Curse of Blood - a 32 map megawad - RC1 released!

[BlueMancubus]

I'm currently playing on UV and made it to the end of map 13, trying to find the soulsphere secret before I finish.  It has been great so far, difficulty has been good... kicking my ass but not frustratingly so.  Thanks for the hard work that was put into it.

[valkiriforce]

17 hours ago, S3M_XM said:

As I love exploration wads, this one is one of my favorite megawads of this year and strangely isn't that hard (in skill level 3).

 

There's reports I've found on Doom Retro 5.5.0.1 on skill level 3.

  Reveal hidden contents

Is there no Pain Elemental pain sound?

 

map13

Slime Trail in software rendering.

 

map28

Should the Blue armor secret be hidden from the automap? (Thing 1420)

 

map32

Found multiple HOMs.

 

 

Wow, what a massive botch-up; I'm pretty sure this is a nodesbuilder issue and a fault of my own for not setting my nodesbuilder to the ones I used when I made this map on my previous laptop. Last-minute changes can have that effect, heh. Thankfully it's a simple fix, and I'm sorry it slipped through the cracks somehow...thanks for the heads up!

[DRON12261]

23 hours ago, waverider said:

@DRON12261: Thanks for that video, was indeed good fun to watch! Hope you'll continue to play on and have fun!

Well, I have a couple of observations. There is an extremely not obvious secret on MAP08, I think it should be highlighted a bit better. And on MAP09 pretty bad progression with the button you have to shoot and the blue key, switchhunting, which I didn't like very much. I think it's worthy of a small redesign while the project is in Release Candidate. Other than that, everything else is cool.
 

 

[Keyboard_Doomer]

Hello,

 

we're going to play part 1 of the wad for Thursday Night Survival today.
The session starts 13 hours from the time of this post and you can expect it be fairly active for 4+ hours.

[plums]

11 hours ago, valkiriforce said:

 

Wow, what a massive botch-up; I'm pretty sure this is a nodesbuilder issue and a fault of my own for not setting my nodesbuilder to the ones I used when I made this map on my previous laptop. Last-minute changes can have that effect, heh. Thankfully it's a simple fix, and I'm sorry it slipped through the cracks somehow...thanks for the heads up!

Since you guys are using MBF21, and some maps use extended (UDMF) nodes already, I'd recommend just rebuilding the rest of the maps with extended nodes too. It will eliminate pretty much all slime trails in software renders, and potentially fix some other stuff. In MAP05 I noticed an imp that fell through a sector, which is probably the result of a nodebuilder issue. (It's happened to me too!)

 

 

Really enjoying it so far!

[waverider]

@Devalaous: That's cool, I hope you'll like my other wads as well! :)

 

@S3M_XM: Glad to hear you're liking CoB so far! Hopefully the latter maps won't be too difficult. I'll look into those issues you mentioned for Map13 and 28 also, thanks!

 

@Bertt91: Happy to hear the project's looking good so far! We're looking forward to your latter comments!

 

@Degree23: Great to hear you like Map10 so much!

 

@BlueMancubus: Thanks, we're glad you're liking the project this far! Do let us know if the difficulty becomes unfair later, maybe especially Map20, 28, 29 and 30.

 

@DRON12261: Thanks for another video! I'll watch it a bit. About your feedback, I'll make that Map08 secret easier to reach. EDIT: Fun watch! Wouldn't mind more videos, if you're up for it! :)

Edited August 8 by waverider

[apichatpong]

Since you ask BlueMancubus about difficulty, I jump at the chance and say just a few words about that :

 

Warning : remember that I play HMP (and continuous)(and with saves) so what I'm saying may not be true on UV pistol start single segment

 

I strangely thought that map 19 was a bit easier than 17 and 18, apart from the last big fight, but there was no Plutonia^2 ambushes and quite some times obvious different ways to approach some fights and use well the Rocket Launcher.

 

Map 20 is something else, very in the idea I developed from my short tries on Eternal Doom (from what I know, once again I'm not a veteran in any mean so my references are limited)(maybe it's more Hexen style if I read well the text file but... never played Hexen).

Regarding difficulty

Spoiler

There is a lot of ammo and some health and armor, secrets - to complete that health/ammo thing - are not that hard to find (even if the huge sizes of the map and rooms sometimes may discourage a bit to search).

Because rooms are big there is relatively regular possibilities to circle strafe and start infight (at least after some deaths when you know a bit more where monsters are placed), once again it's a hard map but... don't know if I wasn't truly awaken this morning when I played map 16 to 18 but it didn't felt much more difficult than those ones. Though, it do require some endurance !!

