[Now on idgames] Fire on the Mountain – 5 map limit-removing episode (Doom II)

[Somniac]

Name: Fire on the Mountain

Map format: Vanilla Doom II (not tested in vanilla)

Ports tested: Crispy Doom (targeted), PRBoom+, GZDoom

Replaces: Doom II Maps 01-05

Music: from Plutonia 2, Hell Revealed, Descent + Descent II

Gameplay: Single play

Difficulty levels: Easy (ITYTD/HNTR), Not as easy (HMP/UV)

Build time: Just under one month

Textures/resources: made with 32in24-15

Jumping/crouching: no, will sequence break 

 

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

 

Fire on the Mountain is a 5-map limit-removing episode and is my first proper mapset for Doom II, after releasing a few individual maps here and there. I wanted to try and design a small episode in around a month, with fairly short but punchy maps and the whole set being completable in around 30 minutes. I tried to go for a good balance of tight combat and exploration, using the vanilla format as a means of helping myself to focus on improving my level design. I’ve tried to make the levels flow and be as well-paced as I can. There’s a variety of secrets. MAP04 is a reworked version of an older map, which I felt would work well as part of an episode when I made it. Every map should be possible from pistol start, but it was really designed for continuous.

 

Difficulties are implemented, easy (ITYTD/HNTR) and not as easy (HMP/UV), but UV is the intended experience.

 

Making this WAD was a great experience for me, and I feel like I improved as a mapper while making it. I hope you enjoy it!

 

DOWNLOAD (idgames)

Edited July 18, 2022 by VisionThing

[StodgyAyatollah]

In map01, if you backtrack from the switch/green armor ledge and use the door from that side it borks the map. Looks like you may have to clean up some tags/actions there. A very solid map01 otherwise, I dug it. Will definitely be checking out the next four.

[kalensar]

Very nice set of maps. Played on HMP and it handles really well.

[Makedounia]

Played through on UV and pistol starting every map. I had a lot of fun! Balance was pretty good overall. I found some small issues here and there.

 

Map 1: You can straferun straight to the ledge with green armor and skipping the blue door completely. It's pretty hard to do but worth pointing out imo. 

 

Map 2 one of the chaingunners that pops up on top of the crates was stuck

 

Map 3: First door in the map can be opened only once and can lock you into the first room. Second door has wrong textures (?) and unpegged side textures. No idea how to reach the switch that opens the yellow key pillar

 

Map 4: Can't open door north of the starting room from the other side, intentional? The room with red key locks you in and doesn't open up, same with the supercharge secret. Also way too many shells, I don't think there's a SSG in this map, or I just missed it

 

Overall great stuff. Can't wait to see more maps from you!

[CrueCut]

I just finished all 5 maps on HMP using ZDoom.  Overall a nice set of maps, but here are some issues I noted, which I guess could be ZDoom-specific:

 

MAP03 and MAP04 (at least) have missing textures?   Or at least ZDoom says they do.  Here's the MAP03 messages for example:

 

MAP03 - Substation

Unknown top texture 'CGWALL02' on first side of linedef 307
Unknown bottom texture 'CGWALL02' on first side of linedef 307
Unknown top texture 'CGWALL02' on first side of linedef 395
Unknown bottom texture 'CGWALL02' on first side of linedef 395
Unknown bottom texture 'CGWALL02' on second side of linedef 487

 

 

Also on MAP03, the lift to the switch that releases the ArchVile and the yellow key does not seem to work; I had to IDCLIP to get up onto the platform.  Also, the 2 switches in the same room on another platform seem impossible to get to; related?

 

 

On MAP04, there are more missing textures.

 

 

On MAP04, several doors seemed to open only once, I believe all or most doors in the rooms that eventually get you the red key.  I had to IDCLIP through them to progress.

 

 

Quote

 

[Biodegradable]

Despite a few softlocks and a broken platform, this WAD is pretty solid mate. Good stuff!

 

 

[Somniac]

Thanks so much for your feedback so far everyone, and for pointing out some of the errors I had a feeling I'd overlooked. I just got so excited to release this thing that I got ahead of myself a bit, I guess. @Biodegradable - I'm so sorry about those broken doors in MAP04, that was not my intention at all! You were right about the missing platform in MAP03 as well, though I was sure I'd fixed this. It looks like I might need to refine the MAP05 platforming part a bit too - I didn't mean for it to be quite so frustrating :p 

 

I'll get an updated version uploaded tomorrow when I've had time to sift through everything properly. 

 

 

 

 

[Somniac]

RC2 has been uploaded! Fixes:

 

- MAP01 green armour fast door now fixed from the other side

- Stuck chaingunner in MAP02 should be good now

- Platform to MAP03 switch ledge now working properly

- Erroneous line actions in MAP04 removed

- MAP05 platforming puzzle now slightly less tricky

- Corrected a few lines that were meant to be blocking

 

[StodgyAyatollah]

Just finished maps 2 & 3 right before you uploaded so ran through 3 again since I didn't find any issues in 2. Lift is fixed but missing textures. I'm assuming the two secret sectors by the megasphere are unintentional? Was missing both secrets on my first playthrough because of a lineskip. Spent longer than I'd like to admit before I figured it out.  Also I'm not sure if it's intentional but in map04 the damaging light near the red door feels out of place to me so thought it would be worth mentioning. 

