The /newstuff Chronicles #213

Well ho ho ho, insert festive reference here! This Boxing Day edition brings a very large crop of new wads, encompassing a great variety of styles and themes: some traditional, and others breaking wholly new ground. The quality varies similarly, with works of near genius alongside frozen reindeer spraints. So let's jump down the chimney into what shall be my last /newstuff Chronicles for a while (with it being the ski season and whatnot).

• Super Sonic DooM by Stephen Clark (The Ultimate DooMer!)
  18,339kb - Zdoom 2.0.94f only + Doom2 - SP - 35 maps - (img) - (img) - (img) - (img) - (img) - (img) - (img) - (img) - (img) - (img) - (img) - (img)
  We start with what is this week's biggest wad in every respect. The Ultimate DooMer is one of the community's best-known mappers, and he has been working on this project for about two years. And working quite hard for most of that time, I would imagine. Super Sonic DooM offers 35 maps, many of them very large and complex, a host of new and modified monsters, new graphics and special features not seen before in a Doom wad. The central theme is Sonic the Hedgehog, but this is not a Sonic TC or port, but a Zdoom megawad which draws upon ideas from the Sonic games. Note that you don't have to be familiar with the Sonic games for it to make sense though; instructions are supplied on a few special features, but mostly it is self-evident. You'll quickly get used to the yellow and red bounce pads, and the fact that you need to jump onto the console thingamajigs to obtain the power-ups displayed on their screens, or that if you see something that looks like a big mounted gun, it is worth pressing on it to see if anything happens, etc.
  
  The game is split into distinct zones, each with their own design themes. Each map includes a battle that, when completed, grants you access to the next map - this is either a straight battle against monsters, or some sort of boss battle where, e.g., you need to shoot a target a certain number of times while dodging missiles. You are awarded bonuses for 100% kills or 100% secrets, and for how quickly you complete a level. This is tallied up in a running total score. This score is just for fun though, and doesn't affect the behaviour of the game, so if you prefer to take your time, or can't be bothered to find the secrets, then you won't necessarily suffer because of it. The game is intended to be played through from start to finish, rather than warping to individual levels - in most cases, a pistol start would leave you in considerable difficulties (there are some notable exceptions though), and the gameplay clearly has not been designed with that in mind.
  
  It must be said that some of the challenges are distinctly unfair, and some of them are likely to kill the player when he encounters them for the first time. Moreover, there are places where it is possible to get trapped, so it makes sense to save quite often. There are a number of Hexen-style hazards, such as moving crushers, pits opening up, or hallways where you have to dodge projectiles. Others are monster-based traps, and they can be particularly nasty when modified monsters are involved.
  
  There is a kind of story, with sometimes slightly leaden dialogue interspersed with the occasional Doomworld in-joke. I am pleased to see that Ultimate DooMer has made an effort to avoid situations where the player gets killed because he is forced to watch a cut scene while a monster strolls over and bites him to death (though that can still happen). One thing that I have mentioned before, and that strikes me as weird, are the doors that open and close not by physically opening and closing, but by a message coming up on screen: "the door is open" signifies that you can now walk through a still obviously closed door. OK, I understand that there is a good technical reason for it being done that way, but I'd regard it as too absurd to leave in myself - it would be better just to do things a different way.
  
  So overall, does it work? Frankly, I'm not sure. While I am in awe at the amount of work and creativity that has gone into this wad, it isn't really a type of gameplay that appeals to me. Personally, I prefer maps that are rather more free-flowing, and less puzzle- and trap-based. However, this is a quality piece of work, and should appeal to those who enjoy the types of challenges it presents.
  
  Note (in case you didn't notice the information above): This wad currently only works with a special version of Zdoom: 2.0.94f. It does not work with 2.0.95 or 2.0.96, due to bugs in those versions that cause fatal problems with Super Sonic DooM.
  