Maxers will also have to be very sure of themselves in order not to forget some lost souls "hidden" in walls ;-)

 

One tiny remark/question about this really cool map :

Is there a way to telefrag the first cyberdemon ?

If not, I suggest (but who am I to suggest ???) that maybe it could be the end of the teleporting chain from the secret in this outdoor area (so adding another teleport on the secret inside the secret)... Otherwise it's a bit sloggish to kill it (but it might just be me and my skill issues !)

 

Edit : played two more maps

 

Spoiler

Map 21 is, in my opinion, the only weak map until now, I didn't really got the "thing" on that one, it's not the first "binary" map (there was the twin pyramids) but other ones are more intricate on the different parts... this one felt a bit short. But it's still decent !

 

Map 22 is really cool and I had great pleasure to play it, just one remark : all the fights in the beginning area are easily cheesable by running in circle around the guys, pinkies are protection to revenant's missiles and to HK projectiles. I've seen there is a cyber on UV that may turn the fight less cheasable though.

Note two things :

- first : I never was able to do a map so, don't take my remarks the wrong way ;-)

-second : I just wanted to notice this because you maybe want to make the map more challenging, but, for my concern, it's perfect since I LOVE running around monsters and watch them kill each others (yeah, it's a bit strange).

 

Edited August 8 by apichatpong

[apichatpong]

OKAY.

 

This wad has heavily varied maps

This wad has heavily expressive and detailed maps but also some abstract/void one

This wad has classic gameplay, explorative gameplay, contemplative gameplay, infights, slaughterlite (rare but : man, when it happens !), modern compact slaughter (rare but : man blah blah blah)...

This wad has terrific midis

This wad is intricate and non linear

This wad has humongous castle and cathedral

This wad has volcano and other big hellish mountains

This wad has some of the most beautiful eagle's nest panorama I've seen in Doom

This wad has rapid pistol

This wad has cool new monsters, wonderful textures etc

This wad has maps that will be hell for maxers (because authors do like their small alcoves with monsters)

This wad has a wide range of difficulty levels (but greatly implemented from what I saw)

This wad don't have platforming (this is no political statement, though)

This wad has just a soft underbelly with map 21, map 25 and on a smaller note map 23*

...

 

This wad is great !

 

*

Spoiler

map 23 is cool, though... I just expected maybe more density... the idea of Plutonia being a subzone of Hell is great and, also, this map has a cool joke ! There is a cyber you have to run from, at some point you enter a room with BFG and teleporter... Cool BFG,  let's also try the teleporter... What, it telefrag the cyber ? What's the point of this BFG... few minutes later...

 

Map 28 is awesome, at first I was still doing my circle strafe thing on the outdoor area, then the first cathedral fight felt familiar (all these arachnotrons) and I was starting to think "Hum, once again..." but :  the second one was already something else... and then, the differents fights on the east and, even much more, the west wing were tough, punishing and fun !! It took me 3 hours to beat the map with save (missing some kills and 5 secrets).

These fights were really difficult but doable (at least with saves for me)

 

Tired, I cheated today for map 29 and will play it legit tomorrow but... WOW, what a frantic and beautiful and awesome map !

 

 

Edit : in fact there is platforming... but don't really understood the goal of this platforming section in map 30...

Edited August 9 by apichatpong

[plums]

fdas for maps 1-11, needs dsda-doom 0.27.5

cobrc1-fdas.zip

 

 

[waverider]

@apichatpong: Thanks for your additional feedback! Glad you appreciate Map20! :) I've always wanted to build a big castle map for Doom so I'm glad whenever people like it! We've tried to make sure that skill 3 keeps a moderate difficulty so that's why that skill should hopefully never be too difficult.

 

Spoiler

About Map20's garden Cyber, it's a good suggestion to add a way to telefrag it, I'll definitely consider it at least! If I were to add it, there would still be a risk of missing the frag as the sector is quite big for a telefrag but I do like the idea and will think it over!

 

About Map21, yeah it's a bit shorter, I wanted my earlier maps in each episode to be a bit shorter, (and some latter ones as well) with larger maps by the end of each episode, partly so the project wouldn't take too long to finish. But I also enjoy mixing smaller and easier maps with bigger, more difficult ones.

 

Don't worry about your remarks - you seem constructive and friendly in your feedback!

 

Also happy you seemed to like Map23! Hopefully the gameplay and difficulty there is right for all skill levels.

 

I spent a lot of time making Map28 and 29 (just like I did with Map20) so I'm again happy when they're well liked as well!

