The /newstuff Chronicles #121

Just when you thought it was unsafe to come out, I'm back - bringing with me a new format (based around the new idgames database) and a collection of 11 wads with 25 maps, including big, small, silly, deathmatch, evasion, Boom-based ZDoom (as opposed to Hexen-based), a movie and some of those little programs that will be used by exactly 0 people. I've also turned 23 today, so no need to post a 'happy birthday' thread (not that I was going to anyway). Anyway, here we go:

• Hunted by Martin Mikaelsson
  74kb - doom2.exe - SP -
  A single map with a slightly unusual theme - during the map you're being hunted by a cyberdemon. This is reflected in the architecture, which was set up for monster evasion rather than monster battling. It serves it's purpose, but is quite basic and the texturing theme is different in each room. Gameplay-wise, the cyber appears at various points and some of the evasion scenarios are fairly well done, but the trouble is that you can't actually kill him, or the horde of hell knights/barons at the end, as the map has only shotgun and chaingun. So, if you fancy a slightly different style of gameplay then play this, but if you don't then it will disappoint.
  
  
• Imp Encounter: Second Edition by Anonymous
  55kb - ZDoom - SP (sitting passively) -
  This is that movie wad from last week, but apparently this second version is a little less censored than the other one. I wouldn't know (as I never saw the original) but it was fun to watch.
  
  
• Show Wad Level Plus by Paul Robinson
  17kb - n/a - n/a -
  This is a program that lets you find out what maps a Doom/2/Heretic/Hexen wad is replacing...not that it's any quicker to read the wad's text file to find out.
  
  
• Show Wad Level Plus W by Paul Robinson
  9kb - n/a - n/a -
  Ditto, except this version was programmed for Windows.
  
  
• uh, I dunno, shall I give it one? by butter_pat_head
  98kb - doom2.exe - SP -
  Me smells mockery. Me definitely smells mockery. 6 silly maps for Doom 2, containing all the usual features - crap architecture, random texturing, tons of ammo, big rooms full of cybers etc. Most of the maps are beatable however, the last map is quite neat in terms of it's concept and the inclusion of a couple of Lemmings tunes is a small plus.
  
  
• Bunker by Pascal 'gherkin' vd Heiden
  259kb - doom2.exe - DM -
  A small deathmatch map, set in a small arena with a Dead Simple style layout. The detail is quite nice, particularly the shadows/lighting effects - although the pace should be very fast, so you probably wouldn't get chance to look at it properly (or indeed to catch you breath).
  
  
• Desikration 2000 by Stealthy Ivan
  74kb - doom2.exe - DM -
  A 3-map deathmatch wad that actually looks quite good. Weapons, health, ammo and armour are scattered throughout and no non-health powerups are to be found. The layouts are somewhat linear a lot of the time, with plenty of dead ends and some teleporters thrown in to confuse the players. The maps are small however, and this means the pace should still be fast, furious and fun.
  
  
• IC Doom 2003: Yet more Dooming by Ian Cunnings
  165kb - doom2.exe - SP -
  A huge map, somewhat reminiscent of the Alex Parsons wads. Taking place in a gothic fortress surrounded by rocky areas, this map is crammed with monsters and will always keep you on your toes. The fortress itself is dark and fairly well detailed with a certain Doom 1 look about it, although it is symmetrical in places. Together with the repetitive monster types in the fortress (imps, demons and hell knights mostly) this can lead to repetitive gameplay in there. Fortunately the rocky areas are not like that, and the final arena is certainly worth playing for. Ammo and health are plentiful throughout but you could be left a little short at the end if you don't find all the hidden stashes in the final area. Also, the map suffers from a bad reject as the monsters don't wake up until you enter their sector. The quality is there though, and if you like castle/fortress maps and/or blowing away tons of monsters then you'll enjoy this.
  
  
• WadSpy v1.0c by Oliver Brakmann
  54kb - n/a - n/a - A stats program that can generate stats about the number of monsters, health, ammo and even things like average light level, number of damage sectors. A lot of this stuff will be for curiosity only, but the bit that deals with difficulty (monsters, health/ammo balance etc.) may be of some use to mappers.
  
  
• MGMYWTCX Demo by Dan Woodward and Owen Lloyd
  28kb - doom2.exe - DM -
  Another deathmatch wad, this time a 2-mapper made by, err...2 mappers. Each map is fairly small, low in detail and has various things scattered through them. Weapons and ammo are spread apart from each other, and there is no health or powerups except for a megasphere in the first map. The lack of doors and lifts in both maps means that the pace should be fairly fast, with a hunt-your-opponent style in the first map (a gothic series of passages, stairs and rooms) and an open firefight in the second (a brown outdoor map).
  
  
• Bella by Paul Corfiatis
  1400kb - ZDoom - SP -
  We finish this week with an impressive 12-map wad for Doom 2. The unusual thing about this ZDoom wad is that no scripting is involved. This isn't a bad thing though, as the Boom-based ZDoom features are used pretty well, along with some mapinfo trickery. Onto the maps themselves, and there's something for everyone here - there's gothic, hellish, industrial, city, Doom 1 and Doom 2-style base maps, the last 3 maps are set on a space station and there's a couple of quirky secret maps thrown in as well. Architecture is decent throughout, enhanced by Boom/ZDoom features (notably scrolling and translucence) in some places and each map has an appropriate sky, which is a nice touch. However, the detail is a little basic in some maps. Gameplay-wise, there's some new monsters - two extra types of caco, an invisible hell knight and cyber. There are lots of monsters throughout, including stealth monsters and I believe this wad has more arch-viles than revenants (which is the first time ever I reckon). Cyberdemons are plentiful, and are often deployed in ordinary areas - so get your Hell Revealed book of tactics out (although there's sometimes a nearby secret to help you). In fact a lot of this wad is pretty hard, and lesser-skilled Doomers will have to play on a lower skill level. Health is plentiful, but the ammo balance is uneven - in some maps you'll run out if you don't find the secret stashes, in others you'll be full to the brim. To sum up, this is a very good wad with some interesting designs and features, and plenty of big monsters to get stuck into. It does have it's flaws, and will annoy those who don't like arch-viles, stealth monsters or cyberdemons but that doesn't stop it from being the wad of the week.