Escape from the Yawning Ravine (Single Doom II Map)

This is my first Doom 2 map, so I'd like to share it.

Screenshots:

Format: Doom 2 + Limit Removing

Tested with: Crispy Doom 5.11.1; GZDoom 4.7.1(*); PrBoom+ 2.6.2 (default compatibility)

Won't work with: Vanilla/Chocolate Doom (Too many visplanes/moving platforms)

(*) GZDoom tested for MAPINFO compatibility—disables jump & freelook, sets automap name, & more.

Content: One map, featuring two songs (MIDIs from https://lisawebworld1.tripod.com/midi.html).

Style: Single player, non-linear(?)

Length: Approx. 20-30 minutes.

As this is my first map, it's essentially a collage of themes and ideas I explored as I learned about Doom 2 mapmaking and the tools at my disposal (namely, Ultimate Doom Builder and SLADE 3.) I also started this as I came back to Doom (2) after not playing for over a decade. As a result, the difficulty may scale unevenly. I apologize for any issues that may result from my inexperience.

Thank you for reading, and if you decide to play my map, thank you for that too. I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to leave any feedback.

Download link: Here

Trailer (WARNING! May be the product of mild psychopathy):

Changelog:

04/30/2022

Looks pretty cool from the screenshots, the doomcute N64 controller is a really neat touch

Played through on UV in DSDA Doom (-complevel 2). Here's my blind demo, if you're interested: yawn.zip.

Visually, the detail wasn't off the charts, but the generally clean geometry/texturing combined with occasional doomcute gave my eyes plenty of good stuff to take in.

The progression is really where this map shines. I think you did the non-linear progression style very nicely. Exploration was rewarding, new paths opened up organically, and it seems most encounters had multiple points of entry. I don't think I was ever wandering around because I had no obvious way forward; I just wanted to search for the path of least resistance. I think you made the combat as well-calibrated as you could with so much variety in ways to tackle everything. The cyberdemons had me afraid at first, but most of the combat was totally manageable for someone who explores first and fights second.

It was a little unfortunate that my "breakthrough moment" in this map was semi-accidental. When the cyberdemon and mastermind cleared each other for me, a lot of the oppressive atmosphere vanished, and the map turned into a more routine hunt for stragglers. Still enjoyable, but I relished the initial dangers.

I think I was supposed to have the red key much earlier than I did, but the teleporter to the red key room did not at all register visually as a teleporter to me, so I skipped it for a long time.

Overall, nice work! I enjoyed playing this to step away from the more usual tightly balanced linear action fare.

11 hours ago, Walter confetti said:

Looks pretty cool from the screenshots, the doomcute N64 controller is a really neat touch

Thanks for saying so!

3 hours ago, Large Cat said:

Played through on UV in DSDA Doom (-complevel 2). Here's my blind demo, if you're interested: yawn.zip.

 

Visually, the detail wasn't off the charts, but the generally clean geometry/texturing combined with occasional doomcute gave my eyes plenty of good stuff to take in.

 

The progression is really where this map shines. I think you did the non-linear progression style very nicely. Exploration was rewarding, new paths opened up organically, and it seems most encounters had multiple points of entry. I don't think I was ever wandering around because I had no obvious way forward; I just wanted to search for the path of least resistance. I think you made the combat as well-calibrated as you could with so much variety in ways to tackle everything. The cyberdemons had me afraid at first, but most of the combat was totally manageable for someone who explores first and fights second.

 

It was a little unfortunate that my "breakthrough moment" in this map was semi-accidental. When the cyberdemon and mastermind cleared each other for me, a lot of the oppressive atmosphere vanished, and the map turned into a more routine hunt for stragglers. Still enjoyable, but I relished the initial dangers.

 

I think I was supposed to have the red key much earlier than I did, but the teleporter to the red key room did not at all register visually as a teleporter to me, so I skipped it for a long time.

 

Overall, nice work! I enjoyed playing this to step away from the more usual tightly balanced linear action fare.

Thank you so much for the demo! I thoroughly enjoyed watching it, and it was very enlightening! The only demos I've seen of it so far are from non-secret hunters, so I sincerely appreciate you humping my doomcute—it really means a lot to me.

Also, thank you for your detailed feedback! I will consider it carefully during any future Doom 2 mapmaking projects I may pursue.

Cute map.

I bet there would be no yawning when playing this map! Love it when maps are made as a result of letting the creative juices flow. :)

Oh man, just played it, I gotta say, absolutely loved it. This map feels like its right up my alley; the doomcute textures (like an ss nazi and his gaming chair and a secret gaming console), lots of obstacle course secrets, varied monsters, awesome texture work, cyberdemon snipers... It's an absolute blast and a hell of a lot of fun.

I really like the Doomcute here and how seemingly disparate textures are placed together in this naturalistic environment as if you're some sort of Indiana Jones or something, though I think it's more this is a land outside time.

lmd_yawn.zip

On 4/26/2022 at 8:35 PM, Keykhosrau said:

Oh man, just played it, I gotta say, absolutely loved it. This map feels like its right up my alley; the doomcute textures (like an ss nazi and his gaming chair and a secret gaming console), lots of obstacle course secrets, varied monsters, awesome texture work, cyberdemon snipers... It's an absolute blast and a hell of a lot of fun.

Thank you very much for your kind words! I hope my future works will be even more enjoyable.

3 hours ago, LadyMistDragon said:

I really like the Doomcute here and how seemingly disparate textures are placed together in this naturalistic environment as if you're some sort of Indiana Jones or something, though I think it's more this is a land outside time.

lmd_yawn.zip

I appreciate your appraisal—especially the "Indiana Jones" comparison! And thanks very much for the demo; I had a lot of fun watching it!

Also, I would like to formally apologize to anyone playing this map; I have never been a good secret hunter in Doom, and I forgot that Dead Marines are secret markers—NOT just decoration! In the future, I will endeavor to keep Doom's classic conventions in mind when decorating and designing custom maps.

WHY is mouse look not allowed?

14 hours ago, grrfield said:

WHY is mouse look not allowed?

 

There are some eyes you have to shoot near the end, so it would make it too easy.

17 hours ago, grrfield said:

WHY is mouse look not allowed?

 

Sorry, as Keyhosrau said, there's a "shoot the switch" section that would be trivialized by mouselook. However, if it's more fun for you, I would encourage that you manually enable Mouse Look in your port of choice's settings (if possible), as this may help with combat in some of the more vertical areas as well.

Thank you.