Multiverse - Community Project for Boom

[Death Egg]

Another community project idea I just had after reading the System Shock Doom topic. I don't know if anyone will contribute because this is the third community project I've attempted, but what the hell, this idea's pretty awesome. Each map will be based on a different FPS from history, starting from the first one in 1974, then just about every major one from 1991 - 1997. It will be Boom-based, and have the original Doom monsters and weapons.

Story: The demons have begun a full-scale invasion on 30 23 different universes! The military decides that the Doomguy is badass so they send him to each to stop them.

Maps are to be new maps based heavily on the spirit of the game they are based on. Homages to maps from them are welcome. Earlier maps such as Wolfenstein 3D and ShadowCaster that were one-plane games are allowed to have varied heights to a degree as long as it doesn't stray too far from the way the original felt.

MAP01 - Doom (Introduction map)		- Du Mhan Yhu				Completed
MAP02 - Maze War			- Death Egg				Completed
MAP03 - Hover Tank 3D			- lupinx-Kassman			Completed
MAP04 - Catacomb 3-D
MAP05 - Ultima Underworld
MAP06 - Wolfenstein 3D			- Rambosee
MAP07 - Ken's Labyrinth
MAP08 - ShadowCaster
MAP09 - Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold	- Mithran Denizen (Possibly)
MAP10 - Heretic	- walter confalonieri
MAP11 - Corridor 7: Alien Invasion
MAP12 - CyClones
MAP13 - System Shock
MAP14 - Marathon (Or sequels)
MAP15 - Dark Forces			- TheMionicDonut
MAP16 - Rise of the Triad
MAP17 - Hexen
MAP18 - Duke Nukem 3D			- Processingcontrol (Possibly)
MAP19 - Strife				- Vaporizer
MAP20 - Quake
MAP21 - Chex Quest
MAP22 - HacX
MAP23 - Eradicator
MAP24 - PowerSlave			- sgt dopey				Completed
MAP25 - Outlaws
MAP26 - Redneck Rampage
MAP27 - Shadow Warrior			- Malinku
MAP28 - Blood				- Du Mhan Yhu	
MAP29 - Quake II			- Lorenzo
MAP30 - Unreal				- PRIMEVAL (Possibly)

MAP31 - ????
MAP32 - (Secret)			- Death Egg

NOTE: Maps that say "Completed" just means that a finalized draft has been sent to me, they may still need bug-testing among other things.

(For secret levels, the first one is up for grabs. It can be any FPS or just 3D game that hasn't been mentioned. I have something special for MAP32 though.)

A lot of the resources for these games can be found at Realm667, and most of the others resources can be found online.

Vermil will let us use the Corridor 7 TC resources for the Corridor 7 level: http://www.doomworld.com/vb/wads-mods/50772-corridor-7-alien-invasion-tc/

An idea that mappers can try to incorporate into the beginning of their maps:

Processingcontrol said:

I think that it'd be cool if near the end of each map the resources from the next level would appear mixed in with the ones for that map, making it feel like a crossroads between the two universes.

[Mithran Denizen]

So it'd be like Aeons of Death, but with maps, and without the randomizer aspect?

[Death Egg]

Mithran Denizen said:

So it'd be like Aeons of Death, but with maps, and without the randomizer aspect?

Yeah, the main atmosphere, textures, and architecture will remain intact from their original games, but the gameplay should not try to stray too far away from Doom's core-gameplay.

[Mithran Denizen]

Oh, I guess I misinterpreted "original monsters, original weapons" to mean that you'd be including new weapons and monsters for the wad, to fit into each of the various worlds (at least as far as dehacked/bex would allow). I'm still not really sold on the idea, but if the project got off the ground and maintained some steam, I might be interested in doing either a Blake Stone themed map. Perhaps Outlaws too, as I've always wanted to try my hand at a wild west map.

