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kildeth

NOVA: The Birth - v1.1 release now on idGames!

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Just here to announce that I am still occasionally checking this thread despite real life commitments. Maybe I can do some more playtesting within a few weeks around Christmas/New Years.

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EvilNed's MAP06: This is quite a big, meaty level (took me 33 minutes). The architecture/design starts off a bit odd, but it's nothing bad. The gameplay was pretty mixed in my opinion, as the whole level starts off pretty easy/simple right up to the yellow key, and then proceeds to ramp up the difficulty and crush the player.

Monster combination is great, but the problem with the difficulty comes from not having enough good weapons, and always running around on low health. Ammo was balanced well, but because of the health issue I had to constantly redo certain fights as one mistake leads to death quite often. So, couple things.

SSG being optionally given is okay, but I suggest dropping one down before the area at the bottom right of the map. This is because any player that has missed it so far will be completely destroyed trying to get through there with just the SG and chaingun. Also, you offer two boxes of shells, but as soon as the player gets onto that platform, the baddies start converging as they can see him from afar. This area is a really fun and frantic fight, but the start can be very difficult to get through, and a big part is because of all the initially baddies swarming around the start.

Also, I never found the rocket launcher, which was quite sad when I had 74 rockets left over at the end. It would have aided me TREMENDOUSLY past the red door, and I really think it should've been given right beforehand.

No other things are popping up in my mind otherwise. I think this is your best level so far.

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The reason the start of the level feels a bit mixed (something which I agree on) is that it started as one kind of level but once I got the idea for the frantic, fight down past the yellow door there was simply no way of doing that fight justice without making it tough as nails.

After that I retroactively added some traps to the older parts of the map, for instance the five revenants by the yellow key, which are a nasty surprise, etc. etc.

I'll probably work on that to make it more consistent with the late-game fights. The initial areas are filled with more imps than anything else.

The fight grew successively tougher but there's been some removed monsters as well. At one point there were spectres involved, but they were by far the worst creatures of all to face down there, because of the fact that you constantly have to be on the run not to be surrounded, and bam you'd run into a spectre you hadn't spotted and the barons would catch up and slime you to death...

Re: the health issue, yeah, I guess so. Any specific parts? Does the area down below need more? Other areas? I'd wager that part of this came from you not finding the rocket launcher, which I didn't realize was "hidden" until now. It's close to the yellow key, in the dark flashing corridors with spectres. If you explore that area, you find a room with toxic slime and a couple of imps guarding it. Maybe you found the room, just didn't see the rocket launcher?

Btw, despite not having a rocket launcher, you managed to fight off all the monsters behind the red key area, including the spidey and cybie, without running out of ammo?

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issues with your newest map EvilNed, tested with prBoom


- Player can't open the door at sector 29. I think it is because line 124 is too close to line 155, so when you try to press use on line 155, it doesn't work because the game thinks you are trying to interact with line 124. On the other hand, line 522 has the same action as line 124, so was line 124 a mistake?


That said, Here's a demo of my first attempt in prBoom after I fixed that broken door myself. note that I had played it several times before in another port with no issues.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/39292814/evilnedmap6.rar

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EvilNed01 said:

the health issue, yeah, I guess so. Any specific parts?


Not really, just the whole thing in general. Up until the yellow key I was fine, but the specters in the dark room gnawed at my health down to a low % and from there I was always at a low amount. Worst was when I was running around the bottom right arena with like 10% health just looking for something to help me survive a bit longer. I remember two more things: there's some helth/ammo with the imps behind the cages, but their corpses block the goodies, so I'd move them to assist the player. Also, when running into the teleporter after the AVs are set free, you send the player straight into an acid pit which instantly damages them. I would change that, as it's a pretty rude move.

I missed the RL because it was in an acid pit. I couldn't see it and due to the constantly blinking light, I thought only of getting out of there and not exploring the pit. It'd be a good place for a goodie like a backpack, but not for an essential weapon.

