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

[Arrowhead]

Neighbour 1.0 - 12/27/1999 - Played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

Neighbour 1.0 is a fun proto-slaughter map created by Bob Pittman. This is a large map w/ huge open spaces - about 500 enemies takes residence here in this 'neighborhood', and it's your job to clear them out. You start off in a small house w/ tight corridors, and very narrow doorways - this claustrophobic type of gameplay doesn't last long, though. Make sure that before you leave the beginning house, that you grab the SSG and Plaz secrets - if you don't, this level has the potential to be extremely difficult. The secrets are not in obvious spots, so I'm not sure how one was supposed to find them - I read about the secrets in the house from an old review on the /idgames archive, so thanks to that anonymous user! Getting these two weapons is not explicitly imperative, but it is highly recommended that you do so - you'll have to rely on far more infighting if you don't.

 

Much of this map's gameplay is swarm oriented - you'll need to get pockets of different enemies to fight each other - or you'll very soon run out of ammunition. There is a convenient little storage shed that is filled w/ ammo, this is an important depot that you'll return to, over and over again.

 

The final showdown in this map is a 'Tricks and Traps' type confrontation. You teleport into a room with about 70 barons - you need to use the invulns to survive long enough to get up the stairs and lower the wall to release a cybie. This cybie is super important - you need to rely on it to kill a large amount of the barons. Or, alternatively, you can do what I did, and run past the cybie into the last room, and press the exit switch - it took many tries, but I was able to squeeze past.

 

This map is very rough visually - but shines somewhat in the gameplay department - what's here is fun, even though the map is not that attractive to look at. Recommended to slaughter fans, or for fans of somewhat tougher maps!

 

PS: I exited the map w/ 52% kills - I'm sure there's far more to the map than what I saw - I think a lot of the other buildings open up an release monsters, but I didn't find a way to open them. They might possibly open via a secret? I'm not sure...This map's secrets are quite cryptic, and I was only able to find 4/9.

 

Spoiler

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/2Yuf9C9

[Arrowhead]

LOCAL HERO for DOOM 2 - 04/17/1999 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

Local Hero is a medium-sized city type map by Gregory Dick. Dick is probably best known for the cult classic map, Bermuda Triangle. This map appears to be his earliest published project.

 

This map has some great connectivity - something you don't see too typically w/ a city type map - most city maps I've encountered from this era feel as if they're just a series of disparate buildings with no relation to each other - this map has tons of teleporters, and a large amount of alleys and balconys / rooftops - which makes for a very dynamic and interconnected combat experience.

 

Architecture is above average in this map - there are some truly nice structures to look at. The author does a ton w/ very little texture variation. This map is by no means monotone - it's just kind of brown. I don't particularly mind this choice, as it made the level feel a little bit Quake-ish in aesthetic. There is also a nice custom sky graphic in this WAD.

 

There is one small problem in progression w/ this map. Elevators are not always immediately obvious to the player. There is one integral elevator that you are likely to miss, unless you're really lucky. I included a screenshot of it, to hopefully assist anybody who wants to try this map out. The super-shotgun is also accessible by an un-obvious elevator, although, this one is marked by a candle, so most doomers will probably want to press the wall anyway.

 

The map has a very difficult finale. 3 cybers are released at once, and they quickly begin travelling around the map. This is especially challenging, as the author was extremely careful to design the map to allow cybies to travel around w/ as little resistance as possible - they will follow you and relentlessly hunt you down.

 

The map has no official secrets, but I did find one hidden area - w/ a much needed megasphere. I wouldn't doubt there's a hidden plasmagun / BFG as well - I just never encountered it. The map gives you plenty of cells, so I figure there's gotta be a cell weapon somewhere...

 

Overall very fun and attractive map, w/ some slightly peculiar progression choices. If you don't mind a little bit of work when it comes to progression - you'll enjoy this map. I think I cleared up the only 'confusing' sections in the map, the rest is straight-forward in design, and is definitely worth a play.

 

Spoiler

 

 

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

 

PS: We have now officially reached 100 reviews for this project!! Thanks to everyone who's participated thus far. :D

Edited October 11, 2021 by Arrowhead

[Arrowhead]

Flow Through - 03/15/1998 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

Flow Through is a somewhat difficult, but fun map created by Andrew Orman. Orman has created seven other levels in total, w/ a few of them receiving decent reviews, although it seems that this one was missed by a lot of people - 1 /idgames review in 23 years certainly indicates that.

