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

[Endless]

9 hours ago, beast said:

I really *dig* this Wadarcheology concept.

It is quite the shoveling experience ;)

 

1 hour ago, Kokoro Hane said:

It seems at long last I found one of the old wads I played many many years ago that still stick to memory.... I just need to beat it to feel worthy enough to make a post about it here lol, thankfully it is just a one level thing. (Actually since this thread started I finally found it, but I have been so busy, but I may have time now). No one else seems to have reviewed it here so I still have a chance haha. 

Awesome to hear that. We'll be waiting what've you got for us.

[beast]

On 8/9/2021 at 4:46 AM, Endless said:

For a WAD to be considered, reviewed and studied, the wadarcheologist must consider this:

1. It must be from 1994 (year that PWADs came to life) to 2004.

2. It must have a low popularity or relatively unknown origin.

3. A not so well-known author or obscure maker.

4. Mostly forgotten or with very little citations, or just hard to find. 

 

I have a question @Endless, if you would be so kind, about popularity and obscurity.

 

1) If a WAD is listed in the "The collected compilation episode PWAD level sources" thread as part of a compilation, but is not discussed in that or any other thread on Doomworld, is it still eligible?

 

2) Is there a method of research to identify potential WADs? Currently I search the author on /idgames to get a feel for their obscurity, and the WAD name on Doomworld to grep it's popularity.

 

Thanks

[Endless]

21 minutes ago, beast said:

 

I have a question @Endless, if you would be so kind, about popularity and obscurity.

 

1) If a WAD is listed in the "The collected compilation episode PWAD level sources" thread as part of a compilation, but is not discussed in that or any other thread on Doomworld, is it still eligible?

 

2) Is there a method of research to identify potential WADs? Currently I search the author on /idgames to get a feel for their obscurity, and the WAD name on Doomworld to grep it's popularity.

 

Thanks

1. Sure! Since those compilations could be comparable to shovelware or proto-megawads, the separate WADs are still eligible.

 

2.

Quote

Currently I search the author on /idgames to get a feel for their obscurity, and the WAD name on Doomworld to grep it's popularity.

That's pretty much the most common method I use to find WADs out there. Other than that, just keep scouring and digging until something comes up. A good way to find out if an author or WAD is forgotten/obscure is to compare downloads and/or reviews. Doomworld Beta Downloads gives you a rough number of downloads (but I'm not sure if these numbers are updated) so you can make up a conclusion out of that. Usually, WADs with less than 500 downloads since the 90s-2004 can be considered as very rare and obscure pieces of Doom works with a mostly quiet or nule reputation. And of course, WADs that have 0 reviews are pretty much forgotten so they fit the criteria.

 

I also use the Doomwiki to search for WADs or author names. If it's in the Doomwiki, there's chances that the particular author or WAD you're researching has at least a researchable history, which could translate to a relative popularity in the community.

 

On the same subject, it is also a bit complex as to the exact definition of what could be qualified as forgotten/lost/obscure. There are WADs that probably had relative popularity in the 90s, but may not be consistently mentioned today. So the best way to approach this is to look at it from a flexible point of view. At least one thing that makes a WAD work NOT qualify as forgotten is that it is mentioned in awards galas, TOP lists, honorable mentions of its time and so on. Having such honors usually guarantees a lifetime legacy, and our job is to rescue those that have been prived of the honor of being part of our written history by whatever reason.

[beast]

SYMBOLIC.WAD
Game: Doom I
Year: 1994
Author: Eric Birnie
Played on: DOOM.EXE 1.9 (The Ultimate DOOM)
Download: from doomworld.com

Play-through: video on youtube

Demo: SYMBOLIC_Demo.zip (plays in The Ultimate Doom EXE, Chocolate or Crispy ports)

 

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

 

 

SYMBOLIC.WAD is a medium sized map. It offers an engaging 10-20 minutes of play on UV. It has inside and outside areas, nukage floors and a mix of marbled and tech areas. There are some monster closets (nothing unfair), lowering platforms and good use of stairs and teleports. Texturing is on point for the most part, with lighting and height variation done well. The author claims it as their first creation, which is impressive given the quality of this work!