  
• Massmouthmas by Cyb (mostly)
  3,665kb - Zdoom 2.0.94 + Doom2 + Massmouth 2 - SP - mini-hub (3 maps) - (img) - (img)
  Note: requires massm2.
  I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's low on action, but strong on plot, as you have to accomplish several tasks in this add-on for Massmouth 2. I found that it was always clear enough what you needed to do next, even though the information was provided on a need-to-know basis, and there is a clear assumption that the player is alert to little nuances, and has a sense of curiosity. It is possible to start going round in circles, especially in the caves, though. The battles, when you get to them, aren't so tough, and quite small in scale. Some of the monsters are seasonal, but I won't spoil the surprise. The final boss (I think it can be called a boss, since it can kill you in one shot, and takes some strategy and a number of hits to kill) is a bit of a challenge, but if you have read all the info on the computer screens (btw, lol @ impse), you should know what to do. Jumping is required, and mlook will be needed for the boss battle, if nothing else. It's a surprisingly large set of levels for just a few days' work, and the quality is high too. Cyb mentions a few misalignments in the caves, but there's nothing that really looks bad. Definitely recommended.
  
  
• TV1998 by Thomas van der Velden (aka T.V.)
  712kb - Doom2.exe - SP - 22 maps - (img) - (img)
  Chances are you're familiar with the name Thomas van der Velden due to his megawad TVR! (a.k.a. Revolution). That was released in 2001 and contained 32 fairly small maps that were fun to play and visually interesting, with many of the maps resembling places that could actually exist. Apparently, he has unearthed a number of his earlier maps that he thought were lost forever, and released them as this 22-level wad. While not as polished as TVR!, these maps are just as much fun, and in several cases are prototypes of his later maps (the same exit trick in the rocket level can even be used), or at least include some areas that you may recognize. All the maps are very playable from pistol starts and without using savegames. In total, it will probably take something like 2-3 hours to get through them all on a first play. Themes vary, but pipes appear quite often, and the gameplay packs a few little surprises, but nothing that should kill an alert player without warning. The balance is generally good, with health and ammo a little on the generous side, but never excessively so.
  
  
• Courtyard Escape by Lars Thomas Boye aka Larsboy
  271kb - limit-extending port + Doom2 + Gothic textures - SP - 1 map - (img) - (img)
  First of all, note that this wad requires gothictx. Given that fact, the design/texturing theme of this map will come as no surprise: it is futuristic/alien gothic. The map is of a type you don't see too often: the action takes place in a big, wide-open area with free movement across the map for both player and monsters. The player's task is to escape from this walled-in area, for which three keys are required. The keys and weapons are scattered among the various buildings that are within the courtyard, and the player must decide in what order to collect them. This makes for a great many possible routes, but be warned: your actions trigger the release of more monsters into the courtyard, and while the supply of power-ups (mostly in the central area) is generous, you need to make good use of them. Please note the author's comments about skill levels: UV is really difficult if you don't have a route worked out, while NTR is a good option if you just want to go on a killing spree with the odds stacked in your favour. There are enough snipers that a simple policy of "release the monsters and then circle around them while they kill each other" is likely to fail, as you'll take damage a bit too quickly if you're not careful. Design-wise, many of the buildings and structures make some sort of sense, and resemble what you might find inside a medieval courtyard. Overall, this is a good and attractive map, and I've certainly had plenty of fun playing it. But don't complain if you dive straight in on UV and get your butt kicked all over the place.
  
