The DWmegawad Club plays: 3 Heures d'Agonie 2

[RHhe82]

MAP24: Supplice Claustrophobe. 104/104 K, 1/1 S. Completion time 16:55.

 

Somehow the level appears combat-puzzley, but after all it's not. It's a bit easier than one would think. Not that it's easy, but mostly the time is spent on taking care of midrange archviles. I was ready to hate the mandatory cyberdemon, but you are actually given means to dispose of it. But it's still not the crowning touch mappers seem to think. Other than that, I quite liked the red brick aesthetic of Scythe 1's final third maps.

[tonytheparrot]

(Played from a pistol-start on UV with Prboom+, saves are allowed)

Map 24: Supplice Claustrophobe by Maxime "Datacore" Bisiaux

100% kills, items and secrets

Time: 7:36

 

Supplice Claustrophobe is Datacore's hell level in this wad and it is sadly his weakest. While it's not bad of course, the combat here is really forgettable compared to his other 2 entries. Now, don't get me wrong, like with Datacore's other 2 joints, the visuals are really good and the midi and lighting help creating a sinister atmosphere, but I still can't find any reason to play this map over 3 or 14. Despite that, I still had fun in my both of my playthroughs and some rooms are home to fun fights like the one with the hitscanners behind the cages and the 2 archies or the room with the cyber near the end. Overall, it's a fine, but unremarkable entry by Datacore's standards.

 

 

Rankings:

Spoiler

Love:

Map 19

Map 23

Map 31

Map 6

Map 32

Map 18

Map 3

Map 5

Really Like:

Map 12

Map 17

Map 8

Map 13

Map 21

Map 4

Map 14

Map 20

Map 7

Map 9

Like:

Map 24

Map 22

Map 2

Map 1

Map 10

Mediocre:

Map 15

Dislike:

Map 11

Map 16

 

 

[Thelokk]

MAP24: Supplice Claustrophobe by Datacore

HMP /100% kills / 1 secret found

 

One of my favorite maps so far - not too hard, nice aesthetics, it doesn't overstay its welcome. While at times it might have the feel of a puzzle map, achieved by making progression not entirely obvious (which I appreciate), the level is actually rather straightforward, requiring some occasional backtracking but being rather generous in courtesy teleports. Nice hell brick aesthetics, lots of detail for a speedmap. Combat is rather easy, consisting of a handful of enemies at a time, usually grouped by tipe: ammo is abundant, and there is really no need to not go wild. Fun stuff. 

[cannonball]

MAP24 - “Supplice Claustrophobe” by Datacore

 

This is probably the easiest map for quite some time. There isn't much in terms of threat in this, a little too heavy on the nobles (Hell knights/barons) for its own good.The cyber at the end was actually quite fun to utilise and you are given a BFG to dispatch him after he has dealt with the rest of the mob. Otherwise this was a little on the dull side, though there was nothing offensive to this one either. 

Overall - This was okay. I preferred this to Map14, though his first map (Map03) did have a better balance to it.

[finnks13]

MAP23 - Encente Infernale by Oxyde:

6:37/6 Deaths
This felt like an attempt at emulating Franckfrag's mapping style - you've got a small arena, harsh ambushes and a hot start that requires thought and planning to unpick. Sadly, this is where the similarites end, since this map does not work. The combat feels very poorly thought through, you're under such a ridiculous crossfire in the first few moments, that the only real option is to hide in the starting room, peekaboo shooting the monsters on the ground before taking a run for health and the elevator to the rocket launcher. This strategy also works for the blue key fight and finale, since this room is way too safe and the outside is way too deadly. 

 

The rocket launcher ambush employs lots of monster blocking lines which make the fight feel very stilted to play, they take away any threat the monsters could have had here and make the fight feel very one-dimensional. The finale sticks a cyberdemon trapped by more pointless monster blocking lines and three archviles on a bunch of corpses, and this fight just feels like an ammo tax that pads the level out for a couple of minutes as the only thing that could have been a threat (the cyberdemon) is stuck in place, which means you can use the starting room to kill all the viles in complete safety. The visuals are solid and I think that with some tweaking this map could have been great, but as it is, this is one of the worst maps in the set.

