The wad journal: record the time spent on doom

So anyways after spending lots of time playing doom, making doom maps, just lots of doom stuff in general. I kinda feel like recording the feelings and the experiences when I play doom. Then I created this topic.

 

Of course this isn't gonna be just me, if you want to share your opinions or experiences, just do it!

 

(btw, my english is abosulutely trash, don't expect any fancy writing from me. I apologize if my grammatical problems bother you)

8 minutes ago, Nefelibeta said:

if you want to share your opinions or experiences, just do it!

I can't forget Doom 2's music, "Sign of Evil".
 

10 minutes ago, Nefelibeta said:

(btw, my english is abosulutely trash, don't expect any fancy writing from me. I apologize if my grammatical problems bother you)

That is fine. I only tend to type good English when there's a small annoying certain point that I need to dig for from context to make my conclusion.

33 minutes ago, Oday said:

I can't forget Doom 2's music, "Sign of Evil".
 

That is fine. I only tend to type good English when there's a small annoying certain point that I need to dig for from context to make my conclusion.

In the history of video/computer game music, where does Sign of Evil rank? I'd say it's gotta be pretty high. My favorite doom track in all Dooms is probably Sign of Evil, followed by D_Victor, E1M7 (Demons on the Prey), E1M5 (Suspense), and maybe Into Sandy's City. Music from Wormhole in TNT gets honorable mention..

Week1 :

(hey forgot to mention it. I probably will only post weekly since I'm only able to play doom on weekends :( )

 

Maps that I played:

 

Fractured Worlds [Map01-Map02 UV]

 

 

---Oh boy, What should I say about this map. It's a really really tough and harsh opener, yes, I know this mapset is intended to be tough and harsh. But still...

Right off the bat you will be sniped by Cyber Jr, chased by arch-viles, hell knights and other nastiness. You'd better gather guns quick because the map doesn't want you to stay idle. Thankfully the author is kind enough to give you a BFG(A bfg this early??)

---Be honest, I can already tell that this map is only a introduction of the wad's gameplay, 'cause there aren't that many difficult parts. Except for the blue key trap that will make you face 3 Cyber Jrs in a abosulutely claustrophobic corridor, it should be pretty easy if you know how to bfg regular cybers. But it's still pretty mean.

---However, The yellow key fight is something that you'll never forget. After a annoying platforming sequence, you'll be greeted by 4 rev turrets, 3 Cyber Jrs, and numerous Hell knights and Barons. Remember, DO NOT kill the Cyber Jrs like you'll do as if you're encountering regular Cybers or prepare to get your ass kicked.

Make them infight otherwise this will be your worst nightmare. This fight is really diabolical but I still enjoy it for some reasons.

---In addition, I enjoy this map's beautiful environments and kick-ass music(which reminds me of map01 of stardatex6) But its savage gameplay is definitely not for 

everyone(Unless you're playing on a lower difficulty)

 

Map02:

 

 

---First of all, make sure you like combat puzzles before making an attempt. It's only Map02 and you already have more than 400 monsters waiting to murder you.

The midi of this map is funky and chill, kinda doesn't fit the gameplay but I love it anyways. And I'm pretty sure the author went nuts with voodoo-doll lighting while making this one because those flashy lights were placed everywhere, making the already fancy environment even more eye-catching.

---I don't really enjoy the beginning area. In the first area you have to shotgun an arch-vile which is annoying rather than challenging. And the rocket launcher trap that make you fight a horde of revenant featuring another arch-vile is pure vicious.

---But hey, it gets better. As I mentioned, this map has lots of encounters that rely on infight and precise movements, And I happened to be a person who is especially fond of stuff like these! Most of the fights are rewarding and entertaining. I just love watching Cybers smashing revenants and hell knights, or doing it myself with rockets and cells(No ammo scarce? yes!) There is one fight that is worth mentioning, and it's the one that make you dodge between 30 hell knights, 8(!)Cyber Jrs and 2 regular Cybers(cybers and cyber jrs can infight btw) I do believe this one took inspiration from the "Cyb" room of Magnolia Map01 and both of the original fight and its successor crushed me hard. I also like the finale where you bfg numerous arch-viles because of it's really satisfying.

---In short, this map is amazing(also featuring a beautiful midi!) Lots of fun but harsh encounters. I highly recommend people who are not familar with this kind of gameplay to play on a lower difficulty though.

 

======

 

DBP42 : Slime on Earth [Map01-Map07 ExtremeOoze]

 

 

---Who would ever thought? After 13 years there will be a Chex Quest wad? With super shotguns? (In this case, Super Large Zorchers)

All of the flemoids have made their return here, with more powerful tools(or mouths? who knows) Those weird caterpillar flemoids can now fire slime balls like arachnotrons, and the raptor flemoids(that's how I like to call them) now act like revenants. Although there are no arch-vile replacement now :( 

---Anyways, this wad makes me feel nostalgic. Chex Quest is the game that introduces me to Doom, and I can't forget the moments when I struggle through E3M4 and E3M5, only to see Chex Warrior save the poor citizens trapped in slime.

---However, being a Chex Quest spiritual successor doesn't mean it will be as easy as the original, Map03 is where the things start to heat up. There are many harsh fights(iwad standards), such as the big fight at the entrance of slime cavern, go get the invulnerablility or get toasted. The finale is even more vicious. You'll get trapped between the almighty Lord Snotfolus and its zealous followers. To make the matters even worse, flemoids can't infight now with the magic of MBF21! Overall, the pacing of the wad can be a bit hyperbolical, so be prepared for big difficult spikes.

---Map06 to me is a bit unenjoyable though... I like the beginning area where you can blow up lots of flemoids with barrels, but the later part where you get to the slime isle can be really, really obnoxious. You got basically nowhere to hide, and those caterpillar flemoids generally pissed me off. The mini flemoid robots(basically mini and faster suicide bombers) and Super Cycloptis(which replace pain elementals) which are released after a certain point were abosulutely annoying to deal with. Maybe the LAZ machine(BFG9K) can be released earlier? But that is a really unpleasant experience nevertheless.

---Overall, a pretty desent mapset, but it's a godsent for Chex Quest lovers like me. As I mentioned, it can be punishing, maybe HMP is the better option in my opinion.