 

This map is a mostly above ground sewer treatment plant, or something of the sort. While technically a 'sewer level' this map has next to none of the common tropes seen in poorly designed sewer levels. There is not a single maze to speak of, and progression is simply laid out via a 'numbered floor scheme' that makes it very easy to find your way around. Things make sense in this level - when a switch is pressed, you can often see the result through a window, or via some other means - makes it super easy to navigate the predominately brown corridors in this map.

 

Secrets are very creative, with one 'staircase secret' being especially unique. Secrets are often guarded by demons, too - something you don't see nearly as much as I think we should. There's about 85 monsters or so in this map, which doesn't seem like that many - but the author does a really good job of spacing out encounters - which makes the combat feel natural and fun.There are no giant open spaces in this map - there are some open-air areas that are larger than others, but the map never really feels 'huge'. The map feels similar in size and design to say, something like E1M3, as that one /idgames reviewer stated.

 

Ammo can be a little bit tight in this map, but it never gets to the point of frustration - be sure to conserve whenever you can, though - hell, that's a smart idea for any Doom map...

 

I enjoyed the secrets enough, that I decided to UV'max this one. Took me about 15 minutes to complete. Highly recommend this map, there wasn't a single moment that I was lost, or not enjoying myself.

 

Give it a go if you have 10-15 minutes available, and just want something quick...

 

Spoiler

 

 

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

[Endless]

Hell

¹⁹⁹⁷

^{By George Fiffy}

 

 

Hell is a single map WAD created by George Fiffy, a classic 90s author who seems to have built up a considerable reputation thanks to a prolific output of mixed quality. This is the first WAD I've played of the type, and to tell the truth, it doesn't leave a bad impression, on the contrary, I think it's a decent, entertaining and special WAD with a well designed theme as well as solid consistency. Its design is simple: you have to get the 3 keys to be able to go ahead with the objective and escape from this strange fortress. The good part is in the overall layout. You have to search path by path through a varied set of different rooms, combats, encounters and styles. The map starts off pretty hot, to the point that I was about to abandon it, but little by little the difficulty starts to come together and it becomes a pretty successful challenge. One of the quirks it has is the fact that it makes use of breakable mirrors, which are necessary to fully advance the adventure. At first this may seem primitive, but it is a good way to alter the gameplay and offer something distinctive. Hell is a big map, by the way. More than 300 enemies but all well arranged around a map of considerable size, which offers constant action in a sweet hellish situation. It's worth playing.

[Roofi]

7 hours ago, Endless said:

Hell

¹⁹⁹⁷

^{By George Fiffy}

 

 

Hell is a single map WAD created by George Fiffy, a classic 90s author who seems to have built up a considerable reputation thanks to a prolific output of mixed quality. This is the first WAD I've played of the type, and to tell the truth, it doesn't leave a bad impression, on the contrary, I think it's a decent, entertaining and special WAD with a well designed theme as well as solid consistency. Its design is simple: you have to get the 3 keys to be able to go ahead with the objective and escape from this strange fortress. The good part is in the overall layout. You have to search path by path through a varied set of different rooms, combats, encounters and styles. The map starts off pretty hot, to the point that I was about to abandon it, but little by little the difficulty starts to come together and it becomes a pretty successful challenge. One of the quirks it has is the fact that it makes use of breakable mirrors, which are necessary to fully advance the adventure. At first this may seem primitive, but it is a good way to alter the gameplay and offer something distinctive. Hell is a big map, by the way. More than 300 enemies but all well arranged around a map of considerable size, which offers constant action in a sweet hellish situation. It's worth playing.

 

I've played some of George Fiffy's maps during my adventures on er/iwa and I consider him to be a kind of proto-slaughtermapper because his maps usually contain a lot of enemies, much more than what you can usually find in the wads of the 1990s. I remembered playing one of his maps from 1994 that had more than 600 enemies and another one with almost 400.

 

I must say that I had a lot of fun on his maps despite the somewhat basic aesthetics. However his works from the late 90's have much improved architecture and texturing.

