Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...
Dream_Warrior

Maps in MegaWADS that blew you away?

Recommended Posts

I would say that first bridge you go over in MAP02 in Memento Mori blew me away when I first saw it. It's so simple looking nowadays, but something about it just caught my eye.

Share this post


Link to post

That would be SoD's Twilight Massacre for several reasons. First it was the impressive vista, second it was the dramatic framedrop and finally (and literally) the cyberdemons.

Share this post


Link to post

Ive played few megawads to completion, but I will echo Misri Halek.

And not to toot my own team's horn, but I get the feeling TNT2's Map 20 is going to be a Misri Halek of sorts. Ever since the first screenshot, I've gotten shivers seeing it.

Share this post


Link to post

Not megawads, but whatever:
Enigma map04
Equinox map12
Equinox map13
Gather2 map04
Hacx map12

Megawads:
2002ado E3M5 (original version, by Virgil)
HR map11
HR map13
Eternal map24
Eternal map26
Fragport map32
H2H-Xmas map12
Icarus map20
Ksutra map27
MM2 map23
Requiem map06
STRAIN map17
STRAIN map23

Share this post


Link to post

Not sure if Deus Vult 2 counts, but, every other map from that.

Specifically, "Minas Morgul" (the thousand imp army), "Eagle's Nest" (the giant hovering portal), "The Unholy Cathedral" (a giant of a map, and then there's the invasion at the end.)

Also Hell Revealed map24 ("Post Mortem") for the unusual design which makes the player REALLY feel like a mouse hunted by predators, with no safe spots to catch your breath.

Share this post


Link to post

Scythe 2's "Afterlife II" (Map 27 I believe). The first time I saw the map, I was amazed at how much detail was put into the map. Also, the blue skull area. My god, that map was so athmospheric but also quite hard.

Also, the space level from deus vult II (Map 20 I think). It was definitely one of my favorite map in the whole wad.

Share this post


Link to post

I played Deus Vult 2 before the first one so when map 29 started I had no idea what I was in for.

Share this post


Link to post

Most good megaWADs tend to have a real (positive) standout. My personal view on this is as follows (random examples from memory ensue):

(The Ultimate) Doom: E3M6 - An open map? What is this?!

Doom II: MAP29 - As if The Spirit World wasn't amazing enough, we then get what I consider to be the ultimate Romero map, which seemed completely unique at the time and had a real sense of building to the next level.

Plutonia: MAP29 - These days I'd not say this is the best map in the set by any stretch of the imagination (due to game play, mostly) but at the time it really stood as an example of how subpar a representation of a city Downtown from Doom II was.

Eternal Doom III: Excalibur - We'd done a lot of heavy puzzle solving and seen a real range of environments just to get this far, but the giant castle of puzzles was definitely the stand-out... Even if I'd never choose to play it again :P

ZPack: Thunderpeak Power Plant - E1 of ZPack is probably the most consistent episode of the three in terms of experience and quality... Until Vader weighs in with his first solo map. IMO it's probably not the most fun map to actually play of the episode, but it was a visual feast and a real treat to explore. Leads in brilliantly to the best boss map of the pack as well.

Alien Vendetta: Fire Walk With Me - Misri Halek is alright, IMO. It's big, complex and well-themed, but in my memory it's just a range of shadowy Egyptian-themed corridors. Fire Walk With Me is the one that I can definitively point to a feature of, with the big revenant curves that definitely went on to influence a lot of other mappers in their hell levels. TBH I think it is just the revenant curves I remember now, but it's been a long time since I played AV past the first 5 levels or so. Special mention to AV's "Post Mortem"-alike as I'd not seen the original in HR at this point.

Community Chest: Citadel at the Edge of Eternity - It might have been a nightmare puzzle bastard of a map, but fuck me if it wasn't epic in scale and striking to see...

CC2: Mucus Flow - I don't even like how this map plays TBH, but for all the fun I had playing stuff like Thomas v. d. Velden's maps, BPRD definitely bought the scenery for this one.

CC3: Living Hell - Keeping with a theme, it's not the one I enjoyed, but it's the one I remember. You play 4 reasonable maps and then suddenly suck it down from an absolute beast of a map. You're glad when it's over and think you'll skip it next time, but it really stood out on that first encounter.

CC4: Interstellar Sickness - Beats the similarly themed Deus Vult II map at it's own game IMO. The fact that it ties in well with Shaman's Device is a nice addition, but really it's the introduction and solid execution of a rare theme combined with actually being fun to play that sold me here.

