Claustrophobia 1024 -- Fixed version released!

[The Green Herring]

MAP33: Nil -
Report PMed directly to Mechadon to avoid spoiling a secret level.

[Csonicgo]

Claustrophobia 1024 Forever will be coming out soon, right guys?

[Joshy]

Gee, Greenfish, you really do like my map... I have one question though, were you even able to finish the map on HMP difficulty??

I would say that first "revenant trap" is something I am willing to change, but the rest is completely do-able, no doubt and will not be changed. Maybe extra backpack/cell would do it.

As for the other bugs, I can try to get most of them fixed. However, I don't have the latest version of Poison Ivy on my computer. Would anyone perchance have it? :3

[Jimmy]

Mek? Are you still alive?

You've not looked at my PM on the ZDoom forums yet...

[Mik57]

Mechadon and The Green Herring, Have you gotten my maps yet? I kinda need a bit of feedback on it, so I can see what to fix up.

[Mechadon]

Sorry for the short absence guys. This past week has been hell for me :(

Mik57 said:

Quick question, how will map33 be accessed? Do I need to place a secret exit in my map, or is it just part of the regular level line-up?

Nah, your good; the map will only be accessible through the command line (or if your playing in ZDoom, etc...through the console). However, TGH reported that the map was crashing for him after you exit it in Boom...which is odd (I'm pretty sure I tested it out and exited the map without any problems in WinMBF...did any of the other testers experience this?). So if that's the case, there may not be a MAP33 :p. BTW, I got your PM with the update to MAP32. I'll get back to you on it when I get the chance. If I can't find any major issues, it'll go directly into the pre-release test build.

@Joshy: I'm not sure your map has been updated since Build 1's release...that I can find 0_o. Did someone else work on it since Build 1? Well if need be, I can send it to ya. Just let me know.

@Jimbo: Sorry bud, I've been gone :/. I'll check it today.


Anywho, Build 1 testing is officially over. I'd like to thank TGH for his herculean effort with going through and scrutinizing the maps thoroughly! And, of course, thanks goes to the rest of the testing team for all their efforts! The idea was to get most of the bugs and other stuff fixed and out of the way with this testing session so that we wouldn't have to do yet another huge testing session for the pre-release build. So if all goes well, there shouldn't be a whole lot of tweaking that will need to be done with the pre-release. Once the pre-release build has been...uh, released, I'll set an official release date.

In case I forgot to mention my plan earlier, here's what we're going to do:

- I will be sorting through all of the maps up to this point. Many maps have already been updated since Build 1's release; a few of those maps may require further updates. Everything else either needs updating or is good to go.

- Once the maps have been sorted out, I will make a post listing all of these maps with a link to what needs to be fixed/changed/etc.

- Ideally I would like the original map author(s) to make the changes to their map. Since I know this isn't going to happen for every map, some of the testers have volunteered their time to fix the maps themselves. So, if you are one of these testers, you will claim a map to work on. You'll only be allowed to work on one map at a time and your claim will only last a predetermined amount of time.

- Once the tester/fixer is done, they will submit the map to me via PM with a list of the changes they made. If all of the changes work out well, the map will then be moved out of the list and it will be added to the pre-release build. We will do this until all of the maps are done.

- I'll update the main wad and release the pre-release test build. Ideally this will be the closest thing to the final release, so all we will be looking here is that all of the bugs have been fixed and that all of the maps conform to the project guidelines. This will be your last chance to report a bug or concern; if you don't, then don't complain to me after the .wad is released to the public.

-----------------

There are a handful of things that I need to fix/update that aren't map related. I think I'll probably end up moving some of the latter maps around a bit (MAP29 will likely be moved down a bit, etc). We're also still waiting on a few music tracks...but otherwise, most of the work that needs to be done is map-centered.

I'm going to be compiling that map list for the rest of today. I'll be out of town starting Friday and I won't be back until Sunday night. So I really hope I can get it all setup and done so work can begin. If you guys have any concerns or questions, let me know!

[Mechadon]

Ok, this is going to be a little confusing so please bear with me. I've got the list of maps compiled and [sorta] organized.

