Abyssal Speedmapping Session 25 - Boxing Day Spectacular!

[Surreily]

Version 2 of the ASS 25 beta is now available!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pvwvz382mnkc6k1/ASS25v2.wad?dl=1

CHANGES

- Added four new maps (and yes, this includes Obsidian's newest version).
- - I had to edit Obsidian's map to include sky transfers.
- - No other maps have been edited yet.
- - The map order is still in the order of uploads.
- Added some intermission text in the DEHACKED lump.
- Used Slade's nifty 'remove unused crap' feature to cut the filesize down.

WISHLIST

- M_SKULL (we've already had a crate a few sessions ago, so maybe a barrel this time?).
- If you update your map, could you please make a new post instead of editing a previous one? Also, no major updates, just bugfixes please!

OTHER STUFF

Let me know if you see checkerboards anywhere. Also, 4shockblast's map is once again insanely difficult - opinions on moving it to the MAP31 slot?

I will have a go at streaming these maps later tonight (probably around 8pm GMT), but this might not go ahead as I have never streamed before. If you don't like Scottish accents, get that mute button at the ready!

And finally, thanks to everyone who participated.

PROTIP

Did you know that changing your Dropbox URL's "?dl=0" to "?dl=1" allows users to instantly download your file without having to visit the Dropbox page for it?

[Obsidian]

The last 3 maps have D_DOOM playing in them.

[Surreily]

Thanks Obsidian, fixed.

Edit: Another minor update with a map fix (it's MAP13 in case you're curious). I completely missed the post with it, sorry about that Vanger_ru. Same link, but here it is again anyways:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pvwvz382mnkc6k1/ASS25v2.wad?dl=1

Edit 2: Also updated Jimmy's map.

[Pinchy]

M_SKULL

[Jimmy]

Thanks for using my megaswitches in the completely proper way, ya buncha fucks.

[Wereknight]

Updated Dumbstein2.

Click

Fixed one really bad thing... yup.

[Surreily]

Two things:

1) I fail at MAPINFO, so the WAD's been updated again. I also threw in CWolfRu's update and Pinchy's M_SKULL. Thanks!

2) Streaming in 15 minutes: http://www.twitch.tv/surreily

[Wereknight]

Good to know, thanks!

[Fletcher`]

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/18675596/Doomstuff/rf_ass25.wad

Posted a real quick update to my map. More barrels, fixed some HOM, removed a lot of ammo, and added scrolling floors. Also added a midi version of end song from blade runner. (Its from dwango10)

Probably should have fixed the misalignment with the exit textures, but I'm done touching it.

Edit 2: Fixed. Also fixed the wrong line action for the scrolling floors.

[Surreily]

New version now available! https://www.dropbox.com/s/ctb39j81d6p6pjv/ASS25v2-1.wad?dl=1

CHANGES

- Fixed dumb MAP07 bug due to some more messed up MAPINFO
- Added updated map and new MIDI from rf'

MAP ORDER

This is my proposed map order for ASS25. I hope that this represents a rise in difficulty from the beginning to the end (obviously). I put 4shockblast's map in the MAP31 slot because, well, you know what his maps are like :P

MAP01: DUMBSTEIN2: REVENGE OF DUMBSTEIN by CWolfRu
MAP02: Simple krates and barrels by Vanger_ru
MAP03: Insomnia Cure by Jimmy
MAP04: Turbo Barrels O' FUUUUUUCK by alterworldruler
MAP05: Dominatrix Facility by jmickle66666666
MAP06: 0.25 Of My Dick Shuts Down Texas by Obsidian
MAP07: Mr. Gimmick's Revenge! by NuclearPotato (cannot be changed)
MAP08: Full Anal Nelson by Jimmy
MAP09: Barrel Falls by Surreily
MAP10: Freezing my Barrels Off by FuzzballFox
MAP11: Bottledick! by rf`
MAP12: Wrapped by scifista42
MAP13: Rockets_Around_The_Christmas_Tree by Pinchy
MAP14: Fuck it that'll do by AD_79
MAP15: How I spent my doomsday vacation by joe-ilya
MAP16: Uncle Mom's Cabin by TheMionicDonut
MAP31: I Ran Out Of Ideas by 4shockblast

If you have any objections, feel free to throw me your opinions!

