Somnia Super Stella: Mapping Once In A While

[Xyzzу]

Context. This was started seven years ago, before I even registered an account on this site...

...but totally forgotten until early 2019 or so, when I was fresh outta Refracted Reality and gained a newfound mapping prowess from it. Oh well. I guess WADs like Axolotl and Xerxesia had to crawl and walk, respectively, so this project could run.

Somnia Super Stella is a work-in-progress set of MBF21 maps based on several dreams I've had while sleeping. There is only one map available so far, I plan on rereleasing this WAD with more levels, in order of map slot... Whenever I, y'know, actually get around to making them these days.

Obligatory screenshots for pizzazz:

Spoiler

...Oh wait, I forgot to convert Real Life to Doom Format, here:

Spoiler

 

Much better.

This was tested only in DSDA-Doom. I'm willing to bet it works fine in other ports, maybe.
Downlobe.

[Xyzzу]

Glowing Wind Chimes Around the Klondike Fortress

 

This map was heavily inspired by the game Prince of Persia, as well as all the funny ways to get the BFG in the deathmatch set, Antaresia. So this map's a bit of a thinker; expect lots of activating (then running to) a gate that isn't near you. Depending on how you progress, there may be a couple switches that don't do anything.

 

The dream this map was based on, for anyone who cares:

Spoiler

This was probably the earliest dream I ever remember having, dating all the way back to childhood. There was a bit more to the setting than just the fort, like what appeared to be a wide snowy (or was it cloudy?) landscape with various bridges and underpasses I could roam around in that isn't featured in this map; perhaps I'll try to recreate it in the future.

The Klondike Fortress is a massive structure floating in some void (maybe it was outer space or the heavens?). It was well lit inside and out. I actually remember it looking a lot more light gray, like many of the Blank-TX textures used, but I opted for the dark Noir Pack bricks covering much of the fort instead since that looked way better to me. Yes, it is really named after and molded out of countless Klondike Bars. It apparently has dark chocolate materials on the outside, vanilla ice cream stuff on the inside. Now that I think about it, maybe it is more like an Oreo. The white liquid in that one area is milk, while the dark liquid is really freezing water (dark because it's actually reflecting off either the bricks or the void).

Anyway, the thing that is most essential to me when I go to bed is my fan or some kind of ventilation - anything that produces constant white noise to break the silence. I find myself feeling cold when I'm falling asleep, so any sort of blanket put on me while drowsy is bound to knock me out. I decided to incorporate both these elements in the map as hazards the player must interact with. I had a beautiful wind chime at the house I grew up with; maybe I thought of that when making the background elements in this map. They sure fit the "wind" theme I got going here!

Behind the major Klondike is the minor Klondike, which really did have a mailbox in front of it that I read a letter from in my dream. Maybe the mailbox near the start of my childhood game, The Neverhood Chronicles, somehow made its way into my brain after seeing it and reading Willie's letters from it so many times? lol

As this is the first map, I had an idea to make the mapset get more "sinister" the closer you get to the nightmare (the boss map). The slightly out of the ordinary ending to this map was meant to be the first sign of things to come. I dunno if I'll actually keep that narrative up, let alone make it as serious as I'm probably unintentionally making it sound here. 

 

And some trivia:

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The blanket on the bed is this pixel art I drew back in 2019.

 

The medal in the bedroom is one Liberation gave me for participating in the 1000 Lines 3 community project.

 

The arcade cabinet apparently runs Pyoro, my favorite minigame of all time.

 

The alien on the laptop is 3D model in Autodesk 3DS Max I randomly made one day in class circa 2014.

 

The peacock portrait is there in remembrance of a peacock that once found its way into my neighborhood and was just chilling there for a few months. I dunno where it is now.

 

Throughout the map there are several slabs with up to four strange symbols on them. These are the abbreviated names of 24 mappers who have influenced my mapping style and served as inspiration for my work. Can you guess them all? Incase I don't end up making the map that is supposed to have the rosetta stone (or sign, rather) that could translate these, here it is:

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https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/831872232934473768/878380431370764298/SXAROSE6.png

 

Edited July 15, 2022 by Xyzzy01

[RED77]

Ok. I start playing it and it looks like a puzzle kind of map, I only got so far yet. But I'm intrigued. And All I see so far I love.

