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Amarande

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Everything posted by Amarande

  1. Amarande

    Vanilla Bugs and Fixes

    MAP21 as well - https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_RpzxPiS5hJUmdKR1ZDVmoyZDg
  2. Amarande

    Vanilla Bugs and Fixes

    MAP27 should be vanilla compat now: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_RpzxPiS5hJZHVtaGg2cmptNk0
  3. Amarande

    The DWmegawad Club plays: Hellbound

    PrBoom+ was one of the tested ports in the textfile, and I have not seen any mechanical issues on it. On a sufficiently beefy PC the only WAD I've really run into any kind of trouble with slowdowns on is Nuts (which I've seen even bring an E3-1240v3 with a GTX 770 to its knees on at least one port, I forget if it was ZDoom or PrBoom+ that was the sluggish one). The problem has got more to do with your laptop - the WAD is just *that* demanding on later levels; this is also the reason why two versions of MAP29 are included and the original is actually in a separate PWAD.
  4. Amarande

    Memento Mori 3, question about E2M7

    Plenty of similar Latin phrases that could work well (a good source of inspiration is Vegnagun's move list from Final Fantasy X-2; "Mors Certa" or "Nemo Ante Mortem Beatus" for instance sound like good names for the megawad or at least levels). Epic techbases - lupinx-Kassman (can you tell CC4 20-21 are two of my ever faves?) and whoever did CC4 08 (can't recall offhand) are probably two folks you'd want to poke for the project :) And yeah, don't mind Doom 4's release at all (although I'm not sure how long before I'll get it, given that Bethesda is almost synonymous with "buggy releases" lately and I still won't have my Windows tower for another few weeks, have more important things to do in RL, and want to reconnect with my friends in WoW when I can so I probably won't be buying much of ANY games in the near future now) - I can't see it having much effect on the classic community (if we can even make community levels at all in this age of gaming platforms locked down to force you to buy the official DLC instead of fan mods, the 3D design talent and software requirements are as difficult as usual, so I'm sure most everyone will continue to stick to id Tech 1).
  5. Amarande

    Same Map Layout Challenge

    5/15/25 will do well for me :)
  6. MAP27: It's beautiful (kinda Sunlust-ish ...), but am I getting the impression right that if you aren't adept with SR50 you might as well get off the bus now? (I can't even seem to make it to that big teleporter in the middle that seems to be how you're supposed to leave the starting area ... even with a normal strafejump from the previous platform I land in the muck). I guess it's time to hit PgDn and go on to MAP28 with pistol start :( MAP32: Yes, GrumpyCat, it appears to be a complete sawtooth in this case. Looked at the final area in SLADE and there's nothing even resembling a door to before ... nary a teleporter linedef in sight, which would be the only way back :)
  7. There is a way back on MAP24 to the beginning. You need to have opened up the exit first, though. Map32: Mainly wondering what the clue (if any) is to the timing of the door (as with the Eternal Doom MAP05 megasphere it's a 5-minute timed door, but unlike the Eternal Doom MAP05 megasphere I didn't see anything that indicated that you needed to be there at a specific moment in the level? Typically it seems such things are telegraphed in some way as in Eternal, or the area does not count as an official secret e.g. CC4 MAP08 where the Steve Cohen tribute area is behind such a timed door, but is strictly an easter egg that does not count towards 100% secrets). Map20: Some indication that something else besides the tripwire needs to be done to unlock the BFG door (as is, an observant player will probably discern the walkover trigger to open it the first time through that area and may well after several attempts dismiss things as being a bug, since there's no clear indication something else needs to be done to make the trigger work!). Map22: Using PrBoom+, with default configuration (as a rule I tend to only turn on compatibility options sparingly, and only when it's clear a level requires it, e.g., MM2 MAP25, CC2 MAP24, Eternal MAP25, etc.).
  8. On MAP25 after getting the red key, look north. Does it remind you of something? What do you usually do when you encounter that something? ...
  9. MAP24: Do you need an AV jump to reach the teleporter to the megasphere? The stair run-up isn't high enough and I can't seem to strafe jump to it (though I'll admit I only try SR40, I'm no good at SR50 ...).
  10. Amarande