 

Spoiler

About Map30's platform "jumps", you don't have to do those at all unless you play on UV...

 

[Goldar]

This was a real mixed bag and that variety was perfectly executed - I was constantly engaged and curious. It thoroughly kicked my arse but I was having too much fun to get frustrated. Congratulations on an excellent game!

[waverider]

@plums: Thanks for those demos! They were a fun watch! :)

 

Spoiler

Sorry that those revs gave you so much grief on Map10 - maybe I should replace them?

 

@Goldar: Thanks for that - I'm real glad you enjoyed the wad! Do let us know if you think some of those more frustrating parts should be eased up on!

[plums]

6 minutes ago, waverider said:

Sorry that those revs gave you so much grief [...] maybe I should replace them?

I don't think you need to. It was mostly that I kept forgetting to save IIRC. I found the cyberdemons on the stairs fight more frustrating than anything else on that map, but they weren't too bad and I'm not sure how you retool it without a dramatic overhaul of that area.

Maybe increase the floor height so there's not as much downtime when you fall? It's a minor thing but when you're trying to shoot the cybers falling more than once feels kind of tedious.

[apichatpong]

@waverider Oh ! I forgot the cyber from map 20 could move... yeah it'll be difficult to telefrag.

 

... And yeah, I'm now playing UV and it's quite more difficult ! So it confirms implementation of skill levels is well done !

[50milliarden]

Amazing megawad which combines good looks with excellent playability (I love that you can basically play it on HMP without saves - it's a challenge but doable.) It's also a textbook example of how to create successful non-linear maps.

Definitely one of my best DOOM experiences this year!

 

Currently I'm on map 20, and for some stupid reason I can't reach the yellow key in the maze. All paths leading to it seem to be blocked by dead trees. I'm sure I'm overlooking something very simple, but yeah, if someone could spoiler me... thanks in advance.

 

EDIT: found it, quite simple indeed.

Spoiler

In the middle of the left side of the maze there's a tree blocking your path, but not entirely, you can walk around it and continue to the centre of the maze.

 

Edited August 12 by 50milliarden

[waverider]

@plums: Sorry for silly question, but you mean I should raise the floor height so you quickly land on the nukage floor around the cybers, right? Sure thing, I'll add it to the fixlist.

 

@apichatpong: I have an idea on how I should be able to change this so that this Cyber can be telefragged, thanks for the idea! By the way, how are you finding UV so far? If you've continued to play on, that is?

 

@50milliarden: Thanks, so glad that you're liking CoB so much this far! :) Yeah we tried to make sure the project is doable without saves. (UV can also be completed without saves, though we recommend learning the hardest maps with saves first before going saveless here.)

 

Spoiler

So the Map20 hedge maze wasn't too tough then?

 

[Kor]

I"m on map 30 now. Maybe some one already mentioned this, but there's a problem. The red skull is only available on the Hard skill levels.

 

I'm impressed with how epic the scenery in the last several levels is. Good job:)

[apichatpong]

Regarding UV : let say I'm going much slower (also because I had less time) but the maps from 1 to 7 are still doable (with more care)(I see a bit more high tier monsters but it might be psychological (and my memory playing tricks on me)(and also I play pistol start this time), I guess it will take much more time for me. We'll see. But I give you feedback when I'll be further in the wad.

 

@Kor the red key is not at the same place on HMP and on UV (now I understand the remark of waverider about the platforming only for UV)

Edited August 12 by apichatpong

[Kor]

28 minutes ago, apichatpong said:

Regarding UV : let say I'm going much slower (also because I had less time) but the maps from 1 to 7 are still doable (with more care)(I see a bit more high tier monsters but it might be psychological (and my memory playing tricks on me)(and also I play pistol start this time), I guess it will take much more time for me. We'll see. But I give you feedback when I'll be further in the wad.

 

@Kor the red key is not at the same place on HMP and on UV (now I understand the remark of waverider about the platforming only for UV)

Ah okay. I kind of suspected that when I made my post. I"m thinking maybe there should be something up there for lower level players? Like a power-up or a weapon? Just so the player knows there was a reason to go up there. I got up there and saw there was nothing and was like, okay, did I miss something?

 

EDIT: I just searched for it in DoomBuilder. Hah. It's on the way to the platform. I missed it completely.

Edited August 12 by Kor

[BeeWen]

Please make a link to Google Disk, because I can’t download this collection of maps.

