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Death Egg

Switcheroom! Or, what if E1M1 was E3M1? (Release Candidate 3, aiming for whenever)

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Central Erebus sounds the best. Erebus central is a close second. Erebus control just downright sucks.

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schwerpunk said:

E2M1 -> E2M2 : Containment Plant is done. [Download]

Maybe the bars close to the exit could be opened from the other side too if player goes to the secret before opening the bars. Pretty fun level anyway.

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Anomaly Beneath? a.k.a E2-4M1

I didn't stick to absolute "TWiD" style, and decided to do my own thing in a few places. I don't think I went overboard, but I'd like some opinions on the visual aspects.

Being an E4 map, and a pretty large one for M1, I tried to make it as difficult as possible, within reason. The original E2M1 was pretty bare and open in comparison to the cramped, heavily populated E4M1, so I attempted to make some areas a bit more cramped and with more obstacles and hazards befitting an E4 map. I also stole some inspiration from other E4 maps for a few areas.

It's playable and UV-maxable in this first version, but it will likely need some balance work, and naturally, skill levels and deathmatch starts. Some FDAs and criticisms would be highly appreciated.

Enjoy!

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FDA. Yeah, my playing skills aren't exactly the best. (Point in case: me taking like seven shots to kill one of the first shotgunners) I would've gone back and searched for secrets at the end, but I didn't realize the floor was going to separate me from being able to get back on the teleporter. Really minor graphical nitpick, but when you enter the wooden room with the marble ceiling for the first time, there's a wall on the left side that should be upper unpegged. (I think I stop in front of it for a moment in the demo) I like how it sort of felt like a fusion of a few different Episode 4 maps at times with the layout of E2M1. Also, sticking with "TWiD" isn't really required, so you're okay there.

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Played through it Megalyth and thought it was tight on ammo until I found the berserk box / shotgun shells lying with the cacodemons.

Good map, however, I enjoyed it. Designwise and gameplaywise.

If I'd change anything, I'd remove at least one of the medkits hiding in the room with the blue and red doors (and the pinkies). Maybe take out both and replace with a stimpack and some more ammo.

All in all: Slightly more ammo and less health. But keep the berserk.

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Megalyth: Here's my FDA of your map, recorded in Chocolate Doom. Please pardon my IDCLEV'ing around, and dying on the first attempt. I do try (and succeed) again in that demo, so don't exit prematurely! =)

First: Great work. It's fun and it looks great.

I played on HMP. I'm going to have to disagree with EvilNed: the health is perfect, at least if you're going to include so many Barons on HMP (honestly, I think most of those could be Knights). The wave-o'-Pinkies was a nice touch, particularly considered the only nearby cover had your front and rear open to assaults! Devious fun! Couldn't imagine doing that without the 'Zerk pack. I agree with EvilNed, there - leave it in! (Or give the player more ammo, I guess.)

The layout is definitely E2M1, but still feels unfamiliar enough to keep things fresh. I think you went a much better route with your homages than I did - where mine are obviously inspired by the original rooms, yours are a true fusion of the aesthetic and functions of both levels.

The outdoor areas remind me somewhat more of E3M2: Slough of Despair for some reason, not that I'm complaining. Slough being one of my favourite 'canyon'-style maps.

Jimi said:

Maybe the bars close to the exit could be opened from the other side too if player goes to the secret before opening the bars. Pretty fun level anyway.

Thanks for the suggestion. Done. DL link has been updated.

To anyone who's played Containment Plant: How did you find the monster count? If I don't receive any complaints then I'll just leave it as-is.

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Death Egg said:

I would've gone back and searched for secrets at the end, but I didn't realize the floor was going to separate me from being able to get back on the teleporter.

Once you enter the final exit room, a W1 linedef lowers the teleporter to allow back-tracking.

Death Egg said:

Really minor graphical nitpick, but when you enter the wooden room with the marble ceiling for the first time, there's a wall on the left side that should be upper unpegged.

I'm not sure which wall you mean. Can you provide map coordinates or a screenshot?

