The Resistance - Album-based microproject (4-map beta released)

[Jimmy]

Download: http://jimmy.phenomer.net/wad-files/resistance-beta1.zip

Howdy all, this is to be a very small mapping project designed to get my creative muscles flexing again, since I've had little to no creative energy as of late. Every time I open a Jenesis map in Doom Builder, I stare vacantly at it before adding a few linedefs here and there, and then closing it. The issue might be connected to my sleep pattern, or perhaps to the fact that there's been a few changes (though not drastic) to my daily routine. I'm not entirely sure where it's come from, to be honest. :? But it has to stop.

So, I'm starting out this project with a view to getting exactly one map done every day for the next week. I've already started on MAP01, and I should have that done today. :)

So what's the premise behind this one? Well, a few months ago I bought the album "The Resistance" by Muse. A phenomenal rock band with a beautifully unique sound. A bit like Queen mixed with Pink Floyd. :D

I aim to convert the songs on the album into short Doom maps - short enough for the corresponding track to play at least once. On the album are 11 tracks, and 7 of the first 8 will make pretty nice Doom maps, then the final 3 (which actually make up a three-part space-rock symphony) will just use the 9th. Check out the album here.

No screenshots at the moment, I'll save taking those until I'm done with the maps. :)

I have got some quick map descriptions noted down which should hopefully paint a good picture of what the result will look (and play) like, and that should help me along the mapping process. I'll be drawing inspiration from Vader's "Doom 2: The Rebirth", which featured a bunch of very fun, not-too-detailed, short maps, that couldn't have been too great an undertaking (especially for a mapper like him). :P

---

1 : Uprising

You awaken in your cell to find many of your fellow prisoners absent. Grabbing a pistol you unearthed a few days ago, you break free by shooting out a power outlet across the hall, and attempt to catch up with the other prisoners. Shooting your way through swathes of security, you begin to feel that something's not quite right...

2 : Resistance

You meet your friends, though many of them slaughtered by the security force. After some progress through the prison complex, you come to blows with a large group of mercenaries who lay a considerable amount of fire upon you, but you cut a path right through them and blaze into the underground infirmary.

3 : Undisclosed Desires

The guards disspelled for the time being, you wander aimlessly at first through the infirmary, attempting to uncover some information on the forces of oppression you are facing. You discover prisoners once captive in the holding cells, now held in suspended animation in the laboratories. Killing the scientists and laying waste to their experiments, you meet up with a cohort in the adjacent sector.

4 : Collateral Damage

Your cohort is abruptly killed by a security guard. Enraged, you charge towards the underground computer stations, and encounter, much to your horror, a group of marines now laying fire on you. You suspect that they've been brainwashed or altered in some horrific way by the laboratory staff, but you'll find out which it is later. Until then, you'll have to kill all the marines in your path, for better or for worse. Head for the mainframe so you can shut this place down for good.

5 : Guiding Light

Before you can deactivate the computer mainframe, suddenly a voice declares the security lockdown has been remote-activated. You run as fast as you can, making short work of the resistance you encounter, in order to find the way out of the underground facility.

6 : Unnatural Selection

Having escaped, you look across the remainder of the base you will have to traverse, and see hordes of monsters approaching. You leap into action and exterminate them with an experimental weapon you came across just before the labs shut down. You work your way through the base and finally arrive at the teleport site. You hit the switch, knowing it's your ticket out of this hellhole, but not knowing where you will wind up...

7 : MK Ultra

You find yourself in a similar location to the infirmary, but it appears to have been forcibly detached from reality, and is floating in some kind of hellish void. To make things worse, the place is crawling with hellspawn. Though there appears to be a bizarre weapon in front of you...

8 : Exogenesis

The legion of demons vanquished, you head towards the demonic base's mainframe, as you did before. In its place, however, is now a monstrous demon head regurgitating the foulest of Hell's spawn. This is it - it's all up to you to undo this mess.

