SPECTACLE CREEP - Doom 1 UDMF Remaster WIP - [MUSICIANS WANTED]

[HQDefault]

Okay so I slept on it and I'm starting to not feel too terribly in love with the chaingun/RSMG sprite that I made earlier.

 

I was going for something vaguely inspired by how the Doom comic and world sprites depict the chaingun, where it looks like it's small enough for regular infantry men to haul around and not have to mount it to something.

 

But I'm not entirely happy with how well it transferred into sprite form, and the scaling of it just feels really... weird. Like he's holding a big wooden block with a minigun barrel on the end.

 

I'm thinking what I'll probably do instead is replace it with the SMG that's on the doom boxart, since that's something that appears in official artwork, and I imagine the guy who drew the cover art chose that over a chaingun because one guy firing a gun like that with one hand would look silly.

 

And even besides that, something that I haven't mentioned yet but is probably evident is how much this WAD is inspired by the original Doom novel. It by no means follows it beat-for-beat (we're not having any of that semi-love-interest crap) but I have been looking into it for a lot of the ways it explains aspects of the Doom lore that were left ambiguous in the initial release. For example, it was the novel's idea to have phobos be the center of a gravitational anomaly to explain why you can run around on it like a normal person.

But I'm getting off topic. The point is, the Doom novel took the liberty of replacing the chaingun with a much more basic Machine pistol. So that, combined with the boxart, gives me enough of a precedent that I feel justified in putting it in.

[HQDefault]

So.

 

Improvement? Yes or no?

(I will fix the blobby muzzle flashes)

 

Edited January 19, 2021 by HQDefault

[Dexiaz]

It doesn't look like a gun in those images at all. But it looks not bad (if we're not talking about replica of machinegun from pictures)

[HQDefault]

12 hours ago, HQDefault said:

So.

 

Improvement? Yes or no?

(I will fix the blobby muzzle flashes)

 

Actually no. Absolutely not.

This is the last time I do a serious attempt at art while sleep deprived with night mode turned on to darken and muddle my screen

 

EDIT: Okay so here's the new version I tried. It probably looks even less like the SMG on the boxart than the last attempt, but it's much more stylistically consistent with the rest of the WAD. The last attempt was based off of a render of a Planetside2 scorpion-looking machine gun thing, but I put it through so many filters and did some really basic linework with the mouse that it's practically unrecognizable, and it kinda looks like I drew a gun with pencil on a sketchpad and then digitized that. This new version, rather than using 5000 filters to make the gun look a more solid white and then drawing on top of it to fix the resulting ugly, I just got renders of like 5 different guns and then layered the bits that I wanted on top of each other. It's not perfect but I still think this beats the chaingun sprite.

 

oldest:  less old: new:

Edited January 19, 2021 by HQDefault

[HQDefault]

Okay, new content update for the Addon mod. Added in the new SMG I've been working on, and also we now have an actual Super Shotgun, so you can run it with Doom 2 wads now.

The SSG has been rebalanced so that it's less universally useful over the base shotgun. Its damage per shot potential is actually even higher than before, however it now functionally has falloff damage. The further away you are, the fewer pellets reach the enemy. So you'll have to get right up in a demon's face in order for it to be really useful, like the Doom 3 shotgun. But unlike the Doom 3 shotgun, it can also kill a hell knight in 2 hits.

Oh, and it also fires slower now on top of that, leaving you more vulnerable.

 

Also the SMG now has a much punchier sound than it did before. The old version sounded a bit like it was firing birdseed.

[HQDefault]

Bit of a sad update today, lads.

 

Development of Spectacle Creep is on temporary hiatus.

 

My computer has absolutely shit itself and it's very possible there was a significant hardware failure. Luckily, I still have a laptop that's relatively good (it ain't fancy but it can run games) but I won't be able to safely access or edit anything on my main PC until I figure out how to get this problem sorted out. It's repeatedly booted to a windows blue screen, sometimes I can run it for a good 6 hours and it'll be fine, sometimes it'll hard crash before I can even log on, and apparently I'm getting an error related to my Enbvd.sys file. Right now it's up in the air how significant the damages are, whether I'll have to buy a new computer or just go through a long recovery process, if I've lost all my progress on Central Processing, and so on.

 

While this is really demotivating, I still assure you that sooner or later I will have Episode 1 finished. Spectacle Creep is easily one of my favorite mapping projects I've worked on so far, and this setback ain't gonna stop me from seeing it through to the end.

[ketmar]

just dropped here to say that the demo was fun to play. wish you... luck? success? both, i guess? ;-) fixing you PC, and finishing the project.

[DavidN]

This just keeps getting more and more incredible as it goes! I hope that your hard drive is OK - from what you've described it sounds more like a memory or other hardware problem, if it can still boot for a small amount of time.

