*2020 HAKAWARDS* I'm Also Looking to Play and Record Your Maps 2 *CLOSED*

[HAK3180]

Table of Contents

 

@Walter confetti

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

This map is certainly not revolutionary in appearance, but it’s distinguishable due to a large area that plays a prominent role in the level. The highlight here was the beginning where you have space outside but supplies inside – a crafty – dare I say vulpine – use of supply management. Then you had a couple more areas and you were back in that signature large room for one more wave. I thought the exit area was a little much, since it was now the third cacoswarm. The map was already long enough and challenging enough. One final tough moment – sure, but does it have to be the same thing again? Capellan tends to be tight on supplies. I didn’t much mind it here, but it definitely creates an environment and a level of difficulty that is quite unlike M1.

 

Bottom line: A lot harder than M1, but distinct and fun

[Aku]

thanks for playing my map, sorry for the late reply, il definetly try to start being more generous with the ammo.
i been working on more maps and fixing a lot of problems you noticed yourself in your playthrouhgh. 

[HAK3180]

@damned

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

This map had a couple similarities to the previous: a hot start (though not nearly as brutal) and an iso cyberdemon fight that I didn’t love. This map is beautiful. I love the aesthetic and also the overall progression that makes so much sense except perhaps in one spot. Most of the combat is fun, good difficulty, good supply balance, but there were a few things I didn’t love, such as some symmetric enemy placements and a bunch of demons coming single file down a narrow walkway. For all I appeared to be criticizing in the video, this map was great.

 

Bottom line: Perhaps the best-looking map with a few gameplay moments that drag it down ever so slightly

[HAK3180]

@Roofi

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

Bottom line: A quick little “don’t waste your ammo” gimmick

[baja blast rd.]

3-hour speedmap, Boom format. UV is tough but not in the infamous ways. I'd recommend the software renderer.

 

sm0x.zip

 

 

 

 

[HAK3180]

@Roofi

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

Bottom line: Close quarters combat with the combat shotgun and/or berserk

[HAK3180]

@Roofi

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

 

 

Bottom line: back to fun, distinct gimmickry

[Roofi]

Thanks for playing my wad again. :)

 

Indeed , Episode 3 are dedicated for the worst maps. However the very last maps to get better I think.

[HAK3180]

@R2card

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

You end up more interested in the progression itself than in the gameplay, and that’s not really a good thing in a non-puzzle map. The space is so big and, for the most part, lacking in connection, that you keep trying to figure out what you’re striving for. Even with the exit door and all the keyed doors, a more connected layout would feel most welcome. The space is also too vast to prevent Doomguy from imposing his will, which is probably going to be just to keep running. Most of the combat is either door combat or large waves of meat in huge spaces. I think the main issue is simply trying to go too big.

 

Bottom line: This wad has become characterized by simplistic layouts and monster schemes

[R2card]

@HAK3180 I'm really pleased with the feedback you've given so far on the most recent 3 maps, I did make these maps in order, and I guess I got a bit sloppy with the maps here. Most of my time in the maps went into the few few and the last few, but I'm going through now making changes accordingly. A lot of the points you've made didn't really come to mind beforehand mostly due to my bias.

 

Thank you!

[Aurelius]

Dunno if you got around to this already back when it came out, but I always love seeing more playthroughs. I've very much liked the videos you do, so I'd be happy to see one for Remnant.

 If you have played it already, then no need to go at it again (since it's somewhat lengthy), but I'll definitely watch it if you do.

 

Eternity has pretty good performance so I'd suggest using that.

Edited November 21, 2019 by Aurelius : Added a source port suggestion.

[HAK3180]

@Aku (I somehow only got to the first two of these earlier this month. Second time I've done that recently...)

 

 

 

 

 

download the .wad

 

Map 03 has too many doors, too many unmarked locked doors (as in more than zero), and too little ammo. If you don’t get any secrets, you get chainsaw, shotgun, chaingun for numerous cacodemons, barons, hell knights, and arch-viles. Maybe I should just git gud, but I’d rather die thirty times in a slaughter map with a BFG in my hands than three times trying to chaingun two barons in a 64-wide hall.

 

In Map 04 I again see weaponry management as a potential problem, since most of them are in one area, but even with just a chaingun you’ll be mostly okay. I like the basic idea here, even though it is quite similar to Map 01. I also like the suits all being in one place that’s not all that easy to access.

 

Map 05 has too much ammo - go figure. Bullets and shells – okay, but with the number of rockets you’re given, you don’t have to worry about the revenants or arch-viles at all. In general, this map has been the most conventional. In some areas that’s welcome, but it does somewhat make you miss the character of Maps 01, 02, and 04 especially.