EvilNed said:

thought it was tight on ammo

Absolutely! I'll probably scatter a few more clips and shells around the place once I figure out exactly where they're needed to allow a bit of leeway and margin for error. However, I definitely intended the ammo balance to be rather austere. Conservative play and careful aim are your friends.

EvilNed said:

All in all: Slightly more ammo and less health. But keep the berserk.

For the health balance, I pretty much added what I needed to survive with a slight margin for error, and then added a bit more on top of that to allow for author bias (considering that I know where everything is). Further play-testing and FDAs from others will give me some insight to what items I should add/remove. The berserk will definitely stay.

schwerpunk said:

FDA

Unfortunately, this demo doesn't seem to work properly. Rather than skipping to E4M1, you just wander around the first room of E1M1, shooting at walls.

schwerpunk said:

I played on HMP. I'm going to have to disagree with EvilNed: the health is perfect, at least if you're going to include so many Barons on HMP (honestly, I think most of those could be Knights).

At this point the map is only balanced for UV, I haven't done the other skill levels yet. Also... knights? There are no hell knights in UDoom. If anything, I was considering adding more barons and cacodemons in the outdoor area, because it's so open and dodging is kind of easy out there.

schwerpunk said:

The wave-o'-Pinkies was a nice touch, particularly considered the only nearby cover had your front and rear open to assaults! Devious fun! Couldn't imagine doing that without the 'Zerk pack.

In lieu of the berserk pack, lace 'em up with the chaingun, or, if you're feeling particularly agile and slippery, some careful maneuvering and shotgunning is also quite possible. I've tried just about every approach I could think of in that section to make sure there were plenty of options. That's actually one of the least forgiving fights in the map if you slip up.

schwerpunk said:

The outdoor areas remind me somewhat more of E3M2: Slough of Despair for some reason, not that I'm complaining. Slough being one of my favourite 'canyon'-style maps.

I actually took a page from the first few areas of E4M6 for the jagged rocks that make up the outer walls. I'm not entirely sold on it, but I haven't been able to think of anything better, and I'd rather have some interesting rock formations than flat walls.

Thanks for the input, everyone. It still needs some work, but I'm very happy with it so far. It was really fun to make, and I think I've struck a pretty good balance between both styles.

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Good map, I enjoyed it a lot. Really has the E4 feel while still keeping the E2M1 layout. I died on the pinkie room the first time through since I somehow missed the beserk pack, and I just IDDQD'd my way through it the second time since I just wanted to see the level, so can't really comment on balance. Also, thanks for not including a plasma gun, so I can balance E3M2-as-E4M2 without it. :)

Only bug I noticed: The blue door does need to be lower unpegged, though.

Also, schwerpunk's FDA for my map did the same thing - it just plays on E1M1 (and runs around randomly). Thought it was on my end since I haven't used demos before, but apparently I'm not the only one...

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i'm fine with perfect plant for e4m2 in e1 style map as title....

just working on my map recently, just change few stuff to make it more similar to the original slots...

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Death Egg said:

Really minor graphical nitpick, but when you enter the wooden room with the marble ceiling for the first time, there's a wall on the left side that should be upper unpegged.

Ignore this advice, I was stupid and didn't realize this was caused by the door opening up at the time. :P

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Magnusblitz said:

Also, thanks for not including a plasma gun, so I can balance E3M2-as-E4M2 without it.

No problem, and I think a plasma gun would have made my map too easy anyway. E4M1 was a pretty tight map, and while this map isn't quite as cramped, you still have to be careful in certain areas to keep from blowing yourself up. It's one of the inherent hazards in E4 that I wanted to incorporate into this.

Magnusblitz said:

Only bug I noticed: The blue door does need to be lower unpegged, though.

Fixed.

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gothic said:

E2-4M7 - And Vats Spawned

E4-2M7 - Following Hell(?)

