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NaZa

Journey to Despair [WIP] (MAP02 is looking for feedback)

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What I've learned!

Spoiler

Do you remember The Lord Project? Yeah, started with a 32 level megawad. Not the best way to start.

I have learned a lot in these 3 months - mostly about the importance of balance, surprise and fun in maps. I have also learned that your wad must be planned and consistent, theme changing between episodes; like MAP01 of lproject.wad was a base, MAP02 was a mine and MAP03 was a castle! WTF?!

So, here I propose my work in progress; Journey to Despair! It is intended to be the MAP01 - 11 replacement for Doom II. For now, only MAP01 is completed. If it gets enough positive responses, I may widen it to a megawad (even tho I don't believe it - it's too large). I already dreamt some maps, in particular MAP11.

Story:
Spoiler

The Doom Marine! The sacred hero of the demon invasion on Phobos and Deimos! Respected by elders, idolized by youths. You are the most important figure in this world.

However, for a prize such big, there comes a price. Years later, you decided to forget everything about that and turn a new page. You became much darker, and much more merciless. Becoming a world renowned mafia boss, you assassinated the president for no obvious reason. However, because of many clues, the crime traced back to you.

Going to the most secure prison was very tough. The Government decided to put you in a disused old base in the mountains. For the public coverup, they became work at that base again. But, since the main guard was very naive, you managed to break free and steal his pistol. When you opened the door leading out, your journey to despair had just begun...


Screenshots:
Spoiler




Maplist (O = completed, X - not yet completed, I - in progress):
Spoiler

MAP01 - Confinement - O
MAP02 - Wastelands - O
MAP03 - Broken Machines - I
MAP04 - Water's Gifts - X
MAP05 - Combo - X
MAP06 - The Kickoff Rush - X
MAP07 - Fort Klein - X
MAP08 - C&C Co. - X
MAP09 - Cycle - X
MAP10 - Forgotten - X
MAP11 - Future Military Conquests - X

Changelog
Spoiler

BETA 1.1
- MAP02 added
- Fixed minor stuff in MAP01 thanks to testers' recommendations

BETA 1.0
- MAP01 added
- Music added

Music used (put, up to MAP16):
Spoiler

IT'S ALL FROM DUKE NUKEM 3D

MAP01 - City Streets
MAP02 - Water World
MAP03 - Invader
MAP04 - Going After The Fat Commander
MAP05 - Preparation D
MAP06 - Stalker
MAP07 - Taking the Death Toll
MAP08 - The Call of Death
MAP09 - Gloomy
MAP10 - Subway
MAP11 - Future Military Conquests
-------------------------------------
(in the file, but eh)
MAP12 - Aliens, Say Your Prayers!
MAP13 - In Hiding
MAP14 - In Tents
MAP15 - Space Storm
MAP16 - Gotham

COMPACTIBILITY: vanilla Doom II

LINK : http://www.mediafire.com/download/0jr07ewssmt95ch/JTD.wad

Have fun (I hope)!

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rdwpa said:

Map 01 FDA: http://www.mediafire.com/download/34fw6fp18382tt4/jtd01_rdwpa_fda.lmp

Enjoyed the traps, especially the imp swarm.

Some nitpicks: Those health items around the damaging sectors are a bit hard to pick up in those indentations. Revs felt like a roadbump in the pace given the crampedness of the crate area.

Yeah, I've been getting trouble picking those up too. I'll see, will probably replace them with Chaingunners or Pinkies (since it's cramped so Pinkies have a bit of an advantage? No? ...

EDIT: Watched your FDA. You must have felt kind of stupid (no offense) when you discovered that the switch lowers that big crate. Also, you missed the switch on the UAC plate at the end. But all in all, great FDA, gonna use this for some bugfixing. Thanks!

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Updated map, fixing some misalignments and some minor bugs repaired. Same link!

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Here is a scrub-level fda, complevel 2 (pretty sure this is for the first version that you posted).

