[First Map/WAD] Entering the Impending Chaos [DEMO!]

[Archanhell]

Hello everyone, it's been now maybe around a week or a week and half since I stopped activity on DoomWorld, after learning way more stuff, having a few headaches and even getting eye ache, I'm here, safe and sound.

This is my First Map and someday my First WAD ever, I feel happy as finally, I am able to leave my grain of sand on the DooM Community, even if this is not the 'biggest thing' or 'the most amazing map ever' at all, not even close from Godly-Tier maps, but It's still decent, playable and I fixed a lot of stuff.

 

I don't know how much is left to do, but whatever I need to do or add I may learn it and practice it on Map02.

 

Now, without further adding.

 

>ABOUT THE WAD<

[Thanks to the "New to posting maps? Read this first!" thread, as this is based on that.]

 

This WAD must be played with either ZDooM or GZDooM, preferably (and most possibly) from Version 3.6.0+, as I tested this with GZDooM 3.7.2.0 and apparently works with ZDooM just fine.

 

• Freelook is allowed, and it's important, not because there are flying switches all over the place, but you may need it.
• Jumping and Crouching are required for this WAD, therefore as obvious as it is, it's allowed.
• Tested on Software Rendering, therefore I guess you should go with that.

 

For this WAD you will need the DooM II IWAD so use that and solely that.

Starts from MAP01, in case for some reason you can't start it. (But has not happened to me.)

 

For now, it's a single map but at least 3 maps are planned and I will possibly make up to 5 or 6.

There is one Custom Monster here.

(Please don't play this with hardcore Mods, I haven't tested this and I don't assure anything will go 100% fine with every mod.)

 

• This was played with Vanilla, so please play it without any mod. But if you want to use Beautiful DooM or any visual/slightly-changing Mod, you can try.
• The first map is a mixture between stealth, action and awareness of your surroundings, the rest may differ a lot between stealth and action.
• There are no new Difficulty Settings, however you can try this on Hurt Me Plenty and Ultra Violence is recommended as I tested it solely on this Difficulty.

 

>DOWNLOAD LINK<

 

DEMO: https://www.dropbox.com/s/aift76h86hdbets/Entering the Impending Chaos.zip?dl=0

 

MAP02-MAP03: Coming Soon™

 

FULL: Coming Soon™ (?)

 

= Update History=

 

Spoiler

Version 1 (Demo)

 

• The first level is released, with some level design errors and texture misalignments
• Fixed some bugs before the release such as missing main menu picture and not being able to play the game (Unknown reasons.)

 

Version 2 (MAP02 - MAP03)

[As of 01/08/2019, Version 2 is still on the works. However it has very good progress 40-60% is done of MAP03.]

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2019 by Archanhell : Added Update History

[elend]

Looking good so far! Well done, I will try to download this later and try it out and give constructive criticism.

[Archanhell]

1 hour ago, elend said:

Looking good so far! Well done, I will try to download this later and try it out and give constructive criticism.

 

Sure thing! Thank you!

[xvertigox]

I appreciate what you're trying to do and in some places it works and other places it doesn't. I dig the techbase feeling and some areas have solid detailing going on. The transition from techbase to hell was the high point for sure.

 

Here's a quick list of issues (don't mean it to sound overly critical, just cbf typing up heaps):
 

Spoiler

- Dogs have way too much health, they shouldn't survive a point blank SSG shot

 

- Door speeds vary for seemingly no reason, some are very slow

 

- Door size varies (if I recall correctly) and some doors are very thick

 

- Lots of square rooms

 

- Oh, that chaingun trap at the end. What's the point, you just die. You might get lucky with RNG but it's bullshit.

