Extermination (3-Map Demo wad)

OK, I recently realized that I have never released any single-player levels onto the community yet, so I decided to start making a few to show some of my amateur skills off. Even though I've made 3 levels, I'll probably make more for this WAD, so that's why I'm calling this a Demo for now.

Although I've only tested it with ZDoom, I've built it with other source ports in mind. I'm pretty sure there shouldn't be any problems, but if there are, please post them.

Story: You're a janitor who was working at a military base one day, when suddenly you locked yourself in a closet. After about 5 hours or so, you realize there's a door and free yourself, but it's too late. The demons have already taken over the base. Nothing left to do but fight them.

(Current demo at top, older demos below)
3-Map Demo v1.1: http://www.sendspace.com/file/1nenps
3-Map Demo v1.0: http://www.sendspace.com/file/47z8qd

Currently completed maps:
MAP01: Begin!
MAP02: The Battlefield
MAP03: Pumping Station

In Progress
MAP04: Not currently named

Screenshots:




Criticism and Feedback welcome, if not encouraged! Please say what you think about these, since I've just started with Doom mapping and would like to know what I'm doing wrong.

In the first shot, change the floor texture on the lowest sector there. The one in the middle. Something lighter would fit I think.
Also maybe try out those metal textures just like the one you are using there, but with a yellow light at the bottom for those upper walls there.

Second shot: dont like it AT ALL :P

Third shot: great

Your lay outs aren't too bad. In fact, the only thing you really need to work on is the visuals of your maps.

Other people will probably point out your doors are little thick. You can easily halve their thickness. I also noticed, at least in Map01, that the ceiling textures of your doors was usually the same texture of the ceiling in the room it was connected to. (You seemed to have fixed this problem in your second and third map.)

I'd also change Map01's music. Rather than fighting demons in some techbase, I feel like I should be, well, looking after my magical unicorn. :) Map03's choice isn't as bad, but given that the player is in sewers, I'd pick a midi that was a bit more dreary.

In Map03 I noticed that your teleport traps could have activated a little bit quicker. (I almost got out of the yellow key room before the HK's teleported in. I'd put in some extra teleport lines and exits to help them come out a touch faster. Same for the cacodemons.)

There's nothing marking the red key switch (texture wise) to indicate to the player it requires the red key. (Other than the player trying to activate it of course.)

Line 861's switch texture isn't actually visible as a switch right now. (It's not aligned correctly, so the switch part of the texture is hidden.)

The next thing, and this is something I've noticed a lot of first time mappers do: When lowering a ceiling, or raising a floor, you'll often need to unpeg the upper/lower texture to get it to align to its adjacent walls.

Other than that, I'd look at experimenting with your detail a bit more. You certainly don't need to go as crazy as I do, but some parts of your levels felt a touch bare. For example, instead of, (in Map02) using invisible blocking lines, why not look at adding some fences, or some other visual cue to the player so they understand where they're not supposed to go? And perhaps break up the bridge a little more (sectors 133/134) so the destroyed bridge looks a little more destroyed when looking at it from the base upwards. (Or just do what everyone else does, and make it a straight bridge with a gap in the middle :D)

Anyhow, hope this was helpful. Keep on mapping :)

just to add ...

map 02 ...

Demon T242 is stuck in the lamp.

map 03 ...

1. Missing upper textures for lines 327 and 328.

2. Opengl ports - when the HK's teleport to sector 63, their heads get rendered into the ceiling.

3. Were the demons at sector 63 supposed to be stuck into each other ?

4. Check alignments. For example, when the green brick texture goes around a 90 deg angle.

... yes, keep it up ...

In the first shot, change the floor texture on the lowest sector there. The one in the middle. Something lighter would fit I think.
Also maybe try out those metal textures just like the one you are using there, but with a yellow light at the bottom for those upper walls there.

Second shot: dont like it AT ALL :P

Third shot: great

First shot: I like the floor texture suggestion, I'm going to try and see if I can find something that'll fit. For the lights, there is one part of the map that uses lights like you mentioned, it kinda helps signify what room it is. I don't think changing the rest to look like this would help with that room. I do want the room to be more detailed, however. Any other suggestions for more detail are welcome.

Second shot: HOW DARE YOU. :P

Third shot: Thanks!