Despite my struggles at the start, I had fun. I felt that the imp flood pressure was definitely the only real challenge in the map, so once I figured that out, it was a bit anti-climactic. The 3-button room that transitions into the outdoor area was awkward, since some of the buttons lower but can still be activated. I'm still not sure what all of them were for, but apparently I hit the ones that I needed to. :D

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Benjogami said:

Here is a scrub-level fda, complevel 2 (pretty sure this is for the first version that you posted).

Despite my struggles at the start, I had fun. I felt that the imp flood pressure was definitely the only real challenge in the map, so once I figured that out, it was a bit anti-climactic. The 3-button room that transitions into the outdoor area was awkward, since some of the buttons lower but can still be activated. I'm still not sure what all of them were for, but apparently I hit the ones that I needed to. :D

I don't know, but I think it desynches to me; I wait a minute to see you restarting the map. The buttons are there so when you press either switch it lowers the way to the outside.

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I guess I suck at this game: FDA

My thoughts:

Mark the exit. I like to know when I'm exiting a level.

It feels very cramped, which I guess is what you were going for. But it could be improved without making it more spacious. Those switches in the imp room really get in the way when you are trying to dodge the imps. And that gap between the crates is only barely too narrow walk through.

Teleporting hitscanners is pretty cheap, it leaves a lot to luck. Look how much health I have the first time vs the second time, despite not really doing anything differently - completely random.

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DoomLover234 said:

I don't know, but I think it desynches to me; I wait a minute to see you restarting the map. The buttons are there so when you press either switch it lowers the way to the outside.


Are you running it with the latest version of your map? Cause that desyncs for me as well. I recorded with the original map that you posted. prboom+ 2.5.1.3 complevel 2.

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BrainMuncher said:

I guess I suck at this game: FDA

My thoughts:

Mark the exit. I like to know when I'm exiting a level.

It feels very cramped, which I guess is what you were going for. But it could be improved without making it more spacious. Those switches in the imp room really get in the way when you are trying to dodge the imps. And that gap between the crates is only barely too narrow walk through.

Teleporting hitscanners is pretty cheap, it leaves a lot to luck. Look how much health I have the first time vs the second time, despite not really doing anything differently - completely random.

About the exit - thought about it for a while, I'll mark it.
I will try to make a lower floor action when you press the switch and the door open when you get close to the switch, but we'll see about that.
I know about hitscanners. It does add more challenge, tho; and it makes you play very cautiously. The end part is my favorite part - especially on UV.


EDIT: Benjogami, I am playing it with the updated version. So that's why! I thought that's it, but wasn't sure.

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I have been making astounding progress with MAP02. I think it might be the hardest map I have ever made. If it doesn't fit in the MAP02 slot, I'll just move it. This is my first time trying to make a fun challenging map (keyword: Revenants).

But, after I watched a video on Youtube, my Windows XP froze, and when I restarted it, it said that the SYSTEM folder was missing/corrupt.

You know how disappointed and angry I was. Is there a way to retrieve files after your Windows have crashed? As I have stated, I did a lot of work.

Also I got smarter and I will install Windows 7.

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Wow that sucks. You can retrieve files as long as the disk itself isn't dead.

If you have a DVD burner one easy way is to burn a linux ISO to disc. You can then boot right from the DVD without needing a hard disk to install to. As long as the disk itself isn't dead, and it's not encrypted, you should be able to access whatever files are there.

Here's one that should work:
http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=2946

If the PC itself won't boot because of a faulty power supply or motherboard or something, you might have to take the disk out and put it in another PC to try to get the files off it.

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Beautiful. I installed Windows 7 after many troubles. It worked just fine on a different area. But when I moved it to my desk, no-no. It won't even start up. It crashes on the Starting Windows animation. I feel devastated because it worked so well. Of course I used a different monitor, mouse and keyboard.

