DOOM 404 - complevel 2 megawad - now on idgames!

[Capellan]

 

It's a sad life on the Space Marine IT Help Desk.  Especially when you're stuck on the graveyard shift.  Night after night of "Did you try rebooting?"  Not exactly what you expected when you signed up.

 

You figured this call would be more of the same: some garbled voice mail about "gremlins in the system".  Gremlins?  Seriously, how old is the guy who left that?  Ninety five?  He probably remembers vacuum tubes.

 

Now you're here though, something isn't right.  This facility should be busy, but it's silent.  Almost desolate.  You're starting to feel glad you brought that popgun they issued you with to make you look like a real soldier ...

 

 

DOOM 404 is a 32-level, vanilla-compatible (complevel 2) megawad.

 

All maps support single-player, co-op and deathmatch (original rules, -nomonsters) styles of play. Difficulty settings are enabled, and for single-player, both continuous and pistol start play is supported.

 

Every map was built with 404 lines or fewer, as a nod to the project name, to keep the map design focused on the key concept for each level, and to make sure I didn't spend hours and hours noodling with detail. This means that like Demonfear, the maps are small: "short, sharp shocks" was the term I used before, and it also applies here. However, DOOM 404 is not intended as a sequel to Demonfear; it just happens to share some characteristics.

 

DOOM 404 includes a dehacked patch (which is included in the wad itself, and also provided as a separate file in case your port of choice requires that) for level names and story text.  Note that for story reasons, there are death exits on map06 and map20.

 

 

 

You can get Doom 404 here.

 

 

 

I would like to thank:

Steve D, Never_Again and Demon of the Well for their playtesting efforts.

Nick Baker & submerge for the textures I've used.

Alfonzo, Jimmy, Silent Zorah and PRIMEVAL for the music.

iD software, of course.

You, for playing it – I hope you have fun!

 

 

 

Remember: this was a playtesting thread. If you read past this post there will be spoilers.

 

Edited December 5, 2018 by Capellan

[Capellan]

Some Screenshots

 

[kmxexii]

I remember hearing about this from Alfonzo ages ago and hope to get around to playing it soon!

Edited September 24, 2018 by kmxexii

[HAK3180]

This looks like fun. If you’d be interested, I’d be happy to give you a playthrough in this thread. I can do a continuous Hurt Me Plenty or whatever you want. I'm finishing up almost all my longer mapsets, so I could use a replacement.

[Grain of Salt]

Seems nice. I died on map04.

 

I don't have an opinion on the line restriction thing, but I like small levels. It's maybe a bit more like kssht or kuchitsu than demonfear, to be pedantic (I don't remember demonfear having many corridor layouts, for whatever reason).

[Capellan]

36 minutes ago, HAK3180 said:

This looks like fun. If you’d be interested, I’d be happy to give you a playthrough in this thread. I can do a continuous Hurt Me Plenty or whatever you want. I'm finishing up almost all my longer mapsets, so I could use a replacement.

 

At the end of the day, I recommend playing your preferred playstyle and difficulty, rather than trying to fill a niche.  If HMP continuous is your preferred way to play Doom, then have at it, but if you prefer HMP pistol start, or UV, or whatever else, then do that.  

 

 

26 minutes ago, Grain of Salt said:

Seems nice. I died on map04.

 

I don't have an opinion on the line restriction thing, but I like small levels. It's maybe a bit more like kssht or kuchitsu than demonfear, to be pedantic (I don't remember demonfear having many corridor layouts, for whatever reason).

 

I haven't played kssht or kuchitsu, whereas for obvious reasons I am quite familiar with Demonfear, so it was my immediate point of comparison :)

[Walter confetti]

looks pretty awesome, downloaded!

[Nems]

Yaaaaassssss, another megaWAD for me to blast through! <3

[bioshockfan90]

yeah you really weren't kidding about a rise in quality since demonfear

 

thank you god :))))

 

 

 

MAP01:

 

 off the bat, i found a really minor alignment issue in MAP01: this pole's side texture isn't aligned the same way all the other's side textures are:

Spoiler

 

 

 inconsistencies on ceiling flats here in this opening room, might be in other places on the map

Spoiler

 

 what's this section on the map for? unaccounted secret?