    The DWmegawad Club plays: Eternal Doom

    I'd comment more often, but I just played Eternal a few months ago for the first time without using godmode like I have a tendency to normally do when Dooming, and made my way all the way up to MAP26 on ITYTD before I had a disk failure and lost the save. Don't really feel so much like playing the whole thing again from scratch so I'll try to remember my experiences :) Fun note: MAP13 is an example (much like Scythe 2 MAP05 also is ...) of how to imperfectly implement a death exit :) On ITYTD, you'll almost certainly survive it if you came in with 100%+ health and 100%+ blue armour; even on UV, if you come in with 200/200 and avoid as much damage as possible (e.g., take the Path of Burning Feet where you get a megasphere and don't get hit by either of the Revenants), you can just barely survive (from 200/200 you'd have about 35/35 at the end), and go into "Pistol Only" with your full arsenal. (Mind you, ironclad death exits - to the point of even defeating not only 200/200 with certainty but also god mode or any attempts to sneak through with an invuln - seem to not come till later. They're doable though, e.g., the ones in Speed of Doom ...)
  11. A few more notes: MAP32: How the heck are you expected to figure out the secret there?? :) MAP20: The fact that the secret door to the BFG needs to be "activated" could stand to be telegraphed better - after figuring out the first part (the walkover trigger that actually opens the door) I kept thinking it was bugged ... MAP22: Can't seem to figure out how to get to the BFG platform. Engine compatibility issue? After getting the two switches (stairs then the shootable switch in the wall), there is no clear ability to jump over to the BFG.
  12. Latest Git Slade has proven quite useful for finding things :) WAY better than I remember it being in the past. MAP31: Unless I'm missing something (nothing re-opens those bars?), that's a *sneaky bastard* setup regarding the yellow key ...
  13. Amarande

    Jim Flynn's WADs (a rant)

    Surprisingly, modern ports have fairly little issue with Flynn's maps. The ZDoom wiki's automatic compatibility page lists only three things for MAP25 (of which the only one absolutely essential is the stair building compatibility; the other two are to enable the ghost monsters and something to do with rendering midtexes, this last of which I don't even recall seeing the location where it's relevant). None for MAP26; the only other Eternal map needing compatibility flags to not get stuck appears to be MAP28 (by Paul Schmitz).
  14. Ah, forgot about Wine (even though I use it regularly for Icewind Dale 2 and Diablo 3 ...). That's actually it? I tried that a number of times and never managed it, thought there had to be some kind of hidden lift trigger or teleporter to get over there ... Guessing it takes a near perfect SR50 just for a bit of ammo? MAP05: Couldn't seem to find ANY of the secrets here. Also ... DOOMGUY NEEDS AMMO BADLY :P
  15. Map 03: figured out all but one secret, spent aeons trying to figure out how you reach the one in the SE corner of the map behind windows without success. What's the trick? (I'm in Linux at the time being so opening a level editor isn't really much of an option *sigh*)
  16. Amarande

    The DWmegawad Club plays: Eternal Doom

    Yes it does. Keep compatibility options in mind however, they are relevant to two maps here (MAP25 and MAP28). ZDoom will set the following automatically: but PrBoom will not set any compatibility options automatically, so you'll have to set them yourself when you go to the appropriate levels. (Based on my experience, the only one that's 100% essential is the stair building compatibility on MAP25, which you WILL be stuck without.)
  17. Amarande

    Map-Pack Doom 1 and 2

    Yeah, not all of these are going to work well ... I know for a fact that, for instance, Sunlust map 30 does not behave with Zandronum (tried it once, and I was glued to what was either the wall or the floor in the initial area and could not progress, Z complained about something to do with the nodes ...).
  18. Amarande

