Akeldama - Now on Idgames!

[waverider]

@DerFurer'sFace: I'm finished with the feedback on your sections of Map31:

 

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- The yellow key area starts out claustrophobic which can be a good thing in my book unless it's overdone, it's not an issue here since it's just a couple of rooms and they're done "right". 
- I'm generally pleased with how the green SP_ROCK area looks and feels - just listed some nitpicks below.
- Also enjoyed the exciting and dramatic fight with the demons and mancubuses in the crushing ceiling area - this area is really well made I think - a very memorable fight! Slow crushing ceilings would've been an unfair choice here but you settled with fast ones which is a great choice imo! Also liked the fiery walls here.
- Again, well placed monsters in the next green SP_ROCK area, with those imps up on the darker ledges.
- The yellow key fight was a fierce and engaging one - it was challenging without going overboard - it's difficulty was just right I thought - moving on into section 2 behind the yellow bars:

 

- Nice looking starting room with some nice outdoor views. The tight fight with the hell knights, revenants and arch-vile was exciting - maybe even more so if you could find a better way to trap the player than using the current slow closing door. :)
- The cyber startled me - I did NOT see that one coming, heh! I also liked that you had to run into the lava and into one of the teleports if the cyber comes down to the yellow bar switch!
- Clever secrets here - it's fun walking narrow ledges. :)
- Well placed monsters in general and I found nothing to fault about the health/ammo balance.

I had some suggestions and nitpicks as well:

 

- Perhaps sector 220's GSTONE1 textures could use a little more detail, perhaps some support textures? Also, sector 341 could use some trees and stalagmites or so maybe. Imo you could have the same look in that case for the upcoming similar looking areas, if the drawsegs permit. Perhaps some wall detail on the BRICKPL0 textures near sector 304 could look nice.
- Maybe the fight with the nearby trio of arch-viles could be spiced up a bit, it's far too easy just to drop down into the water and kill them from there.
- Linedef 1333/1909 could perhaps look even nicer with some red torches inside them? - moving on to section 2:

 

- The woody corridor starting at sector 420 looks good overall, maybe some ceiling lamps could improve things further.
- The BRICKPL1 walls near Sector 403 looks alright but could be spiced up a bit if you add another sector right next to it that isn't so tall but with another, contrasting texture, that could further spice up the feel of detail when you're
    standing close to the yellow bar switch, looking out over the lava. Or if you add more BRICKGY2 sections along the S403 wall. 
- Linedef 2301 is misaligned.

 

To summarize things, I liked this map too, the list of suggestions may look almost as large as the list of positive stuff but the negatives are really just nitpicks, all in all your sections of this map has engaging gameplay, striking atmosphere and nice visuals, I had a fun time!

Edited October 8, 2019 by waverider

[DFF]

@waverider thanks again, I appreciate the feedback and am currently making some adjustments since the points are good ones.

 

@valkiriforce do I have permission to edit my areas in map 31 a bit? I ask because the nature of being a collab and don’t want to work if someone else is currently 

[valkiriforce]

I may have made some changes/fixes since then so I can send you the latest version of the map if you'd like to make adjustments.

[DFF]

@valkiriforce Just a heads up, i tried removing some detail from my edits thinking I exceeded the limit, but the file you sent me (with your edits) causes a savegame overflow in choclate if I try to save at the start. I don't think the map runs in choc in its current state

Edited October 8, 2019 by DerFurer'sFace

[valkiriforce]

We're not really concerned with savegame overflows considering a number of maps likely exceed this limit anyway, and most ports including chocolate Doom itself have an option to disregard the original save limits.

[DFF]

Ah gotcha, just making sure since I didn't want to break any limits, i'll continue then.

 

[DFF]

Alright here's my edited part of map 31 ak31100819.zip

 

And my edited map05

MAP05_Bunker Hill_V11.zipFetching info...