 

======

 

Struggle [Map01-Map05 UV]

 

 

---No, this isn't the first time I played. I actually played Map28 a long time ago and it's really fun. So I decided to do the rest of it.

---First of all, I actually kinda like the new Dehacked stuff. New weapons are really powerful and fun to run and gun with, and with stronger and badder monsters.

Except for the new revenants, they destroy my muscle memory.

---I abosulutely love the gameplay of this wad so far. Satisfying, challenging, fast and furious(reference not intended) Mowing down hordes of low-tier monsters with the new dual pistols, blowing up hell knights and revenants with the new grenade launcher, hmm sweet. The new weapons made the maps especially fun, and the occasional harsh encounters always give me the energy to push forward. I can't really describe how much I love maps like these, play it for yourself.

---Also, I really like the cute stuff that make the maps feel different. Such as the supply rooms filled with medikits, armory that you can sneak in and steal the new big guns, maps that are divided into unit 1 and unit 2, etc. I just love them.

---Anyways, I can't really say much about the designs since I only played a few of them. But I'm really hyped to see the rest of it after all that fun!

 

======

 

Dark Scythe [Map01-Map34 UV]

 

 

---Yes, I know this is a jokewad. But oh boy some of the jokes are gold. I don't really want to spoil it here, since that will make the jokes meaningless. So I highly recommend you to try it, at lease with iddqd and idkfa.

---Also, DSDA-Doom supports stuff like mapinfo and idclev map33-mapXX now, you don't need to download gzdoom for this.

---Also, Also, just a reminder. Map32 will literally melt your pc, play at your own risk.

 

======

 

Maps that I made

 

Python's Bite

 

 

So yeah, I'm making a megawad. Ain't gonna spoil it now though

---This map is kind of a speed map, because it only took me about a day to make. I'm really proud of it. :)

(I just can't get enough with the color green.)

---I spent quite a few time polishing its visuals, I think it's pretty good now! I also placed many flashy lights controlled by voodoo dolls, took me lots of time but hey it's worth it.(right?)

(Does this seem famillar to you?)

---Oh, forgot to mention it. This map is abosulutely diabolical, and I already have a feeling that this map will be Map27 or Map28. Although it's short and only contains 280 monsters in UV. Most of the fights includes close-quarter cyberdemons and lots of arch-viles. Make sure you are good at BFGing arch-vile hordes!

 

======

 

Sludgemire [not finished yet]

 

(The mucus clone? Yes! Speed of Doom reference? Bigger yes!)

---So yeah, another mucus clone by me, probably not as evil as The Mucus Empire but it's still pretty damn hard in my opinion.

---But this time, I took most of inspiration from Elysion and disturbia rather than Miasma this time.(Since I already made a map taking inspiration from Miasma for my megawad) Which basically means this map's gameplay is going to be more Death-Destiny like. I guess it's alright..? By the way, this map is going to be HUGE.

(Lots of teleport closets, don't you think?)

---Anyways, I added lots of wacky secrets and secret fights just for fun. There are alredy 9 of them and I haven't implement all of my strange ideas yet! Get ready to look for them when it's released. Oh, and that big weird nose texture that is probably a picture of BPRD's nose is going to be here, I hope you'll like mucus!

 

======

 

The end of Week 1

Edited December 4, 2021 by Nefelibeta

4 hours ago, Oday said:

I can't forget Doom 2's music, "Sign of Evil".

 

Sign of Evil is from Doom 1. It's the E1M8 music.

2 hours ago, MFG38 said:

 

Sign of Evil is from Doom 1. It's the E1M8 music.

Good catch. I always confuse DOOM1&2 together.

5 hours ago, Hellbent said:

In the history of video/computer game music, where does Sign of Evil rank? I'd say it's gotta be pretty high. My favorite doom track in all Dooms is probably Sign of Evil, followed by D_Victor, E1M7 (Demons on the Prey), E1M5 (Suspense), and maybe Into Sandy's City. Music from Wormhole in TNT gets honorable mention..

All I know is that, "Sign of Evil" cannot be easily forgotten.

16 hours ago, Nefelibeta said:

btw, my english is abosulutely trash

Is that versailles? The non-native will envy that. ;P

On 12/5/2021 at 12:01 PM, elephant3in1 said:

Is that versailles? The non-native will envy that. ;P

 

Hey, I'm just trying to find some execuses before people try to correct my sentences. :D

Edited December 10, 2021 by Nefelibeta : lol

7 hours ago, Nefelibeta said:

 

Hey, I'm just trying find some execuses before people try to correct my sentences. :D

Hey, I'm just trying *"To"* find some execuses before people try to correct my sentences. :D

This correction is because you asked for it :P

DBP42: Slime on Earth (Maps 01-04)

 

Map 01 - Mapping smartass Joe-ilya brings us this reskinned Entryway. Exactly the same as the original

Map 02 - A series of hangars, easy, but competenly made. However, I couldn't find the secrets

Map 03 - Joe-ilya is accused of half-baking challenge at times, but this completely throws all that out the window. Get to the top ledge near the slime falls and you'll find an Invulnerbility Sphere and an absolute metric ton of foes. I ran out of ammo here and ended up cheating because I didn't bother to make a backup save for such a possibility. The ending area is less intense but still comes across as a bastard and a half, thanks to the Cyberdemon replacement in the middle and scattered other foes that makes your day miserable.

Map 04: Lots of Doomcute here. Lots and lots of outdoor areas and Doomcute areas. Not without challenge to be sure, but there's more ammo anyway

 

Stupid Bunny's Stupid Speedmaps

 

Angry Chair - A hellish map of sorts, quite challenging, and easy to cheese to a point, until you run out of shells. I guess you could figure this one out, but meh.

 

Fort Doomguy- Little room and very intense.

 

 

 

Distorted Space

 

A map that in some ways recalls TNT with an open-environment fashion. Some inteesting use of teleportation. The second group of pinkies I encountered seemed somewhat pointless. very cool trick teleporting the BFG from the crimson throne to a nearby hidden chamber. Cool bit at the end, even if the arena is overly large. That final chamber is quite evocative.

From the title, I thought this was going to be a program that tracks your time playing Doom and per wad.

