NOVA II: New Dawn - First status report in November | Still open for mappers!

[Suitepee]

I come back from finally having the Internet down on me for 6 days....and NOVA 2 is in the works!

Hoping for another fantastic megawad experience like the first one was! I discovered a few new awesome Doom mappers from that, and hoping more will emerge for this one.

[Steve D]

tourniquet said:

Since the maps gonna be limit removing a sky transfer won't work, so why so many?

D'oh! I forgot about that -cl2 part in the OP. But IIRC, -cl2 is only meaningful in Boom, and Boom is the only limit-removing port where the sky transfer does not work, so if Boom didn't exist, a limit-removing map would work with a sky transfer in all ports, assuming I made no mistakes in that chain of logic. ;D

But it's a moot point.

[Steve D]

plums said:

As for what skies will be used - EvilNed made some great ones last time, I'd be happy to see what he might come up with again.

D'oh! --this is my D'oh! day, apparently -- of all people, I should know how awesome EvilNed is with skies. Yeah, we'll use whatever he comes up with, case closed.

[plums]

Argh, I just realized that in the texture pack, some of the Beta textures like DOOR5_2 aren't padded to be 128px wide. Don't use those for now if you can help it. Sorry about that, update coming later...

[dobu gabu maru]

Hey, so any other alumnis wanna team up for a map? I wanted to make a hell map but felt it would be unfair to take up a whole slot considering how much attention the project has been getting, so I wouldn't mind doing a collab with 1-2 people. I just started some work on it now... promise it won't be Megiddo length :P

[NuMetalManiak]

yikes! BaseHell.wad is a fucking mess! this'll take a while.

also that randome TEXTUREX image is supposed to be for an easter egg secret area, but I don't think Silverdeth implemented it well.

[jerrysheppy]

If there are a number of people who don't want any cc4-textured maps in the megawad, or if it would be a substantial amount of extra work for whoever's adding my map to the collection, I can just make a different map. I started using cc4 under the impression that there was more enthusiasm for it/other people were going to use it as well, but it doesn't make sense for only one person out of 32 to be using it while everyone else sticks to the base pack, or uses a few custom textures at most.

[plums]

jerrysheppy said:

If there are a number of people who don't want any cc4-textured maps in the megawad, or if it would be a substantial amount of extra work for whoever's adding my map to the collection, I can just make a different map. I started using cc4 under the impression that there was more enthusiasm for it/other people were going to use it as well, but it doesn't make sense for only one person out of 32 to be using it while everyone else sticks to the base pack, or uses a few custom textures at most.

Very little work to add it to the compiled project, so don't worry about that aspect.

As far as the stylistic issues, there's going to be some disparity in the maps anyhow, since several people are using their own textures. Personally I don't think it's a problem, but maybe post a WIP when you have something representative of what you're trying to make?

[Springy]

Just to prove I have started something. Only a five minute job so far so of course it's going to look like shit at the moment. I am just focusing more on a layout thus far. Gameplay probably won't be too good, seeing as I only have experience in maps for the DM mode. Textures are placeholder so before anyone bitches, they're obviously going to be changed.

[cannonball]

dobu gabu maru said:

Hey, so any other alumnis wanna team up for a map? I wanted to make a hell map but felt it would be unfair to take up a whole slot considering how much attention the project has been getting, so I wouldn't mind doing a collab with 1-2 people. I just started some work on it now... promise it won't be Megiddo length :P

I would be up for that. It will ake things easier later as like many here, I want the newbies to have as many maps in this as possible.

[plums]

Texture pack v5. This should be the last revision, unless anyone else finds any problems. (Eventually I plan on doing more GRAY textures, and converting the alpha STAR textures, but that's not going to be for a while.)

https://www.mediafire.com/?s4lvdaibypcbkrs

changes:
* DOOR13_1 DOOR5_1 DOOR5_2: all changed
* DOOR10_1: renamed to BIGDOORD
* A few new DOOR5_ textures and a new WOODMID2
* TNT and Plutonia skies assembled, for other cl9 projects
* Beta skies added, inlcuding this edit (the moon does not repeat)


On that note, if anyone finds it annoying that there are dozens of skies in this pack, I can make a version without them quite easily.

[Ashstrodamus]

Springy said:

Just to prove I have started something. Only a five minute job so far so of course it's going to look like shit at the moment. I am just focusing more on a layout thus far. Gameplay probably won't be too good, seeing as I only have experience in maps for the DM mode. Textures are placeholder so before anyone bitches, they're obviously going to be changed.

Looks just fine. I don't expect anyone to make Alien Vendetta on our first try. I worked with the lighting on my map today and got some pretty good looking results. We've got a decent amount of time to finish our maps, so my final product will probably look nothing like it does right now.

[Steve D]

Springy said:

Just to prove I have started something. Only a five minute job so far so of course it's going to look like shit at the moment. I am just focusing more on a layout thus far. Gameplay probably won't be too good, seeing as I only have experience in maps for the DM mode. Textures are placeholder so before anyone bitches, they're obviously going to be changed.

Nothing wrong with a classic-style tech base, Springy. And the Tekgren family of textures is one of the coolest things in Doom 2. Keep going!