 

It features some tropes like the author's name written in map sectors, and constructing real-world items; It has a giant PC complete with keyboard and mouse, tastefully textured. Although no sectors are tagged as secret, there are at least four locations that reward you with a Backpack, Soul Sphere, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Rifle or the BFG. My play-through omits the last two, which I leave for you to discover.

 

Let's talk some statistics. Fifty percent of monsters are hitscanners, compared to DOOM and SIGIL who both average thirty percent. Luckily there is plenty of cover and you are never forced into a situation you cannot escape from. Health and Armor pickups are roughly on par with that of SIGIL, while Rocket and Plasma are a tad lower than your average SIGIL map. All told these are very well balanced and you should have no munition shortage. On skill ITYTD you will face 62 monsters, while UV pits you against 125 beasties. The monster count ramps eloquently across skills which shows a fair amount of play-testing went into this map.

 

I really like SYMBOLIC. It is a gem. The attention to detail from the map author holds up well against the test of time, and it will take you multiple plays to uncover its hidden depths.

 

Spoiler image: the map

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

[Arrowhead]

28 minutes ago, beast said:

SYMBOLIC.WAD

I really like the architecture in the first screenshot, very clean looking!

 

Nice review! :)

[thestarrover]

9 hours ago, beast said:

It features some tropes like the author's name written in map sectors, and constructing real-world items; It has a giant PC complete with keyboard and mouse, tastefully textured. Although no sectors are tagged as secret, there are at least four locations that reward you with a Backpack, Soul Sphere, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Rifle or the BFG. My play-through omits the last two, which I leave for you to discover.

I remember this map. I played it years ago and it is a very fun level and the "working" Pc is very nice. 

Nice video!

[Arrowhead]

LOOK OUT! - 10/27/1994 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

LO is a strong 1994 map completely set underground by Tom Boyles. This map consists mainly of large twisting subterranean marble structures. The light-casting is really good in some places, and really helps to generate a nice atmosphere as you progress through the map. Some areas are just a tiny bit too dark in some places - this isn't that big of a deal, though, as there aren't many areas like this. Texture alignment is also extremely competent in this map - the only misalignments I saw, were intentional misalignments to indicate secrets and the like.

 

This level is well above standard 1994 fare. Even though the map is predominately green marble textures, it still manages to have a nice appearance. Combat is fun and engaging, but more of the 'relaxing Doom1' variety than the 'gruelling battles' variety. The best fight is easily the surprising exit trap. The map's navigation is pretty straightforward, w/ really only one area in the entire mission that could be considered cryptic:

 

This area is hidden in the sewers area of the map - you need to open a secret wall to grab the red key to progress. I've included a screenshot, (screenie 4) to better assist anyone who wishes to play this map. It seems that no matter how well put together a given 1994 map is, that there will always be one small aspect of the progression that remains 'hidden' or 'secret'. That is the case w/ this map - the entire rest of the map is straightforward and simple to explore - and I really enjoyed exploring it - there are plenty of interesting interconnections present in this map, and things flow together very well in terms of gameplay balance - there was a blue armor that I thought might have been given a little bit too easily though.

 

This is a good map to blast around in for 15 minutes or so! Give it a try if you're looking for something that's not too combat intensive. This is a nice map to just take a stroll around in, it really isn't too dangerous, but that's not to say it isn't fun - and that's what matters the most, in my opinion. :)

 

Spoiler

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/3Kx6Mso

[Walter confetti]

At first i thought that you're talking about this map: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom/j-l/lookout

[Arrowhead]

1 minute ago, Walter confetti said:

At first i thought that you're talking about this map: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom/j-l/lookout

Pretty weird that there are two 1994 levels w/ the same names that were made within a month of each other!