 

[Endless]

Khazad-dum for Heretic

2000

By Philippe lesire

 

 

Now this is something. I recently decided to look for some WADs for Heretic, since Wadarcheology needs a little heresy, and I came across this cute little hidden gem that, despite being a bit raw around the edges, has more than enough merit thanks to its fantastic essence. Created in 2000, by Philippe Lesire, an author who apparently only made 2 maps in his /idgames career, the other one being for Doom 2. I'll definitely check it out after this one. This map is based on the mines of Moria from The Lord of the Rings, also known as Khazad-dum. Now, Moria maps are pretty iconic in the circles of video game content creators, after all, games like Left 4 Dead and Counter-Strike were the field of map creation inspired by The Lord of the Rings movies, on the other hand, this map was released in 2000, a year before the movies came out. It is a work done by a fan of the genre who decided to interpret the books in his own way, and created something fascinating! Khazad-dum is a medium sized map with a gloriously atmospheric style. It is dark, heavy, full of stones and dampness, but above all, it contains enough detail and imagination to give it a unique touch. Readers of the book will be sweetly surprised to find recreated scenarios that appear in the chapters, as well as the good consistency that the level contains. The layout is fairly simple and almost linear, but offers different paths to explore, scenery to see and secrets to discover. On the other hand, the combat is more explosive; possibly inspired by the scene where the Fellowship is overwhelmed by an army of goblins (and a Balrog that appears here), the amount of enemies is high and tight, with little ammunition for combat, so the main strategy will be to run. While I can't recommend the gameplay itself, I think the design, the visuals and the good work of a passionate fan, reward all of that. It's great, a treat for the eyes and a little nostalgia pill for fans of Heretic and fantasy in general. Recommended if you like Heretic, but highly recommended if you like The Lord of the Rings.

[Arrowhead]

Calgon, Take Me Away! - 03/04/1996 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

CTMA is a great industrial themed map by Keith Hickman. Hickman is probably best known for his work on the outstanding 90s map, 'Area 51'. CTMA is by far his most obscure map, which is why I selected it for this project. I've played this map many a time in the past - it is one of my favorites from this period. CTMA comes packed w/ new sounds galore, w/ the 'door opening' sound and 'zombie death cry' being the most memorable. The map also comes w/ a new MIDI, and uses a really nice looking sky texture - there are other new textures too, many just being variations on the company's corporate logo. From what I gather, Calgon is some kind of water-softening salt product? The best custom texture in the level is probably the humorous 'Safety First' billboard.

 

Combat is varied in this map - all indoor encounters are tight corridor based fights, whereas the large outdoor areas rely more on circle-strafing and hit and run attacks to survive. The author loves pain elementals, so be prepared for some particularly hard to manage fights. There is only one arch-vile in this map - and all other monsters than the cyberdemon are present. There is one particularly rude encounter w/ a pair of revenants that puts you w/ your back to a moving fast crusher - I like when a map forces you to be aggressive to survive. This map's final encounter leaves a little bit to be desired, though -it  just doesn't feel like it's nearly as difficult as it should be, four barons of hell are hardly an issue when you've got a BFG. Curiously, I did not find the rocket launcher in this map...

 

This is a large expansive map that will take you about half an hour to play - maybe slightly longer on your first playthrough. This map is somewhat linear, but is great at giving you the illusion of freedom - I suggest that if you play this map, that you clear out the first building you're in before you decide to go outside. If you don't, there's a very high chance that you will be low on ammo - and you will find the fights you encounter excessively difficult. The super-shotgun is in the first building, so make sure you check every room before you leave. I like the outdoors areas - makes you realize that the author likely worked in a more industrial setting than an office space one. Sometimes I get 'Refueling Base' vibes from this map - both are similarly expansive, and rely on 'open-air' battles to deliver most of the action - not to mention both share the industrial setting.

 

The author's ammo balance is generally fairly tight - he leaves you enough to work with, but only just enough. Make sure to conserve ammo whenever you can. If you're comfortable using berserk to save ammo, you should have no issue.

 

This map is one of my favorites, regardless of its age. It is big and fun and bombastic. I've played this map probably eight or nine times now, and I only just realized that it would work for this project! Check it out if you like big exploratory levels, it's sure to impress! :)

 

Spoiler

 

 

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

Edited October 18, 2021 by Arrowhead

[thestarrover]

Turdburglar /Shitbag/ Ray Schmitz additions

 

I would like to share some additional material about Turdburglar /Shitbag/ Ray Schmitz.

 

Turdburglar series.  (Turdburglar.zip)

 

It is a compilation made by Jive on September 2006. All the maps by Turdburglar have been chronologically ordered by release date

 

In addition Jive made some bug fixes and modification in a couple of maps.