 

MAP24 - Supplice Claustrophobe by Datacore85:

8:21/1 Death

A very "nothing" map, Supplice Claustrophobe features a fairly generic red hell setting, and gameplay that could serve equally well as a sleeping aid. A lot of your time in this map is going to be spent SSGing hell knights and barons, and this is just not fun - after getting the secret berserk, I decided to punch everything to death because it was much more entertaining than playing the map properly. The best part is the cyberdemon fight, because it was fun to get the cyber to kill everything else for me. There's a BFG that's the intended way of killing the cyberdemon, but I completely missed this and looked like a chump. It's a fine map, but not as good as either of Datacore's others.
 

[tmorrow]

game mode:  gzdoom4.8.0, uvmax, pistol starts. If a map is too hard, I'll revert to using saves and note it on that map review.

---

map25

The mean little maps keep coming. This one is a fortress with hot start. The north side with the yellow key is the easiest side to get a foothold. The south side with the blue key is guarded by 2 archviles in cages behind a wall of barons on pillars that rise and fall. One of the barons is right on top of the juicy rocket launcher. Doomguy knows what to do. Both secrets are worth picking up, netting a super shotgun and a soul sphere.

Edited July 24, 2022 by tmorrow : grammar

[LadyMistDragon]

Map 24: Supplice Claustrophobe

by Maxime "Datacore" Bisiaux

 

I'm not normally one to take note of the lack of health in a map. But with an entry as claustrophobic and generally unfriendly as this, it becomes much more imperative to avoid taking hits. I didn't and started rewinding with greater frequency towards the end as a result. All the same, that red key room with the rocky columns is REALLY quite hard to survive without getting hurt quite badly. I went back and killed the Revenants near the beginning because I thought the chances of heading that way again were low. Not one of my best moves, but I think that's across from where the secret was which wasn't immediately obvious. I don't mind though: staying in a map with that music was always a no-go proposition. The double Arch-vile teleport onto a remote platform felt like a ridiculous joke though and amazingly, this was repeated in Map 23 of 180 Minutes Por Vivre. And changunners appearing in literally every cage in this same area made zero zense when you never actually come back here. Lastly, watch me fail to one-shot a Baron at the exit. Actually, that's something I do a lot. I think it might be better than Datacore's later 180MPV maps mostly, it's a visual stunner that makes me think of the color scheme of Chris "have a seat" Hansen's Bond of Hatred. Obviously, pedos have no business poking around this...

lmd_3ha2_24.zip

[Azure_Horror]

MAP24 - “Supplice Claustrophobe” (by Datacore)

Dsda-doom, UV-max, pistol start.

 

@cannonball said that “Supplice Claustrophobe” is the easiest level in a while.

I was going to write the same, but then I decided against it. There are two other easy maps nearby. Map 22 is definitely easier than “Supplice Claustrophobe”. After the rough start, map 21 is also considerably easier than both maps 22 and map 23. 

 

IMHO, “Supplice Claustrophobe” is the least exterme map in a while.

Map 24 has a cyberdemon encounter in the end, but it is less smooth and dynamic than the cyberdemon duel from Map 22;

Map 24 has a couple of annoying perched archviles, but they feel completely mundane when compared to archviles from Map 23;

The start of Map 24 can get a bit rough, but it is far less daunting than starts of map 18, 19, 20, 21 or 23;

And so on.

 

That doesn't mean that “Supplice Claustrophobe” is boring. It is a miniature hell map by Datacore, after all! His small hellish maps tend to have a phenomenal atmosphere, and a type of gameplay that resonates with the ambience. “Supplice Claustrophobe” is no exeption. Its abience is dark and opressive, and its fights are claustrophobic and slow-paced. If you like such fights - you will likely admit that they feel a bit opressive. And if you comsider such fights boring... Then the map full of them feels like a prison ;)

Your gameplay preference does not matter, the opressive atmosphere will synergise with the gameplay!

