sort of) pleasant go at it. Also, don't expect a shootout, the combat here is brainy and oblique, involving a lot of dodging, waiting, and monster wrangling. 

 

In any other map, the mystical, jungle-y aesthetic would be quite cozy, but Roofi never lets you get comfortable. The map is riddled with turrets and snipers: revenants, imps, mancubi, arch-viles, cyberdemons, and even a Heresiarch will all be taking aim at you from fixed positions. I'm not exaggerating when I say this map can make you feel like a target in a shooting gallery. Reve Brise's most distinctive feature is its "immortal" monsters; certain enemies will replenish themselves functionally forever*, making them more akin to lethal surveillance cameras than enemies. There's an invuln secret by the cyberdemon(s) which is all but mandatory, and I'm pretty sure I used it wrong. I used it to run past the cyberdemon, revenants, and Heresiarch to "safety," but I wish I'd saved it for the end.

 

After you find a way to kill the respawning enemies (even the ones spawned initially will get crushed to death, interestingly), you'll find the exit swarming with arch-viles and pain elementals...getting them to infight the sluggardly Heresiarch is highly dependent on good RNG, which I did not get, and I wish I'd saved the invulnerability so I could just run in there and rocket everything. Reve Brise took me longer to finish than any map in 180MPV so far, and I had to save like the dickens to give myself a chance. I respect Roofi's intentions but this kind of map is incompatible with my preferences. 

 

*Roofi places 8 cyberdemons, 21 arch-viles, and 13 mancubi in reserve

 

MAP 23: Anomalie Eternelle

 

Aha, "Anomalie"...I see what you did there. I got big time Alien Vendetta vibes from this one, it's sort of a pastiche of the hellish levels and Kim Andre Malde's castle map, Blood Sacrifice. The highly choreographed beginning, with the lowering weapons and lost soul spawns, sets the mood beautifully, and the map does a great job escalating the action slowly, but reliably. Datacore builds trepidation with little details, like when you walk through the red door and the switch to go back downstairs gets closed off--really cool. 

 

The crescendo fight with the hundred imps, barons, hell knights, and one pain elemental was the first to get me, and what a fight it is. I love how you have just enough rockets to plow through the imps, and you have to speed past a bunch of barons to another ammo stash or get smothered by their advance. Except for the useless arch-viles, this was a perfect fight. The aftermath was less stellar: knocking out two roaming cybers in a cave with a plasma gun is not my cup of tea (or drink of your choice), and I have no idea what the point of the immobile third cyber was. He seems to exist only to eat your ammo, so I fed him bullets out of spite. 

 

I missed the BFG until after the hubbub died down, and the outdoor secret area with the caged monsters may have led to another secret but I sure as heck didn't find it. This was one of the best maps in the wad so far, winning me over in a genre (hell maps) I don't usually love. 

Share this post


Link to post

Map 23

 

Really hard, really tight, I love the attention put into the secrets.

 

Ammunition and health are both well balanced.

 

Because of the difficulty (and the music), this would've been a great level 28, level 29.

 

9/10, could really use original music.

Share this post


Link to post

Map22: Une Journee en Enfer - Nemo06

100% kills and secrets. Time: 15:09

Deaths: 2

 

