Akeldama - Now on Idgames!

[valkiriforce]

Akeldama is set to be a 32-level megawad for vanilla doom2.exe. This is an answer to the throwback days of Memento Mori and Alien Vendetta of classic megawads featuring various authors, new textures and music, and staying true to the original Doom 2 formula of gameplay. So far it features the works of waverider, The Mysterious Moustachio, Paul977 and myself. Currently there are 8 completed maps, and we're hoping to aim for strong replayability with emphasis on fast, fun gameplay and shorter-length levels roughly the size of maps from Memento Mori and regular Doom 2. There will be bigger maps as well, but they will likely be featured towards the end of each respective episode. Maps were tested in Chocolate Doom and chocorenderlimits with a bit of PrBoom+/ZDoom testing as well, although they should be friendly towards any port of choice.

 

 

 

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Project History

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To help bring some coherence to the overall experience, I'm including a list of potential monsters/weapons that can be featured for each map; this will help slowly introduce players to tougher monsters and enemies without giving the most powerful weapons away from the get-go.
 

Spoiler

 

Monsters in maps 1-4:

former human

former sergeant

former commando

imp

demon

spectre

lost soul

cacodemon

hell knight

 

Monsters in maps 5-6:

former human

former sergeant

former commando

imp

demon

spectre

lost soul

cacodemon

hell knight

pain elemental

revenant

 

Monsters in maps 7 and onward:

former human

former sergeant

former commando

imp

demon

spectre

lost soul

cacodemon

hell knight

pain elemental

revenant

mancubus

arachnotron

arch-vile

 

Cyberdemon gets introduced on MAP11.

 

The Cyberdemon and Spider Mastermind are two boss monsters that should be used sparingly, so I would like to ask people to refrain from using them too much in their maps, as I'd like for the more challenging monster encounters to be saved for later in the megawad - likely for later slots in the following episode 2.

 

Any of the monsters can be used in episode 3.

 

Weapons in maps 1-3:

shotgun

chaingun

chainsaw

berserk pack

 

Weapons in maps 4-6:

shotgun

chaingun

chainsaw

berserk pack

super shotgun

rocket launcher

 

Weapons in maps 7 and onward:

shotgun

chaingun

chainsaw

berserk pack

super shotgun

rocket launcher

plasma gun

 

The BFG is another thing I would like to be used sparingly; but I would say somewhere around map 15 and later it can be used - though there shouldn't be too many encounters in the megawad that should require it.

 

Hopefully this doesn't come off as being too controlling - I'm willing to be lenient towards any maps that go against any of these points. MAP01 for example has a few Arachnotrons in it and a rocket launcher since me and waverider collaborated on it early on and I hadn't yet established these guidelines. It would help to follow these points more closely to help develop a sense of progression for a community-based project.

 

And here is the current map lineup:

 

Download:

Idgames Link

ModDB Page

Doomshack Zip

 

Episode 1:

MAP01: The Generator (valkiriforce/waverider) (Complete) 1 2
MAP02: Knights of Ilasac (Philnemba) 1 2
MAP03: Renegades (ZaBigBoss/valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2

MAP04: Chillwell (dt_) (Complete) 1 2
MAP05: Bunker Hill (DerFurer'sFace) (Complete) 1 2
MAP06: Insurrection (Gothic) (Complete) 1 2
MAP07: Carnage Facility (valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2
MAP08: Arctic Compound (Diego 'DJV' Villarroel/valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2
MAP09: Winter Stronghold (The Mysterious Moustachio) (Complete) 1 2
MAP10: Hangar Facility (valkiriforce/The Mysterious Moustachio) (Complete) 1 2
MAP11: The Glacier Base (waverider) (Complete) 1 2

 

Episode 2:
MAP12: Urban Strike (complexDoomer/valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2
MAP13: Toxic Disgust (Juza) (Complete) 1 2
MAP14: Darkness Beneath (Chaingunner) (Complete) 1 2
MAP15: Breaching The Source (gaspe) (Complete) 1 2
MAP16: Aqueduct Fortress (valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2
MAP17: Blood Covenant (antares031) (Complete) 1 2
MAP18: Mortar (wolfmcbeard/Khorus) (Complete) 1 2

MAP19: Death March (Pegleg) (Complete) 1 2
MAP20: The Devil's Triangle (Juza/valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2

 

Episode 3:

MAP21: Disaster County (valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2
MAP22: Dark Sacrifices (Paul977) (Complete) 1 2
MAP23: Chimera (valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2
MAP24: Alexandria's Library (Diego 'DJV' Villarroel) 1 2
MAP25: Opulence (joepallai) (Complete) 1 2
MAP26: Duskbound (Breezeep) (Complete)
MAP27: Bitter Waters (valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2
MAP28: Climbing Blood Mountain (Khorus) (Complete)
MAP29: Boglach (pcorf) (Complete) 1 2
MAP30: Mind of Enmity (aka: The Devil's Capital) (valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2
MAP31: Make Believe (valkiriforce/DerFurer'sFace/joepallai/gaspe) (Complete) 1 2
MAP32: Operation Pump And Dump (Doomkid/valkiriforce) (Complete) 1 2