 

In the end, “Supplice Claustrophobe” is an atmosperic series of diverse gameplay encouters. Pretty worthy contribution to a mapset.

 

Map Rankings

Spoiler

 

Great maps

map 19

map 31 and map32

map 18

map 09 and map 06,

map 13

Really good maps

map 8

map 17,

map 20 and map 03,

map 23

map 04 and map 15

map 24

Good maps

map 12

map 22 and map 05

map 01

map 02

map 14 (see note 1)

Ok maps

map 7,

map 21 and map 11 (see note 2)

map 10

Poor maps

map 16 (see note 2)

 

The rankings are subjective!

 

Note 1: map 14 would go up one grade (to Really Good) with less obtuse caco crowd at the start.

Note 2: maps 11 and 16 would go up two grades (to Really good and Good respectfully) with a properly strong weapons.

 

 

[Monsieur E]

Map24- Supplice Claustrophobe by Datacore  
100% kills 

This is a simple little map with a lot of red in it backed by a cool MIDI selection. I found that the ammo to be rather tight, however, there is a secret berserk pack so I guess it's not too bad. In addition, the combat here is pretty easy and laidback, minus the cyberdemon at the end. I like progression for being a little puzzle-y and not entirely linear. Not much else to say really, just a fine map and taking a peek at the following mapper roster, might be a calm before the storm. 

[Roofi]

Map 24 : Supplice Claustrophobe

 

 

 

An enjoyable traditional red hell-themed level using one of the creepiest music from Descent. As Map 22, Supplice claustrophobe turned out to be underwhelming compared to the other maps. There is a cyberdemon indeed, but that one can easily be cheesed by camping at the entrance door or the stairs. I think the hardest part resides in the area where you obtain the megasphere.

 

About Datacore's maps in general, I always found the execution flawed. Sometimes I like it, sometimes it frustrates me. I have to say that the poor placement of the stronger monsters, especially the arch-viles that can be killed with ease by going slow, took away the potential frustration caused by the lack of resources. 

 

Aesthetically , I like the classic red settings but I'm happy other mappers offered other colors (Map 26 use orange textures which are really interesting).

 

Supplice Claustrophobe feels amateurish to me , but I like it. Episode 3 needs some easier maps between the hard ones.

 

PS: No video for this map. I accidentally deleted it , I will rerecord it later.

 

Grade : B

[FrancisT218]

+++Running Late 2, Altars of Madness, What Remains

+++Mohawk 1/2

Edited July 29, 2022 by FrancisT218

[Book Lord]

MAP 25 – Crise Infernale by Franck Livolant @franckFRAG

DSDA-Doom v0.24.3, UV, Continuous, blind run w/saves

 

FranckFRAG was back at the helm for another bite-sized level that posed a decent challenge on a pistol start. Hiding in the first room was impossible and chance brought me to the Arachnotron ledge, where I found both the plasma rifle and some safety from the bunch of alerted monsters. In a matter of seconds, I collected the YSK from the Chaingunner tower, wiped out the Revenants from their balcony, then used the chaingun to kill the Hell Knights and Imps. I was looking for a SSG, and I discovered the secret area accessible from the very start. The Arch-Viles behind the moving pillars with Barons took a while to die, but I did not mind it since I was not speedrunning. I picked up the BSK and went straight for the exit, where the obligatory Arch-Vile appeared to resurrect a Revenant. A super-short level, good for a few minutes of wild excitement.

Spoiler

 

Time to vote for the next month. August will be a difficult one because I will be on vacation, unable to play Doom for more than 2 weeks. Therefore, I will nominate only one megaWAD that I already know quite well, recently uploaded to idgames and constituting one of the best Ultimate Doom experiences I've had, thematically strong and deeply atmospheric. It is also not extremely hard if compared to the team leader's previous works Skulltiverse and Hellevator. I would risk a trial for heresy and say it captures the exploratory and semi-realistic feel of the OG Doom better than Doom the Way Id Did, which focused more on emulating the authors' styles.