    Newbie mapper looking to make some FreeDoom maps

    Vanilla, but *test* with at least, I would say, PrBoom+ 2.5.1.4 and the latest ZDoom (you could go and test it with everything, but those are a good baseline): most players do use ports, after all, and by default ports don't always behave the same way that vanilla did (viz. Memento Mori 2 map 25 and Eternal Doom map 25 for examples of maps that go horribly wrong in ports if you don't pay attention to the compat flags - the culprit, of course, is buggy behaviour in vanilla that was fixed in later ports, but which these and other levels were designed assuming were the case). ZDoom will probably eventually add any relevant Freedoom maps to its auto compat flags feature (as it does with the aforementioned example maps) but the (Pr)Boom engines don't have this feature, so it's a good idea to be aware (probably it's a good idea to not take advantage of any "odd" behaviours in vanilla, as PrBoom+ players in particular are likely to end up head-scratching trying to figure out why your WAD isn't working).
  19. Amarande

    Freedoom 1.0 will be vanilla-compatible

    Small change for phase 2 map27 (only affects deathmatch play): * change the southeastern teleporter pad in the marble arena to be 32 above the platform, rather than 8 * change a linedef somewhere early in the map that the player must unavoidably cross in sp/coop to a 36 W1 lower floor to 8 above floor, tagged to the above teleporter pad This prevents players from escaping the deathmatch area (I had previously implemented this via Boom's enhanced difficulty bits by having the destination object be "not in DM" but in vanilla the only mode option is "multiplayer only" so this is no longer possible) while ensuring the teleporter is accessible at that point in gameplay in single player (making the trigger linedef sufficiently early also masks the effect cosmetically). I'd do it myself, but I don't have an editor handy at the moment.
  20. Amarande

    Let's name Freedoom's levels!

