Skirmish - 20 Short Slaughter Maps - Now on idGames Archive!

[Argent Agent]

Back in 2015, I released a pack of twenty maps suitable for 1v1 PvP or 2v2 Team DM called Skirmish Duel. After seeing what can be done in the conversion of deathmatch layouts into single player/cooperative layouts through Bourgeois Deathmatch (which you should check out if you have not already done so), I decided to follow in those footsteps and convert my duel maps from Skirmish Duel into a single-player pack with multiplayer support. This wad takes an approach for compatibility with PrBooM+ with UMAPINFO and DSDA Doom (for speedrunning) as the original layouts were produced in Boom format and only require minimal tweaks for the newest iterations of PrBoom+, mostly limited to the conversion of MAPINFO to UMAPINFO and with the usage of truecolor skies for OpenGL users (though is still compatible for Complevel 9). Most of the maps have been converted into mini slaughter-maps with high monster density where the player(s) will have to work to create their own cover from the hordes of demons in many cases.

 

Final Release: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/megawads/skirmish_pvm

Backup: https://www.mediafire.com/file/e3ua695ta7ebubi/skirmish_pvm.wad/file
 

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

Sources: Check the credits lump inside of the wad for resource information.

Edited March 9, 2023 by Argent Agent : idgames

[Decay]

Neat, I'll give some of these a try tonight on stream.

[Bryan T]

I can't get the yellow key on map07. It's deep in the ground.

[Argent Agent]

1 hour ago, Bryan T said:

I can't get the yellow key on map07. It's deep in the ground.

You need to activate the blue door. The yellow key should eventually raise to the surface.

[Killer5]

Ha. After playing the first map I wasn’t sure what to think. Ended up having a lot of fun with them. Currently on map07. Thanks for making these!

[Jacek Bourne]

I will take a look at these. I will not turn down slaughtermaps.

[Bryan T]

15 hours ago, Argent Agent said:

You need to activate the blue door. The yellow key should eventually raise to the surface.

I swear I did that. Anyway, it worked the second time.

I can't get the music to play. I can see the music files in the wad but they refuse to play for me in game. Using gzdoom 4.3.3. I even tested multiple other wads, they all work fine.

I tried just deleting the music from the wad so the original track would play. That didn't work either, still silent.

[Argent Agent]

57 minutes ago, Bryan T said:

I swear I did that. Anyway, it worked the second time.

I can't get the music to play. I can see the music files in the wad but they refuse to play for me in game. Using gzdoom 4.3.3. I even tested multiple other wads, they all work fine.

I tried just deleting the music from the wad so the original track would play. That didn't work either, still silent.

 

Music issue was a MAPINFO issue. Fixed for next release.

[Vile]

I played through this yesterday and had a lot of fun with it, good job!  There are a few things I'd like to mention:

 

• Some of the monster teleporters didn't seem to work.  I am not sure if I didn't trigger them properly or if they simply broke, but one example was the hell knights on map04.  There was also a pinky on map19 that seems walled off from the rest of the level, which would prevent 100% kills.  In both cases, I'm not sure if I missed something, but it would be good to make sure that all monster teleports are guaranteed to work or, in the case of the map19 pinky (assuming it's being used to trigger something) to perhaps use an alternative that doesn't leave a monster unkillable.
• Map15 had a fun concept, but I found that some cacos/PEs would get stuck on the backside of the level, which made the final clean-up a bit tedious.  I'd suggest seeing if there's a way to prevent this, perhaps keeping them from getting lost around the back somehow.  This situation requires sniping at them through the windows and sometimes they aren't in a great spot to do so, which can be a bit unfun.
• For map16... I'm curious to know if there's a way to start this level that doesn't require a lot of luck since there's almost nowhere to go.  The best we could come up with is peeking through the starting parapet and getting revenants to infight some mancubus and hope that they wake the cyberdemons, which in turn can help clear out the yard you start near.  I was able to complete this level after some time by having a fortunate amount of infighting, making a run for the BFG and some rockets, then clearing out a safe area at the start.  I think this level could benefit from a bit of tweaking to at least make the start more manageable.

