Doom Wadarcheology - To dig, rediscover and enjoy the classics.

[thestarrover]

1 minute ago, Arrowhead said:

Your WAD finding skills never ceases to amaze me - thanks a lot for these! :D

Thanks a lot! I don't have time to write review ( and my English is quite limited), so I try to do my best finding some old wad for you all. :)

Congratulations for your reviews @Arrowhead: amazing findings!

[Arrowhead]

fwfcargo-d.wad - doom2.exe version - 04/16/2004 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2 + LZDOOM Local-Splitscreen Deathmatch

 

fwfcargo-d is an action-packed deathmatch map made by 14 year-old mapper, 'thefwf'. This is an extremely fun map for being made by somebody so young. The map is not that large, but appears deceptively larger due to its skilled use of sky textures in this map - it really does feel like you're on some kind of big space-freighter... My favorite sight in this map is probably the 'hangar door' section - it is kind of cool seeing out into the endless expanse of space - this can be seen in the third screenshot.

 

The titular cargo bay is located right in the centre of the map - this is where the BFG is housed. This location is really risky - you have to lower the BFG from an elevator, this takes a little bit of time, and so leaves you vulnerable to attacks. This cargo hold area is essentially a dead-end room - this makes the BFG become more of a peripheral weapon, as opposed to the beefy powerhouse it usually is in most maps. Most maps w/ a BFG often end up devolving into not much more than BFG v. BFG... I don't particularly find that style of gameplay too fun - but thankfully, one doesn't have to worry about that here. There is also a blue armor in the north, (when looking at the automap) of the hangar bay area. This really helps to partially nullify the BFG's power, as one is very likely to survive a tracer hit after picking up the BA.

 

There is also a green armor, and a Berserk kit situated at opposite side sides of this map - this is nice, makes it so that nobody just snags every power-up at once - the major pick-ups in this map are separated by quite a distance - also means that a player that misses the BA still has a chance to pick up the other power-ups - this helps balance in my opinion. There is also a small divot in the ground in the hangar bay area that houses an SSG and a medikit. Surprisingly, this area will be used quite a bit, as the divot is just low enough so that you opponents can't see you - not to mention, this is arguably the only cover in that area other than the crate pile where the rocket launcher is. Diving here for cover / health while dodging your opponent makes for some very fluid and nerve-wracking gameplay.

 

The only complaint I have regarding this level is that the hallways are a little long and plain - adding some slots in the sides of the hallways would have really allowed for more cover, and made the hallways a lot less dangerous to traverse. It is quite hard to dodge enemy fire in these corridors, as there are so few areas that you can dip into for cover. I suppose this also has the, (maybe intended) side-effect of making the game a bit faster paced? Another slight thing I thought was odd about this map was how there isn't that much verticality - I suppose that's reasonable though, as this is a space station / spaceship after all... still, it does feel a tiny bit flat.

 

The actual map's layout is pretty simple - sometimes that hinders a map severely, but that's not the case here. This map is just large enough so that you don't know where your opponent is all the time - this is conducive to decent deathmatch gameplay. There are some really good sight lines in this level - I included a picture of my favorite area to briefly 'camp': screenshot 6. This area is great to take a breather in, as you'll be able to see your opponent advance from either hallway from way far off in the distance. Much of the map's action doesn't take place in the connecting corridors, though - action mostly takes place in the hangar bay area - at least that's where most of our players' corpses ended up...

 

Fun map, guardianz13 got a lot closer in score on this one, and actually was leading for much of the map's duration - I eventually got the flow down though, and was able to finally surpass him. The match still ended fairly close with a score of 50_40.

 

This is a great, but simple deathmatch map created by a really young mapper! We're surely going to be returning to this map! This level makes for a pretty fun time; 90 combined frags in just over 15 minutes is a pretty damn speedy session! :D

 

Spoiler

Download link: https://bit.ly/3nMezcH

[Arrowhead]

Fortress of Death: Improved - 05/26/1995 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

FoD is a large level from the castle genre, created by Andrew Harvey. This is the 'improved' version of an earlier WAD, and claims to fix a VPO that was present in that earlier version - I wasn't able to find the earlier version, to see if there were any other differences. The map starts you off in a less than ideal situation - you start off w/ a single shotty and a few boxes of shells - there are many hitscanners shooting down at you from the castle proper. The map basically consists of a large wall around the castle, (of which some monsters are on also) w/ a large brown castle smack dab in the middle of the map - demons will be shooting down at you from the castle's ramparts, so teach them a lesson w/ that accurate single-shotgun! There are 4 inescapable pits present in each of the NW/NE/SW/SE corners of this map - these can be completely ignored - these locations are only used for deathmatch spawns.

 

The first area you will need to clear out is the 'grounds' area surrounding the main castle, the area between the outer wall and the main castle section - there are a few barons and arachnotrons here. Ignore the barons for now, as they'll only waste your ammunition at this time. Make sure to slaughter these arachnotrons, though - their projectiles move faster than your running speed, makes it really easy to get clipped in the back when sprinting around the map... Combat is honestly quite fun, but you do feel a bit unfairly persecuted until you find some armor - the hitscanners on the walls will really do a number on you, if you aren't taking care.

 

The inside of the castle is actually quite small - most of the action takes place in courtyards, or on the castle walls, the actual internal areas make up a very small portion of the map. I like this, as I really don't like having to mess around in dank, tight corridors too much. The most difficult fight in this map is probably the claustrophobic, rude encounter w/ a cyber. This cyber is situated in a really narrow area that is only reachable by an elevator. You'll have to go to this area once, avoid the cyber, (unless you have enough ammuntion / the hidden BFG) flick a switch, leave, and then return later to get the blue key, after pressing the switch behind the blocking yellow key 'bar' on the external castle walls. This is the most arduous area of the level - and will maybe be a 'make or break' deal for some. There is nothing more frustrating than descending the elevator, only to eat 3 rockets in a row from the cyber. I don't know if the cyberdemon is present in the lower difficulties, I didn't check, I only played this on UV like I usually do.

 

There are a couple custom textures in this map, mainly a 'warning / do not enter' sign, and a brand new sky assembled by the author himself. There is also a quite cool 'mesh' midtex that you can jump through - I think all the new assets look quite professional in this one - the new titlepic looks especially neat, I really love custom titlepics and endoom screens... especially from this era.

