NaNoWADMo 2019 - The month-long mapping challenge (that's a wrap!)

[scwiba]

NaNoWADMo is back! Are you ready for Round 2? Get your map editors fired up for October 1st! [NaNoWADMo 2019 is over, but there will always be a next year! Mark your calendars for October 2020!]

 

It's the NaNoWriMo of Doom mapping. For a whole month, dozens of mappers come together to do that thing we do -- make maps. Been itching to get a finished WAD under your belt? Want to break through your creative block? Thinking about laying the groundwork for that megaWAD you always wanted to make? Why not give NaNoWADMo a shot and see what you can come up with?

 

The premise is simple: you start mapping on October 1st and challenge yourself to complete a mapset by the last day of the month. "Completed" doesn't mean released, or polished, or even playtested necessarily. Nobody expects a masterpiece; the point of NaNoWADMo is to buckle down and make maps without overthinking it or second-guessing yourself. At the end of NaNoWADMo, if all you've got is some unfinished concepts to build off of later, consider that a victory!

 

And share your work as you go! NaNoWADMo-ers and spectators alike are invited to comment in this thread and on the Discord, to give feedback on works-in-progress, and cheer everyone on. We're in this together!

 

The challenge runs of October 1 to 31, and at the end I hope everyone who participated will post what they made. Any additional rules are ones you set yourself. You could give yourself a number of maps you have to finish or how long those maps need to be. You could set a goal of how often you finish a new map or how much time you'll set aside each day to work on them. You could make it a rule that every map needs a different theme or gameplay hook.

 

For me it helps a lot to have really concrete goals and deadlines, so I've included a spoiler below with the rules I've used in previous years. Keep in mind that this is just one example of a goalset, and probably a bit of an extreme one at that. NaNoWADMo is about what you want to get out of the challenge.
 

Spoiler

 

1) At midnight (your time) on the 1st, you're free to start work on your brand new WAD. It's okay to have ideas, a written outline, even a resource pack compiled before then, but no work can be done on the actual maps (including sketching them out) until the 1st. For the next 31 days, you map at whatever pace makes sense for you. Know your limits and don't compromise your mental or physical health to get a few more maps done.

 

2) A complete project is 27 maps, regardless of IWAD you're working with. Maps can be any length, for any port, and any gameplay style.

 

3) Post a download link for your WAD in this thread on the final day or the day after, whatever state it's in. Don't worry if the maps are buggy and unpolished! You can playtest, expand, and polish to your heart's content after the fact. They're your maps to do with as you please!

 

 

Okay, so you set out to make a 32-map epic and you didn't quite make it. You've only got 25 maps. Or 10. Or 3. Did you fail?

 

Heck no! You've got 25 or 10 or 3 maps you didn't have a month ago! You've got something to build off of at your leisure, or some cool concepts you can turn into even cooler concepts later. The idea of the challenge is to get your mapping juices flowing, so if you get anything done, pat yourself on the back! You did it!

 

Remember: this is a challenge, not a contest. Above all, it should be fun. Happy NaNoWADMo!

 

This year's NaNo-ers and their projects are:

 

@_sink

@AD_79

@Albertoni

@Alper002 - NaNoHexen 2019

@Arcturus

@Benjogami

@Bridgeburner56

@Chainie - Dysnomia

@DavidN - Keeper of the Seven Keys 3: Disk One

@DMPhobos

@DragoKnot4200 - summaps

@E.M. - Extra Spicy

@Forli - Redundancy

@galileo31dos01

@Gothic - Four Weeks of Pain

Greentiger1 - nanoDMwad

@HUNdebLeonidasX - Booze and Bullets

@Jark

@Jayextee

@jerrysheppy

@Jimmy

@JudgeDeadd - When The Stars Are Right

@JustCallMeKaito

@komojo

@LowGcifer

@Major Arlene

@meapineapple

@Misty

@MTrop

@NaZa

@NoReason - Some Speedmaps for Nanowadmo

@NuclearPotato

@Pavera

@PasokonDeacon

@Pegleg

@Philnemba

@Phobus

@purist

@Tango - Friday Night Unidoom

@Tarnsman

@TheMightyHeracross

@TheOrganGrinder

@Scypek2 - Three's a Crowd

@Solmyr - Genocite

@Voltcom - Withered Dimension

@Vyre

@Walter confetti

@wolfmcbeard - Heresy

@Worm318 - Hasty Evil

@yakfak - Tivauri

 