  
• IC2004 AKA Cut 'N' Paste by Ian Cunnings
  1,425kb - Zdoom 2 + Doom2 - SP - 1 map - (img)
  The first thing to point out is that this map only works in Zdoom. The text-file claims it requires only "Boom compatible (with increased SEG limit)", and that it was "Tested and works fine in ZDoom 2.0.63a and PRBoom 2.2.6". However, it contains a door that only opens in Zdoom, so I can only imagine that the testing in PrBoom consisted solely of checking it didn't crash at start-up. I believe "tested with ..." should mean at the very least that someone has run through the map (with nomo or godmode, whatever), and checked that it is actually possible to exit the map via the intended route.
  Anyway, the map itself is described as "comprised of (about) 5 previously unreleased maps ... pasted together to form 1 larger level". Design-wise it doesn't appear anything like as disjointed as that might suggest. Apart from the starting area, with caves and bloodpools, the map is mostly techbase (some parts in a state of being transformed by the demons), and generally rather attractive and intricate. The gameplay flow perhaps suffers a little more from the method of construction, with somewhat haphazard progression and the need for a fair bit of backtracking. The ammo and health supply are tight - I'd suggest using both the chainsaw and infighting to your advantage as far as reasonably possible. The battles are mostly quite routine though, although if you're careless you might find yourself boxed in by, e.g., mancs or trons. Overall, the map is OK, but not one to get wildly excited about.
  
  
• Xmas 2004 by Gemini
  1,333kb - port? + Doom2 - SP/DM? - 8(?) maps - (img)
  This is a Christmas-themed wad using a bunch of resources taken from here there and everywhere. I presume Ty was imbued with Christmas goodwill when he decided not to reject this wad: it is not zipped, it's unfinished, and the text-file lacks some of the basic information (such as the point that Xmas04be.wad is the principal wad, of six maps, and that Xmas04bd.wad is a two-map DM add-on). Gemini has succeeded in making an attractive Christmas town scene, but not in making a wad that is very interesting to play. Of the six-map SP wad, only two are real maps - the other four are just linking scenes. In the two maps where you face opposition, you have limited health, and meet significant numbers of small enemies, mostly hitscan ones. This makes the gameplay kind of tedious. It's not overly difficult, but not much fun either. In the town scene, you face odd-looking criminal types, most of whom are stone deaf. You end up jumping between rooftops. You then receive an e-mail from Santa, and head off to mark his card. On the way to meet him, you encounter a large number of elves, who for some reason speak German and claim to be members of the SS. Once they are dealt with (they do a very good job of killing each other, BTW), you need to run across rooftops once more to get a key so you can then tackle Santa himself. Well, whatever. I suspect you'd have more fun and feel more Christmassy if you just replay AV with a Christmas music wad.
  
  
• Denial by Agent (Matthew D. McGee) Spork
  512kb - Zdoom 2.0.94 + Doom2 - SP - 1 map - (img)
  In the recent past, Agent Spork has made a couple of maps based on original E1 maps, with added Zdoom features. I reviewed one of them in T/nC #195. I'll quote from that: "there are quite a few little surprises and traps added in, but on the negative side, the map is now much more linear, with less choice about how to tackle each area. I doubt this map has a great deal of replay value. Still, it's nicely executed and it's certainly worth playing once or twice. You'll probably want to make a few savegames, since some of the traps are a bit unfair". Although the map currently under consideration is not an E1 conversion, the style is much the same, and similar criticisms apply: it is almost entirely linear, with some battles that aren't wholly fair unless you know what is coming. One of the great things about Doom is, IMO, the scope for creativity in route selection, and that is absent here. That said, the appearance of the map is excellent - you may be on a monorail, but it is at least a very good-looking monorail.
  
  
• The Overcoming by Ian Chipman (riki)
  44kb - Zdoom 2.0.63 + Doom2 - SP - 1 map - (img)
  This is an attractively-made E1-style map, with some added Zdoom features - most notably coloured lighting and a ground-shaking effect. According to the text-file, "This level can be somewhat tough, considering that if you don't find the (very well-hidden) single-barrel shotgun, you'll have to get around with just the pistol." I'd disagree with that - the gameplay is easy and not exactly exciting, even if you just get by with the pistol. There is plenty of ammo, and no great threat to our marine from any of the enemies. You get a berserk near the exit, if you need it.
  
