Thy Flesh Exhumed - Playtesters Wanted!

[ArchitectofHell]

"Thy Flesh Exhumed" is a new single-player episode for the Skulltag source port, featuring level design and aesthetics inspired by Episode Four of "The Ultimate Doom." Explore autumnal marble temples. Investigate haunted wood-and-iron environments. Grapple, as always, with Hell's ugliest hosts.

"Thy Flesh Exhumed" carefully utilizes features of Doom II and Skulltag to create a unique, atmospherically consistent "New Episode Four" feel.

Construction is underway. Please check back soon for updates, screenshots, and development notes.

http://hellsarch.blogspot.com/2008/07/thy-flesh-exhumed.html

NEW! Screenshots from Map 1: "The Devil's Animals" are up, along with some brief design notes:
http://hellsarch.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-post.html

Currently seeking playtesters. If you are a thoughtful, constructively critical person with a sharp eye, preferably with a beyond-basic understanding of Doom editing principles, post here or PM. Thanks!

[Creaphis]

That's a great title. I hope the levels will be too.

[Kira]

Interesting, looking forward to this.

[Reinchard666]

Very atmospheric. Go forward!

[Kyka]

Great title, great screens. The entire thing literally "exhumes" atmosphere. Looking forward to it. Great work.

[GreyGhost]

Like the screenshots and the backstory. Good luck with the project.

[Spertz]

Those screens look very atmospheric, keep it up.

[lazygecko]

This looks very appealing. I will be keeping an eye on this.

[hardcore_gamer]

Why is this for Skulltag? Does the project use any Skulltag only features?

[Death-Destiny]

hardcore_gamer said:

Why is this for Skulltag? Does the project use any Skulltag only features?

The "Thy Flesh Exhumed" Website states:
Carefully utilizes features of Doom II and Skulltag to create a unique, atmospherically consistent "New Episode Four" feel.

So I assume it uses Skulltage features.

[esselfortium]

Death-Destiny said:

So I assume it uses Skulltage features.

Well, I have seen a lot of nooby-looking single player projects on WIP that could have been for ZDoom (or even Boom) but they wanted to use Skulltag for its included texture wad...

This is looking really nice, though! :D

[Tango]

Looks good :D

[hardcore_gamer]

Death-Destiny said:

So I assume it uses Skulltage features.

But what features? I did not see anything of the screens that could not be done with Zdoom.

[DaniJ]

Or for that matter, ANY GL rendering port.

[Gez]

Features include textures, sprites, monsters, weapons, powerups and decoration. All except the runes could be integrated in GZDoom by ripping them from Skulltag.wad/pk3 and putting them in a small "GZDoom compatibility patch"...

[Creaphis]

Or, instead of ripping everything, you could run it in Skulltag.

(But, for that matter, I think the runes have also been added to ZDoom.)

[Death-Destiny]

Ripping resources... I remember this recent discussion

[Dutch Doomer]

hardcore_gamer said:

But what features? I did not see anything of the screens that could not be done with Zdoom.

Who gives a fuck as long as the maps are fun to play.

[Vegeta]

Looks very atmospheric.

[hardcore_gamer]

dutch devil said:

Who gives a fuck as long as the maps are fun to play.

Probably people that don't own skulltag :)

[Kira]

hardcore_gamer said:

Probably people that don't own skulltag :)

So own it unless you are on linux but wine should do a bit for you.

[Gez]

Creaphis said:

(But, for that matter, I think the runes have also been added to ZDoom.)

Nope. Some rune effects have been added to the PowerUp effects (though not all: prosperity and triple fire, for example, are missing); but rune themselves (as powerups that you keep until you pick another up) aren't there.

K!r4 said:

So own it unless you are on linux but wine should do a bit for you.

Skulltag runs on Linux. It's on Mac that you can't run it directly.

[ArchitectofHell]

esselfortium said:

...I have seen a lot of nooby-looking single player projects on WIP that could have been for ZDoom (or even Boom) but they wanted to use Skulltag for its included texture wad...

The textures are a minor convenience. Several of Skulltag's items will be used, but there will be no cheesy announcer voice when you pick them up.

I have not chosen Skulltag out of any undue excitement over its new monsters, textures, or weapons.

New mappers seem drawn to Skulltag's easily ploppable resources. I reassure interested persons that I am using discretion even with the Doom II resources, and I hope everyone will be able to discern that in the finished product.

Thanks for taking the time to look things over!

[ArchitectofHell]

hardcore_gamer said:

But what features? I did not see anything of the screens that could not be done with Zdoom.

A GL port such as GZDoom (at the very least) might end up being necessary because I designed the maps with GL lighting in mind, and your eyes will strain without it, and some of the Halloweenish atmosphere would be lost.

This is a good time to mention: I will enthusiastically encourage everyone to do whatever they like to the PWAD after release, including making it run in GZDoom or whatever port they prefer. Knock yourselves out!

I don't see a reason to take time out of level design to rip resources and convert them, especially because I haven't been able to find ZDoom equivalents of certain runes.

[CodenniumRed]

Thy Flesh Exhumed... explains why the sky is now greeen instead of orange. Looks like a nice pak tho can't wait to play it. How many levels are done @ this point?

[ArchitectofHell]

CodenniumRed said:

How many levels are done @ this point?

The first map needs polishing. The third is mostly complete.

Thanks for askin'!

[40oz]

hardcore_gamer said:

Probably people that don't own skulltag :)

As if skulltag is not readily available to ANYONE these days.

[GreyGhost]

hardcore_gamer said:

Probably people that don't own skulltag :)

Do I detect a whiff of source-port snobbery? Surrender to your inner demons and download it.

[ArchitectofHell]

NEW! Screenshots from Map 1: "The Devil's Animals" are up, along with some brief design notes:

http://hellsarch.blogspot.com/2008/07/blog-post.html

Check it out!

[ArchitectofHell]

GreyGhost said:

Do I detect a whiff of source-port snobbery?.

There's no other reason I can see to waste mapping time on ripping and recreating resources.

Oh well. If someone wants to modify the PWAD post-release so that it works on whatever source port gives them their jollies, they can do so. No objections here!