 

- No point to outdoor area? Just the killing trap at end (couldn't find end of map before I died)

 

- Stretched textures, notably marble faces

 

- Fights are too easy, big fights can be door camped, not much variety in combat

 

- Too much health and ammo

 

- Stealth monsters are dumb

 

- The fights where monsters don't activate until you cross a certain line but are facing you are weird, not sure what's going on there

 

- Liquid texture where waterfall should be

 

 

The map has potential but needs quite a bit of work tbh. Here's my playthrough:

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Archanhell]

20 minutes ago, xvertigox said:

I appreciate what you're trying to do and in some places it works and other places it doesn't. I dig the techbase feeling and some areas have solid detailing going on. The transition from techbase to hell was the high point for sure.

 

Here's a quick list of issues (don't mean it to sound overly critical, just cbf typing up heaps):
 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

- Dogs have way too much health, they shouldn't survive a point blank SSG shot

 

- Door speeds vary for seemingly no reason, some are very slow

 

- Door size varies (if I recall correctly) and some doors are very thick

 

- Lots of square rooms

 

- Oh, that chaingun trap at the end. What's the point, you just die. You might get lucky with RNG but it's bullshit.

 

- No point to outdoor area? Just the killing trap at end (couldn't find end of map before I died)

 

- Stretched textures, notably marble faces

 

- Fights are too easy, big fights can be door camped, not much variety in combat

 

- Too much health and ammo

 

- Stealth monsters are dumb

 

- The fights where monsters don't activate until you cross a certain line but are facing you are weird, not sure what's going on there

 

- Liquid texture where waterfall should be

 

 

The map has potential but needs quite a bit of work tbh. Here's my playthrough:

 

  Hide contents

 

 

 

Thank you very much for your opinion, man!

And thanks for the criticism too, I understand I did many things wrong here and there, I won't say the excuse of this being my first map, but more like I want to say I just need to practice over and over, other reason why I'm making this WAD.

 

I'll answer to every one of the criticism points, not to justify anything but just to do soooome explanation maybe?

 

Spoiler

- Dogs shouldn't have that much health, I put them 250 Health, so it's 450 less from the original amount, but I should have decreased it more, hah.

 

- The only slow first door iirc is both the first door to the right and the blue keycard door.

If you noticed, there are different textures for every door, their speed varies depending on the texture.

Green ones are faster, brown ones are either switches, slow-mid speed or the door that describes something bad will happen (As shown on the first big battle.)

 

- There is no door size variety afaik, though I know there are a few thick doors, specially on the early part before I discovered I could make better doors, lol!

 

- I won't say nothing, sorry for the square rooms, I just didn't want to add random-shaped rooms on a base but I think Hell needed more variety.

 

- Lack of scripting and knowledge here, well, more than scripting the values for the damage delay didn't work at all here so I had to make Chaingunners kill you.

 

- Nope, the outdoor area is just the last zone before the map ends, didn't want to extend the map or add filler there, sorry!

 

- Yeah, there are a lot of stretched textures here, I won't deny that, I have a problem with aligning textures so I have to use the auto-way, so while I learn to do that or stop being lazy, sorry for that ugliness on the stretched weirdness.

 

- I'll try to change that as I learn and know better stuff, for now I just want you to know Map02 will be way "easier" on the sense it will be too different, so please bear that for now heh.

 

- Again, you are right, there is too much health and ammo here and there, the first area was scarce and later there was too much ammo, specially on Hell.

I think I felt this a bit unfair, not for experienced players but for new players, but It's rude and I just understimate that, so I have to try and fix that mistake, heh.

 

- I though the Pinkies on the First Room were normal Spectres, and I don't know where else I added them, I was sure I changed them all, ops.

 

- Nothing to say here, but If it's weird I may try something else unless I don't have other way to do it.

 

- I don't know whatcha talkin' 'bout so Imma check the video again.

 

Overall, thank you for your criticism! Please bear with my noobie mistakes I do, I have to do trial and error until I can get a hold of this correctly!

 

 

 

And I'm glad you liked Hell, that was my biggest surprise for everyone out there!

[xvertigox]

Don't apologize for anything, man. You're making doom content and that's fucking sick, I love seeing what people make and this is what keeps Doom alive. You've got a good idea of what to do already, things like not having inescapable pits etc.