 

The one you posted looks like it could possibly be good for this project, also!

[beast]

13 hours ago, Arrowhead said:

LOOK OUT! - 10/27/1994

 

I had a run through this, and oh man was it scary. Good scary! It must be the darkest map I played this year. I took 33 mins to skulk my way through, often following the walls to find my way in the dark. Ye, dark maps really gets me squirming. Great find @Arrowhead

 

Spoiler

(Curiously and off-topic, DOS Doom seems to render much darker than Chocolate Doom. Never noticed that until this map.)

LOOKOUT.WAD in DOS Doom

 

[Arrowhead]

8 hours ago, beast said:

 

Crazy how a difference in gamma can make a map feel so different - comparing our first screenshots sure shows that! :)

 

Yeah, fun map though, I really enjoyed it.

[Arrowhead]

Journey of No Hope - 07/06/2004 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

JoNH is a quick introductory Doom1 hell level created by CodenniumRed. This map is situated on mapslot E3M1, naturally. This is a great little level - even if it is a little simple combat wise. You won't encounter big hordes of demons in this one, but instead, more subdued encounters. I know some people aren't the biggest fans of easy-to-beat missions - some like a little more meat on the bone - I get that, trust me, but easy little levels always have their place, too!

 

The architecture in this one is lovely - there is a lot of green marble, as well as a lot more natural looking textures. This level has a good sense of place - it truly does feel like you're entering deeper into a corrupted realm the further you progress through the map. W/ this being an introductory map, this is more or less a linear experience. Well, all but for one area - there is a chaingun in this map, guarded by lost souls - this area is completely superfluous, and can be skipped - I completely missed it on my first playthrough, and was confused how I was missing 20 monsters in a map that only has 85 or so enemies, when I got to the exit. The chaingun room does have its uses, though - this room eventually leads to a supercharge secret.

 

The secrets in this map are very unique - they are all nested together - meaning that unlocking one, unlocks another, then unlocking that one unlocks another, etc. The supercharge secret in this map is quite well implemented - the map makes you feel very clever for discovering its 'secrets system'. You don't really get much opportunity to use the secret items you do find, as there are so few enemies remaining in the level by that point. CodenniumRed comments on this in the readme for this WAD: "...which I would have designed differently had the player wielded the ability to use the goodies on the next new level afterwards, which does not exist."

 

This is a quick little experience, for which I have no complaints! Okay, maybe I would have liked to have the chaingun made a little more integral in this map, instead of it being so simple to miss. Other than that, this is a nice hell map w/ some cool features, and is definitely worth looking at for anybody who enjoys their Doom1 missions in a more casual capacity.

 

Takes 7-10 minutes to beat, shorter if you miss the chaingun room initially, like I did! :)

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/3fQDx62

[Roofi]

Caesar by Helioth (1995) - Played on DOSBOX

 

Spoiler

 

 

Quote

This time you will play the role of a brave gladiator fated to die under the fangs of dozens of ugly and starving monsters. You will be lucky if Caesar, who is looking forward very much for your death, applauses. However he doesn't, don't worry because hundreds of spectators will enjoy to see your blood spilling on the ground of the amphitheatre. However you become jealous of the spectator's comfortable place, do not try to kill them instead of the monsters. They did pay for their place, you didn't. That's the reason why you better should ignore them and, even better, protect them. As a result of your good will you will no be deducted health points from your capital of life. On the other hand, if you are revealed as an exceptional gladiator by surviving to this awful menagerie, the privilege of meeting Caesar is yours. But if you are aggressive with Caesar and try to kill him by hitting him or trying to shoot him down you will be sent Caesar's personal guard. Remember that you can't kill Caesar, it's the task of Brutus.

Remember to be in the best possible state before entering the amphitheatre because you will have a hard time there. No BFG9000

 

This map, created in 1995 (but released in 2003) deserves to be included in Wadarcheleogy for several reasons.

