The DWmegawad Club plays: Eternal Slumber Party

dobu gabu maru · March 1, 2018

What is the DWmegawad Club?

This is a place where we settle down, have a cup of tea (or drink of your choice) and take a month to play through a megawad on our own, together! Any keen observations, criticisms, or frustrated ranting about it goes here in the discussion. As long as you want to say something about what you've played, feel free to speak your mind.

Can I join?

Sure. The only rule is that you have to play at least some of the levels in our monthly megawad to contribute, but you're generally encouraged to finish the whole thing, even if you've played it before.

What levels am I allowed to post about?

Whatever day of the month it is, is the upper limit for the map you can post on. So if it’s the 6th, you may discuss up to MAP06.

Do I have to post an entry every day?

Nope, not at all. This is only for our more enthusiastic members. As long as you play through it with us you’re part of the club.

When do we vote on the next month’s megawad?

Voting begins on the 25th of the current month. Remember to add one “+++” before your vote to make it easier to count. For example:

+++ Ultimate Doom

----------

>>>DOWNLOAD ESP HERE<<<

Do you have an unquenchable thirst to see hordes of archviles and cyberdemons surrounded by tall buildings and gobs of cell? Well don’t worry, because local BFG-enthusiast Time of Death has the cure! Take 1 map-sized dose of Eternal Slumber Party daily and before long you too will be two-shotting cyberdemons in your sleep! So what are you waiting for? Plug in your ethernet cord and download a FREE TRIAL* today!

^{*FREE TRIAL requires a written review for all 33 maps.}

Maplist:

MAP01 - “Degrassi”

MAP02 - “Castle of the Damned”

MAP03 - “Escaping the Spiral Labyrinth”

MAP04 - “Rosewater Park”

MAP05 - “dholes”

MAP06 - “Smedley”

MAP07 - “KSP”

MAP08 - “Much Obliged”

MAP09 - “Supernib”

MAP10 - “Forest of Undesirables”

MAP11 - “Chocolate Pain”

MAP12 - “Brookhaven Hospital”

MAP13 - “Castle Lava”

MAP14 - “Split Wide Open”

MAP15 - “Drown in Blood”

MAP31 - “Nostril Caverns” [requires ESP31.bex]

MAP32 - “Eternal Memories 1”

MAP16 - “Be Quiet”

MAP17 - “Stares”

MAP18 - “64lemons MAP03”

MAP19 - “Cassie Steele”

MAP20 - “Double Imp Act”

MAP21 - “The Room Below”

MAP22 - “64lemons MAP02”

MAP23 - “Nina Dobrev”

MAP24 - “64lemons MAP01”

MAP25 - “Nina Dobrev 2”

MAP26 - “Ben Stein’s Money”

MAP27 - “64lemons MAP04”

MAP28 - “The Necropolis”

MAP29 - “Peter Perv’s Private Place” [requires ESP29.bex]

MAP30 - “Bump” [requires -fast parameter or nightmare setting]

MAP33 - “Merkin”

BONUS CONTENT

DSDA

--------

OLD THREADS

Spoiler

The DWmegawad Club Metathread

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Edited May 9, 2023 by dobu gabu maru

Breezeep · March 1, 2018

God have mercy on suitepee.

Capellan · March 1, 2018

12 minutes ago, dobu gabu maru said:

What levels am I allowed to post about?

Whatever day of the month it is, is the upper limit for the map you can post on. So if it’s the 6th, you may discuss up to MAP06.

I can't wait for March 33rd :)

(presumably, peeps can do map33 on March 31?)

Grain of Salt · March 1, 2018

Edit:

By the way, anyone going into this blind should strongly consider watching the maxdemos that come with the wad if you ever get stuck, either on a fight or just in progressing through a map. ToD maps have very strange progression sometimes (because ToD likes eternal doom, the absolute madman).

Also, not everything is super hard, despite what map01 might suggest. If you use saves whenever you need to ESP shouldn't be much harder to get through than, say, Speed of Doom.

Edited March 1, 2018 by Grain of Salt

Roofi · March 1, 2018

Challenge accepted

rehelekretep · March 1, 2018

what have we done D:

kmxexii · March 1, 2018

there is no escape

Killer5 · March 1, 2018

Well.. I said I'd play it. I am busy for the next few days but here is a play through of Degrassi I did during my SF2012 thing for no-save November.

This map is really great if you are in the mood for a long slaughter map. There is practically no rng to speak of here. It is basically akin to a gear check in WoW.. if you are ready you'll win.. if not you need to spend more time playing the game.

Something that ToD did quite a few times here was reuse the same area of the map via transformations such as the area where you need to 2-shot 18 cybs. I really like this design and plan to implement transformations like these in the future.