 

More info here and in the text file included in the .zip

 

Untitled Unfinished Megawad.  (schmitz.zip, Sch32.wad)

 

Thanks to Wayback Machine I was able to find this 32 level demo megawad released by Shitbag in 2004.

I didn’t play the wad yet, so I don’t know what exactly is unfinished. I simply loaded some map here and there to check the integrity of the file.

 

In 2019, on this thread, @Grazza already shared this wad as Sch322.zip. I think the wads are identical but, since the file is no longer available on that thread, I couldn’t compare them.

Maybe he knows somethings more about it.

 

Enjoy!

[FEDEX]

Maybe @Mad Butcher or @VVL can help with a copy of SCH322.zip

[VVL]

1 hour ago, thestarrover said:

In 2019, on this thread, @Grazza already shared this wad as Sch322.zip. I think the wads are identical but, since the file is no longer available on that thread, I couldn’t compare them.

Maybe he knows somethings more about it.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/1lmo4cw4sxb5j6v/SCH322.zip/file

[Arrowhead]

8 hours ago, thestarrover said:

Turdburglar

Wicked, always happy to learn more info - I was not at all aware of the 'unfinished megawad', I thought he had only made a handful of maps...

[thestarrover]

11 hours ago, VVL said:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/1lmo4cw4sxb5j6v/SCH322.zip/file

Thanks a lot @VVL!

[Arrowhead]

DM2HAP.wad - 1/16/1995 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

DM2HAP is one of those rare wads with a currently unknown author - I tried to scour the internet for a readme of some kind, but had no luck. I found this wad in the 'Fiddobs Archive' - an old archive that contained a few wads that aren't on the /idgames archive - although, this map is available on wadarchive. I've downloaded all the wads from the directory I found, and will be putting together a mediafire that contains them - there are a couple earlier versions of levels already on the /idgames archive - such as an earlier version of ATARI.wad by Greg LaBrec, and an earlier version of Artifact.wad by Paul Schmitz... Anyway, back to the review:

 

DM2HAP is an interesting map that contains many different combat scenarios - you will fight in tight, cramped bunkers, you will fight atop tall 'buildings', and you'll fight in the occasional wide-open spaces, also. Combat is quite variable, ranging from difficultly placed arch-vile turrets, to intense cyberdemon duels. Monster placement is devious, and exacting - rare for a wad of this age. Tiny little nooks and cubbies line the bunker, the first location you'll visit on your journey - you'll often be hit by unseen foes. Just be careful, this is one of the locations of the map where it's easiest to lose your health. Thankfully, the author places power-ups to help dampen some of the abuse you'll be suffering. The power-up, (of which there are many) don't really affect the gameplay as much as you'd think - the author has so many traps, and so many tricks, that these power-ups don't unbalance the gameplay too much, as you're likely to experience a ton of violence in this map from your foes - you'll pick up a supercharge, only to eat a rocket from a revenant that opened up behind you. Not many power-ups are trapped, but the occasional one will throw you for a loop.

 

This map has 300+ enemies, yet no secrets - I'm not sure why there are no secrets in this map at all - in some maps from this era, it is common for the author to not know how to designate a sector as secret - and so you'll see a bunch of 'unofficial' secrets in your playthrough. This is not the case for this map - I don't think I encountered a single hidden item in this map - everything is clear placed, and 'out in the open.'

 

Graphically, this map is nothing to write home about - there aren't many textural errors present, and alignment seems good - but much of the first part of the map is brown - and dark. This might throw some people off - once you get through the bunker region of the level, the map opens up a bit more, and you end up fighting in slightly more colorful areas.

 

One thing I was not a huge fan of in this map, were the arch-vile turrets in the main 'hub' rooms - those are particularly annoying - makes the fight w/ the cyberdemon following you even more difficult, but don't worry, you should have a compulsory BFG by this point...

 

Very fun oldschool map - w/ a definite emphasis on combat > aesthetics. Give it a shot if you want some decent dooming for about 20-25 minutes, or so. Quite an ambitious map for the time!

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/2Z6Taku

Edited October 21, 2021 by Arrowhead

[thestarrover]

10 hours ago, Arrowhead said:

'Fiddobs Archive' - an old archive that contained a few wads that aren't on the /idgames archive - although, this map is available on wadarchive. I've downloaded all the wads from the site, and will put together a mediafire that contains them - there are a couple earlier versions of levels already on the /idgames archive - such as an earlier version of ATARI.wad by Greg LaBrec, and an earlier version of Artifact.wad by Paul Schmitz.

