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valkiriforce

Akeldama - Now on Idgames!

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Well I played through the first episode twice now and loved every map. I played on HMP using Brutal DOOM version 19 Sperglord Edition and GZDoom 2.4.0(its how I play everything).

I am not very good at describing my experience, so I will just say that man it was a lot of fun and am eagerly awaiting the next episode. To all of those responsible for this, thank you sooo very much for all your hard work.

Edited by Korozive

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Just wanna drop a few shots here of MAP19, which I've been trying to finish up lately. Still need to playtest a lot and maybe fix some other visual errors (one of which unfortunately left me with no choice but to include that huge rock wall over the ocean to prevent that HOM effect) otherwise it's not too far off from completion.

 

r8DzmTs.png

 

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EDIT: And map layout because why not.

 

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Edited by valkiriforce

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Okay, MAP19 is here; I may have to return to fix something like a segs issue or something, but for now I'm done testing this map and I don't want to hold it back any longer. I'm calling it The Devil's Triangle: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wt7wgfa8sq6sgy2/MAP19-akelvalk.wad?dl=0

 

Tried to keep Juza's half as faithful as could be but there were plenty of HOM scenarios I had to fix by simplifying a number of areas by reducing the amount of vertexes throughout the map. Hopefully it holds up well enough without problems. Gameplay was kind of difficult to manage on my part so I'd like to hear some outside opinions about what's been done so far.

Edited by valkiriforce

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3 hours ago, valkiriforce said:

Okay, MAP19 is here; I may have to return to fix something like a segs issue or something, but for now I'm done testing this map and I don't want to hold it back any longer. I'm calling it The Devil's Triangle: https://www.dropbox.com/s/upivtcjf8zx3v1e/MAP19-akelvalk.wad?dl=0

 

Tried to keep Juza's half as faithful as could be but there were plenty of HOM scenarios I had to fix by simplifying a number of areas by reducing the amount of vertexes throughout the map. Hopefully it holds up well enough without problems. Gameplay was kind of difficult to manage on my part so I'd like to hear some outside opinions about what's been done so far.

 

Is there a new resource file?  I'm getting a missing texture (A-RAIL3) error.

Looks really good inside the editor's 3D mode.

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8 hours ago, valkiriforce said:

Okay, MAP19 is here; I may have to return to fix something like a segs issue or something, but for now I'm done testing this map and I don't want to hold it back any longer. I'm calling it The Devil's Triangle: https://www.dropbox.com/s/upivtcjf8zx3v1e/MAP19-akelvalk.wad?dl=0

 

Played the map. Like MAP13 there's a big emphasis on cramped combats, especially in the first half of the map, but with less constant spam of teleporting traps, I enjoyed this map more. Later the map gets more open and less linear too. Starting on a 20% damage sector is too much, and then you get taken to a cramped cave with many monsters that already teleport there. The BSK can be very hard depending on how much health/armor do you spare for that point. Maybe some armor bonues could be put sometimes on the way, after the second green armor the other armor comes very late. At the YSK the avs and the revs are sort of pointless, you can just go to take the elevator to the subway. An av can't teleport into the map, the line 5381 is missing the action to open the closet. The map is really overdone with the avs, with lots of "oh look another one teleported behind my back" happening, and some placements that don't have so much sense like thing 542 or thing 253, they were used a bit better after you come out from the subway. I think that the cyberdemon encounter is easier on the hard difficulty since you have more revs to use to infight, and I would swap out the cells from the secret plasmarifle. The BFG needs a hint, the switch is pretty much a random wall.

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@joepallai Whoops, yeah I did include one new rail texture for the opening area and forgot to update the resource. Here is the latest version and I've also updated the first post.

 

@gaspe Thanks for the feedback. That BFG secret is pretty valuable, so I wanted to have at least a couple of triggers that unlock it. If you manage to find the first one (which looks to be a regular computer texture) it makes a switch sound indicating that something has happened, after that it just requires a bit of exploration to find that a new switch is revealed to lower the platform which is visible through a window nearby, so you can see the effect of it.

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@valkiriforce

Played through MAP19, and overall I tend to agree with what others have said.

Overall: visually I think the map looks great, definitely gave me an almost karma sutra vibe which is nice since not many maps do that style anymore.

However personally, I fell the map outstayed its welcome and dragged on too long (i'll discuss in-depth why down below) and the biggest problem is combat balancing

Not my favorite to play, but visually pleasing.