[Springy]

@The Mandem - Yeah, I know but the ceiling/floor combination isn't good and I can certainly do a lot better. The screenshot was just to prove that I started something, as I had a really good layout planned in my head earlier which is slightly dwindling now. Rest assured sunshine the map should look a lot better than that. It's just a matter of actually releasing something for once.

[an_mutt]

plums said:

Texture stuffs.

I very much appreciate the work you're putting in at the moment, Plums. I'm not quite sure of how I want to make my map just yet, but I'll certainly be putting a sky like that to it. I can't wait to try and create some awesome outdoor areas and sick shadowcasting to match it!

[Ashstrodamus]

an_mutt said:

I very much appreciate the work you're putting in at the moment, Plums. I'm not quite sure of how I want to make my map just yet, but I'll certainly be putting a sky like that to it. I can't wait to try and create some awesome outdoor areas and sick shadowcasting to match it!

I 2nd that. The support and enthusiasm is great. I'm a pretty solid Doomer(not trying to be conceited), but I'm play testing the hell out of my map. The lighting looks good; I'm just more worried about the architecture looking good. The secrets are one my weak points so far, but I came up with 1 killer one so far just by chance. I was always intimidated by the idea of creating my own map, but the interface was clearly created by a user friendly mind and not some old farts stuck in their ways like the Autocad programmers. Oh shit, I might be one of those old farts....I'm almost forty!

[Ashstrodamus]

Okay, my map isn't going to be easy. I'm so new at this, I don't know how to make maps for various difficulties, so one size fits all.... and it's a brutal one. My map is turning out way better than I ever dreamed. If anyone needs to play test it, let me know. I'm ready if you want to try the insane map. I think I need to add a little more ammo. Also, the map is not finished, but it plays fairly well.

[fauxmachine]

I'd like to contribute to this project. I've never actually released a map before, but I have gotten pretty good at using Doombuilder.

[kildeth]

@fauxmachine & MFG38 - Added you two the the project. Have fun mapping! :)

@jerrysheppy - Don't worry if you're using a different texture pack. It'll only add variety to the final release.

@plums - Updated the first post with your revised texture pack.

@Everyone else - Great job so far! This has picked up so much momentum and it seems most of you are following through with your maps. At the moment my first job is to fix up NOVA: The Birth as it still has bugs but I hope to join you all in the mapping process shortly.

[Andrea Rovenski]

I could make a map for this. Just tell me what theme/mapslot you want and I can throw one together.

[ella guro]

just started working on a map - i think it'll be "surface of the moon" themed or something to that effect.

btw, forgive my n00bness about this but - how does one get custom skies to work? that blue one with the moon looks like it'd be perfect for my map.

[Superluigieth1]

For newbies thinking I use 3D textures in this map:

[Ashstrodamus]

kildeth said:@Everyone else - Great job so far! This has picked up so much momentum and it seems most of you are following through with your maps. At the moment my first job is to fix up NOVA: The Birth as it still has bugs but I hope to join you all in the mapping process shortly. [/B]

Hell yeah! I'm pretty excited about this Kildeth. I'm a Combat Shock, Alien Vendetta fan. I've play-tested so much.....the map is strong. I can't wait for you guys to test my map. Die with your boots on baby.

[Ashstrodamus]

My midis are going to fucking rock for my map. I'm a guitar player of 26 years, so no mediocre music will do. I thought about using some Metallica midis, but the King Diamond ones sound so much better and fitted for Doom.

[kildeth]

Cyberdemon531 said:

I could make a map for this. Just tell me what theme/mapslot you want and I can throw one together.

There's no mapslot or theme at this stage. Just make whatever you want using the NOVA II texture pack and if it's good we'll accept it.

@ella guro - Don't worry about the skies! We'll have custom skies made for each episode once we've got 32 maps in place. We'll make sure it's awesome I promise. :P

[joe-ilya]

I can do a city map and a nature map.

[Skavenger216]

I was working on my map some more, and i noticed it was in udmf format. Probably just gonna finish it off in udmf, since it is very close to being done, and then convert it to the proper format. Speaking of which, im using gzdoom builder, which format should i be using for this? My options are Boom:Doom2, Doom:Doom2 and Doom:Hexen, excluding udmf.

I will probably post the udmf version of the map when its done in the next day or two, so you guys can playtest it and give feedback while im working on converting it to the proper format.

[kildeth]

The proper format should be Doom:Doom 2.

[plums]

kildeth said:

The proper format should be Doom:Doom 2.

You should probably post that in the OP. Also something about testing your map, PrBoom+ with -complevel 2 is the safest; if you're going to use ZDoom, probably best to use "Doom (Strict)" compatibility settings.

btw, also add Emil Brundage to the list of people who I borrowed stuff from.

I think everyone should post maps as soon as they are comfortable with other people seeing them. It's fine if they're unfinished, people won't judge an unfinished work as a final product.

On that note, one of the most helpful things the NOVA alumni (and other experienced mappers) could do is to playtest and post criticism and suggestions, so I hope there will be plenty of that when there are maps to see. I'm still quite impressed by how good the maps in NOVA I were, and I hope whatever process inspired newbie mappers to produce such quality works can be repeated here.

an_mutt & Ashstrodamus: Thanks!

[NuMetalManiak]

I hope silverdeth doesn't mind me changing the gameplay in BaseHell.wad too. as I have played his map, and for me, it's pretty much impossible without knowledge of secrets and running to them.