  
• Baron's Keep by Agent Spork
  29kb - Doom2.exe - SP - 1 map
  For some reason Agent Spork has decided to show off one of his early maps, informing us "It sucks". At the time he made it, he wisely decided not to release this one to the archive. If you show similarly poor judgement and decide you actually want to play it, then it is a map where trial and error is the only way to get through. It really is quite a mess though, in terms of design, gameplay and overall concept. Actually, there is one interesting thing here: Spork's liking for linear gameplay and annoying battles in confined spaces, IMO the principal weaknesses of his current mapping, are present here in spades.
  
  
• TsotsoFx by Michael "Optimus" Kargas
  1,300kb - Doom.exe - SP - 9 maps - (img)
  I don't get it - it seems to be a plague. Apparently Optimus plans to release some good maps in the future, but first has decided to release this, in the full knowledge that it is appallingly bad. How is this meant to be a good idea? Does he really think this will mean any later maps he releases will be seen in a more favourable light? Anyway, it's a 9-map episode with an additional sounds wad that you will definitely want to (v)omit from your command line. As for the maps... well, sometimes you come across a wad that you realize must have inspired some of the maps in projects like thissuxx, 1337 and mock2. This is one of them. The first map is just moderately poor, but some of the later ones are grotesque overammoed messes, with, e.g., BFGs covering the floor, and a collection of hapless monsters to be mowed down in amongst some rather crass architecture. Avoid.
  
  
• Destructomaniac by TheDarkArchon
  256kb - ZDoom 2.0.63a - weapons mod - (img)
  First of all, note that this works only with Zdoom 2.0.63a. It requires features that are in that version, and because it uses that DEHSUPP thingy, it won't work with 2.0.9x. So if you want to use this, you'll need to juggle with your Zdoom versions.
  As the name suggests, this is a set of weapon replacements that are rather more powerful than the defaults. The graphics are taken from a variety of sources, with some modifications. The rocket launcher now fires three rockets, while the plasma gun is slower, but the shots home in on their targets, while the BFG replacement, called the "EFC 24000", chucks plasma in pretty much all directions, often as not back at the player.
  
  
• Ye ole hexen replacement weapons by Cutmanmike
  3,519kb - Hexen - weapons replacement - (img)
  This replaces the graphics of the Hexen weapons, artifacts and players, with the stated aim of giving them "a more futuristic theme". I'm not convinced this fits too well with Hexen, but maybe it will if someone makes some futuristic Hexen maps/textures. The behaviour of the weapons is unchanged.
  
  
• Mercúrio by Carlos Guariglia
  12kb - CDoom v2.05 + Doom2 - SP - 1 map
  A new release of a wad reviewed briefly in #203.
  
  
  
  Re-releases
  The first two of these were uploaded by "RL", while Funduke is responsible for most of the others. I get the impression RL uploads maps if he considers them good, but that Funduke applies no quality control.
  
  
• The Hall by Jim McColm
  143kb - Doom.exe - SP - 1 map - (img)
  Another Jim McColm map! This one follows Blood and Legion, which were featured in the Old Stuff Chronicles, and were both uploaded belatedly to the archive. This one is certainly a quality map, but I'd say it's rather less fun to play than Legion, principally because it is easy to end up wandering around, not sure what to do next. In particular, there is a not-so-obvious switch you need to press in the long hallway in order to get one of the keys. Also, there is an area where I think it is possible to get trapped. Other than that, it is a fun map, offering a moderate challenge and something like half an hour's play.
  
  
• The Sewers by Steve Kraushaar
  114kb - Doom2.exe - SP - 1 map - (img)
  This large map offers quite a challenge, with repetitive architecture and texturing (albeit consistent with the theme), and some unfair moments, such as the series of lifts leading up to a hell knight that you can't see unless you're a little lucky. The sewage in this place is green, for some reason.
  