 

Main points

Spoiler
  • Arch-vile Fatigue: definitely way too many archives. at times they just become unnecessary and are just thrown in (the one in the rock hole by the yellow key is completely ignorable). If toned down and used only in specific moments (final red door fight, plasma secret in blue key, ect.) notably the ones I disliked the most was the one you had to snipe across the bridge section and many of the ones that were usually behind a door.
  • ammo balance: towards the end there needed to be a lot more rockets and plasma cells I felt. especially for the final red door fight as I rand out of everything except bullets and had to scrounge for more before coming back.
  • Map length/inconsistency: the map really felt like it dragged on too long, but that may be because its very obvious where the 2 mappers switched off (i get the need for such), however this map really feels like it could be 2 maps, basically divided just past the train segment and when the cyberdemon is encountered. Another reason it may seem longer than it really is is a thing i've personally noticed with maps, where usually if the map is a bit more open and the player can see everywhere he needs to go/can be explored, it gives them a scope of what needs to be accomplished when. a more linear closed map makes it so I feel like the cyber fight is the end of the map but now there's a huge whole other section and a red key to get. It may be a personal gripe but I think the 2 different map styles clash too much and the second half feels a bit too different than the first half.
  • Monster placement: overall most of this was fine (the end cyberdemon fight was pretty easy with all the revenants, but without I feared I may have run out of ammo), but one thing that bugged me is in the first part, all of the pain elementals were either placed in inneffectual places (narrow corridors and is the first monster encountered) and some that may even be game breaking (didn't test but the one on top of the tall staircase I could see permanently blocking the player from progressing). I'd recommend moving all of them out of the cave section into the 2nd half where they will be a threat. 
    • Side note, the hell knight trap across the fake bridge by the yellow key felt extremely unfair and I died way too many times because of how easily it boxes you in.
  • electric chair: while interesting in the duke nukem sence, doesn't make a lot of sence in this map (would have to see the map18 exit to truly say). But 20 damage a tick for a map start is awful and could be game breaking as well (someone leaves map 18 with 10 health, and then they are permanently softlocked without cheating, thus making the WAD possibly unbeatable without cheating). I'd say remove it, or change the damage to like 2-5% or 5-10% and place a medkit on the player spawns, with mulitplayer enabled for the other 3) 

 

Minor errors: wrong textures in places, the floating bridge not working right (I think). all cliffs with monsters need to have not passable for monsters or else they get stuck (this is the biggest as their is a lot of ledges with monsters that can be pushed off).

Spoiler

m19_2.PNG.64a089533aa3980508317f49bb784c3b.PNGm19_1.PNG.fa28c076fd22a16c798a9d564f21a5e7.PNGm19_3.PNG.b879812294dba7e62593a0cad92b40f6.PNG

 

Again overall, very good looking, but considering some of the other maps if I played the whole WAD I could see this one being remembered and a generally unpleasant level.

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6 hours ago, valkiriforce said:

Thanks for the feedback. That BFG secret is pretty valuable, so I wanted to have at least a couple of triggers that unlock it. If you manage to find the first one (which looks to be a regular computer texture) it makes a switch sound indicating that something has happened, after that it just requires a bit of exploration to find that a new switch is revealed to lower the platform which is visible through a window nearby, so you can see the effect of it.

Imo that computer panel needs to be slightly more obvious, even just a glowing light can fit well for the purpose. And a very little detail: linedef 8035 (at the RSK) has the wrong texture.

 

About MAP31 I like the idea of a collaboration map, if what's you intend to do. I might have some ideas for the hub that starts with something similar from MAP15 secret exit.

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re: Map19

 

I know my game is off today, but I'm finding the combat infuriatingly grindy.   I'm still in the caverns and I just want to find something else to do as it keeps pushing more and more foes (of the wrong type IMO) with no health and no cover.  

 

All comments are for HMP or lower, though some of this will apply to UV as well.   Apologies if this comes off too harshly.

 

Get rid of the damaging start; the player has no real idea of what is causing the damage as the floor cannot be seen due to its size and material.   (if there was a working lightning bolt texture in front of the player's start I'd be more inclined to like the idea as I have used this kind of start in an unreleased map--but the player in that map is given a soulsphere as a reward; here you just get no further damage).

 

In the first few rooms inside the caverns, I'd cut the monster count by 25% (plus give a chaingun in lieu of the SSG in the arrival area).  I'd get rid of the teleporting rev and replace with a HK on HMP- as it's easier.   There could be some grabbable health on the cool water detail behind the teleport arrival, it'd give the player a reason to investigate that cool detail. 

