What are you playing now?

[Eponasoft]

Just finished playing The Ultimate Torment & Torture on HMP without using cheat codes. (though I did actually have to use a code at the end of level 2, as gzdoom was crashing on the elevator sequence.) Man that end boss is annoying as hell, though really awesome at the same time. But it's good to finally finish a pwad that gets its difficulty from decent level design and strategic enemy placement rather than just overuse/abuse of strong monsters and ridiculous traps.

[fiend-o-hell]

Just got done with Jimmy91's Jenesis. I highly recommend it. I'll probably give Momento Mori series a try next.

[sgtcrispy]

Replaying Darkening 2 (I need to finish that last map)

Doom 2 Unleashed (Damn fun megawad there peeps.)

[molten_]

Oh god, I have so many I've started playing but never got to finishing.

Ones I've been particularly interested in lately:
Alien Vendetta
Whispers of Satan
Speed of Doom
Reverie

[PRIMEVAL]

Mmm, still playing WOS lol Finally got to Map23 or 24.

[kmxexii]

Finished Doom Core. Very fun and somewhat challenging MegaWAD, feels indelibly classic. Quite a few very tough levels and some great ideas to be found; one of my favorite maps is actually one of the rejects, MAP29. It's challenging and fun. There's no real organization theme-wise but the fact that it constantly changes keeps things refreshing. I especially like Valkiriforce's more sprawling levels, like MAP10, 16 and 19. They're excellent and contrast nicely against tough dustups like the unusually blue MAP17. Also, great music choices.

Caveats: MAP27, the 1024ish map, is kind of weak late in the lineup. I feel the parts outside the 1024 section are the most interesting. MAP30 is goofy good fun, but the layout makes it a pain in the ass to actually sink a rocket into the boss brain with all the hellspawn below you (I kept cooking my feet with my own rockets :( ). Finally, Chaingunners. I figure it's only proper everyone's nightmare monster appears extensively in a WAD that occurs in Doomguy's dream world.

All in all: PLAY THIS MAPSET. A more extensive review will be posted on my blog on Wednesday.

Next up: Continuing to indulge in 2011 with Corebinder, to be followed by phobosdeimos1's other two releases.

[duncan]

Finished Doom Core recently incidentally; thoroughly enjoyed most of it. very old school. Far too much reliance on chaingunners though!

Up to map 13 of Doom 2 Unleashed (mixed bag so far, mostly good) and have started playing Demons of Problematique which I've never played before. Very atmospheric

[MegaDoomer]

I am also playing Doom 2 Unleashed with prboom-plus 2.5.0.7, on UV.

Since the thread is too old to resurrect yet I feel like posting brief commentary on each level similar to what some others did on the thread, I will do so here, every five maps. I have just finished the first five levels:

Map01 - Fun Tyson map. I went without any chaingun or shotgun, just the berserk and occasionally the pistol ammo I had. Recognizable pcorf style.

Map02 - Good level, hitscanners didn't bother me. Very nice remix track for music and the grey/brown works good for architecture. With all the hitscanners it was challenging but not unfair. I think the blue key and area beyond its door should have been a necessity to complete the level though. Also I don't get the point of all the barrels in the corridor to the exit.

Map03 - Actually not as bad as Snakes makes it out to be. It was so short I couldn't get much of a gage on quality, but I wasn't absolutely rushing to finish it either. This and Map01 should have been interchanged IMO (not counting any maps from "No Hope for Peace" when discussing map interchanging).

Map04 - I played this as Granite Base back in 2009 but it's not what I remember it being. It seemed like a better map to me. Good challenge, nice tech architecture, and tight but not unfair balance. Liked this better than Map02 and it's my favorite map of the first five.

Map05 - Good quick but intense action level. Pretty small but like I said, it's reasonably tense while it lasts. Nice looks without using too much detail. This was a close to Map04 for my favorite so far, but Map04 just barely won out. On another note, I wish Krispavera would finish that map he released a beta of a few months ago; that one really looked to have potential.

If you want me to discontinue these map-by-map commentary posts, or do them on another thread, feel free to let me know. I just like doing this type of stuff for community sets, when others don't mind.

