1995 called. They want their Doom levels back.

[Zylinderkatze]

6 minutes ago, Zylinderkatze said:

clipboards

 

Clipboards:

^Clipboards.

[Zylinderkatze]

20 hours ago, Zylinderkatze said:

I think I might close that area off, though.. make it "revealable" by the player for more of a surprising effect :3

 

Said and done!

 

^{Now where to put the switch..} 

 

I don't think I will let the player go from one area to the next, though. The idea is that you should always go through the central hub connecting the four. So maybe it'll be more of a "glimpse" thing. Or perhaps make it a room from which to open a secret in the "hell" area. I'll work something out that'll make you feel smart when you find it ^^

 

Or at least something that's rewarding.

 

How about Light Amplifica~ ::barely dodges a thrown coffee mug::

[Zylinderkatze]

Umph.

 

^{Okay.. so.. don't let the player step there. Got it.}

 

^{Y tho D:}

 

I guess I have to remove a bit of the level there. Or maybe reduce the geometry.. a smidge xD

[ketmar]

On 9/11/2020 at 12:08 AM, Zylinderkatze said:

 

Clipboards:



^Clipboards.

now it looks like a boss!

[Zylinderkatze]

44 minutes ago, ketmar said:

now it looks like a boss!

 

"Where are my quarterly reports, Diane!"

[Zylinderkatze]

Good news, everyone!

 

Today is / was the first day since I started on E1M7 that I ended up realizing "oops, it's after midnight already" after working on the map for a while xD

 

Meaning I got into the flow enough to forget the time- and these are two of very many results. I am only sharing these two, though. Don't be greedy.

 

I call this one "Ascension"

^{Funnily enough, you won't really see this room from this angle xD}

 

I call this one.. uhm.. "meat"

^{Still kind of flat, though..}

 

I'm not completely satisfied with the second one. The colors work for me but the transition between floor/ceiling and walls is.. well.. it's not there ^^;

 

I'll see if I can improve it further. Tomorrow.

 

Goodnight!

[Zylinderkatze]

That's better

 

At least I think so~

 

^{Still kind of flat in the upper left but much better.}

 

It looks good in-engine, too!

[Zylinderkatze]

In-engine?

 

^{Just look at that transition!}

 

Yeah.. I will probably not leave this area like this (it's behind the "meat room" from earlier ^^) but I like how this bit turned out. 

 

And because I care, I share! :)

[Zylinderkatze]

Loading. Please wait.

 

I did work on the level (map) for several hours yesterday and..

- fixed a bunch of stuff in the "tech" area.. the changes are pretty substantial (in a good way ^^)

- realigned some stuff in the "marble" / outside area after having moved parts of the map a bit (and having caused flat alignment trouble).

- dabbled a bit in hell (not literally).

- worked out how the key / switch / unlockable areas should work after the renewal efforts.

 

However there wasn't much to show because I didn't create anything noteworthy.

 

There will likely be more to show later today (once I am home).

 

If nothing else, I will post a "which areas are done and which areas still require some love" automap view :)

 

I would say I'm about half done with the level, which means it'll get pretty close with my "end of the month" goal.. seeing how "I'm about half done" probably means I'm actually only a third done xD

 

Stay tuned!

[Zylinderkatze]

Ahhh no it's midnight!

 

Okay quick update, since I said I would ^^;

 

Currently working on the computer / tech area, still:

 

^{It's a screenshot.}

 

^{This, too, is a screenshot.}

 

Not really sure about the lights.. or, more precisely, the way they cut into the COMPTILE texture. Oh well. More reason to come back later xD

 

 

Here's the overview!

 

^{Green = Done; Purple = See comments ^^}

 

I'm currently working on the thing that says.. well.. "currently in progress" xD

 

It might be that the area will bleed into the "cavey" parts right next to it (see "needs more details" at the top). I'll see how that "feels" when I get to it :)

 

The "needs more flesh" at the bottom is where I stopped working on the "hell" part. That's where this screenshot was made.

 

The "align stuff" area in the lower right was already flowing surprisingly well (aside from an Imp or two) but the actual texture usage is way too.. 1995. Alignment is simple and lazy at best, nonexistent at worst. But fixing that should actually go quickly. So I'll leave it 'til the end (or for when I need to treat myself to some simple stuff).

 

Alright I'm off to bed!

 

I think my "half done" assertion wasn't too far off but I know I'll get held up on some additional detailing and "blending".