 

Playing UV-Max pistol starts and so far I think you've mostly nailed the pacing and balance for a smaller "bitesize" type wad. 

[Pistoolkip]

Played through map 1 and 2 while recording.

 

Fun maps. Small ramp-up on difficulty, and a good aesthetic, if a bit by the numbers. Good first solo project. Might check out the other maps later.

 

 

[tom3kb]

Just finished this wad, took me ~1hour. Played with brutal doom. Nice short, fast wad, on map 1-2 i was low on ammo and health but maybe it was my playstyle ;).

Nice work. Maybe i would add some end screen with some text or something like that.

[Doom Guncaster K]

I found that 2 of the 5 secrets on Map03 seem unable to be spotted due to the lines being right on the teleporters that cannot be triggered as spotted. One is down on the lava and the other one is where the soulsphere is (where it also teleports the player back on the road).  

 

 

[StodgyAyatollah]

Couple more things I found.

Map04: Red door with two knights on the stairway can't be opened from the back side. 

Map05: Lift texture on the north end of the bridge in the lava where there is no lift.

[LadyMistDragon]

If I missed anything serious like an Icon of Sin, you can go ahead and tell me. But I'd spent enough time at that point. This is a very solid series of maps. Definitely recommended to someone who likes the Jazzmaster Rapid Fire series who doesn't mind something just a touch more meaty.

lmd_fotm_01.zip

[painelemental667]

Doom: Fire on the Mountain - UV First Playthrough

 

Fine short classic style set. I have nothing constructive in my mind. I recommend this for short session. I had a no death run this time.

[Somniac]

Fixed a couple of misaligned textures and made that lift in MAP05 repeatable. If there's no other potentially game-breaking issues I'll probably get this uploaded to idgames this week sometime, thanks for your support!

[Clippy]

Fun maps so far, consistent theme and interesting. Not ruthless, so far a nice warm up - fun times wonder what is next - will be back

 

 

[SteveRock]

enjoying this so far! i love the waterfalls, esp the red key on the waterfall in map01. a couple of issues i found:

 

i got stuck in this corner in the first area of map01, had to "idclip" out:

 

i thought this switch could've been more obvious. i missed it the first time and was confused on how to get the red key on the waterfall. depends on the experience you're going for of course!

 

looking forward to playing the rest..

 

[Clippy]

This one messed me up lol - as a blind pistol start, I didn't see the seemingly obscure rocket launcher placement + Archie caused me to use so much ammo -  tho I prevailed with many saves haha - the first 2 went swimmingly but this one handed me my ass - will come back for more - love em

 

 

[Clippy]

Finished this - loved it

 

 

[Somniac]

Thanks @Clippy! Really enjoyed watching you and the Discord crew play through these. 

 

I have sent the final (touch wood) version to idgames which is a bit more visually tidy and slightly better balanced for pistol starts. Just waiting on the verification email now.

[Clippy]

6 hours ago, VisionThing said:

Thanks @Clippy! Really enjoyed watching you and the Discord crew play through these. 

 

I have sent the final (touch wood) version to idgames which is a bit more visually tidy and slightly better balanced for pistol starts. Just waiting on the verification email now.

 

That's why I e-mail them when I submit it - saves from waiting - subject DOOM FTP tell them what .wad u sent

[Somniac]

Just a quick bump to say this is on idgames now - I tidied up some of the texturing in places and threw in a couple more secrets. Thanks everybody for the positive feedback :) 

[Doom Guncaster K]

3 months late but the final version is great! I noticed that you made a several changes of secrets here and there.  I threw some fun mods and have had a good time with it.  Maps are consistent and atmospherically good.  I really like the idea of this wad, short, compacted, and some challenging CQBs.  Good work!👍✨

 

 

[Endless]

Tried to play and noticed the disclaimer about not working with Doom Retro and Chocolate Doom. @bradharding maybe you can check this?

[bradharding]

17 hours ago, Endless said:

Tried to play and noticed the disclaimer about not working with Doom Retro and Chocolate Doom. @bradharding maybe you can check this?

Thanks @Endless. I'm not sure if there are other issues yet, but this crashes in DR at startup because the TITLEPIC lump is 512x240 for some reason. I'll see what I can do at DR's end.

 

Edit: Fixed for the next release.

Edited January 6, 2023 by bradharding

[Somniac]

I think that's largely down to my slapdash approach at using custom textures and the like. The titlepic is, IIRC, the exact image and dimensions as the F_SKY1, at the time I wanted Boom compatibility as a "would be nice" despite the fact I targeted Crispy Doom pretty much exclusively, and the only Boom port I was using at the time was PrBoom+, which didn't present any errors and it just happened to work - I wonder if the same errors occur in the likes of Woof! or DSDA....

 

As for Chocolate, I think it was a texture issue on my part again. Honestly I could do with giving that a second look, its really only "limit-removing" because I targeted a limit-removing port for simplicity's sake...there's no reason why this WAD shouldn't be playable in Choco, at least based on what Visplane Explorer is telling me. I'll see what I can do about that! 

[TheCyberDruid]

Fun set of maps. Some of the rooms are a bit same-ish, but overall I liked the pace of the maps.

Edited January 6, 2023 by TheCyberDruid