[DeathevokatioN]

I think it'd be cool if you continue your map-by-map analysis. But when you reach the "No Hope for Peace" episode would you be able to post it in the "re-release thread"? Would be useful as a few of the maps are due for some touch ups. :)

I know my map got slated due to it's hitscanners, and I honestly think if I redid the gameplay and changed most of the hitscanners to imps and other projectile monsters I'd make the gameplay alot less interesting and ruin the original vision I had for a series of short, fast paced and dangerous encounters. So I guess I'll just compensate by adding more health.

[MegaDoomer]

DeathevokatioN said:

I think it'd be cool if you continue your map-by-map analysis. But when you reach the "No Hope for Peace" episode would you be able to post it in the "re-release thread"? Would be useful as a few of the maps are due for some touch ups. :)

I know my map got slated due to it's hitscanners, and I honestly think if I redid the gameplay and changed most of the hitscanners to imps and other projectile monsters I'd make the gameplay alot less interesting and ruin the original vision I had for a series of short, fast paced and dangerous encounters. So I guess I'll just compensate by adding more health.

Thanks for letting me know you think it'll be cool if I continue. :)

If I decide to play No Hope For Peace (and before the rerelease) I will post comments in the rerelease thread.

ps Would you like me to skip directly to No Hope For Peace (i.e. play that FIRST)?

Also when playing No Hope For Peace I plan on using the already slightly updated version of Map37 and Map38 posted on the rerelease thread - is that okay?

[MegaDoomer]

PCCP Maps 6 through 10:

Map06 - Definitely the best level of all the first ten architecturally. I liked the ship setting and there were many good effects. The bouncy screen on details bothered me a little but not that much. It was an easier map, didn't seem like that much of a challenge. Clearly this map focuses design/effects/architecture over gameplay. But I enjoyed it nonetheless, and I love the music too.

Map07 - While the first two parts of this map could be considered a near direct rip of Dead Simple, I thought it was better overall with more of each breed of monsters providing a sharper challenge. I thought the map benefitted from the "extension portions" as well, with more tough battles and ever a proper boss, the Spider Mastermind appearing at the end. I wonder how the author got that one lift prior to the Megasphere to stay down for so long before reraising though. Unfortunately it is possible to get stuck permanently in the brown pit if you haven't raised the bridge yet. But I liked this level a good bit, and I think the name "Simply Familiar" is very fitting - it's certainly familiar, but not as simple.

Map08 - My least favorite map so far, but in all honesty I didn't think it was terrible either. The metal architecture is dull, with hardly any lighting in many places. Many of the boss battles are simply skippable, which is what I did - should have just had one Cyber at the end, but no more. Also the Plasma Gun, a virtual necessity if you're going to kill all the bosses, is hidden in an area that clearly should be marked as a secret. I had to look in an editor to find it. But the intermediate battles were mostly fair and presented some challenge, and it has a good track, so I still can't write this map off entirely.

Map09 - Well I must be the only person to like this map, although I completely ignored the 4chan concept as it didn't matter IMO. I enjoyed it, it was fairly challenging, and minus the 4chan influence the classic style architecture was my style. There was too much backtracking after the first key, but at least some areas had new monsters. I also can't quite grasp as to why there's a few non-secret areas that look as if they totally don't need to be explored and yield no reward of note for exploring. But I enjoyed myself all in all. This certainly ranks above Map08 in my view.

Map10 - Very good! Nice brown, castly architecture, with perhaps just the slightest hint of medival without using any such textures. Challenging and certainly a longer map than it look like on the automap. Only dislike, honestly, was occasionally excessive amounts of pinkies or spectres, which I often had to melee to have enough ammo, and spectres in the dark aren't my thing. But I'm tempted to tie this was Map04 as the best map so far. That will probably change in the next level though...

Well these haven't been perfect maps, nor among the best of the best I've played this year, but I've most certainly had some fun with them!, and that is what counts most IMO. Currently I wholeheartedly agree with the reviewers on /idgames who claim this is worth at least 4 stars - and with some of the best maps yet to come - I doubt I'll shift into disagreement.

