System Shock 1 Level Design w/ Doom

[NEANDERTHAL]

What do you think of SS1's level design? Do you think that it would interface well with Doom's weapons and monsters? I've been thinking about creating a SS1-inspired map for a while now...

[david_a]

This is what comes to mind for me when I think of SS1 levels:

• Tile-based geometry.  Most of the level should use a fairly coarse grid.
• Lots of slopes.
• A distinct sense of place.  Each level of the station feels very different from each other.
• Slightly cartoony textures.  I'm particularly thinking of the turquoise & purple blues of level 1 which would be impossible to pull off in software mode without a new palette.

I think you could absolutely make a SS1-inspired map but I think you would have to think through how to meld the two styles instead of just dropping Doom enemies in a recreated level.  At worst SS1 levels are a bit mazy which would be pretty tedious, but at best they make you feel like you're in a real, lived-in location that's been overrun.

 

Maybe you could do some kind of SS1-meets-Hell style, like if a ship in the SS1 universe pulled an Event Horizon and wound up in Doom Hell :)

Edited March 27, 2017 by david_a

[Cruduxy Pegg]

The problem with system shock's level design is it isn't just mapping the map. It needs focusing on ambiance and narrative at the same time. It might work as a map but the gameplay might feel weird. 

[Liberation]

I'm sure someone made a copy of the medi-lab level for doom or duke 3d, probably duke3d... 

 

Using any/most of the advance ports you could recreate the SS1 levels well enough, however the player will need to be adjusted otherwise it would feel all wrong, you would cover distances to quick and would probably make for poor gameplay unless you went the full hog.

 

I do love SS1 and all the resources are easily ripped, so give it a go!

 

EDIT: As mentioned about the palette, probably a port that accepts true colour textures etc. would be the way forward.