[Vanilla Compatible] Tamato Fortress - My first map

[Okej5722]

Well, after a year-and-a-half of procrastination combined with loss of interest, it's here, my first map. Of course, I've gotten better at making these things, but this is kind of old, so it's not that great, but I still put a lot of love into it.

 

I hope you will enjoy this map.

 

Map: Entryway.

Custom Music: yes.

Custom Graphics: just some replacements for the title screen and intermission screen.

 

Warning! This map contains one ZDOOM lump.

 

Download Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/70wxcozgan7hvz3/TAMFO.wad?dl=0 (Fixed skybox for Crispy DOOM and Chocolate DOOM. Fixed missing texture. Teleporters can repeat now. More health to help you in UV.)

 

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: this map will most likely work in Crispy DOOM and Chocolate Doom, however loading the WAD into these ports will not allow you to see the sky from KDITD (Knee-Deep In The Dead.) but GZDOOM will allow you to.

Edited June 5, 2022 by Okej5722 : Needed important information for downloaders. Some bugfixes too.

[Hawk of The Crystals]

What does that tag "Semi-Vanilla" mean?

[Okej5722]

Just now, Crystal-Hawk_D00M said:

What does that tag "Semi-Vanilla" mean?

It means that it runs off of a ZDOOM MAPINFO. It allows the map to end with just one level, but you can load it into Chocolate DOOM and Crispy DOOM.

Hope that clears that up!

[Hawk of The Crystals]

I see. Well, I'm off to play this.

[Okej5722]

Just now, Crystal-Hawk_D00M said:

I see. Well, I'm off to play this.

Enjoy!

[xX_Lol6_Xx]

Maybe you could call it vanilla compatible, just clarify the map slot and all that things, then mention that the wad contains a ZDoom MAPINFO lump for ZDoom based ports.

 

Can't really play it right now, but looks interesting

[Okej5722]

2 minutes ago, xX_Lol6_Xx said:

Maybe you could call it vanilla compatible, just clarify the map slot and all that things, then mention that the wad contains a ZDoom MAPINFO lump for ZDoom based ports.

 

Can't really play it right now, but looks interesting

I'll update the post!

[Noiser]

1 hour ago, Okej5722 said:

Disclaimer: this map will most likely work in Crispy DOOM and Chocolate Doom, however loading the WAD into these ports will not allow you to see the sky from KDITD (Knee-Deep In The Dead.) but GZDOOM will allow you to.

So, if you want to fix that all you need to do is rename the OSKY lump to RSKY1 (the name used in Doom 2). Just don't forget to change it on the mapinfo as well.

[Biodegradable]

 

[Hawk of The Crystals]

Okay, here's my review.

 

First, let's start with the music: Bohemian Rhapsody just doesn't fit, maybe it did for you when making the map, but I just couldn't focus because of how many times I kept singing along. You get some props for using Mega Man X5 music though.

 

Gameplay: It honestly feels like you made the map first, but then realized you were making a playable wad, so you then decided to fill it with demons which form very meh encounters. There's also a lack of health items, which makes playing on UV hell.

 

I give it a 5.9/10.

[DynamiteKaitorn]

Not a bad map! I did enjoy playing through this map and I like the simplistic tech design used! Personally as mentioned above, I recommend balancing UV and HMP better as getting further into the map, less health is given which makes even Medium difficulty kinda harsh.

I gave this a bash through on Chocolate DooM and I can tell this wasn't the engine used when testing as there's several instances of Tutti-Frutti errors throughout the map, mainly with step textures being used to tile vertically (steps hate verticality). Also, the UAC door's default texture height is 96 not 128, so the texture gets all gooey and off-centre when played in Chocolate DooM.

lastly, the teleporter for some reason has only 1 working linedef for teleportation? bit odd as you can step onto it from the other 3 sides.

 

Overall a fairly okay map! :D

[Egg Boy]

          Played in Crispy Doom on UV (DSDA Doom crashes because you messed up the PNAMES, and TEXTURE1, to fix this, remove the "sky5" lump, which goes unused, in both and put "PP_START" before the textures in the wad and "PP_END" after them and you should be good to go). There was some nice detailing for a first map here and there, and I liked the odd anime reference in the secrets, but ultimately there are some things that could be ironed out in your next release.

 

         The layout is aimless, to put it bluntly, it could be simplified to a straight line, this can be squelched by giving the players different routes to get to the same place, and having the layout loop back into itself. It doesn't have to be a non-linear map, but at least have the layout open up as you go. Coming back to an area you've already been from a different angle sparks that "eureka" feeling in the mind of the player, making your maps more memorable. 

 

          Another major issue in the level design is the lack of height variety. Stairs do crop up from time to time, but they might as well not exist because they just lead to other flat rooms. Try to make rooms that overlook other rooms, raised platforms over pits, stair cases within rooms, these make the map more interesting to traverse and simultaneously add dynamism to combat. Speaking of, the bread and butter of the combat is opening a door, and shooting whatever is directly in front of you, leading to dull, monotonous gameplay. To make things interesting, add sniper monsters, and closets that open behind you. Take advantage of doom's strengths to create a memorable experience.

 

          Focusing on something more specific and a bit more positive, I found the yellow key area you teleport to to be by far the best part of the map. Here, you incorporate a bit more verticality with the abstract structure resting on the water. I was surprised to see something like this when the rest of the map had been such an open and shut case. You could improve the area by adding more ways onto the structure, or maybe letting the player go around it without even having to go on it, though I would recommend putting some sort of incentive to go up there, a blue armor or new weapon or something, then triggering an optional encounter. Would be nice. However, you should make sure the player gets the yellow key before entering the path that teleports you to the yellow key door, if the player chooses this path first, they may have to go all the way back around and teleport to the area once again.

 

          Anyway, hope you found this useful, I also edited the wad so that it works in DSDA Doom, but making the changes listed in the first paragraph. TAMFO_fix.zip