Realm of Chaos: 25th Anniv. Edition - NOW ON IDGAMES!

[Chris Hansen]

Fantastic news, Cammy! Congrats on the release and you can now take a few days off with good conscience :)

[Walter confetti]

Wonderful news!

[Deadwing]

Congratz on the release Cammy!! :D

 

Travel safely as well!

[Dynamo]

Congrats on the release! As a big fan of the original, this will be fun to check out!

[Insaneprophet]

Well look at this! I just played the original on my last day off and now I have tomorrow off! Its fucking on mo fos

 

Going to try a side by side comparison/review where I play every lvl of both versions back to back! 😃

 

Map 1- Huge improvement in the visuals right off the bat with the enhanced outside areas and added windows. Just a slight adjustment to enemy composition but what was changed really added to the variety and provides a small bite that really wasnt present before. Finally the complete remake of the final room boosts the quality over the top by enriching the environment, making the killing of its demons a little bit interesting and giving its layout a geometry that both surpasses the original and fits both Doom and Realm Of Chaos perfectly.

 

Map 2- The only significant difference in this one is a beefed up enemy variety and certianly makes the levels traps much more dynamic. I did want to beat my head against the wall when after failing to make the jump out of any of the windows for the second secret and being forced to run the entire circumference of the map to get back and fail the jump again for the 20th or so time, then I finally noticed that the level now is only 1/1 on secrets....

 

Map 3- There is so much more going on here than just a fresh coat of paint. Everything has been overhauled, from the enemy count and placement, to the exact progression and layout, all the way to entirely new rooms and scenarios, yet despite the differences the soul of the map remains the same and the similarities are felt on more than just a surface level.

 

Map 4- This one takes what was originally a kind of ugly, boring, blah map (that also provides an invisible wall that requires idclip to pass in one hallway) and rebuilds it from scratch. From the ground up its an entirely new level that only barely takes its inspiration from its predecessor and improves the quality by leaps and bounds. With its rooms more fleshed out and its combat modernized this map gets dragged into the present and leaves the 90s architecture in the past. I did end the level with 7 missing kills despite 100% secrets and items. I could hear some arachnos stomping around outside the map near the begining like maybe they should have teleported in up on the slime pedestals we first encounter them on, but I dont know.

 

Map 5- All that was needed and given was some new make-up for what was already a highly enjoyable well made map. The teasing up of the outside area with the yellow key unexpectedly added more fun then I even knew this level needed. Just goes to show, when it gets all dressed up and spiffy looking, even an old wad can be one hell of a good date.

 

Map 6- The original is a long exploration adventure that has plenty of secrets to hunt and tons of incedental combat to keep one occupied during all the progression and back tracking. Exactly my style of gameplay and one of my favorites in the set. Not alot was needed or done to update this one just a nip here and a tuck there, mostly cosmetic work with the only major part of the facelift coming with a welcome little slaughter fight hidden away in a secret that felt a little empty at first glance. Both versions are beauties in my opinion.

 

Map 7- A simple map with simple tweaks and simple adjustments made in order to build up what was already present while still keeping it simple. The scrolling exit banner looks off to my eyes but thats really the only nit pick Ive got.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Insaneprophet

[Steve D]

Sensational news, Cammy! You've done an incredible job updating all of our old maps, and your OST is fantastic. I hope some gameplay videos come down the pike. We know Antoni is waiting. :) 

[taufan99]

Congrats on the RC1 release! Will be away for another while, but I'd imagine it's quite a pleasure to have a try on this later on.

[VoanHead]

pog

[Devalaous]

On 11/19/2023 at 6:11 AM, Cammy said:

It's finally ready - download RC1 of the megawad here or in the OP! Thank you all so, so, so much for your kind words and patience. I can't tell you how much it means.

