xasermap - all aboard the mega magilla gorilla flotilla v1.1

[Xaser]

this sure is a map my friends - v1.1

Single map for Doom 2. Lots of nukage, open-endedness, and Dark Souls-inspired trial-by-death gameplay. May or may not be safe for human consumption.

Enjoy, and FDA at your own risk.

Edited December 31, 2017 by Xaser : v1.1 update

[baja blast rd.]

DAT SKY

[Memfis]

Hmm, stressful map. Managed to beat it on a surprisingly early 25 minute attempt. Current mood is somewhere between "fuck yeah" and "will never touch this shit again". :) In any case, it was a memorable experience. I think Ribbiks will comment positively on this wad.

[Ribbiks]

quirky, interesting structures. not really getting a trial-and-error vibe, but I feel like I got really lucky stumbling into an invul in my playthrough. suppose I might've thought otherwise if I had explored it differently. here's an fda where I accidentally stumbled my way to the exit: https://www.mediafire.com/?j9qob84vfxhc99e

is the monster blocking line around the RSK room intentional?

[Xaser]

I suppose as a for-the-record, the gameplay comments are based largely on my own experiences with it (and maybe a couple of other folks), and I'm far from a top tier player. I'm sure a few folks around will agree more with the phrase "this is gravy you nonce."

Ribbiks said:

is the monster blocking line around the RSK room intentional?

Yeah, it was meant to keep the HK in the cage area for sniping purposes, but I suppose it botches the Pain Elementals entirely. I'll replace it with a lowered floor barrier thingy so it'll block walkers but not flyers.

Memfis said:

Current mood is somewhere between "fuck yeah" and "will never touch this shit again". :)

This is my favorite description of the map thus far.

[Demon of the Well]

Hey, one-off maps by Xaser, for no particular occasion. Now that's an unexpected treat! Played this one the first out of the three, here's a skill 4 FDA. Very distinctive look with all the green/grey/cement, actually reminded me of that cool sewer-shrine map from NEIS that NaturalTvventy posts about once every 3 decades or so. The layout does a good job of discouraging camping through wide open spaces and odd firing angles for monsters that are tough to keep track of, rather than having to use a lot of lock-ins or dead-drops at every turn, always good to see something that's very pressuring without being very 'controlling.' Gaining ground in the level is often best done by scouting around the various bits of the flotilla from down in the drink, which makes radsuits more valuable than gold, interesting dynamic there. Ammo/supply balance is quite nice as well, I made a lot of really cringeworthy mistakes (esp. versus revenants) and so ended up consuming essentially all of the map's resources, but I still made it out in the end, spurred on by the slow-creeping panic of my radsuit running out earlier than I thought it would.

Didn't see any real bugs or breakages, just a couple of sky cutoff/overlap issues around the periphery, both along the northern edge of the map, beyond the thin cement walkways. One of them I look at/acknowledge around 6:30 or so in the demo, the other one I saw briefly out of the corner of my eye somewhere a little past 10:00.

Some quibbles, all just minor stuff:
* Main thing is that I'd like a way out of the exit-sink area after the ooze-level lowers over there. I guess it being one-way makes the spiderdemon a lot more formidable if a player brashly goes down there without being prepared, but eh, in a level like this where there's a major exploration element I don't think most route choices should be eternally binding (temporarily binding is another matter, of course). Maybe have the exit teleporter at the end of a short tunnel, with a regular teleporter back up top somewhere off to the side along the way?
* Since you can skirt around the little plinth and hit the single switch to lower the SSG from 3 sides anyway, I might suggest having the plinth be activatable from those 3 sides, make it a little harder to pass up, like I did after initially seeing it.
* I'd also like either a courtesy radsuit in the wooden red key tower, or a teleporter to somewhere else, as it stands going there carries at least some nominal damage-tax when it's time to leave, a bit out of step with building-to-building flow in the rest of the dry land route.
* Some of the sergeants on top of the bloodfalls in the area surrounding the BFG's cage are very difficult to target from below in the absence of mouselook, a handicap which they of course don't share. I suppose their placement is more in mind of them being able to fire at the BFG platform than down into the bloody sump below, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

With all the green everywhere, you oughtta make a sequel to this using the Stardate20X6 palette. You could call it "The Great Grape Ape Facer*pe Escape (From Ponape)." ;)

[baja blast rd.]

Normal players die when they mess up. DotW ends up on 1% or 2%.

[Hellbent]

I really like that you reward the player for trying something different (and apparently asinine) at the start. I am enjoying this map though I am dying all the time.

I am not a fan of teleporting in monsters in instantaneous response to picking up something valuable, it's cheap and gimmicky; ie.

Spoiler

grab the SSG, suddenly an Arch-vile attacking you.

Having a wall lower slowly revealing monsters is in much better taste. The layout of this map is very good so far; I love all the different setups.

I am not mistaken in thinking this map is 8X more difficult than sharp things? Why is there so little ammo of the useful type in this map? Whereas pointy things was so darn liberal with said useful ammo type?

Here, let's give the player one energy cell for 5 top tier monsters.

EDIT: Okay, I finally found a path that is more successful, but the map is still driving me mad, though. I have to say very well designed despite the maddening challenge.

It's kind of disappointing that a map with an open ended design that is *completely* non linear ends up being designed in such a way that there is one prescribed route you need to figure out through trial and error. :-/ *sigh Because all other routes are too difficult and will end up in death.

I appreciate the design of the acid floor and the placement of the very strategically placed rad suits but it is just a little too punishing. I mean, it takes some fun out of the map whenever you fall off a ledge without a rad suit because 496 different fireballs of all kinds of types are flying at you and you cannot remain on the little piece of ledge or whatever and then you are running around like a chicken without a head in a massive radiation expanse looking for a teleport or steps up onto terra firma.

I'm just bitter that this wad has shown me to be a mediocre doom player. It's actually a fantastic wad and better than most stuff out there. It's super fun and rewarding and people should give it more chances. Just... use the invuln sphere wisely. And figure out the path you are going to take and then somehow execute your plan ;) This is the part I'm having difficulty with. I don't know where to go and I can't remember how to get there so I always end up somewhere I didn't intend and then trying to make the most of the situation. Is there even enough ammo on this level to kill everything? I'm sure there is, but it takes a kung-fu master. I'm not complaining; I don't think anything should be changed about the map. I am going to continue to try beating it and continue to complain about it, tho. :D

[Hellbent]

I'm still trying to beat this level. Somehow I just can't seem to keep a footing. I also get disoriented and flustered very easily. So much going on. So many missiles to keep aware of. Arch-viles are so vile in this map.

[Cacowad]

Welp, more than trial-by-death this is a severe case of "run around in god mode until you find the less worst path". Since i refuse to play using saves, i'll eventually get past the ssg segment and proceed to repeatly ragequit on my way to raise the stairs to the yellow door, without failing miserably the jump to the switch in the process.

Otherwise, good stuff.

[Xaser]

Got a polished up v1.1 release on /idgames now: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/v-z/xa-goril -- all of DotW's suggestions are in, and lower difficulties add extra items (including radsuits on Easy) to hopefully make the wad more palatable for those who don't really like its "figure it out" schtick.