The /newstuff Chronicles #225

Hahaha, I surprised quite a few people last time I did reviews now didn't I? But that was in the past! This is the present! No wait, these reviews were written before you even see them, so they're in the past. Whatever. Now this week is a rarity. Not one 1994 or 1995 wad was brought in before me. Not one! Out of nine! However that's not to say there's wads of similar...well, 'fun'. We also have quite a few advanced source port wads too, and even one where, as .96b of Skulltag was released only days ago, there's a Skulltag CTF wad! Coincidence? Keep reading! :p

• Divine Intervention - Fiend
  EDGE - Weapons Replacement - 583k
  Well now, here we got a very fun weapons replacement. Based off magical weapons, like the holy hand grenade. Although that's one of the more comical ones, you got others like the plague staff and voodoo doll. I must say the most fun to play with was the voodoo doll. You also get an assortment of doom replacements, like the SSG, pistol, and a Chainsaw variant. Sorry for no screenshots, as Edge simply doesn't wish to work on taking them for some extremely odd reason. This weapon mod would be suited for a sort of heretic/medieval map set, so try it out. This is fun to play with and worthy of your download.
  
  
• Bay of Flames - Kyle "MasterOfPuppets" Casteel
  Zdoom - SP - 253k -(img)
  Well here is a true gem! A great balance in difficulty, style, although not much detail there are some superb effects (mainly lighting) used in this. You start out on a rocky ridge with a teleporter ahead of you, funnily enough, this one ends the level, and you can just walk across and access it right? INCORRECT. As soon as you walk towards it the stone falls, and you're left with a shotgun. It proceeds onward from there. This map is extremely fun, as there's a good amount of ammo to last you through, although I wasn't left with enough to kill off every single monster, that's preferable for gameplay. There's also some health in the corners of the level so if you're low be sure to check the corners. A somewhat short map, but a good one. Worthy of a download. One other thing I noticed was that with jump on, you could avoid the entire level altogether and jump to the level-ending teleporter.
  
  
• Lunar Outpost - hobomaster22
  Legacy - DM - 186k -(img)
  Here's a major eye candy DM level, and the only one of the week for that matter, so it wins by default. Be warned however that this review probably won't be complete, as i'm not the best at reviewing DM wads. And on top of that it's for Legacy so it'd be near impossible to actually playtest it properly. Oh well, here goes anyway.
  
  This level starts you out in what seems to be a base orbiting a red-ish planet, presumably Mars. The lighting is pretty dark which can be good for potential campers but not if the players turn up the gamma, although it's not needed to navigate the level. There are easily accessible invisibility powerups, which would in essence make the player near impossible to see in the dark lighting) and advanced guns like the Plasma which is in plain sight. I can imagine some good 1on1 matches going on in this map, but can't be too sure about more than that, as it does seem kind of small concerning the layout. Bottom line: Detail is great, Weapon placement is good, powerup placement is questionable. Try it out with a couple friends.
  
  
• Odium - SS-Bowen
  doom2.exe - SP - 5,197k -(img)(img)(img)(img)(img)
  Ok. The only megawad this week and in the entirety of it, I did not have much fun. Well, unless you're into very short levels that is. These levels basically break down the gameplay in doom to just opening a couple doors, grab the key and run to the exit. Although this is simply how it is in Doom itself, it really shows here. Most doors don't even have color posts or whatnot by them to indicate what key opens them IF any. Weak. Oh but this is only the start of my complaints.
  
  In the first 3 or so levels, and even on from there at various points, you are subject to levels comprised of blocks with wolfenstein textures. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but why start out a 32 map megawad with several wolfenstein levels? Well then again why not? But whatever. Next is that there are poor sprite replacements, such as a monster from the sirens TC replacing the Imp, but when you kill it the Imp death sprites show. Also, the Demons are replaced by an Aliens TC rip, and the Lost souls are replaced by the ghoulish things that emit from your staff in Hexen. Every level here is short on ammo and health, so you get clobbered quickly by the endless leagues of SS Nazis used in the levels. Not only that, even simple walls are used as exit switches, so like....What was going through the author's mind? Oh well it's obvious the author doesn't have much experience. Try playing it, the levels go by quick, and it might be a greater challenge for many of you.
  
  
• Plz CTF - Infinite Ammunition
  Skulltag - CTF - 1,666k -(img)(img)
  The very first Skulltag CTF wad submitted under the brand new release of .96b, and it's very nice. Infinite Ammunition, or more well known as in the Skulltag community as Plz_Die_Kthx, has created a very wondrous map complete with strategically place runes and other items, which I admit I didn't find until I played a game with a few players myself, like the Rocket Launcher hidden near the corner of the outside part of the level. The gameplay is really intense at times and this is one map that really stresses teamwork due to the runes and guns that are somewhat easy to reach using the jump pads, as anyone can just sit there, snipe a flag carrier and return the flag. A very nice CTF map and a must download.
  