 

+++ Solar Struggle

[Roofi]

+++ 3 Heures d'Agonie 1

[Anarkzie]

+++Altars of Madness

Well I was going to play this anyway so I may as well do it with everyone on the Internet.

 

+++Solar Struggle 

I don't know if you can vote for a wad that you worked on, but I literally only made one map and this wad has over 30 in total and a lot of the contributions are of a really high calibre.

[NiGHTS108]

+++ Running Late 2, Altars of Madness, What Remains

+++ Ray Mohawk 1/2

Edited July 30, 2022 by NiGHTS108

[cannonball]

+++ Cydonia/Arrival

+++ Solar Struggle

[RHhe82]

Because I too am on vacation in August, I may have trouble keeping schedules. So I’ll vote for

 

+++Solar Struggle

 

Being one of the mappers, I wouldn’t join the club discussion concerning it, but would pop up to make excuses and explanations for the undoubtedly baffling decision I made for my own map :-D Joking aside, I feel it’s a quality release that deserves to be played.

[Thelokk]

+++ Cydonia/Arrival

[Roofi]

Map 25 : Crise Infernale

 

 

I remember this level mostly for the blue key guarded by a wall of barons and two caged arch-viles, which was actually the most creative idea in this map. I like the theme and midi composed by Paul Corfiatis which greatly translate the "Infernal Crisis" feeling. As Traumateck, Crise infernale mostly focuses on combats. I have a small preference for Traumateck though because Crise Infernale has a tad more irritating items and monsters placement. My remark comes from the monsters blocking you from the below at the beginning, the blue armor located in the small lava pool and the armada of lost souls surmounting the wall at the northern part of the map. 

 

I also would have liked a bit less cramped layout. I liked the way the secrets are hidden. The soulsphere's one occupies a significant part considering how small the map is.

 

Grade : C+

 

 

[Biodegradable]

MAP25: Crise Infernale

UV | Continuous | GZDoom

 

Franck is back with another spicy one for us that I have mixed feelings over. The beginning is wild and woolly and has you scrambling like a madman desperately killing as many low-tier as possible while ducking and weaving your way around hitscan and projectile in what little room you have to work with as there are demonic dickheads in every nook and cranny. Even the generously-placed Berserk was of little help as my health was whittled down fast but I managed to find enough of a divide from behind the Chaingunner tower once you get rid of the Arachnotron and the flock of Lost Souls he must've been throwing breadcrumbs at earlier. After dealing with all immediate threats, unfortunately the map gets a little bit tedious. While the weird Baron/Archie wall-ride thingamabob is a funny visual, it was rather annoying to deal with and brought the map to a screeching halt that it doesn't honestly recover from; save for the surprise Archie at the end that caught me off-guard. It's not my favourite Franck map, but that first jolt of energy at the beginning makes sure it won't be forgotten anytime soon. 

 

 

As for my vote for next month's WAD, I'm going to pitch +++Doom In Spain Only and +++400 Minutes of /vr/

[Dersulbob]

Haven't had much time to play recently so having to catch up again.

 

Map 21

(Blind run, UV, Continuous, saves allowed, GZDoom)

 

The opening encounter with the hitscanners was the one I found toughest in this map. I enjoyed the simplicity in the concept of this map, which was  that it was a map of two halves linked by teleporters, each half containing a key. The map looked good despite being fairly tame in terms of combat.

 

Grade - B

 

MAP22 

 

My lasting memory of this map is that it was green. I guess the issue with writing up multiple maps at once is that the less interesting ones are going to be forgotten. I do remember that the combat was fairly unremarkable until the final battle with the Mancubi and the Cyberdemon is a room that felt too small for such an encounter. I escaped through the door I entered the room through and picked the Cyberdemon off with the SSG. Overall, didn't really enjoy this one, but it is still far better than the weaker efforts in this set.