  
• CHRISK.WAD (THE FINAL INSULT) by Christen David Klie
  378kb - Doom.exe - SP - 12 maps
  This appears to be the same (I'm not sure if it is 100% identical though) as the first half of the Lost Episodes of Doom, a much-hyped but rather average commercial product. The last time someone tried to upload Lost Episodes to the archive, it got nuked. Having said that, this particular file appears to have been distributed for free on the web by its creator, and so maybe it can therefore be distributed legally. The maps are competently made, but unexciting. You can read Ultimate DooMer's review of Lost Episodes in T/nC #128. Note that Klie's maps in Lost Episodes are generally regarded as far better than Carter's.
  
  
• Challenge by Andy
  65kb - Doom.exe - SP - 1 map - (img)
  By 1994 standards, this is a fairly large and complex map. If you are a fan of the genre, you'll probably want to give this one a go. Not difficult, but not a turkey shoot either.
  
  
• Overlord by Todd Smith
  76kb - Doom.exe - SP - 1 map - (img)
  Odd: this contains two copies of the identical map, with different filenames. It's a fairly typical 1994 map - nothing grotesque, but nothing of any great interest in terms of design or challenge.
  
  
• DMSEWER by Andy
  30kb - Doom.exe - SP - 1 map
  Yay, more sewers! This time it is a medium-sized map, and not too challenging, and the texturing is unconvincing. Overall, this is a typical random 1994 map, where nothing makes too much sense.
  
  
• Escape by Mark Spaeth (Wayne Gretzky)
  126kb - Doom.exe - SP - 1 map - (img)
  A large and very annoying map, with, for instance, a big and pointless maze. The mapper may well have talent, but he ruined everything here by failing to make his wad fun to play.
  
  
• Games by Dave Hansford
  18kb - Doom.exe - SP - 1 map
  I've no idea what game this is supposed to represent, but it's just an ugly map which is tedious to play. There are lots of small enemies and limited health and ammo, but infighting does most of your work for you.
  
  
• Castles by Rob Whitney
  21kb - Doom2.exe - SP/DM - 1 map
  I can't see anything resembling a castle here - more just blocks, rectanges and holes in the ground. It's a medium-sized DM map or a small SP map depending on how you look at it. For SP, there are just a few monsters, and more than enough goodies provided for you to dispatch them all without undue difficulty.
  
  
• The Chasm by Steven Doornbos
  13kb - Doom.exe - DM - 1 map
  A small DM map with a little chasm and routes across it. The big weapons, including the BFG, are all easily available.
  
  
• "Chicken" and "Gangstar" by GANGSTAR/CTX/SWL
  79kb - Doom.exe - DM - 2 maps
  Two maps for DM. They also have some monsters in them, but no exits. Chicken is essentially just a walkway with rocket launchers, while Gangstar is more of a sprawling map with a warren of rather monotonous passageways off one side of a central crate warehouse.
  
  

fp.

SSD rules. Except Zone 6, which is gay gay gay++

Massmouthmas and IC2004 are quite good as well.

Sp olol

Great week! SSD, Denial, MMMass, etc.

What exactly are the differences between ZDoom 2.0.94f and the regular version? Is there a changelog or a source package available?

2.0.94f is designed for SSD. Everythign works perfectly in it and was made to prevent the fluxuating state of ZDoom damaging it.

Grazza said:

The first thing to point out is that this map only works in Zdoom. The text-file claims it requires only "Boom compatible (with increased SEG limit)", and that it was "Tested and works fine in ZDoom 2.0.63a and PRBoom 2.2.6". However, it contains a door that only opens in Zdoom

Oh arse. I thought I had done a full run-through in PrBoom but obviously not. I remember testing some of the teleporters and stuff later in the level, and must have just clipped past that door. Testing it now everything works fine bar that door, which has an S1 tag instead of D1, which Zdoom cleverly sorts out by itself.

I must be missing something with Super Sonic Doom. I just see big, ugly levels with haphazardly included sonic elements and bad dialogue. I'm sure lots of effort went into making it, but I guess I'll just have to agree to disagree with it.