 

I'm leaving for a family Thanksgiving trip tomorrow, so I'll be gone all week, but once I get back I'll get to work on fixing it up for idgames. The soundtrack needs to be volume-balanced a little better than it is, and I'd like to implement a UMAPINFO lump. If you find any bugs or issues, especially those that impede the Vanilla experience, please, please post them in the thread! I'll fix whatever I can. Of course, I'll also upload the soundtrack to my Youtube channel so you can easily listen to it. I'm considering releasing it on Bandcamp, too, but that'd be a later thing.

 

I worked my ass off on this, and I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you so much. :D

 

My good banan, here is a UMAPINFO and as a bonus, a better internal Dehacked that Crispy can use that doesn't cut off the full map names (It also fixes the typo in Fortress of Death, but that one may have been intentional, with how tight the character strings are) and SHOULD also have your custom par times

 

Download here

 

Feel free to edit them however you like if you make them 'official'; im likely going to use this myself for the original RoC someday

 

EDIT: As expected, the soundtrack is great :D

EDIT2: Added a DMAPINFO lump incase you guys want it to be playable in the Unity port too

Edited November 24, 2023 by Devalaous

[roadworx]

IT'S FINALLY HERE :OOOO

[Rudolph]

20 hours ago, Cammy said:

I'm leaving for a family Thanksgiving trip tomorrow, so I'll be gone all week

Aw, dammit. You and I more or less got the same idea. XD

 

Well, you have a safe trip!

[Insaneprophet]

Continuing where my last post left off

 

Map 8- Another fairly solid original map that didnt take much more than a few quality of life improvements to streamline the progression a little, pretty up its appearance in the mirror and make a couple of the fights a tad more engaging.

 

Map 9- This was an excellent adventure map just like Steve's last one. These are truely the reason why I play this game and very little was changed, nor needed to be, between the two maps. I was missing 1 secret and a bunch of kills at the end of the original and, though the secrets were adjusted a tad, I was missing 1 secret and 4 kills at the end of the new version.

 

Map 10- Youve taken what was a small broken map and created something workable out of it. Its still a small breather map but not nearly as cryptic, ugly or something to just be seen as filler.

 

Map 11- A cute as hell starport this truely was a cozy map. All you really could do was spruce it up some and and get the secret to not only register but feel just as rewarding to find as the shuttle crafts are to look at.

 

Map 12- Another example of a map that in my opinion would have felt right at home next to Sandy Petersons maps in the middle of Doom 2. This is what made this set a classic to begin with and must have been a pleasurable experience to touch up and work on remastering.

 

Map 13- Definately a map that needed some help. Like many from the 90s it had some ideas but implementation was a bit lack luster (as well as containing another invisible wall to idclip through.) Just a few gentile nudges in the right direction have brought this one back in line and if i could find the damn new secrets perhaps even have it standing tall. Upon finding them its amazing how much those new secrets added to this level. The character this map had shines through just a little brighter somehow.

 

Map 14- While not the worst map I'd ever played, and indeed still a fun map to run, the original had some of the worst flaws I feel someone could make. Happily the revamp fixes every problem I had with the first. Everything from the useless areas you could jump to but had no purpose, the virtual inability to get all the kills, the nonsense progression and mostly broken secret to the lack of ability to back track and the verticality putting things too far below you or all the way up touching the sky, it all got fixed. Stellar job, youve turned a real stinker into a bottle of perfume.

 

Map 15- The original is one hell of a beast and one of the best in the set. I enjoyed it so much that before even playing the anniversary edition I wanted to get that out. Im also doubly excited for what comes next because not only do I get to restart a level I loved, right away, but Ive already peeked and the new one doubles down on the demons so this is going to be exciting.

  If ever a map had the architecture that begged to be furnished with easy slaughter fights this would be the one. As it tended towards large arenas, difficult combat and overstocking you with ammo its almost like youve unmasked this levels true identity. By flood filling every encounter with enemies youve turned what I would consider an icon of the 90s into a hero for today.