    27 = Warped Elementality
  21. Amarande

    Secrets List

    A frequent recurring thing with freedoom threads seems to be people who can't find secrets. Yeah, I'll admit they have this pesky tendency to happen quite a lot with my own maps ... heh, but still - eventually, we'll probably want to have a secrets list available to help players out (not to mention so the levels can eventually be featured on map pages at e.g. doomwiki that are more than just blank-form stubs). It also serves as an ongoing check to make sure there aren't any technical problems WRT the accessibility of secrets in the maps (so many megawads having actually gone to release with inaccessible secrets in multiple maps). Following is the complete list of secrets for my maps (EDIT: Have installed Eureka, sector numbers now included :)); feel free to add more info to this (we should probably stick to levels where the level architecture has been essentially completed, of course). As with doomwiki, I'm listing these in roughly the order that you encounter them while progressing through the map normally. FREEDOOM - DOOM II MAP05: (11 secrets) Secret Sector Numbers: 17, 58, 139, 159, 162, 190, 205, 207, 216, 222, 224 1. In the starting room, the northern and southern walls have exposed circuitry. The southern wall can be opened to obtain a Soul Sphere (sector #17). 2. In the "road" area outside the starting room, there is a bridge over a pit of brown slime. Jumping off the bridge to the left (west) leads to a brown damaging pit, and further west is a small room with a teleporter leading to the secret ledge (sector #224) on the southeast side of the road, containing ammo, a backpack, and a light amp visor. 3. A ledge leads around the outside of the large building at the southern side of the map. At the south side of the building is a small alcove which contains a computer map, this alcove (sector #207) counts as a secret. 4. The cubby within the southeasternmost outdoor pillar that contains combat armour (sector #222) counts as a secret. 5. Inside the large southern building, behind the structure that contains the blue key, the wall can be opened to reveal a room (sector #205) with a blur artifact and a rocket. 6. The wall with blue security markings in the southern building, leading back into the sewer, is a door (sector #190) that counts as a secret. It requires the blue key to open. 7. In the corridor north of secret #6, south of the intersection, there are four techlamps in alcoves on the way to the intersection. Three of them blink normally, but the southeastern one pulsates rapidly. Push on this lamp to be teleported to the word DOOM on the automap, where resides a large amount of health and ammo, as well as a chainsaw (sector #216). The red teleport in this room leads back to the westernmost imp alcove within the sewers. 8. In the corridor north of secret #6, north of the intersection, the imp/radsuit alcove has its light panel on the side, rather than the back. This is because the back of the alcove is a secret door, leading to a short corridor (sector #162) with a backpack. 9. The back end of secret #8 is also a secret door, leading to a room (sector #159) with ammunition and a Soul Sphere atop a teleporter. 10. Taking the Soul Sphere in secret #9 teleports you to the short corridor in the north between the two sets of non openable silver bars. To the north is an alcove (sector #139) that counts as a secret, containing two boxes of rockets and a switch that when triggered teleports you back to the westernmost imp alcove in the sewers. 11. In the corridor north of secret #6, north of the intersection, there is another techlamp that rapidly pulsates rather than blinking calmly like the others. Press this techlamp. Later on, after obtaining the yellow key, you may return outside to the road, where part of the rock wall has dropped away revealing a skull switch. This skull switch allows you to lower the nearby pillar (sector #58) and obtain the rocket launcher. MAP21: (4 secrets) Secret Sector Numbers: 52, 64, 65, 67 1. As you pass from the dark cavern corridor in the southeastern part of the map into the room with the teleporter, a lift will lower. Quickly enter the teleporter and go behind the octagonal structure to catch the lift (sector #65), which holds a megasphere. If you fail, you'll need to return to the corridor to try again. Additionally, if you want secret #4, ensure that you press the skull switch in this area. 2. When you press the southeastern switch in the northern room with the cyberdemon, in addition to revealing the switch in the starting room that lowers the teleporter to the exit, a secret alcove is opened in the wall alongside the ledge leading to the southeastern corridor. This alcove (sector #67) contains a chainsaw, as well as a skull switch important to obtaining secret #4. 3. When you press the southwestern switch in the northern room with the cyberdemon, in addition to opening the silver bar in the exit building, a secret alcove is opened in the wall in the southern teleporter cavern. This alcove (sector #64) contains a backpack, as well as the third of the skull switches important to obtaining secret #4. Note that the alcove opens at the same place where the switch mentioned above in connection with secret #1 is - if you haven't pushed it yet, you'll have to push the air to find the switch now! 4. After pushing all three of the skull switches noted above, return to the northernmost room where you encounter the cyberdemon. A passage should be open in the back of the cyberdemon's alcove, so hit the switch next to the teleporter and ride the lift up to use the teleporter, which will take you to the Hell Knight platform (sector #52) where you can obtain a berserk, Soul Sphere, combat armour, and a BFG-9000. MAP27: (15 secrets) Secret Sector Numbers: 10, 15, 28, 50, 51, 52, 94, 118, 133, 205, 221, 253, 299, 317, 338 1. At the southern end of the start room (behind the closed exit teleporter) is a recess in the wall, which is a secret door leading to a chainsaw (sector #10). 2. After pressing the first switch in the mine area, in the western corridor the wood on one of the northern mine struts is scratched. Press on this scratched area and a nearby strut will lower revealing a backpack (sector #15). 