Cereal Killer (21 maps complete) Looking for community input!

[40oz]

Crunchynut,

I feel you're not doing yourself any favors with silly wad titles such as this! You're a very talented and underrated mapper.

The pallete is a little wonky in places, but in general there's a lot of interesting ideas. The more yellowed oranges give pain elementals, lost souls, and imp fireballs a very attractive look. There's something with the reds that make stuff like gore and red text look awesome things but textures look icky. Also -- personal preference -- the oversaturated greens aren't really my cup of tea (less saturation gives nukage a "dirty water" look that i like)

The layouts of your maps complement the speed and motion of the player. Your work reminds me a lot of Snakes' Unholy Realms. Like him, your approach to gameplay is very well orchestrated and fun. It's very clear your know what you're doing because these maps are awesome even with so few monsters. Nice work!

Would love to see more maps from you in the future!

[Yugiboy85]

Name: ArchAngels (Can change)

Music: "Birdsong", by stewboy

Images:

Spoiler

http://www.mediafire.com/file/ycfnp6csbq1vnc8/TTRCERKI.wad

After about 2-3 weeks of work, here is my map. It occupies the map 01 slot for the moment (dunno what the final order will be) and uses cc4-tex (like most maps in there hehe).

It was tested in prboom+ 2.5.1.4 in CL9 and I guess it's doable in 10 minutes.

Map is quite hard and also, there is a gimmick with arachnotrons somewhere in the map just to let you know (a bit like AA's map 03).

Enjoy.

[baja blast rd.]

Some stuff:

1) Progression felt stilted a lot of the time. It inevitably came down to finding a switch somewhere around the room, and spending 15 seconds doing that after every other fight made the action feel even more start-stop than it was. The entire map is like this to some degree, very very switch-gated.

2) That arachnotron doesn't add anything, I felt. Although it looks funny sitting up on that chair.

3) The last cyber fight feels pointless. Slip out of the room while it infights stuff, slip back in and kill it. A lock-in won't fix that -- the map feels like it should end shortly after the first cyber fight.

4) Awkward placement of stuff: http://i.imgur.com/gCHSpBA.png. Have to shimmy around it to get to the switch. Backpack should probably be given away for free, assuming I didn't miss a non-secret one somewhere.

5) Viles are great monsters but there are a few too many that don't really add anything but contribute to the impression "a vile is in three-fourths of encounters."

You scared me out of recording a FDA with your "quite hard" assessment. I died once in the blue fight with all the stuff up high, forgot I had a RL :D.

[Yugiboy85]

Arf, a bit of shame you didn't really like it but heh, it is fine. I guess no matter how hard I try, I can't really please everyone and that is part of the game I guess.

Guess I'll have to try harder.

I tried to go out of the lock-in voodoo based fights with that one and maybe that is what felt a little wonky with all those switches. I tried making them interesting but then again, I would understand why people wouldn't like that kind of stuff.

Thank you for the feedback.

[baja blast rd.]

I didn't dislike it, just those parts. Still feels kind of rough, but would be the sort of map that I like a lot with more polish.

[Yugiboy85]

I tried to change a few stuff:

-I removed some of the viles that I felt were kinda pointless (the one at the exit behind the chaingunners for example and one in the Red key fight)

-I changed the arachnotron to well, cybers heh and lowered the throne a little so that it doesn't always fire rockets on the walls.

-Added a backback in the first MS room and changed the items (including the MS) so that you don't have to really pick up anything to activate the switch (as per your screenshot).

I'm thinking about removing one cyber from the final fight (the second one) and releasing everything at once (by hitting the switch in the imp teleporter). One of the switches will have to go obviously.

Like that, I feel as though you won't be able to just get out and let the cyber infight (there will still be some infighting going on) because you will also be faced by revenants coming from the start of the map.

Anyhow, I'll see how it goes and upload it.

I still want to kinda keep the switches cause I don't want to rely on conveyer belt based fights for this one.

[Crunchynut44]

40oz said:

Crunchynut,

I feel you're not doing yourself any favors with silly wad titles such as this! You're a very talented and underrated mapper.