[Nems]

Recently played through both Jägermörder levels using the latest version of Brutal Doom. Shit was definitely intense.

Also tried playing Deus Vult map 05 but it crashed ZDoom. It's funny because I have a PC that's more than capable of running it. Ah well. I'll go back and try it again at a later date and instead play each map separately.

[kmxexii]

Corebinder: Raw Action - This was a fun, quick mapset, mostly short levels with some hellishly tough maps from pistol start (particularly MAP03, but if I'd turned ZDoom off strict compatibility, berserk boxing would be more practical). The architecture is pretty bland but the layout and everything is entirely devoted to gameplay, a commendable effort. Very enjoyable romp on carryovers.

Digon Base: Raw Action - Similar gameplay but in a darkened techbase style. Oliver shakes some more monsters into the maps, which are larger on average than Corebinder, though MAP02 is an interesting exercise in evading hell knights while you build up ammo. I think map quality picks up throughout, ending with a fiendishly difficult pistol start on MAP05, especially if you're trying to save up enough ammo to grease the end of level Cyberdemon. Goes down a fair bit easier when playing straight through. It's definitely an improvement over Corebinder, not to say that Corebinder was unpleasant.

Spire Complex - A very interesting effort, evoking the Phobos feeling in Doom II. It's more techbase than starbase and the maps are dark and crammed with demonkin, otherwise feeling very much like the maps in the "Raw Action" series. Oliver's usage of the Doom II beastiary is quite sparing, with only Commandos and Mancubi making regular appearances. Aerial foes are nowhere to be found and two monsters have been re-purposed through DeHackEd to make boss encounters, an alarming change when first discovering them. It still plays like Oliver's other maps, feeling a bit reserved in comparison. The only real sour note is the final boss, who is even immune to ZDoom's "kill" command. Otherwise, fun stuff.

[Clonehunter]

I'm screwing around with Real Guns Hardcore and Circus Town 2 and School Doom.

[kmxexii]

BF_THUD!, by Christen David Klie. It's more or less what I was expecting, with a few pleasant surprises. Each level has some reference to Doom II's original map names (though not the levels themselves). The maps unique to the WAD are nice, bite-sized scenarios for Doom II favoring the lowest-tier enemies. There's usually puzzle elements and Klie utilizes the Map environment itself as an antagonist. Some switch hunts wear a little thin and Klie likes certain death traps, but the maps are small enough where they don't feel unfair and a couple trap scenarios feel quite clever. Of the maps drafted over from Klie's earlier stuff, most have minor additions with CHRISK.WAD's E1M6 getting a much-needed shot in the arm. I still don't care for his E1M7 & M8, though. All in all, pretty fun stuff.

Moving on to Mustaine's Paradox and "unreleased" Master Level reject.

[Lila Feuer]

Final DOOM: The Plutonia Experiment w/ BHard-Doom, my mod of a mod, which being Aerial's for Skulltag I've made compatible with G/ZDoom and changed a number of things to make it hard again, since it was getting far too nerfed in the final releases. Already completed the other IWADs so it I know it's balanced well. If anyone wants it feel free to PM me.

[elic]

Finally going through Requiem after weeks without doing much.

I'm up to MAP18, and so far I think its really good. Unfortunately I've heard that some of the later maps really suck.

[MegaDoomer]

Processingcontrol said:

Unfortunately I've heard that some of the later maps really suck.

That is not true AFAIK or IMO. The only down-notes I would make are that Map20, 25, and 26 are very small fillers. But they're not bad, just too small.

[kmxexii]

MegaDoomer said:

That is not true AFAIK or IMO. The only down-notes I would make are that Map20, 25, and 26 are very small fillers. But they're not bad, just too small.

I haven't played it myself but yeah, from what I hear the filler maps just don't compare to the surrounding material.

ParadoX - fun castle-style map from Mustaine. Really like the northern hall.
TWM01.WAD - calling this an homage to Doom II's MAP14 is generous. It's basically a copy of the Innermost Dens, just with a different color scheme and less impressive architecture.
Attack - fun little techbase but nothing special. Competently made, though.
Canyon - better than Attack, IMO. More fun layout/architecture though it's about as easy.

