Edgy - A crazy Doom 2 map

[Reisal]

I have finished up another map for this year, it is named "Edgy" because of 1) couldn't think of a better name and 2) the fights.

This level is on MAP20, so don't forget to warp to that level when you load the game up to play.

This map also requires a Boom compatible map for some rooms being heavily detailed, large numbers of sprites on the screen at once and leaving a port related linedef in or two.

Try and get 100% kills/items/secrets in less than 30 minutes!

Idgames Download : Here

Some screens:





Let me know what you think before I upload this to /idgames.

[Khaoscythe]

Already downloaded and in the process of playing...so far so good.

[Super Jamie]

Usually your maps are really strong, but this one I'm not really a fan of.

All the battles are basically teleporting Chaingunner/Shotgunner/Imp/HellKnight spam at chokepoints, usually all from one direction. You just sit there and blast with the SSG until a Chaingunner appears during your reload and kills you, then do it all again. The chokepoints are all near doors which could really mess up ammo balance if too many weapons get crushed.

It took me ages to find the switch which opens the Blue Key bars as the library all looks the same. I'd lose the delay on the red bars before the exit, nobody's going to stay in there with the Barons and you just end up twiddling your thumbs waiting for the bars to drop.

I godmoded past the Red Key as I have to go out right now. The final battle would probably require hiding and sniping from cover rather than using any real player skill.

Sorry I didn't have more nice things to say :/ I will try record a max demo tho :)

[Phml]

Here's a FDA. I suicide 26 minutes in with about 620 kills, as I get stuck in geometry.

The good :
- I played this for 26 minutes.
- Nothing annoying or tedious.
- Tight health kept me on my toes.

The not-so-good :
- All fights are essentially the same : monsters teleport in 1 by 1 or a wall lower, and all you have to do is take two steps back and use choke points. The monsters themselves are also the same (mostly imps/zombies/demons with the occasional caco, revenant or HK), to the point that it just feel like replaying the same fight over and over.
- Layout was rather linear, just walk forward to the next switch. While it isn't necessarily a bad thing, combined with the above point about fights it made for a somewhat repetitive experience.
- While it doesn't happen too often, there's unfair height variation at some parts, leading infinitelytall monsters to block you or hitscanners to shot you before you can see them.

In conclusion, while the map wasn't bad I couldn't help but feel it dragged on for too long. Either more varied and interesting fights or a smaller map would have made for a more compelling experience, in my opinion.

[Super Jamie]

Third play. Got up to the exit trap (633 kills) in 31 minutes. Shot in the back by a Revenant before I knew what hit me. FFFUUU-

http://www.sendspace.com/file/8irr2l

[Reisal]

Thanks for the feedback, I think I will fiddle around with the giant tele-traps since I cheated and cut-pasted the things :P

Stuck in geometry, where?

The first big fight has two ways to escape while the second and final fights have at least one escape route so it takes you out of the heat of the incoming monsters.

Also, what do you think of the design of the level..and I don't just mean the linearity as Phml mentioned (I'm not the best at linear maps)?

[Anima Zero]

Here's my FDA. I didn't die. Yay?

Pretty much any of my thoughts on the level I would have typed out have already been said by Phml.

100% kills/secrets in under 30 minutes though so I guess that's a win.

[Reisal]

Anima Zero said:

Here's my FDA. I didn't die. Yay?

Pretty much any of my thoughts on the level I would have typed out have already been said by Phml.

100% kills/secrets in under 30 minutes though so I guess that's a win.

Trying to run that with PrBoom AND glBoom and you end up dying in the first room with enemies.. :| What's going on and what am I doing wrong?

[Jodwin]

FDA death at exit 27:25 or so

Nice architecture, some stupid monster teleports, some plain idiotic monster teleports (blue skull monsters HELLO) and some bullshit traps (the one right after megasphere secret - this is just impossible on first try without the megasphere - and the exit trap). You should have played on the map's strengths, that is, the architecture, instead of trying to make a map with obstructive detail and small rooms into a slaughter. It felt like a stock ZDoom map in that sense, only for Boom.

[Reisal]

I suppose you can say this was a test of masochism for myself and others..since even a few mistakes can make trouble for outlasting those telethons.

[Super Jamie]

Mr. Chris said:

I suppose you can say this was a test of masochism

You got that right :)

[Reisal]

Even I have died numerous times on the first few runs and found it to be very challenging on UV (750something monsters) but HMP stacks in at around 600ish and ITYTD/HNTR clock in around 450.

For a ridiculously insane test of masochism, try -fast when playing.

[Jodwin]

Mr. Chris said:

I suppose you can say this was a test of masochism

It's not that hard as a whole, it's just a mismatch of different styles (HR and atmospheric small-room E4 castle) that don't work so well together. Especially when the execution is a little bit sloppy.

You should consider removing the teleports and rebalancing the map for more normal style of play. Then it could be a really strong map.

[Reisal]

I do assure my next map will not be as harsh as this one. (No ridiculous monster teleport traps)

[Jodwin]

Mr. Chris said:

harsh

But that's not the problem! Horde maps are good, in fact they're awesome if done well. But this one isn't, because the architecture doesn't fit that style of gameplay as well. Your architecture and layout here are nice, but the gameplay doesn't fit them - it's got nothing at all to do with difficulty or harshness (it's not that hard nor harsh). Large hordes in small areas and obstructive environments aren't hard, they're boring and misusing the environment that would have greatly benefited of smaller scale fights.

The reason I said that you should consider remaking the gameplay is because you can't just take the current architecture and make it fit the current gameplay without scrapping the whole map, but you can take the current gameplay and make it fit the architecture.

[Reisal]

Bump.

Added /Idgames link containing final version.