Community project idea: single sector megawad

[Sir Hattington]

I thought of an idea of a 32 level megawad were each level must contain one sector, and only one sector. You can do anything you want, but the map must contain only one sector. I don't know if I should host this project, but somebody else can take up the project. If they do I may even submit my own level to them. But, if this idea was already taken before by another person, I would like to play it, so send me the link.

[RonnieJamesDiner]

Well, there was the 10 Sectors competition which, as far as I know, was a huge success (sadly I have yet to actually play through that (it's on the list!!)). And apparently there was even a 2 Sectors competition. I'm not sure I've heard of a 1 sector community project/competition, though. Regardless, I'm sure there'd be some interest, and more than that, I'm sure this community would produce some ridiculously great content for it.

 

It would certainly be one hell of a challenge, but I say, go for it! 

[Phobus]

You could get pretty far with a GZDoom map with only one sector, using models, floating bridge objects and more to make a 3D playable space that all takes place in one sector. Likewise, with scripting and thing IDs, you could still do teleport traps. Otherwise you're basically asking for non-rectilinear, door-less Wolfenstein maps. I'm pretty sure there used to be, or even still is, a technical limitation against just having one sector in a map, too, which might be a factor.

[Walter confetti]

I'm pretty sure a map with this concept was already made... Also this idea sounds silly but doable... I don't know how many people will join it, but it could be easily done.

[Chainie]

I've tried to make a map for it, but monsters' behaviour became strange, at least in vanilla.
Doom 2, vanilla, map31
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8c1r08w9xjvbqj8/1sectormap31.wad?dl=1

[Super Mighty G]

I feel like getting to the extreme of 1 sector is having the gimmick just for the sake of it. Like Phobus said it's Wolfenstein without doors. No height variation. No monster closets. No lifts. No stairs. No light variation. Theoretically no secrets unless the map itself is tagged.

 

That really doesn't sound fun to me to be honest.

[Pegleg]

Would it be technically possible to do this? Yes. I think there was a slaughtermap that was one big room, so I don't think having one room is a technical hurdle.

 

You could always limit the playable area to 1 sector, which would allow you to have teleport closets so long as your triggers were lines that didn't completely cross the space (so there would still be just 1 sector). At this point, though, you're not really honoring the spirit of 1 sector.

 

But I'd have to agree with Phobus and Super Mighty G, this doesn't sound like the most engaging idea for a set of levels. I suppose you could do something with GZDoom.

 

Now, if you wanted to make a community project where everyone participating made only 1 sector, and you were responsible for putting them together, then you could have something. It might be considered too derivative of Impromptu Minidido, but it's an idea.

[fraggle]

I think great things can come out of creative limits, as past projects like 10 Sectors have shown. However, I don't think this particular one is a great idea.

[Arrowhead]

Massive limitations usually inspire massive creativity, (in my opinion) - this seems a bit too limited for a MegaWAD. I think this is better suited for a very small experimental level pack - maybe just try to get a couple maps out first, I think 32 maps is a nearly impossible undertaking for a resource pool this limited.

 

I'd still play it regardless ...

[Simomarchi]

I'm with @Phobus. You have ACS and the bridge thing. With some scripting and a lot of patience I think you can even make a door. It is going to be an hard work however, you have really nothing to work with and adding detail seems quite impossible.

[Bauul]

If you made it full-blown GZDoom there could be some interesting things you could do.  Polybojects would be an option for example, so you could have things like doors and moving walls as long as they all moved sideways.  Dyn lights could be used for lighting, models for 3D geometry etc.  

 

GZDB supports exporting geometry as a model, so if you really wanted, you could build an entire level, export the whole thing as a model to place in a single giant sector, and then "fill in" the collision using huge numbers of invisible 32x32x32 Things.  There'd be plenty of limitations, but almost as an exercise in utilizing GZDoom features, there could be some cool stuff.

 

It's probably more a challenge in technical know-how than creative work-arounds though.

[yakfak]

zsingle.zip

 

in prboom-plus, complevel 2, complevel 9 or undeclared complevel, the monsters do not believe they are in the same sector as you and will not receive perimeter damage from explosions. you can tell i was actually trying to make a map around this restriction before i noticed

 

maybe gzdoom fudges this so it works? that's outside my interests, though

edit: adding a pointless tiny second sector that has no gameplay effects inside the main sector activates all the monsters though

 

edit 2: have a stupid doom 2 level

zsingle.zip

one sector for game plus one sector for activating the monsters
chaingunner's map has cooler details, play that one too hee

Edited July 30, 2019 by yakfak

[Empyre]

I remember reading a long time ago that you must have at least 2 sectors for a map to even run, but maybe that is a limitation of the original exe.

[ketmar]

at least two SUBsectors, this is for sure, otherwise BSP tree will be invalid. i.e. one-sector map with a single rectangle will crash.