---Do not need updating (that I know of)
EMPTY

---Have already been updated
MAP01: The Warp Facility
MAP02: Return to the Darkening
MAP03: Break the Chain
MAP04: Pit of Sludge
MAP05: Subterfuge 1024 (waitin' on new music)
MAP06: Four Square
MAP07: Dead In, Dead Out
MAP08: Hex of Depression
MAP09: Bitter Sanctuary
MAP10: Enough Space?
MAP11: Technicfear
MAP12: Spitshine
MAP13: Assault
MAP14: Deception
MAP15: The Inmost Con'dens'ed
MAP16: Nocturnal Abyss
MAP17: Transfer Base
MAP18: Weather Station
MAP19: Nova Scotia Robots
MAP20: Refinery
MAP21: Power Station
MAP22: Second Assault
MAP23: Fear No Evil
MAP24: Hell Sewage
MAP25: Diminished Apparatus
MAP26: Carbacan 1024
MAP27: Magnum Opus
MAP28: Poison Ivy
MAP30: Thanatophobia
MAP31: Skyscrape IV
MAP32: Oil Rig
MAP33: Nil (waitin' on new music)

---Need Updating

MAP29: Aura of Evil (will be moved down a few slots) - Feedback 1 - Feedback 2 [Butts]

Misc. Feedback: Here

This bug fixing session is limited to two parties: the original map author(s) and the testing team. Regardless of which party your in, claiming and working on a map works the same for both.

- Drop a post in this thread stating which map you'd like to claim and your name will be added in brackets next to said map.
- You may only claim ONE map at a time.
- Original author(s) are preferred over testers! If you have a map that requires some form of updating, I suggest you claim it before a tester does to prevent problems.
- The original author of a map takes precedence over anyone else. If you have claimed a map only to have the original author show up later on wanting to claim his/her map, the original author will overtake your claim. If you have already done a lot of work to said map, I would recommend contacting the original author and work together so your work isn't wasted!
- I haven't set a time limit on claims, though I may at a later date. If it turns out that we're being delayed by waiting on one or two people to finish up a claim, the claim will be revoked and given to someone who can finish up the work faster.
- PLEASE KEEP A LIST OF THE CHANGES YOU MADE! Send this list along with the map when you submit it to me (.txt file is preferred).
- Please DO NOT post a public link to your map in the thread. PM all submissions to me.
- I may need to send you an updated version of a map that's in the Needs Updating list (since the version in Build 1 may be out of date). Once you claim a map, please do not begin working on it until I have given you the OK; I may need to send you an updated map.

Here's the deal: some of the maps in the "needs updating" list may have already been updated via the feedback given. If this is the case, just politely let me know and I will move it up...it's hard to keep up with all of these maps and which ones have been updated, etc. However, please be sure that it is indeed up-to-date via the feedback given; especially in regards to major bugs and/or breaches in the project's main map guidelines. The other MAJOR thing that I need you guys to understand is that a map that's in Build 1 may not be up-to-date to work from. So when you claim a map, DO NOT begin working on it until I give you the OK (your name will appear in brackets next to the map you claimed). I may have to send you an updated version of the map to work on. The problem is that someone gave feedback, the map was updated, and then someone else gave more feedback afterwards that could still be applied to the map. In most cases the map was updated again by those mapper's who have been vigilant enough to stick around. As for the maps in the "Have already been updated" list, these are the maps that have been updated from Build 1's release up to today. They probably won't require any further updating...but that's what we will be checking with the Pre-Release build. And lastly the maps in the top list should be self-explainitory. Just in case, though, those maps haven't been touched since Build 1's release and should be good to go (I like how the maps in this list are all TGH's, heh).

Alot of the work that needs to be done is bug fixing. These include things like secrets that aren't hidden properly (TGH found alot of these), not able to get 100% kills, etc etc. A slightly larger portion of it has to do with more minor things (eg. texture misalignments, etc). Everything else is subjective. If your not the original authors, I would recommend staying around from changes centered around subjective feedback. However, I will allow you guys to ultimately make that decision (as long as it doesn't drastically affect the map...again, use your own judgment).

How long this takes to finish up largely depends on how many of you volunteer your time/how many of the original authors show up to help out as well as how quickly you guys can work. The workload doesn't seem to be very big though...but in the worst-case scenario, I'll be the only one updating maps. Let's try to avoid that please :]. Again, I will be out of town for three days starting Friday, so I won't be around to update the claims and whatnot. You guys will have to work that out on your own until I get back. If there are any questions or problems then please let me know!