Hell Revealed: Post Mortem - It's the original "Living End as a slaughter" map and probably not the best, but to first see it back before slaughter really took off as a style was quite a thing and knowing it's legacy when I took it on helped too. Likewise seeing it's ilk in AV, HR2 and KS was oddly pleasing, even though I knew it meant I was in for an arse-ache of a map.


As you can probably see, a lot of my standouts are just because I still remember them in some way (usually their initial impact on first play). It's been so long since I've played all the really notable megaWADs and the ones I've played more recently have mostly been one-man or two-man affairs (Jenesis, Unholy Realms [which I didn't finish], Khorus' Speedy Shit, Valkiriforce's various outings, Epic 2...) or concept ones (1024, 1 monster, Zone 300, 100 lines...) where you don't really get stand outs due to consistency and limitations imposed. I simply can't remember most of the Dooming I've done over the last 20 years, it'd appear!

If we were going for multi-map WADs I'd definitely need to mention the various giant exploration maps that one Russian guy seems to always manage to get into their community projects for much the same reason I mentioned Citadel at the Edge of Eternity. I hate playing them but usually stand in awe at the scope, scale and beauty of the environment for a while (particularly the one in Whitemare) and basically all of Deus Vult II, even if the extremity of slaughter put me off actually playing it to completion.


Heh, looks like I remember the stuff I don't enjoy but am visually awed by a lot more than the stuff I've actually had fun playing.

Share this post


Link to post

Some of my favorites have been mentioned already, so I'll just add a couple more:

Community Chest 3, MAP12: Black Rain.
Epic 2, MAP28: Ogdoad.
Community Chest 4, MAP13: Viral Implant, MAP21: Shaman's Device, and MAP29: Crucifix Held Close.
Doom II Reloaded, MAP18: Warehouse Siege and MAP32: The Super Secret Level.
Eternal Doom, MAP08: Woodhead, MAP12: Darkdome, MAP20: Silures, and MAP25: Beginner's End.
Icarus: Alien Vanguard, MAP24: The Haunting.
Memento Mori I, MAP07: Not that Simple, MAP16: Stoned, MAP27: Fort Hades, and MAP28: City of the Unavenged.
Memento Mori II, MAP27: The Silos and MAP29: Kings of Metal.
NewDoom Community Project II, MAP19: Darkseed and MAP22: EvilEye.
Hell Revealed, MAP26: Afterlife.
Requiem, MAP21: Den of the Skull and MAP23: Hatred.

That's the ones I remember right now, but I'm sure there are at least a couple of dozen more.

EDIT: If you're looking for some other "unique" maps (not necessarily in megawads), I strongly recommend you to take a look at this thread and this one too.

Share this post


Link to post

Hard to say, I know many megawads have levels that are exceptionally mysterious or have an incredible sense of space and beautiful visuals with outstanding gameplay to follow, but many of these maps (having replayed them more than once) aren't quite as interesting the second or third you play them as more areas become known and the gameplay feels a little too choreographed to be interesting after the first play.

So the names of the maps that really stuck out to me once before have since faded away and aren't very interesting anymore.

In my own mapping, I'm aiming for longevity and replayability, and at times, an incredible first-time experience has to be sacrificed in favor of having more dynamic and changing gameplay throughout.

Share this post


Link to post

Doom E1M3
Chex 3 E3M1 and E3M3

Legendary CTF MAP01, MAP02, and MAP10 -- I was very new to mapping at the time and I was very impressed with the detailing, effects, skyboxes, and music.

Scythe 2 MAP21 -- I generally enjoy the "new theme" feeling but that theme was especially original and interesting.

UAC Ultra MAP08 -- very interesting open areas

Monochrome mapping project MAP02, MAP05

Share this post


Link to post

*Cracks knuckles*

I'm going to try and do this in chronological order and limit myself to one per megawad:

Memento Mori: Map01 - Okay, this is a bit unfair as Map28 is by far the map that stuck with me more. This one is sort of the "honor" spot though as it was the first time I'd seen a new Doom map in 6 or so years. Seeing this brand new map in front of my eyes, a whole experience for completely free, was awesome. What's more, and funny as it may sound, the map was simply stunning to me in a certain way (that initial pentagram was the coolest thing I'd ever seen in Doom). This one will stick with me for a long, long time.

Memento Mori II: Map22 - Thomas Möller had a BIG influence on my early approach to mapping. This map is large, challenging, nonlinear, and just plan fraggin' fun. There are so many clever ideas along the way - the cyber crusher, the teleporting demon horde of death, etc. - that I felt like there was a new idea at every turn. The way the inner portion of the map evolves is pretty neat too.

