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dobu gabu maru

The DWmegawad Club plays: Struggle

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MAP15: Teleportation Delta

100% kills, 1/3 secrets

 

Well at least it's largely different gameplay-wise from before, with a couple side areas to unlock a big arena battle. I liked the silver/green columns area, nice to unleash a bunch of the new high-tier monsters together to actually give them some threat instead of just feeling like cover-and-shoot snipers. I absolutely hated the yellow lava area, and the spider fight was even worse, as it largely felt like some RNG to not get immediately vaped by the spider and two afriests (with just the spider, it is at least possible to somewhat dodge it's attacks, bullet hell style). The final arena battle was pretty fun and worked well though, although I was a bit surprised to walk over the teleporter in the middle to exit.

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map21: The Overture, by antares031
zdoom2.8.1, uv, pistol start, first time played, [using saves due to time constraints and difficulty ramp up]

Ok, we've entered the terrible 20's where you are stricken by the beauty of the maps while the enemy rips your heart out and shows it to you before you die. What? Only 93 enemies, there must be some mistake. The map opens with a beautiful blue nighttime sky with eerie red trees perched everywhere. After a few fisticuffs outside, the battle is taken indoors.

The yellow skullkey pickup has a nasty trap involving 2 archviles and company. It will help to pick up the assault rifle secret beforehand.

I quite enjoyed the change of pace on this map, with smaller enemy count a welcome relief from the past half dozen maps or so. Antares031 should consider mixing maps up like this more often as back to back huge maps can wear you down.

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Picking up where I'd left off, Level 32 is essentially the first half's boss level as you are introduced to and fight two of the Leviathan's following another a large battle on the way there first.

 

Levels 16-19 are back to the techbase theme that's already been well developed especially with Levels 12-14. The difficulty is definitely trending upwards though and you get the BFG equivalent for the first time on Level 18 and can find another one on Level 19. These maps are fairly sprawling too (Level 18 is a bit shorter) with Level 19 being the longest and also my favorite of the four. It was pretty memorable for me, and culminates in another big fight to get into the second teleporter that includes more Leviathans.

 

Level 20 is essentially a 'hell in green' ordeal that reminded me most of Level 28 of Sunlust in aesthetic theme and the large scale of the opening area, but is different in many key aspects as well. You can find another BFG once you have one of the two keys and are on your way to picking the second one up. It's the hardest level of the bunch with over 600 monsters and ends with an introduction to the Spectro-Leviathan followed by a death exit.

 

Level 21 starts the purely Antaresian portion of Struggle with the first of a few small, relative breather map. It's almost as if you're starting fresh again and it's nice to have both a thematic shift and a break from the much longer levels.

 

About the repeating of themes in this wad, the techbase theme does drag on for quite some time but there are occasional diversion maps like 10 and 31/32. Still, I played this was alongside a few others and it may be best that way as opposed to concentrating only on it from start to finish. On the other hand, it definitely is not any worse (in fact I'd argue not as serious) with sticking to a common theme than BTSX Episode 1, for instance.

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MAP21 The Overture

 

Please do not be a berserk MAP21 please do not be a berserk MAP21 please do not be a berserk MAP21 please do not be a berserk MAP21 please do not be a berserk MAP21 please do not be a berserk MAP21...

 

Okay its not, good. And given that the default armaments are servicible enough, enemies aren't really troublesome in this episode starter. I even get all but the Lechenfaust back here. Fancy that. A much shorter and appreciable map here, although I do have to say why the Doom SSG sucks in Struggle. You fight this afriest and antaresian, and notice that this fucker right here known as an afriest can attack you THREE TIMES in the time it takes for one SSG to get pumping again. Fuck this gun, it will rot in the broom closet for all the hell I care.

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MAP17 : Infinity Edge

 

Mostly more of the same, but bigger.

 

That miniature city was nice, I like small platforming puzzles like these, and the battleship looked really cool.

 

I'm not sure how the last area works I went away to press the unit switches and later came back to press the ones there.

 

 

MAP18 : Point Lima Foxtrot

 

I think that the opening fight here was rather good, the area is made to run around fast and the monsters force you to do so. This map has a more structured design than usual, there's a hub area and 2 teleportes to unlock that take you to the keys needed to complete the map.