 

Map 06 is blue. It’s surprisingly navigable for being completely monochromatic and pretty well uniform in scale. It’s got a cool progression device. And there are lots of cells. But maybe not quite enough ammo overall and the plasma gun comes definitively too late.

 

Map 07 becomes a quest to kill the spiders – not a bad design with the double hubs, but it does get excessively tight. That  kind of combat can be interesting, but the map doesn’t really offer any other type.

 

Bottom line: aku has some good ideas; we will see better execution as mapping growth happens

[HAK3180]

@damned

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

I like the cavernous vibe in this map even though the appearance is just a little bit too bare. Simultaneously, I both like the low monster count in a bigger area and find the combination of it with lots of space and scarce ammo to be somewhat problematic. It seems to lessen the urgency significantly. You don’t have to kill the monsters right away or ever at all. And you feel like that’s perfectly okay because you’re not given many supplies anyway.

 

Bottom line: a little bit bland, a little bit skippable

[HAK3180]

@rdwpa

 

download the .zip

 

While I was playing this, I forgot it was a 3-hour speedmap and never mentioned it. You don’t really notice that fact. There are a few spots where there’s not a lot of texture variation, but good lighting prevents that from having a negative impact. I think it’s actually a pretty attractive map, especially without any bells or whistles (just Boom and stock textures). The map is basically five distinct areas, but they’re really not so distinct. Right from the start, you can see almost the whole map and there are always opportunities to have combat mingle across the sections. Combat is all fun and well thought out. The map itself tends to come alive and have serious implications for strategy, which is ideal. If I had to guess what was somewhat rushed, I would say the yellow key trap and the final “room,” though I’d also say the latter has some elements going for it that make it more than what its first impression is, which is a pretty basic mini slaughter section.

 

Bottom line: a quality map that should appeal to most

[HAK3180]

@Roofi

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

Visually, this is one of those maps that you think possibly could be vanilla, but only when you stop to think about it, because it certainly doesn’t feel underdetailed, but the appearance is made more by shading and geometric touches. The gameplay definitely reminds me of Doom 2 with a few temporary forks and brief exploration opportunities but a linear experience overall, as well as the way the map opens walls up and things. Combat is good here. It’s not overwhelming and there aren’t a lot of meaty monsters, but the layout forces you to be careful and mindful of where monsters might be coming from.

 

Bottom line: it feels a lot like Doom 2

[HAK3180]

@R2card

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

This map is way too big. Not only does it look weird with standard Doom textures, but any sense of danger is nullified by the vast openness. That could be counteracted to some extent with some select hitscanners, revenants, arch-viles, and maybe even a cyberdemon, but it would still take a much more interesting landscape to keep from being cheap. Either way, the playable area is just too big. Still, I managed to get some enjoyment out of this. It has a sense of adventurous progress that I can’t help appreciating.

 

Bottom line: More enjoyable than good

[Soulless]

Hi there, just finished my 1st decent map. It would be great some testing, to know if everything works as intended.

Thanks in advance.

 

Map position: MAP03
Map name: UAC Waste Complex

Tested in GZDoom

Difficulty intended to be played on UV
Freelook: Optional
Jumping/crouching: Off
Iwad used: Doom II

 

https://imgur.com/a/gxDHMxy

 

https://mega.nz/file/815BmDoA#XNfd5s33yBf3MWewVvn8gkEMEupjir_xQMA44Vx_uoo

Edited September 25, 2021 by Soulless

[Dubbag]

could you check out this one?

theyslay.zip

[HAK3180]

I won't be doing much recording during Thanksgiving week, but I'll be back before December hits. Deadly Standards 2 M3-4 will be up soon, as well as Remnant, and hopefully I'll get to Soulless's map early next week.

 

Looking forward to finishing Short Maps, Czechbox, Infestation, and whatever else you throw at me after the holiday. 

[damned]

On 11/20/2019 at 8:40 PM, HAK3180 said:

Bottom line: Perhaps the best-looking map with a few gameplay moments that drag it down ever so slightly

It is pretty accurate. This map originally started as some testing/refreshing of editing/detailing skills. Then it has been build up to map, which I decided to split to two (map11 and map20).
I dont know why the revenents on the bridge near the end are stucked right after the teleporting. In some ports it works well, but in PrBoom those on the left side are mostly (not always) stucked and those on right side are fine, even they both are teleported to the same, just mirrored sectors. :)

[HAK3180]

@Walter confetti

 

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

This one was a little weird. The map seemed to set you up to make false predictions but not in clever ways as to give the monsters the upper hand. Basically, the progression was confusing even though I was never really lost. It is a good looking map, but it’s a bit too lenient in terms of how much space and how many cells you’re given. What appears to be the signature fight of the map gives you almost unlimited shells to pick off the fliers before dropping down to clean up the rest who are no longer a threat. I definitely thought the combat at the beginning was the best.