 

The main difficulty in this map, other than the cyber corridor, is one's understanding of what switches do what. This is never really made too clear in this level - you'll often press a switch, and then wander around wondering what that accomplished... this map is a tiny bit puzzly - as most castle maps are - the puzzle elements never get to ridiculous levels, but it still did take me almost 45 minutes to figure this one out, quite possibly the longest time it's taken me to complete a map at this point - this is mainly due to the map's pacing, and not because I was wandering around without a cause.

 

Another odd thing about this map, is how the SSG isn't given / isn't available until you're quite into the level proper. This isn't bad; we all know restricting the SSG tends to make medium-class battles more meaningful and difficult - this is the case here, still. However, I feel that if we were given the SSG initially, instead of the single shotty, that it might have made for more enjoyable combat at the beginning of the map. Arachnotrons and revenants are extraordinarily dangerous when you've only got a single-shotgun!

 

I believe there are 2 arch-viles in this map. There is one in a particularly annoying 'pit' that keeps running back and forth, making it really hard to hit, considering that you're likely being peppered by chaingunner fire the entire time. I couldn't find out how to get the plaz secret, or the BFG secret, unfortunate, as I think they would have made the map a little bit easier for me. Still, this is a really enjoyable level, very technically competent - the level seems quite professionally crafted, considering the usual state of alignment / visual problems in these old doom2 missions...

 

While the progression is slightly convoluted in this map, it is still a really decent play - and I'm sure you'll agree that it is far above a lot of other '95 maps in terms of looks, although, it could have had some more texture variance than just being predominately brown bricks - it is a fairly difficult map, but enjoyable. Will likely take a half-hour+ to beat this map, so start it up only when you know you've got the time!

 

Fun, fun, fun! :D

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/3xlvhTk

 

PS: Big thanks to @thestarrover for sending me such a great suggestion!! :)

Edited November 25, 2021 by Arrowhead

[Arrowhead]

TakeThis - 05/03/1997 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

TakeThis is a proto-slaughter map by Doug Jenkins. Doug also made a level a year earlier called ItHurts - although, this doesn't seem to have been as popular w/ the /idgames crowd. Whew, is this ever a tiring map! The action truly never stops - this map goes 110% after you every chance it gets. You'll find yourself holding down the mouse1 button for what seems like minutes at a time - but don't get me wrong - that's not to say the encounter design is basic... it's really quite dynamic.

 

The first areas of the map are more cramped, w/ brutal hitscanner placement - luckily, the author placed a couple blurspheres throughout this map - this really helps to quell the abusive hitscanning, and I think is the intended way to survive the initial open-air conflict - it would be needlessly cruel and unfair otherwise. There is a unique cross-shaped building in one of these  open fields, and it has quite an interesting twisty interior for being a completely symmetrical shape.

 

Often times, in these large fields that you fight in, there are many buildings that you can enter - this makes it much simpler to slay the legions of beasts that are released typically all at once on you! Don't get me wrong, the encounter design is not too basic, nor is it clumsy in anyway - monsters aren't just simply 'thrown at you' - they are always sent out intelligently in my opinion. A decent example of a cool encounter is the chaingun trap in this level - a big platform raises up with a bunch of pissed-off monsters... Cool to see relatively robust traps being applied to relatively weak weapons - makes for a decent startle!

 

The progression in this map is great - there is NOT a single confusing area in the level at all. There is a section near the beginning where you need to raise / lower multiple sets of bars to get further into the map - this was a progression breeze - you can generally hear / see what each switch does in this map - a really, really nice change from the most recent map I've reviewed - not that that map is 'bad' it just simply has a much more 'hidden' form of level progression...

 

I consider this map a proto-slaughter level, as there are just under 400 enemies in this one - but keep in mind, monster count is not enough to be considered a slaughter level! Monster placement is also very important - the final encounter in this level kind of requires some slaughter-esque gameplay. Sure you could just shoot everything w/ the ammunition you've been given, (you're given more than enough) - but that's pretty damn difficult compared to just having the demons kill each other! There is a single cyberdemon who you can / must use to annihilate all the other smaller enemies that are released. There is some phenomenal infighting in this mission - the cybie is useful for killing the imps and pinkies that are first released, as well as the beefier cacos + arch-vile, and pack of barons that are released after. I don't recommend fragging the cybie until you clean out all 4 waves here - it might be smart to have the cybie clip the 'vile guarding the red key in that nook... This will make things easier for you in the long run - as the 'vile is at the end of a very narrow hallway - arguably one of the worst environments to fight an arch-vile in!

 

Lovely level - takes about 25-30 minutes to beat, but feels maybe half that long! Some great slaughter-style gameplay, paired w/ smart blursphere usage, and generally interesting areas - some misalignments, but nothing egregious. Should be a fun time for most! :D

 

Spoiler

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/3CTL8d4

[LadyMistDragon]

Area 666 - 10/13/1999 - played on Eternity

 

1999 is an interesting time in Doom mapping, if only because the vast majority of DWANGO fiends had moved on to something else. This was also the time when a number of partial conversions, such as Twice Risen and Ragnarok were in development, but were never completed, due to a number of factors (Doom's somewhat older player base when compared to follow-up FPSs and the fact that everyone else was trying to make something from Half-Life or moved on to professional design work in some cases, to name a couple). Area 666 (not to be confused with the debut of an obscure and teenaged TNT member going by "Maduin" (he'd emerge a decade later as 'skillsaw,') Sector 666) is then a notable humble effort by some guy who'd prefer if you didn't refer to him as Dick Britt. This was only his second map, but he'd apparently decided to lean in entirely to the emphasis on single-player experience and deliver this fantastic example of an early slaughter-lite experience, along with some attempts at Doomcute with vanilla textures. Maybe his computer was a little behind the times, but in either case, this is filled with plenty of passion, despite some signs of amateurishness.

 

There's a surprisingly detailed story, but inhabitant of the space between dimensions holding everything together John Carmack cursed the place of story of Doom forever with his frankly crass (and currently outdated) assessment of its place in games, so fuck it. Basically, you're just investigating a power outage and have just left a train to find out what's going on. I've no idea why Doomcute maps tend to have a certain infatuation with trains (No Quarter, much of Knee Deep in ZDoom, tons of other crap I'm a touch ugnorant of) but that's not the majority of the map. That instead is comprised of tight and shockingly unfriendly corridors.  As you enter, you are greeted with the sight of a massive corpse piles. You'll come across these every so often, even including one occasion where someone took out an Imp before giving up the ghost.

The greeting of fire the Imps bless unto  upon reaching the reception desk where you can also find an armour is just a small indication of this. Take the lift down, kill a pinkie with a pistol and then head to the series of bedrooms on the left to acquire a shotgun from a sergeant, lest you want to have a bad time resulting from a softlock that'll occur if you're heading too far to the left.