3. After teleporting for the first time and heading east into the room with two doors and two electronic walls, enter the north door. To the north of the western crusher is a hidden lift containing a computer map (sector #133). 4. After flipping both switches in the computer room south of the crates, return to the corridor and enter the C-shaped corridor to the east (from whence the newly released monsters came). There is a single electronic wall in the back, press on it to lower it and reveal a secret alcove with a Soul Sphere and a switch (sector #118). 5. After you flip the switch in secret #4, teleport to the first (mines) section of the map. In the eastern corridor there is now an alcove open at the south end of the eastern corridor, containing a box of rockets and a blue key (sector #28). 6. After obtaining the blue key in secret #5, the switch at the beginning teleport section of the river area can be operated. It opens the nearby silver teleporter, leading to the southwestern corner of the centre arena with a combat armour, medikit and health bonuses (sector #52). 7. After raising the waterfall stairs in the river area, run through the northern cave corridor, triggering a lift to lower in the room at the top of the waterfall, and quickly go up the stairs and to the lowered lift to obtain a megasphere (sector #205). If you fail, the trigger to try again is located within that cave corridor (the final one just before climbing the water stairs). 8. Near the teleporter in the river that leads back to the beginning of this section, one of the rock walls in the southwestern corner is a slightly different colour from the others. This rock wall can be lowered, revealing a long, dark corridor full of medikits that leads to a lift. At the top of the lift is a ledge with two large plasma cells (which counts as the secret, sector #221), as well as a switch. 9. After you flip the switch in secret #8, teleport to the second (tech base) section of the map. In the southwestern corner of the teleporter room, a door has opened with a secret corridor (sector #94) that leads to a small water area with a yellow key. 10. In the northern lava cavern, there is a passage at lava level in the southern rocky structure leading to a backpack and a conspicuously textured wall, which can be lowered to reveal a secret alcove containing a switch (sector #299). 11. At the western end of the southern lava cavern is a door, which can be opened if you obtained the yellow key at secret #9. Behind it is a teleporter, which leads to the northwestern ledge of the centre arena (sector #50), containing a medikit, two armour bonuses and a super shotgun. 12. In the southeastern octagonal structure in the lava area, the eastern corridor contains two switches. The nearer one (just across the jump from the staircase) lowers a lift in the southern part of the same building, leading to a secret room (sector #338) with an invulnerability and another switch. If the lift closes behind you, press on the scratched wooden wall to get out. 13. The southern platform in the lava area with the megasphere (sector #317) counts as a secret. To get there, you can either strafejump from the southern ledges (the switch in secret #12 raises the ledge that leads there) or you can have the nearby arch-vile jump you up onto the platform from the lava. 14. After you flip the switch in secret #10, teleport to the third (river) section of the map. In the eastern poisonous sludge room, the wooden door will now be open (sector #253), allowing passage to a red keycard and large plasma cell. Careful, the platform will sink into the lava when you take the card. 15. After obtaining the red key in secret #14, teleport to the second (tech base) section of the map, where you can finally open the red door in the teleporter room. This reveals a teleporter to the northeastern ledge in the centre arena (sector #51), containing a medikit, two armour bonuses, and a BFG-9000. * Not a secret, but if you're wondering about the hidden alcove in the northwestern part of the centre arena, which shows up on the computer map, this area is not accessible in single player or coop. It is exclusively to provide an exit in deathmatch, which is restricted to the arena area. Other than this exit, there are no objects of note within this alcove. MAP29: (5 secrets) Secret Sector Numbers: 9, 31, 39, 56, 85 1. After entering the first wooden building and riding the lift up (that allows you to jump to the teleporter), instead jump out the southern window onto the rocky ledge. Follow it to the end and around the pillar, on the opposite side of which is a niche (sector #31) containing a blur sphere. 2. After obtaining the blue key and teleporting, at the end of the rocky ledge there is a switch that raises access to the red key. Carefully make your way around this switch to find another switch on the back, which raises access to the southern teleporter pillar in the same area. This teleporter leads to the northwestern corner of the level, where part of the lava (sector #39) does not burn and instead counts as a secret, containing goodies. 3. Near the red key is a large square building. The western side only of this building can initially be opened, leading to the interior (sector #85) which is a secret area. Entering the secret causes the door to close and the walls in the corners of the room to lower; to get out, either take the teleporter to secret #4 or flip the skull switch in the northeast corner to open all four doors. 4. After the walls lower in secret #3, part of the southern wall in the southwestern corner has noticeably less blood on it than the other walls. Press it to lower the large teleporter in the centre of the room, which leads to a hidden area (sector #9) inside the exit pit, containing goodies. The teleporter here leads back to the start of the level. 5. After you teleport to the large platform with the switch that lowers the yellow key pillar, you can jump back to the teleporter platform that originally took you to the blue key. However, entering the teleporter from this side instead takes you to the cubby at the south end of the map (sector #56), which is a secret containing a chainsaw and other goodies.
  22. Amarande

