NDCP 2: What are the good maps

I have a question here, I want to play NDCP 2 but I don't want to bother with the maps that are broken/bugged or just not very good. So I ask, what do you think are the maps in that wad that are worth playing (I've already played 22)? That way, I can save the frustration of trying many mediocre levels or ones that feel incomplete. Thanks for your help if you make some suggestions.

Nothing past MAP01.

I'm searching. I haven't played em all, but yeah MAP01 so far is the greatest. I'm still convinced theres still some gold in that wad. The first NDCP was actually pretty good throughout the entire thing.

Well, given the wad has 3.5 stars average rating, there has to be something good past that first level. Maybe try Map11, by the same author? Is that map good, at least?

The whole thing would be pretty good without the custom monsters, which mostly feel like they were thrown in at the last minute and destroy the atmosphere every time they appear.

Yeah, don't be put off by the 3.5 star rating - there's a ton of great maps in NDCP2. Sadly, two bugs very early on (Maps 2, and 3 if I remember correctly) most likely put off a lot of people from actually progressing any further at all.

There's also the utter insanity that is Map19, and the utterly awesome architecture of Map29 which for some odd reason, seems to be almost entirely devoid of monsters.

There's also Map10, which from what I gather, was thrown together at the last minute.

Still though, an insane amount of effort has gone into most of the maps, and it's really worth a play through.

Also - custom monsters? I don't even remember any. I'm guessing it was that annoying black imp again? :( Curse that black imp.

It claims to be Boom compatible. But it won't run in Eternity because of texture errors.

I know what some of the bad maps are (and obviously the "famous" Map02 yellow key area [I think] bug) - but what do you think are the good maps? Say, the ones you'd rate 70% or better for quality? You can feel free to just post a list, no real details requested otherwise (though if you want to provide them feel free). One helpful suggestion would be to make a few categories: maps that are throughly good (like Map01, probably), maps that just aren't that hot at all or just feel rushed/incomplete (like Map02 with the bug and framerate issues), and maps that are potentially good but conditional upon you liking the style (Map22 would probably be an example of this).

If you really want to be creative and helpful, you can list each map and supply it with a brief review/rating. Of course, I'm not asking for that much detail but definitely feel free to do it if you'd like; it would be all the better for me.

The whole purpose if me starting this thread is so I can get some help in hopefully saving myself the frustration of playing every level in the pack and all too often being frustrated when thinking, "Oh, that could just have been SO much better!". That's why even just a list of the maps you'd recommend would be a big help. That way my enjoyment won't be so compromised by bouts of frustration. Ultimately, I don't want to not play the pack at all, as obviously a lot of effort went into it, but I would prefer not to deal with being frustrated and/or dissapointed when playing half or so of the levels either.

So that's, basically, all I'm asking for. And of course, thanks for anyone willing to provide their input. :)

Not Jabba said:

The whole thing would be pretty good without the custom monsters, which mostly feel like they were thrown in at the last minute and destroy the atmosphere every time they appear.

They weren't quite last minute, but about half of the maps were finished before the custom monsters were. And even then, some of the mappers just didn't feel the need to use them.

Insane_Gazebo said:

custom monsters? I don't even remember any. I'm guessing it was that annoying black imp again? :( Curse that black imp.

Nope, they're original. There's a sort of Kamikaze Cacodemon Cousin and a squatting/kneeling possessed marine.

At one point we had a fix for the maps. I know I attempted a fix of some things, but was yelled at for edditing some of the maps with out the consent from the authors(something I still regret.) Though we got past that and continued to fix remaining bugs... but then no one showed back up to fix it...

It was weird.

MAP22: Evil Eye [is watching you masturbate]

... seriously, it has one of the most creative concepts coming out of Doom in a long time.

Macro11_1 said:

At one point we had a fix for the maps. I know I attempted a fix of some things, but was yelled at for edditing some of the maps with out the consent from the authors(something I still regret.) Though we got past that and continued to fix remaining bugs... but then no one showed back up to fix it...

It was weird.

I think there was a final fix underway, but since the forums are pretty much abandoned now, it's anyone's best guess as to whether it'll ever be finished or not. Maybe some of the project members lurking around here might offer some input as to what should be done now.

Perhaps a thread about it would be in order?

Also, I loved the whole project, mad props to fatal, and doom-mad and jetflock, they made some great maps... but I loved them all :P.

It's a pity that no one likes my MAP02 of the project. I like to think its because of the frame rate, but I can't be certain... I just wish it didn't have those bugs in it :(.

I'd like to throw out MAPs 04 and 06, they were pretty good imo. And yea I don't like MAP02 cause of the frame rate. What exactly are the bugs on the map though?

The first map is just, well, like all megawad's first maps, short, boring and easy...

Outside of that, having completed it level by level, I found that NDCP2 was sortof consistent, there isn't a map that stroke me as surpassing all the others (a la CC2 map24), and I didn't saw any lackluster maps (a la Genebird's maps in CC2) either.

What I liked at the beginning of the wad is the way levels are linked to each other. Too bad this hasn't been carried on in later maps.

Do0minat0r said:

Maybe try Map11, by the same author? Is that map good, at least?

No, it sucks.

ArmouredBlood said:

I'd like to throw out MAPs 04 and 06, they were pretty good imo. And yea I don't like MAP02 cause of the frame rate. What exactly are the bugs on the map though?

Basically, two bugs (It's been a while)

I think I forgot either a switch to access the yellow key, or a "yellow key door"

I also didn't know this at the time, but apparently boom can't have scrolling textures according to line-def unless they are tagged, where as zdoom can... but automatically generates something(I forget what, but it was posted somewhere on these forums.) and that causes the massive frames per second drop. :'(

Macro11_1 said:

I also didn't know this at the time, but apparently boom can't have scrolling textures according to line-def unless they are tagged, where as zdoom can... but automatically generates something(I forget what, but it was posted somewhere on these forums.) and that causes the massive frames per second drop. :'(

Ouch >.<

I'd say Map19 has something to offer. As a fan of hell-maps, I liked 27 and 29 a lot (but 30 wasn't especially good).