Slime on Earth

Map 04 - Made by one of the less active DBP participants I guess, this is a nice step down. Very much biological lab type of location and nicely detailed

Map 05 - I've hardly heard of this person before, but I love the two-pronged layout. When you emerge from the sewers at the beginning, you are greeted by the sight od a massive open field surrounding you.

Map 06 - Unlike the last one, there was really no place to hide. It's hard enough fighting off those self-destructing guys at the beginning, but when you come into the outside, there's really no place to hide. I might go back and play this, but I have soooo much other stuff I need to get through

 

Donuts

 

Made as part of Stupid Bunny's speedmaps, the verticality and initial paranoia here are quite enthralling. I also like how the floor raises and lowers at different times. Arch-viles are lurking in the corners. I made the mistake of triggering the ones not behind some wall and I died. Too bad, because this was pretty darned good. A BFG would've been really nice here, though things could be worst, as you still have plenty of room to move, otherwise i wouldve died very quickly.

 

40-Minute Map

 

This is some whacky music. Yet, it perfectly fits the highly chaotic action. Generally, maps which start you on a damage floor tend to leave a bad taste in your mouth, but this one was different. Nice bright redness and action that probably belongs in a Micro Slaughter 2.

Edited December 10, 2021 by LadyMistDragon

On 12/5/2021 at 7:09 PM, Oday said:

Hey, I'm just trying *"To"* find some execuses before people try to correct my sentences. :D

Very awkward indeed..

 

On 12/8/2021 at 4:32 AM, Chopkinsca said:

From the title, I thought this was going to be a program that tracks your time playing Doom and per wad.

That sounds like a good idea!

Week 2 :

Let's continue the journey guys! 

 

Maps that I played

======

 

Struggle by @antares031 [Map06-Map11 UV]

(I'm quoting authors because why not)

Map06

 

---Another pretty desent map, detailed and fun as always. Although I think this one is a bit too claustrophobic to my liking, I suppose it's just me.

This map is filled with nasty encounters, and especially harsh when it comes to arch-viles. I didn't really like the one that forced me to fight an archy in an incredibly small room with basically no cover, but the others are accecptable. And the introduction of new monsters is very dramatic I'd say.

---I realized that dehacked monsters can be a lot threatening! They move faster and tend to flank me everytime I try to hide, and buffed cacos are especially difficult to deal with. They fire projectiles more frequently, which doesn't come in handy when the space is limited, just like this map.

---Up to this point, I wish there will be a tyson map. The new drill and hammer is really powerful but there just isn't that many situations in which they can be useful.

 

Map07

 

---Well, you probably didn't see it but this is actually a Dead Simple clone(I mean, sort of) A very intersting way to recreate Map07 indeed.

---I do have to admit I got lost after entering the red door, I didn't really know how to lower the yellow key and just simply idclip to get it, not sure if it was me or the map's fault.

---For some reasons, I really like these decorative lights. You see the blue lights on the building? They went up and down, which made me think they might have some very particular usages. Very intersting indeed.

---I love the SMM fight at the last, although the SMM die rather quickly because of the new plasma gun. Kind of a letdown.

 

Map08

 

---Another map, another techbase. I do have to say this one is a bit filler-ish. Outside of the blue key fight, there aren't that many memorable fights. Although I really like the part near the fake exit ending. When you saw a Pain elemental and tried to do the classic "In your face" move, 3 sneaky revs and a afriest will teleport in and sandwich you. Maybe a little bit harsh but that was really creative!

 

Map09

 

---This wad has lots of tech bases indeed! Btsx E1 would've been proud. Make sure you brought a pair of glasses because this map is filled with spectre cacos! With such a dark environment, they sure are a pain in the ass.

---However, the rest of the level made up for it. I assume antares really, really likes arch-viles and pain elementals. They're placed everywhere and the most hectic encounter of the map gotta be the red key fight. 2 arch-viles, numerous pain elemantals along with other baddies will warp in and wreck your ass. Really fun as long as you don't die immediately.

 

Map10

 

---Finally, a map that isn't tech base! I really dig the ruins colored in orange, just because it's unique.

---However... This map can actually be quite abusive. Especially with afriests. I don't how many of them are there, but there gotta be a lot. And I think a lots of traps are pretty cheap and hectic with the claustrophobic environment. I don't really enjoy this one personally, but I do love the finale.

 

Map11

 

--This one is truly a sight to behold. Meet the ruined base located in the center of the lava lake, with broken shards laid everywhere. And I wondered who did all this. To shut down the resurrector that constantly resurrects the SMM(or teleport in since you can't resurrect the SMMs) you need to grant access to Unit1 and Unit2, and every keys you grab and unit levers you switched will spawn a wave of demons. Basically the whole map is a giant arena.

 

(Blue key goes here)

---However I don't really know how the hell are you supposed to kill the 2 SMMs consistently, their new projectile attack really hurts and you don't really have enough ammo for them. But overall still a really cool map.

 

======

 

Fractured Worlds by @Nirvana [Map03 UV]

 

---Oh yeah, this gotta be the map I love the best so far. Lots of eye-candies, lots of intersting fights. I really want to talk about the fights in detail. So here we go.

 

---Believe it or not, after the Map01 and Map02. The beginning area is actually pretty mild! Outside of the really annoying damaging floor, the only difficult part are the arch-viles and Cyber Jrs. Not to mention you will get tons of shells for all that. Maybe the rocket resource is a bit tight.

---The first fun fight is the blue key fight. To turn the floor into non-damage floor, you need to press the switch behind the Cyber Jr turrets. Meanwhile a load of imps will teleport in and occupy the platform. I found it really satisfying to lure Cyber Jrs to blast the imps for me rather than doing it on my own, though you will get lots of rockets. After hitting 3 blue switches, a wave of revenants will also warp in along with the previous Cyber Jrs. Then feel free to enjoy the good old infight party. I wish I can know the intended strat here, but the good thing is that the author gave you so many rockets that you can't possibly run out of them and the health resource isn't really tight. Very fun.

---To the next fight I love. This fight is not as creative as the last one but it's still as tricky. Take a look at the screenshot and you might know what have happened.

This is yet another infight party, which kind of reminds me of a fight in Sunder. Lots of Cyber Jrs in the center along with angry hell knight audiences. Just do a classic U-shape movement and hide behind the hell knight crowds you should be fine. Also, BFGing Cyber Jrs is satisfying as heck, and watching them explode into pile of gore is very rewarding.

