joepallai

I haven't played a lot of 90's styled wads (not that I can remember anyway) but what I was trying to achieve as a mapper in the 90's was the following: 

I wanted levels that rewarded exploration with more gameplay.   Not secrets, or power-ups or anything that as a level designer you're expected to deliver to the player nowadays; but more gameplay - because this was a new and exciting hobby that allowed DMs, creatives, and programming types a chance to show the world your vision of this game.   (which was fun as is, but more is better generally and what's better than a new and different looking area to kill imps in?)   

As a DM, my players had moved onto marriages and better jobs halfway around the country.  This then became my outlet to try out all my game design ideas and dungeons.  I'd see something in another game and try to replicate it here in the Doom engine (foolishly in most cases, but this kept my mind working) but D&D was a major influence in how I approached combat and flow.   I preferred the incidental combat that D&D's random encounter tables would bring.  So I ended up using a lot of free roaming monsters, that upon hearing the player, would eventually find them.   I think I gleaned this technique from E3M4 and E3M6 specifically (or at least that's where I noticed its effectiveness).

A lot of my earliest sketches were basic Dungeon to Doom level conversions.   Almost all of these, I realised quickly, were crap and never saw the light of day as I read more and more about what the Doom engine could and could not do.  

The story in the textfile approach worked well for the levels back then.  At least you had an understanding of what was being attempted ingame and you'd make allowances for some of the strangeness.  I started this way myself but stopped as I joined community projects.  (not good or bad just different though some of the charm has been lost I think.)

Crusades would benefit from a MIDI pack IMO.   

Eternal Doom, Realms of Chaos and Memento Mori I+II I've played the most times.

Cate Archer from NOLF

I've probably posted this one before, but it never gets old for me:  

14 hours ago, ReaperAA said:

Speaking of Map14 and Map33, is Map33 an older version of Map14? They have a lot of similarities and 14 seems like a revamped and modernized version of 33.

 

I feel Map33 has quite a bit of history behind it. Just recently discovered that it was part of Plutonia 2 at one point (back in 2001!)

Hey @ReaperAA Thanks for the interest in this map.   I originally started this map back in '97 and submitted the finished map to Plutonia2 in late '99/early 00.   It then was cut and fell into obscurity until Tarnsman (?) asked to use it for this project.   I was under the impression that it'd be a single map but was surprised to see two variations here.   (not a bad surprise)

Eventually you will see another variation of this map when I finish tinkering with my newest version (no planned release date for this version).

IIRC, this was the first megawad I played after completing the Ultimate Doom and Doom2.   It was pre-internet for me and I saw the book in Lechmere's and bought it.

I found the levels slightly easy but overall fun.   Think I beat the whole thing over a weekend.

It's nice to see this still going.   

@Xaser  maybe you're thinking of 2complex by Simo Malinen as it's a 2003 release

On a first playthrough of a map, no; I'm just trying to find the exit.   If I play the map again, then I try to find all of the secrets and get 100% kills.  If I'm obsessed with a map then I try to for 100% max in a single playthrough 

Just watched Dawn of the Nugget last night--really fun

Just played 2OBERON by Simo Malinen and, for me, it was a perfect pick in honor of Doom's 30th Anniversary.   An exploratory tech-base with puzzle elements and decent combat.  Missed a secret but this is the kind of map I'll replay.