Witness Of Time: 9 map episode for Doom2 Now on Idgames!

[nicolas monti]

Feedback on balance and bugs appreciated!

 

Game: Doom2

Ports: Prboom compatible, it should run in vanilla too but there is some texture conflict.

Gameplay: intended for single player although is coop compatible and there are deathmatch starts with super shotguns.

Maps: 01-09

Theme: techbases and some city parts, all with alpha textures.

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/v-z/witness

 

Map01: Hic Et Nunc

Map02: Scurrilous Knave

Map03: Tezzi Principle

Map04: Charon Lab

Map05: After Cefyl

Map06: Myriads

Map07: Sol Y Verde

Map08: Taioron

Map09: Tears In Caelo

 

 

Edited August 30, 2017 by nicolas monti

[dew]

I'm starting to get annoyed by your marketing tactic.

[nicolas monti]

4 minutes ago, dew said:

I'm starting to get annoyed by your marketing tactic.

Not going to sleep tonight

[Impboy4]

@dew Oh quit whining, I actually think this is a good strategy. it's a better way to let people spot bugs in each map before they all get packed into one wad.

[dew]

3 hours ago, Impboy4 said:

Oh quit whining, I actually think this is a good strategy. it's a better way to let people spot bugs in each map before they all get packed into one wad.

You're right. Creating seven fucking threads for your incomplete episode is a good strategy, because it pushes everyone else's projects from page 1 (and relevancy) faster and more focus is centered on me, me, me, me, me. However you're not right on the other thing, because it seems like the last few threads got basically zero informative replies. Hey, maybe if it was all in one project thread, the people who previously gave feedback would know where to return to! Just an idea! Seemed to work for, I dunno, twenty years.

[nicolas monti]

Man, I created a thread per map because I wanted to share the maps while I was making them instead of making one thread with the whole thing, next time maybe I'll make only one thread and I'll keep updating it with the new maps while I'm making them, no problem with that concept.

 

On the other hand you seem very upset with no reason because most people makes threads for just one map, the only difference is that I'm saying that I'll pack them together in one episode, that's it.

I've even seen maps uploaded individually on idgames and then packed together in one episode but yeah, that doesn't make you upset, just my fucking threads as you say.

You also imply that I'm being egocentrical because I post a couple of maps per week, like I'm pushing other projects down in the forum... really? I don't know, maybe you're giving too much attention to my activities and since my mapping style do not fit your expectations I fear you're wasting precious time posting here.

 

This kind of gratuituous venom keeps me far from the site and even mapping.

[Vorpal]

I have no problem with self promotion, as long as there is content. A fair amount of famous wad projects were promoted like crazy on usenet. I promote my own crap too. But to deny that it's promotion is insulting to the point of silliness

[Fuzzball]

Um actually no it's not the normal thing to do on the forum- just suck it up and make one thread- then if there is something to add to if people will come and see. Somewhere to discuss the episode as a whole...that kind of thing.

All of the maps are related to the same project so really making one thread for each...yeah doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. What are people looking forward to? One map? A set? Who knows! Keep it consistent and don't pull the "you just don't like me bawww" bullshit and giving off such a passive aggressive tone to your reply.

[nicolas monti]

6 minutes ago, Vorpal said:

I have no problem with self promotion, as long as there is content. A fair amount of famous wad projects were promoted like crazy on usenet. I promote my own crap too. But to deny that it's promotion is insulting to the point of silliness

I don't deny I promote my wads, I deny I do it in an insane way.

[Memfis]

Another solid level from mr. Monti. The spiderdemon on top really took me by surpise, but the second boss was even scarier.

 

I spotted some glitchy walls: http://i.imgur.com/5Whn3bC.png Perhaps Doom Builder was trying to be smart by removing "unused" textures again. Hate that stuff.

 

Attaching a demo of my misadventures...

aftercefyl00_mem_FDA.zip

[rehelekretep]

guys please remember that we are all mostly playing and mapping for doom absolutely for free and there is very little to be gained from vicious and gratuitous invective, especially when directed against someone who makes good maps. you could quite easily pm monti with your concerns instead of crapping up his thread.

thanks.

