cannonball

Congratulations to all of you for this momentous piece of work. Hopefully I will get a chance soon to play this again on the new difficulty setting.

Started a little earlier than planned, but at least I have a starting area

It has almost been an eternity, but finally just before the 30th anniversary of the release of Doom. UDINO is finally here in an approaching finished state. (Titlepic - Courtesy of Sincity2100) Final release; https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom/Ports/megawads/udino ————————————————————————————————————————— The project was designed to be a creative exercise in building levels around the original map titles for all 36 maps of the Ultimate Doom with an increasing emphasis on creating challenging but enjoyable maps that will even given experienced veterans a stern test (Especially for an Ultimate Doom megawad and especially so for episodes 3 and 4). All maps are built to a limit removing (complevel 3) format and are beatable from a pistol start, difficulty setting are included, but some may need a little refinement to pitch the difficulty with more precision. Co-op starts are included but anything beyond this will be patchy and dependent on the author who made the map. Maps and respective authors Many thanks to everyone involved during the development of this project, from inception to the very end where we are now, these include and possibly more; dobu gabu maru - Co-project lead and the person who picked up the slack when I wasn't around here as much. Tristan mouldy Ledillman Jaws in Space CorSair plums Steve D EffinghamHuffnagel Alfonzo & Tarnsman Scotty galileo31dos01 Nine Inch Heels and *Magnusblitz*, our MVP: Most Valuable Playtester! (plus Antroid & the Doominati for discussions) Screenshot from each map

Cheers for playing through this John, (literally realised you were streaming when you just finished last night). Glad you enjoyed this on the whole. @Scotty Honestly I think a plutonia follow up would be great in your hands. So you will have no complaints from me taking on the potential next installment.

I have struggled with making maps over the past couple of months, but a project aim like this leaves me tempted to make something during October (1 large map should be doable in a month). So yeah I will try to contribute something.

The final area to a map I started ages ago is now starting to bare fruit.

Obviously the best map01 is usually going to be one that truly sets the scene of the wad in question. A couple in mind for me are; Heartland - Subway sandwich Auger Zenith - Glass Mesiah Both beautifully introduce the theme of the wad and immerse the player into that world. There will be plenty of other examples of this.

MAP30 - “Abscission” Another map that boils down mostly to one big messy fight. The map is fine and is a continuation of the previous maps identity. On the whole it is fine and forgoes the tradition of placing an Icon of Sin in this map slot. It is probably for the best and acts well to cement this feeling of dread and sorrow that whilst you are victorious, there is no happy ending for you. Of the arena styled maps, I preferred this to Map20, but prefered map28. Overall This darker and more sinister retread of the IWad is an experience that I suspect I needed to be in a better place for (Mostly playing quietly whilst watching TV with my wife isn't the best way to enjoy this wad). That said the wad is solidly built and has a lot of character embedded into it. This makes this stand out compared to similar release like Nostalgia. In terms of competency, there are really any bad maps, a few mediocre ones but on the whole most of the maps were solidly designed. The visuals were really good, especially given it is Vanilla compatible. My only real complaint is that the gameplay didn't resonate with me that much, coupled with struggling to embrace the ambiance meant that my overall view was that this wad could be loved by some, but I think I sit in the like group. Overall score - 3.5/5 Favourite map - Map10 Honourable mentions - Map11, 23 and 29. Map32 is worth a mention purely for the unique premise.

MAP27 - “Maligned Annex” The big fights have some real zip and again the visuals are very on point and interesting. The increasing level of abstractness is ominous in a good way. The only real complaint are some of the sniping monsters (A few too many hellknights and some very long range spiders). But otherwise this is a fine map. MAP28 - “Thresholds Beyond” Visually striking and plenty of incidental combat, the bigger fights are a lot messier but you should have enough resources to survive. Personally I preferred this iteration of this map type compared to map20. Stronger visuals and the layout is a bit more structured and not just one room. Another good map. MAP29 - “Epiclesis” Fair play, this takes the original living end and makes the map its own thing, including triggering the ICON of sin once you reach the blue key. he map is pretty striking, especially areas outside of the map. Now there are some flaws (I fell into a blood pit that wasn't damaging and the lift revealed a HOM (Near the three key door), that said this is really fitting of the Map29 slot and manages to exhibit its own grandiosity without treading on the source material. As such the map is one of the strongest in the wad.