  

Edited November 21, 2023 by Insaneprophet

[galileo31dos01]

Hi, played this to completion last weekend and enjoyed my time overall, sick BGMs and neat changes/updates made to the maps as well. Here's a list of stuff I observed along the way:

 

Spoiler

04

- Multiple monsters didn't spawn where they were supposed to. I found them stuck basically, via noclip.

 

08

- Not a bug but a minor suggestion -- line 202 is set to block monsters and thus forbids the imps to come out of the room, which coincidentally was a missed opportunity to use the barrels nearby that I saved on purpose for whatever was gonna appear behind that wall. I think that setting serves no purpose whatsoever in this case. (I have noticed sus block lines in plenty other maps but none that registered as "disappointing" as this one lol)

 

12

- This is only a coincidence and nothing to fix but, from this angle, if you shoot a rocket, it goes through the wall!

 

31

- Line 532 isn't set impassable and so you can kinda touch the sky :D

- It's possible to seal off these two rooms if you press the close door switches inside and get out while they're closing. There isn't any real reason to be doing that on purpose yet for science I still checked. Also, looking now in the editor, the lion switches on the sides of the bath are actually functional switches, yet the torches are in the way and you can press them.

- This wall opening leaves a glaring misalignment, not that it's so relevant anyways.

 

 32

- So, the easter egg... I unfortunately missed it completely, I was gonna ask what this was about (via IDDTx2) and I failed hard to notice the whole secret to the south. It's a very neat one. Still maybe I would have placed a hint for that special line that lowers the teleport, even if a 1 pixel hint, but for what you get in the secret I think it's fair to have it super secrety.

 

19

- There were stuck shotgunners over there, at least two

 

22

- Found a stuck mancubus in the final room, I think it spawned slightly on the edge of the line and the lava sector is much deeper, so the teleport fog should be moved a bit.

 

23

- The secret flag on sector 355 gets eaten once it lowers, so the trigger shouldn't be of a change texture special.

 

27

- This cyberdemon was stuck and would remain stuck unless it gets shot, then it starts moving. Platform might have to be widened a little more.

 

28

- These imps and zombiemen were stuck on each other, not sure why they are placed like that unless it's for the silliness?

 

29

- The inside of the spiderdemon's cage doesn't have midbars, or well, both cages, which is only an "immersion" complain, but also just seen there is a teleport fog on both cages, but you can only telefrag one as both sectors use the same tag, and it's always gonna be the one on the west if I'm not mistaken.

- Not sure if this is how it should look, but most of this creature's mouth didn't close fully. Since the teeth sectors look for adjacent lowest ceiling, they'll only raise to certain points. I think you'll need to make tiny 3-lines sectors in between the teeth so they are separated and check for the corresponding upper teeth, and then the mouth will close fully.

 

[Roofi]

Hi , I'm going to record videos on your remake !

 

However, I want to warn there is a critical error which prevent the wad from properly running on Doom2 exe : About the flats you put "FF_END" instead of "F_END", which make the game instantly crash when seeing a custom flat.

 

I rectified the error on my side, so I should be able to play the maps on the original EXE. :)

 

EDIT : I played the 5 first maps and my memory is pretty trouble about this wad so I have difficulty comparing the old and new version. However, I indeed feel that the gameplay is smoother and the visuals more polished. The improvements are most noticeable on map 04, which left a bitter taste in my mouth when I played it for the first time. The remastered version retains its sadistic aspect with its viles and traps, but removes all the bullshit. And of course, the new soundtrack rocks. 

 

The anniversary wad is smooth as butter for the moment.

 

My videos are in spoiler, I didn't notice bugs.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2023 by Roofi

[Steve D]

@Insaneprophet Thanks for all the write-ups! Glad you're liking it. Cammy did a fabulous job with all these old maps. Up until now, I was one of about 3 people who played the whole thing, so I'm thrilled to see others get a chance to enjoy Cammy's work.