Requiem: Map06 - Aaaaand here it is. This map had more of an impression on me than any map I'd play for quite a while. The way the map unfolds is just ingenius. If you look at the main area, it's a fairly plain, small structure; however, the gradual way you make your way around it just makes it feel epic. It's admittedly not as pretty as some maps in the wad, but that taught me something very valuable - aesthetics come second so long as they're acceptable. The yellow key and SSG fight are both standouts in my mind.

Hell Revealed: Map26 - If you don't know about this one, drop what you're doing and go take a look. This was arguably the first truly surreal moment I encountered in Doom, and goddamn is it awe-inspiring. Again, the creative challenges (we can't stop here! this is ghost country) combined with the bizarre, memorable setpieces made for a very impressionable, cooler-than-you playing experience. Proof that Yonaton OWNS you.

Scythe: Map19 - Yeah, it's probably the second largest map in the wad and that's more than likely what makes it so memorable. But lord is just cool. It helps that the perfect soundtrack accompanies it, but again, the style of running around the map helps in creating a sort adventurous idea. I clung to that, even if I never really developed one of my own.

Plutonia 2: Map05 - How can one have such a compact, simple design turn into such a completely nonlinear experience? This phase of gusta's mapping career is just awesome at creating a large, crazy area for the player to run around in. Map11 might actually be more memorable for that crazy esher-area (I had to mention TVR some how), but this map really set the tone for what was to come as a whole. Quick, challenging gameplay that had Plutonia written all over it. Awesome.

Speed of Doom: Map05 - The first real heads-up that Joshy is AWESOME was this little scene of awesome. This was the first time I really noticed the aesthetics of a map as more than just a grouping of textures and flats. What it did was help get an idea of how a whole scene comes together to create a single piece of beauty rather than having each area look different and independent of everything else. This is probably the map that helped me start to make UR a much more interesting experience.

Community Chest 4: Map20 - Yep.

Gonna stop there. don't want to spend all night typing this bad boy up.

Share this post


Link to post

Like some have already mentioned, it's not a Megawad but still: all of DVII (except for Hell's Vendetta), all of DV (except for Insurgents), also the overall style and atmosphere in most of Unloved / Unloved II (beta).

As far as Megawads go it's a tough call because I simply can't remember. What usually happens is that I only really like ~5maps out of 32 so there often is something that really impresses me... but like I said, I can't remember from the top of my head.

I think the last MW I've finished was Speed of DOOM and from this one I definitively remember Twilight Massacre and Darkness Without End to be pretty impressive.

Share this post


Link to post
Guest



Map 13 from Requiem.

Because this scene was the first time that I had ever seen an over/under bridge. And I was so blown away that I called in my housemates at the time to show them. We couldn't believe it. We just went over and under that bridge a few times just to make sure our eyes weren't deceiving us.

Share this post


Link to post

Scythe 2 - MAP27: Afterlife is a freaking amazing level. Beautiful architecture, dark, gothic and totally surreal. And an outdoor lava area with Afrits torturing you. And the Final Fantasy 6 music with the pipe organ is very fitting too.

Community Chest 4 - MAP20: Interstellar Sickness. With over 18,000 linedefs of detail. This big map takes place in a sci-fi setting with some bizarre lighting effects and mind blowing atmosphere overall. Fun, challenging gameplay and some neat effects. Like the usage of textures, particularly the textures from Dark Forces to enhance the futuristic setting of this map.

Alien Vendetta - MAP20: Misri Halek. You enter a pyramid and you are set on one of the great adventures a Doom map can offer you. You and your SSG + a whole horde of monsters amongst beautiful Egyptian architecture and mind blowing lighting effects.

Although not from a 32 level Megawad. Seeing screenshots of the giant lava caves in Deus Vult 2 inspired me to make the Vulcana series. Maps in WOS and the sequel Vulcana 2 in Cchest 4. Vulcan - The God of Fire + Volcano = Vulcana.

Hellbound - MAP16: City Bounds. Beautiful city map. You must kick some ass and chew bubble gum if you want to beat this map.

Requiem MAP13, MAP28.
Icarus, MAP01, MAP02, MAP19, MAP24, MAP27, MAP29.
Memento Mori 2: MAP22, MAP27, MAP28
D2twid: MAP32
All of Eternal Doom
All of Endgame.wad (even though its only 8 maps)
Star Wars Doom and Darkest Hour.