I quite liked Spork's Denial, but completely agree with the review. If Spork could shake off some of his mapping habits I think he'd make some really awesome maps.

I see cutmanmike couldn't find a better name himself :p

Well anyone who didn't have a good wad to release this week probably shouldn't have uploaded it. There are too many great wads for a mediocre one to be noticed.

Wait a second, who's reviewing #214? The cycle of reviewers seems to be so damn inconsistant that I can't even keep up anymore.

The cycle has been very regular this year (I've done it every three weeks since February, except for one turn missed due to a vacation), but there have just been quite a few substitutions lately, and one of the three slots in the rotation is a "guest" slot.

Grazza, you ruin the experience for everyone when you explain in detail just what happens as you progress in the WAD, you know? Not very smart, you know?

I also think your review sucked and my WAD was half-superb, being unfinished and rushed, but maybe that's just me.

gemini09 said:

I also think your review sucked and my WAD was half-superb, being unfinished and rushed, but maybe that's just me.

Of course it's just you, you made it.

Grazza said:
... Funduke applies no quality control.

That is true.
ninetynine percent of my uploads are wads, that are in (most of them) crippled (by doom1-to-doom2-converters) versions on the Master levels for doom 2 -cd in the Maximum Doom-collection. I re-release the uncrippled original versions of the wads when they are not already avaiable on the web.
I write a reference for all the files in the Maximum Doom collection.
check the document at it's current stage here:

http://www.geocities.com/southparkduke/doom/maxdoom.htm (388 kb)

Greetings
Funduke

I enjoyed Courtyard Escape, IC2004, TV1998, Massmouthmas and Denial. I didn't like The Overcoming. The colored lighting annoyed me. Sonic Doom was interesting. Pretty nice piece of work. Xmas 2004 was nice, but I hope when its done it works with zDoom.

gemini09 said:

I also think your review sucked and my WAD was half-superb, being unfinished and rushed, but maybe that's just me.

Wait, after all that bullshit on irc and all the hype you kept throwing up about it, and all the pain and torment about hearing you gripe that you can't make a texture wad, you ended up uploading it unfinished? Bahahahahaha

If it's not finished, don't submit it to an archive, plain and simple. The archive is intended for completed works ONLY. You didn't even zip it, I mean come on.

Mancubus II said:

Wait, after all that bullshit on irc and all the hype you kept throwing up about it, and all the pain and torment about hearing you gripe that you can't make a texture wad, you ended up uploading it unfinished? Bahahahahaha

If it's not finished, don't submit it to an archive, plain and simple. The archive is intended for completed works ONLY. You didn't even zip it, I mean come on.

Heyo. Can you please try to imagine a crazy reason I uploaded it, unfinished, on Xmas Eve? 'Bahahahah'......BECAUSE IT'S A FUCKING XMAS WAD, MOTHERFUCKER!!!! :-) What 'All the hype' though? I don't remember building up 'all the hype'....

And I didn't ZIP it because I like RAR more, its files are more compressed then ZIPs, and WinRAR is ten times a better program and more user friendly then WinZip is.

'BE' stands for Beta by the way, the finished version will be uploaded a week or two after I get home.

Continue having a merry, kozy Xmas, and a happy new year! <|:-B)


'For completed works only', howcome we see rereleases every single week then? :-) Shut the fuck up if you just want to bitch yo. :-)

^ Charming lad, eh? -_-'

EDIT:

'For completed works only', howcome we see rereleases every single week then? :-)

Actually, people are capable of making quality in the matter of minutes (see: Kaiser) there are many reasons why it could take less time for You to produce something, like ripping weapons and putting it to a wad. It's not a must making a wad needs more time than a week.

But yeah, I agree that the fact demo-versions are not allowed-sucks. It spited out Doom:Refresh Daemon Demo, which me and ellmo were hoping to release. Pity.