 

Anyways, the end of the corridor to the left reveals what turns out to be a garage, but before that is a Cacodemon and several enemies you might want to trigger infighting amongst before you head in since your shell supply is naught too high at the moment. You might also notice some barrels behind everything. Try to shoot them, but don't fret if you can't, there's another set of enemies to the left of the entrance you can toast with some more barrels! Tons of promise, though you may want to explore the lift in the left of this room because there's a hallway with a BFG! This seems silly at first, but you won't be calling it silly when you step outside and are greeted by one massive hoarde! Mainly, that's because the scattered chaingunnners can chew you to bits really quick, but the other foes are no slouches either. At least you can pick up a rocket launcher here. Also, the truck here and in the garage are soooo coool!

 

Some moderately satisfying fight between here and the time you get the red key (opens a door near the very beginning) but the true apocalypse comes when you step through the hallway behind the red door and find yourself in a bunker in the middle of a generic hellish wasteland for some reason, utterly boxed in by several Spider Masterminds, Barons of Hell, and the odd Pain Elemental or two, along with an Archanotron on your far end. The opportunties for killing are amazing, with the infighting potential even more so. Wait until the Masterminds are dead (frankly, the next thing I'll describe may result in your death otherwise) than hit a couple of switches and open an exit containing a Cyberdemon. As our knightly friend the Duke of Nukem (ok, Col. Kurtz) once said "Let God sort it out."

 

Having said that, while I think Richard had a good grasp of mapping principles, there were some design tendencies that seemed like he could use some more feedback (the difficulty in acquiring the shotgun and the tight corridors in the beginning for one). Still, this is an absolutely fantastic example of an unknown map, and this gets me a nearly unvarnished recommendation. For a strangely better example of what Sector 666 was going for, this hits it out of the park in a pleasingly surprising way. No pics, because Doomworld is getting pissy I uploaded too many in the space of a week, seemingly.

 

Download link

 

Spoiler

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Edited November 27, 2021 by LadyMistDragon

[Walter confetti]

NIGHTFALL!!!! by Josh Fallon aka "Phallus" (Doom, 1994, E1M1, played with Eternity 4.0.2 forseti)

 

DOWNLOAD LINK

 

Spoiler

 

A pretty grandiose and epic quest in a abstract Techbase heavily converted by demonic forces, with demonic temples, rocky tunnels, abstract beauty and all that jazz, under a ominous night sky (maybe the first wad using this night sky?), it's a map that have flashbacks to have played, but with a different name and layout? But i vividly remember the gray guy head, here shooting at you imp fireballs, but unshootable by standard guns (you need a rocket launcher to defeat them or a crusher activated by one crusher switch). The level is pretty large (takes a half hour to be completed) and it's strongly reminiscent of Tricks and Traps, especially the main hub formed by various doors in a large octagonal courtyard and the level progression. I also really enjoyed the neat effect having new rooms and other sections of the map coming out by the player's passage or hitting switches over the way, making it extremely interesting to play and see what new thing have made the author. Monster placement is pretty clever, making you fighting against small crowds of monsters in a vignette fights with some gimmick involved (crushers, mazes, switch hunt etc.).

 

Very good and fun obscure map from the early tears of mapping, thanks Josh and thanks me from the past for note down this wad for some reason!

[Arrowhead]

12 minutes ago, Walter confetti said:

Josh Fallon aka "Phallus"

I always found it funny that someone would call themselves that nickname, haha - I saw this WAD when I was looking for stuff a while back - but I passed up on it for some reason.

 

Now I have an excuse to check it out! Nice review! :D

[thestarrover]

37 minutes ago, Walter confetti said:

NIGHTFALL!!!! by Josh Fallon aka "Phallus" (Doom, 1994, E1M1, played with Eternity 4.0.2 forseti)

This seems to be a really great wad! Very nice finding @Walter confetti!

[Arrowhead]

wolfalt - 04/05/1995 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

wolfalt is a free-form recreation of the first Wolf 3D level. This is a map by Chris Shepardson. I did a quick search online, and was not able to find any other maps - I think this is his only project - for a first and only project this is a really cleanly constructed map. What do I mean by 'free-form'? Well, this is the first Wolf 3D map, it has just been dramatically altered to resemble Doom2. There is major height variation, all of the textures are from Doom2, and there aren't even any SS troopers! Since when does that ever happen in a Wolf 3D-centric map?

 

You will encounter many hitscanners in this Wolf 3D shaped adventure - mainly chaingunners and sergeants - these aren't too difficult to deal w/ - just keep in mind that this level is almost as 'bare' as its Wolf 3D counterpart - there isn't much cover within rooms, you'll have to mainly use the corners of rooms and doors, to dodge / protect from enemy fire. The hitscanners chosen in this map make the map a lot harder, as I believe chaingunners have a higher rate of fire than SS troopers. There are 150 enemies total, and a whopping 17 secrets! I think I only found three of the secrets - the author claims all the original Wolf 3D secrets are here, plus more! I haven't played a ton of Wolf 3D, (only ever played the wonky GBA port) so I didn't know where most of the secrets were, save for the classic nested secret in the final exit room - I remembered that one. There are no real traps in this map, kind of how there are no real traps in Wolf 3D either - Wolf's gameplay is completely devoid of traps, and is entirely incidental in its encounter design - makes sense for that to be the case here, too.

 

About 80% of the map's enemies are hitscanners - the remaining 20% is made up of some pinkies, (some trapped in inescapable cages for some odd reason) a single arachnotron, and a large pack of barons. The room the arachnotron is in, is extremely easy to complete, just grab the yellow key, and book it out of there - you don't even need to kill anything in this room - all the enemies are in cages - the arachnotron is still effective, but just barely - a weird encounter choice when the rest of the map is so carefully set-up. Don't bother shooting the barons yet, just run into the room just left of them - they'll follow you, so watch your back - it's just easier to ignore them for now - you will likely have not enough ammo to kill them all at this time - that doesn't make UV'MAXing impossible, (just more difficult) as there is a Berserk pack given in the end rooms' secret areas - I imagine there's a bunch of ammo and guns that I didn't encounter that would make fighting the barons easier - I think my lack of Wolf 3D knowledge caused me some problems here!

 

Another small thing in this map, is that the key doors are unmarked - this doesn't bother me, as I play using a modern sourceport, and the automap shows the correct color anyway. This could cause some players some slight annoyance, though - don't worry, the map is not confusing in the slightest, so these unmarked doors don't really exacerbate your navigation.