 

More importantly, we finally get the bfg replacement, and I think it might be even stronger? I was a bit confused at first when I couldn't use it, despite having ammo, but it seems like it actually uses grenades.

 

 

MAP19 : Teleportation Theta

 

Like map 15, but we also get the usual gameplay in addition to the setpieces.

 

I didn't get the not-bfg for the last room, but it still didn't give much trouble for the most part. The enemies can be circlestrafed except for the archviles, but they go down quickly if you prioritize them, the stage with the afriests looks intimidating but it's by far the easiest as they can be circlestrafed whitout any danger, the last stage is the one that did give me some trouble, the leviathan comes back alongside some archviles, it can be difficult to focus on the viles when there's such a fast enemy with an attack that can kill you in an instant if launched next to you, but after the viles go down, the boss can be killed with ease as there are no candelabra here.

 

 

 

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MAP12: Into the Danger

Apparently we weren't already in the danger for the last 11 maps. This was once again a tech base map and it's pretty forgettable, close quarters with all these grey textures and not many particularly interesting or challenging fights. There's that one teleporter into the middle of a horde of monsters which is obviously a huge fuck you trap. Somehow survived it my first time but died later on in the map, fortunately you don't seem to have to go through there but you wouldn't know that your first play through.

 

MAP13: Military Base

Once again a bit more of the same old with the techbase and non linear design. The new plasma chaingunner doesn't add too much to the proceedings either. The Wad starts to get a little bit more liberal with the traps and ambushes around this point and these maps seem to be taking longer and longer to complete making things a bit harder. It's enjoyable enough to play through but nothing to innovative though there are a few nice details like the shooting range in the armory.

 

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map22: Afriests' Seminary, by antares031
zdoom2.8.1, uv, pistol start, first time played, [using saves due to time constraints and difficulty ramp up]

I do like the blue aesthetic. We are in the Afriests' Seminary. I don't to know what the afriests have been studying or worshiping, it can't be for good. The seminary is modest in size and enemy count.

The start is a little hectic but settles down after that until you reach the west side where a couple of archvile traps are spun. These fights can be managed with forewarning as there is cover to be had. The last couple of fights were a bit nasty but I found them to be easier to run back and string them out along the corridors.

I could not reach the megasphere secret. In the west there's an orange candle that marks a window sill different to the blue torches behind the other window sills. If you can land on the window sill you will be teleported to a megasphere on a pedestal in the next room. I tried to straferun onto the sill for over 15 minutes from the nearby higher ledge where 2 medikits are. I could not do it in zdoom. I may have missed something and the window sill can be lowered or maybe my strafe running sux, dunno.

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Death, taxes, and falling behind in DWMC...

 

MAP31: Scorching Flames

100% kills, 0/4 secrets

 

Another thematic shift, and again, a welcome one, as this time we're split between fiery redrock lava and green marble temples. The first section plays somewhat similarly to most of the rest of the WAD, really gotta take it slow and deal with the monsters a little bit at a time because every little next area will unleash more hellspawn and it's easy to get overwhelmed in the cramped quarters. Thankfully the section isn't too long, and the rest of the map is basically arena fights. I really liked the yellow key one, area looks great and plays well - I definitely appreciate that the snipers were all low-HP enemies (nothing as aggravating as WADs that use revenants or higher which take forever to thin out, or even worse, replacement snipers). The red/yellow switch area plays nicely too with the upper outer ring letting the player use the architecture to their advantage. The fight behind the red/yellow door I didn't like as much, since avoiding the AVs blast felt a bit too random. The final area felt similar to the switch area, I liked being able to use the outer upper edge. All in all a fun map that kept me interested, and did a good job breaking up the fights to give a sense of progression (as opposed to say, going through a huge homogeneous techbase with no clear goals in sight until near the end).