 

In the next room, I'd ditch the caco entirely and just leave that area empty.   (I can see an imp or a lost soul up there as well, but the caco is a bit much).   I also think a chaingunner would be better instead of the rev.  (or just have the imps it's only the 3rd room).   

 

The dark hall afterwards is where I'm currently at playing this map and I'm ready to skip to the next map.   No health, another squeeze situation with the SSG or SG or pistol--it's just not fun.   I hate saying this; but it's just not fun at this point.  I think the 2 pieces of shotgun ammo next to the pillar needs to be health.   I think if you change the HK pillar's controlling linedef, to the railing in front of the imps and make it a gun activated door instead of a pillar, the resulting combat would be more interesting.   Then if you want, you could re-use the pillar as a teleport landing for demons or something.

    I like the use of the pain elemental around the corner, but the rev's not so much (mostly due to the weapons provided thus far in the map--maybe shifting/angling the rev's to the SE more so there's a chance you can engage them after the imps are dealt with...maybe the pillar idea is enough to make it interesting).   

 

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I've updated MAP19 - I'm bound to make more changes at some point but for now I've taken some of the feedback into consideration: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wt7wgfa8sq6sgy2/MAP19-akelvalk.wad?dl=0

 

Fixed the bridge section, adjusted the difficulty slightly and changed some monster placement around a little, including the removal of a few arch-viles. Added very little extra health and ammo but I'm not ready just yet to include more since I do feel the difficulty adjustment should settle it just fine.

 

I've started work on the secret hub map and it shouldn't be too long before I send it to someone else; it's likely going to have 8 teleporters which all lead to separate areas. Three of them will lead to keys, three will require keys, and the last two lead to the exit and the starting area. I've created the start and hub area and I'll likely make the exit area, but the six teleporters will be where other people come in to make small map sections. I don't want the map to blow up in size too much so for anyone that would like to collaborate on this map please try to keep the size down to something similar to Scythe's early maps.

 

On another note I am hoping to go through some episode 1 maps again and try to create a bit more balance when it comes to some of the enemies used and the weapons that are introduced. I'm a continuous player when it comes to megawads and one of the things I'm not that big into is when it takes a long time just to get through a handful of maps. So far I don't think there's a whole lot that needs adjustment, but there are few parts I would like to fix up. For one thing I did make the decision to go back finally to MAP01 and take out the rocket launcher for single player, and replace some of the tougher monsters just to make the map carry along quicker. I think it'll be a lot more fun to be able to get through more maps in less time, and that is one of the few things I was hoping to accomplish in this megawad since I mentioned favoring smaller maps, but I also enjoy large adventurous maps so they certainly won't be abandoned.

Edited by valkiriforce

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Is the secret hub map going to be a true free-for-all style or is there going to be some sort of coherent theme? would the teleporters be stylized to the areas or general? and will the player know ahead of time which teleporters will give them which rewards?

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Yeah, that was pretty much the idea I had in mind for the hub map: to let the other mappers choose their own style they'd like to play with, without having the constraint of keeping to what's already been established. I feel that emphasizing the variety in locations helps to make the map what it's supposed to be. I have marked each of the teleporters so the player knows which one will lead where.

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Seems I have a little bit more time to keep working on my maps, so I'm looking foward for any feedback on MAP24 since we are now reaching the time for EP 3 submissions, all maps are so far looking lovely!

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here's another track. it could be used for a long techbase map or something i guess.

 

Acts of Terror (5:08)

 

i'll go over the tracks i submitted when i have time to ensure that they are vanilla compatible. the most recent tracks i've posted, Fallen Empire, Nesting Grounds of The Husk and this one should be vanilla compatible, as well as Parting Souls. i don't know if Death and For The New Lunar Republic will work in the current state they're in, so i'm gonna see if i can edit them to work.

 

 

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Hey guys! New to this forum. I've been playing different WADs for a while now and I always love the ones with great music. I want to compose some tracks for this one, or perhaps in some cases suggest already existing songs (if that's allowed?) that I have MIDI for (cautiously corrected by me).

 

I may compose some stuff that anyone can use, but if someone has a level that they want a specific style or inspirations for I will see what I can do. Melancholic epic strings? Death metal? Spooky stuff? Classic Doom-style music with 12-bar shuffle or melodies that add 3rd and 5th harmonies throughout the song? I'll have a go!