 

Re: invisible walls in the original Realm of Chaos, are you using DSDA-Doom? In my experience, it's the only port that suffers from invisible walls when playing RoC. IIRC something to do with a Hellmaker problem. I first noticed it in Map01 when I tried to get the Red Key and I couldn't even reach the stairs. ;D

[Rudolph]

6 minutes ago, Steve D said:

@Insaneprophet Re: invisible walls in the original Realm of Chaos, are you using DSDA-Doom? In my experience, it's the only port that suffers from invisible walls when playing RoC. IIRC something to do with a Hellmaker problem. I first noticed it in Map01 when I tried to get the Red Key and I couldn't even reach the stairs. ;D

I experienced it myself with GZDoom, as I detailed it here. It is what brought my attempted run to a screeching halt.

[Devalaous]

18 minutes ago, Steve D said:

@Insaneprophet Thanks for all the write-ups! Glad you're liking it. Cammy did a fabulous job with all these old maps. Up until now, I was one of about 3 people who played the whole thing, so I'm thrilled to see others get a chance to enjoy Cammy's work.

 

Re: invisible walls in the original Realm of Chaos, are you using DSDA-Doom? In my experience, it's the only port that suffers from invisible walls when playing RoC. IIRC something to do with a Hellmaker problem. I first noticed it in Map01 when I tried to get the Red Key and I couldn't even reach the stairs. ;D

 

If a complete list of these Hellmaker-induced 'surprise MBF21 features' progression blockers ever gets compiled, I'd like to take a stab at patching them out, if it isnt like, *all* 32 maps, since I do plan on backporting that UMAPINFO and Dehacked to the original later on. When remastering something, its always good to have the original around to compare with, but that doesnt mean gamebreaking bugs should remain :p (im not going to backport them till a while later though, all eyes should be on this release and rightly so!)

 

Also, been listening to the new music in this in SLADE while doing other Doom work. Its all good stuff so far.

[brick]

1 hour ago, Steve D said:

Re: invisible walls in the original Realm of Chaos, are you using DSDA-Doom? In my experience, it's the only port that suffers from invisible walls when playing RoC. IIRC something to do with a Hellmaker problem. I first noticed it in Map01 when I tried to get the Red Key and I couldn't even reach the stairs. ;D

Hellmaker would introduce some weird flags on some linedefs, I'm not sure why or if there was a pattern to it. 20 years later when MBF21 was created it expanded on Boom/MBF by adding to these flags. One of the new flags is "block players" but not monsters, which happens to coincide with one of the garbage flags that Hellmaker introduces. I know Rudolph has complained about this before but I played through the original RoC not long ago with zero problems in GZDoom, you just have to make sure not to turn on the compat flag for "MBF21 features" (any of the Doom compat presets will keep it off). I'm sure the issue with DSDA-Doom is again that people are playing with the wrong complevel, I just tested the famous MAP04 line; on cl 21 it blocks, on any other cl it works fine and you can go through, I even tested it by switching cl mid-map from 21 to 11 and I could suddenly walk through no problem.

 

Oddly, I tried the MAP01 red key and couldn't reproduce the problem. In both GZDoom and DSDA-Doom, no matter whether I had MBF21 compat or another compat, I could get the red key without any problem... very strange!

[Steve D]

Thanks, @brick, I think you're on to something.

 

@Insaneprophet, @Rudolph, and @Devalaous, I gave the vine line in Map04 a go in GZDoom 4.10.0 and 4.8.2, as well as PrBoom 2.5.1.7um, plus DSDA-Doom 0.21 and 0.26.2, and here are my findings.

 

GZDoom 4.10.0 and 4.8.2 had compatibility set to MBF Strict. No problems. I also tried Boom Strict and Doom Strict. Again, no problems. I did not set any other compatibility flags.

