Pendulum - 11 maps megawad [Boom Compatible]

[Matthias]

Quote

“Life swings like a pendulum backward and forward between pain and boredom.”
― Arthur Schopenhauer

Download link here: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/p-r/pendulum

Description: Pendulum is a boom-format megawad for Doom II: Hell on Earth that contains new 11 maps. I contributed in many community projects for Doom II before, but this time I wanted to make my own. The maps are mostly inspirated by Hexen II.
 

Info:

Spoiler

Name: Pendulum
Map Format: Boom-Compatible
Ports: Should be working with Gzdoom and prBoom+
IWAD: DOOM2.EXE
Map(s): MAP01-MAP11
Music: Yes
Gameplay: Single Play
Difficulty Settings: Yes
Multiplayer Placement: Not yet
Build Time: Since 04/10/2021  
Textures: HEX2TEX.WAD, hexen2txcon.wad, HEXEN.WAD, rtp.wad by RottKing, Realm667 Duke Nukem 3D texture pack, misctec.wad from doomworld's texture thread, Hellcore 2.0, chainworm kommando, SGGeroy and Hell_Pike, Sky texture by Fuzzball. Thanks a lot to all resources!
Requirements: No jumping needed, no crouching needed, no freelook needed
Editor: Ultimate Doom Builder, Slade 3, Affinity Designer (for TITLEPIC)

List of maps:

Spoiler

Map 01 - Waiting For The Sun
Map 02 - Minutes to Midnight
Map 03 - Fortified House
Map 04 - Temple of Quetzalcoatl
Map 05 - Akhetaten
Map 06 - Samye
Map 07 - Business Center
Map 08 - Athens
Map 09 - Digested
Map 10 - Metallic Fortress
Map 11 - Resting Grounds

Music:

Spoiler

MAP01: "Earthsiege" (From DWANGOX.WAD - MAP12)
MAP02: FreeDoom v0.12 Phase 2 - Map 05 OST (From Freedoom 2)
MAP03: "Blackmarsh" by Kevin Schilder (from Hexen II)
MAP04: "Bridge of Stars" by Kevin Schilder (from Hexen II)
MAP05: "The Pyramid of Anubis" by Kevin Schilder (from Hexen II)
MAP06: "The Ice Caverns" by Kevin Schilder (from Hexen II - Portal of Praveus)
MAP07: "Lamneth's Ground" by David Shaw (from Requiem Megawad - MAP13)
MAP08: "Hall of the Heroes" by Kevin Schilder (from Hexen II)
MAP09: "Unused Song 2 (Chart)" by Kevin Schilder (from Hexen assets)
MAP10: FreeDoom v0.12 Phase 2 - Map 26 OST (From Freedoom 2)
MAP11: FreeDoom v0.12 Phase 2 - MAP14 (0.11+) - About the Summer by Kevin "KevinHEZ" Martins (From Freedoom 2)

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

Map 01 - Waiting For The Sun

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Map 02 - Minutes to Midnight

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Map 03 - Fortified House

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Map 04 - Temple of Quetzalcoatl

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Map 05 - Akhetaten

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Map 06 - Samye

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Map 07 - Business Center

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Map 08 - Athens

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Map 09 - Digested

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Map 10 - Metallic Fortress

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Map 11 - Resting Grounds

 

 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Matthias : released

[Matthias]

Also, here is the trailer:

 

[deleted-account]

My god this looks awesome, can't wait to play/see more!

[EffinghamHuffnagel]

This looks good.

 

FYI: Your link is not a valid link. Not clickable. Had to copy the text to get the file.

[Matthias]

4 minutes ago, EffinghamHuffnagel said:

This looks good.

 

FYI: Your link is not a valid link. Not clickable. Had to copy the text to get the file.

ooopsie

 

I fixed it!

 

Thanks for letting me know

[Nikku4211]

So this isn't in any way inspired by the band Pendulum?

[Matthias]

18 minutes ago, Nikku4211 said:

So this isn't in any way inspired by the band Pendulum?

Tiny bit, maybe...