This was a much better playthrough than last time! Honestly, this map is not that hard. The opening gives you enough room to rocket the revs on the platform, and you can get the mancubi on the ground below you to hit the pinkies. I saved the berserk in the lava for the next fight, which can kind of be cheesed. First, find the hidden switch that lowers the much needed plasma rifle. Then hit the multiple switches in sight to unleash the imps, both types of caco, and the archie. Slip by the Archie, and teleport away. You can then lure the cacos to a safer area to take care of them, then jump back down to the imps and archie's level, and plasma/rocket 'em. After a hallway with more imps and flame bois, you get to the main arena event and the only tricky part of the map. My initial playthrough had me dying a lot here. You hit a switch to lower the yellow skull and both types of cacos start teleporting. Grab the skull, and 4 of the surrounding pillars open up with a bunch of hell nobles, and in the center pools spawn a cybie and Heresiarch. Keep the plasma out in case of emergencies, and just run around trying to get stuff to infight. If you go behind the middle two pillars, be careful you don't get intercepted by some mean demon and get trapped. I was actually surprised that this playthrough the Heresiarch died from infighting as well as the cybie, so I had to rocket and SSG the rest. No deaths! I was happy. Then I opened the yellow skull door and died twice to high roll Rev rockets. lol. Finally, the final room is a cross shaped area with the exit area in the center that you can't get to yet. Seems ok initially, but as you approach the center, pinkies come rushing in. Back up and take them out. Hit the switches on the left and right sides to open up 4 alcoves with revs and nobles, plus a cybie and an archie on your level. Plasma the archie quickly, and get the cybie to infight until it dies so you can rocket the remaining baddies. Hit the final switch in the upper path, and open one door to reveal 4 more archies. Thankfully, the tend to stay in the exit room, but they can come out if they want to. Nothing 16 rockets can't fix. 

 

This is probably Nemo's most fun map to play. No tight areas, no annoying fights. Looks very much like Sunder-lite and thankfully isn't as mean as Sunder. MIDI worked for me in GZDoom and was cool but short. Still not used to a MIDI fading out at the end of loops. 

Share this post


Link to post

map22 fda

i quite enjoyed this map but it feels like it has missed a trick. first of all though, the good:

each area is quite distinct plus with the simple layout you cant get lost or not know what to do next.

the fights are challenging but give clues how you can approach them; but you can approach them in different ways, its not do this or you die instantly

the midi is fun although it maybe doesnt fit this map so well? it feels more like a jaunty techbase theme or something

what i mean by missing a trick is i can see potential in the map (even as someone who has never made a map!) on what i would do differently to make it more fun to play. for example, the opening area is really cool with different levels and staircases, but the hell knights/barons/revs do not really interact well unless you do some serious herding. the mancubi are stuck in place, and the two levels dont really interact at all - apart from some funny revs going downstairs and getting squished where i could only hear them in the library section below. this area could have been reused or opened up later on but its just used for the first stunted encounter and thats it.

the big arena fight, the yk triggers the hks but its only just on the key. my first go round only the cacos/nm cacos and the two bosses teleported in, so when the hks turned up it just felt a bit lame. not sure if that is intentional but i would have everything come at once; its more fun like that.

finally the pinkies try to pin you when you descend to the basement but you just have to stand at the end of the corridor and spam rockets. even if they threaten to overwhelm you you can just retreat up the lift and spam them from there, or send the lift down and then bring one or two up and sg them.

 

sorry to write so much but this map couldve been very cool but its just ok :)

 

map23 fda

this is just excellent. i appreciate the interlocking design and reuse of space: it reminds me of a mini-ToD map. i agree with Roofi's sentiment: i imagine the monsters waiting like sardines in a tin :p

the first major fight is brutal; even after you punch a hole through the imps and make some space you still have to perform some skill movement to avoid getting sandwiched or Good at Dooming yourself. the penultimate fight is unfortunately very cheeseable which i discovered by accident when i panicked and ran towards the door that leads to the exit: kill the pe and then rocket spam!

the last fight with the cybers is quite evil but fun, especially with the bfg - i dont want to imagine know how nasty that would be without it!

great map!

Share this post


Link to post

Alrighty, I'm back! Got a bit side tracked making my own maps (or trying to anyway) for the last few days, so I'm a little behind (as always). High time I got caught up!

 

MAP18: Le Temple des Damnés (Temple of the Damned), by Nemo06 - 100% / 100%

 

A small, odd little map with an absolute battle of a finale.

 

The oddly-named Temple of the Damned essentially consists of a rather perfunctory opening segment and the afore-mentioned final encounter, with little to no connection between the two.

