amok

Name: Everything's gone green Music: Volcano Valley Zone: Act 2 from Sonic 3D Blast and sequenced by Monster Iestyn isolation-amok.rar

Those rules are great. Count me in.

@Walter confetti No problem. While I was fixing that I also "balanced" the difficulties (which was mainly removing monsters due to the very limited space remaining) and I changed the final lift to work only from the cyber-facing side to just be a bit more sinister! amok-64kb-v3.rar

Not bad for a first map, you did especially well with the texturing and creating a sense of progression as the player travels from tech-base to demon keep. The first room where the player is encouraged to run head first into a small horde to grab the shotgun is simple but effective. The initial trap upon grabbing the rocket was expected but the second was not. These in my opinion are the gameplay highlights of your map - more like that please! The secrets are very obvious and also perhaps too generous for an already very easy map, don't be afraid to be a bit (a lot!) tougher on the player. Its not too much of an issue in this map because its so linear but you haven't given the player any way to return after each teleport if they wished to do so. Furthermore the teleport lines you have used are single use - be aware that these can cause softlocks in more complex maps but as I said its not an issue here.

@Walter confetti No secret exit but I can add one if needed? Although I feel like someone else could do a secret map better since I didn't make this map with the 31 slot in mind, we can just leave this map as a reserve MAP31 if no one gets around to making one. I'll call it "Jawbreaker". I've updated the download with a few HOM fixes too.

Woah this filled up fast! I made a map intended for E3 (which seems to be full now) and managed to get the map to exactly 64.0kb. I don't think it's quirky enough for MAP31 but it is at least pretty tough. See what you think. Plays in MAP21, vanilla compat and default music. amok-64kb-2.rar

Well we got there in the end! Thanks for seeing this through @Scotty & co. Maybe I forgot to send the update version of my map through but you've included an older version with a few bugs - there's quite a likely softlock early in the current version. I played through the first few maps in coop too and noticed similar issues: map02 - the door that locks at the crushers won't open if the player inside dies before the red key pickup map03 - a lot of monsters can be skipped if shared keys are on after someone gets the red key map05 - same as map02, the door doesn't open if someone dies in the crusher room before hitting the switch map06 - during the pit trap, the people who wait at the top can attack the archviles before they are revealed to the person below map10 - one player spawned in the voodoo closet Nova3-amok-DS9mm.rar

No I mean it literally starts the level anew, I made a quick video showing what I mean: https://streamable.com/6e48x This happens on ZDoom and GZDoom but seems to work fine on PrBoom+. (Also I just noticed the orange eyes for IDDQD, thats a great touch!)

@Obsidian, there's a bug on Map17 in the current compilation (RC4) where stepping onto the exit takes you back to the start of Map17. I mean its a great map but I don't want to play it endlessly! :p

@DMPhobos, great stuff. I like the variety in room shapes and the inter-connectivity throughout - makes using the automap very easy, which, as Big Ol Billy mentioned is very valuable in this map. I think the texturing indoors is fine but you might want to add a splash of colour to the outdoor areas, all 3 of them are monotone grey and theres lots of colourful textures in that pack! Also I think the progression can be a bit confusing - its hard to tell how far into the map you are if that makes sense, a couple keys and locked doors could help with that. In terms of difficulty I found it quite leisurely, I don't remember taking heavy damage anywhere except the final trap so yeah this would suit an early episode position very well.

I was hoping to have a few fresh ideas coming back to my map after a few weeks break but nope - nothing! Ah well, I've at least fixed any bugs I could find/remember and I've removed a few of the Cybruisers since they got buffed. Also cleaned up the error-messages on startup so it looks like a proper map now. SBUT-1107

Added difficulties, coop monsters and removed a couple Cybruisers. I'd call it complete but chances are I'll think of something to change in the next few days.

Cheers @Scotty, I can see what you mean, I sort of got bored with the texturing of that area if I'm honest so maybe that's why it looks rushed or like an afterthought. @Obsidian, I've also noticed that the Hades Elementals can infight (if you're cruel enough to place 2 at once heh) and the coloured 24px switches don't animate either. I'd love to playtest too if you've got space.

Cutting it close but thanks to a national holiday I had enough time to get this finished. Only balanced for UV at the moment. Have fun! Sun Blows Up Today Music: Level 3 Theme - Battletoads & Double Dragon Updated 03/06 with difficult levels and coop monsters.

Great map @A2Rob, lots of fun! I can tell Valiant was a huge inspiration for this with the traps, progression and general styling. I like how there are no dead-ends and you can just circle around the map which is very beneficial when you have "vague" switches (I use the term lightly because I know you've decorated your switches with the relevant colours but I still managed to briefly get lost! :p). Difficulty-wise I think its fine, I died a couple times but the open layout of the start meant it never got tedious. I did think the megasphere was oddly placed in that it was quite easy to find and came as a complete surprise - you can't see it prior from any angles (just noticed when going back to check the sight-lines that you have inactive teleport lines around the megasphere!) and I would've been more than happy even with just a soulsphere (although I suppose it now depends on how tricky that teleport trap is). Another thing, I would say that there's too much flat space in the scenery surrounding the exit but then again it fits the moon theme so I dunno - either way its an easy fix. Very very cool map.

