Breaking the usual method

[Reisal]

Might there be any other ideas for map progression besides the usual switch and key hunting?

[ArmouredBlood]

One way teleporters to higher/inaccessible ground? walkover linedefs opening more parts of the map? If in ports supporting this, kill a certain monster to open the way? Doom (and FPSs in general) can't really flex much unless you go straight non-linear. You could have some dialogue based progression, like choices take you to different maps (like those make-your-own-story books have different endings and paths to them), but in the end it's all objective-based anyway. Which isn't really what you're asking so just check my first 3 sentences.

[Reisal]

I like the second and third choice but I intend to keep the map Boom or at the very least vanilla compatible (maybe just Boom).

Perhaps a mix of switches, keys and the opening areas might help.

[Creaphis]

It might be easier to approach this problem from another angle. In my (limited) experience, it's easier to come up with novel ideas for map progression in the context of a certain environmental concept, rather than in a vacuum. Start with the idea that you have for a map, and flesh that idea out. What sort of environment is it? Is it a tech base, full of rusting machinery? Is it a boiling, hellish environment? A ghastly gothic dungeon? In this environment, do the laws of physics apply, or can impossible things happen at any moment? Now, what is the player doing here? What is his mission? Finally, while he's attempting to carry out this mission in this environment, what could happen to delay him from achieving his goal? What could happen to make achieving the goal seem impossible? What forces could the environment exert upon the player?

If examples help, a level which features a keep on a mountaintop could force the player to first pick his way up the mountain's side. A mine level could be unstable, and part of it could crumble, dropping the player into a deeper dungeon. A void or "resonance cascade" sort of level could frequently and unpredictably teleport the player to different environments, disorienting him.

Your original question shows that your mapping focus is on game mechanics first, and on theme and visuals second, which is good - the most important aspect of a game is definitely the gameplay - but during the creative process, a temporary reversal of this focus can inspire new gameplay mechanics.

[Use]

Map a map with no keys, or keys and no switches. Not hard really.

[Reisal]

From the starting area, it is a post-Hell hellspawn infested area of Earth in a quasi-urban/pseudo gothic style utilizing brick, wood, rusted metal and marble/green stone. I am unsure of the objective but I don't think it will be like one of my really old maps I set for MAP05 which was a MAP13 style map and which was close to the visplane limit. (This was a pretty old map I made with DCK by the way.

As seen by my previous submission, I am one who likes to use tricks and traps, so such elements will fit the map much better than a techbase style level.

[RestlessRodent]

You could make a semi platformer that is vanilla compatible. Jump to platform to platform and such. Just an idea.

[Jodwin]

Mr. Chris said:

Might there be any other ideas for map progression besides the usual switch and key hunting?

Weapon hunting? Make it so that you could, in theory, run straight to the exit from the beginning, but there's such a huge opposition waiting that you need to find better weapons and enough ammo to make it through. A bit like the Doom comic with its BFG hunt. Especially if you'd make it nonlinear, the path choice would allow the player to affect how the map plays out ("Now I got this gun, so playing these other parts will be different than if I didn't go this way first").

[gggmork]

You could play a giant game of tic tac toe with a scripted imp.

You could have rocket launcher target practice hitting imps but avoiding dummy dolls.

You could try to beat doom2 while only looking at the screen's reflection in a mirror.

draw a giant hopskotch course then jump through it.

wall run toward a wall and try to stop as close as possible without toughing it, printing coordinates on screen. Or use fake 'ice' for that (lots of 1 pixel stairs which are slippery).

oh, I just remembered you want to use boom

'evil eye' whatever wad had unique gameplay. Or those maps where you have to run along a route as fast as possible before some outside dummy doll gets crushed. Cyberdreams. Ummmmmm..

[Ichor]

Mr. Chris said:

Might there be any other ideas for map progression besides the usual switch and key hunting?

How about a map where you control the key and try to get it to the marine?

Or how about a map where you must avoid all of the keys?

[vdgg]

- Memento Mori II MAP04 has an interesting type of progression. No keys, few switches, you're supposed to raise a few pillars to reach the exit.
- I always like when there's a need for backtracking and previously visited areas have transformed.
- D2reload MAP18 is a key hunt, but a very unusual one.

I'm aware that some of the ideas posted earlier are more original, but I think these ones might help, too.

[Reisal]

I may go and do a few 'raise floor' quests since very few of my maps utilized it (E2M4 of my old megawad used it).