[BOOM, now on idgames] Lithubristics Under Sanguine Twilight (my first large SP map)

[PasokonDeacon]

 

 

Now on idgames! Let me know if you wish to play/edit an earlier version.

 

Here's my first full map, a 25-to-35-minute trip for you and nearly a month of bashing my head against Doom Builder X to get what I wanted (plus almost another month of polish, fixes, and additions). 

 

Info

 

• Doom II-based MAP01 replacement, complete with built-in .deh patch and INTERPIC graphic.
• Boom-compatible, play with complevel 9.
• No jumping or crouching, designed/tested without freelook.
• Fake contrast recommended!
• 30-/45-minute map, tested without saves, features some exploration and plenty of combat.
• Balanced around Ultra-Violence, includes some changes for lower difficulties; difficulty sits around early-2000s WAD range (mid-to-late Alien Vendetta, Scythe, Plutonia-equivalent, etc.).

Check the .txt readme for credits, development musings, and minor info.

 

Story

 

Spoiler

You check your timer impatiently, waiting for the inter-base warp to start. Ops at UAC Sanguine Twilight, an electro-lith mining outpost, has requested expert assistance with security and inspection. Their discomfort regarding new archaelogical finds at the quarry reminds you a bit too much of previous corporate disasters. At least everything seems normal at the warpgate. In a verdant flash, you pass through an event horizon, blinking towards the VIP teleport at Sanguine Twilight almost a light-year away.

 

Things go wrong, again. The date on your clock starts fluctuating wildly before landing. Upon touchdown, you notice it's not the middle of August anymore, but the end of September. On the blood-spattered carpet below you lies a dead officer, the one who green-lit your transport. A demon, rabid and relentless, steals past malfunctioning computers, suddenly warping too close to you for comfort.

 

What befell this base during your delay in transit? Electro-lith readings exceed safety standards, the terminals indicate. Demons and corrupted once-humans prowl the base and its surroundings with complete confidence. Rumblings beneath mess with your balance and show up on your readings, as if something trembles within the rock. Whatever the case, it's clear that UAC has failed to defend their people and property, and you're the only solution. You prepare to tango with the occult infestation, hoping the main teleport bay can still bring you home.

 

Screenshots:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

You'll find extra info and notes in the readme. This is my first map, so please note any newcomers' mistakes I might have ignored. I'll gladly look at any demos, streams, and other recordings/commentary here or in other places. I hope to get this up on idgames once it's complete, but feel free to try it now and give me some feedback!

 

Changelog

 

Spoiler

v0.9.1 (RC1a)

-Fixed geometry and thing placement at sector 1117, un-sticking the hell knight and imps

-Removed lower-unpegged attributes from sidedefs of central box crate pillar in red key room; when lowering, this pillar would render incongruously next to the normal lowering pillars

-Added small rock platforms in exit room for ease of movement to and from hill

-Merged .bex patch into WAD as DEHACKED lump

 

v0.9.2 (RC2)

-Redesigned opening zombie/shotgunner trap to prevent softlocks and cheesing via freelook or careful hitscan aiming, as well as improve ammo balance and area interconnectivity
-Inserted midtex exit signs at main openings to the exit area, mainly for better signposting to players who would otherwise get confused midway through the level
-Retextured FLOOR5_1 flats in depot bay area (next to opening area) for better lighting contrast and distinction from floor beneath
-Fixed misalignments on sidedefs 2369 and 2391
-Relocated blocking hanging corpses from nukage room which impeded player movement across bridge gaps
-Added extra elevated steps at bottom of red key door stairwell so that monsters can move up from/down to rock cubby room
-Fixed midtex bleed at first waterfalls section (+1 lighting changes to border sectors)
-MAJORLY remade eastern facade of red key courtyard to better indicate map progression and add visual variety + space for movement
-Retextured eastmost courtyard door facade + top section of exit teleport for visual match to indicate map progression
-Eliminated two arachnotron spawns from the quarry trap due to pacing/warp blocking issues
-Replaced Baron blocking tech-well skull switch with Hell Knight to balance ammo use
-Populated final third of the map (past red key courtyard going east, blocked at starting area by stairwell) with a lot more ammo
-Added whole new outdoor mini-courtyard at mid-point of stairwell leading to the tech-well during last third of map