MAP25 - “Exsanguination” Well has a lot more going for it than Bloodfalls, the layout is solid and ammo isn't a problem. That said you need to make sure that you are ready for the end part of the map in terms of health and supplies because there is squat in the final fight. Good thing you can sit on the archvile spawn point and wait for the exit wall to lower. Despite this gripe, this is a solid and well presented map that is far less aggravating than the previous map. A solid effort. MAP26 - “Igneus” The monster count is somewhat deceiving thanks to the large number of lost souls. This map has a little too much unnecessary back tracking in it (Especially between getting the red key and getting to the door as you teleport back to the start). The red key area itself is very dangerous but you can skip a large amount of this if you are light footed, returning is dangerous because the cyber and cacos will congregate around the hold you drop in through, however for me I got away with it. This is another one I would call solid, not the best map but it definitely is a step up from the original Map26 again. That said the secrets seem to be getting very stingy (Okay 50 armour bonuses isn't nothing, but it is hardly laying out the red carpet either).

MAP24 - “Abyssal Refuge” My negative experience of this map was very much exacerbated by going down the blue key path first, because the other two at least hand you the berserk. Ironically the only use the blue key has is to escape the blue key area (And a smattering of goodies in the hub). Because of this you face some horrible moments (Like the pinkie/chaingunner ambush with no ammo and as such you need the invulnerability to simply survive and then non-berserk punch over half a dozen remaining demons. I really think having a third berserk that was placed on the blue key route would have removed a lot of the negativity in my opinion. The rest of the map surprisingly is pretty good, the remix of the original slimefall maze works well thanks to the use of fake walls, the BFG secret feels great to find and the feel of the chasm is captured really well. This map is really hostile (On a level not seen before this map), but it would be one that would be far better on future playthroughs because getting the berserk early is really key to beating this one without much hassle, the blue key path should be avoided at all costs until the yellow/red are obtained. Despite some complaints, I guess Snax should consider this mission accomplished because like the chasm I suspect this is a map you could grow to like or even love and has aggravations that distance themselves from the Chasm enough.

MAP23 - “Hazard Pay” Well this was a pleasant surprise, this one essentially strips out all of what made "Barrels o fun" bad and build a solid level around the rest. The gameplay is energetic, the mastermind actually carries some threat given there will be two spots where she can rain down fire and visual are top notch, returning us to the sights of large structures and tasteful texture usage. Everything works nicely and the archvile usage can catch you out too. Overall this is probably my favourite map since the first episode.

MAP22 - “Mausoleum” Another one who enjoys Catacombs, however I found this to be too obnoxious and cramped for its own good. The initial wave is decent but far to often you get dunks into areas with chaingunners where you hope for good fortune with them because health is very limited, which is the biggest issue with this map. I ended up by the red door with 4% health so essentially a one shot kill and had to have great fortune to get out of there alive. Visuals are decent but the overall feel of the map is more cramped and hostile than its source material and unfortunately this makes it take a big dip in terms of enjoyment.

MAP20 - “To Hieron” A serviceable map that looks the part. For some reason this didn't strike a chord with me like Map11 did, maybe it is the more abstract nature of this episode compared to the first where the maps melded together to create this more defined narrative. In the end the map plays okay, the pain elementals are probably the biggest troublemakers along with the BFG being placed behind the mastermind. Overall this was okay. MAP21 - “Of Flesh & Fission” So we return to what was the end of Map11, now flooded with slime and new areas to explore. This one touches on a lot of the motifs of Nirvana but done in a more tasteful and effective manner. I like the strange otherworldly mix of hell and tech on offer here, the unsure feeling of where you are now. The gameplay is fairly quiet but it does heat up towards the end, especially if you get ground down and placed in a position where the only path is forwards. The catwalk section in the final area looks neat and works really well, the mix of imps and hellknights present a nice compromise of effective opposition without making the encounter feel totally unfair. A nice start to the final episode.