The pallete is a little wonky in places, but in general there's a lot of interesting ideas. The more yellowed oranges give pain elementals, lost souls, and imp fireballs a very attractive look. There's something with the reds that make stuff like gore and red text look awesome things but textures look icky. Also -- personal preference -- the oversaturated greens aren't really my cup of tea (less saturation gives nukage a "dirty water" look that i like)

The layouts of your maps complement the speed and motion of the player. Your work reminds me a lot of Snakes' Unholy Realms. Like him, your approach to gameplay is very well orchestrated and fun. It's very clear your know what you're doing because these maps are awesome even with so few monsters. Nice work!

Would love to see more maps from you in the future!

Hey man

Thanks so much for the kind words, I really appreciate that you have taken your time to play these maps and comment with kind remarks. I definitely agree the palette has caused some grittiness with the textures, but I have gotten so used to it I don't think I want to change it anymore (I did intend to but I left it too long I guess).

Again I really appreciate that, I try to make up for the lack of detail in my maps for well constructed gameplay scenarios, thankyou man!

@The_Trigger: Dude that map is amazing! I played it pretty extensively and I think it would really suit somewhere alongside rdwpa's map in the mid 20's as far as difficulty is concerned. In general I love the theme and attention to detail, particulary the interconnected layout and the unique ways it all links back up. I agree that the switches can be a bit hard to navigate but I never got stuck for too long. Really enjoyed it man, im working on the midis for this and A2Robs map right now, ill post the update when you finish making changes to your map :)

[Crunchynut44]

In regards to what 40oz said, since this team has expanded significantly, should there be a more serious tone to the WAD? The reason it was more of a joke was because it was originally meant to be a speedwad of just a few maps, but since it's on its way to being a complete megawad with multiple people behind it what do you think about this? Worth changing?

[Yugiboy85]

Crunchynut44 said:

Hey man

Thanks so much for the kind words, I really appreciate that you have taken your time to play these maps and comment with kind remarks. I definitely agree the palette has caused some grittiness with the textures, but I have gotten so used to it I don't think I want to change it anymore (I did intend to but I left it too long I guess).

Again I really appreciate that, I try to make up for the lack of detail in my maps for well constructed gameplay scenarios, thankyou man!

@The_Trigger: Dude that map is amazing! I played it pretty extensively and I think it would really suit somewhere alongside rdwpa's map in the mid 20's as far as difficulty is concerned. In general I love the theme and attention to detail, particulary the interconnected layout and the unique ways it all links back up. I agree that the switches can be a bit hard to navigate but I never got stuck for too long. Really enjoyed it man, im working on the midis for this and A2Robs map right now, ill post the update when you finish making changes to your map :)

I've pretty much finished the small updates. I don't know if it will make the map flow better but, I at least got rid of some trivial stuff (I hope).

Here it is anyway:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/ycfnp6csbq1vnc8/TTRCERKI.wad

It is the exact same link but not the same map (mediafire allows you to replace files of the same name with newer versions I guess).

I quite like the midi as is (I really like birdsong) but, if you already started on making an additional midi for it then by all means, go for it :)

Glad that you enjoyed it. I was kinda affraid that it wasn't beatable in 10 minutes but heh, guess I was wrong :)

[Scotty]

Crunchynut44 said:

In regards to what 40oz said, since this team has expanded significantly, should there be a more serious tone to the WAD? The reason it was more of a joke was because it was originally meant to be a speedwad of just a few maps, but since it's on its way to being a complete megawad with multiple people behind it what do you think about this? Worth changing?

I don't see why everything has to be serious all the time, i don't know if you've ever played Going Down but had some humorous moments in there and i thought it was a nice touch. I just hope that you ensure the mapping spirit of this project (punchy, short maps with really well rationed ammo) isn't lost, because i remember playing those original 6/7 maps and thinking how much damn fun they were. But hey, it's your project after all, do whatever you think is good, clearly it has worked so far :)

[A2Rob]

Crunchynut44 said:

In regards to what 40oz said, since this team has expanded significantly, should there be a more serious tone to the WAD? The reason it was more of a joke was because it was originally meant to be a speedwad of just a few maps, but since it's on its way to being a complete megawad with multiple people behind it what do you think about this? Worth changing?