There are also: the original and unaltered version of Castle Of The Damned by King Reol  and its standalone patch to run the wad on Ultimate Doom, 1FIFFY8.zip and 19_UCOTD.zip; this wad is available in a "legalized" version on the archive (as fiffy8l.zip); the uncut and full 32 level version of NJdoom2 By Enjay and Mark Matheson ( Map 31 and 32 on the idgames version have been cut  because they  are slightly modified version of the originals) and others things....

Fantastic archive anyway. I spent two days downloading all the wads available :)

 

[Arrowhead]

9 hours ago, thestarrover said:

 

I'd be interested to see those. I must have only discovered one single directory, as all the maps had a prefix of 'DM-'.

 

Here is my mediafire link: https://www.mediafire.com/file/3okmd4okyn15gos/Fiddobs_Archive.7z/file       (Don't know why it won't show as a hyperlink... :P)

 

The maps with 'tilde' signs at the start are maps / versions of maps, that I don't believe are on the /idgames archive...

[thestarrover]

13 hours ago, Arrowhead said:

I'd be interested to see those. I must have only discovered one single directory, as all the maps had a prefix of 'DM-'.

 

Here is my mediafire link: https://www.mediafire.com/file/3okmd4okyn15gos/Fiddobs_Archive.7z/file (Don't know why it won't show as a hyperlink... :P)

 

The maps with 'tilde' signs at the start are maps / versions of maps, that I don't believe are on the /idgames archive...

I collected 1110 wads from the site and some zips are wadpacks or compilations. 289 MB in total ( all wads are zipped). 

Edited October 22, 2021 by thestarrover

[Arrowhead]

1fortres.wad - 06/16/1996 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

1fortres is a quick little WAD by Joe A. Leonard. This is the kind of level that is nearly gone in the blink of an eye - it is very short, yet quite fun to play. Much of the level is composed of various brick textures, making the level feel like some kind of decrepit complex. There are minimal enemies present in this WAD - there are only 42 monsters in total. Usually this low of a monster count doesn't lend for fun gameplay, but it works here. You will fight some enemies, then flick a switch, then another switch, and then maybe you'll fight some more enemies again - much of the combat in this map is split up this way.

 

Combat in this map can be sporadically challenging at times. Much of the level's main roster are chaingunners, shotgunners, and imps - so generally, pretty weak monsters, but they can catch you by surprise at times. I'm not going to say this map is tough, because it isn't - it's actually quite easy - just keep an eye on your health - other than the two supercharges, there isn't much health in the map. The map ends up culminating in a fairly simple cyberdemon duel - I say fairly simple, as the author is kind enough to provide both a supercharge and a BFG, the area is still tight though, and depending on the cybie's pain chances, you could very easily gobble a face rocket.

 

The map has no secrets, which is kind of a shame, as I love secret-hunting. Texture use is near flawless, I saw no misalignments, and the texture choices were sensible and complimentary too. Only slight issue, is that the author forgot / neglected to add 'key' textures to any of the key doors - though, this kind of mistake has never bothered me that much. There isn't much detail in this level, but what's there is quite nice. There are 'leaky' basins and water coming out of a grate, two of my favorite features in this map - I know, I'm easily amused... but they genuinely look nice.

 

Very quick map, you can UVMAX in sub five minutes, if you keep a decent pace. Don't expect anything too challenging, other than the tight cyberdemon fight at the end. Play this if you don't want to work too hard, and need just a five minute break from your other WADs!

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/3b16qdg

[Endless]

Beyond Death

¹⁹⁹⁸

^{By Kurt Kesler}

 

 

Short and fast, the perfect definition of a quickie. This is a map designed for Boom in 1998, making use of a few innovative techniques (for the time) and a good design that, despite being quite short, delivers a solid consistency as simple as fun. The map has fairly modest visuals, with a muted but well selected color palette. This is a kind of base in the middle of a canyon or mountain complex, with a half-realistic design that, thanks to a well-defined layout, manages to create a sense of progress despite being so small. Speaking of small, combat is not! More than 100 enemies in a map that lasts no more than 5 minutes, but well positioned and placed in such a way that you don't drown in Ultra-Violence, always offering different encounters and good variety under a sweet challenge. The map looks pretty good and makes use of some novel features; 3D bridges, deep water and full elevators. Not bad, on the contrary, I was so attracted by the design of this map that I would love to see a megawad or mapset designed in its style. It's worth playing, highly recommended, one of those little gems from the late 90s.