  
• Selfish5 - Paul Corfiatis
  Doom2 - SP - 139k -(img)
  This map25 replacement starts off real nice and only gets better as you move through the first few rooms. You fight off a few monsters and that could deceive you into thinking this will ramp up the difficulty slowly. Not true, as soon as you pick up the SSG in about the 3rd room, get ready. This is no level to be trifled with, with revenants and hell knights among others abound to show up and try to ruin your life, literally. Although the map replacement number does seem a bit odd, the tough gameplay and great detail in the level offset that pretty well. The detail isn't as dramatic as most, which use every single spare unit to put in a new light or such, but this one uses just enough eye candy while maintaining the gameplay well. A great SP level and a worthy download.
  
  
• Styx - Pete_The_Padre
  Doom - SP - 86k -(img)
  Hmm, Pete says this 5 map replacement for e1m1-e1m5 is his first wad. And you might know what that usually means. E1M1 starts you out in a dark room, well, almost all of the entire level is dark! I could barely see any monsters on the other side of the room until they fired. After getting to the exit, and going into E1M2, i realized most of this set has to be dark in one way or another, however there was an outside area, as described in the screenshot above. This level set is in no way tough, however even though the layout is simple and all the rooms are essentially blocks, I got confused on where exactly to go as there were hardly any signs of where to go next. It's not bad for a person's first few levels, hopefully we'll see more and hopefully improved work from this author in the future.
  
  
• The Biovite Project v2.0 - Milian
  Zdoom - SP - 2,397k -(img)(img)
  Well, this wad set pretty much sums it all up in 2 words. The first is 'Half'. The second is 'Life'. Ok well not exactly, but this certainly reminded me of it. You start in a small mountain pass and come up on a laboratory compound, where you are greeted unfriendly by a ton of fully suited guard guys with guns, of whom also have those square like de-contamination face plate things. But the variance of enemies is incredible in this. You get to fight giant fish, pterodactyls (I think?) and a stone baron, among others. What was really fun to see is a well, giant insect. That I'll leave for you to discover. This wad is questionable in terms of playability, but I got through it ok. Try it out!
  
  
• Ultimate CTF (final version) - IZM, Danny, T.U.D, Meph, 999Cop and Exl
  Zdaemon - CTF - 4,469k
  An update of the Ultimate CTF reviewed back in #219. This is supposedly the final version and it contains new maps and bugfixes from the last update.

omg wtf fp

I rain death upon your second post of newstuff!!!!

EDIT: DEATH!!!!!

EDIT AGAIN: Working Divine Intervention link: http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/?id=13297

The Divine Intervention link is broked...

THIRD POST!!1threethirtyseven

fp with real content

I'm impressed, this week actually has some levels worth playing. Particularly Biovite and Bay of flames. I love good levels out of left field.

-20:33:29- (@Carnevil_) DD_133: You better fucking mention 96b in /newstuff
-20:33:32- (@Carnevil_) Even if there's no wads for it

DD_133 said:

...as .96b of Skulltag was released only days ago...

Heh.

And Divine Intervention simply rocks. BEST... FISTS... EVER.

"Sorry for no screenshots, as Edge simply doesn't wish to work on taking them for some extremely odd reason...."

F1 will take a screenshot in EDGE and write it to the current directory in the form SHOTnnnn.TGA. SHOT0000 being the first. Look forward to an updated review with screenies :).

That section will look like this in legacy for lunar outpost:

http://hobomaster.doomwadstation.com/lunar_.png

And if your gamma is correct, the map isnt all that dark in opengl legacy.

Doom Armory Unofficial NewStuff Side Section

DIVINE INTERVENTION
Here we see some unique new weapons, including a fun punch/kick melee weapon, fire crossbow (no burning death?!), and a neat staff in the BFG slot (the altfire on which is not in sync with the sound chosen for it). It's nicely balanced, and the graphics work well enough, but the downfall of this is its sound effects. The pistol starting weapon has the sound of a silencer even though none is present, and it also wakes monsters when it's fired (hint: SPECIAL=SILENT_TO_MONSTERS). The silencer sound itself is actually kinda poor, plus it's also overused (ICD-SE, Commandos Doom, Counter-Doom...). The aforementioned sync bug on the Staff makes the weapon less believable.

Overall Score: I'd give it an 8/10 - it's fun, but with a little polish in the sounds area, it could be great.

Odium was my first megawad, and it was also the first time i began to use XWE. After i added in the Hitler Texture, which i thought went with the story line, i went a little crazy. The Aliens, the ghouls and the succubi didnt really add to it. Odium was a pretty sloppy mess, and very under detailed. However I dont think i did to bad on the boss levles, namely 20, 23, 26, 29, and 32. However they could all really use alot more detail.