 

PrBoom 2.5.1.7um - no problems. I don't set complevels because PrBoom is so crashy on my machine that I no longer use it, but it's probably at cl 9.

 

DSDA-Doom 0.21 - Complete disaster. Couldn't even get out of the first room. I idclipped and got stuck on the vine line, and many others.

 

DSDA-Doom 0.26.2 - Much better. This one allowed me to reach the Red Key in Map01 and I was also able to get past the first room in Map04. Alas, my progress halted at the infamous vine line.

 

I did not check or change the compatibility in DSDA-Doom, so I assume both versions use the default settings.

 

I advise everyone to try @brick's solutions.

 

In other news, Antoni Chan's maps should have none of these problems, because he used Demon 0.21b, a Mac port of DEU. The rest of us used Hellmaker, and our maps must be a minefield of invisible wall bugs depending on your port and compat settings.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Steve D

[TeK (⌐■_■)]

I haven't played the original RoC so I had no real expectations going into these maps either way, but man, I've been having a blast playing through these. Up to map19 and I've loved the ramp up in difficulty and enemy count of the last few maps.

 

Only ran into a few issues so far playing in prboom plus on hmp, and that's the red key on map08 hasn't been flagged for lower difficulties, as well as the rocket launcher in map19 hasn't either.

[Insaneprophet]

6 hours ago, Steve D said:

Thanks, @brick, I think you're on to something.

 

@Insaneprophet, @Rudolph, and @Devalaous, I gave the vine line in Map04 a go in GZDoom 4.10.0 and 4.8.2, as well as PrBoom 2.5.1.7um, plus DSDA-Doom 0.21 and 0.26.2, and here are my findings.

 

GZDoom 4.10.0 and 4.8.2 had compatibility set to MBF Strict. No problems. I also tried Boom Strict and Doom Strict. Again, no problems. I did not set any other compatibility flags.

 

PrBoom 2.5.1.7um - no problems. I don't set complevels because PrBoom is so crashy on my machine that I no longer use it, but it's probably at cl 9.

 

DSDA-Doom 0.21 - Complete disaster. Couldn't even get out of the first room. I idclipped and got stuck on the vine line, and many others.

 

DSDA-Doom 0.26.2 - Much better. This one allowed me to reach the Red Key in Map01 and I was also able to get past the first room in Map04. Alas, my progress halted at the infamous vine line.

 

I did not check or change the compatibility in DSDA-Doom, so I assume both versions use the default settings.

 

I advise everyone to try @brick's solutions.

 

In other news, Antoni Chan's maps should have none of these problems, because he used Demon 0.21b, a Mac port of DEU. The rest of us used Hellmaker, and our maps must be a minefield of invisible wall bugs depending on your port and compat settings.

I actually play with lzdoom and have tried the maps on every comp lvl and they all have blocking invisible walls for me. The only map Ive been able to figure out kind of why is on map 15 there are these little spiderwebs in the hallways I cant get past. On other maps those spiderwebs block me but if the room is big enough I can get around them, but the blocking walls Ive mentioned didnt seem to have the webs. And again Ive tried all the comp lvls, beyond that Im not smart enough to go digging further into settings or look in an editor. Stupid me just knows IDCLIP. 😝

[Roofi]

And here are my videos for map 06 to map 10 in spoilers :

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, my review is very short because everything works well. I'm having fun with these simple maps and the music composed goes perfectly with them. Moreover, I didn't notice critical nor minor bugs except a floating box of rockets at 7:17 of Map 07's video.

 

Map 09 is my favourite map in the anniversary edition for now.

 

Two things stood out for me though:

 

- I missed a huge amount of content in map 06 and I can't remember if the original map 06 had as many monsters in secrets.

- Map 10 is surprisingly short, which is a well-deserved break after some rather long maps. 

 

I had a quick look at a few maps from RoC, which came out in 1996, and the aesthetic improvements are definitely noticeable!