 

MAP32: The Leviathan

96% kills, 0/2 secrets

 

Only 76 enemies to start, must be a boss map! But another arena fight(s) first. Nothing too bad here, though the area is maybe a bit big for the small amount of enemies, the ammo a little too lean and a few annoying bits (turret wizard doesn't do much for me, enemies teleporting in almost on top of the player as well). I'm also not a fan of the blue color scheme to be honest because it's just BLUE BLUE BLUE with no real accent colors or break-ups. At least the green marble rooms have some variation between the bright green parts, the mint marble, and grey. The heresiarch boss is a bit more interesting, not too tough if you keep moving but he'll keep you on your toes. There's a bit of a open spot in his firing pattern, something that seems common for custom monsters that fire a lot of fireballs at once, I'm wondering if this is something in the Doom code?

 

 

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MAP22 Afriests' Seminary

 

Already I'm gonna hate this level. Thanks. This is a rage-inducing level due to the cramped areas and the afriests having zero pain chances and being flying enemies. Even with the low monster count these things are considerably the worst monster in the game. See people? THIS IS WHY I HATE CUSTOM MONSTERS. They're so bad that not even the rifle can touch them half the time, whereas an arch-vile gets smoldered by it easily. That megasphere secret proved essential for the final group of these pricks, yet it took over 31 tries to fucking get after figuring out what to do. Strafejump secret! Worst map so far.

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11 hours ago, tmorrow said:

I tried to straferun onto the sill for over 15 minutes from the nearby higher ledge where 2 medikits are. I could not do it in zdoom. I may have missed something and the window sill can be lowered or maybe my strafe running sux, dunno.

 

The secret in MAP22 requires SR50. Performing ordinary straferunning is impossible to reach it. If you suggest to adjust it for SR40, I'll see what I can do for the next version.

 

 

 

6 hours ago, Magnusblitz said:

There's a bit of a open spot in his firing pattern, something that seems common for custom monsters that fire a lot of fireballs at once, I'm wondering if this is something in the Doom code?

 

Mancubus' fire pattern in vanilla doom is not 100% symmetric. It's far-left one, which is far-right to the player's perspective, goes with 11 degree angle, while the far-right one goes with 22.

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14 hours ago, antares031 said:

The secret in MAP22 requires SR50. Performing ordinary straferunning is impossible to reach it. If you suggest to adjust it for SR40, I'll see what I can do for the next version.

 

Many thanks @antares031. I thought that zdoom had sr50 built in automatically. I did get the jump, but not until I relocated where I started the run from. I couldn't get it to work starting on the higher blue ledge, I needed to back up further on the gray walkway and then run and get a bounce up onto the higher blue ledge as I went to make the jump. The positioning and angle was critical for me. From that position I can duplicate the jump using only forward and strafe right keys, so I guess sr50 must be built into zdoom then.

 

Since it isn't a bug and "fair game" for doom veterans, I'm happy with the secret as is. Some maps have tricky secrets, that's the way it should be! Nice secret btw!

 

map23: Rhabdophis Tigrinus, by antares031
zdoom2.8.1, uv, pistol start, first time played, [using saves due to time constraints and difficulty ramp up]

You have a ferocious struggle on your hands as you fight your way through the streets and courtyards of the ancient city. You will get no peace for quite a while as you run the gauntlet of enemies every which way.

Once the dust settles you can head for the keys in fairly quick succession in the order blue, red, and yellow keys, all trapped to the max of course. The safest course of action in each case is to snag the key and run like heck to find a safe place to take out the enemy.

The secret pickup is a very welcome megasphere.

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MAP16: Return to Earth

100% kills, 0/5 secrets

 

More like return to techbases... much of it is, unsurprisingly, somewhat similar to what has come before. A bit more open, perhaps; the high ceilings (and lowered water-floor) of the central chamber does help give more of an airy feeling to the level, even if a lot of it is still in relatively constricted corridors. This one also is handily color-coded, the green zone (and outside) leads to both the yellow and red keys, each of which has a switch to open up the exit proceeded by a wing of their own. The yellow and red wings are available from the get-go though, so you might go too far early on. I somewhat did this, going into the yellow wing a bit before deciding to turn back and look elsewhere since I didn't have the higher-tier weaponry yet (hadn't even found the SSG in the green area) and this had the effect of leaving me bone-dry on ammo after the yellow key fight. Thankfully I was able to scrounge up some and the rest of the map proceeded without ammo problems.

