Firetop Mountain (v1.999beta4)

I've been updating a previous release of mine called Firetop Mountain. I wasn't totally happy with the outside of the mountain itself and some of the gameplay, so here it is in all of its (mostly completed) glory.

I have to give a big, BIG, shout out and mad props to Rex Claussen whose advice and help kept me motivated to improve the project. Also, Rex did the preliminary work on sloping the outside of the mountain which really inspired me to take it further, and he provided the rock texture as well... what a top bloke!

GAMEPLAY
This a GZDoom only map, intended for jumping and mouselook enabled.
Check the text file for recommended display settings.
It's not an easily digestible map; anywhere from 5-20 minutes can be spent outside before entering the mountain. It takes me around 40 minutes on UV to complete knowing where everything is and about 30 on HNTR. I would recommend saving at regular intervals. I had autosaves set up at about 4 or 5 points in the map, but I didn't like the way it "jumped" the gameplay.

Some screens of the updated outside area:
http://imageshack.us/a/img843/5669/screenshotdoom201211151.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img822/5669/screenshotdoom201211151.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img822/5853/screenshotdoom201211151t.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img268/9148/screenshotdoom201211280.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img823/9148/screenshotdoom201211280.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img32/9148/screenshotdoom201211280.png

And the download link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ft0ktc7r75uzvsq

Any feedback on bugs, gameplay and general suggestions welcome.
Cheers!

Screenshot 4 & 6: Looks like a giant dropped his ice cream cone :(

Tried it a bit on UV. Neat map, looks very dream-like and weird music enhances the mood. But I'm having major issues with ammo. I think I've killed everything in the outside area with the exception of some revenants and now I don't have anything left. Time to cheat a bit. :)

is there a warlock?

I downloaded the last version when you released it but never got around to playing it, I will download this updated version and actually try it this time.

Also everytime I read the title of this map of yours I can't help but be reminded of Hot Top Volcano from Diddy Kong Racing. :P

Memfis said:

Tried it a bit on UV. Neat map, looks very dream-like and weird music enhances the mood. But I'm having major issues with ammo. I think I've killed everything in the outside area with the exception of some revenants and now I don't have anything left. Time to cheat a bit. :)

There should be enough ammo, you just have to look for it ;) When testing, I could kill everything in the outside area and enter the mountain with anywhere from 40-80 shells, 100-300 bullets, 5-15 rockets. The amounts vary a lot as there are two main paths around the mountain and numerous different approaches that you can take.

Hint:

mouldy said:

is there a warlock?

Yes

Pavera said:

Screenshot 4 & 6: Looks like a giant dropped his ice cream cone :(

Heh, and he was very upset about it...

This look pretty cool so far, I'm going to have to play it on a proper computer though, laptop struggles with the graphics. I managed to get inside but with not much ammo left, and leaving a load of stuff still alive out there. I can see that there is stuff stashed around, I guess I'm a bit too impatient to hunt for it (plus its a bit deadly out there).

I do like the wide open space with hordes dotted around, makes things very chaotic if you run around like a maniac. I'll have another go on my other machine at some point.

Just finished this map, this deserves more attention in my opinion, really quite an epic adventure. Loved the atmosphere.

Only problem I encountered was the door to the blue key room, I didn't realise you had to shoot to open it so I assumed it would open after doing something else, then found nothing else to do (ended up having to check in doom builder)

Great stuff, ammo was a bit short in places but the chainsaw helped.

Thanks for the feedback mouldy. 'Version 2' will be completed within the next week or two (definitely before Christmas when I go overseas). Most changes will be cosmetic ones inside the mountain and slight gameplay tweaks, as well as introducing the Plasma Rifle & BFG earlier into the map. Ammo has been looked at as well. The hard thing for me (and I presume any author) is knowing where all of the pick-ups and bonuses are, so it's difficult to judge how another player will find the ammo situation. Feedback obviously helps, but I'm not seeing much of it so I'll just assume things are perfect as they are ;)

I didn't forsee a problem occuring with the blue key room door, although it's one of the earliest ideas that I had with the map over a decade ago. If anyone wants to respond to this situation: If you see a door opened about 16 pixels from the ground and pressing it doesn't open it, wouldn't you shoot at it?