The DWmegawad Club plays: Bourgeois Megawad

Oh hey, I was already thinking of giving this one a playthrough soon. Good stuff, I'm excited for it!

I don't understand this topic, so you guys highlight a wad for us to play and review? 

3 minutes ago, Kurogachii said:

I don't understand this topic, so you guys highlight a wad for us to play and review? 

The club picks a wad, then we play through it one map per day and post our thoughts in this topic. The idea was to have something of a book club, but for doom wads. Check out previous threads to get an idea.

Oh, boy, this is a good map set, hopefully I'll finish it this time.

I absolutely adore this banner

Yk what, fuck it, count me in this time around. I only have a few questions: are the secret maps done together in one day? If I miss a day can I make it up for the next?

Oh, yeah! I like this megawad a lot. 

1 hour ago, dobu gabu maru said:

The only rule is that you have to play at least some of the levels in our monthly megawad to contribute

I haven't participated in DWMC's threads before, so can I participate this time?

17 minutes ago, VoanHead said:

Yk what, fuck it, count me in this time around. I only have a few questions: are the secret maps done together in one day? If I miss a day can I make it up for the next?

Secret maps are typically done on the 15th along with MAP15, but Bourgeois doesn't have any secret maps so you don't have to worry about that. Missing a day is perfectly fine too, lots of people (myself included) sometimes do 5-10 day dumps in a single post.

10 minutes ago, liveincity said:

I haven't participated in DWMC's threads before, so can I participate this time?

Club participation is always open and voluntary. Anyone is allowed to participate!

Heck yeah. Looking forward to this!

I played through this a few weeks ago and it was great! Don't think I will take part since I finished it so recently, but these maps are super fun, action packed, intense, and bite-size!

Oh man, really happy this got picked!

As a forewarning: The map exits are REALLY LOUD. This was not by design, we just couldn't think of any other way to force death upon exit at the time. Please be prepared to cover your ears! EDIT: decided to finally fix this - https://doomshack.org/uploads/BourgFix.zip

This fix will still play demos recorded with the non-fixed version! All it does is make the exits quiet.

I hope you all enjoy it!

EDIT: Map 16's title is "Brushed Off". (please forgive the pedantry)

EDIT 2: "“Demade and Dismayed” by Decayed" is a fun sentence

If you turn the number of sound channels down (I think vanilla is 8 or something) it's much more bearable. 36 barrels in the exits was maybe a bit overkill. I might actually play through the month too and leave some comments on the SP components since this was my first real crack at single player and my first vanilla wad.

Great wad!  I actually played through the whole wad shortly after it got released.  If you like short, action packed maps with hot starts, this wad is for you!  It's not super challenging but it is just so much fun.  I downloaded Bourgeois Deathmatch kind of randomly, not expecting much out of it.  Wow, was I wrong!  I give it 9/10 stars on the fun meter.

Just made a fixed version of this! The only difference is that exits are now smooth & quiet. It's still 100% compatible with demos recorded using the old BourgDM.wad, but I'll be uploading a version to idgames shortly that has both the new and old versions included.

https://doomshack.org/uploads/BourgFix.zip

It's after midnight, so might as well!

Map 01: Darken

UV | PrBoom+

Wow, that's a hot start! Immediately dashing around and trying the modified weapons. That rifle was nice while it lasted before grabbing the shotgun. Really good flow to everything. From the start to the SSG to the red key and then a little break to hop over and grab the yellow key. I was sad I wasted my second BFG shot on some skeletons before the Mastermind teleported in. I had to shotgun her, which wasn't too bad. I was hoping she'd in-fight more but oh well. Fun level. Really good use of space. Really efficient.

I actually went through this again because when I was about to post this at first I saw the fixed version and then did it again! And yes! The exit was much nicer plus I was able to waste the Spider this time.

Oh, but there was a problem! Map 2 on UV crashed with the error "Z_Free: Freed a pointer without ZONEID". I did the level just with cheats to get through on HMP and there was no issue. Did happen again on UV, and only on the quiet version.

27 minutes ago, Goody said:

Oh, but there was a problem! Map 2 on UV crashed with the error "Z_Free: Freed a pointer without ZONEID"

Hmm.. I wonder what the heck is causing this? I did all my testing in the vanilla 1.9 EXE and wasn't able to recreate it.. I can't help but wonder if it's a PrBoom bug?