[Insaneprophet]

Map 31- Almost a straight remake of the original with elevated graphics and a more straight forward approach to progression. Done away with are the soft lock if you unknowing take the lift down to the exit before exploring the rest of the level and a confusing little room with a bunch of switches has been modified to be slightly less confusing, though there is still something about it that I dont understand. The secret exit has been made truely secret this time around as I always was missing one secret at the end of the original and it now becomes manditory to find it. I confess that in a moment of weakness, not wanting to miss lvl 32, I, to my eternal sorrow, used IDDT to find what I was missing on both maps. My apologies and you may now treat me with scorn and derision.

 

Map 32- OMFG!!!! The original is a large arena fight that can be taken on piece meal or made much more fun by hitting all the switches as fast as possible and letting the chaos take over. The remake has taken the arena and said "fuck switches, lets start in chaos and if you hit any switches heres chaos ×10." In my first attempt I actually got within 30 or so kills left before the madness finally got to me. After untold more tries I broke down and started dropping saves and kept to a philosophy of, one save file, no going back, this led to having 1HP left for the last 60 demons but I managed and found that when the exit unlocks it would have changed the entire dynamic. Super super fun challange map in the super super secret slot. Will definately play this level again.

 

Map 16- If my memory serves and I am indeed getting the map name right, this reminded me a ton of "Courtyard" in DOOM II. I always liked that map in the same way someone might enjoy an abstact painting or sculpture. The architecture and combat invoke that same proto-slaughter/proto-artwork imagery in the same way. Like a cave painting, and the update takes both the visuals and the fighting forward, to say like ancient hierogliphics, clearly indicative of the more advanced idologies but not as refined as the language that would evolve from it.

 

Map 17- Nostalgia is still kicking in hardcore with this one which had me thinking the word classic on my entire first runthrough. Now where as I must compliment the enhanced texture work and lighting that are clearly an advancement, the layout changes felt a little superfluous on this map. While neat and engaging on their own, after playing the first map they kind of felt un-needed. I was able to sniff out all the secrets and every area already felt rewarding on first play but I finished the update missing 2 of 3 secrets and the feeling I got discovering the original locations. Luckily you stayed true enough that nothing gets erased,  just a little bit felt lost.

 

Map 18- Yup, Steve D makes good effing levels! Another epic facility this didnt need a tune up or rewireing of any kind to be a best in show. The new model however, keeps the frame and undercarriage while doing extensive bodywork and dropping a whole new engine into the gameplay. Faithful in every way to honor its heritage the new make becomes its own thing and feels like an entirely seperate level. Side by side the old map and the current one are favorites of mine in their respective sets, for different reasons, but equally as good as each other.

 

Map 19- This is exactly what this map needed! It was surviving on nothing but its location and the early doom-cute cargo ship. Youve revamped this map into the demons making a full fledged all out attack on a major sea-port where the player is the last marine standing to defend earths freedom and liberty. Thoughts of Pearl Harbor and the horrors of war flood the imagination as one fights off the invaders and regains possession of a freight-liner loaded with valuable ammo and armaments needed for the war effort as the world errupts in explosions and death all around you. I only ever found 1 of 4 secrets and Im a little stumped on that front but this is an A++ 5 out of 5 star 3 thumbs up all the critics agree must see masterpiece that we havent seen the likes of since Saving Private Ryan.

 

Map 20- A much needed breather of a map after the last couple of sagas. This was reminiscent of a standard late Doom II quality of level that got upgrades on all facits. While retaining the core gimmick of the map, combat has been honed down to a razors edge and the design has been polished to a mirrors finish to reveal a luster and clarity to this diamond in the rough that wasnt apparent in the original cut.

 

Map 21- Another solid foundational map that gets rebuilt, keeping all of the structural supports but reframing the layout of the site and attaching additions when possible. Block by block the pieces that made up this map get repiled in different ways more accomodating to the larger popullation that now inhabits these unholy grounds. What we end up with is a new monument entirely but is in all essense still a shrine to what came before.