    Freedoom starts to get some attention

    This reminds me. When we release, unless the sprites significantly improve in quality (yup, so many of them do look rather goofy, I agree on that one ...), I suggest we also, for those who prefer the original id sprites, release a PWAD edition of Freedoom that includes the non-sprite resources. (The other freedoom graphics tend to be more than up to snuff, in fact, apart from the visibility issues I noted in the other thread - i.e., the issue being that "variant" textures in a series often do not visibly differ to the same degree in freedoom as they did in doom2.wad - I find they actually tend to be better quality on average than the originals!) We actually used to have a freedoom_levels.wad build that let the levels be played independently of the new sounds and graphics, but it seems like this has gone by the wayside. In any case, we've got to the point where at least the graphics always have to be released with the levels - in particular, freedoom doesn't always use the same sets of names for animated flat series that doom2.wad did, and at least some levels have had animated flats placed where the specified frame in the wad is one of the freedoom-only ones. These levels will crash the engine, if you attempt to run the level only without the graphics ...
  23. Twice so far, I've found my maps have been bitten by this, so I'm going to make it a more specific thread (especially in case others have been affected as well, so we can think on what may need retooling in order to alleviate it). The problem being this: While Freedoom's resources are generally quite well done, there's a pattern I've been starting to notice and that's this: They're less ... how do I put it ... "visible" compared to DOOM2.WAD's corresponding resources. In the case of my levels, the two things that have been recently noted are this: * on Map05 it's somewhat hard to see the red key before you "flush" it down to the location where you actually obtain it; with DOOM2.WAD's red key I don't remember it being so hard to see the key, but because Freedoom's red key is darker, it makes it that much harder to see, and thus causes player trouble as they find it difficult to figure out the whole red key thing. * on Map27, a secret trigger is clued in by a wood texture that is different from the others (it's the "scratched up" wood texture instead of the corresponding plain one). With DOOM2.WAD's wood textures the difference was quite visible if you looked, while the FreeDOOM corresponding texture is rather plain and significantly harder to spot (especially when you're in a dark area like the mine area of Map27). This phenomenon probably exists in other levels with other textures/sprites but I'm not sure how frequent it is. I believe it's probably exacerbated by the fact that testing Freedoom with its own resources was a somewhat difficult matter before the 0.7 series or so, due to the incomplete state of the sprites (especially with several important monster sprites being incomplete until late in development - and while the present Map27 was first created just 2-3 years ago or so, Map05 was one of the very first few levels submitted, 11+ years ago, before many of Freedoom's graphics resources had crystallised at all!). As a result, I know I at least tended to use DOOM2.WAD while testing level mechanics, so did not even realise that these posed issues until they were mentioned on the board. Moreover, even if we were testing all levels religiously with the Freedoom IWAD resources to make sure the IWAD levels won't pose a problem, there's still the matter of PWADs - if particular textures etc. are used as player cues and are not distinctive enough in Freedoom's version, it's likely to result in unexpected player issues while playing said PWADs with Freedoom. Has anyone noticed any other graphics resources (textures/flats/sprites/etc.) that might pose a similar issue of noticeability in play compared to their DOOM2.WAD equivalents?
  24. Amarande

