The DWmegawad Club plays: Tangerine Nightmare & UAC Ultra & Realm of Shades

[dobu gabu maru]

Super Mayhem is at 9 votes

 

ESP is at 8 votes

[NuMetalManiak]

@Memfis I wasn't trolling when I voted I really needed this month off.

[Tristan]

Actually want to vote for Mayhem, want to see ESP picked so it's out of the way and They can stop going on about it. Tough call so instead...

 

+++ Fender

[Memfis]

They'll probably spam TimeOfMaps next. :U (which is actually more approachable I think)

[baja blast rd.]

I voted for Mayhem 17 because I want to play it (and have a map in it), but ESP would be my second choice and all this talk of ESP-voters being trolls makes me want to switch my vote. 

[bioshockfan90]

Pretty surprised by all the negativity going around about ESP. Pretty sure I recall a discussion a few months back about the DWMC being a good outlet to try out new styles of gameplay and get a good diverse selection that everyone can mesh with, atleast every once in a while. ESP isn't some "troll pick" that keeps getting selected over and over, it's a real mapset with effort put into it that, granted, caters to a specific style of gameplay but I think it works well. If you're deterred by it, don't play on UV. Hell, I played through the first map on HMP and enjoyed the hell out of it before I even realized what the UV difficulty was. 

 

If you're not gonna play ESP, don't vote for it to "take a month off" or "to get them to shut up", vote if you're gonna atleast try it out and give it an honest go. I'd gladly take Mayhem '17 just as well, but I think ESP is really interesting, a WAD that could spark a lot of discussion.

 

That's my 2 cents tho. Let's not derail this any further.

[Nine Inch Heels]

7 minutes ago, rdwpa said:

I voted for Mayhem 17 because I want to play it (and have a map in it), but ESP would be my second choice and all this talk of ESP-voters being trolls makes me want to switch my vote. 

You know what to do... ;-)

[SleepyVelvet]

I might step in if it's ESP; never played it but i like ToD's style.  Maybe it'll be my sequel to New Gothic Movement 2, where i used the "2 save" rule.  Are the maps long or are they short-n-deadly style maps?  I'll probably decide after the first map how i feel like playing, if at all.

 

also, i can confirm that Super Mayrio 17 is awesome with lots of variety and fun; maybe too much variety and fun for some people, but it's definitely in my top 5 favorite wads.

[Capellan]

30 minutes ago, bioshockfan90 said:

ESP isn't some "troll pick" that keeps getting selected over and over, it's a real mapset with effort put into it

 

While a couple of the votes for ESP have been made for what I'd consider dubious reasons, that's on the people who made the votes, not the WAD, IMO.

 

I mean, I have played enough ToD maps to know that I personally have less than zero interest in playing ESP, but that certainly doesn't mean that other people can't want to play it, or enjoy playing and talking about it.  And if it wins the vote, I hope they do play and enjoy it and have interesting conversations.

 

[NuMetalManiak]

1 hour ago, bioshockfan90 said:

If you're not gonna play ESP, don't vote for it to "take a month off".

In my case it is actually legitimate. But then again, the ones who DO DO DO vote for it to play it MUST MUST MUST play it.

[Pirx]

MAP04

 

i remembered it immediately for its 3d bridges. too bad they're buggy. not only had the revenants their heads partly in the ceiling, the bridge had invisible walls around it. otherwise, the map was surprisingly tough, more than the maps before. you have some free choice where to go first and should visit the room with the arch-viles and all their minions coming from the sides only after you have found the rocket launcher, as the ssg is too slow for killing everything they can resurrect. i liked the "exploratory" style of the map, but not how some fights were set up. the red key fight being the most outstanding example. i sniped the first viles and elementals from the entrance and figured out there were more of them placed in a symmetrical manner, but still, the damn wall of barons and skulls blocks every move. then i ended up with 9 hp and couldn't believe what bullshit that gate was. some good ideas here but then "balanced" with terrible ones. 

[Killer5]

+++ ESP

 

Why not I'll play it.

[loveless]

+++ ESP 

  

Already playing it but doing some writeups might be nice.

[tmorrow]

map07
zdoom2.8.1, uvmax, pistol start, no saves, first time played

A bfg slaughtermap to finish this fine wad. There is so much health and ammo strewn all over the map making this a fairly comfortable romp. No secrets to concern yourself with. Just bfg and rockets the whole way. The enemy really does not stand much of a chance except at the 2 points where archviles are released with the horde and a few cybies. A fun ending.

Overall Comments

Realm of Shades is 1998 wad of 7 challenging maps by NokturnuS (P. Ramirez). Belial described them best in his demopack: "The maps all have excellent layouts, great connectivity and open-ended gameplay". I hope NokturnuS continues to distribute his maps, they are well worth playing.

Favourite Maps

• map04 - a challenging map with nasty key traps
• map05 - a linear map but with a large secret hunt

 

Most Difficult Maps

• map04 - the red key trap is just evil!
• map01 - a lot of rng with enemy spawns on this map

[Salt-Man Z]

MAP04

41:13 | 100% Kills | 100% Items | 75% Secrets

This one was pretty good; reminded me vaguely of something out of MM1/MM2 at some points. Sprawling and fairly nonlinear, with the some cool areas and some... not so cool ones. The red key fight was very much B.S., and then once I managed that I had to wait like 5 minutes for the gate to open. Geez. Also not a fan of the northeastern blue armor area that consists of a blind lift dropping right into a hitsquad of nobles. Otherwise a pretty fun adventure.