There was only one area that really grinded my gears.. there is this teleporter with a mega and some unknown stack of cell packs on top. I didn't move quick enough and just used the tp without grabbing the ammo/mega. I look back and think about how much more fun I had with fewer supplies but this shit is really fucking annoying when it happens.

Standout moments for me were:

- Climbing the raising sectors linked to that torch which raises up at a fixed rate

- The 2-shot cyb climb in that spectacular room with the yellow skull keys

- The midtexture platforms in the room with that.. bridge near the cross in the water

bioshockfan90 · March 1, 2018

this is one slumber party I personally can't wait to entangle myself into.

GZdoom until the port is on its last dying legs screaming for mercy, HMP even tho it really doesn't matter past MAP01 with proper compatibility and no mouselook.

Let's fucking do this.

MAP01: Degrassi

Where to begin? There's so much to say about this map that's damn near impossible to cover it all within a reasonably-sized post. I feel like such a sod for playing this in HMP after peeking around in UV, something I assure you will come to bite me in the ass later on.... But oh well, that's a bridge to cross for later.

I think the reason why this map 'vibed' with me so much was its insanity. Frantically running around this gargantuan map, shooting any wall you come across, pressing use in hopes that just maybe that fucking door will open, those bars to that lift will raise, etc... while the gorgeously insane MIDI plays in the background, grating against your ears. It's a combo that wore me down on my first playthrough, and in hindsight would've been a perfectly good reason to stop playing, yet... I kept going. In fact, even after I died to a ridiculous mancubus setup my first go, I still came back to it the next day, eager to go through it all over again. But why?

If there's one thing I can deduce about ToD, it's that he does a hella fine job of creating abstract environments with exacting gameplay. Sure, in HMP it's a cakewalk compared to the tip-tapping precision of UV, but I still felt pressured to not take any damage and maneuver these crazy rooms with the utmost skill. Even after all the failed strafejump attempts, all the aimless wandering around the map to find switches, it kept me going. And that's gotta mean something, right?

The point I'm trying to make is that even if ESP wears me down to my core, to the point where I have to savescum, banging my head against the wall, I'll do my damn best to stick it through to the end because this... feels unique. Unlike anything else I've played in this game before.

So, enough poetic waxing. The map itself? I don't really need to say much more. Gorgeous hellscapes with zany rooms and zany progression. Don't expect to nail all the puzzles your first try. I'm pretty sure some of these paths don't even lead anywhere, but it all worked out.

Favorite rooms had to be the one with all the secret plasma nooks and cacoes, the one with the yellow skullkey display, and that neat little "staircase" hexagonal room.

Gonna be a long ride.

Nine Inch Heels · March 1, 2018

Wut?! Thread is up and running already? Anyway, here's to "Stay calm and 2 shot".

Degrassi is what I would call "slaughter essence", and it never feels like there is a lot of "pointless fat" in the map. Sure you have the occasional "clown car" moments here and there which will have you pumping rockets through a door, but I like me a short breather inbetween the stuff that requires a little bit more attention. This map revolves around consistency and there is practically nothing in terms of curveballs that get thrown your way, provided you know at least roughly what lies ahead.

This map is also one of the (many) reasons why I personally think the common prejudice that slaughter is a long tedious grind is dumb. ToD's repetitions may throw off some people for sure, but if you take away the "18-cybie-2-shot-a-thon" there is nothing in this here map that I think overstays its welcome for virtually anybody who enjoys a good fight. In fact, most of this map's fights are small to medium scaled encounters which can be understood and solved relatively quickly.

Even the obvious 2-shot scenarios feel "diverse" in pretty much all cases sans the 18-cybie one, there's always a little something that you need to pay attention to, awkward floor, weird shape of the smaller room you're in, height variations which determine from where it's best to start approaching the cybie, taking advantage of infights etc...

This is also a good time to mention ToD's use of "secrets". These "not-so-secret-secrets" are something I have seen from him several times, and more often than not these secrets revolve around jumping somewhere (preferably SR50). It's an interesting way to "abuse" a mapping feature to get some more mileage out of the existing geometry, or to create "multi-purpose areas" like the room with the 3 cybies and the "caco-cubbies" higher up with cells in them. Unless you don't wanna go for 100% secrets you should get some "value" out of this approach. For what it's worth, instead of killing players with inescapeable pits, ToD is simply gonna make you spend some additional time here, which I believe is a good solution for maps with such an amount of playtime, doubly so when the platforming makes a comeback on a somewhat regular basis.

Speaking of playtime: This map is at the absolute highest treshold of what I would ever play in one sitting.