 

First of all, it takes place during the Roman Empira era. Helioth managed to create something unique by using mainly the resources of the game. The large arena surrounded by amphitheater occupied by space marines is by far the most memorable and impressive area of the map. However, the author has not protected these behind an invisible wall for example. Therefore, it's very easy to trigger the voodoo bug, especially when killing enemies in the courtyard. That's why I died in this map in the Endless Random Wad Adventure.

 

Beside that, the other places are not really more reminiscent of the Roman Empire, but I can also mention the marbled structure with the red key and some barons which looks like a small monument. In any case, the sky and the music bring and delighted ambiance to the level. The trees and the clear blue sky make me feel in a vacation camp. I want to say that the atmosphere reminded me a lot of SLUGFEST that I had played several months ago. The black and white textures in the alien style didn't really add much to the map though. I don't know why the author decided to include them.

 

As for the sounds, like many wads from the 1990's, Helioth added some new ones. However, replacing the demon grunting sound with the minotaur sound from Heretic really shows me the attention to detail that Helioth had. I had more impression to fight wild beasts as a real gladiator !

 

As far as gameplay goes, it's still pretty short but fun. The gladiatorial combat turns out to be pseudo-slaughter with several groups of enemies that end up killing each other, like in Doom 2 map 16. The whole thing remains quite linear and I feel that the author couldn't really create many paths in his map because I managed to get a VPO very easily.

 

[Arrowhead]

13 minutes ago, Roofi said:

 

That crowd of doomguys looks right up my alley. Looks like a very interesting WAD.

[Endless]

Arachna

1995

By Bjorn Hermans & Holger Nathrath

 

 

Bjorn Hermans and Holger Nathrath were, in a way, relatively popular authors during the 90s. Unfortunately, both authors stopped participating in the 2000s, and the rest of their work slowly faded into oblivion. Famous for creating the Serenity series, both also managed to create other maps of a solid quality that deserve to be revisited again for their value.

 

Arachna is a WAD for the original Doom, replacing E3M1; quite simple but attractive, making great use of my favorite texture: green marble. With a hellish design, this single-level WAD is a great wonder to admire thanks to its focus on creating a gothic, attractive and well-detailed style, especially around structures or small visual obstructions that work very well to give a sense of realism to the WAD. Uses of arches, gates, steps, pillars or columns are common in this level, which makes it feel, truly, like a hellish fortress lost in the maw of the abyss. The textures are used intelligently, even though the theme is relatively simple, the colors manage to combine very well to create a great background that stands out to the eyes. The WAD also has a great sense of progression that increases in difficulty as we play, giving us three solid distinctive areas, each possessing a different and unique landscape, such as the final area, with a spider made of sectors, or the pentagram area, where we face waves of demons. Overall, from a purely visual point of view, you could say that this is peak 1995, excluding all the common early-90s unpleasantness.

 

The gameplay is quite explosive and attractive thanks to a great combination of well positioned enemies, resulting in a dynamic combat area that, despite not having a great variety, offers enough juice to keep us entertained. It has a good challenging, balancing and fun gameplay that we can approach without much trouble.

 

In case we want more action, there is also a Doom 2 version! Which has no major changes other than gameplay.

 

Arachna is a great WAD from 1995 that deserves more recognition. It takes about 10-15 minutes to finish, but it leaves a good taste in your mouth thanks to a solid overall quality that goes 10 for 10 all around, considering the time it was designed, it's a fantastic work that deserves the title of Master Levels. I wish the real Master Levels had been all like this...

Edited January 24, 2022 by Endless

[Arrowhead]

Nasty and Annoying - 03/08/1997 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

NaA is a somewhat challenging level by Richard. This WAD is quite short in length, despite it having 3 keys - this map should only take you about 10-12 minutes to complete. Upon spawning into the level, you'll notice a blue key. Trying to get to that blue key simply results in it raising up on a tall platform. A nice thing about this initial room, is that the author is kind enough to grant you an SSG. This is a very important weapon in this map, as you'll be using it to slay large groups of hitscanners fairly often.

