Heretic Treasure Chest - It lives... again! (Demo RELEASED)

[Torn]

torn-net.dk/htc/htc_ep1.zip]DEMO DOWNLOAD! (heretic treasure chest episode 1)

*Note: Since ler hasn't showned up here for a long time, I am making a new thread.If anyone wanna make a map for this before it ships, they need to resign their mapslot.

Vermil has offered to place as a team leader too


Permanent Host for finished wads: http://ler.belsambar.net/htc/[/b]
Update! IRC Channel on OFTC, #htc
Notice: This is not a ZDoom project you fags :(
Notice: Currently going under reorganization. Map slots will be moved around a bit. Also, if you are not completed with your map by the end of February you'll probably lose your slot.

WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU LIST: Currently cleaned because I'm a nice guy.

Well, I figured it couldn't hurt to make this topic so that people knew some major info and didn't have to look in a huge 500+ post thread.

Here's the deal: We are making a Heretic community megawad similar to the Community Chest. The goal is to have 45 good looking levels spanning episodes 1-5 with excellent gameplay that are limit-removing port and GL port compatible. We would preferably have at most 2 maps per person, but generally only 1 so that as many people as possible can help.

This used to be a paragraph about how we had few mappers but now we're getting very close to completing the project! We still need that final push, however, so please post and join in!

How you can help: MAP! It's very simple, just join the project, make a map for a slot, and submit it for general public review/privately to me (I'd prefer the former just for feedback, but that's just me). When we have more maps we'll also need graphics, and maybe some music.

Texture wad: Here. This will probably be going through various stages of work until we can get it working as well as possible. Pay attention to the thread, there was just another upload as of November 26, '08.

Current Map List (will be periodically updated, along with the level names txt):

Episode 1
E1M1: Torn (he found it! and he's working on it)#
E1M2: magicsofa (finished, compatible)
E1M3: Snarboo (finished, compatible)
E1M4: kaiser_wilhelm / Liberation
E1M5: Kaiser (finished, needs compatibility tweaking)
E1M6:
E1M7: dreadopp (finished, compatible)
E1M8: t.v. (finished, compatible).
E1M9: pcorf (finished, need to remove some extra sound things)

Episode 2
E2M1: kimo xvirus (finished, compatible)
E2M2:
E2M3: CodenniumRed (finished, haven't checked)
E2M4: Whoo
E2M5: magicsofa (finished, compatible)
E2M6: Artillery (finished, may need tweaking)
E2M7: tatsurd-cacocaco
E2M8: lupinx-Kassman (finished, left a doombuilder 3d start in there)
E2M9: OmegaJ4 (finished, compatible)

Episode 3
E3M1:
E3M2: ler (finished, compatible)
E3M3: Ismaele (finished, compatible) / Patrick Pineda
E3M4: CodenniumRed (finished, compatible)
E3M5: Catoptromancy
E3M6: Lord Z (finished, compatible)
E3M7: ler (finished, has weird stuff in Heretic+ but otherwise runs)
E3M8: dreadopp (finished, compatible)
E3M9: Lord_Z (finished, compatible)

Episode 4
E4M1: Lorenzo (finished, compatible)
E4M2: sp_d00d (finished, compatible)
E4M3: Torn (this is done)
E4M4: jobro (finished, compatible)
E4M5: The Ultimate Doomer (finished, too many ambient sounds)
E4M6: fenriswolf (finished, will boot up, haven't checked farther than that)
E4M7:
E4M8:
E4M9: OmegaJ4 (finished, haven't checked)

Episode 5
E5M1: alterworldruler (finished, compatible, up for rehaul?)
E5M2: daimon (finished, weird error that needs to be investigated)
E5M3:
E5M4:
E5M5:
E5M6:
E5M7: Mivalekan (finished, haven't checked)
E5M8: rf`(I know this is done, I dunno if it is at the wadhost)
E5M9: daimon (finished, haven't checked)

* New map not part of torn's original list, only for when there's a conflict of interest.
# This means they gave an update that I saw, and are good until the next update call
@ This means they didn't (or I didn't see it) and you should bug them about it because if they don't give me an update after 3 update calls they lose the slot. If you see this on your name and it shouldn't be, let me know right away!

Feel free to sign up for any slot you want; just be aware that depending on how things go you might get moved around a little.

As a final note: near the end we're going to have a quality control pow wow where we'll take what maps we have and improve them to a consistant quality as well as rearrange if needed. This doesn't mean you shouldn't disregard comments or that you shouldn't try to improve your maps beforehand.