 

The red key room in this map is pretty nice to behold, w/ there being a gorgeous radial ceiling pattern present. I think this is the nicest area of the map, well other than the giant swastika room - that's a pretty visually appealing area - there are some bold color choices on display there. If you're trying to get into the blue key room, you'll probably have to hunt down some secrets - the blue key is completely optional in this level - you only need the yellow and the red keys to complete this one.

 

Fun map, was a major nostalgia trip for me - as I probably haven't played Wolf 3D for 15 years... I was pretty pleased w/ this one - I don't think there was anything other than the yellow key room that bothered me, and even that isn't that bad - it's just too easy of a location...

 

Map takes 7-10 minutes to complete! If you have any kind of love / nostalgia for Wolf 3D, you should really enjoy yourself w/ this one! :)

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/3cPY491

[LadyMistDragon]

Just a little note to say I updated my last post with pictures.:)

[Arrowhead]

7 minutes ago, LadyMistDragon said:

 

That fourth screenie, is that structure on the right supposed to be a tank? Dumb question, I know.

 

I quite like it - I don't think I've ever seen a sector tank in a map before... :)

[LadyMistDragon]

24 minutes ago, Arrowhead said:

That fourth screenie, is that structure on the right supposed to be a tank? Dumb question, I know.

 

I quite like it - I don't think I've ever seen a sector tank in a map before... :)

I thought that at first, but later I thought it was a truck. But I'm probably mixing it up with the vehicle in the garage ;p)

[Mad Butcher]

On 11/19/2021 at 4:34 PM, Arrowhead said:

The Kurf House - 06/24/1995

Two more levels from this author.

 

kurfhood.zip
kurfmout.zip

[Arrowhead]

go the way - 04/03/1997 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

GtW is a large level made by the talented Michael Krause. Krause's main skill is his immense and believable architecture - this map is quite grand in scope, w/ many tall buildings, and large open areas. I was a tiny bit skeptical when I saw the title of this map - the lack of any capitalization in the title looked a little amateur to me. I shouldn't have judged this map by its cover, though - as what's here is a really awesome time.

 

The map starts off w/ a really imposing view of a series of metal arches - this is quite visually distinct - and is an example of Krause's simple, but very effective geometry. Much of this map appears brutalist - not brutalist in the sense that the map's visuals appear simplistic, but more brutalist in the angles of Krause's design. Everything in this map is grand in size and physically imposing to the player. You'll feel like an ant in some areas. The texture choice is also very tasteful, the author seems to have a good idea of what textures work with each theme, and what do not. There is a bit of a metalbase + techbase thing going on in this map - both themes meld together nicely, and switch back and forth throughout the map, depending on where you're located. I love the verticality in this level; Krause really makes sure to connect his map in interesting, engaging ways.

 

This map takes place on Map31, and I am unsure of as to why - the author makes no reference in the readme as to why this is the case. This level contains roughly 330 enemies on UV, likely less on the lower difficulties. The map contains one secret sector, and this is mysteriously placed directly in the main path of the map without any obfuscation at all - you'll be progressing through this level, and then out of nowhere a secret will be triggered - a little peculiar when this is the only 'secret' in the map... The only other 'complaint' I really have about this map, is that there are perhaps a bit too many shells - this makes this a nearly entirely SSG-centric map, as you probably have enough ammunition to use it effectively throughout the entirety of the map. The tons of shotgunners in this level really don't help the ammo issue, but hey, it's still fun to be a little OP. You also get a rocket launcher, and quite a bunch of rockets, this is especially useful for those many mancubi you'll encounter.

 

The first encounter you'll meet in this map, is a fight against a platoon of imps that rise out of the ground - there's something about laying imps out w/ the single-shotty that is very fun to me. The SSG is given quite early in this map, and thank goodness, because Krause really likes to populate this level w/ medium-class demons. There is more than one occasion where you will fight a big cluster of cacos - the author seems to like cacodemons a lot - luckily I like killing cacos, so no problem there! Curiously, I didn't notice any pain elementals or arch-viles in this level. The map is really fair in its health dispersal - medikits are pretty evenly spaced out throughout the entirety of this level - a good thing, as these dang hitscanners will give you a run for your money - especially the many chaingunners present here...

 

Encounter design in this map is interesting. Krause uses teleport ambushes on occasion, raising enemies on occasion, and the lowering of elevators w/ monsters on them, to give you a fair variety of challenges - much of this map has the enemies hidden in tight corners, or other devious locations. There aren't many traditional monster closets in this map - I don't recall any 'normal' traps in this map, but I could have forgotten a couple... The map takes you about 35 minutes to beat, after all!

 

Another interesting thing about this level by Krause, is the choice to go w/ a 'zero key design'. This map is positively massive for not using a single key at all. There is some backtracking, but Krause was considerate enough to populate your way back w/ new monsters - if you're ever at a loss of where to go in this level, try going back the way you came - often there will be a new tunnel or passageway open a ways back. This makes the map sound difficult to navigate - it isn't.

 

The fact that this is a 0 key map makes the level a bit linear in its design - you won't have any problem navigating this mission, other than one slightly obscure part: There is an unmarked computer console that you need to press. This is in a logical place, at least, as it is right in front of the door that it opens; (that's one of the things I liked about this level, whenever you press a switch you usually know immediately what it does) I took a screenshot of this computer console, just to make it a simpler journey for anyone that decides to play this one. Krause also sprinkles these 'red portals' throughout the map - I felt these were a bit of a missed opportunity - as you see enemies travel 'through' the portals, it would make sense for you to be able to enter them, but alas, you cannot - a secret involving going through the back of one of these portals might have been interesting - at least more interesting than the current single secret placed in this level...

 

There are also some sound changes in this experience. They aren't particularly annoying, (like the majority of 90s sound replacements) and I think I recognized some sounds from Quake; it has been a while since I've played it, so I'm not certain.

 

This was a great time - for such a large map w/ a pretty large monster count, this is paced immaculately! Takes about 35 minutes to UVMAX this one - a pretty simple UVMAX because of that single secret. Give this map - or any other map by Krause a chance, you'll likely have a pleasant time.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/315xyWG

 

57 minutes ago, Mad Butcher said:

 

Thanks Mad! Always appreciate your help! :)

[Dreemurr Deceevurr]

18 hours ago, LadyMistDragon said:

Just a little note to say I updated my last post with pictures.:)

 

What mod are you using for those shotguns?