 

For stretched textures what you can do is break the linedef up with a vertex on either side then center the face in the middle and use other marble textures for either side. Autoalign works mint for the most part, a useful tip is that the textures will align based on which linedef you have highlighted. You can use this to align one texture how you'd like, keep that wall selected then press A and the others will match to suit. Being aware of the size of various textures is also important, 64, 128, 192 etc.

 

These are the stealth imps I was referring to.

 

If you go to 10:39 in the video you can see the baron, pinkies etc on the upper level at the back just standing there in plain view, I then have to run over a linedef to wake them up.

 

What's the idea with the chaingunner/death room at the end, that's supposed to be the end of the map right? If so you can make that the end of the map similar to E1M8.

 

Have a peep at this wad if you want some more info on level design.

[Archanhell]

23 minutes ago, xvertigox said:

Don't apologize for anything, man. You're making doom content and that's fucking sick, I love seeing what people make and this is what keeps Doom alive. You've got a good idea of what to do already, things like not having inescapable pits etc.

 

For stretched textures what you can do is break the linedef up with a vertex on either side then center the face in the middle and use other marble textures for either side. Autoalign works mint for the most part, a useful tip is that the textures will align based on which linedef you have highlighted. You can use this to align one texture how you'd like, keep that wall selected then press A and the others will match to suit. Being aware of the size of various textures is also important, 64, 128, 192 etc.

 

These are the stealth imps I was referring to.

 

If you go to 10:39 in the video you can see the baron, pinkies etc on the upper level at the back just standing there in plain view, I then have to run over a linedef to wake them up.

 

What's the idea with the chaingunner/death room at the end, that's supposed to be the end of the map right? If so you can make that the end of the map similar to E1M8.

 

Have a peep at this wad if you want some more info on level design.

 

Yeah, inescapable pits would be just too evil and mean, as it would then require players to load or use cheats, I hate when that happens. (not the use cheats thing, I use them sometimes haha)

 

I haven't done that ever, I should give it a attempt whenever I can and if I (hopefully) remember to do it, if not I'll be sure to check the post again.

I use Ctrl+A for the Autoalign, unless just "A" does something else? In that case I didn't know, and regarding the texture sizes... Yeah, I've been a witness of that, sometimes doing 64x64 squares and then adding a 64x sector makes it look wrong anyways tho, heh.

 

I don't know remember those Stealth Imps, if you played on Nightmare then I guess I added them someday and I just forgot to remove them.

 

And yeah, the barons and pinkies are supposed to be the boss there, throwing all of them at the same time would be just... Wrong for my code of honor (?) so I decided to do different linedefs, though it really looks weird they don't do anything even tho they look at you directly, I think it's a good way for the player to prepare and plan a strategy regarding how to overcome the situation in front of them. It's something important instead of just rushing to the enemy and dying on the attempt.

 

The Chaingunner Trap is the end, yeah.

I wanted to do something like E1M8 but making it teleport you to somewhere else didn't make sense for what MAP02's beginning is, that's the only way I made it like that... And I failed bad on that, hah.

 

Regarding the WAD, I'll check it out once I can and have time, this is possibly the last day I can hurt my eyes 100% more work on my WAD consistently so, yeah.

Thank you, again!

 

EDIT: I really need to sleep, today was a tiring day and finally could watch Endgame, so I'll answer anything else tomorrow if I can.

 

[I_Punch_Demons]

Really enjoyed this wad honestly. A solid 7 if there was anything more solid. I really liked the jump between dimensions (or states of sanity). It gave me a F.E.A.R. vibe. I also liked the enemies coming off in sections rather than just being able to cheese rooms with door strats (Opening and closing the door to instill infighting. Also teleporting enemies behind me in the Baron room...yeah...you knew about door strats, you had to of. That's why you blocked the route right? Or, did you just want to keep the player in the thick of it? The only things I would score you off of would be the fact there is no end game screen or one I could find. Also, being able to escape the chaingunner room is what lead me to believe that it was not the exit and I ended up walking around for almost 20 minutes until I realized I had beaten the level. I know I missed a few things like the demented welcome desk room, but that was my first playthrough. My saving crashed so I had to re-record. Keep it up! 