Here's a list of all the awesome projects that were born out of NaNoWADMo 2018:
 

Spoiler

Beautiful Nightmares (in progress), by @elmle

Beyond the End, by @Scypek2

Chicxulub Impact (in progress), by @TheOrganGrinder

Deathless, by @Jimmy

Doom Doom (in progress), by @Walter confetti

Fun N' Gun* (in progress, direct download), by joe-ilya

Halfdeath (in progress), by @Worm318

Hell on Phil (in progress), by @Philnemba

Nanocore (in progress), by @franckFRAG

NaNoDanMo (in progress), by @Danlex

Nanopineapple, by @meapineapple

NoisyDiarrhea, by @NoisyVelvet

Scattered Ashes, by @Lorenz0

Sinergy, by @Crunchynut44

Wolfenstein 3D, Part 2: ROTT, by @Voltcom

UnBeliever, by @Ryath

 

[If your project is listed here but a more up-to-date version is available somewhere, please let me know so I can link to it!]

 

Edited June 9, 2021 by Ryath (aka scwiba)

[Tango]

hell yeah, I am really pumped for this. I've got my own set of "rules" and plans that I was planning to share at some point in the old thread but I suppose I'll do that here sometime soon, in case it would be at all helpful to anyone else

[FrancisT218]

@RyathI think Sinergy by @Crunchynut44 also started in NaNoWADMO 2018.

Edited September 11, 2019 by FrancisT18

[PasokonDeacon]

I'm very available and willing to participate, so now I should think of a good mapset idea that I can work on later if desired. As for restrictions, those are exactly the things I need if I want to get multiple maps done in a month's time.

[Walter confetti]

Wait, aren't a NaNoWadMo hype thread was made already this summer? So, this is real deal now?

 

Anyway I was starting to collect resources for this month challenge from around the net, map limitations and theme is set and technical limitations... I'm still deciding on what to do for my maps.

 

Also I think Nanopineapple is already finished and posted on idgames

[scwiba]

10 hours ago, FrancisT18 said:

@RyathI think Sinergy by @Crunchynut44 also started in NaNoWADMO 2018.

You're right! Sorry I missed that.

 

2 hours ago, Walter confetti said:

Wait, aren't a NaNoWadMo hype thread was made already this summer? So, this is real deal now?

That thread was for voting on the month NaNo would be held. I figured I'd start fresh with a new thread for the actual challenge.

 

10 hours ago, Tango said:

hell yeah, I am really pumped for this. I've got my own set of "rules" and plans that I was planning to share at some point in the old thread but I suppose I'll do that here sometime soon, in case it would be at all helpful to anyone else

 

9 hours ago, PasokonDeacon said:

I'm very available and willing to participate, so now I should think of a good mapset idea that I can work on later if desired. As for restrictions, those are exactly the things I need if I want to get multiple maps done in a month's time.

Welcome aboard!

 

Also, just an FYI that I won't be doing a mapset for this year's NaNoWADMo, since I want to be more active on the Discord and with feedback on your maps. Grinding out my own 27 maps last time was a big distraction from that, and I regret not being as interactive and supportive as I could have been. So this year I'm sitting out the mapping part so I can spend more time with you fine folks.

[Walter confetti]

37 minutes ago, Ryath said:

That thread was for voting on the month NaNo would be held. I figured I'd start fresh with a new thread for the actual challenge.

 

Ok, get it, thanks.

[scwiba]

1 hour ago, Voltcom said:

I tried this last year and it was a really exhausting experience.

 

A megawad in a month is an incredibly impressive endeavour.

Best of luck to all participating members.

 

I may try this again this year (hopefully I'll be able to make more than 12 maps this time.)

No need to aim for a full megawad if that doesn't work for you. I was really particular about rules last time but I think it makes more sense to set your own goals this time. 12 maps is nothing to sneeze at. 

Edited September 11, 2019 by Ryath

[Scypek2]

I didn't even realize this was being planned, thanks for @ing me! It would be cool to try this again.

