Steelbox - MAP01

[wallabra]

A small map I made from a layout I drew on Notepad++. I know it's not very varied on the Z axis, but I don't know how to fix that. :P

 

I aim for simplicity and gameplay rather than the details.

 

Contents: Boom compatible, MAP01, medium-sized, replacement music I made myself

Download: here!

 

Screenies: (no, no SSG in the map, that was just to make screenshotting easier...)
 

Spoiler

 

 

 

(btw, Boom compatible... YAY DOOMBOTS :D)

 

BONUS: DoomBot v5.1 compatible map nodes, for your coop matches without friends! :

To load, just insert the console command "bot_loadnodes stbox". And to add bots, just do "teamplay 1" so they don't kill you, and then "bot_add" how many times you wish, up to 16 times! :D

 

More info about DoomBots HERE:

 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Gustavo6046

[Memfis]

Hmm, I found the secret rocket launcher but then couldn't get out of there. There is a lift with a zero tag but that only works in ZDoom-based ports. In classic ports switches and walkover triggers with a zero tag either fuck up the whole level (EVERY sector with a zero tag is affected) or don't do anything at all. So you should avoid that if you're aiming for Boom compatibility.

 

The level is a little surreal to play... There is so much empty space and barely any monsters to fight so it feels weird. I think it would be better if you made some rooms 2-3 times smaller and maybe shortened the corridors so that it would take less time to travel between the areas. It's tough to achieve good gameplay in such large areas since they make it very easy to dodge everything.

[wallabra]

Oh yes, thank you Memfis. I forgot to set that linedef's tag :P

Fixed that and some other issues. Check the link :3

 

By the way, do you want me to path the level using ZDoomBot? The .nod file can be shared :D

[Memfis]

What is that, like instructions for a deathmatch bot so that it knows where the key spots are? Is that difficult to create?

[wallabra]

41 minutes ago, Memfis said:

What is that, like instructions for a deathmatch bot so that it knows where the key spots are? Is that difficult to create?

Yes, in this case the DM bot is ZDoomBot. It's not very hard to create, it's just frustrating when that DAMN bot_savenodes command crashes your

ZDoomBot, damn!

 

EDIT: okay added.

Edited July 31, 2017 by Gustavo6046

[Decay]

2 hours ago, Gustavo6046 said:

I aim for simplicity and gameplay rather than the details.

There is a difference between simplicity and ugly/lazy. This is ugly and lazy.

[wallabra]

I don't think so, Decay. I just wanted an older style of WAD, that was fun to play. I don't know if it managed to do so.

 

I don't want visuals on my map. Just assume it's a fun 90s map. Even if it's not fun, just assume it came from earlier times. Earlier times I wanted to rescue.

[Decay]

saying the map "1990s" is a cop out for ugly/lazy mapping

[wallabra]

Sorry man. It's not lazy. I spent a lot of time on it, and I went careful on texture alignment (mostly) and bugfixing. It's not ugly because I didn't use default texture boxes with a Cyberdemon inside and call it a day. So I don't get you.

 

But thanks. I just wondered, if someone who has roots on Zandronum will EVER give a proper critic to anything, other than "wormsdoom oh yea" or "Complex dumb bugfixes plz".

 

ps. I don't want to start a fight or anything. I just want to understand, WHY do you call it ugly/lazy. I need criticizing.

Edited July 31, 2017 by Gustavo6046

[Argent Agent]

Going to have to second Decay on this; I've seen wads that made vanilla's texture limitations look okay. This isn't one of them; most of map is empty and void of any detail, with questionable brick walls and rocks scattered outside and an underwhelming base inside (the player apparently starts at a giant toilet too). I ended up having to use the automap for most of the map because nothing looks defined in this map of hallways and large, empty rooms, and ended up spending about a third of the time just trying to find a weapon.

[Decay]

 

big old flat walls and floors with absolutely zero effort put into them. no lighting changes, no interesting architecture, looks like super boring game play, even doom itself wasn't this 1 dimensional

[wallabra]

17 minutes ago, Argent Agent said:

most of map is empty and void of any detail,

It's meant to be a map that relaxes you, with less monsters, that was less tense,

 

Quote

(the player apparently starts at a giant toilet too)

That's a drop pod, something like that.

 

Quote

and ended up spending about a third of the time just trying to find a weapon.

