new map playtest

This is a map01 of a megawad style map, but for a kama sutra/hr/av style megawad. It's built in doom2 format. Playtest, nitpick, criticize, tell me what you think.

shots:
http://img268.imageshack.us/i/doom0038.png/
http://img268.imageshack.us/i/doom0039.png/

download:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?3zmuw04mtzg

*requires d1gfxd2.wad as texture wad*

--NEW VERSION--
http://www.speedyshare.com/856871179.html

Pretty good. Gameplay is pretty solid until the cacodemons after you flip the switch for the yellow key come out, seems like a bit of a gameplay jump, although there is that random mancubus in front of the yellow key platform so maybe it's not too weird. Medium detail map, which is probably good for the style you're going for. Weren't any jarring texture misalignments, and it seemed to have a pretty consistent theme. I'm not really sure how much the doom1 textures helped, as there wasn't extensive use of them.

Basically a decent MAP01 for the style of megawad you're going for. Could use a little spicing up but will do ;D

Ok. Just had a quick play, and I think it is a pretty good introduction.

Gameplay: The single mancubus. The single revenant. And all the hell knights except for maybe last one in the exit room. All these monsters seemed out of place to me. You can make a map just as interesting and challenging without having to go straight to heavier monsters. Instead of hell knights, why not Demons and Spectres. In tight quarters, a pack of these can be just as lethal when you only have a single barrel shotty and a pistol. especially seeing as this is MAP 01.

Also having to kill packs of cacodemons with just a single barrel shotty breaks the flow a bit. I found the Super shotty secret (good secret!!) but if I didn't, killing cacodemon after cacodemon with just a single... You know what I mean.

The layout of this level is better suited to lesser monsters: former humans/sergeants and imps and demons/spectres. It doesn't need much more than that to make it challenging. It is a good level, just some tighter monster selection would suit it better I think.



Texture/Detailing:

I thought this sort of thing looked kinda ugly.

Two doors (Sector 283 and 301) need to have their sides lower unpegged.

In the first screenie you posted, the gray brick textures on the exit building could use a little aligning. Same in the second screenie, the brown bricks on the right need some aligning too.

The green ickwall in the first screenie was a bit random, clashes with the browns around it imo. And the STARTAN texture on the exit building could use some aligning too.

The design and layout is actually very good, just let the level be what it is. It just felt a bit like too much on one level. Different themes, different monsters when it could probably use just one theme and one type of gameplay all the way through.

Kyka said:

Texture/Detailing:

I thought this sort of thing looked kinda ugly.

Yeah, it kinda does... I think one of the Metal textures or a gray flat would seem better.

Mithral_Demon said:

Yeah, it kinda does... I think one of the Metal textures or a gray flat would seem better.

That, plus y-offset stone2 about 16 units or so for great success.

Also I got my ass kicked in this map :(

Played it on HMP and got through with 100% kills and only finding one of the 4 secrets (the backpack when I was almost done with the map).

Architecture is nice as well as most of the monster placement, tho I have to agree with the others somewhat.

The mancubus and the 1st revenant make no sense as they can not really hurt you anyway from where they are, you can take them out with the shotgun super easy without any danger, hence making them a bit odd (plus the fact of such highlevel monsters in the first level). The other 2 revenants surprised me rather badly and could possibly be exchanged with some other lower monsters (demons as suggested) with the hellknights I had no problem in general, they are wusses anyway, given enough ammo (which sometimes ran very low I have to say).

The cacos were plain annoying without a better weapon as pointed out above.

If you fix the monster issues and some of the texture stuff that has been mentioned you have yourself a very nice first map IMO.

*new version*
http://www.speedyshare.com/856871179.html

I really liked this. Purely from a visual stand point, everything looked clean, and none of the detailing looked out of place.

Monster placement, ammo and so on, all seemed fine. I'm pretty awful at finding secrets though, so I only found one.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/b6sjfv

My first attempt at your map, recorded in ZDoom 2.3.1, in the new version of the map you just posted. (I never got around to playing the original version.)

Version 2 first play. 100% kills and items, 0% secrets, long 13 minute cautious run. Recorded in PrBoom+ 2.5.0.3
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0MS6QX7C

I liked it, keeps you moving though there's enough space to have a breather. There's enough ammo around and the traps are fun and not unbeatable. The only thing which annoyed me was the Sergeants above the Yellow Key are so high up you can't see them, so they're blasting you with hitscan attacks while you're down there going "argh where the fuck!?"

Also you can hit your head on Sector 294, which stops you getting down off the top of the stairs next to it. I'd suggest either moving that light west 64 units, or indenting it into the roof.

I love the idea of the replenishing guard towers, I've thought of doing that myself. The diagonal bridge looks much better than a horizontal bridge. The lion faces in the brick is very nice too. Looking in map editor now, your secrets are certainly well hidden :P

Good improvement. I think this is fine as it is now.