[Pegleg]

  On 10/8/2019 at 6:28 PM, valkiriforce said:

We're not really concerned with savegame overflows considering a number of maps likely exceed this limit anyway, and most ports including chocolate Doom itself have an option to disregard the original save limits.

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I think as long as you mention it on the readme (possibly as a known bug), it will be OK. There are a number of well-known vanilla sets that have this same issue on some of their maps, and that is how they handle it.

[waverider]

@DerFurer'sFace: You're welcome, glad I could be of service. :) I checked out the new versions, nice changes by the way!

[valkiriforce]

Currently playing through Akeldama on easy and going to make some difficulty adjustments to the maps that need it along the way. There are a handful of exceptions for maps that already have skill settings implemented, so I won't be doing this for the maps that already have it unless it really calls for some minor adjustments which aren't worth bringing up here. When I'm finished going through it on easy and normal I may just think about releasing what we have compiled so far for others to check out, since that'll make testing the maps much easier.

 

[EDIT] Forgot to mention a bug on MAP04 concerning an inaccessible secret due to the walk-over line being set for the former humans to trigger a fast door which doesn't work in Chocolate Doom, so I decided to turn it into a lift function with action 88 as the trigger since they can activate it that way, and I included a line outside of it which can also trigger it nearby so it doesn't become permanently inaccessible.

Edited October 10, 2019 by valkiriforce

[dt_]

^^are you sure that's map04?  If so, can you tell me where it is?

[valkiriforce]

@dt_ Sector 16 linedef 1555 which originally had a W1 Door Open Stay (fast) action, which the former humans wandering inside could not open when I was testing it in chocorenderlimits.

[dt_]

  On 10/10/2019 at 10:46 PM, valkiriforce said:

@dt_ Sector 16 linedef 1555 which originally had a W1 Door Open Stay (fast) action, which the former humans wandering inside could not open when I was testing it in chocorenderlimits.

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It's not meant for the former human to open, if you look closely in the window, on the left hand side there's a shootable switch.  I do think though on reflection that that secret is quite hard to spot in relation to the reward

[valkiriforce]

Um, wow...I didn't even spot this in the editor. I definitely think it's much too well hidden for a simple shotgun, especially when players will likely rely on the shotgun obtained from a former sergeant when approaching the first lift.

[valkiriforce]

Been a bit quiet here, huh? Well I decided to upload what we have finished of the megawad; I'll keep updating it though with each new music track and map updates. Still need MAP26 and I need to make a credits and bossback graphic at some point but here's the compiled wad: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7qqej3w9fgwazf7/akeldama_b1.wad?dl=0

 

I should also mention I finished playing through all the available maps on easy and made a number of difficulty adjustments for casual players, however there were a few maps that were left untouched. I think it's finished for the most part concerning difficulty balance but there may yet be some changes that are needed.

Edited October 17, 2019 by valkiriforce

[Doomkid]

Working on that extended midi, should be done in he next couple days!

[DFF]

Awesome, I think i'll give the beta a full playthrough and give some feedback as I play the whole set.

 

[AD_79]

Good to see a beta! Once November arrives I'm going to shift my focus back to those two tracks I need to finish.

[Angelwitch]

Excited to finally check this out!

[pcorf]

Maybe I'll possibly consider whipping together a backup MAP26 for this project just in case the real MAP26 does not get completed let's say in 6 months time.

[lirui1001]

Is this supposed to be a teleporter in the blue key area of map31? If so this doesn't work.

 

 

Also the 3 cybies in the red key room get stuck in map32. I dunno if this is a glitch.

Edited October 17, 2019 by lirui1001

[joepallai]

  On 10/17/2019 at 4:26 AM, lirui1001 said:

Is this supposed to be a teleporter in the blue key area of map31? If so this doesn't work.

 

 

Also the 3 cybies in the red key room get stuck in map32. I dunno if this is a glitch.

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Damn, I thought I had fixed everything I did in that map.   Thanks for catching this!  This was suppose to be my emergency teleport in case the player falls off the side.