Now playing - the Raven series.

[doomero-21]

herian 2, map 31 with usd3, a nice experience...

[Birdbrain]

.

[40oz]

Playing BAK2HELL.wad an E3 replacement.

This is a pretty epic journey

[kmxexii]

Raven series - fun stuff but the levels don't have a lot of cohesion texture-wise excepting the last two, the cream of the crop as far as aesthetics. Chasar has a style quite distinct from her brother and while her levels feel a bit more linear they also feel a bit more experimental. Willits excels at creating different paths to the same area, usually having at least two doors per key so that the player still retains some control over their own route.

Playing Anderson's cantos from the Master Levels. Virgil was fun but small, with some nice traps, but looks great. Same with Minos but much larger and more distinct individual areas. A few bits of Minos let me down, though. I was expecting some cool yellow key fight after having cleared the courtyard out, but no dice.

[BilboHicks]

Just finished Journey to Hell (it never got out of beta).
Insane. Map 26 & 29 especially. Haven't played the HR series yet, nor even AV, but this wad chucks spider masterminds, archviles and Cyberdemons at you like they are barons of hell.
Compared to Scythe & Scythe2, its no-where near the quality, but it had its moments. The author clearly had mapping skills, too bad they were never able to complete it out of beta.

[elic]

Just beat Requiem MAP23. That IOS is a great "gotcha" moment; it totally caught me off guard. The level's great and action-packed, but fuck that death trap.

[kmxexii]

Processingcontrol said:

Just beat Requiem MAP23. That IOS is a great "gotcha" moment; it totally caught me off guard. The level's great and action-packed, but fuck that death trap.

I am looking forward to Requiem in a big way. Hell, all of '97 looks like it'll be a great play.

[elic]

kmxexii said:

I am looking forward to Requiem in a big way. Hell, all of '97 looks like it'll be a great play.

Yeah, so far I'd call Requiem the best megawad I've ever played, which isn't saying much, because I've only played a few. :p

Are you going to start the 97' WADs after you finish reviewing the ones on your itinerary?

[kmxexii]

Processingcontrol said:

Are you going to start the 97' WADs after you finish reviewing the ones on your itinerary?

Yeah, kicking off with Hell Revealed.

[Nems]

Got done playing The Island and The Island 2 by Farlowj using Xaser's Psychic mod. It's a shame The Island 3 out isn't out yet (if ever) but I enjoyed them a lot.

[kmxexii]

John Anderson's Master Levels for Doom II: Fun, very good looking stuff. Anderson has a style (brown wood, brick and metal) that he nails time and time again with forays into other things, mostly green and gray marble. Vesperas is my favorite of the bunch but Geryon is a close second just because of how atypical it is, a very organic map compared to Anderson's other, more orthagonal works. I didn't mind Nessus; I think his monster placement really complemented the (primarily) deathmatch map. Virgil's Lead was a fun romp, Minos' Judgement being the longest of the levels (I think) but it's got a great layout, even the sewer stuff. The yellow key in Vesperas is some dirty pool, though.

Pre-Titan Flynn maps: INTZONE was great, much better than even I was expecting. There's some clear Flynn style stuff, especially the opening "maintenance" area, but the whole library section blew me away, especially that revenant at the front desk that pops out of his seat when you walk in. I laughed my ass off. The puzzles are kind of tough but they're all very rewarding when you figure them out.

ORACLE is massive. Is this what Eternal Doom will be like? I was grateful that they put up animated textures that give you clues as to what you need to do in order to access keys / secrets in the map, otherwise I'd have no idea what the Hell I just did. It was fun, though. Flynn really makes every map feel like a huge adventure where you explore, discover, and conquer. There were some good fights to be had, too. The man rarely disappoints. The second map was not as good as the first. There was a great opening fight with liberal plasma usage but figuring out how to leave the opening pit is rather unclear (though I just checked back and found the clue you're supposed to see). After that it's a by-the-numbers switch hunt. Still a fun play, just not as fun as INTZONE or ORACLE's first map.