(Version 3 released!)Alper002's NaNoHexen 2019 - A project from NaNoWADMo 2019

[Alper002]

You may or may not have heard me talking about my NaNoWADMo project a lot, but either way, here it is!

For the record on what NaNoWADMo is:Look here!

Spoiler

 

It is a Hexen megawad with the traditional linear progression instead of a hub-based fare like you might expect from Hexen. However, you are still meant to play this continously, despite the very loose balancing.

There are 24 maps in this wad, with 3 of them being secret. 

 

Difficulties are supported, and here's how they're meant to correlate:
*The harder settings utilize the originally intended placements

*Middle setting adds a few extra resources in a few places

*Easy settings removes some annoying monsters.

 

You may also find a few differences between vanilla Hexen and GZDoom, but they're usually not intended.

New new new download link(version 3)

New new download link(version 2 but with slightly improved misc. text files)

New download link(version 2)

Old download link...

The downloads also contains information about the maps.

Custom music is from the game Mageslayer.

 

EDIT FROM THE YEAR 2021:On the vanilla executable, there may be something asking you to press the F12 key. It won't work, because it's based on an inaccuracy with chocolate-hexen. If you get asked to press it during the course of the mapset, attempt the alternative instructions also provided instead. Thank you.
Second edit from said year: I found a softlocking bug in this. Maybe this is what unkndoomer found? If one or more hint switches in "Get lost in the forest" say ??? then you have been randomly softlocked. If you have a save from before the map starts you can reload it to re-roll the dice to hopefully make it work. Not gonna update to fix this, I'll keep this the way it is.

Edited August 10, 2021 by Alper002
People who randomly stumble on this should know.

[Alper002]

I've released an update for this wad!
 

It adds internal demos for vanilla and chocolate Hexen users, and fixes a major softlock in Clockwork(MAP18).
Ontop of that, it makes MAP14 WAY less loud.
You can download it here.

[Kenon]

In the Chocolate-hexen 3.0.0 port, the game freezes when you try to take this d'sparil heart at the map06 level.

Spoiler

 

 

Edited February 12, 2020 by Kenon

[Alper002]

That's odd, in all my testing in chocolate, that hasn't occured for me once...

I'll have to have a look at that when I get home, but I'm assuming I accidentally made it possible for a script to run into infinity without a delay. Seems unlikely though.

[Alper002]

@Kenon I think I've managed to fix the issue you faced. I managed to get the issue myself, so making it stop happening was trial and error. Apparently a script was acting up because of me using the polyobject override actions in it.

 

Here is a download link to a new version that hopefully fixes it.

 

Edited February 12, 2020 by Alper002

[Kenon]

@Alper002 thanks, working in Chocolate-hexen.

[UnknDoomer]

 

In general an uncomplicated wad for Hexen, consisting of 24 levels (3 secret one) and representing a measure of a typical example of the so-called "community wads" - creations that were created by a random group of people in a short time, usually within a month, and united under a certain single name. A more common option is a collection of maps that are assembled into one wad of 32 levels, usually for Doom II, with more or less quality control.

 

Sometimes, despite their specificity, quite interesting designs are exist. "The Unbeliever" and "The Unmaking", for which onces I've made reviews earlier, are particular manifestations of this case. Also, there are situations when the development is delayed and goes beyond the original deadlines.

 

Wad is notable for having a linear level structure without a hint of hub system, which is completely unusual for Hexen.

 

Settings and other:

 

* GzDoom

* Mod - Hexen: Walpurgis.

* Passed as a druid, difficulty "Nature knows no mercy, no kidness" (4/5).

* Level locations are ascetic, there are few enemies on them.

* On the M7 a battle with 87 opponents awaits in an extremely compact location. Before leaving the M6 better look for a secret with a helmet that allows you to fly.

 

secret level #1.

 

To hit one from the M5 - Flame Mask Extravaganza you will need to find 2 additional masks. One can be reached by lowering the wall in a small fiery location to which, in turn, a series of teleports leads. Another is in one of the dead ends in the location where the fire comes out of the walls.

 

secret level #2.

 

The exit is on M10 - X. You need to correctly switch all the switches so that the total must be 12. 12 can be done by turning on all the switches and using the item for teleportation to the beginning of the level, but then how to enter through the entrance without a noclip, which requires 10, I do not understood... Secret level 2, however, does not represent anything interesting - the usual small sewage system in the Hexen style.

 

Alper002:

 

Quote

The way to open the x=12 door is to press on the thinnest bookshelf in the exit room, revealing a teleporter. After going through it you can probably figure out the rest. Since it leads to a secret exit, I thought I'd make the way through it hidden.

 

secret level #3 (?).

 

It is required to switch several of the ~ 16 available switches in secret niches of different levels. I obviously missed 1 on M12, 1 on M17, because I did not find 1 of the keys and in general I missed about 5. At the end point I did not figure out where exit to that level is...

 

Alper002:

 

Quote

There's actually more special switches than you need to reach the bonus map they're tied to Though the last 3 regular maps don't have any

 

Pros:

 

+ M22: When Pigs Fly (secret). An interesting concept. By having turned into a pig you need to fly through the narrow passages of the level.

+ Mini bosses.

+ M10: X. An interesting sequence of opening / closing the necessary doors which is tied to the addition of numbers in combination with ordinary keys.

 

 

+ M15: Don't Slip! The entire location is built around moving along an abyss in which often extremely accurate jumps are required.

+ M20: The Safe Way Down. The location consists of one elevator in which new opponents appear as you descend.

 

?:

 

? If you hit the M22 then later you will be able to fly on the M6 - the item works indefinitely. However, when switching to M7, it will cease to work, because this will be the transition to the next episode. At the same time, if you find a secret and use another helmet, it will continue to operate for several more levels until the end of the current episode.

 

Alper002:

 

Quote

Due to vanilla Hexen's restrictions there's nothing I can do about this. To get the text screens working I had to make each section of the mapset preceding a text screen a "hub" in the game's eyes.

 

? M8. The correct sequence after the dark corridor is west, north, ?, north. In my case it did not work or I confused it's binding to the local map... the passage turned out to be west, west, after which enterting to any of the exits led to the beginning...

 

Alper002:

 

Quote

East/West are different from Right/Left, North is not straight ahead. North is "up" on a non-rotating automap. Could possibly be bugged but I wouldn't know how if that was the case.

 

Either we're misunderstanding each other, or my code for randomizing the sequence is bugged somehow. I'm more inclined to believe the former.

 

 

Contras:

 

- M12: Nanoscopic. The idea that it looked interesting in M22 is annoying here. At a high level of difficulty opponents tightly block the passages, it is often difficult to kill them with the help of flasks, but without, in the form of a pig, it is impossible.

 

 

It is also very easy to miss one of the chains here, which you need to press to get to the 3rd secret level. You need to roll into a completely inconspicuous package at the beginning of the level, while moving around in the shape of a pig. If you go into the teleport then it will be impossible to return back.

 

- "Filler levels", as our english-speaking comrades say, spoil the overall positive impression of the wad. This, in particular, can be attributed to the completely faded 2 secret level and M16 - Skull of Yorick, which can be completed in less than 1 minute.

 

- Several levels require a sequence of extremely precise jumps combined with acceleration. Not all players will like this idea.

Edited February 19, 2021 by UnknDoomer