 

The real noteworthy encounter here is the bell chime ambush, which is pretty cool. Can't help but feel it would've stood out more in a non-techbase setting though, by the time I finished the level, much of which felt largely comparable to what came before, I had almost completely forgotten about it. It's a pretty creative use of the monster spawner code though.

 

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MAP23 Rhabdophis Tigrinus

 

Fun level! This is the kind of outdoor stuff I enjoy, good runarounds, some snipers, ground enemies, find your priority target and shoot it down. Good deals, man, good deals. It's also mercifully short, the only heel here are those afriests and antaresians, of which the latter are actually quite abundant. The finale has quite a few of these meat shields in front of a couple arch-viles, making them really annoying due to them being resurrected all the time. Got an archie distracted by them though, so it works out good enough. Probably my favorite level in the set so far.

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MAP17: Infinity Edge

100% kills, 1/5 secrets

 

I obviously recognized the map name, but not sure what it has to do with the level, though I suppose it does sorta fit for the golden color scheme. The inner techbase area is pretty generic and is probably one of the most forgettable of the maps so far, even the unit switch ambushes feel similarly square. The one interesting bit there was that each has a cubby hole you can retreat to, but gotta make sure you don't run out of AR ammo (the grenade launcher is too slow to use as an area denial weapon). The outdoor area with the miniature skyscrapers and battlecruiser was pretty cool though, as was the end room.

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map24: The Lost Temple, by antares031
zdoom2.8.1, uv, pistol start, first time played, [using saves due to time constraints and difficulty ramp up]

So we've found "The Lost Temple". You can bet that there are afriests and other baddies wandering around who aren't happy with our discovery and intrusion into their beautiful temple.

I must be getting clairvoyant. I just knew there was another trap after the cacodemon/pain elemental trap when climbing up the fountain for the red key.

Most of the fight aren't too tough given the weaponry provided. If you pick up the secrets you'll even get a leichenfaust.

I also knew something was brewing on the final walkway. Cybie didn't surprise me but the 4 afriest statues did. I should have known, maybe I'm not so clairvoyant after all :-)

Edited by tmorrow

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MAP18: Point Lima Foxtrot

100% kills, 0/2 secrets

 

Chaotic start, thankfully with plenty of cover to shield you from all the demonspawn perched up top if you roam around the waterways. Clearing it out is only half the level though, as there's a couple hubs to go through (one techbase, one outdoors) to grab keys before the final battles. We also get to see the BFG replacement in action, the gun is powerful enough that the invuln sphere isn't technically needed but it's nice so you can figure out how the gun works. I actually was nearly out of AR and grenade ammo after this battle so it made the afriests in the next fight a bit more difficult to deal with. The long hallway with the predictable high-tier spawns feels unnecessary at this point.

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MAP20 : Chorok Veonok

 

This map has a very sunlustian visual style, specially the cube structures on the gotcha area. The structure is similar to map 18 with an intense start and 2 separate areas you teleport to to collect the keys. There are several invisible leviathans on the last room, as horrifying as that sounds this ones have less health and, more importantly, don't summon monsters. It's difficult to miss them showing up here, but I'm afraid in a future map they will blindside me like the spectrocacos keep doing and kill me instantly.

 

Somehow I didn't even see the launcherfists that people say are on this map, those might have been helpful.

 

 

MAP21 : The Overture

 

I really like the look of the opening outside area, those pink/red trees look great against the blue rocks and sky.

 

You'd think that coming from a death exit and with the monster count being so low, this would be a low power map, but most of the weapons are here and there are a lot of high tier enemies.

 

 

MAP22 : Afriests' Seminary

 

The afriests are more dangerous in cramped spaces, but they still don't feel too bad to me, the main threat by far in this map comes from the archviles, as it usually does.

 

I'm glad I didn't try to get the megasphere, I would have gone crazy looking for a map 3 style unmarked teleporter that didn't even exists.