[boom_compatible]

I'm playing this wad in a coop server and the only issue is on the map 17. 

 

Teleport for the yellow key is a w1 teleport and only one player will get the key. (Even with itens respawn enable, the key will not teleport to sector with tag2).

 

Change the line from 207 to 208 fix it.

 

This is great mapset! We are playing in a zdaemon's private server for testing and everyone is loving this tiny jewel!

[Doomkid]

Really glad to see your excellent old maps get this treatment, Arg!

[Killer5]

Completed the rest of the maps earlier. Enjoyed them a lot. Map16 is amazing.

Spoiler

It is very possible to cheese the start of map16 in the exit room though. If you were to take your time in here you could probably deal with the entire start. Maybe make this area a pain sector or something.

 

[Plats]

Pretty cool maps! I'll play them for sure! Good job on these.

[Argent Agent]

It has been a while, but this wad's development is not dead!!

 

RC2b: [updated to RC2c - check top of thread for download]

 

Changelog:

Spoiler

(May have missed a thing or two here in the changelog; it has been a while since I touched this after making an RC2 beta!)

 

In General:

-All secret Soulspheres give +200 health now. Plan accordingly!

-Cacodemon corpses are shorter (fixes an issue with MAP15 where the player can't see items on the ground after so many dead cacodemons litter to floor)

 

MAP02:

-Added a little more area in the southern part of the map to get around cramped spaces in multiplayer

-Made camping strategies more difficult

-More Archviles!

 

MAP03:

-Fixed issues with Cyberdemon-Hell Knight infighting

-Removed partial invisibility

 

MAP04:

-Added bars to windows in front of exit (no more rocketing the Archviles early)

-Opened up an extra path at the start in the east of the map (before it was just blocked by monsters)

 

MAP06:

-Made teleport pads into small rooms for multiplayer-friendliness

 

MAP07:

-Made blue key obtainable only by shooting a switch and alerting monsters (fixed a cheese in RC1 that could be performed to avoid waking the revenants).

 

MAP08:

-Moved plasma gun to make it easier to obtain

-Changed composition of flying enemies

 

MAP09:

-Lowered railings in alcoves, but still impassible

-Fixed an issue with cyberdemons spawning into the mid

 

MAP10:

-Fixed a cheese strategy with the bars in the middle, as well as a cheese strategy near the exit

 

MAP11:

-Made the lower area larger

-Added a back hallway in the lower area for cover that cyberdemons, mancubi, revenants can also navigate

 

MAP12:

-Added more ammo for multiplayer purposes

 

MAP13:

-Fixed the southeast stairs that raise so that revenants, archviles can climb them

-Fixed the blue key cage so it can no longer be camped

-Added extra archviles for harder difficulties/multiplayer

-Added an extra teleport for demons to come through

-Added more spawn points for revenants, mancubi.

 

MAP14:

-Removed the vanilla bridge in the southeast portion of the map

-Can no longer backtrack to the teleporter near the revenant trap

-Removed some erroneous mid-textures

 

MAP15:

-Allowed the player to roam the map and pick up items before starting the invasion sequence

-Removed the gimmick with the lift switchpad to the BFG

-Added an extra megasphere as a secret

-Improved the ability for the cacos/pain elementals to enter the arena

 

MAP16:

-Made mancubi spawn into the map instead of starting in the map

-Added extra ammo (particularly for multiplayer)

 

MAP17:

-Made spectres/demons spawn instead of starting in the water

-Added extra ammo

-Fixed an issue in Zandronum where the yellow keycard would get stuck

 

MAP18:

-Made extra monsters spawn in after picking up each key

-Added extra ammo

-Improved map geometry for monster mobility

 

MAP19:

-Fixed a cheese with the Cyberdemons + their corner

-Fixed an issue with a demon not being crushed that was used for the Invuln gimmick

-Made archvile platforms lower (eventually)

-Fixed issues with blue key trap

-Added extra ammo

 

MAP20:

-Fixed a potential softlock

 

Edited December 7, 2021 by Argent Agent

[Shepardus]

Good to see this is still being worked on! However, I do have a bug report: the teleporter in MAP02 seems to not work in RC2, while it did work in RC1.