MAP19 - “Phosphene” There are some really cool visuals on show here and this map feels like quite a spectacle. The combat however for large parts of the map feels slow again and there are some bits where you simply have to methodically take everything out (Like the slime maze), this map relies on weaker foes again, the drop after the yellow key door with the mass of pinkies is used well and the final fight with the cyber that reuses a space you visited earlier was cool. The map wraps around nicely and the re are teleporters to lead you quickly to your next objective so this aspect is handled well. There are a couple of timed switch sequences that are annoying at first but straightforward once you get used to them. Overall Snax's take on Sandy's visions of a city is well done, but I just wished that the gameplay was a little better, again this shows in the first half of the map but picks up later. Note I may have got the rocket launcher but I never used it because frankly that cyber duel was more comfortable to handle with the SSG.

MAP18 - “Elder Shrine” Was not a fan of the initial skirmishes where essentially you need to run from all of the pinkies, even after getting equipped this section is slow and basically ended up with me punching out goodness knows how many monsters. On the flip side one you reach the focal point of the map the gameplay improves, I really like the design and visuals if the area that makes up the final fight, the blue key ambush remix is one that is scary but easily dispatched with the plasma gun and of course the final fight is good fun (An archvile or two could have made this more of a hurdle to clear). Overall this one is a mixed bag but improves after the initial bad reception.

MAP16 - “Cold Ascent” I think I made a few mistakes here before I had to leave during the final wave because I ran out of ammo. Part of me is rather lukewarm to the combat elements of this map that tries to imitate "Suburbs" level of carnage but with a more constrictive layout. Overall I would rate this below Suburbs but would still count this as a solid map. I like the visuals and the build up in intensity. MAP17 - “Predation” The gimmick involving the cyberdemon is really well done, though again this map as a result feels rather constrictive in terms of combat due to preventing the player from taking out the cyber. The map is a three key hunt feels a little maze-like, but overall it isn't too hard to navigate. This was very solid, though not my favourite map so far.

MAP15 - “Collapse” The cyber at the start is a bit of a shock, but otherwise this one isn't that difficult, the blue key area felt like it should have packed more of a punch and the end fight was more annoying than anything else given that monsters can get stuck in random places and the monsters tend to dribble into the map. The rest of the map is fine I guess, nothing too special but it plays okay enough. Just remember where all of the blue doors are because these contain ammo caches that are useful. I did not find the secret exit. MAP31 - “Reanimator” This one is a little meh, the concept is interesting but the map is essentially beaten by staying on the outer perimeter and letting the cybers do the work for you. I think this one felt like a missed opportunity if the concept was horror. MAP32 - “Bed of Creation” This is quite something, it certainly falls into the completely original category and whilst the concept is rather restrictive, I think this one was done well. In fact this amplifies the horror of the "Hunted" map motif to a whole new level. In the end this one falls into the position similar to Map31 of Uprising. The thrill playing the first time is enough to elevate the map towards the top of the pile, but of course the map will lose something on replay. Still for a secret map this was a worthwhile experience.

MAP14 - “Oasis” This is one of those maps that feels less than it's inspiration. Yet again I had ghost monster schenanigans (Though this time it was an archvile reviving a demon that died underneath a door so just bad luck. Not much else to say, the map is fine and the darkness adds an element of atmosphere, but overall this is another map that falls short of recreating the magic of what is probably American Mcgee's best map in Doom.

MAP13 - “Prophetic Vision” The immediate berserk is definitely giving a massive hint of what you are about to endure. It is worth noting that the mechanism that shrinks the number of monsters released by the monster spawner can create some amusing results, in my run I was pursued by a ghost arachnotron. I think this map sits probably on the wrong side of the line in regards to being either survival horror or just frustrating. I think the biggest issue is the lack of armour that can be easily found. This means that you can lose a lot of health quickly and never recover. Overall this is an interesting idea for a map, but the execution doesn't quite match the last few maps.