EDIT: Just tested it out in DSDA-Doom and it works there as well! I guess I have to declare this a PrBoom+ bug.

2 minutes ago, Doomkid said:

Hmm.. I wonder what the heck is causing this? I did all my testing in the vanilla 1.9 EXE and wasn't able to recreate it.. I can't help but wonder if it's a PrBoom bug?

Must be. Tried it in GZDoom and Eternity and had no issues with it all.

Map 01: Darken

UV | DSDA-DOOM

Because I have played the whole wad before, so this is not a blind-playthrough review.

This map is pretty hot start. The chainsaw has been strengthened a lot, can kill a hell knight quickly, really worth a try. There are two ways to get the yellow key, you can glide through the red bars, run upstairs and then jump across to get the yellow key, or normally get the red key and directly sr40 to the yellow key after the bars descended. That archvile and the mastermind are not very big problems. After killing the last revenant, it's big BOOM time. 

But there is another interesting way to finish the map, the rocket can be shot into the south wall of SSG from a specific angle and kill Romero's head, so UV-Speed or NM-Speed of this map only takes just a few seconds.

The Dark Goddess of Doom herself must adore me lately since I've gotten what I wanted two DWMC threads in a row! Having seen a bit of Doomkid's playthrough (just the first map) as well as watching Deathz0r play it on Twitch, I thought this WAD would make for an exciting change of pace and crank the frenetic action up to 11 to put some hair on our chests and sharpen our skills.

MAP01 - Darken

UV | GZDoom

Bugger me with a rusty fork, I think I died a good 4 or 5 times in less than a minute. What have I done?! In all seriousness, damn that is one rude opening and a right bastard of a map with demons strategically placed around open areas, windows and sniper points to make sure you have nowhere to hide. It's about as intense as I imagined but overcoming the challenge and trying to use infighting to help mitigate some of the carnage was inspiring. I love the alpha rifle and new speedy chaingun, also I noticed the rocket launcher is a little faster too. Everything feels amped up kind of similar to Supercharge and I love it. The black, scuffed-up HUD is lovely too. Man oh man, this is going to be a wild month, kids.

Here I come!

Bourgeois Megawad Map01: Darken\Hurt Me Plenty\Crispy-Doom v.5.10.1\Saves when needed

Results: 100% of everything 

Time: 2:00

So, it's a short map, the start can be rather challenging on UV, on medium is not that bad, the weapons have some changes that make them interesting. My only problem is that, sometimes (not always, but sometimes) one of the two arachnotrons may or may not teleport in. The explosions are kinda loud (Yeah, yeah, I know that Doomkid just posted a fixed version of the wad) and, we're forced to do pistol start, not a problem.

Here's a demo I made some time ago, hope you like it

Looking forward to playing some of these small sized maps for this month. After it looked like it was going to win the vote I ended up watching the beginning of @Doomkid's playthrough on youtube. Looks very fun (I just watched the beginning area as to not spoil too much). I'm hoping I can get some time to play it today.

I have played a good chunk of maps and I can say this is good fun. I have played on UV without -fast, which is contrary to my habits, since the layout of the very first map, Darken, was quite punishing at the start and the hitscanners a bit copious in such an open area. Surviving the first seconds requires some RNG luck, or better skills/knowledge of the map. On just UV it is much more manageable and entertaining. Ammo and health balance is just right. The compactness of the map and the death exit encouraged me to play without saves, which is another new experience for me at Doom.

I'll probably play the whole WAD, since it does not require a lot of time. I am dubious that I'll be writing reports. The maps are small, very combat-focused, they always look very good, but are DM maps. They have a theme, yet the layout is conceived for movement, dodging, fleeing and pursuing, ecc. Single Player is sufficiently packed with opposition for posing a challenge and having fun, but I do not have much to write about the single maps. I am not even sure difficulty will vary as we progress. Bourgeois Megawad is probably more fitting for video recording.

I'll be watching some of your videos and share some experiences on the other maps. First one was good fun with those extra fast attacks (too bad other projectiles are too slow)!