    FreeDoom 0.8 Beta

    On map05: Two of the torches in the slime tunnels blink in a different way to the others, if you are observant. Both are secret switches; one of them has an obvious function when you hit it, while the other doesn't have an immediately visible function. This second switch is the one that opens the wall in front of the rocket launcher switch. On map27: One of the nearby wooden mine struts has scratches on one side; pushing on the scratched side lowers the strut with the hidden backpack. (Resource fault, primarily - when I originally created map27, the Freedoom IWAD was still not really up to snuff, particularly with some important monster sprites still being missing, so I used DOOM2.WAD to test the level with. Unfortunately, the scratches are MUCH more visible on DOOM2.WAD's version of the same wood texture than they are in FREEDOOM.WAD's, making it a lot harder to see a possible secret trigger in the latter. *sigh*) Yup, sadly it does look like you can get stuck between the crates mentioned. Quick and easy fix: I have no objections to the small wooden crate near the offending location being removed for 0.8. (The other crates do need to stay for the level to work as intended but that particular small crate had only cosmetic purpose and seems to indeed cause a potential problem with the level.) And yes, there are 2 spiders on UV and you're expected to get them fighting one another, much like the cybie+spider on DOOM2 MAP20, or the two spiders on MM1 MAP22 :)
  25. Amarande

    Is Freedoom too hard?

