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Jan

Darkening Mission Pack

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Hey all,

After "Classic E2: Singularity Complex" I took a break from Doom editing but recently I started mapping again. Being a bit bored with the "Classic" theme, I started to work on some maps with the Darkening E2 texture set. I've always felt I had "underutilized" Ola's excellent textures in the single player levels I made for E2 (mostly because I made them before most of the textures were done, heh)

This gave me the idea of making a sort of add-on "mission pack" for The Darkening E2: a bunch of levels that belong together thematically and can be played in order, but not necessarily a full blown episode of 11 full sized levels (more like 6-8 levels).

So why am I posting this here? Put simply, I'd like a helping hand because I'm not going to make a reasonably sized mission pack on my own. So if you're a talented mapper who liked The Darkening E2 and you'd like to build some levels for it ... drop me a line! Also, someone who's good with graphics would be welcome for doing things such as: title and intermission screens, custom textures based on existing ones, maintenance of the resource wad etc.

Thanks - Jan

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Well the idea is to be independent of a specific source port, like the original Darkening E2. The only concession I want to make is that it should be a limit removing port. Hardly anyone uses vanilla doom exclusively these days.

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Wow man, long time no see!
It's good to have you back in action, where've you been all these years?

I have both of the Darkening episodes preserved for eternity on DVD. I wish that some of DOOM2's original levels could've used those textures back in 1994. Seriously. It's too sad that John Carmack never heard of you guys back then.

Anyways, I wish you good luck and I will be watching this thread with the most utmost loyalty.
If only you had posted this idea back in the spring of 2007 then I would've instantly volunteered to join your team as a mapper.
(I began learning DEU in 1999, and over the years I've become quite proficient in it. Here is my portfolio: http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/index.php?search=1&field=author&word=DarkJedi188&sort=time&order=asc&page=1 )

Anyways, like I said, if you were to post this idea earlier this year then I would've volunteered to assist you.
But right now I've decided to temporarily put WAD designing aside and to learn how to make 2D platformers in GameMaker7.

Cheers!

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DarkJedi188 said:
Wow man, long time no see!
It's good to have you back in action, where've you been all these years?

All these years? I released classic e2 at the end of 2005, that's less than 2 years ago ;)

I have both of the Darkening episodes preserved for eternity on DVD.

Funny you should say that, I had to go download them from the idgames archives just the other day when I wanted to look at them for inspiration. And then I couldn't remember how to get to some secrets in my own levels!

I wish that some of DOOM2's original levels could've used those textures back in 1994. Seriously. It's too sad that John Carmack never heard of you guys back then.

Thanks for the compliment, but the textures were mostly Ola's excellent work, can't take credit for that. Though the rest of us did inspire him I suppose :)

If only you had posted this idea back in the spring of 2007 then I would've instantly volunteered to join your team as a mapper.

Ah too bad. Hopefully other people will join.

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janvknn said:

All these years? I released classic e2 at the end of 2005, that's less than 2 years ago ;)

Damn, I obviously missed that one. I better go look it up in the archives and take a peak at the WAD.
Thanks.

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kristus said:
Why not just call it Darkening E3?

Because it's not, for several reasons:
1. It is an add-on to E2, using a similar theme and the same texture set.
2. E3 was always supposed to have a hellish theme.
3. I don't want to commit to doing a full episode on the same scale as Darkening E2 (12 SP and DM maps, entirely new texture set)
4. It won't be made by the original Darkening crew (except for me)

Darkening Episode 2.5 would be a better description, but I prefer mission pack for now. I've also thought about using a title such as Darkening Reprise, or Darkening: Fear of the Dark but I think it doesn't really matter what it's called as long as it plays well. I mean, one of my all time favorite wads is called fava beans :p

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Awesome, Darkening E2 is probably still my favourite mapset ever, and has been a huge influence on my mapping style. Looking forward to this if it ever gets done ;) I would help out, but I have too much else going on at the moment.

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I also really enjoyed the Darkening series (even if it could gain a lot being more "epic"), I'm looking forward that addon :)

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Richard Wiles released some levels earlier this year; maybe if you get in touch with him he might like to contribute a map or two for the expansion.

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myk said:

Richard Wiles released some levels earlier this year; maybe if you get in touch with him he might like to contribute a map or two for the expansion.

Thanks, but I have already e-mailed him a few days ago :) I'm still waiting for his reply.

Btw, the current status is that I have 2 levels done, and I'm working on a 3rd. In the worst case (if nobody joins the project, and I get stuck), I can always release my stuff as standalone levels, like I did with classic in the beginning.

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janvknn said:

Thanks, but I have already e-mailed him (Richard) a few days ago :) I'm still waiting for his reply.

Good news! Richard Wiles got back to me and said he'd try to do a map for the project :D

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Frankdude said:

How is this project going. Any screens.

Work on my maps is steadily progressing.
Anoher mapper (Pablo Dictter) has joined and has shown me some promising work.
No news from Richard Wiles :(
No screens yet, so be patient :)

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DarkJedi188 said:

What about the music? Are there any new MIDIs or will you use the same old ones from the 2 prequels?

That is an open debate, but as I am not a musician, my options are rather limited.

I don't think the DE2 MIDIs go well with the new levels, so I'm thinking of leaving them out altogether. As an alternative I was thinking of offering a separate optional music wad with mp3 lumps of Doom64/PSX Doom music, which is what I've been listening to while mapping and which does go well with the levels.

Opinions?

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iori said:

I would like a map if possible. If you'll have me that is.

check your pm

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janvknn said:

As an alternative I was thinking of offering a separate optional music wad with mp3 lumps of Doom64/PSX Doom music, which is what I've been listening to while mapping and which does go well with the levels.
Opinions?

Honestly I've never heard the Doom64/PSX Doom music before, so I have no idea.
Is it energetic & up-beat or is it slow & moody?

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^
Oh man, such tunes are absolutely not my cup of tea :(
If I wanted to hear something moody then I would still prefer something a bit more lively than that, such as the Hexen soundtrack.

But oh well, there's always WinTex out there and it allows me to put together custom music WADs which could then be launched alongside some level WADs.

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janvknn said:

That is an open debate, but as I am not a musician, my options are rather limited.

I don't think the DE2 MIDIs go well with the new levels, so I'm thinking of leaving them out altogether. As an alternative I was thinking of offering a separate optional music wad with mp3 lumps of Doom64/PSX Doom music, which is what I've been listening to while mapping and which does go well with the levels.

Opinions?


I'm a big fan of such music, but I must say I really loved the tracks in DE2 by Kniggit (In particular the track used in Map04: Vindication), while the ones added in the later release made by Sam Woodman were pretty trite, dull and noisy. (This reason alone made me revert to the old version of DE2)

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For those who have been bugging me about it ;) I've put up some screenshots here:
site removed

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