And I didn't ZIP it because I like RAR more, its files are more compressed then ZIPs, and WinRAR is ten times a better program and more user friendly then WinZip is.

You must zip them. So say the archives' rules.

Nmn said:

But yeah, I agree that the fact demo-versions are not allowed-sucks. It spited out Doom:Refresh Daemon Demo, which me and ellmo were hoping to release. Pity.

Why didn't you give it a different name that doesn't automatically imply unfinished work? Something like 'Stage 1' for example.

Plus Gemini decided to bug me on IRC and order me to plug his wad on the front page, and when I refused he called me various bad words. I should ban him.

Linguica said:

...he called me various bad words...

;_;

Super Sonic Doom was really fun, and had some very creative boss battles. Some of them felt very Action Doom-esque to me, which is always a plus :)

gemini09 said:
'For completed works only', howcome we see rereleases every single week then? :-)

Oh, the rereleases are betas!

Anyway, Grazza's review of your half-assed release was quite correct.

Nmn said:
But yeah, I agree that the fact demo-versions are not allowed-sucks. It spited out Doom:Refresh Daemon Demo, which me and ellmo were hoping to release.

Put up a temp or free site for people to get the stuff from. The rule is there so people won't feel encouraged to upload stuff they might never finish.

Ty has clarified that the "no demo versions" rule is to keep out half-assed unfinished maps, and that uploads with finished and fully working maps are OK. Just avoid giving it a name that implies it contains unfinished maps (as Graf Zahl indicated).

gemini09 said:

'For completed works only', howcome we see rereleases every single week then? :-) Shut the fuck up if you just want to bitch yo. :-)

It may have to do with the fact that re-releases are just that - uploads of older WADs that, while having been finished years ago, are missing from the archive (for whatever reason). How anyone could attempt to connect them to beta/unfinished releases of current projects is beyond me, but then, your discussion style really has already made quite clear what label should be applied to you. ^^

Linguica said:

Plus Gemini decided to bug me on IRC and order me to plug his wad on the front page, and when I refused he called me various bad words. I should ban him.

haha, that's what he did to me too. only I didn't refuse, I just didn't answer his messages because I wasn't at my computer at the time, but it didn't stop him from calling me things for no real specific reason.

I did plug his wad on the frontpage though, but that was really just part of my clever plot to plug massmouthmas on the front page anyway :P

Graf Zahl said:

Why didn't you give it a different name that doesn't automatically imply unfinished work? Something like 'Stage 1' for example.

I think that is a good idea. We could call it "1st encounter" or "part 1" and split the episode from 9 maps to 2 series per 4 maps or so.

The maps in the so-called demo were not half-arsed, nor unfinished. They were fully fledged working, but by calling it a "demo" we indicated the opposite. Anyway, thanks for advice.

Nmn said:

Atcually, people are capable of making quality in the matter of minutes (see: Kaiser) there are many reasons why it could take less time for You to produce something, like ripping weapons and putting it to a wad. It's not a must making a wad needs more time than a week.

But yeah, I agree that the fact demo-versions are not allowed-sucks. It spited out Doom:Refresh Daemon Demo, which me and ellmo were hoping to release. Pity.

I honestly have no idea how you can call my WAD halfassed. Rushed, though, would be true. I wasted 2 weeks on my house DM map, the rest was rushed together in 1 week tops. I am really satisfied wit my WAD, and think Grazza gave a much too low score, so to speak, but since I've only heard negative shit from everyone I'll shut the hell up and wish you all a happy new year.

And yes, Linguica, a front page mention, like Cyb did, was in order, since it was Xmas eve, and it's a Xmas WAD.

gemini09 said:

I honestly have no idea how you can call my WAD halfassed. Rushed, though, would be true. I wasted 2 weeks on my house DM map, the rest was rushed together in 1 week tops. I am really satisfied wit my WAD, and think Grazza gave a much too low score, so to speak, but since I've only heard negative shit from everyone I'll shut the hell up and wish you all a happy new year.

