Purgatory - my first wad

[jariditumim]

Title: Purgatory.wad  
Map Format: Doom 2
Ports Tested: GZDoom
IWAD: Doom 2
Map: MAP01
Gameplay: Single play
Difficulty Settings: Yes
Multiplayer Placement: No 
Requirements: None
Build Time: c. 2 months
Story: You found yourself in hell and you'll have to descent into its depths if you want to get out.  

 

It's my first map. It's linear map but it was part of design from the beginning. Difficulty is somewhere between Plutonia and Hell Revealed. It takes me c. 40 minutes to beat the map. 

Please report any errors and problems you encounter and enjoy! 

Purgatory.zip

[DynamiteKaitorn]

A few things I need to mention right away. For one, this map is NEEDLESSLY cruel. Like seriously, 1 super shotty, a few shells and an ARCHVILE, TWO HELL KNIGHTS AND A MANCUBUS. Great way to start there bub! On top of that, you can very easily trigger the opening to the next section of the map. (With the exception of the beginning which needs you to wait 30 seconds for some reason).

 

My next complaint is how the map flows. It's "Arena"-"Door"-"Arena" with almost no break up. Fairly monotonous and quite slow.

 

Thirdly, since this is your first map, whilst first impression is a good idea, maybe not make a map so enormous whilst you start? I took one quick look at the MAP01 index in SLAD3 and noticed how large it was. Maybe tone down the excess first?

 

Fourthly, the ending of the map gets rather confusing with spontaneous floor triggers doing things that's not overly clear at first glace, switches hiding switches hiding switches hiding Archviles, an IOS boss that doesn't function and to top it all off, one of the lifts is missing a texture.

 

Honestly, this map really does seem like you have potential but went about it in a lot of wrong ways.

 

3/10

[baja blast rd.]

Played part of this. Imo, the difficulty is fine, and nothing is inherently wrong with an arena-centric structure. 

 

The issue is that most of this consists of exceedingly basic fights in (usually) basic arenas. 

 

The start is fine. Small fights with one monster species, sometimes two, and not a great deal of nuance, can work as an appetizer -- that approach is sometimes seen in good stuff. But this pattern persists in the meatier, more substantial fights. After the cybers, we still are getting baron trios, a block of cacodemons, two spider masterminds next to one another, etc. with no real underlying strategy or tactical depth behind it. Some of these areas are designed so that you can speedrun them and stir multiple 'fights' together into something that plays more interestingly. Most aren't.

 

My suggestion would be to look into slaughter or challenge-oriented mapsets such as Sunlust, CS2, Stardate 20x6 and Stardate 20x7, Toilet of the Gods, Cryogenics, etc. Those sets will show you how to do the arena-centric, minimal-species thing really well. 

Edited August 29, 2019 by rdwpa

[Nine Inch Heels]

Gave it a look as well. Map is a mixed bag for me personally.

 

Quite a few of those fights lack bite and depth. The gameplay resembles more of a basic gear check type of encounter design to me personally. It's fine for a couple minutes, but eventually I felt like I've had my basics checked enough, and wanted something bigger. Having said that, It certainly wasn't an entirely boring map to play, but it also wasn't the most entertaining ride I've had in recent past. The simplicity of the room's layouts as well as the thingplacement just shows, unfortunately. Grinding down 2 cybers with a SSG while running around in a large circle for virtually all the time was a distinct low for me, I have to say.

 

As for navigating the map, I've had some trouble. There is virtually nothing that shows which textures can be interacted with or not, the textures you have been using as switches, such as the MARBFACE are inconsistently used, for that matter. Until I figured out that the room with the megasphere and the cacos had switches in them, I had no idea how to progress at all, and unfortunately I checked the marbface textures last, of all things. The fight that followed was worth it, and it was one of the most fun moments in the map for me personally, but I would have preferred to know what to interact with straight away, is all I'm saying.

 

I'd definitely like to see some more maps from you in the future, where you "pop the lid off" a bit more in terms of fights and room layouts. Visually I thought the map wasn't bad, I would have liked a bit more contrast with lighting in places, though.