[The Ultimate DooMer]

The bug list etc. is a bit out of date, as some have been fixed according to this file:

http://ler.belsambar.net/htc/htcfixes.txt

[kristus]

Torn. Just wrap this shit up. It doesn't need to be 5 episodes.

[Vermil]

I fear that if the chest episodes must be 9 maps long, that it may end up with say three 9 map episodes and one 4 map episode, meaning that the 4 map episode will have to be droped from release.

However, there is enough maps to make 5 episodes if some maps are skipped by forcibly going through the secret maps.

By doing it this way, the chest has five episodes which start on EXM1 and end on EXM8. It also allows the chest to accept any new maps made up until the deadline without fear of having to drop them later; any new maps can be placed in the gaps.

[Torn]

kristus said:

Torn. Just wrap this shit up. It doesn't need to be 5 episodes.

Actually I have planned to release this the 23 december for a long time. But I guess I will give people 1month to finish any maps they have (including myself)

[Torn]

Vermil said:

I fear that if the chest episodes must be 9 maps long, that it may end up with say three 9 map episodes and one 4 map episode, meaning that the 4 map episode will have to be droped from release.

However, there is enough maps to make 5 episodes if some maps are skipped by forcibly going through the secret maps.

By doing it this way, the chest has five episodes which start on EXM1 and end on EXM8. It also allows the chest to accept any new maps made up until the deadline without fear of having to drop them later; any new maps can be placed in the gaps.

Yeah maybe that would be the solution. 5 episodes are probably also too much.

[The Ultimate DooMer]

Vermil said:

I fear that if the chest episodes must be 9 maps long, that it may end up with say three 9 map episodes and one 4 map episode, meaning that the 4 map episode will have to be droped from release.

However, there is enough maps to make 5 episodes if some maps are skipped by forcibly going through the secret maps.

By doing it this way, the chest has five episodes which start on EXM1 and end on EXM8. It also allows the chest to accept any new maps made up until the deadline without fear of having to drop them later; any new maps can be placed in the gaps.

Or simply drop the secret maps and have 5 8-map episodes.

[Vermil]

The Ultimate DooMer said:

Or simply drop the secret maps and have 5 8-map episodes.

There isn't enough maps in the HTC currently. Hence why I suggested making 5 episodes of less than 8 maps by going through the secret exits.

Unlike Doom2, secret exits in Doom1 and Heretic function correcrly on any map. For instance you could make Episode 1 go; M1, M9, M7, M8.

Doing things this way means that only 30 maps are need to make 5 episodes instead of 45. The HTC currently has 31 maps. Any more maps made for the HTC between now and deadline could be placed in the gaps. For instance Episode 1 might end up going; M1, M2, M9, M7, M8.

[Kirby]

I still have my E3M5 map......I just need time to finish it <_<

[Fletcher`]

http://www.mediafire.com/file/yydjzdokkym/htce5m8.zip

Ok, E5M8 is officially done (at least by me). I added coop and dm starts just for compatability (but I wouldn't dm on this map. it would suck heaves). I just downloaded the most recent resource wad and it looks as if all my graphics I submitted ARE in there, so everything is set to go on my end.

Map name is still 'Cataclysm'.

And the sector count is STILL 666 >:D

[kristus]

Torn said:

E1M9: pcorf (finished, need to remove some extra sound things)

E4M5: The Ultimate Doomer (finished, too many ambient sounds)

There's only two origin oriented ambient sounds in Heretic. You can spam those as you feel. But if you use twice of the same of the other sounds it will crash HereticP. But that's really not an issue since having more than one of each of those is very pointless anyway.

[Fenriswolf]

I'm still not sure what this:

E4M6: fenriswolf (finished, will boot up, haven't checked farther than that)

means for me... ler wrote this months and months ago but never said if im completly done with my map or if there are still to many bugs.
Do I have to do something?

[Kirby]

I would guess it means he never got around to checking it or updating that status. Best plan would probably be to have someone else who's willing test it for bugs to make sure its A-OK

[StoneFrog]

As awesome as E4M8 looked, I, in all good consciousness, don't feel its implementation would actually play very well. My boot partition also exploded yet again this year, and, amazingly enough, E4M8.WAD was the one thing I could not find. Anywhere. Turns out I began the new version after my most recent backup, then stopped when I started my Dropbox-backup rampage.

So, presently, I'm not sure what to do. I don't believe I can provide a decent boss experience for E4M8, at least not yet. I've noticed that you've done some major slashing of the map list with your takeover of the project, Torn.

Should I be ready to convert it to an earlier slot in the event the chest is going to be truncated to less episodes? I *think* we can safely say four episodes can be pushed, although a lot of quality control will have to be done.