 

Grade - C

 

MAP23

 

A compact map which was challenging at the beginning as you enter a courtyard with well placed mid-high tier enemies in all directions. Once this opening battle was finished, the challenge dies down completely until hitting the switch behind the blue key door, which spawns Arch-Viles seemingly every and makes to essentially relive the opening encounter. Unsure whether the Cyberdemon was meant to be stuck in his little room at the end, but he was in my playthrough so presented no threat.  

 

Grade - B+

 

MAP24 - Supplice Claustrophobe

 

A pretty easy map for this late into the set. I liked the visuals but found the combat lacking. I kept waiting for there be a moment where the forces of hell would flood the map but it just... didn't happen, the result being a fairly slow and forgettable experience.

 

I guess the Cyberdemon was thrown in to present some sort of challenge which had been lacking through the rest of the map, it didn't feel like it belonged here. Three maps in a row of unnecessary Cyberdemon endings.

 

Grade - C-

 

MAP25 - Crise Infernale

 

No space to breathe in this one. A very small central area with Pinkies, hitcanners and Imps on ground level, a strange moving elevator gate topped with Barons acting as meat shields to the two Arch-Viles beyond guarding the blue key. Revenants, Chaingunners and a Mancubus acting as snipers and an Arachnotron and Lost Souls guarding the entrance to the yellow key platform. Once both keys were collected, you could open the gates to the exit. Clearly I wasn't paying attention to the monster count because it came as a surprise when I pressed the switch and the level ended.

 

An enjoyable map.

 

Grade - B+      

[DJVCardMaster]

 

+++Solar Struggle

[tonytheparrot]

(Played from a pistol-start on UV with Prboom+, saves are allowed)

Map 25: Crise Infernale by Franck "FranckFRAG" Livolant

102% kills, 93% items, 100% secrets

Time: 5:28

 

Crise Infernale is another tense franckFRAG outing that plays very similarly from his last 2 entries: it's small, compact and will keep you on your toes despite the low monster count. Again, the visuals are nice and are well complemented by another great Zone 300 midi. Like in Franck's other 2 levels, the combat is generally really fun throughout, but ammo for the big guns is not plentiful, so don't waste it. However, I don't really like the blue key room as the raising and lowering lifts with barons are annoying, the spectres limit your movement and the caged archies are a chore to take out. That small annoyance aside, Crise Infernale is another great franckFRAG map.

 

 

Rankings:

Spoiler

Love:

Map 19

Map 23

Map 31

Map 6

Map 32

Map 18

Map 3

Map 5

Really Like:

Map 12

Map 17

Map 8

Map 13

Map 21

Map 4

Map 25

Map 14

Map 20

Map 7

Map 9

Like:

Map 24

Map 22

Map 2

Map 1

Map 10

Mediocre:

Map 15

Dislike:

Map 11

Map 16

 

 

+++ Community Chest 3

+++ Cydonia and Arrival

+++ Ray Mohawk's Manic Monday and Ray Mohawk 2, Ray Wrecks Havoc! (I didn't vote for it immediately as I was the only one who voted for it to appear this July and didn't think that it was gonna get many votes for August too)

Edited July 27, 2022 by tonytheparrot : updated votes

[Poncho1]

Map20: Charnage

Author: Maëllig Desmottes (Ch0wW)

 

Not much to say about this one: it's probably Ch0wW's most accomplished map of the WAD. The fort itself is nicely designed, and the hedge maze is a nice inclusion. Being that I'm going through this on a continuous run, it's pretty easy: even the Arch-viles don't put up much of a fight. I had more trouble finding the secret located north of the fort entry hall. A decent breather after Wilou's semi-slaughter offering, and a nice calm before the final episode.