(Knowing that it will happen does not make it any less unpreventable xD)

 

Goodnight!

[Zylinderkatze]

20 hours ago, Zylinderkatze said:

This, too, is a screenshot.

 

I'm disappointed, in hindsight, that I missed the chance to call it a "doorshot" or something.. since the first screenshot was actually of a screen?.. uhm.. yeah xD

 

Okay maybe it's better that I didn't make that joke.

 

Wait.. why am I making it now?

 

ABORT!

[Zylinderkatze]

A crossover?

 

Looks like the cave snuck into the tech area.

 

^{I'm sure nothing bad will happen when I walk to the key!}

 

This is only a first setup.. it's way too symmetric / even for a an actual "rocky cave" appearance. 

 

Now my "job" is to make it look as though that area is an actual "man-made" access to the cave structure, from the tech area. 

 

I might create a gap and some loose COMPSPAN tiles or such. Not entirely sure yet.

 

Or I might just let the idea "ripen" a bit further on my subconscious mind and instead focus on a different part.

 

Maybe I'll just leave it for now and go to bed early. Have a 7 hour dentist appointment tomorrow.. so..

 

Goodnight? Goodnight.

Edited September 18, 2020 by Zylinderkatze

[Zylinderkatze]

Okay.. 

 

So maybe I couldn't quite stop myself from toying around a bit.. and I added a few details just to try out how it feels.

 

^{Not to unsettle you but I think your cladding is a bit loose.}

 

Again,. it might end up looking completely different when the map is done but so far I kind of like it :) 

 

Also, I may or may not leave that "remove side panel" thing that way. If I do leave it like this, I will possibly make it a "G"-type trigger to shoot the exposed circuitry for a secret area. Who knows!

 

I do.

 

Okay but now seriously, goodnight :)

[Zylinderkatze]

I'm not lazy! YOU'RE lazy! >_<

 

Sorry for no update yesterday.. had a dentist (dis)appointment and kind of slept a lot once I was back from it ^^;;

 

I'm better now!

 

Also, I worked on E1M7 some more because I felt inspired and this is the result (just the automap view for now)..

 

^{That's the area that I finished up now. With all the ways leading in and out *smug*}

 

I didn't include the info that I had already outlined here, because that stuff did't change xD

 

I know it doesn't look much but it was a lot of detail work. You can now pick up the red key, even get to a Berserk Kit (only you don't know it's there xD) and actually get to the path that allows you to leave the tech area.

 

Though the actual path still needs some fixing ^^;

 

The thing is, before, the Tech Area had a "crusher" room (that was no fun) and as a callback, on the way out of the tech area, there would be more crushers, to.. uh.. brighten your day. 

 

Now that the crusher room was removed, the "callback" isn't a callback anymore so I am unsure whether to keep those crushers in. Maybe just one or two. It's fast crushers, too, so they don't really kill you (unless, of course, you're low on health).. I'll see what I can / will do.

 

I'm also not sure what area to continue with.. there's only a bit of aligning left in "tech" but maybe I'll leave that until later and instead focus on the marble / outside area. Imagine me shrugging, here.

 

I'll post more when there's more to post :)

[Zylinderkatze]

..and then it was suddenly after 3am xD

 

It happened again. Got deep into the flow of editing last night. It was way too late at that point to take some screenshots- but here's one from the next day, to highlight some of the "tech alignment & detailing efforts":

 

^{If you can see this, you have found your way to a secret.}

 

I know it's not much but I kind of like how the light / shadow hinting turned out in this view. 

 

I'd show you how it looked in the old version but.. you really don't want to see that xD And you also kind of can't, because this structure is new ^^;

 

I'll share more in a little bit :) 

[Zylinderkatze]

Update!

 

Here's the updated overview:

 

^{The whole tech area (left) and most of hell (bottom) are done. "Now back to the cave" :)}

 

Another thing that I want to fix- although it's not something anyone would likely notice: The implied source and destination of the nukage channel in the outside area (seen very marginally in these screenshots) has to be reversed. Meaning I have to change a few things around on where that green goop seems to come from (hinted with some SLADRIP) and where it runs off to.

 

The reason why I want to reverse it is because it now actually ties in with some other parts of the level, giving it an origin in the tech area at the bottom of the map.. so in the outside map it'll have to flow in the direction of the green arrow. If that makes sense.