 

 

[waverider]

Map 28: Climbing Blood Mountain

 

@Khorus: Just tested this map out, I'll start off with the stuff I liked:

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- I'm overall very pleased with the visuals, the map is really beautiful, I especially like how you detail caves and cliffs, smart usage of different heights and textures with varying colors and patterns create a very detailed feel that I really like! There's also nice shading in several areas, the cave in the beginning comes to mind. I like the "fake colored lighting" trick you used with the green torches near yellow key. Can't say I find much to fault in this department at all, if any.
- General atmosphere and feel is strong. 
- Sector 219 battle is an intense and exciting one! I liked how it was tricky to escape - it was much better to stand and fight.
- Also liked the fight around sector 287, just a nitpick though - wouldn't the fight be more challenging if the cyber was to appear with the teleporting monsters instead of how it is now when you can fight him before pressing the switch. Perhaps it's also a tad too easy to just escape the area as it stands now.
- The secrets seems well made, I was very fond of the one leading to the soulsphere near exit, it's cool that you can either take the lowering platform over to it or use a strafejump.
- The battle in sector 720 was good, I just wish it wasn't so easy to escape it by running out of the room through the crushers.
- I liked the fight with the Mastermind and the other monsters too near end.
- Ammo and health balance was great.
- 100% all stats was possible unless as mentioned below maybe not if using save/load in Chocolate Doom.

I had a few remarks as well:

 

- It's possible to get stuck near sector 96 if you press yourself between the wall and the green torch, doesn't seem possible to get out once stuck.
- There's a bleeding error in sector 104, shown here: http://www.mediafire.com/view/dxdi43qaok85i2b/ak28_bleed.jpg/file
- The monsters near the megasphere secret don't teleport in Chocolate Doom if you've used save and reload since the starting area because of block sound. This can affect the enemies in sectors 716-719 too. Not sure if this is a negative though since I'm not sure if many people at all tend to save/reload, at least in Choco, just thought I'd mention it. 
- It's possible to get stuck by running up to sector 210 from sector 4 and jumping down behind the pillars.
- I found a VPO in sector 361, shown here: http://www.mediafire.com/view/vx8zxmqfvnodqs1/ak28_vpo1.jpg/file
- I found a second VPO in sector 88. This one's unlikely to become an issue though as it seems hard to trigger by accident. http://www.mediafire.com/view/cjf601dbtspzojp/ak28_vpo2.jpg/file

 

For summary I must say I enjoyed this map very much, it has great and engaging gameplay, very nice atmosphere and visuals, and great resource balance. I just wish you'd make the map a bit more challenging seeing it's Map28. :)

 

 

[EffinghamHuffnagel]

Half done using GZDoom. Originally started playing the first compilation, so any notes before MAP10 may have already been fixed.

 

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MAP04

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The Red and Blue key switches, linedef tags 27 and 28 have no key indicators.

 

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MAP07

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Two missing lower textures on linedefs connected to linedef tag 60. Only visible after the floor lowers.

 

Edit 2: Hidden teleport linedef tag 56 leads to the secret Rocket Launcher. The floor around the RL is what's tagged as secret. The teleport landing spot is above the floor of the room. It's possible to grab the RL and teleport back out without scoring the secret. Secret sector should probably be the teleport landing spot.

 

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MAP08

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I think the hidden lift, linedef tag 13, has the wrong texture. There is a column in each corner of the room. The SW and SE columns have METAL4 on both sides. The NW column has METAL4 on the S side and METAL2 on the E side. The NE column has METAL 2 on the S side and METAL4 on the W side with linedef tag 13. The lift texture is not unique to the room. Not sure why anyone would think to use it. Should the lift be METAL2 and the other METAL2s be METAL4? Unless there's another hint I missed?

 

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MAP09

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The tag 7 teleport linedefs should be tagged monster-block, or the tag 8 teleport linedefs should be un-tagged monster-block. As it stands now, the Imp behind you walks into the linedef tag 7 teleport, can't leave the landing spot and gets telefragged when you leave the area. Was that the intent?
 