 

The encounters in this mission aren't brutal, but they do have the potential to be difficult, if you've been caught off guard. There are many chaingunners everywhere in this map - often they are released in a large cluster from a trap - and often from behind you. This makes you a bit nervous as you play through the map, because you're always wary about a sudden ambush. This style of encounters really made for a tense and dangerous atmosphere. There's also a really nasty trap that involves a corridor w/ a ton of little doors that open as you proceed through the hallway. All of these doors house some really mean chaingunners, so be careful in this region of the map. Trickery and deception are used to great effect in this level.

 

There are only 130 or so enemies on UV, and a majority of these are hitscanners. There is also only one secret present in this map. This secret is a bit too easy to get, in my opinion - it also is a little bit over-powered considering the difficulty level of this map. You're essentially given a megasphere and a backpack - this makes you far too durable for the rest of the map. I won't spoil where you can find this secret - but it is in a fairly obvious location - most players shouldn't have any issue encountering it.

 

The map culminates in a large open-room war between you and a ton of demons. The geometry / architecture in this area of the map really reminds me of MAP06 of Doom2, for some reason. It sort of plays similar to that final room in The Crusher, too. This is a fun two-staged battle, the second stage where the middle building opens up is quite cool - as there are a bunch of higher-tier monsters here. Backtracking from this region of the map, you'll notice a few new doors have opened - chaingunners and a few other enemies jump out to engage you from these cubbies. I quite liked the fact that the author wanted the player to experience some kind of fight on the way back to the exit door in the first room - most authors from this era simply forgo to include additional encounters on backtracking. I thought that was a nice feature to see.

 

This is a pretty good map w/ some relatively difficult monster encounter scenarios. The level never treats you unfairly, I found. Take a look! You likely won't regret it. :)

 

Spoiler

 

 

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

[Endless]

Induction

1999

By Ty Halderman

 

 

Ty Halderman is a man that every Doom fan knows well. A pillar of the community all-around and a solid mapper, is quite interesting and unexpected to find out that most of his standalone releases aren't that very well known. Induction is such a case. A very cool, neat map that reminds me of Eternal Doom (without the eternal time to finish) but it only has two reviews and about 70 downloads, something I wasn't actually expecting, so, of course, I had to give it a try and see what this map is all about; turns out, it's quite damn good!

 

This is a relatively open level, with a free progression for players. The first part of the map does not guide you exactly where to go, but the rest is not so complicated and follows a progression stable enough to finish this map in about 15-20 minutes. As we can easily see, it has new textures, sounds and skins for the monsters, taken from The Return, a WAD that was being designed by Team TNT but never finished. The resources are practically the same as the ones used for Eternal Doom, so we can take for granted that this WAD has a fresh coat of new paint that looks, smells and feels great. From start to finish, the small details manage to bring the gothic architecture to life, simplistic but effective in conveying the desired emotion. Here awaits a gothic fortress with a good variety of areas, different paths to take, secrets to explore and a well-designed sense of progression that manages to give me some fantastic ideas, reminding me of the TTRPGs of yesteryear.

 

The gameplay is simple, straightforward for the most part with no major complications. It consists mainly of a bunch of traps, monster closets and lots of ambushes. It's not that complex in structure, but it works well enough to entertain without major problems, giving a decent quality of gameplay.

 

Induction is a great level that, at some point, was going to be part of The Return, but, despite not being part of that, it manages to be a great, medium/long level with enough soul and spirit to give me a good smile of satisfaction. Ty was a great author with good pacing and solid skills, as well as a community icon. Interestingly, his standalone maps are not as famous, but I can confirm that they are of solid quality, so I urge you to explore his catalog thoroughly. As well as Induction, it has other great maps that are worth your time. Good adventures await you.