BUGS I NOTICED

These are not urgent, and most of the bugs were caused by me being incompetent with MAPINFO. That being said, there were a few that I noticed during my playthrough:

Mr. Gimmick's Revenge!: Conveyors don't behave as they should.
Uncle Mom's Cabin: It's possible to bypass the yellow bars and hit the switch labelled "exit" early.
I Ran Out Of Ideas: HOMs on rising floors.
Simple krates and barrels: Some of the krates have the wrong CRATOP texture, and there is a misplaced wood flat on the ceiling inside the first room on the right side.

OTHER

Thank you to everyone for helping me out with this, this is the first time I've compiled the WAD for ASS. Also, thanks to those who supported and helped me during my first stream - I appreciate it, and I know my commentary could have been a bit more lively...

[Vanger_ru]

Surreily

Simple krates and barrels: Some of the krates have the wrong CRATOP texture, and there is a misplaced wood flat on the ceiling inside the first room on the right side.

Thanks.
I will fix it tonight until 23:00 GMT.

[Walter confetti]

Played the version 2 of the wad... there's some bug in MAPINFO after map14 you return to the same level.... that happens also in the next levels. ...

[Wereknight]

walter confalonieri said:

Played the last version of the wad... there's some bug in MAPINFO after map14 you return to the same level.... that happens also in the next levels. ...

I'll try to fix it.

I don't see any problem in new version...

[Surreily]

Strange... I thought I fixed that... I will look into it soon!

[Vanger_ru]

Updated version of my map (fixed some wrong textures)

[scifista42]

Surreily said:

Also, thanks to those who supported and helped me during my first stream

Next time please record/save your stream so that people who didn't catch it live would be able to replay it later, like when you look at for example KingDime's profile -> "Older broadcasting".

[Surreily]

Yep, first time streaming, I didn't know how to do it. I'll look into it and make sure I've set it up for next time though - sorry!

Anyways, here's a new version with Vanger_ru's map - no other changes have been made: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ctb39j81d6p6pjv/ASS25v2-1.wad?dl=1

I'm off to do a quick review of everyone's map, what I thought of each one and my experience with it (since I fucked up and didn't have Twitch's last broadcast thingy activated). You didn't miss much - it was just an hour of me being kinda nervous while playing through the maps :P

[Pinchy]

I didn't intend to have underscores instead of spaces in mine.

[scifista42]

Well, you wrote it as such in your original post.

Pinchy said:

Name: [url="http://www.mediafire.com/download/5p3uqalkt5qgi0g/"]Rockets_Around_The_Christmas_Tree[/url]

(the url tags intentionally left visible and non-functional)

[baja blast rd.]

Map01 ("DUMBSTEIN2: REVENGE OF DUMBSTEIN"): LOL, that was great. I have no idea what I just played.

edit:

Map02: awesome too.

Wtf, if this wad keeps it up, it might be the best thing ever.

edit(2):

Ah, I guess not all of them will be jokemaps. Map03 is broken due to a ZDoomism -- linedef 199 is a zero-tagged switch door.

I guess I'll comment on the ones I play before it's time to do other things.

[baja blast rd.]

Map04: It's possible to detonate the barrels in the BK area from the lift, and then the whole room will be empty, which as you can imagine makes it look quite odd :p. I realized it was a maze only after checking the map in the editor afterwards. Otherwise, solid. AV would ironically be stronger if the map were non-linear and the BK path came first, with the cinematic drop-in behind the archy's back. If you go the RK way first it's just a corner-pop battle where it doesn't exert too much pressure. I guess that's what it is no matter what, but the warp-in idea is cool.

Map05: Man, great cinematic intro. Strong map.

Map06: The combat is easy (and fun!), but the ammo balance is on the "just about what you need" side; I finished with nothing but ~30 bullets left (not including the shells in the exit). I can actually envision a scenario where the player is light on ammo at the end, and can't kill the viles to exit, and can't run past them given how slow the lift is. So an extra rocket box or two would be appreciated. Love the Christmas tree.

