Full WAD up for testing

Hello,

 

@Bridgeburner56

@DavidN

@Decay

@FrancisT18

@GarrettChan

@HAK3180

@Snaxalotl

@Suitepee

@TheEvilGrin

 

I have tagged a few random testers in hopes you can give me some help:

 

These two maps are part of the third episode of a megawad i am building and i'd love to have some input on them. They will require GZDoom, no jump, no mlook. Please feel free to say how great or how sucky they are but do provide some input if possible so i can have an idea if i'm going in a good direction or if i'm just producing stuff that is completely uninteresting.

 

They should be fairly easy for experienced players and MAP15 still only has Ultra-Violence monsters configured, so it doesn't care about what difficulty is selected yet.

 

My apologies for the file size as each map here is "standalone" and uses the resources from the whole WAD.

 

Map13 is based on a real location up until you exit the big gate that exists outside. It also features a simple puzzle somewhere in there. All the rest is very very similar to what exists in reality. Map15 is based on a harbor theme with a container area which then exits into a sewer system then onto a tech base of sorts with odd machinery and experiments going on.

 

If you like secrets, there's quite a few to find, also a few traps.

 

This is Map13 => https://mega.nz/file/NZVDDArI#49h3zjERy2JXkNSkvmaUmWbCYrJO5XWkgxGO8Y-Zm4o

 

This is Map15 => https://mega.nz/file/tcM3RALZ#xoGuU9t8t9LtPMRPPRJBeDKbV65ubhHK6geCmpRzkts

 

This is the complete WAD (Version 1.5) => https://mega.nz/file/xE82UCrY#MIP738V8X1rep8hUvfDO-4ESwEDmrQkozpMVSo4XL9w

 

Some screenshots:

 

Edited May 26, 2021 by NaMcOJR

Could you maybe add screenshots?

Sure! Added.

The Day After(Map 13)

 

A visually pleasing, yet challenging map. Played on UV, tested in GZDoom 4.5.0

 

Gameplay

The gameplay is very much hard hitting and aggressive in some areas, though the combat has some conventional aspects to it. The first few areas are indeed an example of this more conventional nature, though the later areas show off some frantic combat where the player is forced to act quickly, and decisively if they want to survive. I really like this shift in the style of the encounters, from conventional combat encounters to a more fast paced nature. I do think that the player could be better equipped for the later areas. Throughout the map, the player is given surplus rockets and cells, though no rocket launcher or plasma rifle (unless it's in a secret somewhere). The encounters in the later areas demand that the player have these weapons, or at least a substitute for these weapons. Also, the arch-vile encounter in the area that you find the button that opens up the door into the void is extremely clunky, since there isn't much cover.

 

Layout

The layout itself is nicely done, though a bit too small in the final areas.

 

Texturing and detailing

Texturing is extremely well done, and you make creative use of vanilla, as well as OTEX textures, though I'd recommend being careful with the OTEX palate, as it clashes visually with the vanilla doom palate in some areas. In other words, use vanilla textures that don't clash with OTEX, and vice versa.

 

Bugs

   The texturing on this door is misaligned.

https://imgur.com/a/Nr7W0k1

 

Conclusion

The visuals and texture work are a high point of this map, though some of the encounters could be tweaked.

 

Harbor map with name I'm too ashamed to say I can't spell( Map 15)

 

I love how these maps are short, but have lots of punch to them. Played on UV, tested  in GZDoom 4.5.0

 

Gameplay

This one seems to copy the same type of gameplay as in the map I previously tested. It turns from conventional run-and-gun encounters to slaughter light aspects. This type of style is very enjoyable, though it has the same problem as your previous map, in that the player isn't equipped with the right equipment to take on those encounters to the fullest. I got most of my gear from a secret, not out in the wild( so to speak). If I hadn't found that secret, I would have had to take on hordes of imps and a cybie with only a chain-gun and shotgun.

 

Layout

I enjoy how you take realistic location and add an abstract feeling to it, so that the realistic aspect doesn't weaken the map's gameplay. No halls or too narrow or too wide, and the layout supports the type of encounter associated with it.

 

Texturing and detailing

There's a very nice use of textures prevalent here, similar to your previous map. Very much the same in your detailing

 

Bugs

I think the "impassible" tag was accidently put on these crates( in other words, I can't walk off these crates into the harbor itself

https://imgur.com/a/Rtl0J4g

 

Conclusion

I really like your mapping style, and the way you structure your encounters. Really good stuff

 

Sorry I took so long with this. By the time I got around to testing the maps, the thread had already been buried. You could always try tagging some playtesters.

 

 

 

Wow, this is some excellent input. I really didn't consider that if you cannot find the secrets you are indeed underpowered for the fights. There is a hidden Rocket Launcher and Plasma in MAP13 indeed, maybe i can (at least) make one of them easier to find OR just place at least one of them visible (although if you look carefully you can spot the rocket launcher :))

 

You can deal with the Archie by using the Plasma, but if you cannot find it and if your health is low... it'll be an unpleasant surprise. I'll review that section :)

 

Thank you for noticing the misaligned door, i'll have it fixed also.

 

MAP15, again, has a hidden Plasma rifle which is pretty useful to deal with the CD later. It's doable with the SSG but if you cannot find it, it'll be much harder and ammo might become scarce. The impassable tag is on purpose but i see it feels awkward, i'll have to find a better solution to force the player to use the pier passages without being able to pass onto the other side or review the whole gameplay of the first area.

 

Anyway, very very helpful input, thanks a bunch!

 

 

Downloaded these a couple of days ago - I’ll take a look soon :)

Sorry, I don't use GZDoom.