Spoiler

 

MAP02 seemed to be fine, the only thing I found wrong with MAP03 was this accidental SUPP texture.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2018 by bioshockfan90

[Catpho]

I'm not really sold about the whole line restriction thing that some mappers do. But hey, more Adam maps! 

Edited September 25, 2018 by Catpho

[Capellan]

2 hours ago, bioshockfan90 said:

yeah you really weren't kidding about a rise in quality since demonfear

 

thank you god :))))

 

 

 

MAP01:

 

off the bat, i found a really minor alignment issue in MAP01: this pole's side texture isn't aligned the same way all the other's side textures are:

 

inconsistencies on ceiling flats here in this opening room, might be in other places on the map

 

what's this section on the map for? unaccounted secret?

 

MAP02 seemed to be fine, the only thing I found wrong with MAP03 was this accidental SUPP texture.

 

Glad to hear it is better.  I would hope I had learned something in the last 23 years :)

 

MAP01: will fix first two items.  Third is DM-only area of the map.

 

MAP03: that SUPP texture is intentional, actually - saved me some tedious line length jiggling to properly match up all the SP_ROCK lines :)

[Capellan]

I should also note that I'm trying to get this voted in for the DWMC in October so if you want to play along with them (assuming it wins) then you may want to wait until the 1st to really get stuck in.

 

Please don't vote for Doom 404 in the DWMC thread unless you actually intend to play along with them though. 

[joepallai]

Up to Map07 and this is really good.   Perfect bite-sized maps that will kill you (repeatedly).   I'm having a blast.

[Grazza]

I hesitate to mention this, since allowing speedrunning tricks is a good thing and I hate to see them squelched, but you might like to make the exit in map29 at least a little harder to reach.

 

4029o010.zip

[Capellan]

Moving that computer insert to the east should fix that.

 

If that was the intended single-player exit I might not worry about it, but it's only there as a deathmatch exit so I'd prefer it not be quite that cheeseable :)

 

I wasn't able to get the exit line to trigger from the north.  Let me know if you have any better luck.  If you do, I will have to plan a different deathmatch exit for the map.

 

[Capellan]

Actually, never mind.  I realised that there was somewhere better for the DM exit to be, anyway.  Link in the OP updated (the two map 1 texture issues are also fixed).  Call it RC1.0.0.1 :)

[bioshockfan90]

so i THINK i'm on MAP08 as of today and i've only found 1 minor thingy thus far, i believe this is on MAP07

(it's the alignment on those 2 side poles)

 

the set itself is really fun so far, thanks capellan! :)

 

Spoiler

 

[NeilK]

I saw this today decided to try it out....now I find myself trying to uv-max every single level. Up to level 12 right now, I love it 5/5. For shits and giggles I did a demo level 2, as it was my favorite so far.

I've seen no issues with the port I'm using CN Doom 2.0.3.2. 

4002m126.zip

[Summer Deep]

I checked this out by way of taking a break from the wad I was playing (ConC.E.R.Ned), and got quite absorbed in it, playing as far as the second intermission (ie 11 levels). Doing it on UV in continuous format.

 

Yes, it's definitely a good way removed from Demonfear, which I remember completing in around 4 hours and only dying in two levels. I died about half a dozen times in the starting area of map 05 alone on Doom 404, and found your use of Cacodemons and Chaingunners on this level, and in the wad as a whole, to be particularly challenging. 

 

Map 11 was a real stumbling block though - I'd say it was tougher than anything I encountered in Alien Vendetta and Hell Revealed, with the exception of the latter wad's IoS level, and wonder if it should have been inserted as early as this. If the difficulty curve progresses evenly from here, what will maps 20-30 be like? I got through it with the aid of a couple of saves, even finishing with 100% health and 200% armour, but even so.....

 

Then again, I completed Map 10 with its 32 Mancubuses at the first attempt with no saves, which was quite satisfying....

