Update from id Software (Invasion on hold; official Horde mode in the works)

[Job]

I'm ready.

[Kinsie]

Preview of the Horde Mode with Hugo

 

In short, it's a permadeath high-score Arcade Mode stomping through arenas from three reused levels (Cultist Base, Reclaimed Earth, The Holt), starting with just your beat-up shotgun and one of the Hell Priests taunting you. Regain your master-upgraded weapons by stomping through waves, unlocking additional waves by completing challenges. Diversions include Bounty Demons (kill 'em for a score multiplier and an Onslaught powerup!), Blitz Rounds (wax as many demons as you can in a time limit to get extra lives and a bonus coin round), Bonus Coin Rounds (grab the coins quickly for maximum score) and the extended DLC bestiary showing up to say a big Cursed Prowler-themed hello to anyone who hasn't played or bought those yet. Beat all three levels to get onto the leaderboards!

 

Also, apparently the Auto-Shotgun mod has been given a big buff.

[The BMFG]

horde mode? thats pretty killer man. need to check it out when it releases 

[Hunting4r2d2]

Spoiler

 

Looks like we're also getting a new map and demon for battlemode in update 6.66.

[whatup876]

Dread Knight is surprising, because to some people, i assume the more obvious inclusions would have been either Arachnotron or Tyrant.

Though in a way it makes sense, since he's essentially the middleground between an Hellknight and Baron.

 

Come to think of it, how did people visualize Horde in their minds?

At some point, i thought it would be arenas vaguely resembling single player maps, that expand as rounds come and go, so the first starting rooms would still be there and you could see the map expand and walls vanish.

I recall Invasion modes/maps for classic Doom MP source ports with that map expansion.

COD Zombies obviously does this too, unless i misremember that you actually had to use score points to pay for new paths and areas.

 

Though i don't mind this current approach either and what i imagined would probably be troublesome in some ways.

[AtimZarr1]

3 hours ago, whatup876 said:

Dread Knight is surprising, because to some people, i assume the more obvious inclusions would have been either Arachnotron or Tyrant.

 

Dread Knight, along with Pinky and Hell Knight, were the only base game Heavy Demons not represented in Battlemode in any way (AI spawns or playable) - making any of the three likely candidates for inclusion as playable demons since none of the playable demons have AI counterparts in Battlemode (so Arachnotron would have to be an exception to be included), unless they chose to go with a DLC demon or a completely original one instead, similar to Prowler or Harvester were from Doom 2016's multiplayer. Among DLC demons, the Blood Maykr seemed like a likely candidate.

 

As an aside, it's quite likely that the upcoming Event Series 18 will feature a Dread Knight Master Collection set. The rest of the cosmetics for Series 18 had already been datamined except for the Master Collection - so presumably id Software had been trying to keep the Dread Knight's inclusion under wraps. As Series 18 is apparently titled "Sixty Forsaken", it'll be curious to see what they design for him. There was a theory that Sixty Forsaken is a reference to Doom 64 (Sixty Four-saken), though we'll have to wait and see if that's the case.

[whatup876]

Speaking of datamining and players leaking stuff, i remember there being plans for a classic Archvile skin, no? (and like, probably a year ago)

I do wonder what the skins for Dread Knight could look like.

 

Something that also interests me about playable demons (BattleMode and 2016 MP demon runes) is how some get unique/different abilities not present in their single player/AI counterparts.

It would be cool if a mode like Horde gave them a "boss" variant of an enemy that gave a Mancubus its smoke bomb attack or a Cacodemon something with its long tongue. (could also be an excuse to use that "gold" Doom Hunter)

But if there ever is an expansion where you play as a Marauder, it would be weird if it had a lot of abilities and weapons not present in the Marauder that you normally fight.

With the hype around Doomslayer being the ultimate demon killed, it would feel like something is robbed if you know some demons had more attacks somewhere else.

In a way, kinda reminds me of how this UAC has more advanced weaponry than previous games, but the equivalent of Zombieman aren't armed with it.

[Caffeine Freak]

So to sum up, what we have confirmed for update 6.66 so far:

 

- Horde Mode debut

- Battlemode 2.0

- 2 New Master Levels

- DLC 2 has had combat revamped---they've gone in and put more enemies in the emptier areas

- We're finally getting the long-awaited Full Auto buff

- Other miscellaneous tweaks and bug fixes, but I think I hit the 5 big bullet points. Am I forgetting something?

 

This is going to be a fun Halloween.

[whatup876]

I liked how the Mars Core ML used UAC turrets as an hazard.

Also, here's the leaked 64 and Quake Ranger skins.

Still wished the hands used something else than the black gloves of the D1 cover Doomguy, specially if 64's armor would have been an excuse to use the tan gloves and knuckles from the left fist.

But otherwise, they're neat.