Pray for Death returns to the fold

Hi everyone,

Love it or hate it, I want you to have a look at my review site Pray for Death. Yes I know I used to say I hate Doomworld, but I didn't really hate it, I was just being a bitch. Everyone's a bitch now and then. I have changed a lot since the last time I was active on Doomworld.

I apologise if I caused personal offence to anyone with my comments in the past. I hope you look at my reviews objectively instead of going in there expecting them to be crap.

I want you to look at my reviews and let me know what I'm doing well and badly so that when the new-look site goes live in the summer I can get the damn things as close to perfect as I'll ever get.

Some nitpicky comments:

* COECITS is not a "Zdoom wad".
* Reviewing Chordg without mentioning the role of the Beserk Pack is entirely missing the point of the level.
* There's some points in the Plutonia review where you appear to be talking about the PS version, not the PC version.
* I didn't notice any screenshots. Screenshots would be good.
* No comments from me about the individual ratings. Your opinions are your own, but for heaven's sake don't dramatise. So you've had arguments at DW about some of your reviews. Big deal. Who cares. What I see is you're trying to set yourself up as an iconoclast figure, someone who goes against the grain. Fine, but the reviews themselves do that for you.

Not the best Doom review site, but not bad, and some of the jokes are pretty funny. The reviews are about as in-depth as you see anywhere, though they seem to focus more on the level design (i.e. appearance) than gameplay, which is what I'm more interested in.

Look forward to checkin out all the site changes No Poet. Like Ryback said, you probably should use screens to go along with the reviews. You don't have to use big screens either. Uhhh gotta go sleep now.

I notice you mention that MAP32 of Fragport is not by Ultimate DooMer, but upon reading the textfile, I find no indication that it's not.

In the community chest review, maybe you should try put the right author names to the right maps. Arch-vile46's map is map25 and magikals' maps is map06 and map29. Some screenshots would be good too, but I like SargeBaldy's reviews alot more than yours. Even if they are short.

This is his review on Scythe, map 28.

28. Run From It: I tried to play this one but kept dying for no apparent reason. I stayed in one place to get my bearings and died. I hit a switch and died. Apparently the Doom man was 'squished' but I don't know why. Maybe the "It" in this map's name is Death itself. Anyone who's seen the Final Destination films will know running from Death is pretty futile, particularly if you're stupid. When I cheated to get past the parts where I kept getting struck down by Adult Sudden Death Syndrome, I was faced with an unstable section of ground which collapsed underfoot - alert players barely have time to clear the danger zone (a source port which allows jumping is recommended), and people playing the map for the first time have almost no chance of making it to safe ground. Fortunately the map is short. Did I hate it? Yes.

Hehe, he tried to play it once and died for no apparent reason.

That's why you have to run...

Yes but even if you run, you'll always die. That's why I hate that map - it's set up so that only Compet-N speedrunners can beat it. (which is about the worst thing you can do in a map, as you know that 99% of DooMers will just get totally annoyed with it)

VolteFace: I've never understood that bit, I think it's a joke of some kind. It also mentions that it's a co-op megawad, when it's definitely not. (it's just co-op friendly that's all)

The link seems to be broken.

Has he taken it down due to excessive criticism again?

I know he was planning on redoing the site but in this instance it looks more like the server is having a kinipshin.

If he did take it down its probably not because of you people, since then he should've learned how full of shit people on Doomworld are.

Melfice said:

If he did take it down its probably not because of you people, since then he should've learned how full of shit people on Doomworld are.

ooooh, get her

:P

Melfice said:

full of shit people on Doomworld are.

And vice versa

Melfice said:

If he did take it down its probably not because of you people, since then he should've learned how full of shit people on Doomworld are.

Oh, Gn0! The drama queens have created an alliance.

Hello everyone! The drama queen is back. I forgot I had started this thread, sorry if it seemed like I was ignoring everyone.

Has he taken it down due to excessive criticism again?