 

RC2a

-Changed design of switch area at sector 1110 to better highlight progression/corrupted-techbase theme
-Added impassable flag to linedef 13085, preventing unusual escape into red door courtyard

 

idgames

-Fixed hopefully all remaining HoMs [all but one it seems, but it's easy to miss...]
-Redid base exterior and integrated more thoroughly into average player's 
experience (no secret needed to see the cool space)
-Modified some parts with extra detail and/or variety
-Made final adjustments to slime room sector raising section
-Extra tweaking with thing placement (a bit more ammo, added SSG to early alcove 
for thorough players, etc.)

-Cleaned up YK door and floor sectors sequence to prevent previous breaks

-Fixed messed-up main lifts into/out of quarry cave

-Reworked one of the secrets to make it more involved/less dependent on players not bolting for the exit

-Misc. texture trim and polish

 

Edited March 10, 2022 by PasokonDeacon : idgames release update!

[Walter confetti]

Looks pretty good for a first time map!

[PasokonDeacon]

I've reached the final pre-idgames version! Special thanks to HAK3180 for his playthrough, which alerted me to quite a few problems I've now fixed. In particular, there's more signposting on map progress, some redesigned/new areas, and a lot more ammo where necessary. Please give this map a shot!

 

RC2 download

[Roofi]

Excuse my laziness , I just checked the layout on doombuilder but I can say it's a really good work for a first map ! Maybe I will play this later. You have a good sense a detailing.

[HAK3180]

I played again - a quick IDDQD run. I finished 94/76/57. Progression was much better. The 3-key door and the exit signs make a huge difference. Still, the switch by the backpack that opens the exit area needs to be more obvious, I think. Is that the only reason I didn't properly finish last time? It might be, and I almost missed it again. Also, there's a midspace middle texture area that is not impassable that seems like it was supposed to be. It's by the all-3 door. 

 

Ammo was definitely better. I tried not to be meticulous about getting all the pickups and I tried to be somewhat wasteful to counteract the god mode. There were times when the ammo was uncomfortable but never downright horrible. I also found the cyberfrag secret, not that I wasted 200 cells on him last time either. The ammo was a little weird though. A number of times when I wouldn't have used plasma, I didn't have anything else. I guess that makes sense since I had god mode on, but it does seem like the balance is skewed toward plasma and could perhaps use a little less of that and more shells and rockets. Bullets were pretty abundant too. I think it's pretty hard to do too many shells or bullets in a map like this. Good stuff. Looking forward to more.

[PasokonDeacon]

Issues duly noted. Here's a hotfix update.

 

RC2a download

 

I'll try to go less crazy with plasma ammo next time. Part of the problem comes down to a lack of space in some encounters for effectively using rockets without splashing yourself to death. More room and less lost souls will help.

[Ribbiks]

Awesome map! It radiates a sense of fun and enthusiasm throughout. Very reminiscent of complexly connected maps in the late-90s/early-00s style. No complaints about balance, took me ~35min to beat (found a whopping 0/7 secrets, I guess I'm not very perceptive -.-). Ammo felt rather scarce in the beginning, though that issue went away once I found a zerk. I like how there's a surplus of health items, encourages wackier play and gives you some wiggle room for traversing some of the jankier areas. The dark cavern section was particularly memorable.

[PasokonDeacon]

Some playthrough feedback later (courtesy of @Bridgeburner56, @leodoom85, @LowGcifer, and @skepticist), I've got a new and improved version of the map for y'all.