 

 

Now that we've been on topic for long enough, there is something more I would like to adress, and it's shit like this:
 

Spoiler

 

5 hours ago, DynamiteKaitorn said:

A few things I need to mention right away. For one, this map is NEEDLESSLY cruel. Like seriously, 1 super shotty, a few shells and an ARCHVILE, TWO HELL KNIGHTS AND A MANCUBUS. Great way to start there bub!

 

Thirdly, since this is your first map, whilst first impression is a good idea, maybe not make a map so enormous whilst you start? I took one quick look at the MAP01 index in SLAD3 and noticed how large it was.

 

Honestly, this map really does seem like you have potential but went about it in a lot of wrong ways.

I've highlighted the most egregious parts, and cut a bit of the fluff. So let's get it rolling:

 

First, mappers can make their stuff as "difficult" as they want, and it doesn't matter if it's their first map, or their 100th map. If your rectum gets scorched by maps regularly, I suggest you quit playing on UV entirely, full stop. And while you're at it, you might as well also stop crying over how a map was too hard for your liking whilst trying to present your POV as if it had any objective merits whatsoever. You don't like this map's difficulty? Fine, say so, but stop trying to pass your shit off as if you were the only denominator that mattered and needed to be catered to when mappers balance their maps.

 

Second, this map is anything but enomous, and there is no objectively correct size a "my first map" should have.

 

And number 3, when looking at the things you criticize about this map, it's pretty hilarious that you present your opinion piece as something that has any objective merits whatsoever yet another time. The mapper went about their map in ways you don't like, that doesn't make the mapper's ideas bad or wrong. It just means the map isn't for you, so stop trying to come across as if everything that isn't for you is "wrong", because it ain't.

 

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Nine Inch Heels

[DynamiteKaitorn]

6 hours ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

First, mappers can make their stuff as "difficult" as they want, and it doesn't matter if it's their first map, or their 100th map. If your rectum gets scorched by maps regularly, I suggest you quit playing on UV entirely, full stop. And while you're at it, you might as well also stop crying over how a map was too hard for your liking whilst trying to present your POV as if it had any objective merits whatsoever. You don't like this map's difficulty? Fine, say so, but stop trying to pass your shit off as if you were the only denominator that mattered and needed to be catered to when mappers balance their maps.

 

I don't really enjoy the UV difficulty. I typically play on HMP for most things in DooM. Also, whilst yeah I hate hard maps I do make exceptions. Go2It from Plutonia for one thing comes to mind. Harsh map layout but gosh darn is it fun. Usually my problem comes in when I can't really get a chance to react to a trap without being mauled from every direction at once, even after a good few tries. And as for saying my "POV has any objective merits", typically I just speak on how I feel. If I'm wrong, fine. My opinion is just 1 perspective and shouldn't be the only angle to look at things.

 

6 hours ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

 

And number 3, when looking at the things you criticize about this map, it's pretty hilarious that you present your opinion piece as something that has any objective merits whatsoever yet another time. The mapper went about their map in ways you don't like, that doesn't make the mapper's ideas bad or wrong. It just means the map isn't for you, so stop trying to come across as if everything that isn't for you is "wrong", because it ain't.

 

So poorly implemented puzzles is fine?

[Magicana]

Didn't video it because it was a long map and I'm listening to a podcast as well.

 

 

Pretty tough map at times, but also easy to cheese at times.

 

Some kinda weird progression at times. That whole IOS thing was really weird - Was it just a shootable switch? I also managed to get stuck in an elevator in that room a few times until I tried the other marble face first.

 

Pretty ambitious project for a first wad, I didn't mind it at all.

[Suitepee]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/479686360

 

I play this at 1:55 into this playtest livestream. You sure like your pyramids!

[jariditumim]

Thanks for comments. I've made new version of this map. It's reworked, some new rooms and more entertaining fights were added. It becomes too long so it's now splitted into two maps. 

To prevent confusion:

 - marbface is always interactive.

 - switch textures are switches, closed eye texture is interactive, open eye is used switch or just decoration.

Purgatory v2.zip