Back to Saturn X E1: 1.1.6 bugfix

[Alfonzo]

3 hours ago, Litrivin said:

What happened with the timestamp of btsx_e1b.wad? Finder reports it as 1 (day)/1 (month)/1970 01:00 (GMT +2).

Ne'er a truer date was written.

 

EDIT:

 

 

Back to the Edwardian Era.

Edited August 8, 2017 by Alfonzo : I am amazed.

[esselfortium]

I'm not sure what happened with the timestamp there, honestly :o

[TMD]

That is the release date for SpaceDM8, not BTSX.  You fool!

[Diabolución]

http://www.doomwadstation.net/idgames/doom2/megawads/btsx_e1.zip

https://www.mediafire.com/?c8z2ziv616mt88x

 

This old version (03/02/2017) has a matching btsx_e1b.wad with a timestamp which makes sense: 2 (day)/3 (month)/2017 01:06 (GMT +2). For the next update and whatnot, assuming btsx_e1b.wad won´t be modified and updated.

[leodoom85]

My case: modified in 31-12-1969

XD

But that doesn't matter to me, it just works and that's what it counts.

[dew]

We'll fix it to the correct date btsx_e1b was finalized: 4-20-1969. We spotted this before the 1.1.2 release, but it's too cute to fix. :P

[Edward850]

1 minute ago, dew said:

1969

Nice.

[Grain of Salt]

1969, in the sunshine...

[Mikami41]

2 hours ago, Grain of Salt said:

1969, in the sunshine...

BoC <3 !

[leodoom85]

This is a "hard-to believe-one-guy-is-doing-this-after-long-time" review for this mapset. Believe me, I must be one of a few that haven't played this great megawad (don't kill me plz) but doing this playthrough in blind form is more enjoyable. But enough of that and the review is coming. All maps will be featured in order ...Here we go, my first impression of the maps:

 