How closely is the architecture and atmosphere of each game intended to be replicated, though? If the first five maps are all limited to a single sector height and two-meter-thick walls, I imagine that could turn off a lot of players before they get to any of the interesting stuff. Likewise, the architectural freedom inherent in 3D games might not be easily given justice under Boom; to me at least, a huge part of Quake's atmosphere came from the true 3D-ness of the levels themselves.

[Death Egg]

Mithran Denizen said:

How closely is the architecture and atmosphere of each game intended to be replicated, though? If the first five maps are all limited to a single sector height and two-meter-thick walls, I imagine that could turn off a lot of players before they get to any of the interesting stuff. Likewise, the architectural freedom inherent in 3D games might not be easily given justice under Boom; to me at least, a huge part of Quake's atmosphere came from the true 3D-ness of the levels themselves.

I plan on having the first maps be based on the original flatness, but if it ends up being a problem with too many people I suppose that could be changed.

On the later levels, that's the only thing that's bugged me about some of them. Quake and the Build games in general rely on both slopes and sectors, as well as scripts. While scripts can easily be left out, and 3D floors can be avoided, the slopes seems to be the only thing that could keep them from feeling much like the originals. But since I don't want the whole project to have to switch to ZDoom in Hexen format over this, I want to keep it in Boom format.

The only game on that list I'm really debating is Quake II. I was struggling to get a good 30 games that also could be put in Doom fairly easily. (In fact I didn't since MAP30 is blank) I'm not actually sure how possible that one will be.

[Vermil]

Personally, I wouldn't include Doom itself. It seems like it would go against the potential novelty of the project.

TrueDude said:

The only game on that list I'm really debating is Quake II. I was struggling to get a good 30 games that also could be put in Doom fairly easily.

Here are a few games with architecture that could work in Doom, though only the textures for Operation Bodycount are readily available (since it is a Wolf engine game).

The Hidden Below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5jMoSDJvf0
Operation Bodycount: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Y4mkwIA9Q
H.U.R.L: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWTxS8I6jnI
Alien Cabal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi4MAnnvfmE
etc.

[xvertigox]

Good idea but it seems overly ambitious to me. A full megawad with so many new sprites and textures will take a lot of effort and time. I think each map should be released as they're finished.

[Sigvatr]

I think we need a thread where people can pitch their community project ideas instead of making a new thread every time.

[PRIMEVAL]

Would Unreal be possible in Boom? It came out in '97 so I think it fits into the timeframe.

Also, interesting idea, I want to see how this turns out.

[Olympus]

I'm not gonna lie, I actually thin this is a pretty cool idea. But I agree with the others; you would need many new textures and it would take quite a while.

Anyway, if we find a way for this project to work, I'm in :)

[TimeOfDeath666]

Yeah, remaking levels from other games in Doom is hella fun. I'd probably just use Doom textures if I made a map.

[Death Egg]

Vermil said:

Personally, I wouldn't include Doom itself. It seems like it would go against the potential novelty of the project.

Yeah, but the problem was that I couldn't find any others that, as you said, had available textures. (That and I thought to include the greatest FPS from histroy, and Doom is the best) But it would be better if the project had more original content, so I could replace the Doom's with that Operation Bodycount you mentioned and another one I found called CyClones.

Sigvatr said:

I think we need a thread where people can pitch their community project ideas instead of making a new thread every time.

That would make things easier.

PRIMEVAL said:

Would Unreal be possible in Boom? It came out in '97 so I think it fits into the timeframe.

Yeah, seeing how it is, it would end up being the final map on the maplist. According to Wikipedia and other sources online, the actual release date was May 22, 1998, btw.

Also, I would be willing to do the tedious chore of putting all the textures together into the megawad as the maps are finished.

[Vaporizer]

.

[Death Egg]

Vaporizer said:

By the way... where is Ultima Underworld?

Well... Umm... That could be the secret map, I didn't think of adding that.

[Vaporizer]

.