You'll have to see what other people think about the map, as my most common complaint on a lot of maps is that there isn't enough health (I can't really evade hitscanners or hit them before they fire at me, leading me to suffer on a lot of maps. The biggest issue is that after I know where they are, it's really easy to take them out, but most players judge a map on their first playthough). And I had enough ammo to take down the mastermind, but decided to spare my cell and ran past the cybie to BFG the barons inside the exit. The revs in that room gave me the biggest problem because I didn't want to waste cell on them but couldn't hit them with any other ammo, so I had to leave them alive to constantly harass me.

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I did some more work on Castle Bloodletting. I think it is going to be, without a doubt, my best yet. It is definitely going to be a later map; with my limited tactical skills, I can't even get through what I have so far on HNTR without getting secrets. I'm definitely going to need some expert playtesters...

I've created up to the red key room, and that's where I always die. Maybe I'm being a little TOO mean... :b

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Thanks evilned, as for map10, I played through it and I have to admit the red key route is a little tight on ammo. I think I was biased towards the blue key area on testing, though there is a zerk pack on that side. I will probably add some more ammo in the form of shells and perhaps a rocket box and a couple of small cell charges.
The is a bfg in the yellow key/yellow door room which you only need one of the two keys to get to, best route would be to use the red key door at the top of the lift in the central hub at the start. You just need to bypass a caged cyber and a couple of weak enemies. I will give this map an overall in the new year when other responsibilities have eased which will also include adding co-op starts/monsters and difficulty settings.

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cannonball said:

Thanks evilned, as for map10, I played through it and I have to admit the red key route is a little tight on ammo. I think I was biased towards the blue key area on testing, though there is a zerk pack on that side. I will probably add some more ammo in the form of shells and perhaps a rocket box and a couple of small cell charges.
The is a bfg in the yellow key/yellow door room which you only need one of the two keys to get to, best route would be to use the red key door at the top of the lift in the central hub at the start. You just need to bypass a caged cyber and a couple of weak enemies. I will give this map an overall in the new year when other responsibilities have eased which will also include adding co-op starts/monsters and difficulty settings.


Whoops! Nvm, I mixed the BFG up with the room full of Hell Knights that get released. You press a button in the wall inside the right most area of the main processing area. You're right, the BFG is freely available.

Also, Arjak,

I'd love to play that map.

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EvilNed01 said:

Also, Arjak,

I'd love to play that map.


Thanks! I wish it was in a playable state so you could! Still, I suppose a little peek wouldn't hurt...












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Paul D said:

issues with your newest map EvilNed, tested with prBoom


- Player can't open the door at sector 29. I think it is because line 124 is too close to line 155, so when you try to press use on line 155, it doesn't work because the game thinks you are trying to interact with line 124. On the other hand, line 522 has the same action as line 124, so was line 124 a mistake?


That said, Here's a demo of my first attempt in prBoom after I fixed that broken door myself. note that I had played it several times before in another port with no issues.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/39292814/evilnedmap6.rar



Thanks! I fixed the issue. No line 124 wasn't a mistake, I just moved it there but forgot to remove it from line 522.

Nice demo. Too bad you died... I've added more health now, for version 2. Thanks for your time, and it's nice to see somebody playing with the arrow keys!

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Alright. Feel free to post the update, I'd gladly do a handful more demos for you if you'd like.

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MAP06 version 2.

I gave it a name. Sewer City.

It's still on MAP06. Changes include more health and ammo, removed Blue Key from original spot and placed it behind a platform that lowers behind the cyber demon, making it tougher to avoid that fight (prob. still possible, tho).

Also fixed the door bug that occured in prBoom by simply moving the linedef further away from the door.

Moved the rocket launcher up from the sewage pit, and moved the ammo in the imp cages further from the imps.

Also added some new minor areas and secrets.

http://www.filmklubben.eu/wads/SewerCity.wad

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My classes have ended, so I shall likely have MUCH more time to work on my map now.

I have completed everything up to opening the red key door, and work is progressing steadily. Next, I shall be working on the red key area itself.

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I'll be away for three weeks now, I won't be doing anything at all until mid-Januari. But after that, I could prob. whip up another map or so. I enjoy evolving as a mapper and I'd like to create more tough maps!