 

Here's an example of what I've composed in the past. It's the menu theme from a Doom inspired game I did music for at school. It's not MIDI, and it's not meant for old-school Doom stuff, but it's just to show that I'm not some guy putting random notes together.

 

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@Seybsnilksz Sure, I'd be really glad to see more MIDI contributions. The sample you posted makes me all the more curious to see what you can do.

 

@Viscra Maelstrom I still have yet to implement some of the other ones that have been posted. Acts of Terror sounds like it would fit nicely on MAP12, and I'll probably use Death on MAP21 since it sounds like it could make for a good introduction to episode 3. I was thinking would it be possible to ask for a remix that blends Slipper with Mummy Rags from Memento Mori? That would sound amazing so long as it keeps that fast-paced action-packed atmosphere, since I have the original Slipper as a placeholder on MAP07. I think you're really good at that based on both your Doom Jockey and Revilution tracks. Otherwise something action-packed in the same vein as Slipper would sound great in general.

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@valkiriforce sure, i'll give it a try. Slipper is one of my favorite Mark Klem tracks (Mummy Rags less so, but a style blend with Slipper could be nice), so i'll see if i can come up with something.

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@DJVCardMaster Ran through Map24 since you asked for some feedback.

Overall a nice map, visually great and succinct for the most part, not many gripes with the map. The current MIDI was also a very good choice. For map24 it wasn't all that challenging but I did die a few times so not a pushover.

Comments:

Spoiler
  • Ammo balance feels off, I was really struggling with ammo for the first third (often ending rooms with 0 spare ammo), but about when I got the blue key Ammo seemed overabundant. generally I feel maps should balance it out so its consistent throughout. I'd suggest generally removing a lot of the shotgun boxes past the blue doors
    • Side note but wanted to address specifically, way to many cells. I kinda have grown to like the idea of keeping cell ammo scarce because of how strong the bfg/plasma guns are, saving them only to take down big baddies, clear rooms, or for tight situations. You may feel differently but once I got the plasma gun I was never low on ammo for it and could mow down everything with it for the second half of the map.
  • The caco trap at sector 169 (after the first church area on the way to the blue key) was very tough on ammo (especially if you didn't grab the ssg like I did). I found the bookcase secret after the fight and that secret for what it was felt a bit too generous or necessary for that fight. I'd recommend making the secret only have 2 rocket boxes and the backpack, and either move the other 2 outside the secret in that little arena, or delete one and put one in there, but personally I think one box of rockets would have made the caco fight better and not "i'm going to cram them all in this dooorway and fire 20 shotguns shells until they all die". not huge but I feel would have made it better.
  • Secrets felt fair and I found all 3. They were not overtly hard to find like some maps make them which is nice. However as stated above, the bookcase secret felt too generous, and the early plasma gun came with way too much ammo as I think I had 300 cells until I found the 2nd one not much later. I would change the 2 large packs into 1-2 small packs so it was enough for the big caco fight just after it.
  • Again combat wasn't too challenging, a lot of it was moving through thin hallways. Sections that were good were the 2 caco traps, and the blue key arena had good trickery and monster placement, and the final cyber fight was fair. Maybe adding a bit more of dynamic monster traps in some of the bookcase segments (like the first maze to the courtyard) could give the player more of a thoughtful challenge (maybe some imps, demons, or revs appear as some of the bookcases open up in the maze).
  • Detail is good overall, but some areas feel a bit bare when compared to other sections (specifically I think the church could use some more murals or a ceiling opening would go a long way, as those are present throughout most the map). Minor nitpick but some of the main library areas are a bit too... brown. I think adding a bit more color would help but its up to you as it really isn't terrible at all, but was noticeably a bit drab to me.

Pictures:

Spoiler

Ended the map with plenty of health and ammo. The megasphere wasn't needed for me so just made me supercharged. You could easily tone down ammo across the board and still have a decent selection. I think managing cells would bring the biggest late game impact, and shotgun shells everywhere past the blue key too.

m24_2.PNG.f2c4be5b6b769059b8d1ccd42e026212.PNG

 

Awfully open and basic compared to the rest of the map, a skylight would go a long way and could be enough, or some metal railing around the ceiling edges

m24_1.PNG.33fc170049d14db7fc8e117e3b7984af.PNG

 

 

Overall: decent, pleasant to look at, not ball-busting. Enjoyable overall but some tweaks could make it better.