 

On another note, I also did a complete guide for this map on the Doomwiki!

[beast]

I discovered "Hades' House of Horrors" parts one and two (HHH-21.WAD, HHH-22.WAD) but I'm unsure if they qualify. I hope somebody can give me a second opinion? The WAD is mentioned sporadically in the forums but there is no real discussion around it:

 

The maps are listed but not discussed in:

1. wads that get little to no attention (2020)
2. beat/fill '94 pwads month (2018)
3. BIG Vanilla Wad Pack: REVISION XIII (2020)
4. Compiled as part of WADPAK2

 

Part one was also used as the base for MAP04 in the Tune-up Community project (albeit this pack targets Doom II, as such it has different monsters).

I get the feeling these maps may have been a popular back in the day, but have since fallen on the borderline of obscurity.

 

(PS: Arachna looks excellent! Green marble is a firm favorite)

[Endless]

30 minutes ago, beast said:

I discovered "Hades' House of Horrors" parts one and two (HHH-21.WAD, HHH-22.WAD) but I'm unsure if they qualify. I hope somebody can give me a second opinion? The WAD is mentioned sporadically in the forums but there is no real discussion around it:

 

The maps are listed but not discussed in:

1. wads that get little to no attention (2020)
2. beat/fill '94 pwads month (2018)
3. BIG Vanilla Wad Pack: REVISION XIII (2020)
4. Compiled as part of WADPAK2

 

Part one was also used as the base for MAP04 in the Tune-up Community project (albeit this pack targets Doom II, as such it has different monsters).

I get the feeling these maps may have been a popular back in the day, but have since fallen on the borderline of obscurity.

 

(PS: Arachna looks excellent! Green marble is a firm favorite)

As a rule of thumb: if you doubt it, it's probably not worth it!

 

I did play through Hades' House of Horrors and didn't particularly liked it. It's too maze-y for my taste, structureless, has some weird design choices and lacks depth. Everything seems too large and has some odd geometry. Gameplay is a bit boring IMO and this is the kind of map that you can get lost quite easy because of how weird all the paths are laid out.

 

Wasn't very fond of it, but I can at least appreciate the potential and ideas behind a map that uses almost all the stock textures.

 

I did liked this area tho:

 

Maybe @Arrowhead can give it a quick try and tell us what he thinks!

Edited January 25, 2022 by Endless

[Arrowhead]

7 hours ago, Endless said:

As a rule of thumb: if you doubt it, it's probably not worth it!

 

Maybe @Arrowhead can give it a quick try and tell us what he thinks!

It is usually smart to follow that rule of thumb, but sometimes there are exceptions.

 

For example, we normally pick quite obscure WADs, but every now and then we'll select a WAD that wasn't an obscure WAD back in the day.

 

Examples of mine include my review of Flood Mines by Tommie Quick, and MRDM2301.wad by Michael Rapp. Arachna is another example of a now obscure WAD that may have been more popular back in the day. So there is space for the occasional slightly better known WAD, if that WAD has since fallen into obscurity.

 

Personally, I have played these 2 maps, and didn't particularly enjoy them - they didn't 'wow' me, but I don't think they're terrible. I think quite a few people know about these maps, but maybe haven't played them. I think a long-form review might do them some justice, but I also think that they're right on the border of 'obscure'.

 

I don't know if these two WADs qualify, as generally, if a WAD shows up in that many other areas, (cacowards/forum posts/community projects/part of a compilation/etc.) it usually means it isn't very obscure.

 

I would say try to find a slightly more obscure WAD - this is pretty close, like I said, it's right on the border of obscurity.

 

But yeah, something else might work better, @beast ! :)

 

 

[Walter confetti]

Hades House of Horrors are kinda pretty known, it was even revamped in 1994 tune up.