Eh, I kinda like the goofy tone to the title and intermission pick, but that's just me.

[baja blast rd.]

I like the project name + intertitle stuff. Never really saw it as a 'joke', as opposed to light and fun.

[Scotty]

Mechadon's sky thread earlier inspired me to update my two existing maps and add sky transfers for them using some of his stuff. Also i have made several changes to improve map aesthetics and, mainly, gameplay. I hope you agree the maps are better for it, let me know if you think there are any encounters or placement that needs work... sorry for regularly updating them but i like to keep refining things where i have time, as i learn more about mapping. Am working on 2 more maps with an eye on this project if you think you'd like to have them... but i don't want to be seen as spamming the project with my maps!

Links:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j3b7xvrkwjg0n4s/Cereal%20-%20Gamma%20Control.wad?dl=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mw1im58kgyuy4p6/Cereal%20-%20Forsaken%20Caverns.wad?dl=1

[Yugiboy85]

Sorry for bumping this but, any news on a potential new beta release? :)

[Crunchynut44]

@The_Trigger: Yup! Right now!

The OP has been updated with 3 new maps, two from myself and one from The_Trigger, all complete and with custom MIDI's :D. They occupy slots 15, 16 and 18 (rdwpas map takes 17) respectively, though The_Triggers will definitely be moved to a much later slot in due time.

 

Hope you like them!

Edited March 30, 2017 by Crunchynut44

[baja blast rd.]

The version of my map in there (which is map17) is not the most recent version. Would really appreciate this being fixed ASAP (i.e., not being postponed until the next few maps are added). 

 

[Crunchynut44]

24 minutes ago, rdwpa said:

The version of my map in there (which is map17) is not the most recent version. Would really appreciate this being fixed ASAP (i.e., not being postponed until the next few maps are added). 

 

Fixed! Link has been updated :D

 

This bug appears in Zandronum

[baja blast rd.]

Cool thanks. 

 

This new palette is probably the best looking custom palette I've ever seen. Maps looks awesome with it. 

 

You can get stuck in map15 this way (unlisted video): 

 

Spoiler

 

 

I've never seen this bug before. I'm not pressing the movement keys or anything, past when I get stuck -- the momentum just gets preserved. 

 

Edit: That seems like a sky transfer problem. I'll have to look into that. 

[Crunchynut44]

3 minutes ago, rdwpa said:

Cool thanks. 

 

This new palette is probably the best looking custom palette I've ever seen. Maps looks awesome with it. 

 

You can get stuck in map15 this way (unlisted video): 

 

 

I've never seen this bug before. I'm not pressing the movement keys or anything, past when I get stuck -- the momentum just gets preserved. 

Good find! Hmm that is interesting, it's an easy fix  but yeah also havnt seen the same bug.

[Yugiboy85]

Fucking awesome. Waking up and seeing this (ok, i was up already). 

 

Will try this later today ^^

 

Hate to be that guy again lol but, my map that is in here is not the latest version. Would it be possible to update it with this one? 

 

http://www.mediafire.com/file/ycfnp6csbq1vnc8/TTRCERKI.wad

 

I know it's probably the same link you had but trust me, it's not exactly the same map. 

 

Thanks ;)

 

PS: The new midi is really cool. It stays in the theme of the old one kinda :D 

Edited March 30, 2017 by The_Trigger

[Crunchynut44]

1 hour ago, The_Trigger said:

Fucking awesome. Waking up and seeing this (ok, i was up already). 

 

Will try this later today ^^

 

Hate to be that guy again lol but, my map that is in here is not the latest version. Would it be possible to update it with this one? 

 

http://www.mediafire.com/file/ycfnp6csbq1vnc8/TTRCERKI.wad

 

I know it's probably the same link you had but trust me, it's not exactly the same map. 

 

Thanks ;)

 

PS: The new midi is really cool. It stays in the theme of the old one kinda :D 

No problem fixed! Sorry it gets hard trying to manage all the files and updates haha.