I mean.. I stole a couple of poetic names here... Pendulum. Waiting for the Sun is a song by The Doors. Minutes to Midnight is Linkin Park album. Resting Grounds... I "borrowed" this one from Hollow Knight actually :D

[DSC]

1 hour ago, Matthias (LiquidDoom) said:

Waiting for the Sun is a song by The Doors.

That was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the level name, but I guessed it was just a coincidence. Nice to see its really where the name came from!

 

By the way, a little fun fact: The Doors also have an album titled Waiting For The Sun, and, funnily enough, their song of the same name is not on that album (its on Morrison Hotel instead).

[ryiron]

The screenshots had me excited for some epic slaughter style arena combat. The visuals are incredibly striking, I especially like the first maps use of the chain textures, and the spacious ominous area leading into the map. The mouth holding the green armor is wonderfully done. But then the combat is a bit of a let down. Maps of this scale are just begging to be flooded with enemies and let the player loose with some high calibre weapons. I only played the first three maps (and accidentally failed to record demos, sorry), so maybe it picks up a bit later in the series.

 

I don't mean to say the combat is bad, it suits the difficulty of a doom 2 era megawad progression. Just the screenshots had me jazzed for something way more difficult.  

[Helm]

Pistol started your demo at UV.

Lovely first map, atmospheric, great midi choice. Exquisite amount of moving-parts detail work, but not placed on the layout but in the walls and beyond, to promote clean movement. 

Second map, I am beginning to realize that there will be an emphasis on wide open spaces with room to do smooth sailing gliding doomguy motion, but there won't be heavy opposition. Even the little hunt for shotgun shells in the outside area was a nice distraction from the full speed curvy line motions that this layouting promotes. No deaths on UV so far, as we are easing into your would-be megawad at TNT-average levels of early map difficulty, it seems. Enter trite point about how 'open space layouts with very few moments promote a feeling of atmospheric desolation' as we move on to map 3.

A what a change of theme! Foreboding, spooky, different locales, I loved going down to the tomb to get the SSG. Now, if a revenant or two spawned in along with the two barons, we'd be talking! Nonetheless claimed one death at the chaingunner reveal :) Having fun with it!

Map 04, I get the sense by this point you love making these big spaces, and I although I am lusting for more opposition, at the same time I commend you for the slow build up. No deaths, but I let the final baron take care of the two chaingunners, but it still wasn't enough ammo to kill him, so I let him guard the temple and fucked off to next map.

Map05, oh I love me some sector pyramids! The gameplay is getting more fun, some concentrations of enemies, some interesting layout complications. I enjoyed the megasphere secret (I like it when the layout itself says 'there's something here' before a silver linedef does). At the end perhaps put a few more mancs to slow the player down so they get to engage with the cacodemons, unless you just like nice speedy exits! I continue to commend you and enjoy these huge layouts, the feeling of being in these spaces is unique and worthwhile, and the combat is starting to pick up!

Map06, the fun huge layouts and increasing risk in combat continue. I am very impressed by all the different themes we are visiting, if you carry on for a full 32 with this amount of invention, it'll really feel like a time trip of an adventure. It's giving me joy to play, so take that as an overarching comment. Loved the circular switch trap that culminates with the archvile drop. The dread staircase at the end was dope too. One of my favorites so far!

Map07 ah, I have a dislike for city maps in doom because I get lost easily, so I exited early here, didn't get all kills, but I found the keys without major difficulties and found the optional areas like an art gallery and museum very charming. Once again a very fun change of theme and pace.

Map08. Athens! Where the Acropolis is! I have to say I much enjoyed this huge space, the beautiful decorative sector work on the sides, the sense of adventure (I forgive you the hedge maze). As a greek citizen I also have to commend you for the historical accuracy,  I give this Athens a 13 out of 10 Athenses.

Map09 Partial digestion, an act of good karma, I suppose. I had some ammo troubles on this one but I suspect ammo starvation might be part of the zero course meal, here. I did feel like I was passing through higher and higher gross demon guts in the wrong order so mission successful, I suppose. The superdark enemies were a nice touch. Great atmosphere, a bit more demanding combat, had a couple of deaths on this one!