 

[Nefelibeta]

Played this on HMP (or whatever you decided to call it) because I'm a baby coward. \o/

Not sure if I'm going for the intended route but I basically ignored bunch of areas and annihilated that baron dude with the secret stuff I got.

Cool map by the way, highly recommended.

[Xyzzу]

Haha, yeah.

Spoiler

I have it set up where you need to find only three of the five bullet clips to get to the end... but if you managed to find THAT place (hello, you in the editor?), then the exit is available right away because I knew you'd be "strong enough" to take the belphegor out anyway c:

 

Thanks to all playing so far! The skill levels don't do much yet, but they should be more diverse in future maps 💙

Edited July 17, 2022 by Xyzzy01

[Nefelibeta]

18 minutes ago, Xyzzy01 said:

hello, you in the editor?

False! I simply followed my heart. :P

[gabirupee]

These are some incredible shots, i wanna dream like you :D.

[Rabbid]

woah, that looks cool

[Ar_e_en]

I'm currently playing this and it's really captivating in a strange way. The presentation and backstory behind the dream really add a lot to the quality of this map! 

However, I got stuck at one of the puzzles, specifically - the small fan in front of the pressure plate puzzle. I did press both of the inner  switches between the two white blocks, but I can't seem to find the next path forward. Any hints?

[Xyzzу]

To get to the end, you'll need at least three bullet clips, so once you have gotten one you're done with the wing it was in.

In the case of that one wing, one of those switches simply

Spoiler

lowers a grate temporarily to the wing on the very opposite end of the map.

 

I'm glad to hear you've been finding your way through this map and enjoyed its backstory! I was hoping to capture a more adventurous feel to this map (and future ones for this set) to the purely action-oriented maps found in my other set, Xerxesia. 

Spoiler

^{though there definitely will be loads of action beyond this prologue map depending on skill level chosen!}

 

[Ar_e_en]

6 hours ago, Xyzzy01 said:

To get to the end, you'll need at least three bullet clips, so once you have gotten one you're done with the wing it was in.

In the case of that one wing, one of those switches simply

  Hide contents

lowers a grate temporarily to the wing on the very opposite end of the map.

 

Spoiler

That's weird, the room on the opposite side of the map is the punching switch puzzle, I already opened that room and got its ammo clip! I have 2 ammo clips as of now (although, I may have accidentally wasted a few bullets! OOPS!).

 

7 hours ago, Xyzzy01 said:

I'm glad to hear you've been finding your way through this map and enjoyed its backstory! I was hoping to capture a more adventurous feel to this map (and future ones for this set) to the purely action-oriented maps found in my other set, Xerxesia. 

Xerxesia was a great experience! I might actually check out the Axolotl wad next, although I have heard that it's harder (especially the maps that weren't showcased in Xerxesia).

[Xyzzу]

4 hours ago, Ar_e_en said:

Xerxesia was a great experience! I might actually check out the Axolotl wad next, although I have heard that it's harder (especially the maps that weren't showcased in Xerxesia).

 

It's really just MAP07 of Axolotl that has given a lot of people trouble, mainly for how close to you it spawns in revenants you can barely hear coming and how you're basically a one-hit-point wonder there because of its gimmick. The rest of that WAD is pretty easy and/or are earlier versions of what you've played in Xerxesia c:

[Ar_e_en]

I finally managed to find the 3 required ammo clips and I beat the map!

Spoiler

I also found an optional 4th ammo clip in the room where you have to run up the thin rising stairs! Is there a 5th clip by chance?

 

[Xyzzу]

Congrats on experiencing the first of several dreams I'm looking to recreate someday soon! From the looks of it, it seems you got through quite nicely, the map wasn't too cryptic and had some feeling of mystique to it which is good c:

There are indeed five bullet clips. There is one that isn't in plain sight which I'm guess is the one you didn't find. It's

Spoiler

inside one of the falls in that area that changes from light to dark.