 

Said final fight is a pretty good time, skirting the line between regular encounter and full-blown combat puzzle. I must say, this fight is probably the first time in the wad so far that the Nightmare Caco has actually posed a noticeable threat, due to the combination of limited space to maneuver and the wide spread of their attack.

 

I don't really have anything else to say about this one, and the author seems to feel the same given the lack of comments in the textfile.

 

 

MAP19: Inquiétude (Worry/Anxiety/Concern?), by @WH-Wilou84 - 100% / 50%

 

Well, that was a bit of a ball-buster.

 

The aptly-named Inquietude (love this word! You french can take 'worry', I like this one better ;)) contains the first true combat puzzle of the wad so far. The rest of the map feels like a mere prelude to the big event, though a pretty and well thought-out one.

 

I died at least ten times trying to figure the map's big combat puzzle. Eventually I figured that focusing down the revs was the way to go, since they exerted the most pressure overall. This fight is probably about as far as the truly inexperienced Doomer will go, since at least a cursory understanding of crowd-shaping, target-prioritization and infighting is required to succeed.

 

I'll admit, I myself am lacking in experience when it comes to genuine combat puzzles. I'm more of a free-wheeler myself, preferring the constant fluid motion and dynamic combat championed by the likes of skillsaw, antares or cannonball. Sunlust along with Ribbiks and dannebubinga's other sets, lies well outside my confidence range, though this fight makes me think there may be more fun to be had than I previously thought.

 

Regardless, this is a good map, centered around a stand-out encounter. The pressure is starting to build now. E3's gonna be a doozy, isn't it?

 

 

MAP20: Infernale Resurgence (this one is so obvious I'm not going to bother), by @Datacore85 - 100% / 100%

 

A nice little palette-cleanser from Datacore to brace the player for the pain yet to come.

 

This map shares most of its traits with its siblings in the set: lovely non-orthogonal geometry, moody lighting, tight-ish encounter-based combat and simple fool-proof progression.

 

My one gripe is the excess of fucking Specters in the middle third of the map. Seriously, there is nothing fun or engaging about grinding down ghost-pigs in the inky blackness with the SG. It is just annoying. Mind you, I'm the one who loves fighting PEs with the RL, so maybe some Doomers are just into that or something? Who'm I to judge?

 

Thinly-veiled Doomer kink-shaming aside, this is another good map from da 'core, as to be expected at this point. I have a niggling sense that this will be the last gamer-rage-free run of the month, judging by the rather ominous foreshadowing.

 

Ach, well, what self-respecting Doomer doesn't enjoy a little punishment every now and again? How bad could it be? I'll just have to remember my safe word, I mean key-combo (esc, up, enter, y)... Okay, I'll stop. G'night, all.

Share this post


Link to post

MAP24 (HMP, Continuous, Blind) - Though i've not played Plutonia, only watched it being played, i'd say this is shamelessly a quintessential Plutonia -inspired map.  i'm sure there are finesses and subtleties that separate it from its spiritual forefather, but i wouldn't be able to tell.  Actually, it's a weird one to encounter in the middle of an episode in hell, but at least it stands out, and feels like all of a sudden i'm playing a different wad (this is ok, not complaining, it's just unusual.)  This could be refreshing, if i liked the map, but i don't really.  It's perfectly well constructed and designed, but i don't feel it.  The action is relentless, and full of extremely tricky scenarios, which i survive only with multiple attempts of different approaches.  In my first attempt, i cheesed out and forced my way through the incoming Revenants to the finish line, but was so unsatisfied with doing so that i decided i have enough firepower to clear the fields so i really should.  Which i did, after reloading a convenient save, i killed everything but the Sepherds - frankly didn't want to waste cells on them.  Towards the end it wasn't that difficult, as long as i kept mobile.  But it was difficult getting there, from the first fight with the Mancubi and the others who inevitably and quickly join in, to the point of killing the Nightwatch Cacos, it was rather hellish, and mostly not enjoyable for me.  As far as gameplay goes, i did enjoy both of the side areas.  Gametime was around 28 minutes, but in actuality with the deaths included, it must have taken me close to 50 minutes in all.  So whilst i can handle a map like this if need be, it's not for me.