Map07: The clash between the music and the map's actual atmosphere is awesome, lol. This map could really use a backpack! I had to make three trips to the scroller maze to finish off the cybers. The whole scroller maze seems a bit superfluous, beyond being the place where the ammo is.

Alright, gotta work.

[Obsidian]

Would it be possible to change the name of my map to "1/4 of my Dick Shuts Down Texas"? The only reason it isn't already is because Windows throws a hissy fit if I have a slash in the filename.

[scifista42]

rdwpa said:

Map04: It's possible to detonate the barrels in the BK area from the lift, and then the whole room will be empty, which as you can imagine makes it look quite odd :p.

I've realized that after I posted the map, but I'll keep it in as a possible speedrunning trick. A potential speedrunner will have enough trouble to detonate the barrels while dealing with all the monsters below the lift. :)

rdwpa said:

AV would ironically be stronger if the map were non-linear and the BK path came first, with the cinematic drop-in behind the archy's back. If you go the RK way first it's just a corner-pop battle where it doesn't exert too much pressure. I guess that's what it is no matter what, but the warp-in idea is cool.

Maybe you wanted to say "linear" instead of "non-linear". Anyway, good advice, thanks, maybe in my next map. The teleport destination behind the Archvile was originally meant only for the teleport outside of the red key circular pit trap, but I needed to teleport the player out of the barrel maze too and so I reused the destination.

[baja blast rd.]

Oops, yeah that's what I meant. :p

[Surreily]

A new version is available! This uses a new filename, so older links will link to older versions of the file!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vlai8ey0ki0dm5m/ASS25v3.wad?dl=0

CHANGES
- Map orders rearranged.
- Map title graphics added.
- DEHACKED and MAPINFO lumps updated to match new map order.
- Subtle name changes on a couple maps
- 4shockblast's map is now accessible after completing the new MAP17. I am not sure if this extra map should stay in or if I should just shove 4shockblast's map on MAP31 slot - opinions would be appreciated. I thought it might be nice to not exclude 4shockblast's map to only IDCLEV31ers, yet still warn the player in a way :P

WISHLIST
Can someone make that TITLEPIC thing we use each month, the one with the roman numbers? Never mind, everything is sorted!

OTHER
I have some short reviews for about half of the maps, once I finish them I'll stick them in this thread.

MAP01's death exit creates a very nasty situation for the player if they are playing without pistol starts on MAP02 (1% health). Vanger_Ru, can I have permission to place a large medikit in the first room in front of the player?

[Jimmy]

DEHACKED throws up a few (non-fatal) "unknown chunk HUSTR_#" errors on startup with ZDoom.

---

Also, though I suspect I know the answer to this, would I be permitted to retexture either of my two maps? The reason they are all using stock textures is that my machine is apparently crippled and couldn't run Doom Builder with any speed whatsoever along with the 32in24-15 texture pack during the session - the "texture select" window would take possibly 10 seconds to load and the program was giving me terrible trouble with mouse clicks/drags.

I don't want to be the one to hold this mapset back so I don't know if I'll do both, but Insomnia Cure is maybe in need of a facelift. If I'm not allowed, I'll just stick it in Jiffy Bag with the rest of them and make it passable there instead. :V

[Surreily]

Thanks for pointing that out Jimmy. Turns out the place I copy+pasted the code from wasn't real DEHACKED code, just a reference. I also stuck in an EMAPINFO lump for Eternity. I have not released this fixed and improved version of the WAD yet; I still need to do the TITLEPIC.

About the retexturing of the maps: I personally have no problem with it (especially since you were prevented from doing so during the session by your computer), but asking someone more experienced than me (TMD or Obsidian) would be a good idea, since they've been leading sessions for some time.

[baja blast rd.]

The new map02: Good texture use -- nice-looking enough map. This map started quite pleasantly with that barrel sequence and easy combat with low-HP monsters, but it fell apart when higher-HP monsters were encountered (because the combat remained easy and non-threatening). It's somewhat mandatory to make the RL more visible. By the time I grabbed it, I had killed everything, which involved chaingunning barons. Putting it on the crate lift would do. One of the two HKs at the entrance to the YK area should warp behind the player by use of a W1-teleport-monster line. It's probably better to just change every baron in the level to a HK (or even an imp). I gave up on the crate-arrow thing somewhat quickly on my very first attempt, because I expected another ZDoomism and interpreted the arrow as a sector error or something. I'm not the brightest bulb when it comes to even halfway opaque progression, however! Anyway, this map is five minutes of changes away from being completely salvaged, so don't take the litany of criticisms too harshly!

