Being Trapped Is Hell - A Doom II map for GZDoom

[TravyB]

"Being Trapped Is Hell" is a map for Doom II in the UDMF format, due to the heavy amount of scripting I've experimented with. Otherwise, the map is relatively vanilla in it's use of enhanced effects, being next to none. I HIGHLY recommend that you play the level with the software renderer enabled, or if you're a real stickler for OpenGL then set the Sector Light Mode to DARK. If you don't use either of those then the lighting and tone of the map will simply be completely wrong. The map has been balanced for Ultra-violence but there's always the Hurt Me Plenty option if that's your thing. 

 

Everyone has been making their own maps about being stuck inside due to the Covid-19 pandemic, satirizing the whole affair or just using it for clever map names and figured I'd throw my hat into the ring as well. I've actually been stuck in the house a whoooole lot longer than 2 or 3 months so I thought I'd take a stab at making something based around that general concept, and how it's been making everyone feel. This was originally going to be a completely vanilla project but once I started building the facility and the ideas began to flow became an excuse to experiment with scripted set-pieces and mix that with a few horror elements. 

 

Be sure to let me know what you think, whether it be good or bad, and please let me know if anything is broken or imbalanced. I've tested the literal hell out of everything but there's always the chance something might fall through the cracks. Also, a special thanks to @RonnieJamesDiner for giving me some very useful feedback. Credits for both the textures and music used, with much appreciation, are located in the WAD.

 

With over 250 enemies and 4 secrets, this one should take you roughly 15-20 minutes to complete. Enjoy!

 

Screenshots

Spoiler

 

 

Download - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ckp1xh9e2qxh2xq/TRAPPEDINHELL.wad?dl=0

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by TravyB

[RonnieJamesDiner]

Had a lot of fun playing through this. Some really interesting combat encounters, and a generally fantastic, grungy atmosphere. Definitely recommended!

[Loomis]

Wow, fantastic map, I liked it a lot! Visuals and fights are really good, great design!

 

Only little error is a HOM that is on line #6955 (at the Archvile cage), after the platforms lowered...

Spoiler

 

[TravyB]

Thanks for finding that, @Loomis. It's not actually supposed to reach low enough to expose the lower textures, but looking again I think it's because the ceiling is actually lower than the floor in those square sectors bordering the Archviles, glitching it out. I just needed to delete those sectors entirely (they were a remnant of an early phase of planning) and realign the textures. I've changed the upload to fix it. I'm glad you liked it!

[Horus]

This was a fun map. I liked the subtle use of lighting. The 'drilling' texture then the actual use of crushers as drills was pretty cool. Monster density was low but combat was structured in a way that it's easy enough if you keep your eye on the ball, but sloppy play is punished. Nice use of RL on the secret, the reward being that you get the weapon earlier that you get anyway later in the map, but in a way that the earlier pickup of the RL really helps you in the blood drip section. 

 

There is a softlock on Sector 1041, if you drop off the lift before it raises (this is kind of thing I do all the time lol) you can't get back up.

I found a strange effect at the exit of two of the Pain Elementals being visible 'below the floor'. I believe Thing 550 and Thing 551 are the culprits because they are part in a lower height sector and part in a higher height sector.

Edited April 23, 2020 by Horus

[TravyB]

4 hours ago, Horus said:

This was a fun map. I liked the subtle use of lighting. The 'drilling' texture then the actual use of crushers as drills was pretty cool. Monster density was low but combat was structured in a way that it's easy enough if you keep your eye on the ball, but sloppy play is punished. Nice use of RL on the secret, the reward being that you get the weapon earlier that you get anyway later in the map, but in a way that the earlier pickup of the RL really helps you in the blood drip section. 

 

There is a softlock on Sector 1041, if you drop off the lift before it raises (this is kind of thing I do all the time lol) you can't get back up.

I found a strange effect at the exit of two of the Pain Elementals being visible 'below the floor'. I believe Thing 550 and Thing 551 are the culprits because they are part in a lower height sector and part in a higher height sector.

Yeah, as far as the elevator goes, I was half hoping no-one would press the button and then hop off lol I've now put a switch down there hidden behind something that only reveals after you press that first one. I was completely unsure as to why those pain elementals were visible through the floor like that but thought it was a neat little wtf effect so didn't bother with touching it, what with the theme of encroaching hell on the facility. I actually somehow missed completely that those meatballs were clipped into the wall there like that though. I like the effect but seeing that now, I fixed it just to avoid the off chance of someone somehow not killing them while blasting the rest with a rocket launcher. Thanks, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[Loomis]

By the way: is it intended that the green nukage in the tunnels at the beginning does not sting?

[TravyB]

1 minute ago, Loomis said:

By the way: is it intended that the green nukage in the tunnels at the beginning does not sting?

Yes. It was originally going to hurt you but then as I built it I found myself following it every time I ran through it and figured that it just flowed better this way. I usually try to avoid hurt sectors since they always murder annoy me when I come across them in other wads. 

[Loomis]

Regarding gameplay I also liked that it's not hurting. Expectation-like I think texture SLIME01 would have fitted better then, but visually it would not be as good as the green NUKAGE.

 

There are some missing textures on floor sectors. Nothing really bad as you rarely see them while playing, but I guess It'd be an easy fix for you (see screenshot). It's always good to have the map checker run over the map (I did with Slade, but I guess other Doom Builders also can do that).

 

Screenshot:

Spoiler

 

[TravyB]

I noticed that that flat somehow went missing after I was cleaning up the file in Slade, went to test and a big chunk of ceiling later in the map was now ruined. I don't know why Slade deleted it since it WAS in use so I fixed it and moved on, but it is what it is. I can't believe I missed these ones though. The annoying thing is that I can't even remember which texture it was that I put there. Ain't a big deal though, I'll just throw something there to fix it. Thanks again, @Loomis. 

[Austinado]