I should probably stop talking and just get to work, then. :P

[Vermil]

The ideal scenario would still be 45 maps and any maps made between now and deadline could easily be slotted in anyway.

I was just proposing a setup that would allow a release with less than 45 maps should not that many be done in time.

That said a general question to everybody, should the maps be organized by any vague themes?

I note for instance, that the HTC has a fair few yellow brick/tomb maps, a few black rock and ice maps and also a handful of "classic" styled maps.

[Torn]

StoneFrog said:

So, presently, I'm not sure what to do. I don't believe I can provide a decent boss experience for E4M8, at least not yet. I've noticed that you've done some major slashing of the map list with your takeover of the project, Torn.

Well, I started the project and I felt like that could be some clearing of mapslots. But I guess it is time to release this project soon.

[Gez]

Could always make a 30+ release soon, followed by a full 45 "Deluxe" release later.

[Vermil]

As far as I am aware. All the maps are bug free in limit removing ports except E2M5.

E2M5 uses textures as flats in one area meaning it will only work on ZDoom based ports or the Doomsday 1.9 Betas.

I have fixed these issues in my copy of the map and will send it to Torn. Indeed, it might be cool to have a site tha features the latest versions of maps for download as Ler will, obviously, no longer update his.

[Catoptromancy]

Ill take a map! E5M3?
I got two maps already started so it shouldnt be too long.

[Torn]

Cato, you have been added.

Vermil said:

I have fixed these issues in my copy of the map and will send it to Torn. Indeed, it might be cool to have a site tha features the latest versions of maps for download as Ler will, obviously, no longer update his.

I have a website with a domain. I should probably find a script to handle dir downloads.

[tatsurd-cacocaco]

I officially sign up for E2M7.

[t.v.]

Good to see people are still working on the project.

Is my titlepic still in the project?

[StoneFrog]

Vermil said:

That said a general question to everybody, should the maps be organized by any vague themes?

I think there should be some general correlation of "materials" based on the episode. For example, E1 would probably try to maintain a medieval theme, E2 more outlandish.

I'll stick with E4M8 for now as I think pushing four episodes is a fairly feasible task at the moment. In the original, Episode 4 kind of had a "gothic" and "abandoned" theme to it, and this is in keeping with the designs I had for the original version of the map - I hope to maintain this style in my most recent attempt.

http://i36.tinypic.com/1zdy8ht.png
http://i33.tinypic.com/20p4x2q.png

I want you guys to let me know what you think should be in a boss level. Aside from the boss. How much of a slaughterfest should you go through before reaching said boss? How accessible should weapons be for those who begin the level from a "wand start"? How about in the way of (non)linearity and secrets?

[Whoo]

I'll take E2M4. I should have some screenshots up later.

[Peanut]

I'd like to fill in E3M1. I've got a map with a finished layout, but it's in dire need for a makeover.

Screenshots:

http://i35.tinypic.com/szx4s0.png
http://i36.tinypic.com/2jg8hn8.png
http://i36.tinypic.com/6y1tg1.png
http://i37.tinypic.com/30t1lpf.png

[kristus]

nightmare93 said:

http://i36.tinypic.com/2jg8hn8.png

Most epic shot EVER!

[StoneFrog]

More ceiling/floor variance. I'm afraid the fact I tend to detail as I go along will be my ultimate downfall, but since I'm making this a boss level I'm trying to avoid such an occurrence. :\

[duvel]

Just so folks know, this reboot has my blessing (does it need my blessing? that's kind of presumptuous, but I DID serve as second project manager, I suppose). I'd prefer you guys find somewhere else to host the stuff soon, but I'm not going to delete what's up for a long long while (until it's finished, just for archival purposes so that nothing from before this point is lost). I'm not going to keep up the files on my hosting because it's just too much work, and I sure as hell am not going to hound people to map again because I tried that for a year at least and no one listened then.

That's not to say no one will map now; maybe it's the nature of this project to just sort of drift back and away and then suddenly reappear to get more maps. At this rate I am eagerly awaiting a 2012 release. ;)

Maybe now that Chocolate Doom Raven Branch is usable (don't remember if there's an official release but the svn was working outside of multiplayer last I checked) you can use that instead of Heretic+ (of course there's not a limit increase there, so you might run into problems, but maybe someone will be really nice and make a small fork for testing?)

[Kirby]

Errr, Torn, Captoptromancy claimed E5M3. I still have my E3M5 map and am still willing to finish it so don't count me out yet

[Vermil]

Well, I'd imagine that all the maps are probably going to be reorganized anyway.