 

RC2b download

 

7 hours ago, Ribbiks said:

Awesome map! It radiates a sense of fun and enthusiasm throughout. Very reminiscent of complexly connected maps in the late-90s/early-00s style. No complaints about balance, took me ~35min to beat (found a whopping 0/7 secrets, I guess I'm not very perceptive -.-). Ammo felt rather scarce in the beginning, though that issue went away once I found a zerk. I like how there's a surplus of health items, encourages wackier play and gives you some wiggle room for traversing some of the jankier areas. The dark cavern section was particularly memorable.

Glad you enjoyed it! I've yet to play many newer releases, so that era of mapping looms large over my style for the moment. It seems like I should insert the berserk earlier, especially if that staves off my desire to flood the player with health pickups vs. ammo.

[Suitepee]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/484647580

 

I play this at 3:20 into this playtest livestream, despite attributing the incorrect mapper and wad for about 30 minutes.

 

This was fun. Reminded me a bit of Scypek2 with its quirkiness. Please make more maps!

Edited September 21, 2019 by Suitepee

[PasokonDeacon]

Fun play, Suitepee! You definitely needed Boom compatibility for the run (which you fixed!), as seen with the red door switch not raising properly. I definitely intended for all those deaf monsters to catch you off guard, or least modulate player pacing through the map. Gotta say, the best part was seguing right into Well of Souls but the A-ROCK textures become FIREBLU for some reason.

For anyone previously bemused, here's the list of secrets:

 

Spoiler

#1 (sector 81): Hidden false-wall platform with Soulsphere; use linedef 102 (flickering computer wall recessed into tech apparatus close by) to lower into view.

#2 (sector 530): Visible but blocked-off plasma gun, attainable by using linedef 2323 (flashing computer console wall close by) to lower sector onto nukage floor.

#3 (sector 124): Somewhat hidden blue armor, tucked into a sector that conspicuously doesn't lower with the others in the room; simply plop into it from above!

#4 (sector 2034): Berserk hidden in plain sight atop a waterfall in the nature section; reaching it requires entering the waterfall in the quarry, leading you to a large optional section and part two of the nature section trap (feat. mancubus and other nasties).

#5 (sector 1189): Cybie's guarding the megasphere! You can kill the cybie and grab it OR, by jumping onto the backpack platform in the altar room, cross a hidden teleport to telefrag instead and save ammo.
#6 (sector 2307): Teleport to and from the outermost courtyard. At end of the exit area fight, a floor lowers inside the unmarked shoot-switch secret, opening access to a teleport warping you into the damaging-floor electric workings of the start area's tech apparatus. Use the transparent wall on the other side to open a room with a demonic teleporter and its guard, leading you to the secret.

#7 (sector 483): Floor lowers here following the exit fight, giving access to a BFG attainable by leaving the exit area (either via part of secret #6 or taking the long way around via lift and stairs) and returning to the alternate entrance to the nukage platforms room.

 

[PasokonDeacon]

Nearly a year later, I'm releasing one final, newly polished version before submitting PASOLUST.wad to idgames! You can find the latest release in the OP.

 

Be sure to give this one a shot if you're hankering for a thoroughly early-2000s Doom II adventure blast-a-thon. I'm open to feedback and potential fixes before FTP transmittal, so please give some testing feedback on anything major.

 

I'm currently working on maps for The Modest Mapping Challenge 2, Steve was Slain, and Oops! All Greyboxes, but this map and other upcoming standalone releases are in the works.

[terminator]

hi. i may found a bug in the very first room. all pits in the same room have the bug. played your map, though not finished yet. found it to be quite an exhilarating experience. rather good for a first map. a big thank you for the awesome work.

[PasokonDeacon]

Now up on idgames! Big thanks to the new gamers.org file upload portal for leaving me with no more excuses.

 

It's funny just how easily I notice my first-time mistakes in this map, years after the fact. Apologies to anyone who finds it a bit cramped in places, though I think the flow's still solid enough.