---And hey, check out this fun little mini-puzzle! After pressing the red switch you will be greeted by 4 regular cybers. Lure them into the beautiful teleporter in the  center, then take the teleporter yourself and shoot the switch immediately, unless you like getting blasted in the face by Cybers. Though something bad might happen if you move away after telefragging one, there is a chance that another cyber can teleport in this very tight area and you're in trouble. Overall this is a good transition for the finale.

---And the finale. Oh boy, this might be the fight I love the most so far. The arena is divided into 3 parts, which are all connected by teleporters. It might seems like another infight party between Cybers and hell nobles, but it's the teleporter that makes a difference. Normally the space will be tight if hell knights and barons approach, but the way they teleport limits the amount, and you'd better watch out before traversing the gap since the stationary teleport destination will make it easier for you to teleport in the middle of the crowd. The gimmick is simple but still makes the gameplay much more intersting. Not to mention this beautiful arena,

I abosulutely love it.

---Overall, Map03 is the best map by far. Brillant environments, gimmicky and fun fights and the moderate map length, everything in this map just cooperated very well. If you like combat puzzles, you'd better play this one for yourself.

 

======

 

Slaughter on the Dance Floor by @whybmonotacrab [Map01 UV]

 

---OK, so for whatever reasons I decided to try this one, and it turned out to be lots of fun.

---This is a fun little slaughterfest that will take you less than 15 minutes to beat. Its fights might not be that outstanding or smart, but all of them are really fun to figure and deal with, especially when the entire map is so short. I really like the BFG-fest, along with some pretty nasty arch-viles and Cybers, but usually you will get enough cells and health to handle it. I also like how the author turn revenant staircase into dance floor after you're done with the first fight, wouldn't it be really cool if you own a dance floor that can move up and down.

---I think the visual is wacky to the point that it can fit perfectly into something like Frog and Toad or axolotl, and I assume that was intended. But hey, I really like it nonetheless!

---Overall, a fun little combat puzzle that deserves your time. I highly recommend you to have a try if you got spare time.

 

======

 

Maps that I made

 

Sludgemire

 

---Finally, for the love of god, I finally finished this one. Not very sure how long it took but I honestly refuse to recall it.

---The new textures made by my friend are used here, however they are used very occasionally. Only presented in the final area sadly.

---All of the areas are done, but most of them still need to be polished and playtested. The map is pretty tight on ammo and I honestly don't want the players suffer from ammo starvation.

---And yeah, by the way, this map already has like 1100+ monsters and I haven't implement the secret fight yet. Might disappoints the doomers who don't like slaughter maps, but I promise I will lower the body count by a lot in HMP and HNTR. Next few maps that I'm going to make is going to be some sort of smaller map because I don't think anyone will have the patience to finish a megawad filled with large maps like this.

Thanks for reviewing my level! Glad you dug it. Also glad you tagged me so I get to see this awesome thread. Definitely going to stick around to see the rest of your thoughts on Struggle since that's an all time favourite, and I'm playing Fractured Worlds right now so it'll be interesting reading your thoughts alongside mine. Also very interested to play your megawad, but especially Sludgemire since the name references a fav map of mine.

Edited December 11, 2021 by whybmonotacrab

Carnival Games: by Stupid Bunny

 

Occupies the Map 07 slot, mainly to utilize some wall-lowering-esque gimmicks as this is not a Dead Simple clone, but instead an abandoned carnival of sorts. Despite being short, there are some decent and exciting close-quarters fights. Taking out the chaingunners nearby gave me some spots where I could hide. 

 

Panic Switch by @clamgor

 

An abandoned research station, allegedly, but this looks more like a corrupted subway! Anyway, we've got a series of large fights, most fairly difficult with the occasional flat-out obnoxious teleport ambush from behind. Things ramp up nicely though, and I greatly enjoyed the yellow key fight. Despite the high monster count, it'll probably take less than 20 minutes to finish because of the final arena where more than half of the monsters are. Also, the infighting is just sooo entertaining here, I love it. Just watch out for the Manicubi near the beginning of this fight. I found two secrets because I suck beyond the obvious ones.

13 hours ago, Nefelibeta said:

I do have to admit I got lost after entering the red door, I didn't really know how to lower the yellow key and just simply idclip to get it, not sure if it was me or the map's fault.

 

 

The yellow keycard platform will be lowered for one step, whenever you beat each colored section. When all of three colored sections are cleared, the platform should be lowered enough to be reached:

 

 

 

About dealing with a pair of SMM in MAP11, make sure to gather enough assault rifle ammo, scattered around the level, and shoot the SMM from the bottom of the platform, like this video playthrough. Anyway, thanks for reviewing Struggle. I hope you have a fun time with the rest of the wad. :)

Edited December 12, 2021 by antares031

Jonathan's Mapping Arcade Experiment

 

Map 01 A simple, medieval styled map. Decent monster placement challenge but little else of note

Map 02: Processing and refinement facility bleeding into a mine. The key ambushes are quite challenging, especially the last one. 4 Arch-viles when plasma's limited tends to make things very difficult.

 

Cannonball Birthday Map

 

I dunno who's birthday it was made for, other than it not being Cannoball's. Great way to create a hard map using 30 monsters or so however. It did seem like it was too easy to find oneself cheesing though. Still, there's not exactly so much ammo you'll want to camp forever, just long enough to survive.

 

Sectrslayr Speedmap

 

A somewhat tense scramble for weapons, this then just becomes an average sort of 'keep on the good foot' map. The count is less than 200 monsters, but the emphasis on mobs makes things go by fairly quickly. I felt fortunate to snag the rocket launcher relatively early but I had to let the baddies emit out. The last main fight is a fairly large one against Imps coming from both sides of the rooms. This was fun!

Edited December 15, 2021 by LadyMistDragon

Week 3 :

No Fractured Worlds this week sadly, I'm busy playing other stuff. :(

 

Maps that I played

======

Hell Revealed 3 Part1 by Various [Map01-Map05 UV]

 

Map01

 

---So for whatever reason I decide to try this one despite the fact that I've never played HR or HR2 before.
---This is a very short and easy map. I probably should be expecting an opener like this one for a spiritual successor of a classic megawad. There are so many rockets that you won't run out of them, so just take out your rocket launcher and go nuts. Other than that, there is really nothing worth mentioning. By the way, this midi rocks.