MAP10 - “Industrial Crypt” Pretty universal praise for this one, and honestly I can only agree with that. I think the highlight is defintely the yellow key section that dumps you a place where you really don't want a cyberdemon to be stomping around, the following few minutes are quite harrowing, trying to avoid him and managing to make progress to get said yellow key. The rest is solid and like Refueling base is packed full of secret. I really like the use of architecture here, using broad strokes really well to portray a big industrial unit. Overall this was really good suspenseful fun. MAP11 - “Sarcophagus” I think the only issue this map has is that what is essentially a boss map includes a monster that was seen in two levels prior to this. We do however get our first archvile here, who is released when you grab the red key. There are very few complaints again and I cannot notice that every single cyber is been deployed in a fun and interesting way. The larger structure at the end is another example of using broad strokes to convey a grand scale that is really quite striking. MAP12 - “Outer Plane” Well we lose the larger city-scape (For now), on the other hand we get all the positive elements of the Factory and turn them into a series of decent fights. Ammo wise you can actually kill everything without the need for the crushers, however I ended up in the blue key area last (This is where the rocket launcher is too), so in the end the crushers to that point felt like they had a use. In the end this was a solid opener to the second episode, dark, abstract with some nice set pieces.

MAP09 - “Hadal Facility” This map sprawls quite a bit and for large periods offers quite a neutral experience where you will be mostly progressing in a slow and methodical manner. I an understand the omission of the SSG because it would trivialise a lot of the map, but at times you are left to grind through a lot of imps and other low to mid tier monsters. The plasma gun and rocket launcher can be found quickly if you know where you are going, however the berserk (either in a secret or later after raising a lift) is probably the best tool as there is a lot you can punch without too much hassle. The ending is probably the standout moment, it isn't hard but it offers a rush of adrenaline that was needed after a lengthy subterranean excursion. Overall I am a little torn on this one, sure Snax removes a lot of the aggravation that Petersen tended to put into some of his maps and the longer more exploratory is also a nice change, however this map tends to coast a little too much, the yellow key area has a lot of imps, but imps in the end are just imps. I think I will side on the positive side of the fence in terms of my views on this one, especially given this set draws a lot from more old skool level design.

MAP08 - “Demon Core” Yeah the rocket launcher trap is nasty, but doable if you are quick and work the space well. There are plenty of pain elementals too that can cause real problems. The red key trap is an absolute doozy, it isn't too difficult, though you can end up in a position where caco corpses can really block you view of incoming rockets. Overall I actually like that the layout is more subtly dressed and there are some real highlight moments. I think these carry the map enough to live without the popcorn carnage that Tricks and Traps had. Solid map and ranks equal with Map06 so far.

MAP05 - “Sludge Conduit” The cacodemons in the lowest point of the map were well placed to catch you out, this is another map that feels like the OG map but more constricted, as such I didn't really have a particularly fun time. Most of the map is fine but it is a little too cramped at times for its own good. MAP06 - “Slag Dump” This map feels like it takes the good parts of the Crusher and doubles down on it, it creates quite a tense atmosphere because monsters can easily sneak up on you. As such this map ends up being my favourite so far. This one is slightly paranoia inducing but also fun to push through. MAP07 - “Corroded Ruins” A decent effort on the Dead Simple formula, pretty much everything is in play (Though the turret spiders will get lowered in the event of all of the mancubi being killed). Not much else to say here.

MAP04 - “Service Tunnels” Well it is better than the focus, the two path choice is a nice little mix up, the red key is something a little different but the yellow key is straight out of the Focus (If made better than the original). The gameplay is a little sluggish due to how cramped the map feels (Moreso than anything American came up with), it isn't really an issue but the constriction does feel like a little bit of an anti-thesis of the core Doom dynamics. Overall this one is fine, a few nice little touches here and there among a rather neutral experience.