[esselfortium]

The responses in this thread are a massive overreaction. @dew and everyone else here, please chill the hell out.

 

A single thread for a single project is generally best to avoid spamminess, but this kind of venom really is not called for.

[40oz]

I think the map could use a couple extra health items.

 

Also dont ever stop making threads. I mean maps.

[loveless]

 

[dobu gabu maru]

7 hours ago, nicolas monti said:

[...] next time maybe I'll make only one thread and I'll keep updating it with the new maps while I'm making them, no problem with that concept.

This is generally the most sound and approachable way to work on an episode, I think, especially since anyone subbed to the thread can get notifications for when you've posted a new map, whereas here I have no idea how many other episodes are in the project or where to find them.

 

Anyway, I played the map and really enjoyed it. I continue to be amazed by the simplicity and effectiveness of your mapping style. Besides your penchant for tall architecture, I also really appreciated that you loaded the map with rockets. There were so many rockets in fact, that I was constantly aching to use my other weapons! It's quite a twist when I find myself wishing I could whip out the chaingun instead of the RL. Anyway, couple of bits to chew over:

 

- Linedef 855 has no sidedef texture when the wall lowers.

- The Spider Mastermind surprise is a mite rude considering the player is likely to blow their BFG load on the preceding AV fight (or if you're like me, the pinkies in the hallway ;_;). I'd argue for adding some more ammo just so the player doesn't unwittingly get stuck there if they've used the BFG (unless your intention is to punish them for doing so, which is fine)

- After using the lift at Sector 176, I think having two chaingunners up there is a bit too RNG-y. Maybe if you could somehow squeeze between the first and second so they fire at each other it'd be more fair, but as is you have to blast the dude to your right and pray the other one isn't winding up his minigun to shred you to pieces.

- The AV at sector 224 should probably be in the adjacent hallway facing northwards, as he currently gets aggro'd before the player gets on the lift and then the safest way to fight him is to chip away at him from below—not fun.

- Likewise, the cyber at the end is a bit of a boring fight, only punishing you should you run out of ammo before you kill him. IMO it'd be more interesting & dangerous to give the player like 80-120 cell instead and try to have them 2-shot the cyber on the stairs, rather than engage in a long and tedious rocket duel.

 

Cool map altogether; I died a lot of times (possibly because I found 0 secrets) but still had plenty of fun.

[baja blast rd.]

Enjoyed the map. I got stuck in a narrow hole in my playthrough -- head to the end of the -nomo video below for the spot -- and was lucky to have enough health to rocket myself out of it. As you see me bobbing up and down I'm not even touching my keyboard. Doomguy's momentum is preserved for some reason.

 

 

[DeathevokatioN]

6 hours ago, loveless said:

 

What more context do you need?

[baja blast rd.]

Ports it was designed for and (more importantly) tested in is a pretty big one. Some might consider it 'obvious' based on the author's previous releases that it's vanilla or something, and they'd be wrong. Some maps in the set wouldn't run even in prBoom+, and at least one was broken when it did.

 

[nicolas monti]

Thanks everyone, I've taken into account every point you all made, some changes are already in the file update for this map, some others will be applied when the episode is done, I'm working in the last map so it won't take much time.

[Ribbiks]

bumping this thread because I just noticed you replaced the OP with the completed episode:)

[Deadwing]

I'll try to play (also record) this as soon as possible :D

I've only played the first map of the set you released and it was awesome. Loving the new texture scheme, it's refreshing while still retaining your mapping style.

[nicolas monti]

3 hours ago, Ribbiks said:

bumping this thread because I just noticed you replaced the OP with the completed episode:)

Yeah, I didn't want to create another thread nor double post so thanks XD

 

2 hours ago, Deadwing said:

I'll try to play (also record) this as soon as possible :D

I've only played the first map of the set you released and it was awesome. Loving the new texture scheme, it's refreshing while still retaining your mapping style.

Great! I want to see some videos of it, watching someone else playing the maps helps me a lot when it comes to balance.

I've also updated the file a couple of hours ago because of some wrong texture assignment in map02 so now it runs in Prboom without any HOM as far as I know.