SleepyVelvet · March 1, 2018

help, i'm trying map01 and don't tell me there's a mandatory glide here. i like blind playthroughs, and don't wanna spoil things too much; hesitant to read the writeups above too. uhhhh

Nine Inch Heels · March 1, 2018

2 minutes ago, NoisyVelvet said:

help, i'm trying map01 and don't tell me there's a mandatory glide here. i like blind playthroughs, and don't wanna spoil things too much; hesitant to read the writeups above too. uhhhh

Hide contents

that is not a glide. the "fireblu boxes" in the previous room are shoot switches

SleepyVelvet · March 1, 2018

lol holy shit. that's a sigh of relief. the lift is on a timer, and there's just enough time to "technically" get onto the lift, so it actually felt like an intentional design decision. and i know ToD likes to do weird stuff....

thank fucking god.

Catpho · March 1, 2018

I have played Degrassi so ill post it later, but map03 and map05 are maps i havent played and cause they are long(even longer than degrassi!0) so i dump reviews for them way later in the month, becasue theres no way ill finish them on time on the specific day they are played.

Roofi · March 1, 2018

I never managed to finish Degrassi without dying, so I will not be able to make a detailled review of it for now. However , I can say it's one of ToD's masterpieces along with «Escaping the spiral Labyrinth» and «Dholes». Its crazy midi stays in the memories of every doomer for sure.

Paul977 · March 1, 2018

Yeah; Nina Dobrev, Nina Dobrev II, Cassie are great

Tristan · March 1, 2018

Played 01-06 coop on ZDaemon last night. Degrassi was a bit of a chore at first but once the first few areas were cleared out it was pretty good, took about 80 minutes. Lots of good opportunities for 2-shot cyber practice and the transformations the map went under were pretty nifty. 03 had a lot of BFG action which was fun to do aggressively, had several narrow escapes somewhere (not that it matters in coop - this is the crucial thing for me), 04's a weird start but panned out to relatively light RL-centric action, pretty nice.

Dholes was a bit overwhelming for me, and we all spent a lot of time not really knowing where to go. I remember this map from sf3, I was pissing around with the guided nuclear cluster-bomb missile thing from russian overkill on this a while ago, heh. The "warp" in the later stage of the map was very cool, always wondered if you could actually make something out of That Effect. Wasn't really a fan of 06.

Catpho · March 1, 2018

MAP01 - “Degrassi”

People in this thread basically said whats there is to say about this map:Absolute madness.It has everything thats makes a classic TOD map: 2 shot cybie test, samey texturing that doesnt ruin a level, quirky progression (strafe anyone?), and cold cold precision and perfection. Every encounter is a absolute mad dash, from the outdoor slaughters to that especially tricky ascent against the torch to reach the switch. The final encounter is a bit of a breather tho, but it's porbably needed after the hell you just went through :P

To top it all off is the music that sounds like it was made in a mental hospital (this is compliment btw), and the absurd length. A legendary slaughter map, one that must be seen to believe. Best secret too

Side note, this was the map that hook me to TOD,and one of the ones that hook me to slaughter maps in general

Some screenies:

I like how you are treated on hmp compered to uv:

^uv

^hmp

Tristan · March 1, 2018

2 minutes ago, Catpho said:

I like how you are treated on hmp compered to uv:

ahhh if only the whole WAD did this :P

Suitepee · March 1, 2018

15 hours ago, Breezeep said:

God have mercy on suitepee.

Why?

rehelekretep · March 1, 2018

ToD likes revenants, lots of revenants

tmorrow · March 1, 2018

5 minutes ago, rehelekretep said:

ToD likes revenants, lots of revenants

He seems to like to throw in quite a few archviles as well to help restore those revenants to full health!

rehelekretep · March 1, 2018

D:

Suitepee · March 1, 2018

2 hours ago, rehelekretep said:

ToD likes revenants, lots of revenants

I'm not intending on playing this though, if that's what Breezeep was thinking. I did say in a recent stream I'd like to do a wad for the DWMC again soon, but not on this occasion. Perhaps I'll play ESP in the distant future though, when I'm more in the mood for hard slaughter maps.

Roofi · March 1, 2018

I tried to finish Degrassi , I died but I went pretty far ! Here is a demo if you have a lot of time to kill.

Considering that I already finished the second map a year ago , I will give an another try tomorrow on the first map.

doom155.png.0213c73131c22b11a7012c978e6500ae.png

DEMO (dead)

Nine Inch Heels · March 1, 2018

4 hours ago, Suitepee said:

I'm not intending on playing this though, if that's what Breezeep was thinking. I did say in a recent stream I'd like to do a wad for the DWMC again soon, but not on this occasion. Perhaps I'll play ESP in the distant future though, when I'm more in the mood for hard slaughter maps.