[Kyka]

Hi Mech. I had already made all the changes to map 9 (Bitter Sanctuary) as suggested on the thread by the testers, and I pm'd the map to you a few weeks ago. Feel free to let me know if there were more changes that needed to be made tho.

[pcorf]

My levels are 100%

I have a feeling that WOS will be out before this thing ever gets released. WOS will be released in August.

Some authors who need updating to their maps might have left this project all alone for sure.

[Mechadon]

Ah yes, thanks for pointing that out Kyka. I've got your map :)

If all goes well, this could be out before the end of May :P

[Joshy]

Okay, finished fixing Map13 Assault, PM'd the final version to you Mekky.

I'll check around if I still have the right version of Poison Ivy lying around in my messy hard drive.

[Mechadon]

Thanks for the update Joshy :D

Just a reminder guys; please do not work on a map until I have given you the OK. Some of the maps that are in Build 1 will NOT match up with your standalone .wad (this goes to original authors mostly). Also some of the maps that are in need of updating have already been updated once and they will not match up with their counterparts in Build 1. As such, I will need to check and make sure that the map you are claiming can be edited directly from Build 1 or if I need to send you an updated version to work on. I wanted to separate out these two different map types into different groups...but I haven't been able to keep up with what has been updated and what hasn't.

Again, please do not claim and work on a map until I have given you the OK. I will be gone for three days so there won't be any work done until I can get back and verify things. You can still make a claim to a map though; when I get back, I'll start OKing people's claims. Sorry, I know my above posts are wordy and confusing. I hope this makes more sense.

[Dutch Doomer]

Nobody fucking touches my maps, I do all the bugfixing myself.

[Dreadopp]

@Mechadon: What versions of Power Station and Trap do you have? I did some fixing on both maps awhile ago, but I wasn't sure if I sent them in yet.

[Butts]

I'm currently changing my map by a bit. I'm changing it so you start out with the SSG and also adding some earlier plasma gun ammo. It should be a little less shitty.

[Mechadon]

Well I was gone for an extra day...blarg. Anywho...

@dutch: Heh, I don't blame ya. I would rather do my own fixing than someone else (and I figured you would be around to do so :P). Most of this applies to the maps where the original authors aren't around or available to do the work; I cannot wait 2-3 months for someone to show up and fix their map. But yea, don't worry; I've signed you up for your maps :)

@Dreadopp: Hm, I've got two newer versions that someone sent me (I'll assume it was you). I don't know if you were keeping up with the version numbers after Build 1's release (I wasn't) but if so: Trap = v5 (dated 3/26/2009), Power Station = v4 (dated 4/3/2009). If need be I can send you these wads to ya. While I'm at it, I have some extra suggestions for Power Station that I never got around to sending you. I'll send them in a PM shortly :)

@Butts: Ok sounds good! Do you have the latest version to work off of? You may already know, but your map had some updates made to it by Jodwin & Joshy while it was in overflow. If your already aware of this and you have that latest version, then you should be good to go.

Welp, I'll get my map updates done and out of the way today so I can work on the other minor things that I need to do to the main wad. One thing that I'll probably end up doing is switching around some of the latter maps; specifically the last three maps. This is the new arrangement I was thinking about :

Map27: "Aura of Evil" by Butts/Joshy & Jodwin
Map28: "Magnum Opus" by POTGIESSER
Map29: "Poison Ivy" by Joshy

Let me know if there are any reasonable objections to this. Of course this is all pending until all the maps are updated.

[EDIT]

List has been updated; See above or OP. A few maps have been either updated or moved to 'already updated' and I've signed up everyone who has claimed their maps. At this rate we could be finished with this bug fixing session in a couple days!

[brinks]

I'll take care of updating my map, but I'll need the latest version if any changes were made to it for the test wad.

[Mechadon]

Ok brinks, sounds good! I'll send you the version I have via PM, just in case.

[Mechadon]

I've updated all of my maps. POTGIESSER's map has also been updated. I'm gonna go ahead and claim Second Assault since all that needs to be done is some texture alignments.