 

I'll show what I mean when I get to it ^^;

 

Seeing how the central area of the map (the octagon) is basically done, as well as the part where you get from it into the cave area.. I think I am actually in a pretty good spot, time-wise. Fingers crossed :)

[Zylinderkatze]

Careful now..

 

Looks like my detailing ambitions have brought me to a point where I am done with the outside area, whether I want to be or not xD

 

^{That's Mister 250/256, for you.}

 

I guess I am mostly done with it, actually.. so It's not that bad. Now I just need to check if this holds up once that pickup area (the thing jutting out to the right) is opened up.. I would be sad if I had to keep that part minimalistic.

 

I do still have a few elements I could remove again.. but.. I don't want to D:

Edited September 21, 2020 by Zylinderkatze

[Zylinderkatze]

Aw noes.

 

^{That's a red flag right there.}

 

..well more like a Seg Problem. But I am not really satisfied with the level yet anyways.. back to the drawing board ^^;

[Zylinderkatze]

"A serene moment in the Nukage"

 

This is by no means a complex scene or an architectural masterpiece xD But I thought the lighting looked nice.. a little ominous.

 

So much green~

 

I guess me liking and sharing this is a sign that I should go to bed xD

 

It's only 10:45pm but I had a short night~ so.. this might be my last update for today.

 

Take care!

[Zylinderkatze]

A little "before" and "in progress" again~

 

So I am finally working on that room that I said wouldn't take that much effort because it was already laid out nicely before.

 

Well of course it did take effort. And I am not 100% done with it yet.. but here's a look:

 

 > 

^{I actually liked it better when that platform with the lion switch had a more noticable light difference}

 

I am still playing around with how to revert that lion switch to something that echoes the original layout. I might just go straight back to the original version, actually. Also, I think the new red lights distract too much, even though they fit better, thematically. The previous / old version (with the "LITE3") made the darker "pillar" with lion switch stand out more, I suppose.

 

Also, I am not sure whether I'm feeling the NUKESLAD replacing the NUKEDGE1. The brown kind of gave a pleasant color contrast for the the green.

 

So.. this is still going to change a bit until I am satisfied. But I wanted to share this "in progress" shot anyways~

 

Take care!

[Zylinderkatze]

"Moments of clarity"

^{It's a working title. I dunno.}

 

So I know I am reworking old levels and -in parts- vastly changing them. I am adding details where before there were none and, yes, I am adding what you might call "setpieces".

 

However, I think what needs to be said is that at the root / base of it, I am still determined to create experiences (that sounds so conceited). I mean- yes I do add stuff that might not be necessary.. but I think I am paying due attention to making sure it fits in with the general feel of the level and doesn't distract from anything.

 

Until last night, though, that wasn't a conscious (or at least not predominantly conscious) effort and that's when I vowed to adjust that mindset. I'll pay closer attention to stuff I add and change, to make sure that my levels aren't just "the level with the forklift" but instead "the fun, exciting level that also happens to have a forklift in it".

 

I guess that mindset won't really come to fruition until I go back through all the levels in the end to polish them up for "episoding" them.. but I felt like writing it out anyways ^^;

Edited September 21, 2020 by Zylinderkatze

[Zylinderkatze]

Dear diary..

 

..today I spent entirely too much time on aligning a few flesh-related textures.

 

^{All stock Doom 1 textures, no additions.}

 

And it was already done before, I just redid it, because I wasn't satisfied xD

 

It's days like today that undo the perceived progress of the days when everything goes smoothly ^^;

 

Oh well, I am actually satisfied with how it turned out. But still. Entirely too much time.

Edited September 22, 2020 by Zylinderkatze

[Zylinderkatze]

Guess what.

 

^{I can almost see myself write the summary already :)}

 

The loose ends at the bottom could just simply get closed off and I'd be done with that part.. but of course I want to make "hell" feel adequately hell-like.

 

Also, I added a little detail at the top of the map: A visual cue where you can see an important switch in the cave area.. from inside the tech area. So you'll know there's a reason to descend deeper into the caves. For now it's just a quick few sectors to remind myself later / pin the idea for when I finish that area.