Spoiler

• Map01 - Nice introduction with some rocky scenery and more tech-base architecture. The barrels are a constant in this mapset and that goes for all maps. Barrels are great for taking out multiple enemies as you all know. Also, for being a first stage, this map is no joke. Hell knights, lots of chaingunners, cacos and spiders are in it and that tells you that this will be the preferred setup for the incoming maps. Also, I missed a lot of monsters because of one secret that I haven't found.....hmmm. I'll let that slide and move on....
• Map02 - This is where the revenants will start to give you a headache and oh boy, the revenants are a pain to deal with in this mapset. I had a lot of fun with this map and messing with the chainsaw, hehe. Nothing much to say about the map itself, we know that the maps have great quality here ;)
• Map03 - A short-sized map which has some nice traps and crushers. Fortunately, those crushers helped me when I picked up that yellow key....poor mancubi and imps and pinkys. This map was a nice rest compared to the previous map, not too easy not too hard. Liked that map.
• Map04 - Another map that was difficult because the archvile is introduced here, really early...surprise and for that area after entering the yellow key door. As always, archies must be the first to deal with and fortunately, there are a good bunch of rockets to deal that bastard. That area after entering to that yellow door, it was kinda hard because you have to deal with revenant turrets, spiders and surprise...barons. If you know that lift trick, it's a good time to use it just in case. Did I mentioned the music in this map? Awesome music!!! Love it.
• Map05 - Tech bases combined to outdoor areas. That's another predominant topic on every map by the way. Not much surprise on this map except the penultimate area. A cyberdemon in the center of the room, unreachable for you....and archies and more hellspawn...wow. Quite unexpected. 
• Map06 - Long map.....sigh. Lot of ambushes and traps. Since I used the fist when I have the berserk pack, I used it a lot. And the secrets helped me a lot. Nothing much to say for this map, only some very tricky gameplay that the player must be alert at all times. And of course...archies are the first to fall. First cluster finished.
• Map07 - MOM SPIDER TIME!!!. Home of spiders and their big bosses and revenants placed carefully in this map just waiting to kill you 1000 times if necessary. This map was quite hard. Fortunately, you can get the BFG and kill those bastards...yay...not without confronting a rev ambush after that. Another thing that was really useful was the invisibility. I killed one mastermind with the SSG, without moving :D. Overall, an enjoyable but hard map.
• Maps 08-09 - OK. First of all, that intermission level (and the other 2 incoming intermaps) was a clever addition to the flow of the wad. It has a feeling of uneasiness to it. Time for next map. More ambushes, traps and radioactive areas that add more variation to the map. Not much to say here really, still a nice map with good gameplay.
• Map10 - Another map that I like the most. Rocky-tech-radioactive setting for the map and hellspawn that will keep you in check constantly featuring another nice soundtrack. Oh...and look out for secrets, especially the soulsphere. That saved me a lot. The yellow key area, the exit area and the blue key area (featuring archies...sigh) are the tricky parts of this map. Great map.
• Map11 - Very tricky map with some small areas and hard fights with groups of monsters, especially with imps and hell knights. At least the music is on point, it lets you pumped in the entire map. It's a nice and challenging map. Not gonna mention the archies or the revs or the detail of the map. Still in there :D. Second cluster completed and prepare for next map.
• Map12 - Longest and tiring map ever. Where do I start? The music. Great as always, 10/10. For this map, you need to use the automap at all times, otherwise you'll get lost. Fortunately, the computer map is a lifesaver in this one for secrets and for pointing the next areas. Gameplay? tricky as always...traps (one of them in the megasphere secret....really?), ambushes for keys, revealing areas where more monsters are waiting for you, especially for keys and a cybie waiting to squash you in the exit. Deadly map eh?, and that's without counting the lava and green stuff!!!. You'll need to find all secrets, probably, to survive this map. 
• Map13 - Did I forget to say that this map is no more techy...kinda, and more industrial-themed place like the previous map? LAVA EVERYWHERE!!! And thanks to the army of revenants, I died. Took me by surprise. After getting the blue key (and before that), the difficulty rises suddenly. And yeah, players that haven't played this one can be caught in a nasty way.
• Map14 - More revs and archies are coming here....this map has some unexpected ambushes, especially at the yellow key area. I know that the ambush can be skipped but there's no hurt killing all of them for 100% :). Also, the amount of archies used for traps are rising progressively. Music is also good in this map. 
• Map15 - Finally.....at last, this map's fixed for getting the secret level. Still a long map, lot of monsters, lot of secrets, a megasphere that you must have some good use, another freaking cybie that's out of bounds while having a small space to dodge the rockets, a key necessary for the secret exit, a non-linear path to progress the map. Quite interesting....now for the secrets of the wad!!!
• Map31 - Acid everywhere along with packed ambushes in where you're obligated to use the BFG or PG in order to dispatch them quickly. It still feels non-linear in order to progress. Those lifts are kinda annoying, they're slow and if you can't make the jump without having a radsuit, you'll get a lot of damage. And the secret exit was well hidden...if I haven't enabled that texture display option, I'd probably not find it or figure it out...
• Map32 - Hard way? probably...another map packed with monsters, a lot of ammo, powerups like soulspheres and megaspheres. Perfect to have a great and enjoyable map. Definitely, the hardest part for me was where you find a room with revenants, HK and barons, after that...a cybie appeared then you have mandubi and spiders with a megasphere.
• Maps 16-17 - Since map16 is another intermap, let's go to map 17. Freaking archie-revenant-spider descending floor trap with a megasphere in it...almost caught me off-guard. Yet another cybie that's enclosed in a square-shaped area that can be killed from a distance. The music is also nice. Good map overall.
• Map18 - Another non-linear map which you must collect the 3 keys in order to find the exit. Red and blue key paths were easy somehow. On the other hand, the yellow key path was hard and it takes some time to clear all of that area. Pressing the switches for the keys leads to even more ambushes, which is kinda annoying. And the last part of the area can change it from easy to hard thanks to the freaking archies...again. Fortunately, there's a secret nearby with 3 soulspheres which is great!!!. A tedious map but still fun to do it.
• Map19 - I hate this map, seriously. The layout of the map itself is small but it's a nasty start. Surrounded by revenant and HK turrets, mancubi, spiders, fucking PEs and a lot of archies makes your rage going up. Worst of all, there's a mastermind but I managed to do some infighting in the process. Get a key, even more PEs and cacos appears...You start with 116 monsters and end the map by double or even triple (if you're unlucky) the amount. At least I got the secret megasphere or else, I'd have a worse start for the next map...
• Map20 - Well...not saying much about this map but at least is more fun to play than the previous map. Looks like I haven't found all secrets and monsters this time. And the music is quite relaxing, I like that. Third cluster done!!!
• Map21 - Looks like the player is back to techy bases. This map is relatively short if it wasn't for the hellspawn :). One secret has a freaking archvile ambush for getting a secret...hmm. If I had low health, I would have died thanks to that and that's not nice for unaware players. Aside for that, the map is ok.
• Map22 - Nice and fun map. The highlight was the last part of the map. Fighting big groups of imps and other monsters plus a cybie as a turret was fun and it's fine to have a megasphere which I plicked up after clearing that area. Awesome!!!.
• Maps 23-24 - Last couple of maps. Map 23 is the last intermap and the longest which it's appropiate for the last map. And map 24...I have to split into 3 parts: the beginning, the arena in the caves and the ending. The beginning has a peak where the big group of imps are spawned in there. Next, is the hardest part of the map, the arena....lots of monsters, archies and a couple of cybies. Died at least twice. Last part was kinda annoying with the teleporters, allowing it for the archviles to attack me in an unexpected way. For the map itself, I liked the combination of caves and urban themes. 
• And.....the ending map. For that, watch my video ;).

