Linear-ish WADs that are good? (With simple or no puzzles?)

[PsychoGoatee]

I love a good complex map, no doubt. But sometimes I find a WAD can be on the confusing side. A complex labyrinth that makes not much sense to me, since I'm probably looking at it differently than the author. I often get stuck.

Ditto for switch puzzles where I just have no idea where I'm supposed to go. That said, there are plenty of good huge complex labyrinths. Suspended In Dusk for example.

But what I'm wondering, has anybody attempted a linear-ish style of Doom wad, and succeeded in your opinion?

I enjoy the open hub style of Doom where you wander around looking for keys, but it's unique to me to see something like a Quake or even Half-Life style where the levels were a bit smaller and more linear to some degree. Granted Quake doesn't always apply here, and only somewhat, but you can see what I mean.

Where the level is funneling you in the right direction at all times, with an offshoot here and there on the sides to make it feel fuller maybe. More or less, what modern FPS design is when it's good. As in, not literally a Call of Duty straight line.

So, has anybody made some good stuff in this different style for Doom? I'd love some recommendations.

If not, I propose a community Megawad called "Doom for dummies" or something. :D People find it interesting to make a level with say a low number of sectors as a challenge. Maybe making an interesting fun linear level could be a different kind of challenge.

[Fonze]

Here's one I played recently that was short and sweet; pretty fun too. The title is "The Gap" by Skumball.
http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/s-u/thegap

Another map I recently played that was pretty linear and tons of fun was Mithran Denizen's map for the Ty Tribute thread.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/89qhnezphv4z2a8/FSEAv2.zip
It is recommended to run with this texture pack:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/t2g35c8tib6zdvp/sepTYtex.zip

Both maps are Boom compatible; Doom 2 iWad.

Though I will say that The Gap appears to have some imps that teleport in that are stuck in Boom, though are fine in zDoom... still, you'll have fun with both maps.

[PsychoGoatee]

Fonze said:

though are fine in zDoom... still, you'll have fun with both maps.

Thanks! GZDoom is what I generally use.

[Memfis]

At the moment I can't think of a wad that focuses specifically on linear maps, so here are some picks from wads that feature labyrinth levels too:

Requiem has some wonderful linear maps with memorable events, particularly the ones by Iikka Keranen (03, 08, 16...).

Map18 from Epic 2 is my personal favorite, the MP3 soundtrack makes it feel like some sort of cinematic adventure, a very nice feeling.

Also I highly recommend maps 15, 27 and 30 from Estranged. 27 in particular is so cool, you get to climb a tall mountain with pesky cacodemons and PEs flying all over the place and the music from Super Mario Galaxy fits perfectly. 30 might seem a bit confusing at first sight but actually you just have to follow the "obvious" way and you won't ever get lost I think. Just don't fall. :D

[PsychoGoatee]

Memfis said:

At the moment I can't think of a wad that focuses specifically on linear maps, so here are some picks from wads that feature labyrinth levels too:

Thanks, that's helpful too. Requiem and Epic 2 were on my to-play list from being recommended in general too.

[dew]

Aeternum map02 for life.

[Fonze]

You know what, if you use GzDoom you might like "Firetop Mountain" by glenizho. It was pretty linear, very cool looking and I remember it being pretty fun when I played it a year ago. I think it was a long one, though.