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t3hPoundcake

[WIP] Spawned Fear - My first slaughter map

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This is a project I started working on shortly after Christmas of last year. This is my second serious project, my first being a terrible tech base map that was mainly a learning experience, but it's out there in the Doomworld Megaproject 2016 wad. I wanted to do something that I actually had passion for, rather than just making something I thought everyone else would like.


My inspiration for this project came strongly from Doom 64, particularly in architecture and theme. Then there's the polar opposite of Doom 64 - TONS of enemies. I wanted to sort of bridge the gap between the lonesome helpless feeling of D64 and the overwhelming bad ass feeling you get from playing classic Doom. I've been keeping a journal of sorts documenting my thought process as I work on different parts of the map, which will be released with the final version of this wad.


I hope to make at least one episode of this, so I can contribute something I'm really proud of to the millions of Doom maps out there. So with that being said I'd like to get some feedback on my map so far. Currently the map can be completed up until you get the blue key. This section of the map consists of two larger fights, a couple traps, and a couple secrets to help you get through.


In my opinion it's quite easy for a slaughter map, but I find it incredibly fun. Here are things I'm looking for input on:

- Monster count of each fight

- Type of monsters in each fight

- Health/ammo supply

- Visuals (how good does it look)

- Any specific details you really enjoy or really dislike so far


Remember, the map is not complete at all, I just want to get some feedback before I get too far ahead so if anything is glaringly bad design I can fix it and learn from it.


I'll put some screenshots below and a link to download the map!

SCREENSHOTS:
http://imgur.com/a/Z1X4x

Download link:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/8022363/spawnedfear.zip

Game: Doom 2
Ports: Only tested with GZDoom 2.x.x
Required files: None
Note: I designed the lighting around the Doom sector lighting mode in GZ/Zdoom openGL options, so use that to get the best looking lighting.

I've not yet included a readme file in the zip, but I of course will give credit where necessary. I'm using Gothic textures and a few other things. So thanks again to anyone who decides to play this real quick and give me some feedback.

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From a first playthrough perspective, I wasn't such a fan of the being basically unarmed for the start. The monsters exert very little pressure, so it was mostly an exercise in hovering around for a few minutes and watching monsters infight, which wasn't so interesting. It seems like the map design is presenting this as the default way to play the map, because there are traps situated around the BFG that make it more dangerous to grab it than to just let infighting thin the ranks first. But it's not so hard to grab early, thankfully, and in a speedrun this might make it fun -- you can grab the BFG as early as possible and rush down to the second area, handle everything there, and then return and clear out the first part. The second area is similar to the first in that the area is so spacious that the monsters aren't threatening. In my first playthrough, a crapload of other monsters were bunched up near the ledge dividing the first and second areas, harmlessly infighting, the cybers trapped among them, and it was kind of funny. The cybers died before I even dropped down. But there is ample ammo, which is good, because I'd much rather spam rockets/BFG than just stand around and watch infighting.

Knowing your objectives here might help give better advice: If you are looking to design threatening and engaging encounters, then these aren't really going to work, for reasons mentioned above. If you want to design a lower-pressure map suitable for fast and aggressive play and DPS maximization, this isn't bad so far; focus on stuff like flow and flexibility. The ledge connecting the first and second areas is a good example here; I'd prefer if it were possible to get back up somehow after I release the SMM, so that I don't have to return to the start hub and then go back down, if I leave monsters behind. The SSG isn't so useful in high-HP slaughtermaps like this, but I found its placement kind of funny; it's more dangerous to grab than even the BFG, surrounded by all those cybers. Having an invul secret is good for the second fight.

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rdwpa said:

From a first playthrough perspective, I wasn't such a fan of the being basically unarmed for the start. The monsters exert very little pressure, so it was mostly an exercise in hovering around for a few minutes and watching monsters infight, which wasn't so interesting. It seems like the map design is presenting this as the default way to play the map, because there are traps situated around the BFG that make it more dangerous to grab it than to just let infighting thin the ranks first. But it's not so hard to grab early, thankfully, and in a speedrun this might make it fun -- you can grab the BFG as early as possible and rush down to the second area, handle everything there, and then return and clear out the first part. The second area is similar to the first in that the area is so spacious that the monsters aren't threatening. In my first playthrough, a crapload of other monsters were bunched up near the ledge dividing the first and second areas, harmlessly infighting, the cybers trapped among them, and it was kind of funny. The cybers died before I even dropped down. But there is ample ammo, which is good, because I'd much rather spam rockets/BFG than just stand around and watch infighting.