[Death Egg]

Vaporizer said:

UU should definitely be here. It's much more important than some of the games you listed there.

Add me for System Shock and Shadow Warrior. I'm now going to replay them, so I have their styles fresh in my mind.

Alright, I put you down. I also replaced Operation Body Count wth Ultima Underworld, because quite frankly, Operation Body Count kinda sucks.

[PRIMEVAL]

TrueDude said:

Yeah, seeing how it is, it would end up being the final map on the maplist. According to Wikipedia and other sources online, the actual release date was May 22, 1998, btw.

Oup...thought it was 1997...despite being one of my favorite games and knowing almost everything about it, the release date managed to escape that. Though making a level for Unreal would be rather difficult as each level is completely different from the next and they rely a lot of 3D map design. Though a The Source + Icon of Sin map would be quite interesting...

[Blastfrog]

I approve of this idea. One thing's for certain: a new palette will be needed, since many of these resources will look like absolute crap in the Doom palette. I'd be happy to offer my services to ensure that these converted resources translate well in the conversion. (I'm pretty good at making things look optimal in limited palettes)

[Death Egg]

Sodaholic said:

I approve of this idea. One thing's for certain: a new palette will be needed, since many of these resources will look like absolute crap in the Doom palette. I'd be happy to offer my services to ensure that these converted resources translate well in the conversion. (I'm pretty good at making things look optimal in limited palettes)

Well, if you can make a good pallete that can balance all of the resources out that would be great. One thing I will note is that the colors of the original CGA pallete will have to remain (Or be added, I'm not really sure if they're in the Doom pallete) to keep the second and third maps true to the originals.

[Du Mhan Yhu]

Bad Toys?..Maybe?

[Death Egg]

skaman86 said:

Bad Toys?..Maybe?

If you can get the resources, you're welcome to create it as the secret map. That map's open to any game not previously listed.

[Du Mhan Yhu]

I'll let you know within the next couple days if I can obtain the resources.

[Vaporizer]

.

[Katamori]

AMAZING idea! I'll think the join over, but I'll definitely try it!

Damn, this year will be the year of the community WADs!

EDIT: I've never thought that anybody else knows Bad Toys 3D except me. :D

[PRIMEVAL]

I think I may attempt Unreal as I play the original levels just about every day. Though, mapping for Boom will be a new experience..and getting the textures for it may be a pain. I'll see what I can come up with.

[elic]

I'll attempt to do a duke 3d map, but it may take awhile before a get started.

[lupinx-Kassman]

I am down for a hovertank 3d map!

I am practically already making a dark forces map judging from the amount of resources I am using from it, but I also mixed it with a bunch of my own resources...and its for cc4.

[Death Egg]

lupinx-Kassman said:

I am practically already making a dark forces map judging from the amount of resources I am using from it, but I also mixed it with a bunch of my own resources...and its for cc4.

That map looks fucking amazing, if you end up doing a Dark Forces map remotely as good as that one for this that would be awesome.

[ArmouredBlood]

If I thought I could commit I'd totally do the Outlaws map. But I have too many distractions with school, other hobbies, and recently acquiring BloodBowl: legendary edition. This sounds like an interesting project though, good luck to you guys.

Though I agree on Quake II not working well without slopes or 3D - I recently played through it and the simple yet effective use of slopes and 3D bridges/platforms etc. would make it too different in the doom engine. Taking it to zdoom/hexen would also allow some interesting scripting and add a lot of room for decorations, possibly models if you use gzdoom.

[Death Egg]

Hmmm, since there are a lot of these first person shooters that use slopes and 3D floors, it may end up being better going that route. I know there's a lot of people here at Doomworld who are very against using modern source ports though. How many people would outright reject or leave the project if I allowed ZDoom in Hexen format for the levels? On that note, it wouldn't even be fully required either for the mappers, if anyone feels more comfortable using Boom that will be fine.