rf1024: I don't know what's going on with this title anymore

[Shanoa]

I've started playing this today and i'm up to map20 in one sitting. I really enjoy the layout design and non-stop action going on. Excellent work!

I wonder, considering i haven't gotten 100% in every maps, did i miss the exit to map33?

[Fletcher`]

Shanoa said:

I've started playing this today and i'm up to map20 in one sitting. I really enjoy the layout design and non-stop action going on. Excellent work!

I wonder, considering i haven't gotten 100% in every maps, did i miss the exit to map33?

Nope! Not yet.

[Shanoa]

rf` said:

Nope! Not yet.

Phew! Time to start going after those secrets even more so now! :D

[Shanoa]

doublepost but: just finished the last level and man what a thrill it was. You managed to create an interesting IoS battle.

Excellent work~

[Salt-Man Z]

Shoot, I forgot there was a MAP33. I got all the secrets except for 1 in a late-20s map, and 2 in MAP 30...

[kmxexii]

review is up. this was a fun blast.

[kuchitsu]

Sorry offtopic, but do you think there is a chance that you'll release Notebook on, like, idgames? That wad was good.

[Fletcher`]

Ultrabump, omg, but I forgot to post an update to this:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dssplmhjokihzk7/rf_1024.wad?dl=0 here you go.

Edited March 24, 2017 by rf` : Updated link

[CapnClever]

Played through this recently, figure I should give feedback.

 

For the record: I played this in Eternity Engine (Bifrost primarily, then Heimdal), UV, pistol starts, and few saves (I think zero until MAP20). The exit on MAP29 refused to work, and the switch that starts the final encounter in MAP30 simply won't press. Everything else seemed to work as intended (insomuch that I could complete the rest of the levels and access/complete MAP33).

 

The changes in weapons take a little time to get used to but play well and give the set a fresh flavor. Most of them have an increased rate of fire (if ever-so-slightly) which successfully improves the pacing of most levels. Rocket launcher's projectile seems faster, which is good until the final boss completely destroys ingrained timing (this is a good thing, I'd say). BFG replacement is the one that stands out as unfitting, solely due to its friendly fire: these levels are already quite small, and having a weapon that can potentially kill you in most places you'd actually want to use it is off-putting.

 

Of the monsters SFX changes, the revenant firing sound is one that threw me off the most. Changing around weapon SFX is one thing (feedback to adapt is ever-present) but when you adjust enemy noises, it can really change how you can deal with the enemy. Most of these were subtle enough to fit (the gibbing, and therefore archvile rez, noise is probably an improvement over the original) but the revenant's attack doesn't stand out nearly as much, making it an even greater overall threat. Just something to consider.

 

Although I was told by rf` that each level was tested assuming infinite-height actors, I can't recommend playing with it (and kmxexii appears to agree). While I certainly appreciate the more vertically-oriented levels, some simply do not play fluidly because of invisible blockers. Here are notable cases:

• Spectre horde in MAP08
• MAP16 in general
• Flyers in MAP22, and the freaking torches at the end
• MAP26 archvile fight
• MAP33 final archvile fight

As you can see, it's really only a few levels, but they're incredibly annoying because of it. Might be a couple other places too, but the aforementioned are the most stand-out.

 

Here are some general notes on progression/scaling of maps:

• I agree with an_mutt that the first five maps are pretty bland: more than being easier, they altogether lack the punchy, hard-hitting attitude of the rest of the set. MAP03 is enough of a keeper if you adjust the teleport points to wedge the player in better, and in general they'd probably just play better by replacing HKs/Barons with less spongey enemies. (I did like the trap in MAP02, though.) If you're considering the possibility of significantly altering maps, I would suggest using the first level as a primer for the player to become comfortable with the pistol and shotgun as better weapons (due to their upped speed), then machinegun in level two.
• MAP09 is where the set really gets into the groove with the maps, all filled with exciting, excellently-crafted gameplay, and that more or less continues all the way through MAP21. MAP20 is a bit of a pace-breaker: it's here that I had the most difficulty understanding the existence of the BFG replacement. The level is pretty good, but I'd have much preferred other weapons.
• MAP22-28 brings about an immediate jump in difficulty, though in a few cases I wouldn't call it in line with the overall pace of the set:
  • MAP23 felt a little luck-based with all the barrels. Sometimes the second room went well and sometimes it didn't (and in the latter case that effectively meant restarting the level).
  • MAP25's height differences are just plain mean, forcing camping more often than that. Not necessarily bad for a map of this length, but it's a big pace-breaker compared to the rest of the set.
  • MAP27's start is exceptionally aggravating. You're expected to zerk-punch a cacodemon but it keeps trying to climb over a wall, thereby avoiding line of sight, and you don't exactly have time to waste doing this.
  • The infinite height problems noted above.
• MAP29 is a really odd drop in difficulty. I understand the homage, but this level feels like it'd fit better around MAP06 or so.
• The bosses work, primarily as novelty, and the decision to keep them isolated from the rest of the set is good judgment.
• There are a LOT of archvile rez fights, up to and beyond the point where it goes from interesting to repetitive. I understand it's really hard to build compelling encounters under these conditions, nevermind a decent difficulty curve, but replacing even 2-3 of the archvile encounters would do wonders to keep the player guessing.

Keep in mind that all of this was tested under EE, and so the goods and bad I noticed might well be significantly different compared to GZDoom: when the fights are this constrained, it's easy for slight engine quirks to cause major disturbances in balance.