 

Can't really find much to complain about, but was a bit irritated by the placement of the green armour in map 02 - it's very difficult (though not impossible) to avoid picking it up, which can be annoying if you're already on, say, 70% armour, and you have better things to do than pussyfooting about on the edge of that mini-lift while preparing to deal with the threats at the bottom of it.

 

On the whole, a good deal of fun so far, well put together, shaping up to be an excellent test!

[Capellan]

12 minutes ago, Summer Deep said:

If the difficulty curve progresses evenly from here, what will maps 20-30 be like?

 

The difficulty curve is not even.  Map11 is definitely something of a spike :)  Which is not to say there aren't some challenges in the future maps ...

[pcorf]

Looks nice. After I completed Zone 300 I thought about making a sequel Zone 400 and this beats Zone 300 by 104 lines.

[Capellan]

More lines is easier, really.  404 requires efficiency in selecting your decorative flourishes, but it doesn't require the same attention to layout trickery that 100 lines did (re-using the western wall of one room as the eastern wall of another, and so on).

[Capellan]

RC1.0.0.2 now available at the download link.  Only changes are to fix a typo in the map06/07 intermission text, and to make sure at least one object that counts for the item % score exists on each map.  Which basically means that a few maps now have 1 health bonus added to them :)

[Grain of Salt]

map10 kinda bugged me. About 20 trivial mancs to trudge through, and then suddenly a 360 degree ten manc closet trap where the best/only course of action is immediately leaving? And it's all for the "fat32" pun? :l

 

Start of 11 looks a bit nutty, also.

 

On 9/30/2018 at 5:49 AM, Capellan said:

make sure at least one object that counts for the item % score exists on each map

 

Arg, why.

[Grain of Salt]

Also, why does every map seem to have a chainsaw. Are you actually using the chainsaw when you play these maps

 

map11 goes smoother if you don't fire until you've gone through the blue door, avoiding the caco horde until you have more space and cover. Seems like it would be annoying to fight them the intended(?) way.

[eharper256]

Do I have the latest version if the 'Last Modified' Date is 11-04-2015!?!? If so... some windows trickery is going on here, lol.

 

Nevertheless, downloaded to look at, I like the computer puns in the titles. XD

[Capellan]

12 minutes ago, Grain of Salt said:

map11 goes smoother if you don't fire until you've gone through the blue door, avoiding the caco horde until you have more space and cover. Seems like it would be annoying to fight them the intended(?) way.

 

I don't really believe in 'intended' ways to play levels.  Players can tackle my maps however they want.  Personally though, I love the 'annoying' option here :)

 

 

3 minutes ago, eharper256 said:

Do I have the latest version if the 'Last Modified' Date is 11-04-2015!?!? If so... some windows trickery is going on here, lol.

 

Nevertheless, downloaded to look at, I like the computer puns in the titles. XD

 

Not sure what is going on there, but if there are 32 maps in it, which you could check with an editor, you should be good to go.

 

[eharper256]

2 minutes ago, Capellan said:

Not sure what is going on there, but if there are 32 maps in it, which you could check with an editor, you should be good to go.

 

SLADE says there are. Weird datestamp is weird.

[Grain of Salt]

13: silly mapper, spiders are my friends

14: the first room of this is silly. did you realize the best way to do it is to avoid the berserk until the zombiemen are dead and then just use it to heal? Also spawning two archviles at the start to revive everything makes me question what ammo you think I have.

15: really short. I guess the secret route is longer

16: Possibly the most fun level so far? I see no reason to deal with all those demons and spectres when I can just walk past them and exit though. Another penny for the chainsaw jar.

 

The stuff I don't mention is reasonably fun, I just can't think of anything specific to say about it.

[Capellan]

14: the starting room is absolutely silly, and quite intentionally so, however you choose to play it.  I make no apologies :)  I also make no apologies for the two AVs.  The map is 100%-able on UV pistol start (one playtester did it on his second attempt).  Or you can play it on a lower difficulty.  They're enabled for exactly that reason.