 

Map21: Diabolic Patterns

Author: Memfis

 

Wow, not a big fan of this one. The design makes it look Plutonia-esque, as does the small enemy count. Knowing these things, this should've been up my alley, but alas, it wasn't. The enemy placement often feels bothersome, and the fact that most people will think you can't get both weapons at the start will likely sour the experience. Several ambushes - along with the limited ammo for Pistol-starters - are such icebreakers, and not in good ways: the Caco/PE cloud in the east side is just annoying, and the two Arch-viles in the northwest can burn in hell, not least since one of them runs in with a Revenant (who usually teleports away to trap you), and Chaingunners on an elevated ledge behind you. Come on...

 

Map22: Vaine Tentative

Author: Nils Vandamme (NilsTheRed)

 

Marble and tech combined, eh? In spite of the fact that tech and hell generally don't go together, NilsTheRed manages to make both opposing styles merge with ease. While I commend his ability in mixing them more-or-less seamlessly, the action is very ho-hum and unengaging until the enclosed fight with the Cyberdemon, which is pretty much right at the end. Naturally, my carried-over BFG made mince-meat of it, but I imagine Plasma-Gunning him is just as tense. The only other point of real interest is the Wolfenstein: New Order secret. Kinda cool, though I'd have swapped it for more fun action. An average map.

 

Map23: Enceinte infernale

Author: Arnaud Florian (Oxyde)

 

Who fancies a game of checkers? Yep, the floor design's pretty cool, as is the gameplay. It's a constant fight against foes around and above you, forcing the player to make space themselves. Thankfully, Oxyde smartly places his weapons, making the combat difficult, but manageable, much in the same way as Wilou, now I think about it. The final trap - involving a Cyberdemon guarding the exit, and about half a dozen Arch-viles teleporting on the top platform and resurrecting Revenants, Mancubi and the like feels like a late-game slap in the face, so hopefully you've got enough rockets and energy to deal with that. The first secret felt a little obscure at first, but basic observation is all that's needed. A good effort, and a boost in difficulty that the third episode needed.

 

Map24: Supplice Claustrophobe

Author: Maxime Bisiaux (Datacore)

 

A rather generic Hell level with dull combat. Considering that the last level is one of the tougher entries this WAD has to offer, I understand that maybe the development team wanted a calmer map, but this is so calm that, honestly, it feels kinda boring. The only fight I liked was the one with the Cyberdemon, and much like in Map22, it's right at the very end. Only some of the ambushes prior to this moment force you to use your sprint key, such as the caged Chaingunners in the northern section, but that's about it. Not even the Arch-viles - especially the two perched on the island, also in the north area - don't add much to the gameplay. A disappointing level, this one.

 

Map25: Crise infernale

Author: Franck Livolant (franckFRAG)

 

Bit-sized, packed with enemies, over quickly: yep, this is definitely a franckFRAG map. Maybe I'm coming around, but I feel his contributions to community WADs are better than his mostly-solo work, because this is probably my favourite of his work on this WAD. The beginning starts the player inside a little hut, providing at least a little cover (though not for long...). I like the Barons on the raising-and-lowering pillars, since they both give you cover from the caged Arch-viles, but also end up being a protection that attacks you. Clever... It took me an embarrassing amount of time to find the secrets (just open the wall behind where you start), but besides that, a pretty good effort that gives out a good amount of ammo, too. Pretty fun.

 

(since I forgot)

+++ Sector 666

+++ Aeternum

 

My usual picks. :P

[LadyMistDragon]

Map 25: Crise Infernale

by Franck "FranckFRAG" Livolant

 

I'm tired and played kind of badly so there won't be much to say here.We start in a small red-brick room with incredibly hostility surrounding us everywhere, although backing up will net us a shotgun with lots of shells. Finding the right path takes to an Arachnotron on a pillar and eventually, several Lost Souls who burst out furiously from below the ramparts to destroy our minds. Luckily, a nearby plasma rifle we should've picked earlier will help us to dispose of them, though probably without taking some damage. Immediately use them on a nearby pillboc of chaingunners who were harrying us earlier, subsequently chaingun the pinkies below and then.....I'm not entirely certain here because Franck literally says his inspiration was Map 29 of his still then in-progress megawad Swift Death, so um, plasma-spraying Barons on constantly raising and lowering pillars may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but it requires much more patience than I had at the time. I liked the inclusion of the Arch-viles, though the rocket placement was flat-out trollish.