Maybe you should try to understand why people are criticise your WAD and what
exactly they criticise about it. Take it as a chance to improve; if you can't admit you're not perfect, you'll never get any better.

Cyb said:

I just didn't answer his messages because I wasn't at my computer at the time, but it didn't stop him from calling me things for no real specific reason.

This alone convinces me that I have to play the wad just to see for myself how awful it is.

Edit: I ran this wad in Zdoom, Prboom, Legacy, Skulltag, Eternity, and was even suicidal enough to try it in Edge.
Every one of them crashed on loading either the first or second maps.

From the engines that survived loading the first map, I was able to see for myself that it was a room with a desk and computer that didn't look half bad. For some reason I then walk into a closet and walk past about 5 unusable doors and have to walk out through a bookshelf that opens for some reason. There's a big chaingun in the closet but it's put there only to mock the player because there's no way to get it.
I have no idea what map02 looks like, because it crashes every damn doom engine I have.

In fact, because I was stupid enough to try it in Edge, my computer froze and I had to reset.

Edit again:
I see in the text file it recommends GLBoom. Not because of engine requirements, but because it "looks better".

I should note that the crashes have nothing to do with GL requirements, but blatant mapper errors. I opened the wad in an editor and found several unclosed sectors as well as other strange problems such as a linedef having no first sidedef.
The strangest error is "Linedef 1799 uses -1 Sidedef twice" whatever the hell that means.

I am now attempting to play it again (Yes, I'm that masochistic) in GLBoom. More information on this crisis as it becomes available.

Edit 3: I will attempt to describe the horrors of map02. You wander around streets fighting the bad guys from Batman Doom who drop candy canes, which incidentally are your ammunition.
Everything is square, not particularly well detailed (the streamers hanging over the streets are a fairly nice touch though and the non-batman textures look decent). There's some HOM here and there that you'll definitely notice.
At one point I found a group of about 12 shotgun-toting thugs standing in the middle of a snowbank facing away from me. I picked off at least half of them before the rest of them knew I was there. Why the author felt it necessary to give them the "deaf" flag is one of those great mysteries we'll never unlock, like "Who made the pyramids?" and "Why did they make the movie Catwoman?"
I found it nearly funny that there was a bank named "Rob This Bank".
Otherwise, this is an almost entirely boring map.

Final Edit:
Okay, thankfully maps 3 to 5 were filler maps.
The final map in this masterpiece of a wad places you outside of Santa's compound with more fun graphical errors in the sky. Have fun trying to guess the magic parts of the fence that you can walk through because they look like the normal non-magical parts of the fence that you can't walk through.
While you are trying to do this, you are being fired upon by SS Officers drawn as elves. You have absolutely no cover and the fact that there are about a hundred thousand million billion trees supposedly there for decoration (even though they're in neat rows that make them look incredibly unnatural) which constantly block your movement and obscure your vision.
To make this final map even greater, when you die (which you will because there's about fifty elves firing on you while you're bumping into trees and searching for magic fences) you lose the shotgun that you get in map05 making this map completely impossible if you didn't save.

If you'll excuse the gargantuan run-on sentence, I would like to take this moment to congratulate the author for believing that everyone would want to play this incomplete version of what would be a horrendous wad even without the many, many awful bugs, simply because it's a Christmas-themed wad like the other Christmas-themed wads that were made every year for at least five years now.
It has made my last half hour somewhat amusing, even though I lost some data in unsaved documents in the process.

I recommend this wad to anyone who has been a tad disappointed by Super Sonic Doom, because it helps to put things in perspective.

I tested it with GLBoom (specifically Budko's modified 2.2.4 v.5), and got no fatal errors. If I'd realized it bombed out or even locked up with many other exes, I'd have mentioned this. Sorry about that.

The chaingun in the closet becomes accessible in a later map. Cunning, eh?