Also you can get softlocked here, attachment at end, along with a 'wish you were here, caco' postcard from Athens.

Map10 The sense of grand scale continues! I am having great fun just waiting to see what else you have in store for me. This has a sunder-lite kind of feel to it, sorry for the trite comment. A map to really zoom around on and go for a fun max, it feels like. I had a couple of deaths at the archvile plus revenants reveal, then I went around and killed the vile through the metal bars of the other side, kind of cheap but rewarding to think of! The rest was smooth sailing, and this is a great map to just straferun to your hearts content, tracing nice little curved paths around the titanic metal spokes of the fortress. The imp fight at the end cemented to me that you're not mapping this stuff to torment anyone, that was a free bfg vs imps climax that best serves as a capstone to someone playing super fast. The deeper we get the more fun I'm having regardless of level of challenge.

Map11. On the final note, I have to say I quite enjoyed how these huge layouts promote movement. Doom movement is the most joyous thing, and if one attempts to sppedmax or just speed through the UV of this set they will be more rewarded than if they take their time and look at every little sector. There are large swaths of kind of simple lit vastness which if one looks too closely might appear a bit plain but if they play at the proper clip then the details do not matter, what matters is the time-and-globe trotting adventure, gotta go fast.

I very much enjoyed the demo of your set and wholeheartedly implore you to continue all the way up to 32 maps. If this is the first 11, my mind staggers to think where else you're going to take our doomguy-racecar! Thank you sincerely for sharing your creativity with us for free, you made my monday, life is very rough currently for a lot of people and I see a lot of sadness and pain around me, but for an hour I was transported in another place. Sincere regards.
 

[Matthias]

5 hours ago, ryiron said:

The screenshots had me excited for some epic slaughter style arena combat. The visuals are incredibly striking, I especially like the first maps use of the chain textures, and the spacious ominous area leading into the map. The mouth holding the green armor is wonderfully done. But then the combat is a bit of a let down. Maps of this scale are just begging to be flooded with enemies and let the player loose with some high calibre weapons. I only played the first three maps (and accidentally failed to record demos, sorry), so maybe it picks up a bit later in the series.

 

I don't mean to say the combat is bad, it suits the difficulty of a doom 2 era megawad progression. Just the screenshots had me jazzed for something way more difficult.  

 

Thanks for your feedback and sorry to disappoint your expectations :)
 

Well, I purposely avoided slaughter-style combat because personally I didn't like it. My previous projects like Zones of Fear and Czechbox were full of slaughters and I got tired of it a bit.

I prefer smaller-scale slaughter you can see at the end of Map 10 and Map 11.

I plan to make some more slaughter maybe for the Map 30 or something :) Like Scythe.
 

Also, slaughter is not much good choice actually, because when I publish the map here, on Doomworld, many experienced players keep telling me "where is slaughter? It's too easy!", but when I send the maps to my friends or some other communities (for example my very local Facebook group of people who love retro video games from 90s), they are not that experienced, so they can appreaciate more simple maps actually. And I want them to have some fun, too! :)
 

And the huge spaces... Well, people complain a lot about my maps being too big, so I try to make them smaller, but they complain anyway so I guess I simply can't recognize what space is OK. On the other hand - I don't want them too cramped neither :)
 

So yeah, these are two things that are very typical for my maps and they are always mentioned by people - too outdated combat and too big spaces. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Matthias]

2 hours ago, Helm said:

(very long essay)

 

Oh my god, Helm. You can't imagine what happened to me today. I was reading your essay on my cellphone in the train on my way home and I was so heavily focused on your comment that I failed to noticed it's my station so I kept sitting in the train and suddenly I realized I am in a totally different city! :D

So I got out and decided to walk by foot to home through the forest.

I walked 6.79 kilometres. I took me 1:23:41 time. My average speed was 4.9km/h, my averange heart-beat was 104 bpm and I burned 489 calories. Also - I had a pebble in my shoe, but I was too lazy to remove it so I had to suffer all the stroll :D

And because all this is your fault :p, I decided to share some pictures I took on my way home:

 

 

 

 

 

I also met a deer, but I wasn't fast enough to take a picture :)

 

Anyway, thanks a lot for your comment and I have fixed the bug you mentioned!

