[BOOM] Parallelism - 3 Small Maps

[LordEntr0py]

Parallelism is (at the moment) a set of three Boom-compatible maps for Doom II.

They were designed as the first three in a megawad of small maps. As such, they are generally generally moderate in difficulty, and pretty low-tech. There is no SSG, plasma rifle or BFG and rockets are very limited. I may expand on this mapset in future -- it really depends how these are received -- but for the time being I've decided to put the project on-hold behind the other mapping projects I am involved with.





The only story is really based around my personal Doom meta-headcanon: that an infinite multiverse of parallel Doomguys are simultaneously blasting their way through hordes of demons, through parallel universes all connected to a single, near-infinite hell-dimension. This particular Doomguy is hopping between parallel dimensions, each of which is a little different from the previous.

The idea for Parallelism is to base each map of one or two new ideas introduced in the previous map -- essentially by copy/pasting one or two key areas, then changing things up a little by rotating stuff around or flipping geometry. A player should recognise elements in each map from the previous, but they should be connect differently and play differently. In addition, themes should gradually creep in and out. In these first three maps, we transition gradually from mostly caves to mostly techbase, with a more watery aesthetic beginning to appear.

The main inspiration for this mapset is Skulltiverse, which I made a couple of maps for, and which I have @ViolentBeetle to thank for, and it's essentially my own personal take on the concepts and restrictions used in that mapset.

• Each map has a strictly-limited playable area, although areas beyond the playable area are often visible (I have shamelessly lifted ViolentBeetle's exact cross-shape specification from Skulltiverse).
• Each map begins and ends in a little "pod room", which is the only space allowed outside the limited playable area, to which you need to return with the blue keycard.

>>DOWNLOAD IT HERE<<
 

MIDI credits:

Spoiler

MAP01: AIR.MID - Stewboy
MAP02: Compulsion - James Paddock
MAP03: Brutal Schism - James Paddock

More Screenshots:
 

Spoiler

 

The mapset is fairly polished, tested pretty thoroughly in both GZDoom and PrBoom (admittedly more thoroughly in GZDoom as it's my preferred port) but inevitably I will have missed things here and there, so please let me know when/if you find something that needs fixing.

Hope you enjoy!

Edited January 31, 2023 by LordEntr0py

[fai1025]

I don't know if it's my own problem but

it seems to not run on my Boom ports

GZDoom work tho

[LordEntr0py]

17 minutes ago, fai1025 said:

I don't know if it's my own problem but

it seems to not run on my Boom ports

GZDoom work tho

D'oh! Gonna have to remove these from ANIMATED lump. Thank you.

EDIT: now fixed. It runs for me on PrBoom and dsda-doom

[RED77]

That's a really fun, well put together set of maps. Congrats

 

[Doomy__Doom]

11 minutes ago, LordEntr0py said:

EDIT: now fixed. It runs for me on PrBoom and dsda-doom 

dsda still crashed for me because titlepic is a PNG. Also mapinfo is not a thing there, here's a basic umapinfo for proper music/sky/name:

Spoiler

 

MAP MAP01 
{
	levelname = "Calcite"
	sky = "SKY1"
	next = "MAP02"
	music = "D_AIR"
}

MAP MAP02 
{
	levelname = "Alternation"
	sky = "SKY1"
	next = "MAP03"
	nextsecret = "MAP03"
	music = "D_CMPLSN"
}

MAP MAP03 
{
	levelname = "Iteration"
	sky = "SKY1"
	music = "D_JBRUTL"
	endcast = true
}

 

[LordEntr0py]

6 minutes ago, Doomy__Doom said:

dsda still crashed for me because titlepic is a PNG. Also mapinfo is not a thing there, here's a basic umapinfo for proper music/sky/name:

  Hide contents

 

MAP MAP01 
{
	levelname = "Calcite"
	sky = "SKY1"
	next = "MAP02"
	music = "D_AIR"
}

MAP MAP02 
{
	levelname = "Alternation"
	sky = "SKY1"
	next = "MAP03"
	nextsecret = "MAP03"
	music = "D_CMPLSN"
}

MAP MAP03 
{
	levelname = "Iteration"
	sky = "SKY1"
	music = "D_JBRUTL"
	endcast = true
}

 

Thank you! Really appreciate your help. Now fixed for dsda-doom.