 

Anyway, big props for the mappers involved in that megawad which made fun maps (still hating map 19). Also, the music is great and nice for listening to it.

I'll give this megawad a 9/10.

[esselfortium]

@leodoom85 Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the big writeup!

 

BTW, you don't actually need all three keys to exit map18 :)

[leodoom85]

5 minutes ago, esselfortium said:

@leodoom85 Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the big writeup!

 

BTW, you don't actually need all three keys to exit map18 :)

Well, I still picked up the yellow path for trying to do 100% ;)

[Psyrus]

25 minutes ago, esselfortium said:

@leodoom85 Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the big writeup!

 

BTW, you don't actually need all three keys to exit map18 :)

When I found out about this during my first playthrough, I originally thought it was an oversight which was ultimately decided to be left in.  In other words, yes I skipped the yellow key.

[RjY]

Is this a bug? On map12 the "force field" bars (sector 709) are open at map start. This seems to be an unintentional change as shortly afterwards I fell in a hole, there are no special lines to raise sector 802 if you approach it from that side (line 2390) and also it makes the switch line 9025 superfluous. nomonsters demo (-skipsec 55)

[esselfortium]

1 minute ago, RjY said:

Is this a bug? On map12 the "force field" bars (sector 709) are open at map start. This seems to be an unintentional change as shortly afterwards I fell in a hole, there are no special lines to raise sector 802 if you approach it from that side (line 2390) and also it makes the switch line 9025 superfluous. nomonsters demo (-skipsec 55)

Someday, I will manage to release a BTSX bugfix that doesn't introduce another critical bug.

 

Today is apparently not that day. Thank you for your report.

 

(muffled sobbing into keyboard)

[leodoom85]

14 minutes ago, RjY said:

Is this a bug? On map12 the "force field" bars (sector 709) are open at map start. This seems to be an unintentional change as shortly afterwards I fell in a hole, there are no special lines to raise sector 802 if you approach it from that side (line 2390) and also it makes the switch line 9025 superfluous. nomonsters demo (-skipsec 55)

That's a nasty bug....fortunately I haven't spotted that when I was recording...