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MAP11

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There is a stack of five Potions on an upper level of crates just S of the Yellow Key. Can only be barely seen from one spot on the lower floor. And not tagged secret. Clipped through the whole level before I exited looking for those last damn items. Not a bug, just mean to 100%-ers.

 

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MAP13

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Linedef tag 72 teleports some Spectres in. But it's at the top of some curved steps. The Spectres can't come down the steps. I backed down the steps. Easy kills. I'm never sure if things like this are bugs or intentional for smart gameplay.

 

The columns to either side of linedef tag 8 are 64 units wide and the space between them and the walls is 48 units. The Demons that teleport in are 60 units wide and can't get past them, so if you run and grab the Box of Shells, they're easy kills. Again, intentional or gameplay?

 

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MAP14
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There is a group of five Spectres in the water area E of linedef tag 13. The space leading to the S water area is too narrow for them to get through. If you jump into the water to get to the library area, they can't attack you. Easy kills. Intentional?

 

Key indicator for Red Key door is LITERED4. Later, there was another door with LITERED4 on it. I didn't know why there was another Red Key door past the first one. I checked later and found the second door was non-keyed. Not a bug, just a little confusing.

 

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MAP31

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There is a Spectre next to the linedef tag 46 door. The passage is 56 units wide. Spectres are 60 units wide. It can't attack.
 

One BFG is not tagged secret, but the other one is? And the skybox tiles badly in the non-secret BFG area.

Missing ceiling flats WUDTILE1 and WUDTILE2 in the sector tag 33 (Yellow Key switch) area. You can also run out the first window and land near the Yellow Key switch, kill the Baron, use the switch, go inside, kill some things through the bars, then go outside and use the lava teleport to get back up past the bars. If you're lucky you can activate the Cyber; he'll follow you back to that corner; jump out the window again to use the lava teleport to telefrag him. Was that an intended option?

 

The Caco in front of the normal exit can't leave the building. The entrance sector is 64 units high. The Caco is 56 units high and is always above the ground, so it's stuck.

 

Edit: Missed a note. When the Berserk in sector tag 16 lowered, I grabbed it and stood there waiting for something to happen. I didn't realize I was blocking a monster teleport landing spot. When the exit wall finished lowering, I ran out the door to the other end of the walkway. Demons and Spectres teleported in and came to me one at a time. The Manc was too big to get out the doorway; he just wandered around and got caught under the crushers. If sector tag 16 was damaging, you couldn't stand there.

 

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MAP32
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Linedef tag 1 teleport - Cyber got knocked off the platform into the nukage and walked into it. Landing spot is only 104 units high. Stuck. Granted, not a common occurrence, but it happened.

 

Cyber platforms in the Red Key room - Cybers didn't move or attack. I think their platforms are too small for them.

 

Edited October 22, 2019 by EffinghamHuffnagel
missed a note for MAP31; missed another for MAP07 dammit

[DFF]

@valkiriforce Im not certain if the last update to map31 had any other changes to other sections than mine, but I went ahead and made some changes to my sections based on feedback from Effingham. Also he references WUDTILE1 and 2 to be missing from the compilation I believe. This is a texture that is present in the most up-2-date resource pack I believe, did you remove this texture?

Changes to (my part) map31:
Added extra detail to both sections

Changed yellow key barrier switch so its shorter and has railings, removing a skip that bypassed the whole section.

Fixed 3rd trap for locking door to work properly

added spectres to 2nd trap

Added pillars and a switch+teleporter to the cyberdemon so the player can't bypass the fight using the teleporters (can still telefrag)

Changed height of yellow key arena exit teleporter so it takes longer.