 

Bottom line: The oddities of this map don’t seem to pay off.

[HAK3180]

@Walter confetti (are you also known as Daimon? Was Daimon at one time going to take M4?)

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

What a layout. This thing is definitely reminiscent of a sprawling Doom 1 quasi-maze. There are optional areas, crosspaths, and lots of exploration. It gets confusinig at times, but only just so. It seems you’re always slightly nudged in the right direction. I thought the map could have ended just before it did, and I also prefer to see the exit a little bit sooner than you do here, but I think the more you play this, the more you’d like it.

 

Bottom line: I think you will appreciate this beast by the time you’re done with it

[Walter confetti]

On 11/22/2019 at 11:55 PM, HAK3180 said:

are you also known as Daimon?

Yes, even way before the confetti monicker... Is my official nickname lol

 

Anyway I'm fixing out the maps in the deadly standards 2 episode from the little problems you found out during your play...

 

 

Edited November 25, 2019 by Walter confetti

[The_SloVinator]

Name: Oculus Malus

Source port: Crispy Doom & other advanced ports

IWAD: Ultimate Doom

Map: E3M1

Difficulty settings: Yes

No jumping or crouching, obviously.

 

om_v2.zip

 

[HAK3180]

@Aurelius

 

Doomworld forum topic

 

What a level. It’s a beautiful map of Otextures, which, honestly, I haven’t gotten totally on board with because they tend to make Doom look less Doomy in my opinion. But still. Aurelius created a great environment with lots of rich detail in both the natural landscapes and the interior buildings. The combat itself was mostly a positive experience for me. I don’t like how spammy it gets at the end, and generally I don’t like custom monsters, especially bosses. I also thought a lot of the not-quite-setpiece fights were implemented somewhat cheaply. Monsters would just teleport in at unmarked places. They didn’t all come at once. They came gradually, so even if it felt like you knew what you were doing in a fight or had control or that it was almost done, an arch-vile was liable to appear and wreck your run without you even seeing him. I did rather enjoy those fights, but it seems there are more organic ways to get things rolling. All those issues aside, the gameplay was quite good throughout, combat included. I liked how there was an obvious gradual incline in difficulty, as well as distinct variety in the encounters, from fully incidental to extremely choreographed setpiece. I think the highlight of this map is how it unfolds. It’s always possible to get confused or lost in a really big map, but this one marks the progression very well and always shows you what a switch does. Your critical path is not hard to realize, but there’s also exploration to do, all as you take in the glorious sights.

 

Bottom line: Seems like a solid showcase of Otex, and it’s also a map that should keep your attention for 60-90 minutes.

 

[Aurelius]

@HAK3180 Thanks a lot for the indepth review and entertaining playthrough! I'm glad to hear praise, but what I like even more is the criticism, because that helps me develop. I can understand all the issues you raised about the setting up the fights, and it's definitely something I will pay more attention to in the future. I have put some hours into more technical WADs released over the years, and I'm getting a good understanding of what kind of monster mechanics can be utilised and how.

The custom monsters served were added both for the surprise element (I like to mess around with that "Doom muscle memory" a bit) and as an experiment on custom monster design using DeHacked, which at the time was completely new to me. And like you noticed, I wasn't very keen on holding back supplies, which I know a lot of maps do to force the player to conserve ammo. I wanted it to be all out guns blazing kind of fun, even with the more difficult fights (because that's how I've always enjoyed my Doom). 

In the future I'll have a bit more variety on fights, and maybe more of that supply attrition type as well. Thanks for playing!

[RonnieJamesDiner]

Hey Hak, it's been a while. Just thought I'd pop in and drop a link to the updated version of my mapset Bloodicide. It's running with the Supercharge gameplay mod, which may or may not be up your alley, but if you get the time to play through these maps I'd love a chance to watch some demos of them. Cheers!

 

 

[HAK3180]

6 hours ago, RonnieJamesDiner said:

[Bloodicide]

 

I can tell you right now that Supercharge is not something I have any interest in, but I will play at least one map.

[Dubbag]

Could you check this one out for me?

theyslay.zip

[RonnieJamesDiner]

2 hours ago, HAK3180 said:

 

I can tell you right now that Supercharge is not something I have any interest in, but I will play at least one map.

 

Ah, no worries! It's definitely a departure from vanilla gameplay in many respects, but I found that it's not as far removed as it might appear. Reloading was really the biggest thing to get used to, though it never really struck me as a hassle. Hopefully you enjoy it if you decide to check it out, but either way it's all good.