These Screenshots look awesome!

 

5 minutes ago, Kuro_mahoh said:

These Screenshots look awesome!

 

 

Thank you. You can check the full megawad here. There's a text file inside with some story :)

 

 

58 minutes ago, NaMcOJR said:

 

Thank you. You can check the full megawad here. There's a text file inside with some story :)

 

 

Will definitely do!

Right, so I've managed to record 40 minutes of blank video. Which I'm annoyed by because these maps are really nice - if you would find 40 minutes of Doom radio play helpful, I was able to rescue the audio here.

 

http://files.teamouse.net/doom/netherworld.m4a

 

A couple of things I noticed:

- The secret round the back of the building you start in is VERY hard to find the way out of - a change of texture on the inside would be helpful (and the secret door has some weird problems with the ceiling behind too high and the walls being visible in the sky - this also happens when facing towards the stone section at the tip of the L shape)

- The mini Icon of Sin style fight is nice, but maybe a bit hard to understand what to do at first - maybe some custom switch textures that look more shootable?

- I had trouble noticing that the ladders were usable in the docks! I was slightly off-centre at first and concluded they didn't work - maybe making them wider might help?

- The invisible walls around the first crate area in the docks could do with a fence, you can hit the invisible wall frustratingly in several different ways

- If the player misses the rocket launcher when going through the tunnels to the big computer/warehouse area they really are stuck until they go back to find it! Perhaps having another one at the back of the room would save them?

- The teleporter at the back of the same room only works once, if you fall down the hole again you're stuck

 

I think that's all the problems I noticed... I don't want to seem so negative in just pointing out the small issues, so I want to say again that these were a couple of really interesting, nice maps - I loved the new textures and the ideas that you had in them :) I'll have to play through the main WAD some time to make up for my failure to provide a video here!

Hi and thanks so much for the feedback! Shame you lost the video, that's really unfortunate :(

 

So, here we go...

 

Quote

- The secret round the back of the building you start in is VERY hard to find the way out of (...)

 

This has been addressed. The ceiling on the inside was lower and was causing these issues, and i also added a new texture on the inside door. This all happened because i had a different idea for this section but it would not mirror the real location it's based on, so i dropped it and forgot to address the changes, leaving it with those flaws.

 

Quote

- The mini Icon of Sin style fight is nice, but maybe a bit hard to understand what to do at first - maybe some custom switch textures that look more shootable?

 

And having infinite IMPs spawning at you while you're thinking "what do i do now?" hahahaha :) I replaced it with a texture i think it is more "shootable" :)



Quote

- I had trouble noticing that the ladders were usable in the docks! I was slightly off-centre at first and concluded they didn't work - maybe making them wider might help?

 

Yeah it can be hard to "fit" in there sometimes. I agree and have widened them a bit.

 

Quote

- The invisible walls around the first crate area in the docks could do with a fence, you can hit the invisible wall frustratingly in several different ways

 

Already pointed out and i fully agree, it was frustrating so a fence was added :) This was frustrating for me while designing it as it needs to be impassable for the gameplay to work and somehow i didn't think of the fence (and i had a nice texture for it too!). Dumb me.

 

Quote

- If the player misses the rocket launcher when going through the tunnels to the big computer/warehouse area they really are stuck until they go back to find it! Perhaps having another one at the back of the room would save them?

 

The second and last thing i don't really want to mess with, as there is a second one also on a hidden room and you can't really miss the first one. Well, maybe you have to run away from the demons at first, but you can go back to pick it up i guess?

 

Quote

- The teleporter at the back of the same room only works once, if you fall down the hole again you're stuck

 

Thanks, i don't know how i missed this, silly ACS mistake which runs a delay and the teleporter would only work again after a while.

 

Quote

I think that's all the problems I noticed... I don't want to seem so negative (...)

 

It's really good input. By pointing out the flaws you contribute to make it better, so i can only thank you because this was the main purpose :)

 

I updated the megawad in its own thread with all these changes.

 

Thanks a bunch!

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by NaMcOJR

Sounds great :) What’s the real life location that the courtyard is based on?

My wife's parents house... I know it's hard to recognize without the Mancubus, but still... :P

 

 

Yeah, now that i look into both pictures at the same time, it could be much better lol. Like, get real textures from photos etc.

 

Oh, that’s great! I definitely see it :)

I tried to download the two maps from the link in the OP @NaMcOJR, but I got this message on both of them: 

 

https://gyazo.com/9356859089bb67fd6a6887ac9164328e

On 4/25/2021 at 11:00 AM, Suitepee said:

I tried to download the two maps from the link in the OP @NaMcOJR, but I got this message on both of them: 

 

https://gyazo.com/9356859089bb67fd6a6887ac9164328e

 

My apologies, i've been away for a while. This is the link for the whole WAD (GZDoom only).

 

https://mega.nz/file/oMFEXZrb#-Hn2_4BHqXxcaEq4fcul6z-BEXwwo1w90BiD-JmtMQE

 

You can obviously skip to levels 13 and 15 and feel free to look at the rest if you have the time ad patience :)

 

Thanks!

3 hours ago, NaMcOJR said:

 

My apologies, i've been away for a while. This is the link for the whole WAD (GZDoom only).

 

https://mega.nz/file/oMFEXZrb#-Hn2_4BHqXxcaEq4fcul6z-BEXwwo1w90BiD-JmtMQE

 

You can obviously skip to levels 13 and 15 and feel free to look at the rest if you have the time ad patience :)

 

Thanks!

 

Cheers. I will add this to my playtest list for my May playtesting stream.