Marble1.wad - my new project

[pablogener]

I'm working on a series of Marble/Hell themed maps. This is the first one.

Very easy, very simple "corridors and rooms" style. I try to keep a stylish+detailish kind of effort to it.

This map starts with a lot of pistol action, lost souls only around, in the middle comes a shotgun, and a few demons and imps here and there. The big finale with a Baron and a cross-line map ending.

 

I'm aiming to a 3~5 map set, it will derive from pure marble into more hellish/rock kind of texture sets.

 

I did it in GZDooMBuilder and it's done in UDMF format.

 

A few screens:

 

 



 



 



 



 



 



 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

and the .wad link: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Anx23-M2JKLhrkKn6EC-__T_p7BK

 

Cheers!

 

 

Edited November 3, 2018 by pablogener : fixing screenshots post

[Misty]

Well, this could use some more height differences to make map less flat and more interesting to navigate. Well, gameplay was easy - few lost souls, pinkies and one boring baron of hell to shoot him to death. Honestly, I would move ammo and gun to the start, not at the end or at least provide berserk pack and maybe provide few stimpacvks around, but I don't think that someone could die here. Anyway, good luck with future mapping ;)

[pablogener]

Ok, misty. I'm interested more in the architectural and detailing "look and feel" of the map, rather than the gameplay. I try to do things in a realistic/"it could be a real place" kind of concept.

And about how scarce monsters and ammo/weapons are, it's supposed to be the first map of the game, I guess it should be like that.

 

Thanks for the tips, I'll keep all of those in mind!!

 

PS: how do I insert more than 1 screenshot? Can't seem to get that right, wich I did in previous posts I made...

[Misty]

1 minute ago, pablogener said:

Ok, misty. I'm interested more in the architectural and detailing "look and feel" of the map, rather than the gameplay. I try to do things in a realistic/"it could be a real place" kind of concept.

And about how scarce monsters and ammo/weapons are, it's supposed to be the first map of the game, I guess it should be like that.

 

Thanks for the tips, I'll keep all of those in mind!!

 

PS: how do I insert more than 1 screenshot? Can't seem to get that right, wich I did in previous posts I made...

You should check out for your favourite mapsets to see how they add feel and good looks on the maps. Stairs or lift could be a good start to add more height difference, if you'll have more questions ask forum about it or join discord servers like "the joy of mapping" server for help. 

I mostly copy and paste links one by one to get embed on writing window or use forum "Drag files here to attach, or choose files... " on the same window. 

[pablogener]

I know what you mean Misty, I'll try to apply different hights for the sake of "look and feel" in the next map on the set.

 

Hey, I got that javascript to trigger while editing the post on firefox, I had problems with it on chrome. flag-up for the mods!!

 

[leodoom85]

I tried your map and...it's not bad for a first attempt into mapping. 

The spawning ammo after killing some enemies is kinda neat to not be empty of ammo and the enemies, although few, it serve the purpose. 

Probably you should add some zombies and definitely health to have some better gameplay. I also found minor texture misalignments but that's not too serious.

 

You can improve for sure and, you should keep doing your maps to achieve your goal of a mini mapset.

 

 

[Fonze]

Hey Pablo, glad to see you still making maps :)

 

I gave this map a quick run through and I agree with Misty and Leo. I also want to strongly suggest that you consider more the gameplay of your maps; I know your main goal is creating the spaces but considering the gameplay will also help you to get better at creating more interesting areas.

 

Moving on to your focus here: even in terms of a "realistic" design nowhere is this flat and barren realistically. That's not a good line of logic to follow for doom in the first place but even for your use I think you would be better suited to add height variation and more intricate designs to your maps than to make more flat stuff like this.

 

As Misty also said study the works of others; look for accomplished mappers who make the types of maps you like, and figure out what they did and didn't do to create the end result you see.

 

I do want to note that the last map I saw from you, the e1m2 map with the big structure in the middle you walk through, was far more interesting than this map, though ultimately even the height variation in that map was  nonexistent relative to individual areas and the cramped-ness of the map didn't make it fun to run around or navigate. But it was the best-looking and most interesting of the maps I've seen from you :)

 

Moving back to this map: aesthetically the most interesting area was the room with the shotgun pickup, as it implied more than any other area of the map; there was stuff going on that couldn't be immediately seen in the form of a supposed height variation and the large pillar blocking the view. Aside from that the starting room had the most interesting shape to it.

 

The gameplay needs to be commented on: I liked that you repopulated the map with imps after the shotty pickup to account for the backtracking; that was the most fun part of the map. That said, I didn't enjoy any of the rest of the map's gameplay, and even the imps were only token resistance at best. The lost souls I either infought or ran past; o infought some with a bull, and I 100% skipped the baron at the end. I realize gameplay is totally not your focus but keep in mind that gameplay can be used to accentuate the areas you build and the player's perception of them, as well as the amount of time they'll spend in each area. As a decent example, you can use the areas you build to conceptualize your desired gameplay meant to accentuate your visuals by using quick to mow through incidental combat for some of the more mundane areas and larger, more climactic encounters for the more grand, intimidating areas. 

 

On this same note of gameplay: thinking about it will also push you to incorporate more intricate designs to your areas, which will naturally push you to make more interesting areas to explore, rather than making flat maps. Interesting gameplay and interesting visual design overlap in a great many areas.

 

Anyway, I've rambled long enough; glad to see more come out of you man and I hope this will be helpful to you as you continue to grow as a mapper :)

 

One last quick question while it's on my mind, would you mind if I uploaded the map we collaborated on to the idgames archive?

[joepallai]

Not bad, you definitely show potential.    Visually it was good (though a little bit flat as previously mentioned).   I thought the lighting was particularly good in the starting room and the northern hallway; also I enjoyed how you repopulated the level once the shotgun was grabbed.   

 

I'd replace the opening room's lost souls with former humans, this way you get the same amount of ammo as is in the rooms already with the bonus of shooting something more fun than a lost soul.   I'd keep the westernmost lost soul and move it around the corner so that it can drift in once combat starts.

 

I really thought the northern corridor was going to open up a lost soul trap with all those alcoves.    I could see squeezing the player with monster attacks from the sides while having imps or a demon teleport in front and behind the player there.

 

It's possible in the shotgun room to get trapped in the inner ring and die (this is in the left/right corners of the central column as you approach it).   Also I thought the outer ring would have a secret area in it so I jumped down there with no way out.   

 

I look forward to more of your work.