 

Map02

---Yet another map that is short and sweet. This time the author even placed more rockets and resources compared to the last one. I feel like this one is meant to be a Plutonia map rather than a Hell Revealed map. Lots of harsh but not that dangerous traps, especially that red key trap with only chaingunners and nothing else, I can't imagine a more plutonic trap like this one. And look, exits from plutonia? Anyways, I really like the blue key fight, and the rest is exciting as well. Good stuff.

 

Map03

 

---Now this is more like it. This map is filled with hectic traps just like the blue key fight from the last map. Not that difficult but still lots of fun. I really like the yellow key trap with a wall of chaingunners and shotgunners along with a bunch of revenants simply because it scared the shit out of me. Other than that this map uses lots of vanilla textures while still being pretty. So credits to that.

 

Map04

---Yet another map I loved, this time there are quite a few fights that will sandwich you with waves of monsters. I really dig the rocket launcher fight and the plasma gun fight. Maybe they're not that friendly, but that feeling of challenge always gives me motivation. And yeah, a cyberdemon in Map04? This is supposed to be a sequel to Hell Revealed series after all, so that shouldn't give you any problem. Overall pretty entertaining.

 

Map05

 

---Oh boy, scythe 2 music? over 300 monsters? You might think something big is about to come, but this map is kind of disappointing. With such a promising map title and layout, and also that big bloody pillar in the center of the map, the fights here aren't as slaughtery or difficult as you thought it'd would been. I do like the crowd fight with a arch-vile, but the pillar fight is a huge downer. Under the pillar there are only a few imps, baron, mancs and archnotrons, and if you go up the pillar, only 6 barons, a cyber and a spider mastermind for an infight party. I really wish there can be more overwhelming fights, but that's just me.
 

======

 

Mutabor by @tourniquet [Map01-Map03 UV]

---Mutabor... An unstable journey through a wicked, floating, mysterious city which is filled with rusty steel walls, broken pipes, computer panels, covered in nukage. Under the ominous green sky, everything seems to be built for those creeping beasts, lurking behind walls, rather than mankind. The whole map is so interconnective, that I assume it's very possible to get lost in this beautiful nightmare without the foreknowledge of the map layout.

 

(lol I suck at screenshots)

---Now let's take a look at the gameplay. Most of the fights are sort of mini combat puzzles, some of which are pretty chill and fun, some of which are... pretty hectic. Most of the fights involve crowds of demons and a tight environment. I especially like the green key fight where you're forced not to shoot and lure a cyberdemon into blasting his friends, and I'm grateful that the author allows you to get access to the secret BFG fight with only 2 keys. Because that fight was awesome. A Spidermastermind, A Cyberdemon, arch-vile turrets and waves of enemies, nothing too complicated since you get a BFG.

---And yeah, this map is filled with secrets. I'm proud to admit that I actually found 4 out of 16 despite being an abosulutely terrible secret hunter. Sadly, after looking for them with idclip(yep I cheated) most of them don't seem to be that intersting, or at least as intersting as the ones in Miasma.

---Overall, Mutabor is a hell of an epic adventure, a total labor of love. Maybe I should try HNTR at some point(which is designed to be harder than UV) This map is just too good.

 

======

 

Struggle by @antares031 [Map12-Map15 UV]

 

Map12

---Another pretty fun and descent map, yet another techbase. This time the author introduced the blue chaingunners(super chaingunners? whatever) They are not as asshole as the evil doomguy from scythe2 only because they are not as fast.
---There aren't that many parts that are worth mentioning, except for the yellow key fight. A bunch of pinkies, HKs, revs will rush towards you. If you don't find the very missable armory room the situation can be quite hairy. And hey, I actually found all the secrets! That was a miracle. Overall, an intersting map.

 

Map13

 

---I don't really know how I feel about this map... And I do have to admit after all that techbase, maps can be a bit samey, which is the word I don't usually use to describe the author's maps. There isn't anything that truly stand out, and the gameplay is claustrophobic. Up to this point I really wish I can get to E3 sooner.

 

Map14

 

---And then we are back on track! Another techbase, but this time, it's some sort of crappy techbase on the top of a lava lake, which I really like! This map is fast, short and angry, filled with fun fights just like map12. But the main credit goes to the epic and up beat soundtrack. Listen to it yourself.
---I have to say the map can be a little bit switch hunty. But the yellow key fight is chaotic and fun, and the other parts are definitely not as boring as the last one. Overall, I really like it.

 

Map15

---Woah, 666 monsters, it's about to get slaughtery! To get access to the teleportation area, you need to complete 2 rooms first. The one with the lava floor can be pretty claustrophobic and tricky, but the other one is good fun. After that prepare to embrace the grand assault of hell knights, cacodemons, and probably other nastiness that I can't remember. Simple but fun.

 

======

 

Stardate 20x7 by @Ribbiks [Map05 UV]

---What a ball-crushing map. This is the map where I stopped my first stardate20x7 run, why? Because the final fight requires a BFG and that sneaky BFG is hidden in an obscure secret. That was really unfriendly for new comers.
---Anyways, the first few fights are actually pretty vicious, especially while arch-viles are commonly used here. However, if you haven't played the map before, remember to ALWAYS save your rockets, they will be extremely helpful later on. The black key fight is really, really harsh if you don't know how to deal with it, and even more difficult if you pick up the secret BFG before the entering the area. I think there will be an additional cyberdemon with more arch-viles and cacos will appear if you do that. And after that fun shit, don't forget to go for the purple key secret. The key can be used to unlock the BFG, which is abosulutely required for the finale. The fight contains 4 arch-viles, and you need to lure them together one by one in order to kill them, since the center area is covered by monster-blocking linedefs. 

---And the finale... It's ridiculously difficult, you'll be trapped in an arena that is so claustrophobic that you can barely fire a rocket without taking self-damage. And don't you dare to spend you precious cells on those barons and revenants, because there are 14 freaking evil arch-viles, and all of them come in waves. When the floor turns red, 4 of them will warp in, and later on when the floor turns red again, 10 of them will arrive. It's fucking horrible, without mid-saving and savescumming I probably won't be able to finish it within any time shorter than an hour.
---However, after actually beating the map, I somehow come to appreciate it despite all that torture. The music in particular, perfectly fits the dark and creepy environment of the map and its almost obnoxious gameplay. It feels like this is not the place you're supposed to be. Oh, and the map itself is beautiful too, it's a ribbiks map afterall.