In my opinion you should be fine if you play this with saves. I have seen you 2 shot cybies before quite well, and these maps are not necessarily all super hard to begin with. Degrassi for instance is mostly difficult by virtue of length, not because there is extremely tight and brutal stuff in it all the time. Unless the idea of doing some SR50 platforming here and there throws you off, you might actually have a good time with this. Most of these maps are gonna be noticeably easier than my JOM05 contribution (on UV). Just hop on board and give it a try, if you reckon it's really not for you somewhere down the line you can still call it a day. What say you? :-)

Grain of Salt · March 1, 2018

Thoughts about MAP01, "Degrassi"

This map was originally made for Community Chest 4 (aimed for the MAP32 slot), and iirc actually went through some gameplay rebalancing at the request of that project's leaders. However, The Green Herring politely rejected the map when he found out just how long it was, and ToD donated it to Slaughterfest 2012, where it became MAP29. Despite ending up in SF2012, I think this map was mostly/entirely made in 2011.
Despite being MAP01, this is one of the longest maps in the wad, and while not the hardest it's definitely not the easiest either. Kind of a baptism by fire situation, really. I feel like MAP28 might have been a better choice to open the wad (check that one out if you're yearning for a shorter/easier map to play), but I suppose this map was chosen to make it immediately clear what kind of mapset this was.
Not my favorite ToD map aesthetically, although the geometry itself lends everything a nice labyrinthine look. I've never really understood the practice of using the dbrain textures as a lavafall.
The building and rebuilding staircases, sudden drops and 3d bridges are some of the best examples of bonkers interconnectivity in this wad, or ToD maps in general.
I'm not really a fan of the very start, where you have to know to go to that hidden room with the rocket launcher. But I suppose you're bound to find the way to go after a process of elimination.
Weapon progression is solid, with rockets and ssg available early, and early fights giving clear reasons to use both, regardless of available ammo. Not long after, you get the bfg, but you're not exactly swimming in cells, so rockets and ssg continue to be useful. I find this approach more fun than the later bfg-only maps, tbh.
In conclusion, degrassi is a land of contrasts.

Snikle · March 2, 2018

Alright, MAP 01

Got in, dicked around for a bit, killed the sparce enemies there are on ITYTD and enjoyed it. About ten minutes in I decided to do an IDDT and was blown away at the size of the map. Huge.

I liked how the first area of the map transforms and changes as a hub area, linking all the other areas together as you get to them via those doors that are locked at the beginning. (Saw an id games review that complained about the doors not opening. Guess they didn't check what to do in Doom Builder.) This map on IDYTD was kind of tame, but I know it's the only map with difficulty settings, so I'm not worried about boredom later on. Progression was tricky as hell, but that's what Doom Builder is for. And boy did I use it a lot to see what switches needed pressing.

I really wish he didn't implement difficulty levels on this, because ITYTD was kind of boring in parts, specifically the huge room with the yellow keys. While most people got a bunch of cybers, I got a few barons. The other maps with no difficulty settings should be more fun.

After I did beat it, I realized there was a whole lot of shit I didn't do. Like, swaths of map. Maybe shouldn't have noclipped instead of strafing, or something.

Anyone else notice that there were no medikits or stimpacks? Just megaspheres on ITYTD.

Nine Inch Heels · March 2, 2018

12 minutes ago, Snikle said:

Maybe shouldn't have noclipped instead of strafing, or something.

Yeah, don't do that unless you really have to. There is always a chance that you'll break something in boom maps, because not only does noclip ignore any sort of collision or height differences, it also ignores linedef triggers that you would have walked over (and activated) otherwise. On top of that, you can break a whole lot of stuff in maps that use conveyor based scripts, if the conveyors contain more elaborate "sequences".

16 minutes ago, Snikle said:

I really wish he didn't implement difficulty levels on this, because ITYTD was kind of boring in parts, specifically the huge room with the yellow keys. While most people got a bunch of cybers, I got a few barons. The other maps with no difficulty settings should be more fun.

I do not understand your logic here. You could always "dial up" and replay the map if you want to.

Snikle · March 2, 2018

40 minutes ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

Yeah, don't do that unless you really have to. There is always a chance that you'll break something in boom maps, because not only does noclip ignore any sort of collision or height differences, it also ignores linedef triggers that you would have walked over (and activated) otherwise. On top of that, you can break a whole lot of stuff in maps that use conveyor based scripts, if the conveyors contain more elaborate "sequences".

I do not understand your logic here. You could always "dial up" and replay the map if you want to.

I only noclipped where I should have strafed, so it was just on parts with jumps anyway.

I guess I could replay it, but the map still took over an hour as is, and I want to move on to the other maps.

Sign In

The DWmegawad Club plays: Eternal Slumber Party

Recommended Posts

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Share this post

Link to post

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in