Edited October 25, 2021 by Endless

[RonLivingston]

Does any wads use Climax Midis? I know Alien Vendetta Uses music tracks from Duke nukem and rott

Edited October 25, 2021 by RonLivingston

[Roofi]

The all singing, all dancing God-disco road show. by  Dan Sumption (1994)

 

Played via DOSBOX

 

Spoiler

 

Quote

# The Story so Far # There you were, just sitting in the living room when suddenly an inter-dimensional gateway opens out from the screen of your TV. Your excitement at the thought that you may be about to come face-to-face with Cilla Black is replaced by horror, fear and, shortly thereafter, a foul smell coming from within your underwear as you hear hideous grunts and groans accompanied by the piercing screams of some of TV's top variety performers. Clutching a plastic pistol in front of you with both hands, you edge towards the TV screen as the frightening realisation hits you - only you can save Jimmy Tarbuck! Hang on. Does anyone know what the hell I'm talking about? Thought not. Pah! Stories so far ... who needs 'em? # E1M1 - The cloak-rooms of hell # In this episode you play a disgruntled lavatory attendant trying to win back the affections of a mass of hideously evil, yet at the same time cute and loveable, cholera viruses (virii?). No, I lie (again). I consider this level to be the 'main' part of this little escapade, in that it's fairly playable and has a nice smattering of variety. [...] # E1M2 - Fiddler on the roof # After you've escaped from the cloak-rooms of hell, what do you do next? You climb on the roof to have a fiddle of course. This is another one of those pointless monster overkill levels, derived from the previous level but very different in terms of both the scenery and the playing. It's not very complex, as by this time I was getting a little tired of continual level-editing, but it's far from being easy, mainly because you can soon find yourself fighting almost every monster on the level simultaneously. [...] [Note from the uploader: Please read the included textfile in the zip for complete detailed description]

 

A wad from 1994 uploaded in 2004. This is a pack of two maps that honestly deserves to be presented on Wadarchelogy. 

 

Of course, it contains its dose of quirkiness like any self-respecting 1994 wad. However, this one is really much more crazy than what I played, especially because of a new and very strange texture made of yellow, black and orange. To tell the truth, apart from the colorful aspect, I don't feel at all in a discotheque, but rather in an extremely mazy Aliens nest. The gameplay is still very fun and fair. Moreover, you can get an automap which helps you a little bit to navigate in this complex without coherence.

 

The first map is the most interesting because it offers a lot of exploration despite its boring parts like the labyrinths I mentioned before. The layout makes me wonder how many mushrooms the author ate before producing this map. Also, in some places, numbers are drawn for a reason I don't know.

 

The second level doesn't offer much but highlights this new orange sky, which personally scares me a little bit. The latter is particularly apocalyptic and abstract.

 

In short, a map of 1994 like no other that I really enjoyed. The new texture, although used massively, maybe too much, adds a really unique aspect to this wad!

[Arrowhead]

Hitler's Caverns - 6/27/1995 (Uploaded to /idgames in 2003) - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

Hitler's Caverns is a massive early map by Sam Nyfeler. The map is unique in that it uses many SS troopers - more often than not, the presence of an SS trooper in a map indicates poor quality - this is not the case here. Hitler's cavern is a creative map that is mostly subterranean, although you do get the occasional glimpse of the custom sky the author chose. The map has many unique fights that are often based around a certain set-piece.

 

The blue key fight is probably favorite, as it is complete unbridled chaos, but the other fights in this map are not push-overs, either. There is a unique fight that requires you to lower more and more subsequent pillars, until you eventually reach the one at the end that brings you up to your next level. Each time you lower a pillar, a pinkie is released. It is not particularly hard to survive the pinkies, as there aren't that many of them - but they can certainly mess you up enough to miss your next pillar - this can be frustrating at times, as you essentially have to start the puzzle over each time you miss a pillar - but you'll feel accomplished once you make it through.

 

There is also another puzzle that requires some abstract thought in this map. The only way I can describe this puzzle is by comparing its design to some kind of 'piston'. You need to step on different teleporter pads to stop the movement of both parts of the piston, so that you can eventually reach the red key inside. This is something quite difficult to explain via words, it is best experienced. This is one of my favorite puzzles I've seen in a Doom map - I don't think I've ever seen its design elsewhere.