Favorite IWAD maps

Ult Doom: E1M6, E2M2, E2M7, E4M6, E4M7
Doom 2: MAP08, MAP11, MAP14, MAP23, MAP29
TNT: MAP04, MAP18, MAP29, MAP30, MAP31
Plutonia: MAP03, MAP18, MAP29, MAP30, MAP32

Share this post


Link to post

Sunder. All of them. While the gameplay in stronghold wasn't too out there, some of the maps are really cool to look at. The idea of mapping really blew me away once I played crusades, just how different it looked from vanilla doom.

Share this post


Link to post

MAP23 of doom II
E4M9 of Ultimate doom
TNT MAP32
CChest MAP27
CChest4 MAP20
Jenesis MAP11
1994tune-up MAP29
D2TWID MAP31
Chex3 E3M4 <- I was absolutley blown by the difficulty

Share this post


Link to post
Eris Falling said:

When it's done, S.U.P.E.R Natural. I believe that's technically a megaWAD

What's that?

Share this post


Link to post

Ah, where to begin? I must restrict myself to one map pr. megawad. Also limiting myself to three megawads.

Alien Vendetta map25 - Demonic Hordes. While not the best looking or best playing map in the WAD, this map REALLY blew me away back in the day. The monstercount, the music, the epicness...I still remember playing it for the first time. Wow.

Speed of Doom map06 - Dreamscape. This map is so weird. I remember playing it and thinking: "what the hell kind of place is this?". The map inspired me so much I had to list it here.

Hell Revealed 2 map29 - Hells Cauldron. Kind of the same as Demonic Hordes. I still remember playing this in co-op for the first time together with a couple of frineds. We really sucked at Doom back then, and spent QUITE a while finishing this map. I could have picked map15 - The Path 2, but today I chose map29.

Share this post


Link to post

Evilution Map 20 - Going from a rather run of the mill base, to a very detailed office, to an ancient temple, to an absolutely massive warzone, complete with barbed wire. This was the first time I ever realized the potential of the Doom engine

Eternal Doom Map 12 - Eternal Doom was the very first community made mod I ever played (If you don't include Final Doom). When I got to this level, I was absolutely blown away by its sheer size, and its design. While I ended up being even more blown away by later maps like "Excalibur", it was "Dark Dome" that first made me realize just how big Doom maps could be.

Alien Vendetta Map 20 - For the longest time, this was the most complex level I had ever played, and since this was before I started using source ports, it took a good 10 seconds to load. What blew me away was realizing just how massive this complex is.

Eternal Doom IV Map 27 - What's more to say about Espi's "Shrine" that hasn't already been said. There hasn't been a doom map that looks this unique, and sadly I don't think anyone will ever be able to replicate this style. This level made me feel like I was playing a whole other game.

Cheogsh 2 - Map 4 - This was the dark city/town level of the game, and this one blew me away in terms of atmosphere. It was dark, without being pitch black, it had an eerie atmosphere, and it was designed really well. The entire mapset looks great but it's this section of the set that I remember best.

Stronghold - Map 30 - Quite a few levels in this wad really impressed me visually, but it was this map, which takes place in space and uses some neat portal tricks, that left me in awe. The only downside being that much of my time playing the level was spent trying to stay alive instead of looking at the visuals.

Back To Saturn X E1 - (Tough Skin River) - I've left off the level number for this one as it seems that more levels are being made for this episode, so for all I know, it could be map 29 by now! Mechadon's Tricyclic Looper is probably my favorite level in the episode, but Tango's map was the one that made my jaw drop in a few places. From the intricate layout, to the massive underground cavern area, to the new gothic textures, playing it just makes the wait for E2 even more unbearable. Additionally, (and this may be cheating as these levels haven't been released yet), some of the pictures from the E2 and E3 levels have made me a bit awestruck, especially since this is just vanilla doom.

Share this post


Link to post

LOL @what 40oz said :D

I picked 5 maps not mentioned above

MAP08 from Requiem was a great experience all way long, still the conclusion blew me away
MAP25 from Icarus is a prime example of sector shifting I love so much in old WADs. It is also extremely well-designed from the monster placement point of view
MAP11 from Darkening 2 has such a "clean", polished design... The ending should have "floor lower" for at least 10 seconds instead of "door open" - just to offer more tension. Funny the map was abandoned and item placement was made by another person (Anthony Soto). It is flawless and you don't notice this at all.
MAP01 and MAP09 from Caverns of Darkness. The first one had this hard to describe RPG feel I fell in love with. MAP09 for the mine bridges section (astonishing), and for the sense of scale.

Share this post


Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×