 

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by Insaneprophet

[Insaneprophet]

Map 22- I say this every time it feels like but only because of how true it is, here is another Steve D level and another of my favorite levels in the set. Not as much has been changed in the combat to make it a completely seperate experience as was done with map 18 but not every one needed a different spin put on it. This was a grand enough setting that just a refurbishing with minor adjustments to the set pieces was enough to keep this on par with the rest of the anniversary edition.

 

Map 23- Steve has done it again with what could have easily been a map 29 in any other set and feels absolutely an equal to The Living End. The aesthetics and progression have been improved somewhat to make it feel both more majestic looking and less clunky to navigate while still offering multiple pathways forward, or backwards depending on how the mood strikes you. The reboot keeps the difficulty level on a pace with the last handful of maps letting you know we havnt yet reached the end of the set despite having encountered some earlier slaughter sections. All in all this is turning out to be one of the most well ballanced and cohesive megawads Ive personally ever played.

 

Map 24- I do not enjoy being negative so I will try to keep this short. The original is broken as the first bridge you need never raises. Aside from that it is short with boring setups and boring fights. Perhaps it would work in the number 4 slot but not the number 24 slot. The remake stays true in all regards, changing/adding a little but in no ways uping the ante and thats a shame!

 

Map 25- This was the breather map that was needed! Its cramped spaces with plutonia-esc challenges is a breath of fresh air after a run of long adventures then having the rug pulled out from under us. You're improvements really rev up the combat and bring this map more on scale from whats expected in todays day and age.

Edited November 23, 2023 by Insaneprophet

[Roofi]

So, I attacked the second episode. Here are the videos of map 11 to 15 with secret exit included :

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

My memories about this wad tend to be clearer regarding the second episode and I can say I didn't expect its mysterious nocturnal tone. The addition of a blue sky combined with a low lighting is one of the best decision for the remaster. They make the exploration of the maps a lot deeper and i'm amazed how you transformed map 12's twisted layout to a survival-horror experience. It's definitely my favourite level in the second episode for now but all the maps I just played were a blast anyway. I've a favourite toward the mountainous landscapes of map 13 and 14 too.

 

I'm also addicted to the slaughter-style battles on map 15, even though I've decided to play in HNTR because of the save buffer limit.

 

Fortunately for you, I didn't spot any bug again. I'd just point out that I missed the RL in map 13, although its absence didn't prevent me from surviving. 

[Insaneprophet]

Map 26- With the last map acting as an interlude that resets the whole megawad we enter the final stretch switching gears and entering into a puzzle, but where as the demons are playing checkers, you're playing chess. The new ivory and onyx tile work is a focal point that gleams amidst the halls of this unholy ancient grey and green marble temple consecrated to Hades. The human mind cant envision how many souls have been sacrificed on these diabolical alters over the centuries but it all pales in comparison to the blood you and your shoutgun are about to spill here.

 

Map 27- The trials and tribulations continue on our odessy across the realms of the underworld. The 96 map tells a story in the tradition of the other legendary maps by the author while failing to establish a narrative at quite the same level of heroic tale, but this all gets lost to history as it transforms into a fable of mythic stature when retold through the hand of a modern mapper. Its all of the details and extended elements fleshing out the plot that function to announce this as high fantasy.

 

Map 28-  We continue our decent into the abyss by arriving at what can best be described as Lucifer's cage in the pit. A philisophical paradox and conceptual nightmare the war against evil becomes a living torment of perpetual struggles and rewards. Drawing inspiration from Doom II's The Abandoned Mines this level is more claustrophobic and leads to an uncomfortable feeling of being entombed inside an iron maiden. The reimagined map eviscerates the tedium of confusion from cryptic passages but both versions hit hard and fast and will leave the unwary impaled and torn asunder.