Insane_Gazebo said:

Your lay outs aren't too bad. In fact, the only thing you really need to work on is the visuals of your maps.

Other people will probably point out your doors are little thick. You can easily halve their thickness. I also noticed, at least in Map01, that the ceiling textures of your doors was usually the same texture of the ceiling in the room it was connected to. (You seemed to have fixed this problem in your second and third map.)

Ok, I'll try out these suggestions. Also, I thought I got all of those ceiling bugs...

I'd also change Map01's music. Rather than fighting demons in some techbase, I feel like I should be, well, looking after my magical unicorn. :) Map03's choice isn't as bad, but given that the player is in sewers, I'd pick a midi that was a bit more dreary.

Yeah, I was rushing myself a bit towards the end for music choices since I wanted to get the maps themselves out. MAP01 and MAP03 were hastily chosen. (Ok, not so much MAP03. That's because the song itself is badass, it just doesn't fit) I was likely going to change these for the next update, but now I'm sure.

In Map03 I noticed that your teleport traps could have activated a little bit quicker. (I almost got out of the yellow key room before the HK's teleported in. I'd put in some extra teleport lines and exits to help them come out a touch faster. Same for the cacodemons.)

I'll see if I can make them faster.

There's nothing marking the red key switch (texture wise) to indicate to the player it requires the red key. (Other than the player trying to activate it of course.)

This room was a bit of a last minute addition, I guess I just forgot to add anything to it.

Line 861's switch texture isn't actually visible as a switch right now. (It's not aligned correctly, so the switch part of the texture is hidden.)

Will do!

The next thing, and this is something I've noticed a lot of first time mappers do: When lowering a ceiling, or raising a floor, you'll often need to unpeg the upper/lower texture to get it to align to its adjacent walls.

I'll see if I can find all of these and fix them. I know this isn't much of an excuse, but my current computer can't run hardly anything graphic intensive, so I haven't been able to use Doombuilder's 3D mode to spot a lot of the graphic errors.

Other than that, I'd look at experimenting with your detail a bit more. You certainly don't need to go as crazy as I do, but some parts of your levels felt a touch bare. For example, instead of, (in Map02) using invisible blocking lines, why not look at adding some fences, or some other visual cue to the player so they understand where they're not supposed to go? And perhaps break up the bridge a little more (sectors 133/134) so the destroyed bridge looks a little more destroyed when looking at it from the base upwards. (Or just do what everyone else does, and make it a straight bridge with a gap in the middle :D)

This was originally supposed to be a 3D Bridge, but after I looked at the instructions, it seemed a bit to complex to do for me. I hastily through together what you see now. I do have an idea on what to replace it with though that looks a tad bit better than that.

Anyhow, hope this was helpful. Keep on mapping :)

It most certainly was! Thanks for the help!

just to add ...

map 02 ...
Demon T242 is stuck in the lamp.

map 03 ...
1. Missing upper textures for lines 327 and 328.
2. Opengl ports - when the HK's teleport to sector 63, their heads get rendered into the ceiling.
3. Were the demons at sector 63 supposed to be stuck into each other ?
4. Check alignments. For example, when the green brick texture goes around a 90 deg angle.

... yes, keep it up ...

I'll make sure to go back and fix the errors you speak of. I wouldn't have noticed the OpenGL one because of my current computers statis. Thanks for the tips!

EDIT: A little note for Insane_Gazebo, the scene in MAP02 with the imp army is actually supposed to be a small tribute to Sunder, since I love your mapset so much, even if I can't play most of the stages on this computer right now.

Ok, I have a new release candidate with a bunch of bugfixes implented that were listed above:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/1nenps

The level with the most changes is MAP03, but that's mostly bugfixes, including one not listed were if you ran too fast you could get stuck in the "cage" that goes around the blue key. Also, I've changed the MAP01 and MAP03 music to tracks that fit a lot better, as well as adding one for MAP04, even though there isn't a map yet, it's he track I want for it.

Hmm, anybody still have this wad stored on their hard drive? I seem to have misplaced it, and was going to use some things from it for my next mapping project.

I have extermin.wad dated 23.12.2010 - http://www.sendspace.com/file/wyf0w7

v1.1

http://www.sendspace.com/file/rzs4th

Thanks guys!