---Also, in the beta version, the finale is actually different! It was supposed to happen at the weird purple structure outside the map where you can't reach now. It's a lot easier and if you are curious, I highly recommend touchdown's playthrough, the old finale is at the end of video.

 

======

 

Maps that I made

 

Sludgemire

 

---It's finally done now, check out this beautiful picture. I can't tell how much time I spent on this one.

---Some screenshots of the secret fight. I want this to be a Map15 so here you go. The madness before the secret exit.

 

Demonic Dancepool of Blood

---I'm finishing this map that I started probably a year ago just because I'm lazy and I want to finish 32 maps as soon as possible. The original layout is actually pretty nice, so I decided to make it prettier.

---The new area. I took some inspiration from HR3 Map05, so here is a big ass tower. Other than that, nothing is done currently. Hopefully the map is not going to become a disaster. Borrowed some sdx7 textures for this. :)

 

======

 

The end of Week3

8 hours ago, Nefelibeta said:

Maps that I made

 

Sludgemire

 

---It's finally done now, check out this beautiful picture. I can't tell how much time I spent on this one.

---Some screenshots of the secret fight. I want this to be a Map15 so here you go. The madness before the secret exit.

 

Demonic Dancepool of Blood

---I'm finishing this map that I started probably a year ago just because I'm lazy and I want to finish 32 maps as soon as possible. The original layout is actually pretty nice, so I decided to make it prettier.

 

---The new area. I took some inspiration from HR3 Map05, so here is a big ass tower. Other than that, nothing is done currently. Hopefully the map is not going to become a disaster. Borrowed some sdx7 textures for this. :)

 

After playing The Mucus Empire recently, I must say I am eagerly looking forward to your megawad. While I originally hit follow on this thread to read your reviews, I'm actually just as - if not more - interested in the development updates. I'm loving the pics you're posting. That green one gives me strong Deus Vult 2 vibes. Only thing I'm mad about is that you didn't keep up the alliteration for Demonic Dancepool of Blood. Demonic Dancepool of Despair? Disgust? Oh well, still agreat title and awesome looking screenshot.

1 hour ago, whybmonotacrab said:

After playing The Mucus Empire recently, I must say I am eagerly looking forward to your megawad. While I originally hit follow on this thread to read your reviews, I'm actually just as - if not more - interested in the development updates. I'm loving the pics you're posting. That green one gives me strong Deus Vult 2 vibes. Only thing I'm mad about is that you didn't keep up the alliteration for Demonic Dancepool of Blood. Demonic Dancepool of Despair? Disgust? Oh well, still agreat title and awesome looking screenshot.

Welp, it's actually a BTSX E1 reference. But I'm willing to come up with more weird map titles though.

 

Also for whatever reasons. Some of my screenshots popped up at the end of post, strange..

Week 4:

I haven't played many maps this week mainly due to the time limit. :(

 

Maps that I played:

======

Stardate 20x7 by @Ribbiks [Map06 UV]

 

---What the hell is this map...(which is a "pun" because I suppose "The Other Side" means hell.) Yet another extremely difficult, punishing, frustrating map. This time with more color brown! For some reasons I do love the combination of vine-y brick walls and purple elixir, pretty as always.
---The beginning area can be really tricky, but the most hard one is definitely the plasma gun fight with 6 arch-viles, numerous pain elementals, and a lot of other nastiness. Thankfully 2 of arch-viles are stationary and only serve as a road block for doomguys who want to get away early. But the problem is you only get a plasma gun, and you don't have a backpack yet. Only 300 cells aren't enough and to get more of them you have to watch out for those 2 arch-vile turrets, not to mention the fact that the monsters resurrected by mobile arch-viles can easily become meat shield for archies.

---The secret fight is pretty fun, a cyber infight party with loads of arachnotron turrets. After getting the cyber to kill all the spiders, shoot the switch and the situation is going to be complicated. A wave of mancubuses, and after the pillars, 8 more revenants and 2 additional arch-viles. You really need to finish off other demons first before waking up the archies, otherwise they'll become a pain in the ass. After the fight is done, you'll get a rocket launcher as a reward, which can be useful later on.
---The penultimate fight can be hairy without a RL, though don't expect it to be easy. A horde of revenants, and 3 chaingunner turrets featuring yet another arch-vile turret. You'd thought the arch-vile turret would been the worst, but the chaingunners can be especially difficult to deal with due to their inconsistent teleportation patterns. After this, it's time to face probably one of trickest fights I've ever encountered.

---Yep, it's the revenant staircase. Be prepared to fight like a hundred revenants on a bumpy as fuck stair. It probably doesn't seem like much if you have played any slaughtermaps, but remember the fact that you only have a rocket launcher, and the arena itself makes it easier to face rocket and harder to avoid homing missiles. I have abosulutely no idea how do you do this consistently and essentially just save-scummed my way through. The whole process almost reminds me of my first playthrough of Map09 Do You Believe. Yes, I mean that penultimate fight with like a million revenants and hell knights. Gosh I wish I'll never do this fight again.
---Overall, I think this map is not all that fun compared to Map05, fights are bit too harsh for my liking and there are hardly any breathers between the hard encounters. Nothing else to say. I'm looking forward to Map07 now because it uses one of my favourite midis. :)

 

======

 

Fractured Worlds by @Nirvana [Map04 UV]

 

---First of all, I don't really enjoy the first few sections that well. Some of them are fine by me, but the others? Nope, especially the fight that traps you in a tiny ass room with 2 revenants, 2 hell knights and 2 barons. I thought it was pretty rng-based initially but I was probably doing poorly. Still hate that fight though. Also, cyberdemon placements can be very obnoxious, they tend to shoot me whenever I try to enter a room or hit switches. Despite all that mean stuff, I actually like some of the fights. The fight with arch-viles and a wall that goes up and down is my favourite.