---

Screenshots of MAP01 should be up soon-ish. :) Don't expect anything mind-blowing, though.

[Tango]

sounds great. i expect to see mind-blowing screenshots.

[Alfonzo]

I suspect the par times will be the length of the respective songs? Resistance clocks in its shortest tracks at 3:56.

[Jimmy]

Tango: What'd I say? :P

st.alfonzo: Interesting - hadn't thought of that. Though it might be difficult to get the levels to play for exactly as long as the songs. Particularly since I'll be speedmapping them. Though they will definitely be comparably long or short, depending on the song length.

Well, here is MAP01: Uprising. Owing to tiredness, I'm already a bit behind schedule but I should still get MAP02 done today. :D

[phobosdeimos1]

Looks fantastic!

[Walter confetti]

Muse and Doom, sure it could be unique...
and from screens shots, looks cool.

[Tango]

my mind is blown

[Nomad]

Looks pretty cool so far. I can do without Muse, but it's cool that you've found your muse. Ahyuck!

[Xaser]

All that done in a day? Dayum.

I think Jimmy just may be the next Erik Alm.

[Jimmy]

Heh, MAP02 is now more-or-less done. Just a few more changes tomorrow and then some screens will be up. :) Need sleep.

[Jimmy]

Here's MAP02: Resistance.

[Phobus]

Looking good! Think I'll definitely be checking this out when it hits release!

[jointritual]

I'm liking the looks of this, just the right amount of detail for me, Good luck with this...

[Jimmy]

Thanks guys. :)

MAP03 is in the works. Looks like my scheme is working on some level, although it's annoying that since it started, I've been getting half of one map finished and half of the next started, within a day. :S

It'll be done tomorrow, no worries. Also screenies. :P

[Tango]

that last shot especially looks wonderful. the architecture is simple but effective. and where the hell did you get that sky because it looks amazing

[Jimmy]

Cheers, Tango. :) The sky is included in Claustrophobia 1024's rather large sky collection, but I don't know who did it or where it's from (if indeed it was borrowed from somewhere). Though I have an inkling that Mechadon did it specifically for the project - he's good at skies. :P

[Jimmy]

Here's MAP03: Undisclosed Desires.

I do get the feeling that these shots (and the number of them) make the map look larger than it actually is. These are all very short so far.

[SYS]

Lookin good Jimmi. Just a minor critique, in OqDjm.png, that bare brick ceiling is just begging to be detailed with something. Perhaps with something as simple as a slightly recessed sector.

[Jimmy]

Agreed, now that I look back on it. :P

[Jimmy]

Okay, here's (finally) MAP04: Collateral Damage - even though I planned out most of this one on paper, I've not been greatly enthused throughout. There's a little more to this map than these screenies let on, but the extra areas aren't really that aesthetically pleasing.

And yes, there's some new sprites for the monsters here. They will probably stay unless I can find some better ones.

[Jimmy]

Here's a four-map beta. Any and all feedback will be appreciated. :)
http://jimmy.phenomer.net/wad-files/resistance-beta1.zip

[Memfis]

Very nice design. The maps are short, so you don't get bored of hitscanners. My FDAs - http://www.sendspace.com/file/4qqtlq

On map01 I get HOM in prboom-plus, glboom-plus and zdoom: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/196/doom295.jpg/

And you understand that the soulsphere can be grabbed, right? :)

[Jimmy]

Great demos. :D No, that soulsphere wasn't meant to be grabbed, nor is that HOM meant to be there.

That's what I get for only testing my Boom-compatible maps in ZDoom. What kind of eejit am I. :S

Thanks for the feedback, Memfis. :) Your demos certainly brought up a few issues which I'll act on for the next (hopefully 8-map) version.

[Jimmy]

Success! Here's MAP05: Guiding Light. Continuing the underground motif from the previous map, though this one has a lot of very dark areas and bright lights to contrast.

I screwed up the aspect ratio on this batch of shots (and the last, as it turns out). Crapsicles.