Job wrote a nice intro, but it's 4am and I'm sitting here formatting t/nc because Job sent it to me in an .rtf file with no /idgames links, html formatting or any information about the levels at all. I'm not bitter, though. Nope. I'm a bigger person that that... Okay, no I'm not. You'd better sleep with one eye open, Job! ONE EYE OPEN!!
This week's /newstuff Chronicles is a bit sparse, but not without a few files to catch your attention. We've got a little gem from Ling and a couple diamonds in the rough as well as some mods worth taking a look at, with one truly ambitious map will make it all worth while though, so read on.
Here's a little tidbit of info from Shav you all may find interesting:
<shaviro> well. We will give you something good next week
<Job> (heh, is that a hint about RTC?)
<shaviro> yes. You may quote me on that! :P
There you go. You heard it here first.
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A Warm Place - Richo Rosai
ZDoom - SP - 8086K -
The title of this map assures the player of a chance to visit the depths of hell, which is one of the few things it does indeed deliver. Replete with introductory backstory and a panning camera to set a cinematic mood, this wad has a polished style in terms of fairly extensive scripting. Those who are short of patience, be warned: if you die early on, before an auto-save, you'll find yourself grinding your teeth as the introduction plays again. More often than not, this is a result of a slight puzzle earlier on that will probably force you to reload several times. Other ZDoom effects are present, such as slopes and colored lighting as well as ambient sounds. Unfortunately, plain architecture and lackluster fights keep this map from being much more than it could have been. These bland fights, coupled with a fairly plentiful supply of ammo, makes this a wonderul wad for less experienced Doomers. HOMs also periodically appear in the level, breaking up it's atmosphere and flow. Another con is the massive music wad accompanying this file, which weighs in at a whopping seven megs is bound to turn a way some 56k users (which is rather unfortunate because the music, which includes a great e1m8 remix, is really quite good and helps set the mood).. For all the nostalgia hunters out there, you'll notice a particular area very reminiscent of the Quake 2 prisons. The author shows a great deal of talent in scripting and could deliver some very well-polished maps in the future if he chooses to polish some of his basic mapping techniques. All things considered, however, this is a mediocre map which is certainly worth some consideration given the relative scarcity of playable wads in this week's /newstuff chronicles.
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Do It - Andrew "Linguica" Stine
ZDoom - SP - 42K -
Here's a rare treat from everyone's favorite Forum Sausage. Featuring his famous "suicide gun" (something most bloggers here should recall), here's your chance to see what it's like to be a real emo without having to humiliate yourself in public. Definitely worth a quick download for a laugh. So, uh...just do it.
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DTCA - Map 02 - UAC Mining Inc. - Cyber-Menace
ZDoom - SP - 264K -
Here's the latest installment in the Cyberdemon Army series, brought to us by Cyber-Menace. A lot of work was put into this map, and it shows. The custom music (vaguely similar to DBZ tunes, heh) is very energetic and puts you in the mood for the action that's always just around the corner. The gameplay is frantic but well-balanced, with a bullet or shell for every demon in the map, this is definitely reminiscent of what made Doom so famous so long ago. Even better, the map flows well and your objectives are always updated, eliminating any confusion as to what you have to do next. The puzzles are not difficult and fit perfectly into the map's themes. Scripted music and fights only add to the gameplay and the quality of the latter is matched by architecture and environments that are pleasing to the eye, sporting tasteful sloping, fog and near-perfect alignment. The only drawback present in this map is it's brevity - you'll find this to be a fun little level, leaving you wanting more. Highly recommended: wad of the week.
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Xaser's Lasers - Xaser
ZDoom - n/a - 334K -
Here are the weapon replacements included in the mod, as described by Xaser himself:
1-Laser Pistol- Wimpy as hell. Don't use this unless you have to. Thanks to Daniel for Graphics and sound.
1-Neutron Blaster- Shoots out bursts of energy kind of slowly, but it takes no ammo. Cool, eh? Thanks to Scuba Steve for Graphics and Sound.
2-Plasma Pistol- Shoots out small plasma blast tings that do quite a bit of damage. It's slow, though. Thanks to Scuba Steve for Graphics and Sound.
3-Laser Rifle- It's like the shotgun, only 10x faster. Kick ass! Thanks to Daniel for Graphics and sound.
3-Double Laser Cannon Thingy- Very cool. Double barrelled, and coool! Thanks to that Wolfendoom Guy (Las Rojas, I think) for graphics, modified by me. Sound from xtrawpns.wad by Daniel.
4-Fusion Drill Cannon- This is probably the fastest gun in any game anywhere. Thanks to Valve for Graphics (Ripped from Half-Life). Sound ripped from Strife.
5-Ripper Cannon- Shoots lasers that tear through baddies and stuff. Very useful. Graphics from Strife. Sound from xtrawpns.wad by Daniel.
6-Plasma Cannon- Shoots out small, fast plasma that does quite a bit of damage. It's speed also makes it the most useful weapon at long range. Graphics from Dark Forces (I think). Sound from xtrawpns.wad by Daniel
7-MegaCannon- It's like a rapid-fire auto supershotgun on steroids, but it uses up ammo like HELL. DO NOT USE if you are an ammo-saving freak. :P
My conclusion: It looks like a lot of work went into this, so I really want to avoid saying that the novelty wears off quickly when using this mod. However, you may feel like you're cheating (and for those who really do want to cheat, IDDQD won't save you), which appeals to some players more than others. Either way, give it a try, you may find the possibility of being killed by a trooper in several shots to be a new, fun experience.
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Xaser Skin - Xaser
ZDoom/Legacy - n/a - 293k
Here's a new skin for the Doom marine. This one's for you if you always wanted to wear black and red flaming cowboy boots while sporting your favorite pair of Ray Bans™.
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Body Fade - Vilian
Legacy - n/a - 9K
This little mod might prove to be useful for anyone with a slower computer or simply wishes for an extra 10 fps when playing Nuts or Deus Vult. Simply put, this mod causes the bodies of enemies to fade shortly after their death. No special effects, no eye candy, just sheer utilitarian joy for those who haven't upgraded their rig since 1997.
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