[Arrowhead]

DOOM97 - A New Corner Of Hell - 04/02/1997 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

This is a very fun WAD by André Rakow. This is basically a 'town' map, although there are other areas as well - the town location only makes up the middle part of this map. This is a WAD w/ a pretty good sense of humor! There is an imp 'cooking' food for a bunch of pinkies at a dinner table, there is a Duke Nukem memorial in the tiny graveyard, there is also a crusher sequence used to crush about 60 or so zombiemen - not to mention the great animated texture present at the beginning of the map - all of this serves to give the map a very jokey feel... not something I'm entirely against!

 

The single funniest part of the map is hidden behind a wall that says: "there is a surprise near!" And a surprise it is! Certainly surprised me - is it the most hilarious thing in the world? I don't think so - not unless you have a really crass sense of humor - it is definitely surprising, though - the author really wasn't lying. The custom titlepic in this one is classy looking - I like the minimalist approach to its design, as opposed to the usually very busy titlepics we often see.

 

An absolutely integral thing you'll need to know about this map, is that there are breakable windows - you likely won't make it out of the beginning area if you don't figure this out. It isn't really cryptic, as the author makes mention of it in the readme - it can be difficult to introduce new gameplay concepts in Doom, when people are so used to a certain way that a map is 'supposed to work'. I, (at first) had major difficulty in figuring out the first puzzle - once I realized that you're supposed to press the switch on the back of the switch in the cage, I had no trouble - it was a little bit annoying at first - but thankfully, that is the only progression issue this map seems to have.

 

Well, other than the final area - the final area isn't terribly confusing by any stretch - it's just a little bit tedious - you need to kill a horde of mostly zombiemen up here - there isn't much cover, so you'll be getting winged and clipped by enemy fire quite often. This isn't the issue - the issue is that you need to press 5 different switches to lower the wall to the exit area. Each time you press one switch, a new one raises out of the ground - you then have to go sprinting off to find where it popped up - the switches will only appear in this area, you don't have to worry about backtracking to the town area or elsewhere to proceed here - I don't think there is a way to backtrack from here until you complete this switch 'puzzle' anyway - the only way out is forward, via the exit wall...

 

This is a very odd level - if you go into it w/ that mindset - you'll really do alright, expecting this to be like a standard Doom1/2 level is a bit of a mistake - the author really doesn't follow the conventional rules of wadding in this map - which is a good thing I suppose, as they've actually made something that plays quite unique. The aesthetic is unlike anything I've seen yet - truly worth playing just to see the aforementioned surprise! :)

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/3rklvQz

 

Edit: Oh yeah, that supercharge in the second last image is a trap. Don't pick it up! Quite a rude thing to do to a player right before the end of the map, but hey, this author plays to the beat of their own drum!

Edited November 30, 2021 by Arrowhead

[Endless]

Cradle of Filth

^{By Patrik Höglund}

²⁰⁰⁰

 

 

8 years earlier and way better. Cradle of Filth is a fairly simple and attractive single map WAD, with a linear progression that offers constant action under a diverse design with different scenarios and visuals. The textures are simple and are the typical Doom 2 brown theme, but contain a good use of detail, lighting and a sense of realism thanks to a cohesive path system that shows a clear understanding of map creation. You start on the surface, explore tunnels and reach the underground tunnels. The map is simple, but in its modest simplicity it manages to maintain a consistent overall quality that gives it a sweet taste of entertainment, as well as attractive visuals that don't burn you out due to its short length. The author knew how to create a fast and fun map, filling it with entertaining and varied encounters, ending with a final boss battle. Not bad at all!

[Walter confetti]

DNA technology laboratory wad for Doom ][ by Doug Ryerson (Doom 2, MAP01, 1995, played with GZDoom 4.7.0)

 

DOWNLOAD LINK

 

Spoiler

 

Not a really bad map, the design is pretty nice and make me think of the previous reviewed Sky City, sets in this white marble lab structure where DNA experiments are done, the new graphics are pretty cool, layout is good and the gameplay is fun. The only negative thing is that glasses windows doesn't crash and there's not really too many details, but for the time is a interesting small map.

[LadyMistDragon]

On 11/27/2021 at 2:04 PM, Giant Jumbo Jellyfish said:

 

What mod are you using for those shotguns?

No mod, that's just how they appear when you increase the screen size.

 

[Arrowhead]

SPACED - 06/10/94 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

Spaced is a fun, yet simple map by Whade Tweady. This is a map that was only published to the archives in 2005. From what I can tell, this is the only map of Tweady's to be sent to the archives - I wasn't able to find anything else he's participated in.

 

This is a Doom1 map w/ about 110 enemies on UV. The map has 0 secrets - something I've seen quite a bit from early 1994 maps - this level only popped up within the first few months of custom wadding. Just because there are no official secrets, doesn't mean that there aren't unofficial secrets - I only encountered one unofficial secret in my playthrough, but I wouldn't doubt if there are more.

 

I like how the nukage section w/ the supercharge is connected to the rest of the map - it is connected via an elevator that must come down from the previous path you were walking on - I like when authors reuse geometry from earlier parts of the map to elicit a new effect / aid in progression.

 

Speaking of progression, 99% of this map is a joy - the only somewhat cryptic area of the level is where you have to press an unmarked wall - well, actually, I take that back - it isn't completely unmarked - there is a large arrow made out of armor bonuses, (see 4th screenshot) that points to the wall from the lower floor. This is alright - but I still don't understand why you wouldn't just put a door there - obscuring this progression, even this slightly, seems like a bit of a folly to me.

 

Combat is pretty standard Doom1 fare - you won't face any difficult fights in this map - yet thankfully, it is still an enjoyable time! The only slightly dangerous encounter is the battle against the two barons that appear after a wall is lowered. These barons can be easily avoided by just sprinting to the teleporter at the top of the staircase - as you'll only likely have the chaingun and single shotty at this point. You are given a rocket launcher a little bit later - and you can then return at a later point, and slay them if you want to.

 

Not a bad level at all - the only issue being that 'armor bonus arrow' - and even then, that is a really minor gripe. :)

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/32S5TJN

Edited December 1, 2021 by Arrowhead

[Walter confetti]

Here's a real rarity i found from one of my old cds, so rare that isn't even on idgames!

 

The Hunt by Sator (Doom 2, MAP01 - MAP06, 2003, played with Gzdoom 4.7.0)

 

DOWNLOAD LINK

 

Spoiler

 

A small (first time? it looks so) 6 maps made of small\medium maps maps (it takes 20/30 minutes to be completed) with a small unfinished MAP07 as a final map for quitting the mapset, it isn't a groundbreaking mini episode but... it's a cute and fun map sets in this gigantic starship with techbases and even a small city remake, cool! It also includes a lot of small doomcute parts, new pretty cool textures, 3D bridges in Hell Revealed 2 style plus some vanilla trickery like instant floor lowering, 3D catwalks, animated switches and other fancy tricks. Overall, a pretty cool first time effort map from this unknown italian mapper that i've downloaded long, long time ago on the web looking for doom maps. The only nad point is a door that i didn't know how to open in MAP05 (that is also the longest map)...