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Sorry about my FDAs, guys. I wish someone had said something sooner. This is probably a good place to ask, since people pass FDAs back and forth with some regularity:

I'm recording my demos with Chocolate Doom 1.7.0 using -maxdemo 666 and -record blahblahblah in the ZDL frontend. I don't put in a complevel, so whatever the default is... Am I doing something wrong? Does the IDCLEV'ing not get recorded, or something? I tried inputting it as a launch parameter, but with no success. :/

EDIT: Thanks, Memfis. You're a true dude.

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You mean you idclev while recording? I'm surprised it works at all but yeah, it cannot be recorded. If you want to record a demo for e4m1 you should add "-warp 4 1" in the command line.

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well then here is my beta attempt at e2m5-e4m5, i think its too much like the original just very green, balanced i hope for each difficulty. have not tried in choco doom. i am after balance feedback on items, monster etc.

edit : ha helps if the links in
http://www.mediafire.com/?rvbcb3ml8115lze

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zinkai said:

well then here is my beta attempt at e2m5-e4m5, i think its too much like the original just very green, balanced i hope for each difficulty. have not tried in choco doom. i am after balance feedback on items, monster etc.

edit : ha helps if the links in
http://www.mediafire.com/?rvbcb3ml8115lze


I played the map and I really liked what you did there, but, weren't you supposed to make E4M5's layout in E2M5's style? I'm asking this because I made E2M5's layout in E1M5's style :P

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schwerpunk said:

Saliva: Unruly Control is a great name. It's like... poetically oxymoronic.

E2M1 -> E2M2 : Containment Plant is done. [Download]

I've tested it to death in Chocolate Doom. That said, I might tweak the Things placement. The part I feel the least secure about right now is ammo and monster density, particularly on UV difficulty. As always, any feedback, good or bad, is very appreciated.


Don't have enough time to play the whole map through right now, but:



Kind of an odd starting area, don't you think?

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Well I was going on spare slot when it was available an according to the list on page one that's what I am ment to be doing, oh well if need be an I have time ill do the other map if need be

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Marnetmar said:

Don't have enough time to play the whole map through right now, but:

http://i.imgur.com/mwpMV9n.png

Kind of an odd starting area, don't you think?

Gah! >_<

Thanks for pointing this out, I just set that start point temporarily to test out that I had implemented Jimi's suggestion successfully. The wad has been updated (available at the same link).

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Ah, yeah, the map you were supposed to do was E4M5 - E2M5 rather than the other way around, zinkai. You wouldn't be the first person to make the mistake, since BloodyAcid remade E3M8 in the style of E4M8 instead of vice versa already as well. Maybe I should put together a sort of rejects wad when this is done containing a few of the maps that were made for the wrong slots.

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Death Egg said:

Maybe I should put together a sort of rejects wad when this is done containing a few of the maps that were made for the wrong slots.

Does Vanilla Doom support E5Mx like Vanilla Doom II supports map 33, 34, and 35?

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well if i have time ill try and get a e4m5-e2m5, ill be starting tomorrow, also any comments on my map so far?

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Death Egg said:

Maybe I should put together a sort of rejects wad when this is done containing a few of the maps that were made for the wrong slots.

Oh yeah! Unfortunately, I missed upsigning this project, but I'd definitely be contributing to a "rejects" wad.

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zinkai said:

well if i have time ill try and get a e4m5-e2m5, ill be starting tomorrow, also any comments on my map so far?


The only complaint I have is that, being an Episode 4 map, I would have added more powerful weapons. Design-wise it's superb, just a little bit too conservative IMO.

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Forgot to mention, it's quite depressing that most of the maps are done, yet 3 of the 4 secret exit maps are not.

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Well I did have a plasma where the rl was and i thouhht it was to close to the original so I decided to go with rl
Also really eger to know what u guys thought of the bridge leading to normal exit? Fight to hard or was it just right?

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zinkai said:

Well I did have a plasma where the rl was and i thouhht it was to close to the original so I decided to go with rl
Also really eger to know what u guys thought of the bridge leading to normal exit? Fight to hard or was it just right?


It was a very balanced fight, and the bridge looked pretty good too!

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