That megawad for me is a sign of map knowledge in the community imo

[adamastor]

16 minutes ago, Walter confetti said:

it was even revamped in 1994 tune up.

I really like that MegaWAD, man.
Pity that it was kind of a one-time deal.

[Arrowhead]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Kong said:

I really like that MegaWAD, man.
Pity that it was kind of a one-time deal.

Yeah, I'd love to see another one too - that was a damn creative WAD.

[adamastor]

1 minute ago, Arrowhead said:

Yeah, I'd love to see another one too - that was a damn creative WAD.

Exactly.
Plus it has the added bonus of heavy old-school mapping influence (of course), which hits the spot for us bizarre individuals that enjoy that sort of thing.

[Dusty_Rhodes]

15 hours ago, Endless said:

Induction

1999

By Ty Halderman

 

 

Ty Halderman is a man that every Doom fan knows well. A pillar of the community all-around and a solid mapper, is quite interesting and unexpected to find out that most of his standalone releases aren't that very well known. Induction is such a case. A very cool, neat map that reminds me of Eternal Doom (without the eternal time to finish) but it only has two reviews and about 70 downloads, something I wasn't actually expecting, so, of course, I had to give it a try and see what this map is all about; turns out, it's quite damn good!

 

This is a relatively open level, with a free progression for players. The first part of the map does not guide you exactly where to go, but the rest is not so complicated and follows a progression stable enough to finish this map in about 15-20 minutes. As we can easily see, it has new textures, sounds and skins for the monsters, taken from The Return, a WAD that was being designed by Team TNT but never finished. The resources are practically the same as the ones used for Eternal Doom, so we can take for granted that this WAD has a fresh coat of new paint that looks, smells and feels great. From start to finish, the small details manage to bring the gothic architecture to life, simplistic but effective in conveying the desired emotion. Here awaits a gothic fortress with a good variety of areas, different paths to take, secrets to explore and a well-designed sense of progression that manages to give me some fantastic ideas, reminding me of the TTRPGs of yesteryear.

 

The gameplay is simple, straightforward for the most part with no major complications. It consists mainly of a bunch of traps, monster closets and lots of ambushes. It's not that complex in structure, but it works well enough to entertain without major problems, giving a decent quality of gameplay.

 

Induction is a great level that, at some point, was going to be part of The Return, but, despite not being part of that, it manages to be a great, medium/long level with enough soul and spirit to give me a good smile of satisfaction. Ty was a great author with good pacing and solid skills, as well as a community icon. Interestingly, his standalone maps are not as famous, but I can confirm that they are of solid quality, so I urge you to explore his catalog thoroughly. As well as Induction, it has other great maps that are worth your time. Good adventures await you.

 

On another note, I also did a complete guide for this map on the Doomwiki!

Thanks for this recommendation! What a fun, unique, beautiful map. So mysterious and interesting. That was a lot of fun to explore. Like Eternal Doom but less frustrating.

[beast]

Thanks for the sound advice, Endless and Arrowhead. Glad I asked :)

[beast]

CROSST.WAD
Game: Doom I
Year: 1994
Author: Terry Henning
Played on: DOOM.EXE 1.9 (The Ultimate DOOM)

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

 

 

CROSST is a large E3M5 map sporting 300 monsters plus one Cyberdemon, with at least seventeen different areas to visit. The menagerie is well dispersed, ensuring good engagement without slogging through a slaughter fest. You start on a cross-shaped hub that you revisit as you find the red/blue/yellow keys. There are a fair amount of dark windy passages, gore decorations and good use of texturing. This place has a lot of dark, not shown in the screenshots.

 

There are as many Lost Souls as there are Zombiemen; some folk may balk at that thought, rest assured there is enough cover and ammo to deal with them. Imps rake up the highest body count in this map, with a fair number of Demons and a spattering of Cacos and Barons.

 

Your shotgun is your friend here. You can also find the Chain gun, Plasma Rifle and Rocket Launcher. There are nine secret areas to discover.