I'm playing on HMP. Since these maps are so short I can run through a bunch of them at once, and spend the rest of my time slowly working through CPD.

MAP01 – Darken

A short and punchy map, and actually very great. None of those usual Map 1 problems of only low-tier monsters and sg/cg combat. Almost all the monsters except the bosses were here, and it was great fun. I understand these are all dm maps turned into single player maps, but it really works so far. The visuals are great too, I read in the text file that all the textures are patched from IWAD textures, so they’re familiar but new-ish, which is cool. Can’t wait to see more. Oh and the chainsaw will kill most anything up close and real fast, it’s great.

Wasn't sure whether I was going to write about this one due to time constraints and my mapping, but to hell with it.

This month we're playing a deathmatch megawad with the added talent of Decay, Doomkid and Razgriz ...

Yup, you heard me right, we're playing a deathmatch megawad, singleplayer( and with rifle starts.. I'll explain why later). Oh, the times we live in!

Map01: Darken, UV, 

We're hit hard and fast with this one...

So you boot up the map, and.. holy shit, everything and anything is being thrown at you, all at once. Zombiemen directly in front of you, revenants on ledges and barons on either side .You barely have time to acknowledge the fact that you're not holding the standard Doom pistol, but a rifle with  a slightly increased fire rate. Yeah, we're dealing with an upgraded armory here. The chaingun fires even faster than normal, and the chainsaw is double bladed. Is it unnecessary... well yes, but it is indeed badass.

I often struggle to actually give a detailed analysis of a opening map of a megwad, since they are usually fairly simplistic and give a brief glimpse into what the wad has to offer, though here was not the case. As a deathmatch map, there's a lot of verticality and choke points, as expected, though I honestly find it amazing how a deathmatch map, primarily designed around that purpose, can almost seamlessly morph into a fun, short yet punchy opening. You can almost imagine deathmatch players zipping and strafing around the arena, franticly dodging each others attacks and running for the hills once one lucky bastard found the BFG or SSG.

Fun fact: I was originally going to play the opening map and write this a few hours ago, but since my country has the most inefficient electricity provider I have ever seen, I was stuck in a blackout....FUN.

My stats

Kills: 100%
Secrets: 100%

Deaths: 100%  

Map01: Darken

It took a while to decide this was the opener of the set. It was chosen for both DM and SP purposes. I'll point out right here, after watching @deathz0r's stream that yes the maps are DM based but if you look at it in Doombuilder, there are 2 layouts for every slot: SP and DM. DM was made first, and is considerably more open. Vanilla was too constraining to modulate the maps too much so it was easier to essentially make 2 maps.

This map is actually significantly toned down from it's original version as it was deemed too hard by my play testers, which is fine. The maps are designed to be accessible and "quick fun blasts" more than anything. They are not supposed to be complex or innovative, and prior to doing the SP component of this wad I had played less than 5 SP wads in my life, so most of the design is based around my memory of doom2.wad, which I never even completed. I strongly believe in picking your fights/running through things rather than a methodical "kill everything as you go" and the maps mostly reflect that. Cleaning up after is very easy. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you to decide.

I think this map sets a good tone for the set. Play fast. Play like someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of time playing SP Doom. I don't really believe in saves in maps either, every map should be beatable without saves without too much trouble. Skills levels fully implemented if it gets too rough.

Weapon modifications are meant for DM but seemed to translate well here. Textfile will also give you all the info you need :)

Chainsaw = Double speed and double attack, very deadly

Fists = Double fists, fast, and OP as FUCK with berserk

Pistol = rifle, 100% accurate all the time

Shotgun = slightly faster rate of fire

chaingun = much faster rate of fire

Rockets/Plasma = Faster projectile speed

BFG = 80 cells per shot

UV, 2 plays

*MAP01 - Darken*

Died like 3 times each play to this level because of the hot start, bit of a rude awakening. On my first playthrough the Spider Mastermind didn't spawn in and breezed through it. but Decay gives you ample ammo to kill everything with ol' Betsy (the SSG) and the BFG nerf is welcome, as everything has been buffed except the SSG, which doesn't need buffs because it is already perfection.

I'm fine with the death exit, as it doesn't really affect me, but I understand if it's off-putting to some people.