 

Also, the purple shape at the top of the map (covering that cave area, basically) is a bit generous.. parts of what it covers are already done but I know I'll spend some time in the general vicinity when I finish it up so I made the shape a bit bigger :)

 

Oh- and also also: the little protrusion to the lower right.. that bit is actually not completely done yet but I didn't want to redo the green shape / outline xD

 

Then I also cleaned up the outside / marble area some more and there's one bit I am still not satisfied with.. a structure that looks a little too.. bulky, I guess? I'm not sure. Wait. I'll show you. Here:

 

^{Case in point: Everything on the left side of the picture, I guess.}

 

That angled "heavy" overhanging block (that has the nuke channel coming out at an angle, under the lion head) doesn't feel right yet.

Maybe it's the thin GSTONE1 wall (behind the skewered head).. either the fact that it's thin or that it's not a full wall and only two bricks high. 

Or maybe it's the random use of those 45° angles. I might reduce those angles and turn them into one bigger overhanging structure instead of this "zig-zag" of angels.

 

Either way, I am going to come back to that.

 

But aside from that, I think the map is coming along.. it might just be another 2 or 3 days until it's done!

 

That said, though, I will not have quite as much spare time in the next few days so those "2 or 3 days" will likely not happen within the frame of.. 2 or 3 days xD

 

Stay tuned for more, possibly tomorrow!

 

But for now: Goodnight.

[Zylinderkatze]

Small update~

 

Here's a quick look at my current approach to connecting the stuff at the bottom of the overview in my previous post.

 

^{Mmm. meat.}

 

Yeah.. uhm. So this is just one idea that I had but I am not really satisfied with how it looks. Instead of just using SKIN2, I also tried combinations (some pillars with SKINEDGE some with SKINFACE) but that, too, doesn't feel quite right.

 

I suppose I am still in the phase of finding out what works for me. For the size of room that this is, I can't really add as much detail as I might want, either. Which is another indicator that this is not the way to go.

 

I'll try a few more things tomorrow :)

[wrkq]

There's more than one way to skin a pillar, I guess :)

[Zylinderkatze]

Progress.

 

Playtested the whole level once or twice today, adjusted some minor stuff (like lines that had accidentially been flipped by a haste shortcut button misuse) and also "adjusted the flesh around an eye switch". The things you type out when writing about Doom editing.. xD

 

^{So much default texture aligning..}

 

I got kind of carried away I suppose.. but this rather organic looking growth speaks to me in a bunch of ways. I might not leave it like this though.. a few things feel a smidge off.. so I decided to share it here, in case it will be forever lost, afterwards ^^;

 

I also discovered a weird glitch where parts of the level seem to be raised to heights at which I didn't put them.. along with some HOM. I am assuming it might be because of too much detail in two bordering areas. I'll try out that theory by temporarily removing the room behind the "glitchy" room.

 

I'm off for today. See ya later!

[Zylinderkatze]

Green?

 

^Yes.

 

Don't get too excited, though. I still need to test-play this thing as a whole, extensively, to check for health and ammo (and weapon and power-up) placement.

 

Also, there are still a few corners that don't feel completely "round" yet.. I'm sure I'll have to adjust those areas once I prodded them a bit ^^;

 

But generally, yes, the map is done. Playable, Finishable.

 

However, seeing how it's 2am already..

 

Tomorrow!

[Zylinderkatze]

Update!

 

^{Oh come on. Slimetrail? Here?}

 

^{Close to the exit but I'm not sure I'll make it..}

 

I found one more (old) room in the cave area with unaligned textures.. and a room that has too much darkness but to make up for it, it also has too many imps. I'll have to fix that. Maybe add some other enemy types for infighting.

 

That up there in the second screenshot is the ammo count and weapon selection if you find most of the pickups and secrets. If not, you will not have the rocket launcher, also, finding the chaingun is optional (but not secret). Basically, I just advise you to explore, especially in the tech area.

 

Now I'll align some more textures and then dive back in :)

[Zylinderkatze]

But..

 

^{Another Slime Trail?}

 

Of course always on the day before you plan to go live >_>

[Zylinderkatze]

Alright I'mma hop out~

 

^{This is when you find one secret (rocket launcher)}

 

I think the ammo is pretty balanced already. Didn't pick up the chaingun or the plasma gun which left me with having to resort to the rocket launcher in a few tight spaces.. it was a bit hectic ^^;

 

I believe I'm done enough with it. I'm tempted to put it out. Even though there's still a slime trail or three. Any one up for playing? xD

 

Maybe I'll just call it a night, though.. give it another test run tomorrow.

 

I'll think about it a little more~