 

Past this point, there's not much to talk about when the exit switch (guarded by a little Revenant murder) is just behind the bk door. However, you might see there are secrets if you're using a port that shows them on the map if thery're not otherwise hidden. Basically, you have to turn around at the start and push on the cubbie with the shotgun to access the surrounding ledges. You might want to wait until you have a plasma rifle though since there's no SSG.

 

Franck's best in 3ha2, but I'm too hot for much more. And I suspect things will get even hotter in the next installment...

 

 

+++Ray Mohawk's Manic Monday and Ray Mohawk 2: Ray Wreaks Havoc

+++Doom 2 in Spain Only (I'll play Cydonia, but Arrival..it's amazing but I would want to spend more time in the maps than I think I'should)

+++ Solar Struggle (I really rather wait another month, but I was hoping to play another wad from the Skulltiverse crew eventually)

lmd_3ha2_25.zip

Edited July 25, 2022 by LadyMistDragon

[RED77]

Map 24

 

Good aesthetic, good music, good ambient. not a fan of the encounters.
 

★★★☆☆ 

[tmorrow]

game mode:  gzdoom4.8.0, uvmax, pistol starts. If a map is too hard, I'll revert to using saves and note it on that map review.

---

map26

We have reached the caverns of hell and the hardest map so far. It's a William Huber map so we should have expected as much. My doomguy had to put in some practice before he could beat this map. All but the opening hot start and the cybie/archvile/hellknight/baron/revenant ending can be cheesed in various ways. Even the ending has some shelter from cybies rockets, there's a pillar you can hide behind and the wall down near 2 archviles and revenants can be safe for a short while.

Most of the archviles used on the map are for area denial and it works well, keeping poor doomguy on the run. The hot start begins when you hit the first switch. Survival relies on picking off the hitscanners first then working on the damned revenants. Doomguy likes to take out the hellknights and barons last before working on the archviles. The mancubus pit can wait.

The yellow key area is easy enough and you can use the teleporter if you get cramped for space. The rocket launcher secret is well worth picking up to help with the mancubus pit next.

The blue key fights can be divided up into smaller fights if you wish. Doomguy usually starts the hellknight and revenant waves then retreats to the doorway to let infighting do its magic. It's the 3rd wave that is the nasty one but can be cheesed again by racing for the entrance, sidestepping any archvile or manc that gets in the way. The 4th wave is simply some barons, easy to polish off. The final wave is a couple of archviles.

Returning to the main cavern is pure theater, a bunch of hitscanners, barons and hellknights, duking it out for doomguys pleasure. Lots of free shells. Using the blue switch spawns a ton of cacodemons and pain elementals that are easiest handled from the yellow door. A block line prevents them from reaching doomguy. After that it's mopup time and the trip to the exit area where cybie is waiting.

Doomguy found cybie fight to be quite stressful. Even after practicing it with success half a dozen times, thing can still go wrong. Domguys strategy was to alternate between hiding behind the mostly safe pillar (from cybie rockets) and the area below the 2 archvile platform. A nerve wracking fight. Good luck to everyone tackling this beast of a fight!

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by tmorrow : added some missing text

[kalaeth]

monday, let's tri-map this! 

 

MAP 23 - Enceinte Infernale : 

Chaingun, backpack, door. I waste pretty much every single bullet clearing the imps and a pair of PEs, and then I step outside and die to a rev ball. Second try I die to a skull flying to close to the RL. Third try I'm not even sure what hit me. Fourth try I got stuck on a lift. Fifth I never even leave the start room. Sixth try I managed to kill the AV and revs from inside the room after SSGin imps and PEs. Next I go for the RL but die to the AV that just appears out of nowhere. Another try, another approach, I go to the other side first, pick up the blue armor, then go for the RL. Grab the secret bluesphere, the non-secret secret berseker, switch, down, teleport, plasma and BSK, and die to the AV, eventually. Next try I remember I have the BFG and just spam it a bit to clear up, then blue door, switch, and what's unfair about an AV behind you and a cybercow at the exit? One death to them and next time a bit of parkour gets me the megasphere and the cells and I kill them both dead. And of course it's another AV after the exit door. Done.

