[DOOM II]The Recon

[subject_119]

Hi, i'm new on this forum and i wanted to talk about the wad i'm actually working on.

I'm a beginner on doom mapping so this won't be the best wad ever made.
I started few months ago and i've actually done 4 maps on 8!I've already uploaded a link to test the 4 maps and the beginning of the 5th, i'll send the link below.

Now some screenshots from the wad :

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=18&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=21&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=22&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=23&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=26&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=33&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=30&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=35&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=37&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=45&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=47&u=17760522

http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=50&u=17760522

After the screens, the test link :

http://www.mediafire.com/?v2546o1bd22xcwk

The 2 first maps are really...Ugly! But these are my first maps and i had as only tutorial the videos on Doom Builder website^^

[Pottus]

I'll give it a run through later, I'm kinda a sucker for the classic style we got going on here :D

[subject_119]

No problem, i'm searching for feedbacks, but as i wrote in the initial post, the first map are quite bad :/

[EvilNed01]

Looks interesting.

[subject_119]

ok

new download link, i made some new things on map05 (i haven't named it and changed sky yet) :

http://www.mediafire.com/?hh901kwwx18gc41

[Memfis]

Some advice in crappy english:
- Try to make your maps less flat. Arguably the biggest advantage of Doom over Wolf3D is the introduction of the third dimension but you barely use it at all. Of course it's possible to make a fun flat map but it is a lot harder.
- All your maps can essentially be described as "a series of simple rooms connected by hallways and doors". This is bad, very bad. Try to come up with more interesting layouts and structures. This one screenshot from map03 of Plutonia 2 looks waaaaaay more interesting than your whole wad. Just look how many interesting structures, various details and different heights is there.
- When you place a monster, think for a moment. Is it really necessary to do that? What's the point of putting 6 demons in a hallway when you can put just one? To make the gameplay more tedious?

[subject_119]

Ok...I'll try to think about that.

I knew it won't be very good, but when i read this, i just think that give up is the best solution...

[Walter confetti]

looks nice

[subject_119]

After what memfis said...I'm surprised to see that people are still interested

[40oz]

Memfis said:

This one screenshot from map03 of Plutonia 2 looks waaaaaay more interesting than your whole wad.

I hate that stupid window.

Also he's a new mapper, I don't think it's fair to compare his mapping with Plutonia 2. I don't think he was trying to top that. That said your wad looks cool, I'll give it a try this weekend.

[Pottus]

Memfis said:

- All your maps can essentially be described as "a series of simple rooms connected by hallways and doors". This is bad, very bad. Try to come up with more interesting layouts and structures. This one screenshot from map03 of Plutonia 2 looks waaaaaay more interesting than your whole wad. Just look how many interesting structures, various details and different heights is there.

Why you got a be a dick like that ?


I don't think it's that bad as Memfis said its actually good that he's made a lot of mistakes because now he'll understand what not to do it's really unfair to compare his work to a WAD that has a huge development team of experienced individuals.

Anyways here's my suggestions.

Doors - Make sure there is enough space for the door to pass into when raising so it's not going into the sky.

Upper/Lower unpegged - This can work alignment wonders and save you a huge amount of time I notice manual alignments where lower unpegged would have been multiple times quicker

Height Variation - Your architecture is Doomish but you need to have more heights this will really improve your maps

Lighting - Get some good contrasting of higher and lower light levels this will really enhance depth perception also avoid using light levels like 150 that i'm seeing on the first map this is a waste of time as it will default to 144 or 160 not sure which way doom rounds it although it should be an eligible level in source ports try and avoid this anyways

45 Degree architecture - You can save time by drawing on the X-Y first then rotation all your architecture 45 degrees later it will help with texture sizing although you can do what your doing it takes experience and good knowledge to use effectively.

From Interception II (WIP)



It took a lot of practice to develop this kind of stylizing but notice I also use X-Y grid as well this will help out a lot.

Sectors - Join like sectors where possible and will not affect game play this will help tremendously with lighting and changing heights later if it becomes necessary view sectors 192 - 205 on your MAP01 a lot of these can be joined

Optimize segs - There is no need for excessive segs only use what you need for instance the blood streaks near sector 150 on MAP02 have a lot of wasted segs if your vanilla mapping you'll really want to save every seg you can it also promotes good map design if you practice this.

I hope that gives you some better ideas for improvements, like anything it takes time and effort just keep in mind always look for what your doing wrong that is by far more important than what your doing right in this way you learn what not to do and will start doing the right thing without thinking twice!

Good luck on your mapping endeavours it takes tremendous patience, persistence and time to get to where a lot of mappers are skill wise but everyone started out where your at.

[subject_119]

thank you for the advices man, i don't think i'm gonna make changes on the map1/2, it's some sort of practise wad, as you can see it (i hope) i made some progress between the first map, and what you can see in the fifth one, i already started a new map few hours ago, i'll try to apply what you said and see what it will give.

Hope other people will test it!

[Memfis]

Sorry, I'm a social retard and I can't communicate properly. That post was actually meant to be inspiring and encouraging.

[Pottus]

Don't worry Memfis I forgive you, I was being a dick with what I said towards you so I feel just as guilty.