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Now that Christmas is over, I've gone back to work on my map. I've made major progress on the red key area today. Unfortunately, it's getting late in my time zone, so I'll have to test my additions tomorrow. Keep fighting the good fight, fellow contributors!

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Hi EvilNed how's it going? I guess I should work some more on Hazard Facility and perhaps compile another update of the Nova wad with all the new levels. We haven't been getting that much activity over the holidays, everyone must be on vacation. :P

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I'm afraid progress has been slow on my map. I've been very distracted by one of my Christmas presents, RPG Maker. :p

I did a little work tonight, but I haven't even finished the red key area yet. After that is the blue key area, then the area from the yellow key door to the end. I've still got a lot of work to do...

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Hey guys, how's it going?

Don't know whether or not this is still going along.

I've really gone behind on map making, I've pretty much stopped doing it altogether. Maybe we should get back into contact and just show one another what we've got and maybe give pointers and suggestions? We really need something to get things going.

Here's a map that I saw while asleep, dreaming. Unfortunately, there wasn't any more, and the more I made, the less comfortable I felt with it. Maybe somebody else could take it from here? The big rock platform behind the player I imagined a gray building would be there, and some revenants on a high cliff there would harass the player. Unfortunately, in my dream it had 3d floors, and I can't figure out how it would have looked without them.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/39292814/dreamlevel.wad

In other news, I'm happy to say I've finished another song.
It ended up being an upgraded version of one I had started and then sort of abandoned in October. I hope somebody makes a cool map that it could accompany!

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/39292814/quickfast.mid

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I wouldn't mind tossing up another map or two for this. But yeah, I haven't opened up Doombuilder in around a month, because of travelling and stuff.

Next week I'll be able to put some hours in.

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Hi, I'd like to jump back into this project.

I was working on a map called Hush but this needs re-working as I was having problems with the view of a distant city - views are not my strong point at present. I'll see if I can finish it up.

I have got a second map, originally intended for the Doom 2 In Name Only map which does not fit the theme of that project but would be perfect for Nova.

Screenies to follow.

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Well, I just finished the red key area in my map. All that's left to do is the blue key area and the end. I feel like the end will soon be in sight.

In the meantime, I would like to have some expert opinions. If you are interested in beta testing an incomplete version of Castle Bloodletting, please let me know via PM. :)

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Paul D said:

Here's a map that I saw while asleep, dreaming. ... Maybe somebody else could take it from here? https://dl.dropbox.com/u/39292814/dreamlevel.wad

In other news, I'm happy to say I've finished another song. ... I hope somebody makes a cool map that it could accompany!
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/39292814/quickfast.mid

That's an interesting start for a level. I might have a couple ideas for adding to it, but unfortunately I'm sick right now. Hopefully in a week or so I'll be feeling better and could say whether I could take over finishing it.

Initial idea I've had is to name the map Slumber, and maybe use that quickfast midi with it as I think it could fit with the level pretty well.

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Sector666, that sounds like an excellent idea and the map name fits the midi track well. If you don't go ahead with using the map or the midi, let me know and I'll use them. I'm a bit overcommitted at the mo but won't be in a few days.

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Hey MajorRawne, good to have you back! As for me, I'll be returning to uni soon so I'll have other priorities again unfortunately, that and I'll likely be working as well. I'll continue checking in on the project every now and again though and since I don't want it to come to a halt due to any further absence from me, I'd gladly allow someone else to assist in sorting and compiling the wad if they have the knowledge and time as it's unlikely I'll get to checking over everything as much as I'd want with all the other things I'll be doing. If anyone's up to sorting out the levels and making a revised compilation of everything we've got so far, go for it.

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Here is a rebuild of the map that was originally supposed to be D2INO's The Crusher.

The whole map was supposed to be a kind of crusher trap, with the geography of the map altering into a darkened deathtrap of crushers and blocked exits. I took that stuff out as the map I had created and the map I wanted to build were two totally different things.

http://www.mediafire.com/?6ovp22cjz5cf3gr

Note this is still an unfinished alpha.

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