Though i said otherwise, it's likely i'll play MAP23 again in the future, but i don't think i'd be playing this one again (well, probably), despite giving this the same score - 6/10!

Edited by dei_eldren

Share this post


Link to post

Map 23 - Anomalie Eternelle

This got to the point that it just was not fun anymore with this difficulty spike. That ending battle was just stupid hard. I consider myself a player with a calm disposition, but I actually rage quit at one point (and that was even before the cyberdemons came out!). This is the first map where I left without all kills and secrets. This one kicked my ass. Originally I had Map 32 for the hardest map but this one broke me. Man that was brutal, I feel exhausted after that one. Everything up to that last battle was hard but manageable.

 

Now that I’ve calmed down a bit, got to say, as per usual WH-Wilou84’s and Datacore’s maps are stunning visual wise. I’m thinking maybe a better strategy would be to lean on the rocket launcher in the early part of the fight to save the plasma/BFG for the cyberdemons, also release the cyberdemons early and then have them infight with the barrons. Since the beginning Datacore's and WH-Wilou84’s maps have been difficult so I’m dreading seeing that there are still 2 more WH-Wilou84 maps (4 more if you count map 30x2 as well).

Share this post


Link to post

MAP24 - Rêve Lucide

HMP | Continuous Play with Saves | GZDoom + Dead Marine

 

Roofi, who's been away since MAP14, returns with a rather punishing little map that throws a heaping bowl of fuckerage my way with what feels like half the population coming to storm my house when I've barely made my way out the door. Despite it's open-space look, combat is oddly enough rather close-quarters because of the large swaths of enemies that can quickly overwhelm you or a high-tier demon giving you a run for your money in a tight situation. I well and truly had my arse handed to me a few times, and even though I got annoyed at one point, the map's never straight-up unfair. It's just ramping up the nastiness I've finally come to expect from this WAD's reputation that I feel like I haven't entirely experienced on the HMP level. Rest assured, I do plan on revisiting this sucker on UV at a later date hehe. Anyways, The layout and progression of this map is pretty neat, but the combat experience was more of an endurance test if I'm being honest. It's punishing like its predecessor, MAP23, but was more aggravating than fun.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post

Crispy, UV, pistol starts.

 

MAP24 - Rêve Lucide

 

I admit, with zero shame, that this is where I start dropping more than one save a level (and actually reloading). MAP24's enemy count is significantly ramped up from Roofi's previous contributions, but I feel it shares a lot with his previous outings, especially MAP08. Like that map, MAP24 encourages a more cautious approach, and demands the player pay attention to the paths afforded to them at the start of the level. 

 

Fire a shot and you wake up a chunk of enemies that are quite a pain to dispatch with only an SSG, and it took me a small handful of deaths to figure out how best to approach it. But I figured out, eventually, that I could clear out the stairwell half-pacifist via Chaingunner infighting and a few baited Cyberdemon rockets, affording me enough corner-peeking space to open up the path to the RK area relatively easily. Said area was tough due to what felt like a notable lack of ammo, but I got through it fine with some ultra-conservative play. Progressing from the rooftop to the BK took me a lot of time, some more trial and error, and a whole lot of corner peeking, but it really made me appreciate every single inch of space I managed to claim.

 

The Cyberdemon trap at the Rocket Launcher could've been nasty as all hell, but I got pretty lucky and wasn't immediately chunked by a rocket. Dodged the Cyber and left him hanging out in the cage. Funnily enough, the climactic fight was the easiest, given the copious amounts of infighting and RL + Plasma ammo available. It was definitely a welcome break from the attritional grind of the rest of the level, and I liked seeing the Nightwatch Cacos nuke everything in sight before succumbing to the Cybie.