[LibertyRPF]

Thanks for sharing your maps.

 

Here's my playing of the first two (with Brutal Doom Platinum -- I know you didn't balance them for it, but it's all I play now, so I take full responsibility for the balance of the monsters that is probably off from what you wanted in some rooms).

 

I really like the look of the maps.

 

 

 

I've tried #3 twice but died each time. With Brutal Doom Platinium + UV + Tactical, it's certainly not easy for my skill level, especially when there's a trap with lots of fairly powerful monsters in a small enclosed space. It only takes a couple of hits to die with BDP.

 

I'll give it another try and if I get it, I'll upload the video here.

[ViolentBeetle]

Played the first map, pretty enjoyable, even if pistolling everything not my cup of tea.

Behold, softlock hazard. I fell in and can't get out.

[TheCyberDruid]

Really enjoyed playing those three maps :) The traps were interesting rather than mean. Would like to see a bigger map in the same style.

[Fernito]

Amazing little mapset! The architecture looks gorgeous and I liked a lot the concept of parallel dimensions with increasing complexity, very neatly executed. Also appreciate the fact that ammo is tight and you're only given lesser weapons. No issues found apart from a a small HOM in the rocket launcher secret of map02.

 

Great job, I'll definitely like to see more of this :)

 

Here's my FDA (it's uploading) with some sporadic commentary

 

[thelamp]

Short n sweet set of maps!

 

 

[Insaneprophet]

I was going to say short but sweet. I was also gunna say soft lock at the beginning under blue key piller next to first step up. I dun got beaten to both. I really liked these. Prisisly because of the limited weapons and ammo. Guess i got beaten to saying that too. Thanks for making these.

[Not Jabba]

+1 to making more maps, especially if most of them remain this small and with this low of a monster count. I'd enjoy a megawad of them -- but you can always cut it off wherever makes sense, no need to force yourself to make 32.

[LordEntr0py]

3 hours ago, Fernito said:

Amazing little mapset! The architecture looks gorgeous and I liked a lot the concept of parallel dimensions with increasing complexity, very neatly executed. Also appreciate the fact that ammo is tight and you're only given lesser weapons. No issues found apart from a a small HOM in the rocket launcher secret of map02.

 

Great job, I'll definitely like to see more of this :)

 

Here's my FDA (it's uploading) with some sporadic commentary

 

Thanks for the kind words and feedback. Enjoyed your playthrough immensely!

Good job on finding the Megaarmor secret in MAP03. Ammo was slightly tighter for you than I intended, so I'll add some more early in that map.

And you found the Soul Sphere secret in MAP02 an unintended way. I'm going to have to prevent that jump at the end...

[Fernito]

21 hours ago, LordEntr0py said:

Thanks for the kind words and feedback. Enjoyed your playthrough immensely!

Good job on finding the Megaarmor secret in MAP03. Ammo was slightly tighter for you than I intended, so I'll add some more early in that map.

And you found the Soul Sphere secret in MAP02 an unintended way. I'm going to have to prevent that jump at the end...

 

I see! I was actually wondering if that was the intended way of getting the soulsphere. I guess I'll have to come back and find out how to get it properly :)

[Clippy]

These maps were absolutely great! Nice to see you back and surprised to see you make some short Adventures hehe 

 

@Portponky there's a secret in here you might appreciate 

 

 

 

[Kor]

Pretty good set of levels. Game play, texturing, music, all good. I did notice you have a missing texture in the rocket launcher secret area on level 2.

[Somniac]

Great set of maps, short and sweet but with considered use of space and monster usage that became quite spicy at times. I've recorded a UV playthrough w/ commentary:

 

 

Its been ages since I did that so I wasn't playing super well (bunch of silly deaths in MAP03), but I had a fun time with this WAD and I'd like to see more in this style!

[TheDuckXD]

Both visually appealing and fun to play. Good job on the maps. Really liked them!