Also, this is my first experience with a video editor, so the beginning and the end might be a little janky. 
https://youtu.be/AYA3Lje2cJ8
 

 

[Archanhell]

1 hour ago, Odorousbag87 said:

Really enjoyed this wad honestly. A solid 7 if there was anything more solid. I really liked the jump between dimensions (or states of sanity). It gave me a F.E.A.R. vibe. I also liked the enemies coming off in sections rather than just being able to cheese rooms with door strats (Opening and closing the door to instill infighting. Also teleporting enemies behind me in the Baron room...yeah...you knew about door strats, you had to of. That's why you blocked the route right? Or, did you just want to keep the player in the thick of it? The only things I would score you off of would be the fact there is no end game screen or one I could find. Also, being able to escape the chaingunner room is what lead me to believe that it was not the exit and I ended up walking around for almost 20 minutes until I realized I had beaten the level. I know I missed a few things like the demented welcome desk room, but that was my first playthrough. My saving crashed so I had to re-record. Keep it up! 

Also, this is my first experience with a video editor, so the beginning and the end might be a little janky. 
https://youtu.be/AYA3Lje2cJ8
 

 

 

Thank you very much man!
Yeah I'm not repeating that kind of trap-exit again, at least next time I do it it will be... "better".
There's no end-game screen, yet, this is not finished and there's still more to come someday, maybe a month or even more than that depending on how many maps and how long each level is. I have planned stuff that I'm sure at least will be enjoyable or playable, this seems like an experimental WAD as I'm just... Practicing over and over, using different stuff I can but not trying to overdetail the maps or anything.

 

Actually, the jump between Dimensions, for me it's not only the best part of there, but also I consider it a state of insanity too.

It's like if the Marine itself, compared to Doomguy, is not "used" to this kind of scenarios, and he looks everything from that part on as "hell itself", but that's just my way to see it, and that's why it looks like that, haha!

 

I'll watch your video, again, thank you very much!

[I_Punch_Demons]

I see so there is somewhat a psychological element. You could be really messed up when you get better and make NPCs so the player questions if they are hulicinating really or traveling between dimensions. 

 

Also, please use a different sound for the dogs. The high pitch makes them sound like puppies. It was kind of uncomfortable. But this is just a preference thing and no hearing on what I thought of the was overall 

[Archanhell]

24 minutes ago, Odorousbag87 said:

I see so there is somewhat a psychological element. You could be really messed up when you get better and make NPCs so the player questions if they are hulicinating really or traveling between dimensions. 

 

Also, please use a different sound for the dogs. The high pitch makes them sound like puppies. It was kind of uncomfortable. But this is just a preference thing and no hearing on what I thought of the was overall.

 

Maybe, but I have to see how to do that.

 

About the Dogs, I know nothing about DECORATE so I really can't change their pitches or sounds, at least for now, unfortunately.

[Suitepee]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/424889104

 

I playtest this at 13 and a half minutes (13:30) in this livestream.

[Archanhell]

On 5/14/2019 at 4:16 PM, Suitepee said:

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/424889104

 

I playtest this at 13 and a half minutes (13:30) in this livestream.

 

Thank you very much, gentleman!

[Archanhell]

Hello everyone, if you have played this WAD before let me tell you that this is not still dead.

Yes, I have left without any update this thread for about three months, me saying this should not be okay, but I want to tell that the progress is going very good so far.

Map02 and Map01 are both 'polished' so far as much as I could with my skills and knowledge to this day, while Map03 is still on the works, I could say it's about 40% to 60% done, with a few important areas done but still much work left to do.

 

Right now I have been busy with other stuff such as.. well, games or testing various other Mods, therefore limiting my time to work on this. (Thanks, Skyrim)

However, today my mouse started to fall and using it is way "harder" than other times, so I'll wait to see if I can fix this so I can do this without any error and to the best of my skills.