 

Map 29- Transported to a warped surreal dimension controlled and concieved by the most demented of eldritch monstrosities our journey is almost complete. Feeling caught in the spiders web with no hope of escape our only chance is to press on and confront the denizens of this plane of existence. While retaining the bizarre landscape and layout the new horrors you're made to witness feel like an escalation of what always was intended to be your last stop toward the realm of chaos.

 

Map 30- Faced with the ultimate evil the original icon is replaced with a great four headed beast but in following with tradition very little of the design of the map is changed and as far as finales go, as long as you know your route and stick to it this can be taken down rather quickly and all of your switches and shooting spots are well protected so none of it gets a chance to become annoying. Spend as much or as little time here as you want. Final thoughts maybe tomorrow. 😃

Edited November 27, 2023 by Insaneprophet

[Insaneprophet]

Ive found a soft lock on map 27

Spoiler

After picking up the yellow key and heading toward the door to progress. If from that door you drop off the ledge down almost on top of the secret, there is plenty of room to fall down in the corner behind the 2 torches and be stuck there.

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Insaneprophet

[Insaneprophet]

I'm afraid I've done you a geat disservice in my review of your wad and I intend to recitify the situation post haste. In a small way it may have been unfair, no matter how positively the outcome may have weighed in the anniversary's favor, to immediately compare this new release to a full set of levels that came out so long ago that its rightfully considered a classic. The back and forth nature of the playthrough and the foreknowledge I entered every map with invariably collored my peception and hampered any chance to see your work as a single entity and how its different parts worked together as a whole, independant of outside influence. And secondly, in a far more serious aggregious offense, I failed to play the entire thing with the music volume turned on. I apologize, I am one of the those dispicable degenerates that has never really cared if there was more than just the sound effects audible. Thats not to say I dont or cant enjoy music, just that when playing Doom, I just dont even really notice.

 Ive taken it upon myself to start a new run, of just this wad, start to finish, with the music turned up! Before I give a final thoughts type, review overview, I'd like to have a fully informed opinion. You've put the work in, you deserve it.

 I'll prolly just tac anything further on to this post in an edit. Just had to get that typed out while I'm on break from playing, already back through to the super secret level.

 

@Cammy@Steve D

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! This megawad has accomplished three things. It has captured my imagination. It has cemented Steve as one of my absolute favorite mappers. And it has given me a massive appreciation for every one of Cammy's many talents. The hard work, dedication and craftsmanship show not only an eye for beautiful detailing but an ear for driven inspired composition.

  You truely have taken a slightly disjointed, relic of the past and given this annivesary edition a structural integrity and singularity of purpose matched only by the highest end, upper eschelon, top tier of creative works. I can not sing enough praise for this.

  Its base, in the early days of mapping with multiple authors, gives it a diversity of design that can get lost by more current mapsets with planned themes, coreagraphed gameplay progression and less experimentalism but the final product displays a level of cohesion and over arching clarity of vision that it can only be matched by one of todays modern solo projects. 

  Instead of coming up with a multitude of different things to, and ways of complimenting you and this wad i will instead cut short my comments (lmao) and state. Congratulations on release! Thank you for sharing it! And it has ended being one of my all time top favorites! 😃

 

 

Edited November 29, 2023 by Insaneprophet

[SupremeBioVizier]

this is really balanced and fun... found on doomshack.

[Cammy]

Back home at last! Thank you all so much - I'm very grateful to see the positive response to this megawad so far. :D I've already begun making changes based on the feedback posted by @galileo31dos01, @Insaneprophet, and @Roofi. I owe you one! Not to rush you, Roofi, but I'm anxiously awaiting the remainder of your playthrough, as it's been a very valuable source.

 

I'm also implementing the fixes and features that you made, @Devalaous - thank you for the donation! RC2 will be out as soon as I can get it out - and unless more bugs get discovered after that, it'll be what you end up seeing on idgames.