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I don't believe I can finish my map in time, recently I had to build a new computer and lost some data I had backed up including all of my Akeldama map progress. This is also not helped by general lack of interest in mapping and Doom at the moment. I am willing to contribute in some other fashion if that is possible.

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Made another small update with some visual adjustments, I swear it's the last one before I get some feedback. The link hasn't changed.

 

Edit: @valkiriforce I played the new version of MAP12 on UV. I like the city scenery, it gives a whole new feel to the map, and the green buildings but I still don't like the map so much. Basic combats in big flat areas and it started to drag too much when you go into the RK room. The cacodemons in the western closet can't teleport into the map, and it was fine like that, I would get rid of them. I would also remove the pinkies that teleport when you go back, or reduce them drastically at least. Maybe you can use the litte garden (sector 197) with few monsters in there and it opens later when you return, so you still have something for the backtracking. The monsters teleporting in the big courtyard is the highlight of the map.

Edited by gaspe

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Played more maps, always on UV

 

@DerFurer'sFace: Loved the visuals and the style of this one, and all the details that build the theme like the trenches, the turrets and the bunker windows. After the green armor it passes a long time after you can collect some armor, I would suggest to put some bonuses at least midway or at the key. It was pretty brutal with lots of close encounter in spaces where you can't move so much, the revs were rather dangerous. Plus you don't have the SSG so you have to rely on the RL for the big firepower. You can pick the RK without trigger the trap. Idk about that cell pack since you still don't have the plasmagun at that point.

 

MAP14 (it tags the wrong user) : What a long and varied adventure. It's very well detailed and there are some cool locations but there is so much stuff and it's plenty of areas that you visit only 1 time that only few places stick out. Even this one has a problem of armor shortage, there's only a blue armor in a secret early on and I think there could at least a green armor midway, maybe the tech area with the archvile could be a good place for that. I would change some shells into rockets in the late stages of the map. At the plasmagun area the monsters above (the arachnotron and the imps) can't do much and killing them is more a waste of time and ammo.

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@gaspe thanks for the review, i'll look into making some small changes, and since I had time I took a look at your map (map15 I assumed).

 

Generally a very good map, and a memorable one. I didn't really find much issue at all with this map. combat was tricky at times but fair, texture was consistently great throughout, ammo balance was good as I ended with only a little extra,  and while I only found 4 or 5 of the 7 secrets, I felt the secret exit was fairly placed and not too hard to find if the player is willing to backtrack.



Pictures:

Spoiler

I did not particularly like this edge, because without mouselook its kinda a leap of faith and a small one at that, idk but I wasn't a huge fan even if minute. Making it a lift I feel would be much better.

M15_1.PNG.c92850291d36a35810f4ac3d9f5d6576.PNG

 

This ledge near the exit by the cyberdemon gave me a lot of trouble, and took several attempts just to cross it (and with punishing floors I ended up reloading saves quite a few times). The clearance is just set so if you just run across you fall down but if you slowly cross at like half speed, and an an angle you just make it. Personally that kind of precision for a non-secret crossing is frustrating. I'd raise that ceiling door part since that is what the player collides with and stops all their momentum. This issue may be a product of playing with always run on versus off but either way sticks out when the rest of the map generally is not doom physics parkour related.

m15_3.PNG.07eb98e43ee79f6da35cb7a78f1e09f4.PNG

 

Very good map, a good map15, and honestly did not have many issues with it.

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Updated Map05 based on Gaspe's feedback, changes include:

  • Added 30 armor bonuses throughout the map
  • Removed 40 shells from the blue key room
  • Added a SSG to the blue key room
  • added 4 rockets to the blue key room
  • adjusted the rocket pillar trap

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Sorry I've been so absent from this thread, I finally put the finishing touches on my map.

 

http://doomshack.org/uploads/dama_m4.wad

 

Difficulty settings are now thoroughly implemented, texturing was made a little less monotonous, exit room is much better on the eyes and more fun to clear out, general monster placement is improved, secrets implemented and working, all bugs squashed as far as I can tell. The only thing I couldn't totally eliminate was the slight HOM in doom2.exe at the southwestern end of the map. No crashes, just a slight HOM, so hopefully it's acceptable!

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Thank you @DerFurer'sFace, I guess I'll definitely do something for that first leap of faith since everybody who played the map complained about it.

For you map I didn't think that the lack of SSG was a bad thing, it's nice to see maps with different weapons progression or that require a different kind of playing without being frustrating.

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