Doom: eXtreme Limitations (MAP02 released)

[Abyssalstudios1]

NEWS: MAP02 is ready for public testing at http://www.speedyshare.com/240841201.html. Criticism is welcome, but criticism with suggestions are infinitely more valuable. MAP will be released within the weekend.

The first six maps will probably be open testing when they're finished. Depending on how many people want the job, the rest will be closed testing.

Doom: eXtreme Limitations

I'm quite pleased to announce my first project. Initially, this was to be more of a technical challenge than anything else. However, I decided to merge a few ideas I had for a distant megawad with this one, and I hope to create an ejoyable, atmospheric set of levels within the limitations provided.

This is a megawad with a fairly unique theme. The map number corresponds with the amount of sectors in that map. So MAP01 has one sector, MAP15 has fifteen sectors, and so on. I'm eager to test myself and see how well I can construct good, quality maps with this idea. I also plan to add full multiplayer support (except possibly MAP30, for technical reasons). Cooperative multiplayer, that is. Deathmatch starts will be in the maps, but they won't be very balanced in favor of that game mode. In the future, I may create a Deathmatch megawad with this theme in mind, but I'm not even going to think about that until I'm done with this.

These maps will be in a zDoom format. I require slants, some sector coloration, and precisely timed sector movements for some maps. zDoom is the most popular source port that offers all of these, so I'll be sticking to that. It also allows me to put in monster teleports with greater freedom.

31 of the 32 maps will be constructed by me. However, I had absolutely no idea what to do with MAP27. Maybe it's the way my brain works (everything has a purpose in there), but I don't know what to do for it. So if anyone wants to create a 27-sector, Hellish map, go for it and send me the results (after you post here).

Now, I need a few people who are willing to help with some more 'artistic' aspects. I know what I want for the titlepic, intermission screen, etc. But my skills with Paint Shot or Gimp are approximately zero, so if anyone feels like lending me a hand, I'd be very grateful.

Also, I need a musician or two. I have all of the music picked out, but some of the tracks are only available in a non-MIDI format. So if anyone is good at creating MIDI files from sounds they hear, I'll joyfully send you the .wav/whatever files so you can convert those.

If your skills with that aren't so great, but you still want to help with music, I have another task. Some MIDI to .wav converters playback the MIDI files in a special way (MIDI2Wav, for instance). But they all require the spending of money, and I'm not so good at that. If anyone has the non-demo version of some software of this type, tell me! I'll ask you to do a small amount of work, such as transposing the track or changing a few instruments, and send them to me. Tracks I need changed are at the bottom of this post.

MAP PROGRESS
Except for MAP27, I know what I want for each map. MAP01 is complete, screenshots below. I've started on MAP02, and ideas for MAP03 are still loitering on graph paper.

SCREENSHOTS
Here's two pictures from MAP01. The second one is part of a good panic attack.
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5065/screenshotdoom200909061.png
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80
/7025/screenshotdoom200909061l.png

Four pictures from MAP02:

[Kyka]

This is a great concept for a wad.

[pavera]

This sounds like a good idea. I'd like to see you follow through on this!

[MP2E]

This sounds like an interesting and awesome idea. I believe the most ingenious games/applications/code usually come from limited means. Look at Doom for instance :)

[The Pursuer]

Nothing like inspiration to kick-start a new wad idea eh?

[Abyssalstudios1]

I've decided to make this a zDoom project. It won't have much scripting to speak of, and poly-objects probably won't even be there. For one thing (and from what I understand them to be), they detract from the idea behind the wad. And for another... I honestly don't know how to use them. I could probably learn, but when I get home from seven hours of mind-numbing schooling, the last thing I want to do is figure out that sort of thing.

[zap610]

I'll take MAP00.

[40oz]

let's see some screenshots!

[pavera]

Abyssalstudios1 said:

I've decided to make this a zDoom project. It won't have much scripting to speak of, and poly-objects probably won't even be there. For one thing (and from what I understand them to be), they detract from the idea behind the wad. And for another... I honestly don't know how to use them. I could probably learn, but when I get home from seven hours of mind-numbing schooling, the last thing I want to do is figure out that sort of thing.