The reason that the Succubi turn into imps when they did is because i didnt like the death scene for the succubi. They would turn into little statues and stay there. I thought that by having them turn into imps when they died would posibly make it look like a "Wolf in sheeps clothing"

For my next mega wad, ill probably have some friends create some levels so that we can each put alot more time into them, adding detail. I will also not go crazy with the Sprites, and probably only add a few from Wolfendoom (Im trying to have someone create me a Female Nazi Sprite for my next project, if you have one email me.) Im a fan of both short levels, and Nazi stuff so i will probably keep both of those. Sorry if your not as into it as I am.

I believe no one will look at the altered cast I threw together for the end in Divint. But that's what I get for putting it in a weapons mod.

That cast = pwn.

Needs more monty python :P

I'm hosting PlzCTF on IDE right now, if anyone wants to try it. :D

Bay of Flames is really cool, but I wish zdoom wad authors would stop making their maps go to the credits after being beaten. I cant do a proper speedrun of it since I dont get a tally at the end.

Amaster said:

Bay of Flames is really cool, but I wish zdoom wad authors would stop making their maps go to the credits after being beaten. I cant do a proper speedrun of it since I dont get a rally at the end.

Extract the MAPINFO lump and remove the line NOINTERMISSION. And yes, I agree, that this is totally annoying. NOINTERMISSION may have its use but sometimes I'd like to be able to switch it off.

DD_133 said:
ammo to last you through, although I wasn't left with enough to kill off every single monster, that's preferable for gameplay.

Eeek! That's ... BLASPHEMY! This is DOOM, man, you're SUPPOSED to kill EVERYTHING :) Or to quote from a Judge Dredd story in the "Judge Child" arc -- "No player may plant their flag on the target until all the enemy are dead". Now THAT's what a game named "DOOM" should be like :) :)

Graf Zahl said:

Extract the MAPINFO lump and remove the line NOINTERMISSION. And yes, I agree, that this is totally annoying. NOINTERMISSION may have its use but sometimes I'd like to be able to switch it off.

What if that's the author's intent? Suppose they don't want you to have an intermission screen?

why wasn't ksutra reviewed for the 2nd time in a row!? It's a really good megawad and deserves to be reviewed!!

bugless or not, It could have at least have a note of mention.

I have to agree with Martin, and many others for that matter. If there is not enough ammo in a map to do max kill runs I won't play it a second time.

Just played Selfish5, rather good map I must say. Hopefully this isn't the last.

BlackFish said:

why wasn't ksutra reviewed for the 2nd time in a row!? It's a really good megawad and deserves to be reviewed!!

The review for ksutra is being postponed until the planned re-release of the wad appears, which will have many bugfixes, skill level tweaks, and even new versions of some levels since the current release has old versions of those maps by accident.

Searcher said:

If there is not enough ammo in a map to do max kill runs I won't play it a second time.

Indeed; I should have better emphasised the point about the feeling of satisfaction you get if you completely defeat a level. That's also a reason for not using Nightmare mode, assuming one is skilled enough to use it; one can't always get that satisfaction, due to respawning. In 11 years of DOOM, I've done UV+-fast once or twice, but will probably never play anything on NM, for this reason.

I simply avoid NM because it's too hard :P

-fast and -respawn are both fun, but not simultaneously.

Martin: Well it's preferal to MY gameplay. :P I like those moments where you're like "All out of shells and 3 barons approaching, not good." :D

DD_133 said:

Martin: Well it's preferal to MY gameplay. :P I like those moments where you're like "All out of shells and 3 barons approaching, not good." :D

That can be cool if there's a "clever" way of killing them, such as "you have ten seconds to find the secret switch that activates the ceiling crusher before the barons get you". There's a themed map like this (can't remember what it was called) where you have to kill lots of cyberdemons by trickery. I don't mean Cyberdreams, there's an older one than that on the same lines.

Martin Howe said:

That can be cool if there's a "clever" way of killing them, such as "you have ten seconds to find the secret switch that activates the ceiling crusher before the barons get you". There's a themed map like this (can't remember what it was called) where you have to kill lots of cyberdemons by trickery. I don't mean Cyberdreams, there's an older one than that on the same lines.

The 20 master levels of doom or something?

Amaster said:

Bay of Flames is really cool, but I wish zdoom wad authors would stop making their maps go to the credits after being beaten. I cant do a proper speedrun of it since I dont get a tally at the end.

sorry. i hate it when my maps just go to the next level in doom 2, so i make them end. but then i hate it when there is an intermission screen before the final credits. so yeah, i did it because it was my preferance. i'll keep it in mind that its a bit annoying to some people though, for my next map.

and what do you mean? there is plenty of ammo to kill everything :?

why does no one take screenshots of weapons mods?

I'd like to see the quality of the sprites before I waste my bandwidth.

Scuba Steve said:

What if that's the author's intent? Suppose they don't want you to have an intermission screen?

Fine if that's their intent - it should be set up that way. But what if I want to see an intermission screen on my computer, in my house, on my time regardless of what the author intended? ;)