[Argent Agent]

Thank you for bringing this up! I have updated the topic with a version containing the hotfix.

[Shepardus]

Another issue with MAP02 that I didn't notice before: After going through the teleporter, pressing the switch doesn't lower the gate, and instead produces a hall of mirrors effect in the gaps above the gate.

[Argent Agent]

20 minutes ago, Shepardus said:

Another issue with MAP02 that I didn't notice before: After going through the teleporter, pressing the switch doesn't lower the gate, and instead produces a hall of mirrors effect in the gaps above the gate.

I will make an update tomorrow in case anything else comes up in the next 24 hours.

[Argent Agent]

A new hotfix is available to resolve additional issues with MAP02!

 

Check the top of the thread for a download!

[Keyboard_Doomer]

Hello,

 

we're going to play your wad for Thursday Night Survival today and in the process quite possibly inadvertently at least tie our record for the number of rage quits.

The session starts at 19:00 GMT/14:00 EST and you can expect it to be fairly active for 4+ hours.

[Red Recluse]

 

[Keyboard_Doomer]

a few issues noticed thanks to the TNS session:

 

MAP14
    - Line 934 is not impassable so it's possible to get blasted by an archvile over it and then get stuck.
    - Bleeding texture here if software rendering is used.
MAP15
    - Possible to get blasted by an archvile outside of the playing area at the start. This seems to be addressed by the damaging floors but in online multiplayer there's still the issue that a player could stand on an edge of a sector to avoid taking damage and then possibly lock out the entire server if they go AFK and remain as the last player that's alive.
MAP17
    - 2 spectres failed to teleport in from sector 167 when we played this map with -fast. This is often an issue when there's a large monster closet and only one teleport destination is used so there might be other places in the wad where this can happen.
 

[Shepardus]

Small graphical glitch on MAP10 when using dsda-doom software renderer:

[Argent Agent]

A big thanks to those who have tested and pointed out some flaws/bugs! I have released RC 3, which if no other issues are found will be re-released as the final edition of this wad.

 

Changes in RC 3:

Spoiler

MAP10

-Fixed a mid-texture issue with one of the switches

 

MAP14

-Fixed one of the passable railing so that it was impassible (players could have escaped the map/been archvile-jumped across the fence previously)

 

MAP15

-Made additional areas impassible to prevent players from standing on the edges of damaging sectors and stalling games in multiplayer

-Made the teleport pads usable by players outside of the map should they be launched outside by an archvile

-Added lifts accessible from the outside teleport pads should the players be launched outside by an archvile

 

MAP17

-Theoretically(!) fixed an issue where specters could get stuck in their monster closet

 

MAP20

-Added a lowering floor which delays exiting in the final room

 

[Argent Agent]

After some map fixes (thanks to Terminus' Stream and everyone else's comments) and some busy time with other things happening, RC 4 is here! Here is a changelog (some mentions may be absent from the changelog since I made most of these adjustments months ago and just now got around to posting the updated maps here).

 

If no major changes are needed, this will likely be the last version of this wad before finalizing it.

 

Changes in RC 4:

Spoiler

New Map Order (based upon increasing difficulty)

 

MAP01: LOMBARD
MAP02: MANZIKERT
MAP03: HELIX
MAP04: MEMENTO
MAP05: TABLE FOR TWO
MAP06: TOWN OF TWO
MAP07: AGINCOURT
MAP08: FLOODGATES
MAP09: PRIPYAT
MAP10: GOD'S PLAN
MAP11: NEOMANCY
MAP12: BUNKER BUSTING
MAP13: DACHSHUND
MAP14: BURROWS
MAP15: BRUTALIST
MAP16: TERRAFORMATION
MAP17: POBLA'S PAVILLION
MAP18: REIGNITED
MAP19: FUROR CELTICA
MAP20: GIVE IN WITH HELL BENEATH

 

New Title/Intermission Screens
New Intermission Messages

 

All Maps:
-Medikits in the Exit to restore to 100% Health before the next map.

