First Ever IronEagle Competition: Scientist 2

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

Good evening. Today I present a new Iron competition, called the IronEagle.

Why IronEagle? Because Aquila chrysaetos is the golden eagle and it made sense when I thought of it.

 

This competition is open to all comers, from casual players to the hardcore, those who play HNTR and those who play UV -fast.

The rules for this competition are much the same as the DWIronman League. Blind runs are encouraged, but the category system is simplified so as to avoid ambiguity.

 

Rules:

1. Submissions must include a demo from one of the listed available ports.
2. The first actual attempt must be submitted, there are no do-overs (with very few possible exceptions which I will address as they arise).
3. A run must be done in a singular sitting. (With room for breaks. This will be addressed below.)
4. If we do a WIP wad, make sure you are using the latest available version to minimize demo desync issues.
5. Stream and video runs are accepted if and only if a demo of the same run is provided. This means you are streaming/recording the gameplay as you are recording the demo. A stream/video submission with no demo will be automatically rejected.
6. Secret levels are, as in DWIL, treated as extra credit.

 

Accepted Ports:

1. Chocolate Doom
2. Crispy Doom
3. Competition Doom
4. Doom Retro (Apparently Doom Retro doesn't have demo support)
5. PRBoom+
6. ZDoom 2.8.1
7. ZDoom32 2.8.5
8. GZDoom 2.4.0
9. GZDoom 3.3.0
10. GZDoom 3.5.1

 

Category System:

1. Blind run. This explains itself. You have no knowledge of the wad and have not played/seen it before.
2. Non-blind. If you have played the wad before and/or possess any foreknowledge, your run is non-blind.

 

Difficulty System:

• You may submit a demo for HNTR, HMP, or UV.
• If you submit a UV run, you may not submit one for HNTR or HMP. Likewise for the other difficulties. Multiple difficulty runs will be rejected and the runner's submission void for that month.
• ITYTD and NM runs will not be accepted.
• Submitting a HNTR run does not pit you against UV players. Each difficulty will be graded separately. This will, hopefully, keep the runs graded as fairly as possible.

 

I will be maintaining a spreadsheet where I will keep my information as up-to-date as possible, and I will record the top five runs of each difficulty here, where applicable.

IronEagle Spreadsheet

 

This month, our IronEagle runners will be facing The Scientist 2.

The objective for survival is MAP20. There are no secret maps.

 

Even if you die, you are encouraged to finish the wad, though in this wad, maps 21-30 are deathmatch and, as such, pointless to grade.

Attempting to max the maps is encouraged, but not necessary to win.

When you submit your run, please do not go into detail on the wad or map you survived or died on, only declare the category and difficulty, and say what map you died on, if applicable.

Obviously, runs must be done vanilla to prevent demo desyncing, as such all mods must be merely cosmetic.

 

If you don't know how to record demos, I recommend getting the ZDL launcher.

Once you have it set up to find your IWAD's and ports, you can use the field at the bottom entitled "command line parameters" to record your demo with ease.

Template for PRBoom+:

-file sci2.wad -deh sci2.deh -complevel 2 -skill <4> -record <IEsci2> -warp 01

Where the skill is 2 for HNTR, 3 for HMP, and 4 for UV.

Use -merge instead of file if you're using Chocolate Doom.

Template for ZDoom:

-file sci2.wad -deh sci2.deh +compatmode 2 -skill <4> -record <IEsci2> +map map01

Using the ZDL launcher will allow you to select your skill directly and skip the wad selection and warp by immediately starting you in MAP01 on launch.

This wad uses complevel 2 or Doom (strict).

 

While recording demos, PRBoom allows you to pause the game without desyncing the demo, and it will not record the pause like Crispy Doom does.

Refer to Nine Inch Heels' post below for a more correct statement on pausing while recording in PRBoom+.

 

Happy Dooming!

 

Placements:

UV

1: leodoom85 - Survived with 20,000 points

2: NoisyVelvet - Died to MAP11 with 10,039 points

3: Aquila Chrysaetos - Died to MAP10 with 9,457 points

4: NaZa - Died to MAP04 with 3,874 points

5: Dubzzz - Died to MAP04 with 3,853 points

6: Agent6 - Died to MAP02 with 1,442 points

7: guineu - Died to MAP02 with 1,376 points

8: DMPhobos - Died to MAP02 with 1,339 points in 7:35

9: Suitepee - Died to MAP02 with 1,339 points in 14:05

10: bioshockfan90 - Died to MAP02 with 1,303 points

 

HMP

N/A

 

HNTR

1: Liberation - Died to MAP04 with 3,984 points

2: Pegleg - Died to MAP02 with 1,386 points

 

Congratulations to all our runners for participating.