Could that be the problem (using different hardware)? Or is it about the motherboard, because the hard disk is in good shape. I am really puzzled right now. I am going to try to install a different power supply, maybe it helps (theory: wasting too much electricity on USB ports and being old in general)

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I have finally finished work on MAP02.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/0jr07ewssmt95ch/JTD.wad

Feel free to criticize. I am not perfectly sure about balance, especially in the final area. I think it's a bit too difficult. Definitely won't be staying too long as MAP02. This is the hardest (and to me, most beautiful) map I've ever made.

Also there are some bland spots, but in hurry to get this WAD to Mediafire because of my PC being weird, I looked over it. It will be better in the next beta.

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Cool map. Very tense.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/26akt18g5fbre27/jtd02_rdwpa_fda.lmp

I didn't feel like anything was difficult (the Abyssal speedmaps of yours I've played were harder). But there were frequent and well-paced surprises (and lots of revenants to punch), which made it fun. I found the hidden berserk pack at the start, which helped a lot with ammo. Was really happy I did when I saw that first wall of pinkies. The map might have played out a lot differently otherwise.

The HK/rev/pinky warp-in is a bit awkward due to how many trees there are, but I guess that is part of the challenge. I think this was actually the hardest encounter. There was one trap where most of the monsters were ineffective due to where they were situated, involving a HK and rev. I noticed one or two medkits that are mandatory (at the red key, for example). I wasn't bothered by the ultra-cramped areas (surprisingly), partly because they are <5% of the map.

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DoomLover234 said:

Beautiful. I installed Windows 7 after many troubles. It worked just fine on a different area. But when I moved it to my desk, no-no. It won't even start up. It crashes on the Starting Windows animation. I feel devastated because it worked so well. Of course I used a different monitor, mouse and keyboard.

Could that be the problem (using different hardware)? Or is it about the motherboard, because the hard disk is in good shape. I am really puzzled right now. I am going to try to install a different power supply, maybe it helps (theory: wasting too much electricity on USB ports and being old in general)

It's a long shot but that fact that it worked until you moved it suggests that it could be a loose or dodgy connection somewhere. In the past I had an old PC with a hard disk that appeared to be failing, occasionally becoming inaccessible, just not responding at all. But it was actually just that the SATA connector on the motherboard was loose/old. Plugged it into a different port and it was fine.

If you're not afraid of tinkering, I would try (with your PC unplugged of course) unplugging everything (video card, and PCI cards, disks, etc.), and plugging them in again. Sometimes that can wipe oxidisation off the contacts that has built up over time and re-establish a good connection.

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rdwpa said:

Cool map. Very tense.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/26akt18g5fbre27/jtd02_rdwpa_fda.lmp

I didn't feel like anything was difficult (the Abyssal speedmaps of yours I've played were harder). But there were frequent and well-paced surprises (and lots of revenants to punch), which made it fun. I found the hidden berserk pack at the start, which helped a lot with ammo. Was really happy I did when I saw that first wall of pinkies. The map might have played out a lot differently otherwise.

The HK/rev/pinky warp-in is a bit awkward due to how many trees there are, but I guess that is part of the challenge. I think this was actually the hardest encounter. There was one trap where most of the monsters were ineffective due to where they were situated, involving a HK and rev. I noticed one or two medkits that are mandatory (at the red key, for example). I wasn't bothered by the ultra-cramped areas (surprisingly), partly because they are <5% of the map.

Looked at your demo and boy do I thank you! I never noticed that HOM door that leads to pure nothingness. When I saw it I was like "Damn I forgot something".

You played it very well. But how in the flying fuck did you get out of the red key door when it closed? Good skills bro.

About the enemies you missed - looks like I forgot to tag those rocks as teleport destinations so more Troopers can teleport. I forgot about that.

Overall, thank you for taking your time in testing and playing my map!

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This is back on track, and I'm gonna tease you with some MAP03 info and story!

"Going into the cave after the final battle in the wastelands, you find yourself close to a rapid. Soon, you find out that the rapid leads to a temple, which was not yet discovered. Could it be that an entirely new civilization lives here, or is it another trap of Hell and soldiers to murder you?"

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