 

Overall, a small fun mini episode.

[Arrowhead]

18 minutes ago, Walter confetti said:

Overall, a small fun mini episode.

Great review, but I unfortunately must be the bearer of bad news!

 

I looked at my spreadsheet and it shows that @thestarrover reviewed that same WAD as the 11th review of this project. Funny how two different people both found the same very rare WAD!

 

I won't be able to add this one onto the spreadsheet, because it is a duplicate level review.

 

But please don't let this discourage you! I do enjoy reading your reviews! Keep it up! :)

 

 

[Walter confetti]

Yes, it is a very big coincidence, i didn't even know about it thinking it was a different wad, going to see what he/she wrote about it...

[thestarrover]

3 hours ago, Walter confetti said:

Yes, it is a very big coincidence, i didn't even know about it thinking it was a different wad, going to see what he/she wrote about it...

It seems that Sator re-relesed hunt.wad. The version you shared is dated 01/25/2003 and in the hunt.txt file it is mentioned a different site. Wayback Machine preserved the site ( but unfortunately not the files). According to Sator, Map05 has many bugs and he never finished the debug and maybe this is the reason why you can not unlock the door.

Anyway since the demo of the Map05 is still broken (DosBox), I think the wads are identical and Sator simply reuploaded the file ( the deh/bex patches and the readwad.txt are dated 1999)

 

Preserved site

 

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by thestarrover

[Arrowhead]

Guardian - 05/16/1997 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

Guardian is a fun, tiny map made by Darren Morris. This is the final of his three released WADs on the /idgames archives.

 

This is a really compact map - yet it never feels tight - the author does a good job of making the arenas you fight in as small as possible, without being claustrophobic. Don't think that just because this map has a monster count of 50, it is a total push-over. That's not the case - the difficulty isn't gruelling, by any stretch of the imagination, but the traps are pretty damn good - and are guaranteed to throw you off a few times throughout this map.

 

There are 5 secrets in this map, and all of the ones I found were guarded by monsters - a rare decision / feat in most of these WADs we've seen! That's part of what makes this map fun, the secrets, and the careful trap placement - my favorite trap being the secret BFG area where you pick up an invulnerability and have to face down two mean archies... I don't suggest using the secret BFG to kill the archies, as that will leave you under-prepared for the upcoming spidermama fight.

 

The spidermama fight isn't too bad, as you're given enough rockets to kill her when you do encounter her - it is just far easier, and far faster to slay her w/ the Big Gun...

 

This is a pretty short bite-sized map, it can be 100%'ed in less than 10 minutes - there isn't anything too difficult about this map, but it is worth a play just to see the creative secrets employed here! :)

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/3dkax57

 

PS: This map is on MAP06 of Doom2.

[Endless]

Gladiator

^{By Larsboy}

²⁰⁰⁰

 

 

Looking for some old WADs to review, I came across this interesting WAD designed around the concept of an arena. The name itself gives us a clear idea of the type of combat we can expect, however, instead of being slaves and exotic animals our enemies are demons, and lots of them. Over 400 enemies and a considerably large map; Gladiator unfolds in a progressive manner based on difficulty levels divided in a geographical manner: the scenarios are static but the combat changes constantly either through a slight change in level design or by launching hordes of enemies through teleporters. A good example of how this map feels is Serious Sam, as it is a large, spacious map, but with hordes of enemies constantly throwing lead.

 

On the one hand we have a fairly simple and modest design that despite not standing out, manages to maintain a good consistency in terms of its own terms. The outstanding merit of this map is the interesting and creative way in which the enemies attack and attack without stopping, creating an exciting wave of massacre that does not stop at any time. In this case, we have a proto-slaughter map, so to speak. While the combat is based on drowning us in massive amounts of demons, there is enough room to maneuver and breathe without having to rip our heads off. The combat is intense, wave-based and designed in a way that different groups of enemies, either the same or varied, attack us one after the other.

 

The map is quite fun, although a bit annoying in UV due to the lack of items in the final arena, but, even if I'm not a fan of maps designed around slaughter, I enjoyed this one thanks to its entertaining design and progressive combat difficulty, changing the map and evolving the fight in a quite symphonic and brutal way. Perfect for those looking for challenging classic WADs.

[thestarrover]

TheZoo by Two Italian Authors.

THEZOOA.WAD and THEZOOB.WAD, 12/28/2000 GZDOOM 4.7.1

 

I found this wad some time ago on an italian site and now I would like to share it with you

 

The Zoo is a wad created by Alberto* and his brother, two Italian doom fans.

The first thing you can notice is that the level consists in two wads.

Originally the level was conceived as single wad for map01, but it was so big that they had to split it in two separate wads because the good old doom 2 engine couldn’t run the full level, and you couldn’t save the game. According to the authors the second part of the level pushes the doom2.exe to its limits: there are so many items and enemies on screen that often the game crashes. (DosBox users: I played the full wad with the original doom2.exe without any crash, but to avoid any problems I think it is better to run the wad with doom32.exe).

The wad was designed on paper and it took the authors 60 hours to complete it. You can see the image of the map on the site

Thezooa.wad replaces Map01, Thezoob.wad replaces Map02 and you have to load them together to play the level.

 

The Zoo is a really fun and very hard wad (at least for me): 100% non-stop action with traps, ambushes, and rooms full of monsters, especially the big ones.

If in the first map you have to make your way through large rooms, corridors and cages and look for the keys to exit the level (all three keys are required), the second map is simply a slaughter.It is a single huge room (the Cathedral according to the authors) where you will have to fight simultaneously with the strongest enemies of doom 2 and the number of monsters on the screen at the same time is really impressive, in my opinion.

 

The level design of Map01 maybe is not a masterpiece but I like it and it is well done for me. Curiously there are only two elevators in the map  and 8 are the secrets you have to find.

Map02 instead is really nice with very good details. I like it very much :)

No additional material is included in both wads.

Both maps (and in particular Map02) can be finished without killing all enemies or visiting all areas .... but where's the fun? :)

There are about 400 monsters in MAP01 and ??? in MAP02 :) 

 

I am not a particularly skilled player and I died several times but although the wad is very hard, I had a lot of fun from start to finish.