 

 

Track List:

 

MAP01: Shrouded In Mist by AD_79
MAP02: Crabs Don't Need Butter on the Ocean Floor by LewkForce
MAP03: Light It Up by LewkForce
MAP04: Iridescent by AD_79
MAP05: The Triangle Rises by Paul Corfiatis
MAP06: Parting Souls by Viscra Maelstrom
MAP07: Kings Fall Down by Viscra Maelstrom
MAP08: For The New Lunar Republic by Viscra Maelstrom
MAP09: Gat Out of Hell by LewkForce
MAP10: Mind The Gap by Seybsnilksz
MAP11: Yumi Macintoshio by Paul Corfiatis
MAP12: Acts of Terror by Viscra Maelstrom
MAP13: Sludgehammer by AD_79
MAP14: Fallen Empire by Viscra Maelstrom
MAP15: Sinners of The Dark by Paul Corfiatis
MAP16: Controlled Explosion by LewkForce
MAP17: The Forgotten God (Alternate Version) by Eris Falling
MAP18: Delusions by Viscra Maelstrom
MAP19: Illusion by Eris Falling
MAP20: Penance by AD_79
MAP21: Death by Viscra Maelstrom
MAP22: Aris Nesting Grounds by Viscra Maelstrom
MAP23: Page Removed by LewkForce
MAP24: Derived From Unconscious Mind by Viscra Maelstrom
MAP25: Stone Chamber by LewkForce
MAP26: Kaguya by AD_79
MAP27: The Final Chord by Stuart Rynn
MAP28: Empire Built Upon Lies by AD_79
MAP29: The Unholy Valentine by Paul Corfiatis
MAP30: Wasted by Doomkid/Eris Falling/valkiriforce
MAP31: Survivor's Guilt by LewkForce
MAP32: This Might Burn by Seybsnilksz

 

Title Screen: Akeldama by Viscra Maelstrom

Intermission Screen: ChudBeast by DoomKid

Text Screen: Life On The Line by LewkForce

 

There are no episodic themes - I would like to encourage a variety of map themes and designs that at least fit thematically with their respective sky textures. Episode 1 for example has a snow mountain sky, but there are other themes like marble and techbase and earth themes that could be explored as well. You can check the screenshots posted for each map to get an idea of what it's like.

 

Deathmatch areas are optional but certainly welcome.

 

Instead of setting an overall deadline on the megawad, I would like to focus the attention on each individual episode. Given the shorter map lengths and sizes, it shouldn't be too hard to come up with a number of maps in a decent amount of time. So each episode will focus on small/medium-size maps with bigger maps getting placed at the end of each episode. The deadline for contributing to episode 1 will be March the 8th - if any slots are left empty then either I or someone else will create a map to fill the space, or if they are all finished before then we can move straight to the next episode. If I've learned anything from projects like MAYhem and NaNoWADMo it's that they managed a good sizeable amount of maps over a month's time, so I would think we can manage to fill at least seven slots and hopefully more in twice that length. Episode 2 and 3's deadlines will likely be similar, although they can be longer if the time is needed for bigger maps, so you can consider this a semi-speedmapped megawad with more leniency towards bug fixes and any other problems. That being said, people can still contribute to later episode slots if all the other maps are taken, but the emphasis will be placed on what is currently set for a deadline.

 

Episode 1 deadline: March 8th

Episode 2 deadline: May 8th

Episode 3 deadline: July 8th

 

If any slots are left empty by then either I or someone else will fill those empty slots. There's also a chance the map is unplayable in vanilla Doom or isn't up to standard with the other maps - either a map can be reworked to fit those standards or it won't be accepted as it is.

 

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If anyone has any additional questions or advice concerning the points I made (like the monsters/weapons/deadline stuff), I would very much like to hear from you in this thread. I would greatly appreciate any help on new textures, music, playtesting or any other details if anyone is interested. Hopefully this will be a project for those who have the same love for older wads like I do with the Memento Mori/Alien Vendetta era of vanilla mapping.

 

Resource wad: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dyzz7vb6yzn0sh/ak_resrce.wad?dl=0

 

Post your maps in this thread for playtesters and any additional community feedback. I'll be sure to update this post with the links for each map.

 

Most of the new textures are remixes of existing Doom 2 textures, but there's some new stuff in there as well. It is likely to be updated over time, which means people can also update their maps to include any additional new textures if anyone wants to.

 

I will very, very likely need some help running this project - so please let me know if you're available to help out with managing this project if it interests you. It would be helpful to have others in charge if for whatever reason I become unavailable. It would be good for all of us to put our heads together and make this thing the best that it can be!

 

I hope this covers everything - also be sure to test your maps in Chocolate Doom or chocorenderlimits using the Doom 2 IWAD along with the texture resource; happy mapping!