Knowing your objectives here might help give better advice: If you are looking to design threatening and engaging encounters, then these aren't really going to work, for reasons mentioned above. If you want to design a lower-pressure map suitable for fast and aggressive play and DPS maximization, this isn't bad so far; focus on stuff like flow and flexibility. The ledge connecting the first and second areas is a good example here; I'd prefer if it were possible to get back up somehow after I release the SMM, so that I don't have to return to the start hub and then go back down, if I leave monsters behind. The SSG isn't so useful in high-HP slaughtermaps like this, but I found its placement kind of funny; it's more dangerous to grab than even the BFG, surrounded by all those cybers. Having an invul secret is good for the second fight.



Would you recommend re-organizing the load out progression like giving the rocket launcher first with few rockets, or putting the rocket launcher in the center of the cybers? And then do you have any suggestion for the rocket launcher secret? Maybe a megasphere if I make the fight harder?

I kind of wanted the first areas to be about movement and just avoiding damage, but if that's not fun gameplay to anyone else I don't want that to be the case. I can make each area longer and provide more weapons early on and add some more difficulty like having to push through corridors with the BFG instead of just opening the door and hitting the switch maybe?


I'll work with these suggestions today and see what I can come up with. Keep in mind I have 3 more areas to do (2 more keys and an exit) so there is room for more difficulty.

Thanks for trying it out. What did you think about the visuals by the way, is the map looking nice or is it too bland?

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t3hPoundcake said:

Would you recommend re-organizing the load out progression like giving the rocket launcher first with few rockets, or putting the rocket launcher in the center of the cybers? And then do you have any suggestion for the rocket launcher secret? Maybe a megasphere if I make the fight harder?


If I were going for something more threatening, I'd strip the monster count down somewhat and use more archviles and hitscanners. The arenas are so big that short of just doubling the monster count or something, projectile-based monsters aren't going to be so dangerous. You have pillars in both areas, which are already nice cover for the viles and hitscanners. SG/SSG/RL would all be relatively easy to get, and it'd be the BFG that was protected by the cybs. Any viles in the second area would be released via a walkover, so that they aren't part of the horde before the player even drops down.

t3hPoundcake said:

I kind of wanted the first areas to be about movement and just avoiding damage, but if that's not fun gameplay to anyone else I don't want that to be the case. I can make each area longer and provide more weapons early on and add some more difficulty like having to push through corridors with the BFG instead of just opening the door and hitting the switch maybe?


I find that type of gameplay pretty fun, but in order for it to work well, the monsters have to exert more pressure. The arenas are so spacious here that I could just sort of loaf around as monsters infought, without feeling any sense of danger.

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rdwpa said:

If I were going for something more threatening, I'd strip the monster count down somewhat and use more archviles and hitscanners. The arenas are so big that short of just doubling the monster count or something, projectile-based monsters aren't going to be so dangerous. You have pillars in both areas, which are already nice cover for the viles and hitscanners. SG/SSG/RL would all be relatively easy to get, and it'd be the BFG that was protected by the cybs. Any viles in the second area would be released via a walkover, so that they aren't part of the horde before the player even drops down.

I find that type of gameplay pretty fun, but in order for it to work well, the monsters have to exert more pressure. The arenas are so spacious here that I could just sort of loaf around as monsters infought, without feeling any sense of danger.



I've been changing some things around to get the fight to feel more threatening using some of your suggestions and it's definitely making it feel better. I like the idea of being forced to put yourself in danger to get a more powerful weapon (RL/BFG) and then being forced to use that weapon to open up the circle strafe option so I may lower the count of imps in the lava pit, and instead make a majority of them walk out of the rear wall so that you have to fight them instead of just waiting. Thanks for all the feedback it's really appreciated.

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