[EDIT]

Ok, Second Assault is done. Guess now I'll work on other things while I wait on the rest of the maps :D

[Mik57]

Can you tell me the bugs on the new version of OilRig, if there are any? I feel that there might be something missing from it, so I wanted another's opinion.

[Butts]

Yeah I got the latest version of my map.

[Mechadon]

Feedback sent Mik57 :)

I did some graphic work yesterday after finishing up those map updates. I made a new M_SKULL# graphic (the one in Build 1 was too big and didn't look they way I wanted it to) and, for the hell of it, I made a HELP graphic. I also thought it would be fun to make a M_THERM_ replacement set...so I did. I might redo the M_DOOM graphic from an existing piece I drew, but other than that all of the graphic work should be done. After that I went ahead and merged all of the updated maps I had into the main wad. So far everything atleast runs fine in PRBoom+; I haven't had the time to actually test all of them as of yet (I'll probably hold off on detailed testing until this next test release). So for the time being...I'm not sure what else there is I can do until I get the rest of those maps updated :P. It shouldn't take too long to do...so please get them updated ASAP!

[Dutch Doomer]

I fixed my Refinery map, fixed most of the things TGH and Kyka mentioned. I'll take an look at the feedback from the other two maps in a sec. I'm going to try to fix most of the things mentioned. I'll send them all at once to you when I'm finished. You have them tomorrow.

[Mechadon]

I got your updates just now dutch, thanks! List has been updated...only four maps remain yay :D

[hawkwind]

Which four maps ? Have the authors of said maps said that they would fix their errors, or given permission for others to fix them ?

[Lord_Z]

hawkwind said...
Which four maps ? Have the authors of said maps said that they would fix their errors, or given permission for others to fix them ?

Check the first post for which maps need to be edited. I think they are going to be fixed regardless of whether or or not the authors say it's ok to do so since the project is so close to being released.

[Mechadon]

Yup. The four maps in question (to avoid further confustion) are:

MAP14: Trap
MAP16: Nocturnal Abyss
MAP21: Power Station
MAP29: Aura of Evil

I just got brinks map (MAP16) and a PM from Dreadopp (which I have yet to check...hopefully it contains updated maps). So that would leave Aura of Evil. And Butts said he's working on it :D

[EDIT]

Alrighty, so after reading my PMs, we're down to just one more map! (no pressure Butts :P)

[The Green Herring]

Even though my maps weren't listed on the "needs updates" list, I've sent updated versions of both of my maps to Mechadon. As promised, Four Square has new music by yours truly, titled "In a Mad Rush". For those who want to hear it before the WAD is released, you may listen to it here.

MAP01: The Warp Facility -
* When a Doom-playing friend of mine came over, I allowed him to play this level... and he couldn't figure out where to go after the second lion switch until I directed him to it. As a result, arrows now appear once you hit the second lion switch which point out where to go next.

MAP06: Four Square -
* New music (obviously).
* Difficulty adjusted for Hurt Me Plenty and (especially) Hey, Not Too Rough difficulties. Hopefully, they're adequate enough.
* Textures adjusted slightly in the third room.
* One switch in the fourth room is embedded deeper now.

[Mechadon]

Like I said in our PMs, I love that track! It fits your map very well I think ;)

Anywho, since we're very close to a release, I figured I would put up what's left to do:

- Finish this up and do the Pre-Release testing (of course). Then any changes that need to be made will be done so around that time.
- Probably move those latter three maps around.
- Get the final two tracks from Jimmy91 (he had some computer troubles a while back so I'm waiting until he can [hopefully] pull off the work he's done from his hard drive).
- Get some volunteers to do some demos. I have no idea how this works...so if someone would like to shed a little light, that be great. Anyone from the team may do a demo. I'd like to have one person to a demo for X number of demos (3 I guess). Of course these will have to be done once the wad is in a more final state.
- Finish up the readme (it's pretty much done at this point).
- Set a release date :p

That's all I've got. Can anyone think of anything else that needs to be done? I've added the rest of the updated maps and everything is still looking pretty good for Pre-Release testing. Once Butts finishes his updates (actually Mik57 has some updates to make to his map I think) then I'll release this last test build.

[Mik57]

Alright, update done. Waiting for feedback now.

Also, I need the updated texture pack, so if anyone has it, could they send me a link?