my recent levels

I'd like to know what people think of the following levels. If you don't want to be bothered to go into detail, just let me know which one you like best :)

1) map02 of speedmap pack #2

2) map07 of speedmap pack #3

3) execz1.wad (Execution: ZDoom edition map01)

4) nb_zsm01.wad (ZDoom speedmap 1: Genesis Lab)

The latter two can be downloaded from http://haunt.8m.com (which, incidentally, I just updated) if you haven't already got them.

1) Can't find my copy ATM, and can't seem to link to the Speed map page either just now to get a new copy. Don't remember enough to make meaningful comment.

2) A very nice little level. A lot of detail for a map done in 100 mins. In fact looks more like a regular map than something done as quickly as it was. The giveaway here is probably that a map as small and as relatively quick to complete as this would normally be at the start of a level set and therefor not normally feature Barons, Revenants, Archies etc.

I prefer modern tech base type levels personally, but that wasn't really your decision and this is a nice playable, and enjoyable map of its type. I do also enjoy this type of map anyway and have played it through a few times.

3) I really enjoy this map. It plays great for small 1 on 1 or 3 player fast paced DMs. It starts to get a little crowded above that, but still good fun.

Nice subtle use of slopes, a good open area, but enough cover so you are not always a sitting duck. The way the corridors are placed around the edge gives you somewhere to run around in without becoming maze like (unlikely in a small level anyway).

A friend an I have spent a few good hours in it blowing each other away. Zdoom bots seem to cope with it fairly well too. There are a couple of areas where they tend to stand just facing the wall, but you can still get a reasonable game out of them.

Another thing I like about it is it is a believable place. OK, DM by its very nature is not realistic, but this feels like it could be a reasonable real life small training facility to hone fast paced combat techniques, in the way a few of the UT levels are.

EDIT - Oh yeah, I liked the midi too.

4) Too short! OK, I know it's a speedmap and of course it is going to be short, but I was just getting into it when it ended. I like the style and look of the level. Good use of slopes again. Pitty about the Zdoom bug that makes it hard to get on to and even more so off of the ramp over the dropped spikes. Any plans to extend it to a full level?

What do you think about:

1. Speedmap1, Map06 (WA screwed it in the last 15 minutes so I had to redo the stats of all the sectors)
2. Speedmap2, Map01
3. Speedmap3, Map06

4) Too short! OK, I know it's a speedmap and of course it is going to be short, but I was just getting into it when it ended. I like the style and look of the level. Good use of slopes again. Pitty about the Zdoom bug that makes it hard to get on to and even more so off of the ramp over the dropped spikes. Any plans to extend it to a full level?

Definitely. It'll be a while before I can get round to it though, as I'm busy with other levels at the moment.

I'm also planning on remaking (i.e. from scratch) my entry to the latest speedmapping pack, no #4, as it had good potential but was horribly flawed by extremely bad item/enemy placement.

From the missing texture bugs you describe, I am guessing you did not run these wads with a recent Zdoom beta.

The files you mention as having missing textures actually have slopes in those areas. Old versions of Zdoom will not create the slopes and will therefore expose the lower sidedefs of lines normally hidden by the slope. Not having a texture on there would not matter in Zdoom 1.23 recent betas, but would look bad in 1.22 or the early 1,23 betas.

The most recent beta is at

http://zdoom.notgod.com/ftp/123beta24.zip

I am pretty sure that will have all you need in it, but if the zip does not contain an updated zdoom.wad and a file called fmod.dll, you will need to get them from the same ftp zipped up with an earlier beta. Do not just unzip them into your zdoom 1.22 directory (assuming that is what you have) as the old zdoom.cfg and the new zdoom.ini conflict with each other.