 

Definitely frustrating on occasions, but learning patterns and paths through repeated deaths made executing them (mostly) correctly all the more satisfying. Not sure if I "loved" it, but the experience of this map will definitely linger long in my memory.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post

All maps were played with GLBloom+; UV with saves; pistol-start

 

Map22  Une Journée en Enfer  (by Nemo06)

 

Now this is a fun slaughter-style map. Like other maps by Nemo06, this one reminds me of doom 1, espesially the pre-yellow key part. Also, this map feels very colorful, despite being mostly red.

 

The first part is a cool appetiser for the rest of the map. Ample rockets make sure that the strating area does not become a chore. The imp-cacodemon corridor in the south is my favorite part of the starting area. It has a simple yet distinct idea: the player needs to defend a barricaded corridor, where imps advance on foot and a flock of cacos flies over the obstacles. Off the top of my head I cannot remember any similar setpieces in PWADs or IWADs that I played.

 

The first true big slaughter fight is the Yellow Key battle. The first phase starts with a Heresiarch, a cacoswarm with nightwatch cacodemons included, and a cyberdemon. The player should prioritise survival, because the monsters will eventually destroy each other.

But picking up the yellow key starts the second phase. The hell knights will fill the battlefield. They appear all over the room, unlike map18, and make circlestafing pretty non-trivial. The question is, do you start the both phases of YK battle at once, or fully clear them one after the other? Or do something in between those two solutions? The monsters from phase 1 will happily infight with hell knights, but having both phases active together makes moving around the battlefield even harder. In the end, I had more success with starting both phases together, but I still lost most of my health...

 

The YK fight is my favorite part of the map. It even has all the new monsters! You can also try to organise a duel between a cyber and a Heresiarch! Of course, this is not the hardest battle in 180 mpv (the big techbase battle from map 19 was harder, for example). Nevertheless, I very much enjoyed the YK fight. IMHO, this battle by Nemo06 is on par with many fights made by [WH]-Wilou84.

 

After the yellow key room, there is still one big challenge. The last room begins with a horde of pinkies. There is a lot of space, so you can freely use the rocket launcher. In the larger context of 180 Minutes Pour Vivre this sequence becomes a funny callback to map05! But after the pinkies... The real final fight will begin. (Unless you manage to skip a trigger line, like I did) The final fight includes a cyberdemon and archviles in long corridors, so it is pretty challenging.

 

All things considered, I think map22 is my favorite, and objectively the best of the maps by Nemo06. (But map 16 has very cool and unique overall progression, and I also like it very much). I think that all maps made by Nemo06 (maps 16, 18, 22) share a very interesting trait. They feel kinda like maps from doom 1 IWADs, but with XXI century "difficult-with-many-monsters" gameplay included. This trait is very cool, and it is wonderful, if Nemo06 really knows how to create this stylistic combination deliberately.

 

 

Map 23  Anomalie Eternelle  (by Datacore and [WH]-Wilou84)

 

This is bigger and stronger sibling of map21. Also atmospheric, also involves a cyberdemon, and also evil.  

 

The main flaw of this map is twofold:

- Almost every encounter is hard to predict in advance.

- Many encounters need the right and timely solution to survive.

As the result, playing the map blind felt miserable. Even repeat playthroughs felt taxing, in a "don't forget to corner-camp" way.

 

Map start gave me the map 32 flashbacks, despite having only one arcvile turret and single useless pain elemental. I dunno, maybe to some people diffusing the beginning area is a fun sequence but to me it feels needlesly tedious. The 6 lost souls in the starting room are definitely too much. They only waste ammo and time. (And they cannot be ignored, unless the player has exactly the right route in mind.) The map also has many potential "ha-ha, gotcha" moments. Gotcha moments + tedious start always feel a bit mean in my book... There is also the whole "spawning turret monsters in the first cavern room" thing. It is not at all challenging, but it is definitely annoying. The same can be said about the invisible chaingunner trap in the end room.