---Thankfully, the rest of the map made up for it. The rocket launcher fight is pretty fun and contains some nasty surprises. It doesn't seem to be that difficult at first with only 4 Cyber Jrs and a few hell knights and revenants, but after a while 4 arch-vile will join the party, then you should be careful since there aren't that many cover. The finale is also really fun and creative. 4 cyber closets, a wall of hell knights and barons. It seems that the only thing you need to do is stand aside and enjoy the firework show, but then the wall starts lowering and hell knights will start teleporting in! Be aware that other hell knights are still sniping at you, so you're essentially sandwiched between them. Oh and don't forget that after hitting the switch, 4 arch-viles will also arrive. The combination of Cybers and hell knights just never gets old.

---Overall this map will be a lot better in my opinion if the beginning area isn't as harsh. Plenty of resources, lots of challenges. I think it's a better idea to find the secret fight before reviewing the map but I'm a bit lazy so. Oh, and the color red starts to appear often now, hmm..

 

======

 

Maps that I made:

 

Demonic Dancepool of Blood

---It's done now, finally. Yet another map with 1000+ monsters because I just don't know how to stop spamming teleporter closets. I actually spent lots of time making those shadows, not sure if people will even notice them though. :(

(Dancepad of demons)

---I created some rather intersting fights here. Like this one! The arrow will shine before an archy, 2 revs and 2 chaingunners warp in from the teleporters of that side. Also, I finally used the purple textures that I want to use.

---Taking inspiration from stardatex7 Map31, this one is a lot easier and manageable though.

-

---Behold! The dancefloor of blood! Make sure you brought a BFG and a megasphere for this fight because those cyberdemons and HK hordes are not happy with your appearance. I really should start making maps that aren't as hard as stuff like this.

 

======

 

The end of Week 4.

Week 5:

 

Maps that I played:

 

Alien Vendetta by Various [Map18 UV]

 

---I decided to try this map after watching Mtpain27's review on Alien Vendetta. And oh boy how much do I love this one. The combat is exciting, the map is detailed and pretty by 00s standards, probably one of the best map at that period of time.
---I really like the cross-shaped sewer section. Lots of imps and other stuff to blast, and BFGing masterminds is really satisfying. Though people might say it's not threatening or challenging at all with the wide space to move around, but I just can't get enough with dumb fun like this. The best part is the big ass arena with lots of turret monsters. You can deal with it simply by running around the whole structure. Those 2 archies weren't a problem, but the revenants are a bit pain in the ass though.
---Overall, I highly recommend this map even if you don't like alien vendetta or classic megawads in general. This is the most fun you can have in a map that ages well.

 

======

 

Burning Ring of Fire by@whybmonotacrab [Map01 UV]

 

---Another map by whybmonotacrab, this time he decides to provide a even bigger challenge. The map starts off with a rough punch right in your face. Placing an stationary arch-vile in the center of the room along with hell-knight/revenant turrets, hordes of pinkies, imps and a crowd of hitscanners. Don't panic, rush to the other side of the room and grab the super shotgun. Though don't waste your shells on the arch-vile, there are several back-ups in case you actually want to kill them.
---After you finally squeeze your way through the first room, prepare to embrace even more nastiness. Mancubuses, hell knights and revenants. I highly recommend you to kill all the stuff first before hitting the switch which lowers the rocket launcher. Because those two arch-viles guarding the heavy weapon aren't something you can deal with easily. But don't expect the author to be kind to you after grabbing the rockets, another crowd of hell knights will appear, this time reinforced by flying foes. At least you get to crush the remaining enemies after all is done.
---Overall, I really like this map as a small challenge. Really fun while still being difficult. The gameplay almost reminds me of eaxt.wad by Erik Alm or something like that. Good stuff.

 

======

 

Fractured Worlds by@Nirvana [Map05 UV]

---So yeah, what a horrible nightmare. This map is pure insanity, mainly due to a fight that probably I'll never ever forget.
The first few sections can be tricky since you need to do some pretty troubling platforming and the progression is confusing compared to the first few maps. I assumed it's just me but I had a lot of difficulties here, most of the time I fall down the slim platforms, save-scum, and then fall down the platforms repeatedly. And the monster placements are harsh, too. Cyberdemon turrets, close quarter revenants and hell knights, with lots of archies. Overall I don't really like it.
---The next few fights aren't really tough. The cyan key fight is pretty fun and easy, classic infight party with cybers and hell knights. But the rocket launcher fight can be out of control. A wall of revenant turrets, with a big hell knights horde. Keep calm and spam, then you should be fine. Cleaning up the revenants is a major pain in the ass though.
---And there comes the blue key fight. Oh my freaking god, one of the most devastating fight so far, an idea so dumb yet so insane that basically outshines the rest the map. Let me give you an brief idea. Imagine this, 16 arch-viles, 4 cyberdemons, numerous teleporting nastiness, with only rocket launcher and plasma gun. Oh, and the power-ups and ammos are scarce, too. You can release the crowd one by one, each of them consists of 4 arch-viles, a cyber, and a wave of demons. The arena itself is not friendly for killing archies, and the lack of cover is definitely gonna cause you some horrible deaths. I can't seem to find a reliable strategy here, and I genuinely don't want to play this fight again to find out myself. This is the crown jewel of frustration, embodiment of pure craziness, so brutal that ribbiks would've been proud. Words can't fully describe how difficult this fight is.

---By no means do I say the rest will be easy. At the red key fight, prepare to get sandwiched by hell knights, and later on barons and Cyber Jrs will appear. You need to do some precise movement while spamming rockets or get toasted. The finale is actually a tiny bit easier since you finally get the BFG. Though those arch-viles teleporting in when you activate the switch will give you lots of trouble. And the rest is yet another classic infight party with cybers and mancubuses, finish off the 2 archies hiding in the crowd before they finish off you and you should be fine.

---I actually did the secret fight this time, well I didn't find the secret and just idclip-ed instead, but that shouldn't matter.
And, it's tough. Lots of Cyber Jrs in the center of the circular arena, along with other demons. Pretty fun but the difficult part is to pay attention to those Cyber Jrs before you randomly run into their rockets. I like it and the visuals are nice.
---In conclusions, this map is the hardest so far. I do like the gigantic building in the beginning, and the map itself is beautiful as always. The gameplay is sort of giving me stardate20x7 vibes and I suppose that's intentional. Proceed at your own risk.