 

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As a greek citizen I also have to commend you for the historical accuracy,  I give this Athens a 13 out of 10 Athenses.

Hello there, in Greece :) My sister had her wedding in Greece ten years ago :)

Anyway for this map I downloaded many photos of Athens actually and spent some time looking at them to make my map look more accurate... I regretted it later as the map took me like months to put together :D

 

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The superdark enemies were a nice touch.

Thanks.. I wonder if someone appreaciates it. But I am afraid the dark brigtness is something very specific for prBoom+ and for Gzdoom they might look normal.

 

Quote

I very much enjoyed the demo of your set and wholeheartedly implore you to continue all the way up to 32 maps. If this is the first 11, my mind staggers to think where else you're going to take our doomguy-racecar! Thank you sincerely for sharing your creativity with us for free, you made my monday, life is very rough currently for a lot of people and I see a lot of sadness and pain around me, but for an hour I was transported in another place. Sincere regards.

Glad you enjoyed and it brighten your monday! Thanks again for your comment!

[Helm]

Thank you very much for sharing the beautiful pictures from your route back home. Glad my worldsalad made you miss your train :)  
Warm greetings from Greece.

 

[ryiron]

7 hours ago, Matthias (LiquidDoom) said:

And the huge spaces... Well, people complain a lot about my maps being too big, so I try to make them smaller, but they complain anyway so I guess I simply can't recognize what space is OK. On the other hand - I don't want them too cramped neither :)

 

People will always complain :-). It's impossible to make maps that everyone likes, but I also think that all maps have an audience out there for them. I think me saying "slaughter" is probably the wrong word (that term is a bit loaded), I really mean more use of the awesome spaces you've created. When you have only a small number of enemies in a large space the difficulty drops off because its easy to run in circles, or just straight past things.  

 

But, I also think you should make the maps you want to make, and that these maps will definitely have their fans. I know that a lot of people complain that the large, pretty maps are always too hard or slaughtery.

 

Also, thanks for the amusing story and photos about the missed train.

[fai1025]

On 9/10/2023 at 10:16 AM, Matthias (LiquidDoom) said:

 

  Hide contents

 

 

 

As a person that understand Japanese, that word on the ground is... em... definitly not something weird :)

[Gibbitudinous]

40 minutes ago, fai1025 said:

As a person that understand Japanese, that word on the ground is... em... definitly not something weird :)

 

Thanks for drawing attention to this. Very much not fluent in Japanese but after looking it up, that's both quite amusing and makes me more intrigued to check out this wad.

[ryiron]

So I do really like the look of the maps, and turns out playing the maps pacifist ramps up the difficulty a fair bit. Here's the first three: pend_0-3_ryiron.zip. Might do some more later. I want to a least give all the maps a go.

[Matthias]

35 minutes ago, ryiron said:

So I do really like the look of the maps, and turns out playing the maps pacifist ramps up the difficulty a fair bit. Here's the first three: pend_0-3_ryiron.zip. Might do some more later. I want to a least give all the maps a go.

What an interesting pacifist gameplay!

 

Anyway, it probably won't work in Map07 because you're forced to kill some mancs and archs there to progress :)

[jaeden]

It is a nice looking wad, I liked it so far.

 

Did not find any bugs (well I was not looking for them though...)

 

Just was stuck for a bit in Map 6, because I did not realize the blue key pillars are lifts that can be used :)

[Gibbitudinous]

Played thru the demo and it was very much a fun selection of maps that I'd be interested in seeing continued.

 

The Hexen namedrop helped a lot with expectations since it's clear the emphasis is more on exploration and atmosphere than combat, but I will still say that most of the combat was really easy on UV.

 

Some encounters definitely kept me on my toes but for the most part pretty easy on the fighting.

 

Not necessarily a complaint but felt worth an observation.

[princetontiger]

Thanks for getting this on idgames 

[princetontiger]

OK... these maps are pretty awesome. I've had a lot of fun!