No, who's been criticising me this time? Do you mean in this thread? I have read it and found most of it to be very useful so thanks guys. Ryback, were you making a joke?

Pray for Death is down for reasons unknown. I doubt it was a hacker attack because, well, what would be the point. I was working on updating the site but to be honest I have enjoyed my time away from Doom. So Pray for Death is no longer a priority for me. EDIT: If I do decide to abandon P4D then it won't be because of anyone bitching about me. I have moved on from that, if anyone else hasn't then I'm not bothered to be honest.

Oh, Gn0! The drama queens have created an alliance.

I think I've just been insulted using 1337. I can't understand it since I'm older than 14 and I don't watch Pokemon, but I am all offended anyway.

Don't start on Melfice either, he's a decent bloke, and without meaning to start another flame war or insult anyone here decent blokes seem to be few in the Community. Another reason why I haven't busted my balls trying to get P4D back up.

Again, thanks for the constructive feedback guys.

Hehe, he tried to play it once and died for no apparent reason.

Just to address this point, I've played the map again several times and I just seem to randomly explode no matter how fast I run. The map is crap, accept it! ;p

I, for one, encourage you to get it back online.
:-)

Yeah, I would too. I quite liked those CC map reviews, and would like to see the rest of them. Also there are very few up-to-date and active review sites around at the mo.

NoPoet said:

Just to address this point, I've played the map again several times and I just seem to randomly explode no matter how fast I run. The map is crap, accept it! ;p

The map has a timer mechanism that uses a manikin under a crusher (you'll find the original one in Fragport map 30 - only this one has a few barrels in to provide markers in the form of the gibbed zombies), and sets off once you near the steps out of the dark room. Erik (a top speedrunner) managed a best time of 33 secs, so he set the timer at 35 secs. Which prevents ~99% of DooMers from beating it, even when using a mouse and entering the map with 200% health/armour.

NoPoet said:

Ryback, were you making a joke?

Yep... just a joke. Really everyone, no need to have conniptions. The site looked good.

Anyway, I can beat Scythe map28 and I'm a keyboarder, so nobody else has an excuse ;)

I know how the map works, I just didn't know that it is extremely hard and about everyone dies. I though you just kept running and if you take too long you die.

My bad, my bad...

Odd, I beat Run From It on UV after a few tries and I'm no doomgod (I was still keyboarding at the time as well). Maybe you guys are taking unusual routes?

The Ultimate DooMer said:

you'll find the original one in Fragport map 30

That certainly wasn't the first map to use a voodoo doll/crusher/barrels to provide a time-limit. There was a similar set-up in Perdition's Gate map30, and I'd be surprised if there weren't several other examples (though I can't think of any offhand).

Well I'm no speedrunner, but when my life is in danger I'm no slouch either! I thought I had got "running away" down to a fine art while playing AV on ultra violence. Apparently not!

EDIT: sorry if I'm being thick Ryback, but what does conniptions mean mate?

Grazza said:

That certainly wasn't the first map to use a voodoo doll/crusher/barrels to provide a time-limit. There was a similar set-up in Perdition's Gate map30, and I'd be surprised if there weren't several other examples (though I can't think of any offhand).

Dystopia map03.

NoPoet said:

Well I'm no speedrunner, but when my life is in danger I'm no slouch either! I thought I had got "running away" down to a fine art while playing AV on ultra violence. Apparently not!

EDIT: sorry if I'm being thick Ryback, but what does conniptions mean mate?

A conniption is like taking a fit or panic attack. :p

Now get back to work. ;)

Lads, I have made a decision about Pray for Death.

I have decided not to continue reviewing Doom wads. There will be no further review updates.

Suffice to say for now that I am genuinely tired of reviewing wads and my decision has nothing to do with any person or any previous hostilities. ;p

UPDATE: Things are explained in greater detail on my website.

Pray for Death

Good luck with your wads, and may Doom live forever.

Aahhhhh I see. I kinda figured this might be the end of the reviews.. Luck with whatever you plan to do next.