Also congratulations to @leodoom85 for surviving on UV and @Liberation for taking first in the HNTR category.

The next IE, by some popular demand, will be announced either later today or tomorrow.

Edited November 1, 2018 by Aquila Chrysaetos
Wrapping up

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

For those interested, the bar is surviving MAP10.

Died to a revenant on MAP10 in 82 minutes on UV.

IE-sci2-AC.lmp

PRBoom+ 2.5.1.5

 

This should be the future template or rough equivalent.

[Nine Inch Heels]

3 hours ago, Aquila Chrysaetos said:

While recording demos, PRBoom allows you to pause the game without desyncing the demo

Correct so far

3 hours ago, Aquila Chrysaetos said:

and it will not record the pause like Crispy Doom does

Not quite correct.

 

If you "pause" the game in PrBoom+ while recording by opening the main menu then yes, that will not be recorded. However, if you use the actual pause function, which literally gives an on screen message that the game is paused, then that is something that will get recorded as part of the demo.

[SleepyVelvet]

DEAD: Map11 (prboom+ 2.5.1.3 UV)

noisy_SCI2.zip

 

prboom-plus.exe -file .\SCI2.wad -deh .\SCIvanil\SCI2.DEH -complevel 2 -skill 4 -record noisy_SCI2.lmp -nomusic

 

A good place to die because it's getting late.

 

 

DEAD: Map11 to the mighty mancubus clog.

The first couple maps have some terrifying moments.  That Spiderdemon on Map02, yikes!  It smooths out past that point, up to what I've seen, but yikes.
 

 

 

There were some interesting pieces to some of these maps.  Thanks for the share!

Edited October 11, 2018 by NoisyVelvet

[NaZa]

Might have died under a slow crusher in MAP04 after doing really well on that map. MAP02 nearly killed me (7 or 17 HP iirc) but I just survived.

 

Category: blind

 

 

sci2_naza.zip

Edited October 11, 2018 by NaZa

[Pegleg]

Dead on Map 02 (27/70 monsters killed)

 

Difficulty: HNTR

 

Category: 2

 

Demo recorded using PrBoom+ 2.5.1.4

 

pegleg_ie_sci2.lmp.zip

 

I like the idea behind this Challenge. I hope you keep it going.

[Suitepee]

I will consider doing a run for the inaugural month of this competition, partly because there doesn't seem to be an Ironcamel this month.

Edited October 12, 2018 by Suitepee

[fabian]

On 10/10/2018 at 11:08 PM, Aquila Chrysaetos said:

Rules:

1. Submissions must include a demo from one of the listed available ports.

[...]

      Doom Retro

Isn't this contradictory?

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

Are Doom Retro demos incompatible with PRBoom? Or does it not record demos?

Even if they are, it's a little irrelevant because I have the port anyway.

If it doesn't record, then naturally I'll remove that one from the list.

[seed]

Mysterium tremendum et fascinans...

 

Interesting, tried my luck and, as expected it would appear I'm a magnet for crushers. Dead on MAP02, damn fine player I am.

 

agent6ironeaglesci2.zip

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

What difficulty and port? I need to know.

 

I'm not enforcing the categories this month. That said, if this goes another time, I would prefer we listed our categories.

[seed]

Just now, Aquila Chrysaetos said:

What difficulty and port? I need to know.

 

I'm not enforcing the categories this month. That said, if this goes another time, I would prefer we listed our categories.

 

Oh, right, I was dreaming I guess.

 

Blind, PrBoom+ 2.5.1.5,

-file sci2 -complevel 2 -skill 4 -warp -record them_demo -longtics

 

[leodoom85]

Well........

First time that I play this wad, first attempt, completely blind, UV skill, PrBoom+ 2.5.1.4, used the wad and the deh file for the demo.

Result? Survived it in 3:45:56. I almost died in map 20 though.......that was a close one. 

sci2ld85.zip

 

PS: My mouse is getting bad.

PS.2: Fuck the BFG replacement....it's so bad that I used it 3 times in the entire wad and I damaged myself with that....what a stupid weapon...

PS.3: Long break after clearing map 01 was because of breakfast -_-

[therektafire]

Ok so now we've got Ironcamel and Ironeagle now, what will be next, IronPigeon and IronAss? And then of course i'll follow up with ironphoenix ;)

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

This is intended as a fill-in for IronCamel, as there's not going to be such a competition this month.

The IronEagle may not be permanent. More likely it will be the beginning of "Eagle things" that I'm taking charge of, even after what happened before.