Usually I prefer small or medium sized maps, but this one I liked. The architecture feels mostly cohesive. One major flaw that annoyed me, was dropping down into a damaging pit to trigger a raise-floor action. It was not very apparent, and I wasted a lot of time hunting for that step in progression.

 

 

Note: This map should not be confused with the popular deathmatch map CROSS.WAD

 

Spoiler Map:

Spoiler

 

[Arrowhead]

14 minutes ago, beast said:

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Really liking that 'id rules' room. It is just cheesy enough to be cool. Looks like a very unique and complex map!

[ducon]

Time sucks. 🤓

[Arrowhead]

M U M M Y 3D - 07/24/2001 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

M3D is a unique little WAD w/ some interesting visuals. This is a WAD by Andy McKie. McKie states that this is the improved version of 'Mummy Phuquers' - an earlier WAD by McKie. I was able to find this earlier version on doomwadstation, but have not tried it to see if there are any differences - judging by the screenshots on the site, quite a lot was changed between the two different versions of this WAD.

 

This is a WAD that uses Legacy features, although, I was able to play it on my usual version of GZDOOM w/ no issues. There are only around 70 monsters on UV, and 0 secrets - this is not a challenging WAD, but more a WAD I wanted to show off for its great aesthetics. I really do wish the author included some secrets, though - the ancient Egypt setting really makes you imagine secret tombs and antechambers in pyramids, but there is none of this type of thing in this map.

 

The map, (I'm pretty certain) starts you on Earth in the present day. I say 'pretty certain' as when you spawn in there are some ancient Egyptian textures in the first room - this was a curious choice, and isn't explained in the readme. Once you go through the initial teleporter in this odd room, you'll be transported to some kind of tenement building complex. There are custom assets all throughout this map - mainly in the form of new textures.

 

Enemy resistance in this town area isn't that dangerous. There are a bunch of chaingunners, but they are dispersed in a polite way, and are never too much of an issue. After clearing through this dilapidated apartment building area, you'll find a very cool portal to go through.

 

This portal takes you to ancient Egypt proper. This area is starkly different from the previous area - and is far more bright - both in its lighting and colors. It really is a nice change of pace from the dark town area you were in previously. There are two large temples here. The first temple, (the one you arrive in) houses a plasma rifle - so be sure to snag that - it'll help make shorter work of the hellknights you'll encounter in the other temple. Close to here is where you'll also encounter some Legacy effects. There are some nice deep water and 3D floor features used to great effect in this level. Once you clear out the second temple, the level abruptly ends w/ a megasphere, and a credits texture for the author. This is a bit of a confusing conclusion to the level - the author states: "I will be upgrading all the levels and adding more levels and textures in the near future." - I'm not sure if McKie ever completed these the way he intended - he later went on to make mumphuq1.wad and mumphuq2.wad, but I'm not sure if these two levels are to be considered proper sequels or not.

 

This is an interestingly themed level - I know ancient Egypt has been done before in Doom2 - Osiris jumps to my mind, and while this isn't as nearly as sophisticated as Osiris - it still manages to be a unique experience, w/ my favorite area probably being the portal you jump through to get to ancient Egypt. Very fun map, even if it is really quite an easy combat experience.

 

Spoiler

 

 

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

Mummy Phuquers link: https://bit.ly/3H8aXZU

 

 

Decided to try a new thing and record my gameplay session. Was able to get up to 1440p - so hopefully Youtube doesn't mangle it. I think the quality looks pretty good. I'm thinking about commentating over future recordings, too - could be fun! :)

 

If anybody's interested, I was using the mods Dead Marine, and DamNums. There's no music, as the author decided to just use D_RUNNIN - I didn't think anybody wanted to hear that for the trillionth time. Next time, I'll have a different MIDI playing.

 

Anyways, check this out - definitely an interesting map, no doubt about that! :)