[waverider]

@Kor: Glad you're liking the scope of the last maps so much! I'll see what I can add at that Map30 cliff, nothing important though since I wanted to spare players on lower skill levels from having the make the tougher trek up there. (Not intended for a pun at all, btw.)

 

@apichatpong: Thanks for giving UV feedback as well! Your memory is definitely not playing tricks on you - there's both more monsters and higher tier ones as well even earlier on.

 

@BeeWen: Here's an alternative link for you, hope it works better! 

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/4a2v3g8i4se4wofurayt2/cob_rc1.zip?rlkey=z2ktpuxztyvn248uaskz40c4k&st=rxjmnuhz&dl=0

Edited August 13 by waverider

[TMMMS]

the first two maps are good but

 

Spoiler

i guess you mustve played legacy of rust and thought the ghoul was not dangerous enough because that forgotten one enemy is no joke!

 

[waverider]

@TMMMS: Sorry to hear you don't like the Forgotten One. (I haven't played Legacy of Rust yet though, I made the Forgotten One a couple of years back.)

 

I like a challenge so I'm not sure I want to make the FO much easier but what would you suggest for it? 

 

Spoiler

Btw I recommend not using the shotgun or chainsaw when fighting the FO if that helps.

 

[TMMMS]

oh no dont get me wrong im fine with the enemy!

 

its just that the enemy is very similar to the ghoul yet appears to be much more resilient and also spawns from the pain elemental so whenever i come back to this wad after playing legacy of rust i get a bit of whiplash if you know what i mean

[Not Jabba]

14 minutes ago, waverider said:

I like a challenge so I'm not sure I want to make the FO much easier but what would you suggest for it? 

 

It was a neat enemy, but the one thing that bugged me about it is that it felt harder to hit than the Lost Soul, which feels a little janky when you're aiming at it and expecting to hit it. Is the hitbox radius smaller?

[waverider]

@TMMMS : Ah ok! I'm a bit concerned the enemies may be a bit on the too tough side, the other new enemies perhaps even more so do let us know if they need to be made easier/less annoying.

 

@Not Jabba: Hmm I don't think it's hitbox is smaller (correct me if I'm wrong) but it is a bit faster than a regular Soul (12 vs 8 in movement speed), maybe if that's what's making it harder to hit? Do you think it should be made slower?

 

 

Edited August 17 by waverider

[purrgetheenbie]

idk if this counts as a bug, but that's not a spider mastermind...

 

 

Edit: this wad is phenomenal, and I'm also glad that somebody else pointed out the imp being stuck in the ground in level 5. Amazing work, keep going.

 

 

1 more edit: I especially loved the medieval maps, those were peak.

Edited August 15 by purrgetheenbie

[Degree23]

On 8/14/2024 at 10:37 PM, waverider said:

@TMMMS : Ah ok! I'm a bit concerned the enemies may be a bit on the too tough side, the other new enemies perhaps even more so do let us know if they need some fixing up.

 

Lost Souls are annoying as hell anyway, but where this one immediately melee attacks you if it hits you means it does way more damage if it catches you unaware. I definitely wouldn't want to make them any more dangerous than they already are.

 

I've completed up to the end of Map 32 now.

 

Spoiler

I don't know how findable all 4 switches are for the secret exit on Map 31. I found 2 but then had to go into an editor to find the other two after looking around for nearly half an hour, especially the one that's hidden in the secret area off to the left. However, it's for the secret secret map, so it's probably supposed to be hard to find.

 

Superb first half. Looking forward to the second half.

[Zahid]

great mapset

took me 2 weeks to finish my fdas 

most are failed as maps are huge and i got frustrated

new monsters are annoying esp ghosts and lost souls but are unique experince

i feel health of manc is also high 

city maps are my fav

prboom cl9 used demos.zip

[waverider]

@purrgetheenbie: Wow, thanks for those nice words! :) I'll add this end screen bug to the fixlist, not sure how to fix it yet though but maybe I can find some help with that. It could definitely be a nice touch to have all three new monsters on that end screen.

 

@Degree23: Sorry I was probably a bit unclear, I meant if the new monsters needed to be fixed up as in made easier - do let us know. :) Real glad to hear you thought the first half was superb!

 

Spoiler

Also, do let me know if I should fix up Map31's secret exit puzzle so that would get easier to solve.

 

@Zahid: Glad to hear you've liked much of the wad so far! Thanks for those fda's, I'll check them out! And do let us know if we should make any changes to the new monsters if they're too tough.

 

Spoiler

I haven't changed the health of the Mancubus. Do you mean the health of the Dark Cardinal, the "flying cyber"?