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MAP24 The Lost Temple

 

Another fun, if a little bit milder level. I'll take it. As it seems, setpiece areas, quite a few optional, lots of open spaces. The secret Lechenfaust was actually a little too easy. But all good things end up superseded, a new monster has just joined the foray of new fiends. A much bluer ophidian, with super-fast projectiles and somehow just as annoying as a regular afriest. The final cyberdemon fight isn't really as noteworthy as it seems compared to the super-ophidian. Also it looks like they are another monster that triggers things to open once you kill all of them.

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MAP19 – Teleportation Theta

PrBoom+, UV - Pistol Start, KIS(%): 128/97/100

 

The concept of this level was pretty simple; making the last techbase level for the wad, with larger, more complex non-linear layout than any other techbase levels, and a teleportation sequence, something like one from MAP15. Once again, the techbase has multiple sections with their own colors, like the one from MAP16. The blue section occupies the majority of the techbase, including the teleporter device in the north. Green section on the east has a giant setpiece with lots of monsters, which are there to guard the red keycard. You can use red keycard to unlock some useful items, such as a Leichenfaust, and a godsphere in the yellow section in the west.

 

Technically, you don’t need to visit every section in the level. But it is recommended to collect Leichenfaust, if you’re playing with pistol start. Because the teleportation area features an another Leviathan encounter, since MAP15C. This time, you need to beat three stages, prior to the boss fight. To make it even worse, the area houses 4 indestructible afriest turrets, making you to keep moving around the arena. Once you beat the boss, you may enter the exit teleporter at the center, or take an another teleporter near the switch room, if you missed some goodies from the level.

 

 

MAP20 – Chorok Yeonok

PrBoom+, UV - Pistol Start, KIS(%): 106/97/100

 

After you escaped the last techbase level, it’s time to visit the Hell once again. Although it’s something slightly different than the MAP15B, where the level was mainly decorated with red bricks, brown rocks, and burning lava. This time, we have lots of green textures and sewage pits all around the place. Many people mentioned that this level feels like the one from Sunlust, and I can clearly see that from those architectures in the hub level, but the idea to use green textures was actually inspired by Killer Colour from Alien Vendetta, one of my favorite secret levels in doom wads.

 

While the right section is just a giant cave level with a good example of using blursphere (yes, blursphere is pretty effective against mass hitscanners), the left section features a homage to Gotcha! from the original Doom 2. I’m not gonna lie, it’s so satisfying to see that the spider mastermind can beat the shit out of the cyberdemon with energy bolt cannons. The final area introduces spectroleviathans; the spectre version of leviathan with much lesser health. For those who don’t like this kind of invisible monster, then don’t worry. This is only one of two appearances in the entire wad. P.S.: The name “Chorok Yeonok” came from 초록연옥 (草綠煉獄), which means “Green Purgatory” in Korean.

 

 

MAP21 – The Overture

PrBoom+, UV - Pistol Start, KIS(%): 103/100/100

 

Did I ever tell you guys that I like blue textures? And here we are, the homeworld of cerulean ophidians and afriests. This wad used to use the original palette from Doom 2. But after I received the feedback about my deathmatch megawad, which also features lots of blue textures, I decided to make the custom blue color with less garish hue and saturation. And I also decided to pick a secondary color for the theme; black-grey metallic textures, to give a little bit of variety, rather than 100% blue.

 

This level was, obviously, designed as an opener of the last episode. By the moment I started to make a level, I thought it’d be better, if I “reset” the gameplay curve, including difficulty and overall playtime. It’s like a new beginning, like selecting a new episode in Ultimate Doom. As an opener, this level is pretty straight-forward, and much easier than the previous episode. But don’t be too careless, since most of high-tier monsters are still there, including afriests and arch-viles.

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+++ I'm not going to have time to play next month due to wedding and honeymoon shenanigans, so make sure you don't pick Dawn of the Dead, Earth and Classic Episode, guys :)

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MAP19: Teleportation Theta

99% kills, 0/5 secrets

 

Wondered if we'd get a big arena fight like MAP15, and while there is one at the end there's also plenty of normal level before it. The start is a good example of something I haven't liked, teleporting in monsters after hitting trip wires... I like to enter a room and immediately look for ways to flank enemies or goodies to grab, but having the sides trapped like that means that the best way to approach it is is just stay holed up in your cubby and play it safe, which isn't fun. In any event, the rest of the level actually plays pretty well. I liked the green area (red key) fight especially. The yellow area was probably the weakest IMO, but the final fight is a good note to end Techbase Land on. I just wish the damn Leviathan was easier to see, his dark grey/blue blends in with everything else far too well.