I recommend it.

 

Enjoy!

 

* According to the main page : Alberto Main Page (Tuco82)

No name is mentioned in the text file.

 

SCREENSHOTS

 

Site (with download link)

TheZOO Direct Download Link

Link of the image of the map ( Map02 is not included)

 

 

Edited December 5, 2021 by thestarrover

[Walter confetti]

Interesting find!

[thestarrover]

Thanks @Walter confetti

Has someone played it?
Gameplay aside, I think it is quite unusual to have a level split in two wads, at least considering the period in which it was released. And the amount of enemies in a single room is amazing. I am not an expert but I wonder how it worked on the real dos. :)

[Roofi]

 

Hi , it's a copy-paste from my longplay thread. Insertion and Warriors of Spiders are short episode from the 90's I recommand you to play ! More info and my reviews are in the spoilers

 

Wad 1) Warriors of Spider (1996)

 

 

Description of the wad:

 

Spoiler

Filename : SPIDER.WAD (https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/lev...) I

WAD : Doom 2

Author : Andreas Lange, "APS-Software"

Release Date : 23th May 1996

Number of maps : 5

Difficulty : Ultra-Violence (100% kills , secrets and items)

Engine used : DOSBOX

 

Description : Warriors of Spider is an early episode for Doom 2 that probably takes its name from the 1988 science fiction novel. Each map has a different theme but has in common that it features an intricate progression using lifts extensively. The wad also contains some new sounds, a few custom textures and non-authentic music that we have heard elsewhere.

 

Notes :

 

- Map names are provided in the text file of the wad.

- The textures come from the Doom 2 wad "Obituary".

 

Bugs visible in the video :

 

- some blatant HOMS are visible , like at 9:35 or 15:55

- A lot of stuck monsters can be seen.(exemples : 9:21, 17:35 or even 22:23)

 

Detailed comments of each map

 

Spoiler

Map 01 - The level officially takes place in a factory but the ubiquitous brick textures and Bach's "Toccata" makes me think more of a fortress. A level that I like overall because generous on shotgun/SSG shells. The crate maze, which is the only place that actually reminds me of a factory, is quite fun to explore, despite the many imps that act as snipers. The lift leading to several floors (see 1:20) is particularly unpleasant to use because of the imps regularly getting stuck inside. However, this is unfortunately not the only time the author has used this type of system. Similarly, you have to use a perpetual floor to reach the backpack, which has no other purpose than to waste time (see 3:00). At last, the exit is quite amusing because you have to press the right switch. If you press the wrong one, you either trigger useless actions such as turning off the light or lowering the floor or traps such as raising the floor so that the ceiling crushes the player.

 

Map 02 - A good map, which is shorter than the others if you know it well. The main difficulty lies in some jumps to get more than dispensable objects such as a chainsaw or a box of bullets. You have to walk fast enough to reach the platform but not so fast that you bump into the wall (see 11:09). I also like how the mapper gives you a free BFG and a megasphere. To access the secret of the megasphere, you have to press a wall that is located in the secret of the backpack (see 16:54)

 

Map 03 - The inspirations of the map 15 of Doom 2 can be felt quite easily. You start at the top of a building and go down via a lift. Moreover, the resemblance is also perceived by the possibility to move freely around the buildings. However, it is not as developed as in the IWAD map because the map does not contain relief unlike Industrial Zone which had pits filled with lava... In any case, a rather pleasant map despite the numerous backtracks particularly boring. You can find two megaspheres and a soulsphere, which helps to make the map quite fun to play. Once you've got the blue key guarded by blocked mancubus and an arch-vile, you have to use a multiple floors lift, quite similar to map 01 except that you need precise timing because each floor is blocked by a small lift. Using this elevator well means using a lot of switches in the right order and with precise synchronization (see 25:35). The last one is unbearable if you discover the map for the first time. By the way, the path to the soulsphere, although requiring a blue key, is totally optional (see 27:15)

 

Map 04 - My favorite map, but it took me some time to appreciate it, especially because of the complexity of some places, such as this room full of perpetually moving floors with arachnotrons on top (see 33:00). Beyond that, it is to my taste the most accomplished map, visually speaking. The use of blue tech textures is really nice and the new barrier textures contribute to make this map particularly unique. Likewise, the little electro music brings a quite comfortable atmosphere. I also enjoy the way of hiding secrets where you have to climb on a door made of lift (see 29:18) Finally, the little puzzle with the platforms to raise in order to create a path shows the potential of Doom's mechanics (see 31:25)

 

Map 05 - The final map, which is quite a mixed bag. At first sight there is no boss, not even a Mastermind that would have justified the title of the wad. To tell the truth, the atmosphere remains particularly well done because the level proves to be quite adventurous and complex and the music clearly indicates that this is the ultimate challenge. However, progressing in this map was a chore, especially at the beginning when lots of shotgunners flush out anything and severely malfunction the lifts in the main hub. The first task in this map was to get rid of all these zombies before moving on. Beyond that, the map is nothing more than a switchhunting party which becomes not so complex once you play the map again.

 

I absolutely regret the absence of boss in this map. You can find two arch-viles in a crevasse that presents very little threat, within a particularly beautiful Silver structure. (see 53:30). Apart from that, I don't have much to say. A lot of backtracks that artificially lengthen the level.

 

 

 

 

Wad 2) Insertion (1998)

 

 

 

Description of the wad : 

Spoiler

Filename : Insertion

IWAD : Doom 2

Author : David Shaw, Stephen Watson, Adam Williamson and Thomas Evans

Release Date : 7th March 1998

Number of maps : 11

Difficulty : Ultra-Violence (100% kills , secrets and items)

Engine used : DOSBOX

Description : Insertion is an episode for Doom 2 made by 4 people released in 1998. It is in the line of wads like Memento Mori 2 and Requiem. David SHAW, one of the mappers of this project, realized the whole soundtrack. The tracks come from previous projects, notably STRAIN and Requiem. The wad contains very few new graphic resources. We can see a new red sky but the maps are fully designed with stock textures. The whole wad takes place in quite complex and trappy tech bases . The difficulty is intermediate but has some difficulty spikes.

 

Notes : - The soundtrack was composed by David Shaw , notably for previous notorious projects like Requiem or STRAIN.

 

Bugs :

- Insertion has 4 built-in demos but only 3 can be launched.

- An armor shard can't be reached in Map 03 , so only 97% of items can be collected.

- The soulsphere's secret in map 09 can't be activated , so you can get only 80% of secrets.

