my doom2 map

http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/index.php?id=15165

Since the /Newstuff Chronicles has been inactive for a while (and showing no definite sign of resurrection) I've taken it upon myself to promote my own wad via this thread. I know that may sound pompous, but I honestly think more people might appreciate it (who would otherwise not even know about it), based on the reviews it already got.

This map was my first "real" doom map in many years, and the first one I've ever publicly uploaded, and I am aware that it has shortcomings (no skills implemented, possible coop problems, many varied themes/areas, some annoying fights, etc.) but overall I think it is fun and challenging.

About the map: It's Doom2: map01, designed with skill4 in mind, since that's the only skill I ever use, but feel free to try other ones (extra ammo won't hurt:). It's big (500+ monsters I think) and has many wings of the map connected by a large central slime/lava area, and has many paths to almost every part of the map (it's not very linear). So you'll be running through the same areas a lot, or running back to get more ammo, health etc or to finish clearing out some corner of the map. The beginning is hard until you know where to go, so give it a few tries before giving up. Hint: run down the path to the other end of the map (generally straight forward from where you start) and go to the right down the steps into the stone tunnel. From there you can hide and fight less chaotically. OR you could try the left path (left at the chaingun, then straight into the imp cave/tunnel, and hide/fight from there). The rest is up to you.

I was actually almost done with a significantly improved re-release of this map for Legacy only, featuring some 3-d sectors and other effects, as well as many completely revamped and some new areas, but unfortunately it got locked away in an inaccessible format thanks to Windows' password encryption analness. (If anyone has any tips on how to retrieve password-protected files from an inactive Windows XP login account, please let me know!!!)

Anyway have fun and save often!

That's your first map? Wow! Excellent, a trifle too big perhaps, over 500 monsters?. But that's a matter of taste, I prefer smaller maps. I liked how the level makes the most possible out of the original (quite limited) texture choices. Whenever I try to do something with it, it ends up looking old and mostly shitty.

If there's something I'd recommend it would be to try and stick to a theme, as well as make the layout more simple next time (the progression is quite confusing at times).

Anyway, good job.

That was fun. I still don't know how to get the plasma, but you can 'cheat' get it from behind the gate just be turning around a bit until you grab it (zdoom at least). At least 3 major doors couldn't be opened by monsters, allowing the player to open and close the door a crack repeatedly using it as an easy shelter to hide and cause cheap infighting (its easier to beat without the bfg for that reason). Also if you care, there's 2 sector areas that seem to have the wrong damage/lava effect: the first- um, from start, pass that chaingunner warp place and go into that pillared hall with a single baron, then drop down to the left into the pillars/lava and it doesn't damage you near the pillars. The second is where that nearby backpack is (damages you but doesn't seem like it should).

Glad you liked it!

However, technically it's definitely not my first map - I've made several before when I was in my early teens but they were not quite as good of course (though not as crappy as some I've seen). I do intend to make my future maps not so sprawling and random-feeling (though I do love huge fun maps). This one could definitely have been broken into smaller levels based on various themes, except it would have to be completely different.

I'll give you a hint for the plasma rifle: it's triggered by a nearby gun wall (and one that you have a good chance of shooting inadvertently).

The reason I made the backpack ash mound damage you is that I meant it to be a sort of blistering hot mound of volcanic ash (though you wouldn't necessarily guess that). The dead marine could also be taken as a subtle hint. And there should be a nearby radiation suit to use - just take out the archvile first!

The doors I actually made specifically so that monsters couldn't open them, but I guess if I did that again I could make a nearby switch that is timed so you couldn't close/open them repeatedly every second without monsters getting in. That way you could control it, but once it's open it stays open for the set amount of time (3 secs or whatever).

The blood pillars area (near the first key) must have been an actual mistake, since I intended it to do at least a small amount of damage.

One other "problem" area that I can think of off the top of my head is the library secret - it's supposed to require the archvile to pop you up to it, but you could just jump there (assuming you use zdoom or legacy, etc). I guess I could've made it a height difference of 64 rather than 32 but then it would look weirder..