 

Old MAP02/New MAP09 (Pripyat):
-Minor detailing change to exit, couple of texture tweaks

 

Old MAP03/New MAP07 (Agincourt):
-Removed needing to plasma bump the blue key
-Changed the secret from the RL to the Soulsphere

 

Old MAP05/New MAP02 (Manzikert):
-Made Cyberdemon more threatening in plasma room by lowering platform
-Removed needing to plasma bump the plasma gun
-Minor detailing change near entrance to secret soulsphere

 

Old MAP06/New MAP03 (Helix):
-Removed needing to plasma bump the plasma gun from below (though you can just drop down to it from above)

 

Old MAP07/New MAP13 (Dachshund):
-Made it so monsters only start spawning in after picking up the blue key (as opposed to walking near it/in the same hallway as it, whether it is lowered or not)

 

Old MAP08/New MAP11 (Neomancy):
-Fixed a bug where the Cyberdemon spawned stuck in the exit doorframe
-Changed barons of hell into hell knights.

 

Old MAP10/New MAP04 (Memento):
-The cyberdemon can now shoot into the starting room once the floors nearby have lowered
-Removed useless instantly moving floors

 

Old MAP11/New MAP14 (Burrows):
-Fixed minor detailing issues
-Added additional ammo in north hallway
-Removed inaccessible SSG from single player

 

Old MAP13/New MAP16 (Terraformation):
-Fixed an issue where the door key indicators near the exit lowered to the floor
-Changed keycards to skulls (since the key indicators are for skull keys near the exit door)

 

Old MAP14/New MAP06 (Town of Two):
-Increased amount of space for Revenant encounter, added cover

 

Old MAP16/New MAP17 (Pobla's Pavilion):
-Added more Archviles to the exit (why not?)

 

Old MAP17/New MAP08 (Floodgates):
-Raised ceiling near SSG platform (so that the Cyberdemon that spawns in is a threat to those below)

 

Old MAP19/New MAP12 (Bunker Busting):
-Made it easier to pick up Megasphere/Blue Key on insta-lowering platform

 

MAP20 (Give in with Hell Beneath):
-Added bulk cells near exit
-Added extra Megasphere southwest room of the map (before the secret Invulnerability sphere)

 

[Shepardus]

RC4 isn't loading in dsda-doom or Woof for me. It seems that the error is a missing comma at the end of line 53 in the UMAPINFO lump, and another at the end of line 212.

 

Good to see an update though, I was just thinking about this wad not long ago.

[Argent Agent]

20 minutes ago, Shepardus said:

RC4 isn't loading in dsda-doom or Woof for me. It seems that the error is a missing comma at the end of line 53 in the UMAPINFO lump, and another at the end of line 212.

 

Good to see an update though, I was just thinking about this wad not long ago.

Thanks for pointing this out! Made fixes to these and reuploaded, along with some quick fixes to the skies (which there were a few issues with).

[Argent Agent]

If no major issues are to be found in this release, this will be the final release for this project (and it's about time, too). Thanks to all of those who tested this out and helped me iron out any issues with this map set.

No particularly major changes to the WAD, mainly just added some demos. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same as in RC4 (after the hotfix, of course).
 

DOWNLOAD: https://www.mediafire.com/file/e3ua695ta7ebubi/skirmish_pvm.wad/file

[Decay]

Great job on finishing, look forward to getting some demos up for this

[Chud]

I can't get past map 1 on HMP ._. I swear I'm trying my darndest. My approach so far has been to run for the SSG, take care of the chaingunners and rev up there, then while I'm up there take care of some pinkies while dodging rev missles and cacodemons, then go for the RL but I have not been able to get past that point. Too much for me lol. Any tips? :')