[Pegleg]

15 hours ago, therektafire said:

Ok so now we've got Ironcamel and Ironeagle now, what will be next, IronPigeon and IronAss? And then of course i'll follow up with ironphoenix ;)

 

Ironphoenix doesn't quite make sense. But IronPigeon and IronAss would imply Ironman runs of that month's speedmap compilation. I don't think there's been a Pigeon session in a bit, but with ASS back on, I'd be interested to see how Ironmanning of the ASS wads was received.

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

I'm great at keeping up with this.

I've updated the spreadsheet after two weeks.

A shoutout to @leodoom85 for surviving the set, and to those who participated.

Because I've been neglecting this, and because I started it lately, I'm setting demo deadlines as November 4th being the last day I'll accept them.

This got more attention than I expected, but I don't believe I'll be hosting another IronEagle next month. Something different will most likely happen.

[leodoom85]

Thanks Aquila, it was nice to participate in this. This is another alternative to the official ironman which I appreciate for sure.

[Pegleg]

1 hour ago, Aquila Chrysaetos said:

I'm great at keeping up with this.

I've updated the spreadsheet after two weeks.

 

OK. You're not on par @NaZa with respect to the spreadsheet, buy you're seemingly better than @Alfonzo at keeping up with it. So you can hang your hat on that.

 

1 hour ago, Aquila Chrysaetos said:

This got more attention than I expected

 

You may still get some more participants. There always seems to be a bit of a flurry in the last few days before the deadline.

 

1 hour ago, Aquila Chrysaetos said:

I don't believe I'll be hosting another IronEagle next month.

 

That's too bad. I agree with leodoom, it's nice to have another alternative to the DWIL, especially with the flexibility you include in the contest. I had fun taking part in this.

[guineu]

Probably a stupid question but... using ZDoom, is mouselook allowed? "-complevel 2" doesn't seem to disable it and the first post says nothing about it so I'm just wondering.

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

On 10/10/2018 at 5:08 PM, Aquila Chrysaetos said:

The rules for this competition are much the same as the DWIronman League.

The rules for DWIL state that freelook must be disabled.

For this, I'm indifferent to it. As long as the demo works properly, I'll accept it.

And for ZDoom, you want to use +compatmode 2, instead of -complevel 2.

[guineu]

36 minutes ago, Aquila Chrysaetos said:

The rules for DWIL state that freelook must be disabled.

For this, I'm indifferent to it. As long as the demo works properly, I'll accept it.

 

By indifferent I understand you allow it, nice because I'm so spoiled by mouselook that I can't play anymore without it, to the point I don't even try the DWIronman League anymore because of how much I suck without mouselook.

 

Well here's my attempt, it was fast: sci2_guineu.zip

Died on Map02 (teleported into a barrel?)

 

Quote

ZDoom 2.8.1 -file sci2.wad -deh sci2.deh +compatmode 2 -skill 4 -record s2demo +map map01

 

Edit: Category: Blind.

Edited October 27, 2018 by guineu

[leodoom85]

hahahaha.....that barrel tho, as soon as I saw that in the other side of the teleport it means one thing

DEATH

[DMPhobos]

Fell victim to that barrel too, if there was an indication of that trap, i wasn't paying enough attention lol
Blind playthrough, died on MAP02, used ZDoom  2.8.1 with compatibility flags

dmpsci2.zip

Edited October 27, 2018 by DMPhobos

[bioshockfan90]

The barrel claims yet another victim!

 

Died on map02.

 

EDIT: Shit, forgot to mention.

 

This was blind on UV, using Prboom+.

Edited October 28, 2018 by bioshockfan90

[leodoom85]

Is this the bridge of Well of Souls in Plutonia all over again? :D

[SleepyVelvet]

I wasn't even aware of the barrel.  I think I remember a teleporter destination under a crusher on that same level though.  But what I actually thought was gonna kill everyone wasn't either of those, but the yellow-key Spiderdemon with low ammo.  That is what almost did me in on Map02.

[NaZa]

I liken it more to TOTAL (barrel) EXPOSURE. Loads of deaths on one map. 

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

I didn't expect the barrel to claim so many. I expected it to be the Mastermind at the end if it was going to be on MAP02.

That gives us five deaths on MAP02, four to that same barrel and one to the crusher immediately after.

Next month there probably will be another IronEagle, since I've received a few requests for it, but it will be in tandem with a small mapping project I want to host, so it may receive token attention.

[Suitepee]

https://mega.nz/#!LNIAHIza!npEqRSozf_ErBuzS-WKT1AiswkaGTm4OvgrIM4nANMk

 

Here's my brief run. Died on map 2 to some bullshit involving teleporting onto an exploding barrel. Not really a fan of Ironman wads where you need foreknowledge to beat stupid stuff like that to be honest.

 

At least I kind of learnt how to do PRBoom demos!