 

The map is chockful of baddies - about 315 enemies take residence here, and there are five secrets. The map arranges its confrontations in a controlled way in this map - essentially, you fight a simple fight, then a set-piece fight, then a simple fight, etc. etc. All of the major battles in this map are carefully constructed, w/ the simple fights merely filling in the gaps of this map's confrontation structure - the map feels inorganic in this regard, as the encounters can feel a little bit predictable / contrived at times.

 

The only slight complaint I have for this map, is that there is one unmarked computer console that you need to press to open a necessary door. I missed this the first time, and was wandering around aimlessly until I decided to press it. There's only one, though, and looking back, it really is in an obvious place.

 

Great map, large and meandering - lots of fun, and the architecture and texturing still holds up today. The map flows surprisingly well for its age - navigation is surprisingly easy, even though this is a massive 30 minutes long level. It's a crying shame the author only made one project!

 

Spoiler

 

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

[Endless]

@Arrowhead found the Hitler/Wolf3D WADs, now we just need @Roofi to find the University WADs and we'll have the 90s weirdness all in one.

[thestarrover]

I  slightly edited my review of lake4.wad by Neal Ziring.

In the review I incorrectly wrote that the level is not on idgames archive but it is not true. lake4.wad IS available in the archive together with btl.wad in the same zip file, btl.zip.

I replaced the original download link with a new one and now lake4.wad can be downloaded directly from idgames archive.

 

My apologize for the mistake

 

Cheers

[Arrowhead]

DMFRED.WAD - 09/03/1994 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

DMFRED is a fun early Doom1 map by Gary Comer. The map is interesting, in that it happens to be very fun, all while having many of the problems 1994 maps have. The map does not employ complex architecture, nor difficult battles - but still manages to be an enjoyable experience, regardless.

 

To get things out of the way, there are several 'hidden' doors present in this map. While unmarked doors / hidden progression are usually frowned upon in modern doomer circles, they work alright here. I say that, as essentially every 'hidden' door in the map is at the end of an obvious hallway. Basically, I recommend you press the walls at the end of corridors - you should have no problem traversing this map once you know that one detail. Well, there is one somewhat obscure section: You have to lower a bookcase to access a switch - this is still fairly explanatory though - as one can see a pack of shotgun shells on top of the bookshelf, indicating that it can likely be lowered. This is by far the most obscure part of the level.

 

Architecture and geometry are quite serviceable for 1994 - although, there wasn't anything that specifically stood out to me. Some of the rooms have a nice sense of scale for a level this early. Texturing is above average for a map of this age - I didn't notice any particularly obnoxious errors - alignment seems good.

 

All in all, there isn't a ton to say about this one. The map plays well from beginning to end - if you keep the progression tip I said in mind. Overall a pretty good experience - a fun map that is as old-school as it gets.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Download link: https://bit.ly/3GsOKG1

[Arrowhead]

Ephesians 6;12 - 02/18/1997 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

This is a solid old-school WAD by Anthony Connor, the author of the cult classic 'AXE' series. Ephesians 6;12 is technically a part of the AXE series, as well, as the author gave this a filename of AXE1.wad.

 

Ephesians 6;12 starts you off on a very high precipice in the middle of an absolutely huge room. This map is essentially one giant rectangular room w/ four 'side-areas' off in each cardinal direction. The yellow key door is skippable - I think it's just there for completionists / UVMAXers. You can finish this map with only the blue and red keys. Just be careful, as the blue key is guarded by an arch-vile - he is in the massive open room, and there is nearly no cover available. As you will likely only have the single-shotgun and chaingun by this point, this can prove to be quite the difficult encounter.

 

The exit can be tricky to find - it is hidden inside of a cross. In included a screenshot, that'll hopefully be some help.

 

Much of the fighting in this map is incidental - there are very few traps. I can only think of the chaingun trap, and the blue key trap in this map - there aren't many others. Most fighting will take place in the separate areas off the sides of the main rectangular room. There is also an interesting raising path, that you need to take a 'step of faith' on.

 

Definitely an enjoyable map - feels a little older visually than its age, but still - this is a damn fun old-school romp.
 

Spoiler

 

 

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

Edited October 31, 2021 by Arrowhead

[Arrowhead]

Phobos Power Station - 08/09/2004 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2.