 

Team members:

 

Spoiler

valkiriforce

waverider
Paul977
joepallai
gaspe
Doomkid
antares031
AD_79
The Mysterious Moustachio
galileo31dos01

Juza

Aquila Chrysaetos

TheV1perK1ller

Philnemba

dt_

wolfmcbeard

Malrionn

Khorus

complexDoomer

pc234

The_SloVinator

pcorf

Gothic

NaZa

Pegleg

ETTiNGRiNDER

Walter confetti

Diego 'DJV' Villarroel

Classicgamer6

obake

DerFurer'sFace

Roofi

xvertigox

Chaingunner

 

Oh yeah, there is at least a video of MAP01 I posted - this was a collaboration map between me and waverider:

 

 

Edited June 29, 2020 by valkiriforce

[Juza]

This is definitely my jam. I'm in.

I'll take anything after Map07. 

Edited January 9, 2019 by Juza

[Aquila Chrysaetos]

Count me interested, sir. I'd like to take an E3 slot (which one doesn't matter to me), because that sky really strikes my fancy.

Checking out all these textures, I think I could make something interesting.

[Juza]

Is there no Discord server or anywhere the team can contact? It'd be easier to organize the project this way, just a suggestion! 

[valkiriforce]

I don't see what's wrong with posting here - might be a good for others to learn from what's going on for once, plus I don't use Discord.

 

Either way, I've got both of you listed as mappers now.

[Juza]

I think it'd be easier to organize everything overall, and communication between members of a team is vital imo, and Discord makes that easier. It'd also be more convenient. 

Edited January 9, 2019 by Juza

[HAK3180]

This looks like lots of fun. I'd love to contribute, but I've got a busy late winter/early spring ahead of me. Much luck!

[TheV1perK1ller]

Hey everyone. Would it be alright if I also contributed? This would make for a perfect opportunity to get my mapping motivation up again. I think I will take an E2 slot, if that is ok.

[valkiriforce]

1 hour ago, Juza said:

I think it'd be easier to organize everything overall, and communication between members of a team is vital imo, and Discord makes that easier. It'd also be more convenient. 

I just think it's easy to keep track of everything right here in the thread - that was part of the reason I wanted to make one here.

 

45 minutes ago, TheV1perK1ller said:

Hey everyone. Would it be alright if I also contributed? This would make for a perfect opportunity to get my mapping motivation up again. I think I will take an E2 slot, if that is ok.

I've added you on the maplist for E2.

[Juza]

Can we contribute with more than one map? Cause I certainly want to.

[Philnemba]

After some consideration, I want to contribute a map for this project since I'll be done with 1/3 of my own solo megawad this month and I want to try something a little different.

 

Would it be ok if I claim map 02?

[valkiriforce]

14 minutes ago, Juza said:

Can we contribute with more than one map? Cause I certainly want to.

Absolutely! I believe joepallai was working on two at one point - I don't know if he's still got his E2 map in the works but I have his name there just in case.

 

7 minutes ago, Philnemba said:

After some consideration, I want to contribute a map for this project since I'll be done with 1/3 of my own solo megawad this month and I want to try something a little different.

 

Would it be ok if I claim map 02?

Sure thing, I've got you on the list.

[Doomkid]

I absolutely want to contribute to this. I'll claim map04, that should light a fire under my ass. Will hopefully have something tangible in the next coupla weeks! I think the idea of having recommended monster and weapon types for each episode is a really good way to add a sense of cohesion and progression.

Edited January 9, 2019 by Doomkid

[dt_]

I would be interested in taking an early mapslot (e1)if available.  Also happy to help out with running the project or testing if you need any assistance further down the line

[wolfmcbeard]

I do want to potentially partake in this, but I haven't mapped in vanilla except for once.
Could I still make something, even if it isn't used I want to get better at vanilla mapping.

Edit; Why not, it gets in or it don't, I just want to make, so sign me up for socket 18 if available and willing.

Edited January 9, 2019 by wolfmcbeard

[franckFRAG]

Oh nice! Finally a new vanilla megawad project!

[Malrionn]

I'm interested to make a map for this project. I'd like to take an E3 slot if possible.

[Walter confetti]

Love the new textures and the style of this project!

[Khorus]

Looks fun, I haven't made a vanilla limits map in 7 years. Or contributed to a community project in my entire career...

 

Could I please have Map28? :)

[slayer's]

I am interested in this project and for the slot I would take slot 4

[Test Tickle]

Hey, I might participate. If available, I'd like an earlier slot.

[gaspe]

Have a screenshot for hype :P

[The_SloVinator]

I volunteer. Map 05 slot if possible.

[Paul977]

Nice one :)

[dt_]

Did not claim a map slot for some reason.  If you are replacing 3, could I take that?

[pcorf]

This seems tempting so I will consider MAP29, hopefully I won't regret this decision.

[Gothic]

I'll try to make something for after map05.

[NaZa]

I would like to occupy slot 14. Memento Mori was always an inspiration, being one of the very first PWADs I had played.

[Pegleg]

Nice. An old school vanilla project! I'd like to join and contribute a map to Episode 2.

 

By the way, what is "Akeldama?" Does that title have some meaning?

[HAK3180]

 

14 minutes ago, Pegleg said:

By the way, what is "Akeldama?" Does that title have some meaning?

 

Acts 1:19

Edited January 9, 2019 by HAK3180