It's hard for me to remember every nuance of that version of the map, because I was working on a significantly revamped version which got locked away, so I can't get to it anymore. =(

But I am now working on a completely different new map which is much more consistent thematically, has better flow, and better detail/texture usage. It's about 2/3 done so far, but if anyone is interested I could send them the unfinished version (I haven't gotten tired of playing it myself, and I still die often).

I did a max kill demo but it only works in zdoom 2.1.7 and is not so fast (39 minutes). I like to spam demos even though I suck, so just ignore it:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3yiu0i

Another bug is you can kill the mancubes in the pillars near the double barrel before they're revealed (they're too close, similar to the plasma gun (I did find that shootable wall by the way, but think its only shootable during the time when the imps are up there (unless you use mouselook)). Other than that I mostly used cheap door opening/closing tactics and wasted the invulnerability.

I think the super shotgun should be in plain site somewhere in the beginning so that one can have a chance against the *two* archviles by the soul sphere and the pain elemental and the baron of hell. An SG and a chainsaw is a bit rough!

So something about doom I never really realized. If you are invisible and don't fire your gun and you come upon an unactivated enemy, he won't see you! At least that's true for some baddies like the archvile. So my current strategy for this level is grab the green armor, grab the shotgun, grab the blur sphere, race over to the archvile underground corridor and sneak by the two archviles and grab the soul sphere teleport back to beginning -- race to the arachnotron and other big baddies are where the rocket launcher is and kill the chain dude and the revenent guarding the rocket launcher and then go to the tech room! I love mixed styles in maps. I think the only reason it got a bad name is because it was done a lot by amateurs who didn't know what they were doing to begin with in making a map. But mixed themes in a map make the map MUCH more interesting than one theme, if handled halfway competently. And you have done a real nice job.

This is a really cool level. What would you say your influences are for map design, and gameplay elements?

Christoph said:

But I am now working on a completely different new map which is much more consistent thematically, has better flow, and better detail/texture usage. It's about 2/3 done so far, but if anyone is interested I could send them the unfinished version (I haven't gotten tired of playing it myself, and I still die often).

Please do not make it too thematically congruent it is really boring. Mixed themes are win. I need to hook up a mouse to play doom on my laptop because it hard playing with keyboard. But you can post a link to the wad in this thread and I will download it.

I purposely put the SSG in a place that requires some time and effort to get to, simply because it's basically the best weapon overall. Similar deal with the rocket launcher, although I like to give that out sooner because I hate having to kill crowds of puny guys without having a RL. The BFG on the other hand is probably the last weapon you'll find, if you find it at all. I think the SG and CG and fine for starting out with, and there's plenty of ammo for it throughout the map (at least if you're careful). Concerning the plasma rifle, I kinda forgot that old-schoolers can't aim up unless there are monsters there, but thankfully there are.

The way the map is designed pretty much forces you into hiding until you can carefully work your way from some corner of the map, and even then you still have to be careful and methodical about clearing certain areas. I recommend using either the plasma rifle, rocket launcher, or chaingun against the 2 archviles near the backpack, and only after clearing out the other nearby monsters first (unless you're really good at dodging around).

Concerning my next map, I think I should just start a new thread for it, with info, links, etc. Or you could email me - asukre@gmail.com - if you just want to play the beta (unfinished) version, since that's all I'll have for a few months anyway. New thread coming soon...

Yeah, some of the areas didn't seem to really fit. The level is also a bit tedious as it just goes on and on and on. I haven't finished it yet. I think I've only killed 2/3 of the monsters but I feel like it should have already ended! It's cool level though.

EDIT: this isn't really true. after finishing the level the overall map seems quite good as a whole. I really like the architecture and atmosphere of the map. the bookcase room was a bit random tho. I never liked the bookcase them very much tho. I think it works better as a complementer to another primary theme rather than a theme unto itself.