[Memfis]

10 hours ago, bioshockfan90 said:

If you're deterred by it, don't play on UV.

Most TimeOfDeath maps don't have difficulty settings implemented. Map01 of ESP is an exception because it was originally intended for Community Chest 4, which requires them. "Normal humans" will be completely smashed by the majority of the levels. New Gothic Movement 2 is piss easy compared to that wad.

[gaspe]

MAP07: Idk, there are lots of powerups and ammo so you can play recklessly and it's kinda fun but the level reuses too much the areas, thing that doesn't work well in small maps. Even visually is rather underwhelming. In concept is something that fits right for a final map, I would say that this level has aged more badly compared to the rest of the wad.

 

Thanks to whoever suggested to play this lesser known wad. The best thing is that it has a lot of variety between the levels, it's more rough and less memorable compared to many other wads from those years, and I can see why the first few levels won't make a good impression to some people. MAP04-05-06 were very good.

[Roofi]

It seems that ESP will be the wad for March. 

 

I wish you good luck to finish just the first , third , fifth level  :) And as Memfis said , no difficulty setting is implemented. 

 

I find it useless to review a map that you have not completed . It's like watching half of a movie.

[rehelekretep]

11 hours ago, Memfis said:

+++ Super Mayhem 17

gotta counter the trolls

we are not trolls Memfis; just because people want to experience a different mapset than you that doesnt make them 'trolls'

[rehelekretep]

you can use saves & ITYTD to give more ammo and half damage on ESP :)

 

@bioshockfan90 made a really good post just above so i wont overelaborate but i dont see myself, GoS or NIH whining about 'vanilla-trolls' or anything like that when a more conventional mapset gets picked. id really appreciate it if you kept your snide comments to yourselves.

although we're on the internet so you do you i guess

[Roofi]

2 minutes ago, rehelekretep said:

you can use saves & ITYTD to give more ammo and half damage on ESP :)

Yep but a lot of levels have an interesting but cryptic progression.

 

For my part., I will just review levels that I have already played. :)

[rehelekretep]

oh no, cryptic progression >.< my worst enemy

you know ive watched a few demos of ESP, but never played it - ill laugh if i end up hating it after March is over :D

[NuMetalManiak]

Fucking why does the forum keep changing all the time? I am legitimately getting hallucinations right now.

 

Finishing this up before I go mad.

 

MAP07

 

Low monster count, still a pretty long level. Yes it uses 666 and 667 tags, but there's some active searching for the mancubi and arachnotrons going around. Not too much to ask. Killing all the mancubi pits the arachnotrons, as well as several other enemies like cybers into the midst. Kill the arachnotrons for the way forward. At this point, you wonder why the next door doesn't open, the teleporters provide a convenient way back to the area behind the starting point so that last necessary switch is reached, but then again, fighting past the arch-viles can be bothersome at times. An extra failsafe was put next to the pillars that rose up after the arachnotrons died, which helps in case the viles resurrect some of those spiders. The endgame involves some steps upwards, with cacos and pain elementals. Easy for that. Lots of health for this map too, but a bit underwhelming for a finale.

[Pirx]

Heh that's some admirably close voting this month.

 

That super mayhem 17 went under my radar and I thought it's some 8 bit parody first.  Then I realized that it's actually amazing, so 

 

+++ super mayhem 17

[Catpho]

This is gonna be tight!!!

Im actually practicing some of the harder levels(read:impossible levels) of ESP right now :P

[Magnusblitz]

+++ ESP

[Nine Inch Heels]

4 hours ago, Catpho said:

This is gonna be tight!!!

Im actually practicing some of the harder levels(read:impossible levels) of ESP right now :P

Embrace the dark arts. Once you have seen what lies beyond the narrow boundaries of sanity, that which your eyes have gazed upon will never let go of your mind and soul. Don't fight the temptation, open yourself up to it, and you shall experience wonders unlike anything you have ever experienced before.

 

Join us...

 

 

[Pirx]

5 hours ago, rehelekretep said:

oh no, cryptic progression >.< my worst enemy

you know ive watched a few demos of ESP, but never played it - ill laugh if i end up hating it after March is over :D

 

I'd lol too. Cryptic progression is my enemy too, I find it very frustrating to run through corpse-littered rooms in circles , looking for a way out. Still, to my surprise, I learned to appreciate eternal doom during our playthrough. Perhaps except for a few maps which were a bit too cryptic. 

 

[Phobus]

MAP06

This sky fortress is a great example of Doom level design as an abstract vehicle for the implementation of interesting ideas. Giant pits, steep twisting stairs, doors and lifts hidden away using all sorts of non-traditional behaviour, a secret BFG slaughter room and much more besides make this endlessly interesting. I thought the enemy usage, despite having a lot of arch-viles, was very fair. There's plenty of cover, lots of powerful weaponry and occassional big power ups to keep you going, plus secrets with all sorts to provide you. I could probably fault the attention-to-detail on texturing a fair bit, but honestly, it's a fun map that looks good enough to me as is. Got to be the highlight of the set!

[Pirx]

59 minutes ago, Magnusblitz said:

+++ ESP

 

Lol that nailed it

 

Give yourself to the dark side