 

======

 

Grove by @foofoo [Map01 UV]

---This is such a strange map, even by B.P.R.D standard. The text file is really strange, too. It contains a story that is well, actually related to the map. And the thing written in the bugs... 
---"*When I try to use Boom, I get like 149 column errors. What columns? Did I put columns in the level? So is that it- It won't work because I didn't put any columns in the level? What a picky interior-decorating engine." "*Heres a weird one- when you're about to enter the forest part, your monitor may implode and create a sort of weak black hole, sucking in your pieces of papers and stuff from your table. This is due to linedef #2334, and I can't really fix it sorry."

---Weird, huh? Well, I'd say the map itself is even more weird. There is a switch at the grove control room, which says "you" If you turn it off, you'll die. And the progression is all over the place. The beginning area can be confusing, you need to notice a tiny gap in the book shelf and open it to proceed(or take out the book? idk) This one is so obscure that I only found it by looking it up in the editor. And the entrance to red key is really obscure. There is a random linedef in the cave section that can open the rock with no obvious hint what so ever, I don't really know how the hell are you supposed to know this. And it's mandatory! You need to backtrack to find the yellow key, which is guarded by the villain of the story "Smugla". He is pretty much just a chaingunner with lots of health, but I do like how he makes sound when he move. Anyways, I wonder if anyone can finish the map without iddt or using the editor. It's abosulutely convoluted.

---Enough with the negativity, I do want to say that the map is really creative. New sprites work really well, and the twilight sky is pretty as hell. Having a backstory for stand-along map is intersting, especially when that story has something to do with the map itself. Though the gameplay is, well, really B.P.R.D.

 

======

Struggle by @antares031 [Map31-Map16 UV]

 

---Let's continue the struggling! Unlike other megawads, the author decides to turn Map31 and Map32 into non-secret ones. I'm abosulutely horrible at secret hunting so that's nice.
---Anyways, I really like the red bloody hell theme here, though it's pretty sad that this is the only map with a red theme like this. The first section can be pretty tricky, lots of turret enemies and the lack of rocket launcher and assault rifle is going to give you some trouble. The rest of the fights are pretty harsh and fun at the same time, you really need to know how the fights work before entering because they can be troublesome. Especially the yellow key fight, oh boy that's brutal as hell with all that insta-teleporting monsters.
---Though the finale is a bit disappointing, the palace itself is really cool-looking, but the fight is definitely not as exciting. Only a spidermastermind and maybe other dehacked monsters. Overall a cool map.

 

---Boss fight time! I really like the visuals and the awesome music. Oh boy, it sure renders the atmosphere. The first few warm up fights are pretty fun, and the boss? Welp, it's just a bigger mancubus who can spawn monsters. It's not that difficult, but it fits the wad anyway so I won't mind.

 

---What? We're back on earth? Techbases? Noooooooo
---Anyway, this is yet another generic antares techbase. I'd say the visual is pretty similar to the map06 of antareq.wad, color coded textures are pretty cool. The map, well, is nasty in a good way. Most encounters involve lots of precise movement and good planning. Always remember to grab the super shotgun first before entering the monster spawner area. I accidentally teleported in and was forced to deal with mancubuses, arch-viles and pain elementals with only dual pistols and shotguns. That kinda sucks, but mostly due to my bad luck.
---I found the layout a bit confusing, you kinda need to backtrack a little. And the unit 1 and unit 2 switches are needlessly placed far away. But outside of that, this map is pretty fun.

 

======

 

Maps that I made

 

???

---So, yeah. I started making a new map. Mainly a tribute to Revenge of Demonhouse. This time I'll try my best not to spam too many monsters, though.

---I don't really think that I have a good idea for map title. The original idea is something like "Slaughter House" or "Return of Demonhouse" some sort of that. But none of them truly stand out in my opinion. Maybe someone can give me some advice.

---I'm pretty happy with the architectures of this map. Lots of orange stuff, many a bit too many but I don't care. Right now it looks like some sort of combination of The Mucus Empire II and Tangerine Nightmare which I really enjoy!

---Anyway, one part of the map is done and only 155 monsters currently. Looking good. Though the plan is to not go over 500 or 600 monsters. Maybe you can consider this map as the first true hell map, but I don't know if Demonic Dancepool of Blood counts as one though.

 

======

 

The end of Week 5.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Nefelibeta

On 1/3/2022 at 2:25 PM, Nefelibeta said:

---I don't really think that I have a good idea for map title. The original idea is something like "Slaughter House" or "Return of Demonhouse" some sort of that.

Something like Salvo of Slaughtering shit Slayer in shambles scatology (sounds like 10k+ monsters)? sanguinary sacrifice skull (wtf...remind me of Daisy).

Ok, too weird XD

Seems like a splendid palace, maybe 'CastleDemonia Emerge'? Time for a true learn of skill.

Could you link the Chex Quest wad from week 1, please? Looks delicious

4 hours ago, HrnekBezucha said:

Could you link the Chex Quest wad from week 1, please? Looks delicious

there you go

Thank you :)

Well, hello here. In case if you're still following this dumb thread, hmm I don't want to disappoint you.

I've been working on a review video of stardate20x7, which I put lots of efforts into. All the recording and scripts are currently done(I believe) and all I need to do now is editing the videos. I have basically zero experience in that kind of stuff, so yeah.. wish me luck.

 

And oh, I didn't give up mapping still. The 9th map(CastleDemonia Emerge) and the 10th map(Outer Post) are done right now, and I have a couple of good(ish) ideas for the next few maps. Here are some screenshots if you're interested.

https://imgur.com/a/jp86lUy

 

Also, yeah I'm still playing bunch of freaking wads at the same time. I finished Fractured Worlds(except for the secret maps) Water Spirit by burabojunior, Orange is true Love by ribbiks and grain of salt, wormwood 1 and EU, Darkest Rooms and etc. Also I finally reached the E3 of struggle(map19, 20 are my favourites btw) But you know, I don't have enough time to write a review for every single of them, but I can say all of them are lots of fun. In fact I did wrote 2 reviews(unfinished) you can take a look if my poor writing skills won't bother you.

 

Anyway that's all I want to say. Hopefully I will be able to resurrect this thread, soon!

Quite enjoyed fw map06 myself. Most of the combat is less setpiece-y and interesting than some of the other maps in the set, but...