That is meant to happen. This is more really a WAD about finding things. You can kill the chaingun guy or get the shotgun and clear the trap. I don't suggest this map for deathmatchers (non-coop gamemodes suck).

16 minutes ago, Decay said:

 

no lighting changes,

Normally there is a shadow behind those rocks. Make sure you didn't pick up the lite amp. In most ports it will just make everything at around 256 brightness anyways.

Except... the outdoor areas are mostly 192, with some shadows - other areas are wild on lighting.

 

I won't remove the link otherwise you will make fun of me, as always.

 

Seriously man, this map sucks. I need to work on something else... *looks at Sentient Mushes*

[Decay]

2 minutes ago, Gustavo6046 said:

I won't remove the link otherwise you will make fun of me, as always.

*rolls eyes*

[Moktar]

Definitely not the best way to take criticism. You are trying to excuse every thing you've done bad in your map. It's too difficult to accept our mistakes?

[wallabra]

23 minutes ago, Moktar said:

Definitely not the best way to take criticism. You are trying to excuse every thing you've done bad in your map. It's too difficult to accept our mistakes?

It's not what I mean. They expect me to do a super sunlust WAD with lots of effects. I really didn't want to put detailing here, I felt like doing a map to relax. I'm no longer working on Doom maps.

[Decay]

Nobody expects you to do a "super  sunlust" with "lots of effects" we just don't want to waste our time downloading and playing something that is visually awful and probably equally as bad in playing. Even speedmaps look better than this, you have literally no excuse.

[wallabra]

Fine, don't waste your time.

[BigDickBzzrak]

Oh my, the drama! Fortunately for you, I'm not from Zandronum, so my review is 1337% non-biased. :]

 

-complevel 9 FDA attached, 8 minutes

 

Fun map. The visuals really sucked, but the gameplay was indeed fun. Corridors are kinda boring, however, Doomguy's insane running speed makes up for it. :]

I dunno, could use more d33teyl? Also some of the flat-texture colour combinations looked really horrible. Like, grass flats, but ashwall4 on its edges?? zimmer2's there for a reason. Or steptop/flat1.

 

6/10

steelbox-fda-bzzrak.zip

[baja blast rd.]

I did an FDA for you. Lots of amusing things happened.

 

 

The music was a lot better than I expected. You got a lot better at composition.

 

It actually seems like you've put some thought into the gameplay: you're bound to set a bunch of monsters loose before finding a weapon stronger than the pistol, which is an interesting form of pressure. It'd be better if there wasn't so much space that you could effortlessly run around everything, however. And I'm not sure how you are expecting anyone to kill anything without the secret rocket launcher. Plinking away at barons and stuff with low-tier weapons is boring. Personally what I'd do is give the rocket launcher and half of the rockets on the map away for free, and put the rest in the secrets. Secrets shouldn't be a minimal requirement for not finding the gameplay tedious.

 

Good things about the map: areas tend to be connected to one another in a variety of ways, and the design around the blue key area shows some creativity, with the broken ledge and the stairbuilder. In most/all other respects it's quite rudimentary. I'm not sure what to recommend other than to keep playing and studying maps you enjoy. Don't start posting lots of releases, either. Wait another six months or so, at minimum. 

 

Edited August 1, 2017 by rdwpa

[SkillZilla]

Hi Gustavo6046!

 

Thanks for making this map! I played it through and 100% it. What I liked was the bold and simple level design you were aiming for, the rooms were huge, which was cool, however I also agree with others that the textures were kind of boring and random, should put more effort in that, even if you want to keep it simple. by doing huge rooms I noticed that it is easy to skip many enemies by running away from them. Also you should think more about resource giving. the only ways to replenish health is near red key (5 stimpacks) and the megasphere found in secret other than that I was on low HP most of the time, which is not relaxing.

Also the ammo is rather scarce and you can finish the map having barely any ammo.

 

I noticed on earlier comments how you "quit" making maps, please don't. Keep up the map making and share them with us. No need to quit if someone does not like what you've made. Keep making levels and suddenly you can make "huge, relaxing simple maps" and with nice balancing and effort in making the simplicity great you will make maps that everyone will enjoy.

 

Thanks agian for the map and good luck!

Weird white ceiling i think, as the rest of the map has this black one.