 

PPS is a fun E1-styled map by DooMBoy. This map is about the size and length of the standard Doom1 E1 maps. The map is linear, but there are so many interesting interconnections that it never feels this way. The map is so well constructed, that you could probably sneak it into something like Fava Beans, or KDitD, and not experience any stylistic clash. There are just below 100 enemies in this map, w/ 4 secrets present. The secrets must be hidden fairly well, as I only found one of them during my playthrough - I found the supercharge secret, but no others.

 

Texturing and geometry are stellar. Each area feels distinct, yet interrelated to each other. My favorite area is probably the outdoors section w/ the pillars pouring out nukage into a reservoir.  The author was very careful w/ their aesthetics - there are support textures, and border textures used to great effect in this map.

 

Lighting in this map is great also, but perhaps a tiny bit too dark. That at least appears to be the sentiment on /idgames. I didn't find it too dark - there are no areas that are pitch black - and the dark lighting generally lends to the overall mood, as opposed to subtracting from it. The dark lighting makes this base feel a lot more 'abandoned' than some other similar E1 romps I've played.

 

The action stays true to E1, w/ no cacodemons, no barons, and no lost souls - there are also no weapons higher than a chaingun in this map - well, there might be a higher weapon in one of the secrets... I wasn't able to find them all. Combat is fun, w/ a good combination of both incidental and trap-based encounters.

 

Overall, a very fun map - definitely recommended to the many E1 enthusiasts out there! Apparently the author has made other E1-styled maps, those are probably worth checking out as well!

 

Spoiler

 

 

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

[Arrowhead]

ROT_E2M1.wad - 10/04/1994 - played via GZDOOM 4.1.2

 

This is a large early map by Russ Walsh - this map is unique for two reasons:

 

Firstly, it has many unique custom wall textures, (including one animated switch) and secondly, it has perhaps one of the most skillfully created single textures I've seen in a WAD. This single texture, (I didn't include a screenshot, I didn't want to spoil the surprise) is used to replicate the visual effect of a '3D bridge'. The author meticulously crafted a wall texture, that when viewed at a certain angle, looks as if you can walk 'under / through' the 'bridge'. It is very hard to explain this effect in writing, as I have NEVER seen this done in any other Doom map ever. This may be the only map out there w/ this visual effect. It would have taken a long time to get the texture just right, but the effect is really nice. Kudos to this author for thinking outside the box.

 

Gameplay is a joy in this WAD - it isn't difficult by today's standards, but then again, how many maps from this time period are? Combat consists mainly of clearing out rooms, and then returning to clear them out once more, when new areas of the map open up. I've always liked this type of combat progression, it feels right. There are lots of cute little details in this map, (mainly the wall textures) that really add a lot to the overall experience.

 

The blue key was a little tricky to find at first, (hint: there are multiple exits in that large elevator) but as it's the only key needed in this map, it's not too bad. You should take maybe 15-20 minutes to beat this one, 5-10 minutes longer if you're UVMAX'n. There are about 200 enemies in this map, and 7 total secrets. The secrets are quite easy to find, but they aren't particularly overpowered, so they never effect the gameplay balance that much.

 

A wicked cool WAD made by a very talented author. Check it out if you're looking for a unique Doom1 experience. You won't be disappointed. :)

 

Spoiler

 

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

[Endless]

Really like the simple yet stylish skybox there. Those pixels make my heart beat.

 

Btw, looks like you're now using mods! Beautiful Doom? :D

[P41R47]

looking at a lot of screenies here made me realise that, if one compile all the interesting custom textures, floors, sprites and all, man, we could have a good repository for jokewads and silly easter eggs.
Imagine found the baron texture of the year on Going Down!!!
Man that would be hilarious!

[Arrowhead]

7 hours ago, Endless said:

Btw, looks like you're now using mods! Beautiful Doom? :D

Yeah, I like the skybox too, very stylish - and I've been using this mod called Dead Marine since the very beginning. It's really great. Lots of visual effects without altering the vanilla gameplay. :)

7 hours ago, P41R47 said:

looking at a lot of screenies here made me realise that, if one compile all the interesting custom textures, floors, sprites and all, man, we could have a good repository for jokewads and silly easter eggs.

This isn't a terrible idea. I think there'd be a lot from this project that would work for something like that, I just don't know how all the permissions on these ancient WADs would work... but it's a definite interesting thought...

Edited November 6, 2021 by Arrowhead