[Salt-Man Z]

Been waiting for this! Will definitely download and dig in tonight. (I'm in the middle of Eviltech right now and absolutely loving it.)

[Salt-Man Z]

First four levels done. I'm loving this. The view from MAP05's start is gorgeous. MAP03 might be my favorite thus far; loved the train tunnels. MAP04 feels like it could be straight of Erkattanne. These are just fantastic.

 

Edit: The only issue I came across (I was playing continuous/HMP/GZDoom, by the way) was in MAP02, the vile at the exit lift seemed "stuck" on the lift, like he couldn't move off of it (monster-blocking lines?) which made him extremely easy to take out.

Edited August 15, 2017 by Salt-Man Z

[nicolas monti]

14 hours ago, Salt-Man Z said:

First four levels done. I'm loving this. The view from MAP05's start is gorgeous. MAP03 might be my favorite thus far; loved the train tunnels. MAP04 feels like it could be straight of Erkattanne. These are just fantastic.

 

Edit: The only issue I came across (I was playing continuous/HMP/GZDoom, by the way) was in MAP02, the vile at the exit lift seemed "stuck" on the lift, like he couldn't move off of it (monster-blocking lines?) which made him extremely easy to take out.

Thanks! I've updated the file, the vile isn't stuck at the exit lift of map02 anymore, now it teleports to the exit if gets away from the player so it has a second chance to attempt an attack, the idea was to use that vile to prevent the player to avoid the fight with the cyberdemon but with this change I think the set up works better because even if you want to bypass the cyber the amount of time the lift takes to lower and go up gives enough time to the cyberdemon to inflict some damage.

 

About map03 I wanted to emulate the kind of subway that is in my town, stations with lateral and central platforms, I've always been a fan of subway systems.

About map04 now that you make the comparison I think you're right, it has an erkattäññe aura, it reminds me of map05 or 09 of that mapset.

[Deadwing]

I've played the first two levels, amazing stuff! :)

 

Level 1 is a nice intro shorter level, with some good non-linearity chunk and lots of exploration. I normally don't like when "real objects" like couch or tables are done, but I think here it added some nice contrast with your complete abstract design. I'm also loving the new (?) texture set, which give this wad a nice identity while feeling really Doomy. Monster placement is always on point, and I got killed by the archville in the end haha, but totally my mistake. The song is also amazing, giving a strong 80' vibe. I love that part when there's a sus chord with the guitar. (2:35 in the video) I found only 2 secrets, though, but that's expected >.>

 

 

Level 2 is larger than the first one, with plenty of acid on ground and a big atrium in the center. It is also harder featuring a cyberdemon in the end (which got stuck in my playthrough haha) Another pretty fun level! A good management of these suits is required, or the player will walk on the acid like I did haha I didn't like much some sections of the music here, but I like that it has the same key but with a more moody approach, giving a good sense continuity.

 

 

[Salt-Man Z]

Yeah, I meant to mention it but forgot, but I love the music here. (Though generally, I love the music selection in all Monti WADs.) MAP01 was great, and (IIRC) I loved MAP06's as well.

 

@Deadwing Have you played any of Monti's other stuff? If you like these, there's tons more where this came from.

[Deadwing]

2 minutes ago, Salt-Man Z said:

Yeah, I meant to mention it but forgot, but I love the music here. (Though generally, I love the music selection in all Monti WADs.) MAP01 was great, and (IIRC) I loved MAP06's as well.

 

@Deadwing Have you played any of Monti's other stuff? If you like these, there's tons more where this came from.

Actually only Erkattanne and Mano Laikas, but both are one of my favorite mapsets

[Salt-Man Z]

Just played maps 7-8. Found what I think is a bug in MAP07: I got myself into this secret area, and could find no way back out. (The lift seems to only work via the secret switch.) Otherwise, solid stuff! MAP08 in particular was very cool.

[Plusw]

Five maps in and loving it. My favorite thing about this set so far has to be the layouts and progression. Lots of open areas and interesting progression without it being too aimless or confusing. Combined with the tricky monster placement it makes these maps a blast to play.