Using your own previously released levels in your own larger mapsets

[Pegleg]

I've been kicking around an idea, but, since I'm relatively new to releasing material, I want to see if there is a generally recognized convention with regard to re-using your own previously released maps in larger megawads.

 

To be clear, I'm not talking about using other people's maps, just your own.

 

There are two situations that I can think of. I would like to know if there is some sort of problem with either one or both of these.

 

1. You've previously released a map as a stand-alone level and later want to incorporate that into a larger mapset (for whatever reason). Is there an issue with this if it was never released to idgames? Is there an issue if it was released to idgames?

 

2. You've previously released a map as part of a larger community project (such as one of the DMP's) and you want to take your individual level and incorporate it into your new mapset. Is there an issue with this if the CP wasn't released on idgames? Is there an issue with this if the CP was released on idgames?

 

Thank you.

[Nine Inch Heels]

ESP by TimeofDeath did exactly this. It's a compilation of a bunch of ToD's maps, megawad sized, and these maps have been part of community projects, or other WADs, for that matter. I did not yet hear anybody complain about that. So by all means, go for it, it's your maps.

[Not Jabba]

There's no problem with any of the scenarios you've mentioned. Some more real-world examples: No End in Sight reuses at least two maps from Doom the Way id Did, and I've heard that one of its super-secret bonus maps is also going to be in BTSX E3 in a revised form. Vader's Thunderpeak was originally in ZPack, but later got its own stand-alone release.

 

It makes sense to reuse a map if you think people were less likely to play the original presentation (i.e., if it was originally buried in a large CP where the quality of the mapset was very mixed and people might not have gone through it all to see your map), or if you think that you can substantially improve it the second time around. However, I wouldn't overdo it. Some players may not be keen to play the same map again, and the quality of your mapping has probably improved since the first release, so you might as well just make newer, better maps.

 

EDIT: The best kind of repackaging is probably the kind NIH mentioned: if you have a whole bunch of single maps that people may not want to track down individually, release them all as a single set for easier consumption.

[Deadwing]

I don't see a problem in doing that. In Moonblood, both secret maps were released as standalone ones, and most people I've saw playing haven't played them before.