 

I played through the map myself, WUDTILE1 seemed to be there for me but GN_MARBB was replaced with one of the bookcases for some reason 

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Link

Edited October 23, 2019 by DerFurer'sFace

[EffinghamHuffnagel]

  On 10/23/2019 at 12:11 AM, DerFurer'sFace said:

 

I played through the map myself, WUDTILE1 seemed to be there for me but GN_MARBB was replaced with one of the bookcases for some reason 

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You're right. The flats are there. My stupidity. I probably clicked the wrong batch file before playing that map. Geez, I hope the other notes were valid.

 

Edit: Not that it matters, but I had taken the original AK_E1E2.wad (which did not have those two flats) and went through the thread, adding all the E3 maps posted, because I wanted to play the whole thing. I have to remember to delete old batch files when new versions come out. Sorry.

Edited October 23, 2019 by EffinghamHuffnagel

[valkiriforce]

@DerFurer'sFace That likely has to do with some conflicting texture names that I had to fix up at some point. Not sure how something like a marble texture would get replaced with a bookcase but I can surely fix it up by including your portion of the map to the one I have since I've also made other updates not listed here.

 

[EDIT] By the way, the only texture I did change in your portion was one of the switches which originally used a switch texture that wasn't animated, so I set it to the correct one. Also I fixed a teleport destination from the nukage which only appeared on hard instead of all the difficulties, and adjusted the lower settings to make it easier since some parts were still brutal on the lowest difficulty. I've made these changes in other maps where I felt it necessary to make for a more smooth experience for casual players that aren't looking to get tied up in some difficult encounters, but ultra-violence remains untouched so the maps still play the same for most players that will stick with that setting.

Edited October 23, 2019 by valkiriforce

[EffinghamHuffnagel]

Finally finished using GZDoom.

 

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MAP16
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The Soul Sphere is slightly bigger than the platform it's sitting on, so when it lowers, it's possible to grab it without triggering the secret.

 

Because of the multiple paths, I missed walking over linedef tag 34 and releasing the Chaingunners. Maybe need a second linedef tag 34 at the other upper exit from the area.

 

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MAP17
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Why are there are two linedef tag 5 switches which raise the steps to the secret Soul Sphere? One is a hidden switch by the Red Key door, the other is the SW1STARG switch texture near the steps. Couldn't figure out what the second switch did. Checked afterwards in Slade.

 

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MAP18
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Once you get to the room with the Red Key, is there a way back to the previous section of map to hunt secrets or re-supply?

 

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MAP19
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Could not find the Box of Shells secret behind the Manc, N of linedef tag 65. Checked in editor afterwards. The wall is DBRICK3. Supposedly, above the door is DBRICK2, but I couldn't see it. It's dark and the whole door was covered with blood from killing the Manc.

 

The secret Invulnerability Sphere - I like that you can run from the Rocket Launcher to the Revenant corner platform and then SR to the Sphere. Again, afterwards, I found there was actually a hidden linedef tag 71 teleport to the Sphere behind the Chaingunner alcove (if there was a hint to that teleport, I must have missed it).

 

Linedef tag 26, in front of the Plasma Gun in the Blue Key bars room, opens a lot of closets, including two back in the Red Key room. The monsters in that closet are deaf, so if you take the path back using the linedef tag 59 lift, none of them actually activate until you are almost out of the big room S of the Red Key room. If you take the shortest path back and jump off the platform where the Yellow Key was, they'll never activate. Were those monsters only there for 100%-ers, or were they supposed to activate earlier, when you grab the Red Key? I already had the Red Key by the time those closets opened. I grabbed the Blue Key last because I didn't realize the switch next to it was a G1. I kept looking for a switch to raise the bridge. I went back to it after I found the exit. I'm not sure it even really matters, since you only need the Red Key to exit the map. I guess I'm not used to having two 'optional' keys.
 

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MAP20
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Why are the starting spots/chairs damaging?

If you missed finding the first secret (which only new players might miss), there's no way back to find it, is there?

 

Lots of Boxes of Shells and a lot of forced pickups.

 

Once the exit bars lowered, the Demons wouldn't come up the steps into the room. They stayed on the step they teleported in on, but other monsters did come up. Since Demons are wider than the other monsters, do they need wider or shallower steps to completely enter one step sector before moving to the next one when coming up steps at a 45 degree angle? Is this a GZDoom issue?