Cool map @Paul977, I had similar thoughts to the others: great atmosphere, generally tame difficulty and would suggest changing the final crusher/barons somehow. I think you might've pulled some punches on the traps though - after the full-on start I was expecting an onslaught at the first trap (with the three pillars) but you've left quite a lot of space to move around in to dodge turret monsters. Similar issue with the final trap (with the crusher), turret monsters and plenty of space. You might want to try letting the barons push up to the player, making the mancubodes much more threatening. Considering the amount of ammo/health on display I was expecting to die a lot! The berserk secret was a lot of fun and I loved the how the lighting throughout is not only for aesthetic but also gameplay.

When you've got 3 sets of distinct themes and textures I think it's a sensible choice to segment them into episodes. There's no reason that Hell has to be episode 1 or Moon episode 3 either, so we could even rearrange the episode orders based on difficulty if necessary.

Funny you mention that because I played through your map and made notes on Saturday but those damn personal obligations got in the way before I could write some feedback! So apologies if I'm misremembering anything or echoing rdwpa's comments. I haven't had time to play your revised versions so again you might've already addressed some of these: My initial issue was with how dark the start is but given there's only a couple hitscanners and plenty of room to move I don't think it's much of a problem. However I don't know if there were any supplies outside or if I picked any up (bar the shotgun) so you might want to add some some sort of lighting structures in the corners to make any items easier to spot and also to define the edges of the map. I mention this because it took me surprisingly long to notice the building in order to open the first door! From a gameplay perspective I can't see much reason for this building to even exist - there's little to pick up and not much opposition. Let's have some enemy resistance on the way in and maybe even a trap after the switch? You've got a bit of height variation in this building so why not use it for some interesting gameplay! The interior is where the map shines in my opinion, I love the little quirks you've added in some rooms, the small details added solely for storytelling and the general pacing from tight corridors to wider open areas as the heavy mobs start spawning in. In some places I think you've gone too reliant on switches - particularly with the lowering bookcases and with turning on the TV (which is a brilliant touch), you should trust the player to press any surface with items on top so the bookcase switch is unnecessary (this also hints to the secret later on) and the TV should be activated with the remote which would be a neat interactive easteregg. The hell knight towards the red key would be great for intimidation in cramped areas like these but I was a bit disappointed when I noticed it was stuck in the room; there's no challenge in simply peeking and firing a shot or two. Compare it to the revenant just beforehand - although still very easy this encounter was much more intense trying to dodge in such close-quarters. (Also a berserk pack would be great for the corridor section!) The office room with the gunfire-activated walls was a good idea for a trap I think but triggers too early if you happen to miss the shotgunner/imp (forget which it is), I would swap the alerted monster with a green armour or soulsphere to draw the player in and then hopefully a stray bullet will hit the walls in the process leaving the player in the thick of it. With the blue-key trap I also think it may be too easy. When the monsters spawn in the player is already tucked away in a corner and you've only spawned a single imp to try flush them out which is unlikely to work meaning they can easily sit tight with no consequence. Try swapping the imp with a rev or couple hellknights or some hitscanners to force the player to use the space you've given and also consider placing a few spawners on top of the crates to give some priority targets while the spectres are closing in. There's nothing wrong with an easy map and they can often be a relief (especially in ep3) but at the moment I think you have a strong spike in difficulty with the last battle compared to the rest which is why it could do with some balancing. As rdwpa said the fight is straightforward as it can simply be circle-strafed to victory but one slip could mean death/significant damage which cannot be said for anywhere else in the map. Also, in regards to the BFG secret I did the opposite of rdwpa, I managed to find the switch but hadn't even noticed the BFG! Even though I had almost immediately activated the step I didn't realise until all the cybers were dead, possibly because I was circling clockwise (or counter-clockwise, I forget the layout) hence why the stairs were obscured. Another thing regarding the roof - you can easily press the required switches from the first or second step making the escape very trivial which is why some extra mobs like rdwpa suggested would be good here. Finally, the roof doesn't look much like a roof if I'm honest, you need some surrounding structures to give a feel of how high up the roof is like the "lighting structures" I mentioned in the first paragraph, have them visible from both the exterior and roof to give a sort of visual narration to how far the player has travelled. Overall I think it's a great submission, all it needs is a few little tweaks. Brilliant stuff!

