Hexen: Realms of Cronos (UPDATE - v1.0)

[whirledtsar]

Realms Of Cronos is a community hub for Hexen with 10 levels. The hub is non-linear, but you must complete certain goals and retrieve keys to unlock certain maps. There are extra enemies, decorations, and textures for new themes like an Aztec city, a snowy castle, and a Chinese village.
It's made for GZDoom (tested in 4.3) and some levels were made with dynamic lights in mind.

 

Download
ModDB download

Development Discord

Resource pack (current version: 1.8.5)

 

Screenshots:

 

Old announcement text:

Spoiler

Realms of Cronos is a community hub for Raven Software's Hexen. Experienced and inexperienced mappers alike are welcome. This project will have two phases, mapping & refinement. Mapping will last ~one month, and an at least completable map is expected by the end of that time (December 1st). After that, there will be two weeks in which the maps can be playtested & refined, and the project can be finalized. More time for refinement can be added if it becomes necessary.

There is a Discord server for the project. You are very much encouraged to join, because discussion & communication is much quicker there than on traditional forums. However, you may instead just post your work on the forum thread, and any vital information posted on Discord will be cross-posted here.

This project is for GZDoom. Your map may be made in GZDoom: Hexen (Hexen) for a more limited, old-school style, or GZDoom: Hexen (UDMF) for full use of the engine's features. Either way, you are encouraged to use script type ZDoom ACS. Jumping is allowed, crouching is not.

 

The project uses a resource pack that includes various extra textures, monsters, & decorations you may use if you wish. It includes variations of Hexen's texture set and expands the range of possible themes, including medieval city, snowy/winter, Egyptian, Aztec, Roman, and Asian. There are also some decorations that fit these themes. The new monsters are the Acolyte of Korax, Lava Golem, Undead Piranha, Possessed Scimitar, and Wolfman. Explanations of their behavior can be found on the Discord's "resource pack" channel.

 

Your map be as big or small, as puzzle-oriented or action-oriented, as old-school or modern as you wish. If you want resources outside of what's provided, they can be added (provided they're quality and appropriate). And of course you can bring your own MIDI and sky texture if desired. I do not want to restrict anyone's creativity. However, you should also make sure to be realistic about what you can accomplish within the timeframe.

 

Maps must include a puzzle switch, which will affect the hub map. I will take care of scripting that, just place the switch in your map. To ensure players can't miss it, it must be required in some way to exit the level. You may claim one or more of Hexen's keys & puzzle items for use within your map. Additionally, extra puzzle items are included in the resource pack.

 

Any map may include the Dragon Lich, but you must claim the Heresiarch or one of the death kings if you wish to use them. The Dragon Lich and Heresiarch require special scripting to function, which you can read about on the ZDoom wiki. However, I would advise against feeling as though your map needs to be capped off by a boss fight.

 

I will take care of designing the hub map. It will be non-linear, but some maps must be unlocked over time. When ready, you must announce what theme/style your map will be so I can design its portal accordingly. Weapons will be unlocked over time in the hub map by completing levels. So for testing purposes, simply place the weapons your map is balanced around at the beginning.

 

For newcomers to Hexen, there will be guides posted on Discord. These will cover things such as ACS scripting, puzzle switches, using puzzle items, class balancing, and so on.

 

Testers are very welcome. Testers using Discord should take the tester role by typing "-role tester", and should be okay with being @'ed when someone posts a map.

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by whirledtsar

[whirledtsar]

Reserved post

[Mikolah]

Aww yeah, definitely joining!

[Walter confetti]

I had some fun making a short map for xump (another hexen cp), so I'll join this!

Edited October 31, 2019 by Walter confetti

[Gokuma]

This is awesome and deserves a bump back up to the front.

 

I want to do this but don't know how much time I have this month and I'm not exactly a speedmapper.   Does it have to be a new map from scratch or can it be based on the beginnings of an unreleased map with a cool concept I started to make many years ago?

[whirledtsar]

42 minutes ago, Gokuma said:

This is awesome and deserves a bump back up to the front.

 

I want to do this but don't know how much time I have this month and I'm not exactly a speedmapper.   Does it have to be a new map from scratch or can it be based on the beginnings of an unreleased map with a cool concept I started to make many years ago?

Sure, that would be fine. 

[ShadesMaster]

My two maps so far:

[Walter confetti]

Is the half of the month and I still made anything except of one room, not sure if I can do it in time...

[Gokuma]

Looks like I'm getting faster at mapping.   Making this my priority and hopefully will have some trippy epic stuff to show for it though I don't want to spoil with much preview pics.

[whirledtsar]

Project is not dead, us mappers & our talented musician Lippeth are still working!

[whirledtsar]

Felstoy Abbey by Razumen

 

City Of Metzlicasa by ArgonianLord

 

by MTY

[ShadesMaster]

And two levels by me - Shades the Magnificent!

[Emmanuelexe]

Nice! Take your time guys, make it glorious! B)

[whirledtsar]

The project is now in beta testing and could use some people willing to play the hub to check for balance & bugs. Feel free to join the Discord linked in OP.

[whirledtsar]

Bump for release (download link in OP)

[Gokuma]

Excellent!

[ShadesMaster]

Aww hell yeah! Gonna give this draft a spin!!!! About time! :D

[ShadesMaster]

 

[Gokuma]

The way out of the moat is above the surface on the right of the far end.  

 

Also, you missed all the secret areas.

 

EDIT: Recopied older realms.pk3 from April and my current updated Ultimate Doom Builder 3.0.0.3580 won't load that either. WTF

EDIT EDIT: Guillotine texturing and missing enemy ambush fixed.

Edited March 14, 2021 by Gokuma

[ShadesMaster]

 

 

Yes, I got a bit further. I've played all the maps and am missing one lever apparently... perhaps it was on the Path of Hei'an....

[Gokuma]

You got the critical puzzle switch in mine.   I don't like making secrets required for progression.   It's just helpful item loaded secrets you missed.

[ShadesMaster]

 

In any case, the deed is done!

[Gokuma]

(deleted)

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by Gokuma

[whirledtsar]

Updated to rc1b to fix the progression bug as well as the texture error in Gokuma's map.

[eharper256]

6 hours ago, whirledtsar said:

Updated to rc1b to fix the progression bug as well as the texture error in Gokuma's map.

Oh super, something new for me to check out in Walpurgis. Must have missed the initial release; this forum is sooo fast sometimes.

 

Here's a quickie vid of a few mixed minutes from the first two levels:

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by eharper256

[whirledtsar]

With the addition of a new ending cutscene and performance improvements to Felstoy Abbey, the project has been updated to version 1.0 (previously rc4).

[UnholyShadows]

Idk if this sounds silly or not but can I play this with Wrath of Cronos?

[whirledtsar]

3 hours ago, UnholyShadows said:

Idk if this sounds silly or not but can I play this with Wrath of Cronos?

Its not impossible, but there's a conflict on one map that makes it impossible to pick up inventory items there. And ive been told that the bosses are much too overpowered with the mod and how theyre used in the maps.

[Rince-wind]

This looks very promising, plus Heretic/Hexen wads are always welcome in my book

[UnholyShadows]

3 hours ago, whirledtsar said:

Its not impossible, but there's a conflict on one map that makes it impossible to pick up inventory items there. And ive been told that the bosses are much too overpowered with the mod and how theyre used in the maps.

Thanks for clarifying, also i'm really digging these maps atm.  Ill let you know my final thoughts once I beat them all.