 

The good news is that the BFG is finally back! And you are likely to use it...
 
The map has 3 memorable parts.
- The first is the start, which is very unforgiving, unless the right strategy is chosen.
- The second moment is first "monster-wall" ("monster-fence"? ) fight up the lift. Here the challenge is not merely avoiding monster attacks, like in the most battles of this map. Here the task is avoiding the monsters themselves, because they will try to corner you, and you have very little space to fall back. As the result you will need to use rockets  in a very resticted space to clear monsters fast enough, and use the resulting opennings to stay on the move.
- And the third memorable moment is the final fight, which begins with real hell-noble wall and ends with two mobile cyberdemons in the narrow cave corridors. This is a really tough fight that involves a lot of strategic movement and close-quarters rocket combat. Getting cornered is again the main threat, but both the battle space and the enemy crowd are much bigger now. This last battle reminded me of both map 11 and map 19. The BFG is crucial here!

 

In the end, I liked the rocket and BFG combat on this map, didn't like other gameplay moments.
Also, the atmosphere and decoration are top notch, as in other maps by Datacore.

 

 

Map 24  Rêve Lucide  (by Roofi)

 

What is made of brown brick
And destroys you super quick?

You guessed right, it is a challenging doom map!

 

Most monsters here did not expect you to reach this far into the megawad. Only cyberdemon and one arachnotron are ready to greet you...  Surely you won't make any noise and embarrass other hellspawn? They can become rather... agitated.

 

The start of the map does not pull any punches. You get a chainsaw, both shotguns, 36 shells in total and the license to wake up most demons when you are ready. To gently push you into action this map provides happy little plasma spider and his big brother rocket Cyber. Hell, there are even 136 green armor points, if you want to come close to the cyberdemon and say Hi!

At the start, carefully choosing your battles and using infighting is essential. There are many more demons then your starting arsenal can destroy. The good news is that you can relatively easily pull monsters into the lines of fire of cyberdemon or arachnotron. The bad news is that there is a pain elemental and two archviles present.

 

The goal of the map is to find two keys. Each key unlocks a bunch of supplies in the starting area. Be careful, the supplies are connected to an ambush! Also, there is a teleporting cyberdemon in the room with the rocket launcher. Pretty bald trap, if you ask me...

Using both keys unlocks the plasma gun and the exit. It also starts the biggest fight of the map. The monsters will attack from multiple directions. There are even Nightwatch Cacodemons, but they typically die in the infights againts cyberdemons and revenants.

 

This map gives a strong "Stereotipical Hardcore Doom" vibe. Every ingredient is here: brown brick textures, SSG start against archviles and barons, dangerous cyberdemons. Combat in itself is not that hard, but you need to choose battles wisely, employ efficient tactics and preserve resources. But the overall map impression goes beyond "Hardcore Doom". The map has distinct sky island aesthetics. (Especially the red key section.) Also, the music here is calm and happy. As the result, the map feels much more cozy than the action implies.

 

This map was much more fun to play than I feared after seeing the start. I think this is one of my favourite maps in 180 Minutes Pour Vivre. The map length feels exactly right. The gameplay loop is both unique and familiar at the same time. Despite the stereotypical brown brick textures, the map has a pretty distinct style. Bravo, Roofi!

Edited by Azure_Horror : spelling

Share this post


Link to post
21 hours ago, LadyMistDragon said:

Map 23: pistol start, UV

[...]

This doesn't open up right away, though you should probably collect it not long after you find the red key because you'll find the switch that allows you to use the lift to backtrack from the red door room is blocked off for no apparent reason. 

I wanted to prevent players from fleeing the HK / Baron / Imp horde battle and then having to kill them from below (which would've been tedious and ammo would've become a concern I guess). Access to the lift is allowed again as soon as the fight ends, if my memory is to be trusted. :)
You're right, getting the BFG before the fight is a priority, but it's still doable without it.

Good luck for the remaining maps guys !

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×