[Rex705]

Very Nice

 

 

[ViolentBeetle]

Finally got around finishing the last map. Nothing really to complain about, all look good and navigable. You make me fight heavier monsters with big guns for longer than I would be comfortable with, but it's not like it's invalid design.

[Arwel]

Nice tasty maps!

I'm 100% sure I've played the first one in some CP not so long ago, maybe few months back, which is a good sign it's quite memorable!

 

PS:

Found a small texture glitch in the last map:

https://imgur.com/a/MvlI6GI

 

[netcurse2000]

Awesome small maps! 

I really liked idea of parallel dimensions. I hope to see wad of 12-15 similar maps. Nice MIDIs.

However, I found the maps to be a bit dark, especially map 01 and map 03.

 

 

 

[lunchlunch]

Pretty fun, great use of small monster counts. My one nitpick is that the maps feel a bit samey so if you do add more, some diversity could be nice.

[LordEntr0py]

1 hour ago, lunchlunch said:

Pretty fun, great use of small monster counts. My one nitpick is that the maps feel a bit samey so if you do add more, some diversity could be nice.

Thank you!

 

This was partly why I decided to post these now. Part of the current theme is to take over or two areas from the previous map to reuse and alter slightly for the next. After three maps, I was concerned that this might lead to then feeling samey. Something to think about!

[K_Doom]

Nice.

[DRON12261]

Played it now on GZDoom 4.10 on UV Pistol-Start.

Very nice and polished mapping to the smallest detail. Completed with great pleasure.
I liked the setting of the mountain base with the constant drops in altitude.
 

Attached screenshots:

Spoiler

 

[Not Jabba]

6 hours ago, LordEntr0py said:

This was partly why I decided to post these now. Part of the current theme is to take over or two areas from the previous map to reuse and alter slightly for the next. After three maps, I was concerned that this might lead to then feeling samey. Something to think about!

 

I thought the subtle shift was a pretty neat effect, honestly. The maps are short enough that it's hard for any element, gameplay or visual, to feel tedious. Switching texture themes every 3-5 maps might not be a bad idea, though -- it could be fun to mess around with the same chunks of architecture in completely different settings (e.g., what does this jungle techbase building look like if it's in snowy mountains or far-future space station or hell instead?).

Edited February 12, 2023 by Not Jabba

[indigotyrian]

Cool maps! The particular take of techbase here where it's built into caves and cliff faces is well executed! I didn't read the lore before jumping in but I did like how each map started and ended in the same identical area. Lots of nice background work, great lighting, and good attention to detail.

 

Difficulty felt pretty good on UV. I appreciated the focus on shotgun and chaingun which combined with tight resources made for some dicey encounters. Armor was a luxury and I spent a lot of my first play-through below 50% health.

 

My one big complaint is that the rocket launcher given to you in MAP03 at the end feels too late. I didn't notice the closet revealing the rocket launcher opening up until I beat the archvile and other monsters, and by then everything was dead and I didn't get to fire any rockets. Having the rocket launcher given out in the open before you hit the switch for the blue key would be nice. (Possibly having it out in the open in that room, visible on the other side of the wall? So that when you see the area earlier you can spot the rocket launcher and anticipate it!) If you want to keep it in the closet, what you could do instead is teleport a bunch of zombiemen and imps at the very very end so you get to gib something as a reward.

[LordEntr0py]

1 hour ago, segfault said:

My one big complaint is that the rocket launcher given to you in MAP03 at the end feels too late. I didn't notice the closet revealing the rocket launcher opening up until I beat the archvile and other monsters, and by then everything was dead and I didn't get to fire any rockets. Having the rocket launcher given out in the open before you hit the switch for the blue key would be nice. (Possibly having it out in the open in that room, visible on the other side of the wall? So that when you see the area earlier you can spot the rocket launcher and anticipate it!) If you want to keep it in the closet, what you could do instead is teleport a bunch of zombiemen and imps at the very very end so you get to gib something as a reward.

That's a bloody good point. I have seen a few people miss that Rocket Launcher during the final fight, and it's quite understandable given the pressure.

 

Can definitely improve on that. Thanks!