 

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MAP24
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In the library room in front of the Blue Key door, the Demon by the Clip Box can't move past the small jog to attack.

The door to the room with Blue Key is monster-blocked. Monsters can't leave the room to attack you.

Cut-off DOORBLU2 textures on the other Blue Key door.

 

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MAP25
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Linedef tag 29 opens a secret teleport to a secret BFG. The sector in front of the linedef tag 32 teleport is tagged secret and the teleport destination room is also tagged secret. Should probably remove one of the tags.

 

Linedef tag 14 lowers a wall to a secret. When I used it, the Medikit jumped up and floated down with the wall. Odd. It looked far enough away from the wall.

I like the Lost Soul behind the Yellow Key as a decoration, but it couldn't get out and attack, if that was the intent.

 

The Imp directly W of the linedef tag 23 on the little platform couldn't move or attack. The Imp on the platform on the other side is stuck underground.

 

Linedef tag 39 opens the door to the linedef tag 12 GR switch. It's S1. Was that meant to be a one-attempt only secret? There's also a non-animating SW1METL2 switch texture on the S side of the secret ammo platform. The linedef tag 12 in front of that switch lowers the bottom of that platform door (also revealing missing lower textures). It's tagged lower unpegged. The other three sides of the platform have the switches and textures also, but they're not tagged lower unpegged, so you can't see the switches. The E non-visible switch lowers the sector tag 10 barrier to the linedef tag 27 switch which opens the second BFG secret. You have to use the E side of the platform twice. Once for the linedef tag 12 switch and once for the linedef tag 10 switch to open the secret. I'm not sure what was supposed to happen with the mechanics here. Was the working switch supposed to be revealed when you used the non-animating switch? Wait. There is no non-switch version of that metal texture in the wad. I just assumed one because I remember it from cc4-tex. So that texture will always be a switch. This BFG secret certainly is complicated.

 

The last secret can't be scored. The Red Key switch, linedef tag 28, opens the door around the teleport, but the teleport sector is only 32 units high.
 

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MAP27
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Linedef tag 28 is a hidden SW2LION switch which opens a teleport to a secret. Texture is one of four SW2LION textures in room. All the switch sectors are joined. Is there a hint I missed for that particular texture being a switch?

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MAP28
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Line 445 has an upper texture of NATROCK2 and a lower texture of BFALL1. Aligning the upper texture makes the lower texture off. The BFALL1 is much more noticeable than the upper rock.

 

In the Cyber area line 1731 is an SW2GARG texture. All the other garg textures in the area are SW1GARG. Makes it look like a secret.

 

The blood suddenly becoming lava in the SpiderMastermind area bothers me. There is actually no lava falling into the pool and the exit area is back to blood again. The only liquid falling into the pool is BFALL1, not BLODGR1.

 

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MAP30
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Not a fan of automatic secrets at the start, but it's a choice. What I found odd was that the Blue Armor behind the linedef tag 14 teleport is visible, but slightly tricky to get. You have to teleport away, then back, to get out the window to the Armor. The Invulnerability Sphere and Computer Map are hidden, but not tagged secret. After finding them, you run into a lift to a hidden teleport to telefrag the Cyber on the high platform. You can find the lift without finding the Sphere and Map. All three of those are could be valid as secrets.

 

 

[joepallai]

Thanks @EffinghamHuffnagel for the playtesting and bug finding.  It looks like I'm not done yet with Map25....

 

and the lost soul by the yellow key was intended as decoration; glad you liked that.

 

 

[Doomkid]

Wasted3.zipFetching info...

Hopefully this adds enough variation to the original version, I think it should make it much more interesting in the background. No super substantial changes, just different instruments coming in and out and different times and different 'flair' on each play through of the same few riffs. Let me know what you think, Valkiriforce.

Edited October 31, 2019 by Doomkid