I think I can go ahead and call this the final version - I certainly can't think of much else to change. All that's left to do is difficulty levels, coop placements and overall balancing but I'll get around to those closer to release. Nova3-amok-Deep Space 9mmFinal.wad Also @antares031, that link is broken!

demos for the 4 latest maps. Slad Tech - Accidentally played this in cl 2 so obviously the bridge didn't work so sorry about that! Nicely loops around and easy throughout (which is never a problem!), only issue would be monster placement - I think the rooms are just a tad too big for the HK and Demons. The AV is easy-pickings too with those tight corridors. Rocko - This was my second try since I assumed the lift was a one-time trigger and quickly reset! I like the layout and texture theme throughout although I got quite confused by the yellow key room - it's mostly me being an idiot but I'd lower the yellow key by a few units just to make it more noticeable, or even stick an imp on there. I think the final 2 HKs were ill-chosen too, you need some immediate danger since the exit is right there like a couple revs or chaingunners. Loop at the Nukage Plant - Reminds me a lot of the IWADs but bitesized and plays just as good. Probably too generous with the starting items, I think just a simple shotgun and green armour would suffice. That little room that the lift leads to would be perfect for the SSG - you have a sightline right from the start for an immediate goal and at the moment there's nothing in there. The texturing could be an issue too, with the many tight corners and small rooms all the same colour its easy to get lost even in such a small map! Thomas Mustard-stain - Another solid map, looks and plays very well for a 1 hour map. I didn't particularly like the end trap given the lack of weapons and open space since I feel like you're encourage to rely on infighting - a rocket launcher or plasma hidden among the monsters might've been better, especially if you release additional monsters by grabbing it. Great work with the secrets too, I love the misleading blursphere and the automap hint to get it. Brilliant stuff. Demos.zip

Never thought I'd finish a map in such a short time but here we are. Tried to make things interesting by not using any actioned linedefs (bar a few essentials) and I think things turned out nicely, was certainly fun mapping at least! Name: Dropped Time: ~90 minutes total (including bug fixing and playtesting) Music: "Hellfire Stage 1" Download Enjoy!

I've made a fair bit of progress with my map that I think its worth posting an update, mainly redesigning a few key areas and addressing the issues and comments from the FDAs (which have been a lot of help, thanks!). - Added a couple rooms to the main Rocket building as there wasn't much to do there in the previous version but now you've got the plasma, backpack and red key, all up for grabs. -Also redesigned the central building which is a sort of command hub complete with sector automap (speaking of which I've just realised I've not cleaned up the automap but I've already uploaded the file so avert your eyes for now!). -Moved the SSG so you can get it much earlier and placed the plasmagun where the SSG used to be. -General bugfixing, texture-cleanup, monster and ammo placement. I've not changed the dual cyber fight yet as you suggested Scotty, but I do agree that its quite lame so don't worry it will be replaced once I get some ideas going. Similarly with the bluekey door, I've left it untagged for now until I can think of something but essentially it's going to be a shortcut to the exit allowing you to skip some of the final monster backlash. There's probably still plenty of untextured walls, clipping midtextures and slime trails but I'm slowly working through them as I notice them! https://www.dropbox.com/s/wl77n7u14cnzqfp/nova3-deepspace9mmV2.wad?dl=1 Screenshots:

Hmm that's odd. I was worried that there may be an issue with items teleporting in but when it worked on PrBoom+ I assumed it would be fine. I'd even added extra teleport lines specifically for the yellow key as a backup but it sounds like even those didn't work! I wonder if items can't teleport on top of monsters? I do recall hearing something like that. Anyway, I've changed the ordering so the items teleport in first and this seems to work - but then again the last version worked for me so I hope its fixed! That fight would be particularly nasty without those items too. The plasmagun doesn't get enough love in my opinion, and the space theme suits it so well that I wanted it to be the main weapon. This might be a problem for continuous play but we can tackle that issue once we're closer to compiling. Thanks guys! Updated version: https://www.dropbox.com/s/l1e179wjep2bv95/nova3-deepspace9mm.wad?dl=1

Okay, so I've made considerable progress with my map and it's just about done. There's still a little work to be done regarding texturing and monster/ammo balancing, and there might be a few nooks you can get stuck in or get out of bounds but for the most part its reckon is final. Now for a well-deserved rest aka onto JOM5! https://www.dropbox.com/s/l1e179wjep2bv95/nova3-deepspace9mm.wad?dl=1 - updated 02/12 Let me know what you think! Name: Deep Space 9mm Music: Carson City from 'Wild Guns' Tested in PrBoom+ and Zdoom

Great to see this picking up steam again, thanks to @AD_79 and @an_mutt for not letting this die and good luck to @Scotty! About your PM Scotty, you're right I did make a hell map for this but you'd have a hard time convincing me to post it again. It had the usual naive first map quirks - way too much detail, testing in a modern port, made in the wrong format and generally overstays its welcome - in short its quite dreadful! Luckily I've been slowly chipping away at a moon themed map for this over the past couple months and I recently got a surge of inspiration at work so hopefully I'll have much more to show during the weekend!