 

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map25: Druidia Borealis Sanctum, by antares031
zdoom2.8.1, uv, pistol start, first time played, [using saves due to time constraints and difficulty ramp up]

I don't think antares031 could have found a more dangerous spot to place the player on this map. Enemies all around you to start with. Run, run, run! In an act of contrition, antares031 has placed weapons in every direction, so at least you stand a fighting chance no matter which way you go. You'll want the assault rifle, grenades and super shotgun to take out these enemies, with archviles, antaresias, chaingun elites and revenants in the mix. I recall in the chaos that you can find megaarmor in the middle and to the west. Ugh! The enemy are conducting a night time, moonlight, outdoors operation. They want to see how many holes they can put into the player before he goes down. By the time the area was clear, over 200 enemies were dead (after several retries).

Once the dust settles you can finally work out what you actually need to do to progress the map. To the north you can find a switch that provides a lift up to the blue key that comes with some afriests and antaresias and an archvile as a bonus. The blue door to the east gets you to the red key after ploughing through a wall of antaresias and then rewards you with a courtesy archvile and revenant buddies over to the west. The red key gets you locked into the beautiful chapel to the west, full of ammo, health and armor. Nothing bad could happen here, right? Wrong. Ever had a nightmare involving archviles and revenants? Well, this is your nightmare come true. Good luck! If you get through the madness, you will be rewarded with the yellow key.

Just when you thought it was all over, you exit the chapel to meet the entire chaingun elite squad, doing their nightly rounds. Aren't you lucky. The south yellow door takes you to the exit area for a comparatively straightforward fight with a spider mastermind and several antaresias. The assault rifle works wonders in this fight, although I suppose grenades might be effective as well.

You'll want to pick up the 3 secrets for the leichenfaust, megasphere and soul sphere they provide.

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I'm not committing to DWMC next month either, I have some other projects occupying my time. I may be able to do a couple of maps, depending on what the club decides to play though. So, no vote from me either.

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MAP14: A Ticket From Inferno

Another level, Another techbase and clusterfuck start. The main part of this map is filled with acid and has a lot of height variation leading to some vertical combat and some platforming to be done, it's not too hard as most of it's pretty simple. I felt this map managed to stay fairly intense and dangerous to the end unlike some of the maps where once you get enough weapons and ammo you're on easy street.

 

MAP15: Teleportation Delta

From the start you can tell there's something fucky with this map, there's corpses all over the place and we have 666 monsters on the map. First we have to clear out the two unit areas which spawn you in the middle of a room filled with monsters, they seem worse then they actually are but I found getting over the platforms in the lava area was a pain in the ass. After that's it's on to the big showdown where the remaining 500 or so monsters spawn in while you wait for the pillar to lower. You get 2 megaspheres, 2 invulnerabilitys and a whole shitton of other health and ammo to deal with this fight. It's not too hard until the Pain Elementals spawn in, that's where I started to lose control of the situation and where it's probably best to save your invul spheres. After the pillars down there's a cyberdemon and a few archviles to fight, Might be best to let infighting take it's course here. I tried to take out all the enemies but accidentally strafed onto the exit teleporter, But it's not like leaving a few demons behind is going to hurt somebody.

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MAP25 Druidia Borealis Sanctum

 

Essentially a much larger version of MAP23, and since I loved that level, will I love this? The answer is YES! Great job, it's large enough but not super bad, just once again, got that open feel, smathering monster flesh with whatever weapon fancy, picking the priority targets, trying to find the secrets, and at least an enjoyable romp. The lechenfaust may find itself useful in a number of areas, like for a crowd of antaresians, the whole yellow key fight (especially to get rid of those annoying afriests, and the plasma gunner troupe that shows up at the end. The endgame has a few antaresians, their upgraded forms, and spiderplasmademon again. But it's a good level. Fantastic music track to complement it.

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+++ Counterattack, Disjunction, Scythe X

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