 

Time stamps : 0:00 TITLEPIC and Built-in Demos

2:55 MAP01: Sabbatical by David Shaw

5:30 MAP02: Abandoned Station by David Shaw 1

2:02 MAP03: Cakewalk by Stephen Watson and David Shaw

24:16 MAP04: Inner Sanctum by David Shaw

32:19 MAP05: Barracks of Hell by Thomas Evans

45:20 MAP06: The Enemy Within by Thomas Evans

53:57 MAP07: Military Inferno by Thomas Evans

1:07:30 MAP08: Toxic Waste Site by Stephen Watson

1:24:08 MAP09: Running Scared by Adam Williamson

1:35:21 MAP10: Hanford Disaster by David Shaw, Stephen Watson and Thomas Evans

1:57:10 MAP11: Focal Point by Adam Williamson and David Shaw

 

A more in in-depth review of each level here (Check my youtube comment for timestamps...) :

Spoiler

Map 01 - A small and compact map with a certain charm with its dormitories. The music from Requiem brings a mysterious and warm atmosphere.

 

Map 02 - The second map shows a very common feature in Insertion maps: backtracking. Although not difficult for combat, the secret of the soulsphere where you have to jump into a crate requires some precision. It is not very difficult in reality, but it can become very frustrating if you fail... Another strange point, some monsters wake up only if you shoot in a certain room (See at 6:24 in the video) A nice map, especially for its computers and chairs but contains too much useless backtracking.

 

Map 03 - One of my favorite levels of Insertion and the best map of David Shaw in this project in my opinion. It stands out in particular for a section full of crushers, which could be considered a foretaste of the diabolical map 11.

 

Map 04 - A very relaxing level to finish during longplay but particularly uninteresting because of the excessive backtracking and switchunting. The areas are very heterogeneous and don't connect very well to each other. David Shaw has created some interesting areas such as the big yellow key room with the floating soulsphere or an invisible bridge surrounded by lava. However, some areas do not bring anything to the gameplay such as the small underground corridors of 64 pixels wide made of TECH textures. The fight to get the red key is incomprehensible. David SHAW tries to scare us with an arch-vile but it is totally harmless because of the invisible walls surrounding it. We can kill the hordes of enemies without difficulty and kill the vile at the end by protecting ourselves behind a wall. (see 31:15)

 

Map 05 - Thomas Evan's first level in Insertion and this is actually where the wad starts to show its claws, especially if you play pistol-start. In fact there are two cases: either you know the location of the secret containing the BFG and the invulnerability sphere which is almost indispensable and you can finish the map relatively peacefully or you will be destined to suffer in front of a huge difficulty spike. The main reason for this sudden increase in difficulty is that the map was not designed for pistol-starting. Indeed, apart from the Shotgun and the Chaingun collectable from zombies, there is only the BFG. There are neither SSG, nor plasma gun and nor rocket launcher while you can find a lot of rockets throughout the level... The fight of the yellow key is clearly one of the hardest in the wad if you don't know the secret of the BFG, even in continuous because the RL is too dangerous in front of pain elementals and the SSG is much too slow. (see at 37:30 for the trap in question) Apart from that, nothing special, like map 03, I like the non-linear gameplay thanks to the two keys to obtain in any order. I liked this level only after knowing the secrets. Before, I hated it.

 

Map 06 - The second level of Thomas Evan's trilogy and it is probably my favorite of his. Contrary to map 05, map 06 turns out to be a breather with combats involving mostly weak bestiary and an easily accessible megasphere in the middle of the map. (see at 50:25). The most annoying aspect of this map is certainly the bridges that take forever to rise. However, the backtracking aspect is much less apparent. We return several times to the zone of the beginning to get the keys, but they allow to discover each time a different zone.

 

Map 07 - The last map exclusively from Thomas, which I appreciate more than the 05 but not as much as the 06. What I like the most in this map is probably its generosity in regards to items for the first part of the map. You can get a soulsphere, a megasphere, a blue armor and many boxes of shells. The second part, where you have to kill two mancubus located in two different areas, as if they were keys to retrieve, is much more monotonous. The two branches do not really distinguish themselves knowing that they are mostly large compartments with a big part of hitscanners, imps and revenants. Not a bad map, but clearly too long for what it is.

 

Map 08 - The only map made exclusively by Stephen Watson and I think it counts among my favorites. On the other hand, it's also the most complex of the wad because of its many teleporters leading to different locations. To tell the truth, I didn't really enjoy doing it during my longplay, because of the fear of getting lost. I admit that it appears in my top 3 Insertion maps, just for its massive outdoor battles (see at 1:20:20 and 1:22:15). The rest consists of just standard places. (a library , a warehouse...) As for the secrets, the most generous ones, namely those containing the megasphere, the soulsphere and the blue armor, require the blue key to reach them. One of them contains a section with crushers that is impossible to cross normally. (see at 1:15:48). Another secret contains 3 switches that only allow to light three very dark rooms, especially the one with the yellow key (see at 1:09:38) A particularly complex map which does not hide its ambition.

 

Map 09 - The first map from Adam Williamson. To tell the truth, I didn't like it, but I still prefer it to his cursed map 11. This is the only map where it is impossible to get the 100% secrets (only 80%). The dysfunctional secret is facing the teleporter to the soulsphere. I think you can compare it to map 15 of Doom 2, except that there is no Pain Elemental and my name is not Zeromaster anyway. Also, the arrangement of the secrets is pretty silly. There are 2 secrets for the SSG and 2 secrets for the closet with the chaingun. Also, these have been mostly set on small sectors so it's very easy to miss even by walking on them. The combats are somewhat bland and the ammunition is very restricted (in pistol start anyway).

 

Map 10 - The only map made in trio, namely David, Thomas and Stephen. It's one of my favorites despite its stupid labyrint made of elevators which is by far the most boring section of the whole wad (see 1:43:30) What I liked the most has been its architecture and especially its large courtyard filled with toxic liquid. Moreover, we can meet the only cyber and the only SM of the sert but they really look weak because of their extremly poor placement. Small remark, but the slime where the BFG is placed does not cause any damage. Maybe it's just an oversight. (see 1:42:20) Definitely the longest and most ambitious map of the project.

 

Map 11 - A very disappointing but horribly sadistic ending from Adam Williamson. There is an IOS to kill, but not to face directly. Instead, you have to get through a large room occupied entirely by crushers. (see at 2:02:00) To tell the truth, I was reluctant to do a longplay just because of this single room. However, I found the solution to never die in it. I have nothing to say about the rest, it is exceedingly forgettable.

Edited December 5, 2021 by Roofi