    This is perhaps a little simplistic; I myself would think more to the judgment used by TeamTNT, TiC & associates, etc. in the early classical megawads as a more general judgment. Indeed most monsters have been introduced earlier than in DOOM2.WAD in "normal difficulty" megawads without seeming wrongly early. By "normal difficulty" I mean the more old-school releases such as Icarus, the Memento Moris, Requiem, TNT Evilution which were meant to be played by a more typical player base (as opposed to such wads as Eternal Doom, Plutonia, and of course anything based on the Hell Revealed style, which are clearly designed for a more advanced player and therefore do not really enter into this discussion). Let's go monster by monster: (Bullet Type Guys) TROOPER - Not much to say, typical MAP01 fodder. SS WOLFIE - Mostly irrelevant to the discussion due to primarily factoring in as an 'easter egg' type enemy. Few wads use these guys in any sort of "normal" capacity, anyway. SHOTGUN GUY - Although DOOM2.WAD didn't include any sergeants until MAP02, many wads have these on MAP01 (indeed, MM2 starts you off facing at least two in the very first room on UV). Furthermore, in the original DOOM, these appeared on E1M1 and could easily be the first or second monster the player even meets during their entire DOOM career! No reason to restrict from any map. :) CHAINGUN GUY - These can be dangerous, but that is highly situational and they are not out of place even as early as MAP01 (e.g., MM2 - of course, keep in mind that you are immediately in close quarters with the first ones you meet and have obtained a shotgun before then, so they're not too tough.) ("Imp-Class" mobs) IMP - Typical MAP01 fodder, again. CACODEMON - This is held back to MAP05 in DOOM2.WAD, but appears as soon as MAP03 in MM2. To be honest, not too mean to a new player at all, unless the player is in tight quarters or is still only able to use the peashooter (and yet the latter situation is inflicted on a player at start-of-episode even in an id map, i.e. E3M1). Even a chainsaw encountered before encountering a Caco makes them reasonable even for an early map (and, indeed, they appeared in the first map of every episode of the first Doom except for E1, and likely the only reason one wasn't snuck in even there on UV was probably because of marketing strategy, i.e., the decision not to feature certain monsters in the shareware version). HELL KNIGHT - Like the Caco, the important thing here is to let the player adequate dodging space. Like the Caco, id delayed the Knight to MAP05, but MM2, for instance, made good use of it in MAP03. BARON OF HELL - Like the Caco ... getting a pattern here? :) This is why I classify these four monsters together, because there really isn't very much difference between them except for damage and hit points. Being a little more durable (though no more deadly) than the Knight, perhaps it's better to let the Knight be a more gentle preview. As for when it's right to introduce the Baron, both MM2 and Requiem, to name two, had at least one on MAP05 on UV. (For the sake of the Freedoom level - perhaps, especially given the slime, it is a little early to have two in such a small area. A Knight on skill 3 and just one Baron on skill 4 sounds like a good change.) (Strictly In Your Face) DEMON - A mob this basic can easily be used on MAP01 without complaint, no problem. (And MM2, for one, does just that.) SPECTRE - Complaints about spectres largely are a matter of terrain and lighting, not so much the monster itself, being that it's just a blurry Demon. Nothing wrong with MAP01 here either. LOST SOUL - These are even weaker than the Demon and Spectre. Pretty sure I've seen them on MAP01 in some or other PWAD of the difficulty type I've noticed above but I'm not quite sure. I do know you'll find at least a couple on Requiem MAP02 though (due to the solitary Pain Elemental on that map). (More Special Cases) ARACHNOTRON - These have a tendency to be featured first on MAP07. However, they are a rather easy enemy as long as there is space to dodge (especially if they're only coming from one direction which is a more "normal" situation). It's hard to say what the usual judgment should be on these primarily because, like their bigger counterpart, they are a rather large radius monster that's hard to place effectively in many situations. MANCUBUS - A fairly advanced enemy owing to its large, damaging fireballs that can be a pain to dodge, much more than the single shots of the Imp-class enemies or the Arachnotron. Although it's probably first introduced on MAP07 in DOOM2.WAD due to an apparent desire by id to surprise a new player with two all-new monsters, it's also an enemy that probably should be introduced sparingly in a normal difficulty wad like Freedoom (even Requiem, probably the hardest of the megawads I'm considering here, doesn't introduce them till MAP07. MM2 introduces a couple on MAP06, TNT Evilution has them all the way back to MAP03, but only sparingly per map). REVENANT - The key here is COVER. With it, pretty much the same sort of ideals that apply to the Hell Knight or Caco apply. Without it, it's a lot meaner and should perhaps be introduced correspondingly later. PAIN ELEMENTAL - Like Chaingunners, it's heavily a matter of numbers and location. Far away and in groups suck for the player, while a solo pain elemental up-close does not make for an especially serious threat (e.g., Requiem, which introduces one as early as MAP02). ARCH-VILE - Ow. An early archvile is usually an indication of an advanced difficulty wad. DOOM II didn't sic one on the player till MAP11 for a reason. MM2 waited even later (MAP12), and Requiem further still (MAP14). The original Memento Mori did introduce them sooner than most (MAP07 on skills 3+, though MAP12 on skill 1-2). I'm not sure off the top of my head where Freedoom has its first one, but this is definitely usually the last enemy (other than an Icon Boss) to be encountered by the player after starting a wad. Again, cover is vital to avoid player frustration. (Bossy Types) CYBERDEMON - Some players retain an eternal fear of these guys. Their size, also, generally excludes them from a lot of maps (although they do not necessarily need to be able to move or even threaten an especially large area to be part of a good challenge. Viz. MM1 MAP30). Not something the beginner wants to bump into too soon, and, indeed, even classic PWADs shy away from introducing one earlier than DOOM II's MAP08 (most of the type I've been referring to seem to wait till even later. SPIDERDEMON - A mob that's hard to place the real difficulty balance of; the true problem here being that its enormous radius means that very many levels simply cannot feature one for lack of a suitable location. Between this and the fact that the player pretty much needs significant firepower due to its being a hitscan enemy and thus essentially impossible to dodge, Spiderdemon levels are rare and cannot really be qualified by a level number. (While Cybs are not too uncommon even in DOOM2.WAD, especially if one plays co-op, there are just three levels in DOOM II that had a Spiderdemon and they are all widely separated). ICON OF SIN - Having one of these other than MAP30 (or in the case of using the Romero head for technical or special effects purposes) is uncommon, but a few maps do have this. Mostly this is a thing for late maps in a WAD though (of the 'classical' megawads being discussed, Requiem was the only one to feature a pre-MAP30 Icon, as the end of MAP23), the player really needs time to get used to the game first!
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