 

Glad you liked it, I purposely used the same instruments and tempo as the MIDI you had for that exact reason :)

[Killer5]

Hello. I was making a demo for map15 when I got stuck in this tiny finger corridor hiding a switch for progression.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/amapkvmeglklihw/cerealkiller_15_bug.zip?dl=0

[rhinoduck]

While I was putting this on a ZDaemon server I noticed a couple of things which you may want to look at...

MAP09 uses extended nodes even though standard nodes would suffice; this needlessly prevents it from being played in ports which do not support extended nodes.

Most maps are missing coop starts; here is the full listing:

---MAP01 1 0 0 0
---MAP02 1 0 0 0
---MAP03 1 0 0 0
---MAP04 1 0 0 0
---MAP05 1 0 0 0
---MAP06 1 0 0 0
---MAP07 1 0 0 0
---MAP08 1 0 0 0
---MAP09 5 1 1 1
---MAP10 1 0 0 0
---MAP11 1 0 0 0
---MAP12 1 0 0 0
---MAP13 1 0 0 0
---MAP14 1 0 0 0
---MAP15 1 0 0 0
---MAP16 1 0 0 0
---MAP17 8 1 1 1
---MAP18 6 1 1 1

Here's how the above listing can be obtained if you want to be able to quickly check coop starts (and possibly other things) yourself:

tnswutil -c coopstarts -w wad_name.wad

https://rhinoduck.net/wiki/tnswutil

[rhinoduck]

There is a coop issue with MAP07; the lowering bars lock out usually all but one player at start. And if the player who made it in dies, the map can never be finished.

 

Here is a fix WAD I made for the servers I run: cereal-killer-20170330-coopfix1.zip

 

I tried to keep with the style of the map; here is a bit from the coopfix readme which describes what has been done (the tag numbers should make it possible for everything to be identified):

MAP07:
(v1) [rhinoduck] Add two new opening teleporters (related tags in the fix WAD:
      26, 27) to prevent people from getting stuck at start in coop because of
      closing bars which can only be opened from one side (related tags in the
      original WAD: 1).

 

Maybe you will find it acceptable to be used as it is, or you'll have a different idea of what this should look like; either way, it would be nice if the map ended up being coop-friendly in the final release.

[Crunchynut44]

Firstly, I want to apologize to the people who have submitted maps so far. I went off the grid a bit and your maps followed suit. You'll be happy to know that i'm kicking this back up again, with a couple of new maps but at least 4 near complete maps in the works, all of which have gotten surprisingly big, despite my efforts to make this a small speedmap style WAD. I have also placed them in their respective map slots based on theme and difficulty.

 

If you were thinking of making a contribution to this project please do so soon as most of the map spaces have filled up, refer to the front page to see what is available.

 

Anyway, the OP has been updated with 3 new maps. Map 06, Map 31 and Map 22. Enjoy!

 

[Dragonfly]

Glad to see this alive again!

 

Sorry to say but I never finished my map and subsequently have no intent of finishing it either. It's ok in the visual department but the gameplay is awful and would warrant being completely rebuilt to make it worth playing; something I don't have time for.

 

Good luck getting the ball rolling again! The new screens look great. I hope to see this project reach a state of completion!

[elend]

This looks very nice indeed. I haven't seen this before. You better get this completed, because it looks promising.

[Pegleg]

3 hours ago, Crunchynut44 said:

If you were thinking of making a contribution to this project please do so soon as most of the map spaces have filled up, refer to the front page to see what is available.

 

When do you want to have the project done? There's currently 5 open maps on the list; how soon did you want maps to you for review?

[Crunchynut44]

10 hours ago, Dragonfly said:

Glad to see this alive again!

 

Sorry to say but I never finished my map and subsequently have no intent of finishing it either. It's ok in the visual department but the gameplay is awful and would warrant being completely rebuilt to make it worth playing; something I don't have time for.

 

Good luck getting the ball rolling again! The new screens look great. I hope to see this project reach a state of completion!

No worries, sorry you didnt get a chance ti finish it. Cheers!

 

7 hours ago, Pegleg said:

 

When do you want to have the project done? There's currently 5 open maps on the list; how soon did you want maps to you for review?

I would like to say the end of the year however there is a bit of polishing that needs to go into the maps included. So im going to aim for January 2019

[A2Rob]

I should probably update my map for this...