Then why not just keep it Boom compatible?

[Snarboo]

Krispavera said:

Then why not just keep it Boom compatible?

Exactly. It would probably be better to make this Boom compatible if you don't plan on using any advanced port features.

[Abyssalstudios1]

People said:

Boom?

Now that I think of it, Boom would probably be best. You must understand; I'm pretty new to the whole Doom scene, so it didn't really occur to me.

I've updated the first post to be more concise.

[Abyssalstudios1]

About halfway done with MAP02 now. It should be finished by this evening.

[40oz]

Abyssalstudios1 said:

About halfway done with MAP02 now. It should be finished by this evening.

One sector?

[ArmouredBlood]

40oz said:

One sector?

#sectors = map#

edit: -.-

noticed but I think I woke up like half an hour before posting.

[TheDarkArchon]

ArmouredBlood said:

#sectors = map#

<---- You
The Joke ---->

[Abyssalstudios1]

You know, 40oz actually wasn't far from the truth =)

Anyway, if any of you want to test any map(s) between 07-32, just let me know.

[sparerib1968]

Abyssalstudios1 said:

Anyway, if any of you want to test any map(s) between 07-32, just let me know.

I would like to test, but I don't have ZDoom :(

[Dreadopp]

This is a pretty interesting idea. I wish you luck with it. :)

[Phml]

Anyway, if any of you want to test any map(s) between 07-32, just let me know.

The screenshots you released look interesting to me, and I'd love to test your wad.

[ArmouredBlood]

I'm up for testing.

[Abyssalstudios1]

sparerib1968 said:

I would like to test, but I don't have ZDoom :(

Bah! It's a free download, what are you waiting for? In my opinion, it's the best port out there, if only because it spawned gzDoom and Skulltag.


And for the rest of you volunteers, I'll get back to you about testing later tomorrow. I have to study tonight.

[ArmouredBlood]

Abyssalstudios1 said:

And for the rest of you volunteers, I'll get back to you about testing later tomorrow. I have to study tonight.

Test in the 3rd week of classes? or does your center of learning start earlier -.-

[pavera]

ArmouredBlood said:

Test in the 3rd week of classes?

You say that like you're surprised. I have tests almost every day.

[ArmouredBlood]

Heh, might be cause I'm only taking 2 classes right now. College is expensive, especially when they raise the prices 30% and you don't contact your loan company -.- But in anycase, I never had a class where we took more than 5 tests in a semester, and they usually were around the same days for each class, and I'm not sure exactly what type of 'testing' you're talking about.

[pavera]

Well, I wouldn't say "tests", I've always counted quizzes and tests under the same category... You're right about expenses though, I'm only going to community college so far and that almost broke the bank.

[Abyssalstudios1]

Yes, well, I'm a senior in high school, and I'm taking one AP class and a "two years of math in one year" program, so I'm not overwhelmed, but tests are common.

On the DXL front, Windows Vista and XWE have conspired together to distort MAP01 and spit it out as a mass of lines and vertices. I can re-make it easy enough, but I think I'll need to find a techie who can merge XWE files for me.

[Abyssalstudios1]

MAP02 should be open to public testing later this evening. With luck, so will MAP01.

[Abyssalstudios1]

MAP02 is here and awaiting a look-see.

[DuckReconMajor]

I like it. I could suggest maybe do some texture alignment. I think this is one situation where a little auto-align abuse is forgivable. Also, I'm not a big fan of crevices I can't fit into, but maybe that's just me.

[pavera]

Hmm...
I know you only had two sectors to work with, but I feel like there could have been much more thought put into that maze. For one thing, large monsters in tight spaces aren't fun. There was one point where you started mixing textures to create something kinda nice looking with your one sector, but everything else seemed to be very uninspired. One sector can actually cover a lot of ground as far as playing space and detail goes. For instance, you can create wall shapes and add line segments to split textures, etc...

This is a pretty ambitious project, and I'd hate to see you cast aside the earlier levels simply because they will only have a few sectors. I was looking more forward to what you were going to do with maps 01-09 more than the later maps, really.

Don't give up hope though, this is what testing is for.