Conclusion:Fun, short, easy (relatively) level. Shouldn't have problems if you rush for the RL and SSG, but that's just my opinion.

Hello, I'm new to these forums and thus this WAD club. Been playing Doom since I was 8 years old and have played tons of mods. Found this and thought it'd be a great way to play even more.

I was a bit curious as to how a deathmatch WAD worked in single-player, so it gave me a reason to download it and check it out. So far, it sure plays differently from your typical WAD, especially with that hot start. A lot faster paced, ammo and health is much more limited, levels are smaller and enemies packed tighter.

Map 01: Darken

Difficulty: Hurt Me Plenty

Source Port: GZDoom

Compat Mode: Default

Free Look: On

Jumping: Off

Crouching: Off

That super hot start threw me off quite a bit, spent a bit of time (too much time) trying to get my bearings straight and trying to find the shotgun (or anything better). Somethings about the gameplay modification also made the movement feel a bit off from vanilla Doom, took some time to adjust. The new starter weapon is much better than your standard-issue pistol, and the rest of the weapons are also pretty great to work with. I see people mentioning a Spider Mastermind on MAP01 when playing UV, it is absent in HMP. The map is small, fast, and resources are very limited; but it is very exciting to play.

Kills: 100%

Items: 100%

Secrets: 100%

MAP01: Darken

UV, pistol start, no saves

100% kills, 1/1 secrets

This wad wastes no time making an impression. Right from the getgo you are greeted with a foray of hitscanners in front of you and in the cage behind you, a baron on your left, and revenants on your right. The MIDI is a fast and frantic metal track, with some pretty sick drums. This small arena looks beautiful, being a mixture of brick, wood, and some hellish textures, and it really does a good job of making the vanilla textures not feel the least bit dated. 

The map is packed with a variety of monsters who are there to greet you at any turn, it doesn't really give you any opportunity to slow down until you start eliminating the threats. The new and improved chaingun was the MVP here for me, it was instrumental in mowing down hitscanners and stunlocking the revenants. Also a special shoutout to the map's lone archvile, he is a bastard. He can sometimes give you a zap as you are running down the stairs and you think you are out of his sight. I took a death this way. The map also ends with a surprise spider mastermind that teleports in if you obtain the yellow key the "correct" way (I also found the sequence break at first like some others), which I'm sure will be a further shock for people coming in expecting a regular ol' MAP01

Super fun and fast-paced map, that can be easily completed in just a couple minutes. Being a wad that also doubles as a DM set, I imagine most of the maps will follow this formula, which I have no complaints about. It's an awesome formula.

Was looking forward to playing all day today. Booted up the computer after my evening workout so I'm still pumped up!

I'll be playing on UV, rifle start. Trying to get all secrets when I can, but I guess there's no wiki article for me to cheat with when I get stuck.

Map01 - Darken

Very intense start to the map, ended up eating it like a noob due to revenant rockets and hell knight/baron fireballs a few times. Ended up just grabbing the shotgun running through trying to chip away at the hitscanners, going up the stairs and then dropping down to repeat (this time taking more time to pick up extra weapons). Once the hitscanners were taken care of the map lets you breath a little and you can tackle it at a more laid back pace. The music is fast and frantic, perfectly matches the gameplay. Once most of the enemies in the starting area were killed in a rush, I noticed I had the picked up the red key in the midst of the battle. The upper area was also very deadly, like @DisgruntledPorcupine mentioned, you can get zapped by the archville if if you're positioning on the stairs isn't optimal. I managed to kill everything (or so it seemed) then I heard the spider mastermind spawn in and nearly jumped out of my chair (man that surprised me!). I still had some plasma and shotgun shells to deal with her though. Fantastic first map, really enjoyed the gameplay. Deadly, but fun and not impossibly difficult. Very nice texture/beautiful mapwork as well. EZPZ secret as well, first time I did it was with strafe jumping off the stairs, but then after going upstairs found the easy way to do it.

I liked the changes to the weapons, took me a 2nd playthrough to notice the upgraded fire rate on the shotgun. I dig the chainsaw design as well (maybe a callback to Doom64?).

If this first level is any indication, it should be a great month for dooming. Also I'm looking forward to some designer commentary/insight which I kind of missed in the last two megawads we played. Looking forward to map02 tomorrow!