[Da Werecat]

Unfortunately, it was spotted by someone else...

I'll be afraid of replaying E1 for a few years, because I might see something broken, and then I'll have to report it, and then esselfortium will reach for aspirin.

 

[leodoom85]

16 minutes ago, Da Werecat said:

Unfortunately, it was spotted by someone else...

I'll be afraid of replaying E1 for a few years, because I might see something broken, and then I'll have to report it, and then esselfortium will reach for aspirin.

 

Probably esselfortium will grab the keyboard and smash it...

just joking

[esselfortium]

Okay, try this. 1.1.4, should fix the map12 forcefield bug. I also edited that mistextured sidedef in map31.

 

http://esselfortium.net/wasd/btsx_e1.zip

[RjY]

17 minutes ago, esselfortium said:

Okay, try this. 1.1.4, should fix the map12 forcefield bug.

Looks good to me, thank you!

[Ribbiks]

good old post-release hell :D. time to put some ads up on craigslist for regression testing interns. Every time you move a linedef they have to play through all 32 maps again and make sure nothing broke!!

[esselfortium]

At this point I'm convinced that this has all been set up by a time-traveling future esselfortium in an effort to convince me never to work on a Doom project again. It hasn't worked yet, but I suppose you never know what tomorrow may bring.

[leodoom85]

17 minutes ago, esselfortium said:

At this point I'm convinced that this has all been set up by a time-traveling future esselfortium in an effort to convince me never to work on a Doom project again. It hasn't worked yet, but I suppose you never know what tomorrow may bring.

It's all a paradox...

[printz]

Why do you keep pushing updates? It messes up my savegame progress.

[leodoom85]

4 minutes ago, printz said:

Why do you keep pushing updates? It messes up my savegame progress.

Maybe because more meticulous players or newer players are finding bugs like crazy. And it's unavoidable that someone will find it. Let's hope that this update can be the last...

[Voros]

There will be more bugs in the future. I expect the roach infestation to be gone by the time I come back to collect my copy.

[VanaheimRanger]

I don't know if it's a know bug but on MAP12 there are a couple of monster pits (that's a term right?)  Where you can fall through the floor into them, there are no wall textures inside so in GZDoom I can see through the level.  The pits are right next to each other in the same room, lines are hidden on the map.  One has a few basic enemies (zombieman, pinky, imp) in it, the other has an Arch-Vile in it.  I believe the sectors are lifts that you can activate elsewhere.  It may be intended for you to fall into them and see the weirdness, lol.  Idk.  Either way, it felt like it could be a bug so I'm reporting it :)

[esselfortium]

9 minutes ago, guitardz said:

I don't know if it's a know bug but on MAP12 there are a couple of monster pits (that's a term right?)  Where you can fall through the floor into them, there are no wall textures inside so in GZDoom I can see through the level.  The pits are right next to each other in the same room, lines are hidden on the map.  One has a few basic enemies (zombieman, pinky, imp) in it, the other has an Arch-Vile in it.  I believe the sectors are lifts that you can activate elsewhere.  It may be intended for you to fall into them and see the weirdness, lol.  Idk.  Either way, it felt like it could be a bug so I'm reporting it :)

This was an issue in earlier releases due to nodebuild errors caused by the complexity of the map, but I'm pretty sure we fixed it? We tried to, at least, and it seemed to be fixed... huhhh. What's the version number of the BTSX release you're playing?

[VanaheimRanger]

I believe it is the 1.1.4 version from /idgames but I've downloaded so many .wads lately it could be another one, lol.  I'll have to wait til I get off work to check for sure.

[VanaheimRanger]

Apparently I am somehow running v1.1.2  No idea where I grabbed that from online, this is probably the issue then?