 

If you want to see the current progress, you can take a look at the "what are you working at? I wanna see your wads" thread, in case you haven't yet.

I would give some screenies here, but until I publish the actual thing, I fear I can't.

So, in case you haven't played this yet, be free to give it out a look, if you however really want to see the rest, please message me and I will try to give at least the lastest version I got on my PC, though It's not up to date with my current work, actually It's kind of old because it was meant just to show Map02 and Map01.

If I have to share some screenshots here so this doesn't count as necroposting or anything, I'll be glad to, sorry four the double-posting by the way, really had to say this because it would be kinda bad if this project just was considered "dead" haha.

 

Without (maybe) anything else to say, thank you for your comprehension, you may now still scroll down through the rest of threads and Mods, maybe?

 

P.D: I wanted to give out some kind of "aesthetic sneakpeek" but I don't have the time to do so right now haha, for now enjoy a simple warning:

 

Map01 may have been easy, but I want to make this progressively much harder, so maybe there will be a small (or big) difficulty spike from MAP01 to MAP03, because this is considered to be 6-Maps long for my first project I hope it's okay, thanks to me learning various things from months ago to now I have been able to use much more complex things to deliver a better experience, took the advice from you all to make Map01 much better than the first version, so I hope you like it (Be it if you message me, or when I post it.)

 

Arrividerci for now!

 

 

[Archanhell]

I am very sorry to bump this topic, It will be the last time and this time for real.

I am really devastated to inform that Entering the Impending Chaos will (highly probably) be cancelled.

This is a very strong thing from me, I do not tend to cancel or scrape the Projects I work on, but this was not entirely on my side and I can't go back on time.

My HDD was damaged days ago, and while I could recover both documents and Images hopefully, I could not recover anything else, my games, DooM stuff and GZDDBF were all gone, years of DooM games and months of work.. All gone for real.

 

This made me very sad, and stopped motivating me to learn pretty Mich anything related to this modding community, as I had many ideas on my head that I can't now accomplish, because yes, I could remake everything, but there were things I thrived all of you to see, play and probably enjoy..

 

A Journey through the different worlds of DooM, Hell, the Void of Azathoth and the last world.. Which was going to be an attempt to do an awesome and story-driven boss battle, just to end it on a badass way.

There was also going to be epic boss fights against other enemies, one of them being one person anyone would not want to fight.

 

Uh.. Honestly, while I will not remake this at all.. I may at least work on a 3-maps thing someday to make the last maps where you get almost all weapons, a 1-map thing where you do the final boss, a quick 1-map thing or I do not know.

 

However..

I was planning to do one big project on the future, which once my PC is finally fixed I may be able to do.

But I can't do this alone, and I would love to know if someone wants to help me on this, make a team and enjoy working on this.

While I know I am "new" on this, I am creative, full of ideas, and sure I can do a lot of stuff mapping-wise.

 

I just would like to know if someone wants to help code, someone else to do stuff such as music, one assist me in Mapping, and more people could join to assist or help on other stuff I forgot.

If you read it to here, thank you.

This is very important to me, and though I am really sad.. I thrive to work, no, enjoy modding with more people.

I commited the mistake of trying to do a 6-maps thing alone, but now.. I understand I could need a team for this, to enjoy everything DooM has to offer, while learning on the path.

 

Goodbye.

[Rince-wind]

A real shame to hear this, hopefully you won't be so unlucky next time.

Usually it is indeed better if you're a beginner to stick to smaller projects.

 

Best of luck!

[Archanhell]

32 minutes ago, Rince-wind said:

A real shame to hear this, hopefully you won't be so unlucky next time.

Usually it is indeed better if you're a beginner to stick to smaller projects.

 

Best of luck!

 

Thank you very much, I am indeed aware of this though due to my problems with ideas and creativity I can't stick with small stuff and always go higher and higher.

That is how I ended up with an entire original multiverse, so.. Yeah, but I hope that next Project is not that hard.. Uh, maybe.