[Arcturus]

I've had a bit of experience with Doom mapping but I have yet to release anything, so I'm interested in taking part in this! Should give me some practice and incentive to get some stuff out there, even if it's not perfect. I doubt I'll be able to make a megawad's worth of maps though, as I'm dealing with some IRL issues as well, so if it's ok I might aim for an episode's worth and if I get time to do more then it's a bonus.

[Phobus]

As things stand, I'll be back this year. I'll also be more successful! (Four complete maps or bust!!!1one)

[NuclearPotato]

As part of my never-ending quest to actually release a thing on my own, I'm going to get in on this. We'll see what I come up with.

[Bridgeburner56]

This tempts me somewhat. Although my goal would be a single completed map in a month 😝

Edit* So tempted that I'm now doing it

Edited September 12, 2019 by Bridgeburner56

[Test Tickle]

Hey bruh i might be up for it, i'll let u know if i truly am up for it, keep an eye on this reply.

[Jark]

I think this is a terribly good idea, and would like to participate in order to make some progress on current wads of mine - The discord link has expired unfortunately but if it were made available again I will join it, if you'll have me 

[Vyre]

I'd like to participate! I'd be aiming to create an episode of 7-8 maps instead of a megawad though, as I'm a little swamped with work. This would be my first actual foray into Doom mapping, so I'm excited :)

[JustCallMeKaito]

Guess I can give this a shot.

[Pegleg]

Since I was one of the people that voted for October to be the month, it would be a bit odd for me to now back out.

 

That being said, October does work out well for me, time-wise, so I plan to participate. I have an idea for what I want to do, but given how slow I am at mapping, my goal is a mapset 4 to 6 maps in length.

[galileo31dos01]

Add me in, this could be an incentive to start on my own personal stuff for once and for all. Goal for the project is 6 maps like I had planned a long time ago, but a maximum of 3 completed maps during the month due to time limitations and still being a newbie. 

[Misty]

It's really tempting to join this project, I have few ideas for my "igaite" sequel map or 2 of them in similar manner as first one, but with portals or at least with more custom stuff in eternity engine. But in other hand, uni takes more of my time, commitment, preparations and I'm afraid of giving vain promises. I'll give myself more time to think about this. 

[Walter confetti]

Anyway, I'm joining this, going for 16 maps (maybe more, maybe less) and a mapset with a sort of plutonia theme, only with more ice and blue. And less slaughter.

Started yesterday to build a resource pack using textures used in the last year project...

Edited September 12, 2019 by Walter confetti

[Jayextee]

Low-key just gonna use this to generate maps for one of like a half-dozen projects I shouldn't have started without finishing shit first. May have to roll a die to decide which exactly.

[scwiba]

4 hours ago, Jayextee said:

Low-key just gonna use this to generate maps for one of like a half-dozen projects I shouldn't have started without finishing shit first. May have to roll a die to decide which exactly.

So I'll put you down as a... yes?

[Jayextee]

7 hours ago, Ryath said:

So I'll put you down as a... yes?

 

Oh, yeah, for sure. :)

[Alper002]

I've already joined on the discord, but I should probably also mention here that I will also participate in this! With a Hexen wad!

Edited September 13, 2019 by Alper002

[MortisCausaDonatio]

Without any Dmp this year

 

I'd like to try this

Hopefully i can submit something

October isn't really a study packed month for me

 

By the way the discord link tells me "invalid invitation"

[wolfmcbeard]

You know what?
Why not! 
As stated in the op, I can at least get some cool concepts for later, but this might actually get me to make a proper map set.
Sign me up!

[scwiba]

1 hour ago, HUNdebLeonidasX said:

By the way the discord link tells me "invalid invitation"

Sorry about that! It should work now.

[TheOrganGrinder]

So I don't think I've done anything productive on the Doom front since last year, neither finishing up Chicxulub Impact or making worthwhile progress on anything else, but I enjoyed last year's NaNoWADMo so please sign me up again.  Doom II this time I think!

[DMPhobos]

I've been thinking over it, and i guess i'll take the challenge and aim for a small number of maps, i might start mapping late, but this is the perfect excuse to motivate myself to map for a personal mapset