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Dalvi Dandy

Miskatonic Trip + Epiphany

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Hi! I've been lurking around this forum but never got any chance to make an account to post something.

But now I have it, so I recently uploaded my first two releases to the Idgames; One is called "Miskatonic Trip" which is a mini-episode for Doom 2, and Epiphany which a single map for Heretic.

 

Anyway, here are the links:

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/m-o/misktrip

 

Screens:

map01.jpg

 

map02.jpg

 

map04.jpg

 

map05.jpg

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/heretic/d-f/epiphany

 

Screen:

map06.jpg

 

Hope you enjoy playing them, I await for the feedback you can give me and any tips.

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moonman moonman can't you see

map02 is unbeatable

u5yKmET.png

 

first the outer platform was stuck in the ceiling because of the lost souls, then once i killed them it lowered revealing this platform

according to zdoom, the switch in this room is supposed to lower this, but it didn't in -complevel 2

 

aside from this, this has been a pretty nice wad so far

i'll edit this post with further troubles if needed

 

P.S. this little strip is brighter than the rest ;~;

Spoiler

fg3oDNv.png

 

edit #1: pls add coop starts to each map, even if the maps wouldn't be beatable in coop

there's really no excuse to not include coop starts tbh

 

also big problems: unmarked exits and extreme surpluses of ammo

Edited by bonnie

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I haven't played Miskatonic Trip yet but I enjoyed Epiphany though I think there's a mistake in the map.  I could only find a yellow key and a green key but the map called for a blue key.  Of course, I could be missing something but I think that perhaps the green key should be blue.

 

Other than that, the map's quite nice for a first release.  I like the texture choices and the atmosphere was nice.  More please! :)

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@bonnie I removed the Lost Soul and the platform seems to work fine, and fixed the lighting you show in the pic. However, I didn't find any exit unmarked, I checked out all the exits and they all seems to work fine in Chocolate Doom. I don't use Prboom+ so I can't tell.

I will update the idgames link today and tomorrow might be done.

 

@Average Did you beat the entire map? It does have all the three keys, I checked out in Builder if any was missing in a difficulty and they don't.

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Only by using Give Blue Key.  I should've said, I'm using GZDoom so perhaps that's the issue.  I'll play through it again.  Knowing me it's user error.  Just thought I'd share anyway. :)

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36 minutes ago, Dalvi Dandy said:

However, I didn't find any exit unmarked, I checked out all the exits and they all seems to work fine in Chocolate Doom.

An unmarked exit is a term for a mapping error in which you don't clearly label what is going to end your level. For example, nobody would guess that walking onto the train thing at the end of map01 would instantly end the level, as they would expect to hit a switch or something. That's an unmarked exit. It's not a good thing to have as people like to explore, so an unmarked exit prematurely ending the level wouldn't be too fun. Map02 has a similar issue in which some people might not expect the switch at the end to actually be what ends the level. In that case you could just put an exit sign directly over or near the switch instead of far away so that people know. The rest of the levels are fine with their exits.

 

Anyways, I have a lot of really mean (but constructive!!!) words incoming about your wad (not the heretic one): I didn't like it.

Spoiler

I didn't like it because it was boring.

 

There's WAY too much ammo for WAY too few enemies. I don't need 70 shells and an ssg to take on 2 zombiemen and a shotgunner.
The difficulty progression just... isn't there. It never gets any harder. You're always facing the same enemies throughout, all in the same small numbers, while sitting on seemingly unlimited ammo.

 

It's okay to have easy levels at first, heck, it's even okay to have 5 straight easy levels, if:

A. it's the start of a megawad

B. the levels are moderately short

 

These levels are neither. I don't know if you noticed, but it's really hard to sustain such simple, easy gameplay for such long periods of time.

Another thing that's hard to sustain is somehwat generic techbases and caves. They were pretty (the techbases), sure, but they really started to wear on me after a while. The small grey box room on map04 and most of map05 were huge breaths of fresh air. Really just limit yourself with them in the future.

 

Another problem layered onto all of this is the repetitive method of actual progression within the levels. Walk into room, press switch, walk out and look for a change in the previous room. Over. And over. And over again. It felt almost like Eternal Doom on an extremely small scale. This normally wouldn't be that bad as usually it's not hard to find the next section, but when you're starting to become delirious from the boredom and everything looks the same, it makes it really hard to progress. I got lost on what should have been pretty simple sections because I just couldn't take it anymore.

 

I think I'm just gonna list out all my gripes now:

Spoiler

Things you can fix within the WAD before resubmitting to idgames:

  • WAAAAAAAAY less ammo
  • more and harder enemies
  • spice up the themes a little
    • nothing much, just change the colors some, add some pizazz, add more lighting variation

 

Things you can work on as a mapper:

  • less repetitive back-and-forth mini-switchhunts
  • better difficulty progression
  • more varied themes and colors

 

Things I liked:

  • the maps were still quite pretty, even if I thought they were repetitive
  • you've got the "opening map" thing down pretty well

 

 

P.S. why is there music on map06 :o

P.P.S. here are some really minor issues with the levels that don't have to do with themes, difficulty, or ammo, like that lighting one from before (please excuse the blur filter)

Spoiler

NLjE7qs.png

weird textures outside the train on map02 (there's another spot with these silver textures in the open area immediately after you get off the train, up on the ledge with the imps (also I think some enemies got stuck outside the map on this map, maybe they didn't teleport?))

 

qFNX1RR.png

the thing i'm shooting at isn't pegged properly and moves with the door on map03 :(

 

pHlOxwg.png

unaligned textures on map03

 

i may or may not add more

 

P.P.P.S. add coop starts nerd

P.P.P.P.S. here's a FDA-turned-UV-Max demo for map05: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4fec6dyshhrpko0/bonboredmap05.lmp?dl=1

You'll see that I tried to make a point of using only shells for the entire level to showcase some of the problems, but I actually run out just shy of the exit.

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@bonnie Very well, thanks for the tips. and BTW; the reason there's music on map06 is because I wanted to add a six map, but I didn't manage to do it and forgot to take the midi out, and at this moment, my slade3 doesn't want to open so I can't take it out, sadly. Anyway, thanks for playing!

 

Sadly I already resubmit the file, and I prefer to keep it in this way, so in the future I can see it and see how far I have improved. 

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17 hours ago, Dalvi Dandy said:

Miskatonic Trip

Definitely trying this with the Strange Aeons guns n monsters mod later.

 

EDIT: Hey these are pretty good, actually. Got my ass kicked on both so haven't finished either yet, but not many gripes other than a couple imperfect texture alignments.

 

EDIT2: I would definitely detail the train interior better, though, so it isn't just a bland metal tube. Give a sense of its function and show that it's served as public transit for countless people.

Edited by Impie

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