(Are changes that aren't bug-related still allowed? Maybe the critiques will be (partially) in vain.)

The new map03: Quite an impressive "fundamentally sound" small layout. A+ stuff not only for the timeframe but in general. This map is DYING for a berserk pack, however -- it'd be great for tysoning. Also, I decided to punch out some monsters with the bare fist because it seemed as if ammo was getting very tight until I found the backpack/shellbox behind the barrels.

Map05: Formerly map 03. I tried to replay this one. It's still broken . . .

The new map06: I knew this was an Obsidian map before reaching the intermission screen! The revs are kind of tedious. Could cut those in half (at least!). Rest is cool, including the silly cyber horseshit.

Map08: I hadn't played up to map08 in version 2, so I don't know what's new or not anymore. Surprisingly nasty first-playthrough start with lots of hitscanners in the dimness and the armor not immediately accessible if you drop into the blood pool at first. Could make a bunch of the health acquired later (when it's of no use) accessible early on, or reposition the berserk pack, which has much less utility as a weapon in this map given the type of opposition and the quantity of shell ammo. Another cool layout. Warping barrel gimmick was cool at the end, luckily I SSG'd the barrels from afar! :D

[Surreily]

Thanks rwdpa, I've done a quick nomonsters run through all the maps with prboom and fixed the door issue in the new MAP05.

Latest version (still no TITLEPIC yet): https://www.dropbox.com/s/vlai8ey0ki0dm5m/ASS25v3.wad?dl=1
- Fixed DEHACKED.
- Added EMAPINFO.
- Removed unused switches and animated from their respective lumps.
- Fixed broken door on MAP05.
- Learned to test in intended source port.

Having a bit of trouble with the sky textures in PrBoom though:



Any idea why this is happening? It happens only with skies that are 128 units tall; other textures (such as the ridiculously huge one used on my map) are fine. PrBoom has no trouble rendering ASS24 skies, so it must be something in this WAD causing the problem. Sorry about this, I kinda suck at compiling stuff :( Never mind, ASS24 also does it, my PrBoom is broken somehow.

[baja blast rd.]

Map10: The way this played out wasn't very fun. The arch-viles formed a meatwall in front of the YK door and I spent about five minutes getting other monsters to kill them. Making the chaingun accessible a bit earlier on seems advised -- I pistoled the three pinkies at the start to death. Not a fan of the six exit pinkies (or any of the pinkies in the level, for that matter).

Map11: Very cool design. I'll have to study this one -- quite complex visually for the time frame. There are two blue armors in the level in close succession, not sure what that's about. Quite an easy map imo, so it can come earlier.

Map12 and Map13: I commented on these earlier, but I think they fit earlier too. They have enjoyable "early days"-type fighting.

Map14: That music, LOL. It's kind of funny how former humans are the most dangerous monster on this level, maybe 2nd most dangerous by a slim margin to the infinitely tall wave of cacos/PEs. I think this map slot is appropriate, because I didn't immediately notice that it was possible to get up to the outer ring in the second wave, and if you don't do that, the fight is basically impossible due to former human attrition (!) and occasional infinite talling. Afterwards I decided to jump there directly, though, and that made it easy. Cool texture scheme as usual.

Map15: Strong map. I've heard a lot of bad things said about Joe-Ilya's mapping, but this was fun and challenging. A lot of these hectic sandbox type maps start to go downhill once you carve out some space and eliminate the more pressing threats, but here, the resources aren't in the most convenient locations possible, and in order to clean up you have to maneuver around threatening monsters you left alive -- in my case, an AV, trons, and the pool mancs -- to grab the other weapons, so there's still a degree of tension remaining. Health/ammo are tightly balanced. Probably the best map in the gameplay department so far. If there's one criticism it's that the map is unnecessarily dark; it was like playing with a tint or something. Changing the outdoor light levels to 144 seems like a good idea.