100% K/I/S, 8 minutes 36 seconds and about 9 deaths.

 

MAP 24 - Supplice Claustrophobe : 

Shotgun, chaingun, backpack and a fall. Jump to the mega armor, kill the rev, steps up, SSG, pinkies, switch, outside, switch, switch, plasma, some caged zombies, door, shotgunner, switch, RL, single imp, teleport, then going back, new switch, back, enter the bars, move, caco, megasphere, door. Specter, and then a switch, trio of barons and the RSK, go back, red door, beware the chaingunners, switch one, HK, switch two, pinkie, imp and the exit but! Secret. Oh, non-secret BFG. I'm pretty sure where the secret is but how to reach it? Or better yet, how to open it? I can find no trigger lines...

 

100% K, 93% I, 0% S. 15 minutes 25 seconds more than half of it trying and failing to figure how to open the secret.

 

MAP 25 - Crise Infernale :

oh, another hot start.. There's an AV somewhere, and it's him who gets me. Next try, I kill all I can from the window, before stepping outside, then I find a place with the plasma gun and a spider and use it as a snipping position, from there I clear a bit of the enemies and then advance slowly, until the revs, barons and AVs are dead. After that I go grab the BSK, and the YSK, open the bars, kill the AV but die to the rev. And then three more tries to kill the AVs and barons again, success, kill the AV, go get the secret : chainsaw! Bluesphere! SSG! and that's that!

 

100% K/I/S,6 minutes 39 seconds and several deaths, some 8 or 9.

 

Total : 3 hours 53 minutes and 16 seconds. 

 

 

[finnks13]

MAP25 - Crise Infernale by FranckFRAG:

4:33/6 Deaths
This is FranckFRAG's final contribution to 3ha2, and I don't think he could have left on a better note. It's not fundamentally very different from any of his other maps in this wad - small, harsh and fun - but I think it's the most well designed and fun of the three. All of my deaths felt earned - there's no "surprise! hope you found this weapon or you're dead!" moments, you're given enough room to run around and create a hiding spot but you have to move quickly as there isn't anywhere that starts off being protected from monster attack. Just by weapon placement, you're led around the level - for example, the barons and archviles blocking the blue key could be taken out near the start of the level if you're willing to chaingun them down but it's much better to plasma them, which is also the best spot to make a safe area. The only thing in this map that felt unnecessary was the soulsphere secret, the monsters up there are only a threat if you find the secret.

[Monsieur E]

Map25- Crise Infernale by FranckFRAG
100% kills 

I quite liked this one although it's less challenging than it may initially come off as. The beginning hassle is the hardest bit of the level much like in Franck's previous submission, fight through the foes prowling on the main arena while the revenant garrison bombards you and aim for plasma rifle. Alternatively, you can go for the super shotgun secret early. Either way, once you're sufficiently equipped, have at it. After you have found your position in the map, the map does slow down. Carve through the oscillating baron wall of meat, this is not much of a struggle it's very easy to dodge the baron projectiles and the archie line of sight, and more of a time sink than anything but I don't mind it a whole lot. The revenant garrison is honestly quite a joke after you've defused the starting since they can't really aim for you at all locations and secondly, you can peek shot through the bars and easily reduce the garrison. The final archvile is a joke honestly, you should be loaded with ammo for your heavy guns. 

I think I prefer Franck's previous outing since I think that does a better job at keeping the action constant throughout but this was fun regardless. 

--

As for my votes

+++ Solar Sands
+++ Community Chest 3
+++ Ray Mohawk duology