 

To bolster you again, here's a playthrough of E1M4 and E1M5! I'm sorry the microphone volume is so low - Windows decided to lower the volume itself (likely because I was recording vocals the previous night). Fortunately, I've recently discovered how to record two separate audio channels in OBS, so I should be able to repair any random interference like this in future.

 

 

Edited January 30, 2021 by DavidN

[DrR0Ck]

I enjoyed the heck out of these levels!  Can't wait for more!  

[sanicstudios]

Two words: holy shit

 

I loved this so much. Played through M1 to M5, didn't go to the secret level. The atmosphere entering into the first map is amazing. The detail put into this is outstanding. I only have a couple of gripes with it. I'm not a fan of the new weapon positioning, especially with no crosshair. Also I'm a bit partial to the choice of music in E1M2 and E1M4. Other than that, this is absolutely amazing. Can't wait to see more of this!

[Cipherz Gaming YT]

Hey man! Been a while since this was updated. I'm going to say you probably didn't get it fixed yet... but that's fine! (TAKE AS LONG AS YA NEED! KEEP SPEAKING KING, LET YA NUTS HANG!) I hope you're doing alright man!

[HQDefault]

Another update:

 

Okay, here is the current situation:

My computer is confirmed busted. I have an official opinion from the manufacturer saying that it's almost definitely a hardware issue, possibly broken RAM. Best case scenario is I need a new processor and/or video card and re-install my OS.

 

But that's all a "maybe" and probably the safest solution would be to just buy a new computer, which I'm not in an ideal position to do right now.

 

SO HERE IS WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW:

I have it on my "to-do" list to pull the files from my harddrive and move them to my laptop.

In the meantime, I'm turning my laptop into a frankenstein's monster so I can use it long-term. I have my main PC's drawing tablet plugged in and ready to go, I have a USB hub added in, and an external hard drive on the way. And it's probably not gonna get unplugged anytime soon.

 

So development of Spectacle Creep will resume soon-ish. I'm setting a deadline to get E1M6 out by April 5th at the latest. I have gotten myself invested in a side project, however, that I'm very excited about. A project which for now I will simply refer to as "The Game".

 

And I have to make The Game.

 

I HAVE. TO MAKE. THE GAME.

 

But more info on that later. Long story short, I'm back at 75% productivity capacity and I'll be ready to get back to Spectacle Creep shortly.

Edited March 5, 2021 by HQDefault

[eharper256]

This is a real nice looking E1 replacement with fantastic attention to detail; I look forwards to you completing M6-8!

[Cipherz Gaming YT]

So, umm... after 8 months of inactivity...do we have any updates whatsoever?

[Biodegradable]

Who knows, Cipherz. HQ hasn't logged onto the forum in the last 6 months. Must be busy with IRL stuff because he hasn't updated his blog either since June.

Edited November 9, 2021 by Biodegradable

[RaZZoR]

 

[BetelgeuseSupergiant]

This is a very detailed and impessive Doom 1 remake! Weather effects on E1M5 are very cool

[HQDefault]

Ok. Good news. Nuevos Bueno. (I can't remember what the spanish word for News is)

 

First off: I am still alive. Poggers.

 

Secondly: Been busy with life overall, college is naturally a struggle, but also I got caught up in another project that I got really passionate about, and that's still happening. So updates will still probably be slow but regardless I'm gonna try to get this mappack under the defibrillator.

 

The main reason I'm posting now is because the first thing that I wanna do is do a bit more polish on the add-on gameplay mod. I always regretted leaving the project on standby where I did because the more I look at it the more I think the friggin' machine gun in Spectacle Creep looks ugly as sin. That and I want to redo the sound too, maybe. The current one is punchy but it's also kind of annoying.

(God he's not even holding it right, he has his thumb tucked under the gun so it's just resting on his wrist)

 

So anyway I need help deciding which one of these I want to use.

• The first is a mangled UMP45, with the magazine shortened and shoved in at an odd angle, and an MP7 stock stuck on the back (it'll also look bigger in the sprite). This is me continuing the attempt at replicating something reminiscent of the box art SMG, this time using a real gun and not an amalgamation of Planetside 2 weapons. I also imagine it's closer to the Machine Pistol described in the Doom Novels. If I go with this I shall call it the MP-KA.
• The second is just a regular P90. I just like this gun's sleek design, and it always fits really well in a Sci-Fi environment. That and it also continues Doom's legacy of taking inspiration from other media, as I'm told the P90 is frequently used in Stargate. I feel like for a more grounded take on the Doomguy, I can see him using this.

Edited December 22, 2021 by HQDefault

[HQDefault]

Also alternative third option I came across. This is a modified MP5K with a heat shield(?) which gives it a much bulkier aesthetic. Combined with fiddling with the scale and position of certain things, this looks pretty close to the silhouette of the SMG on the box art. That said, I don't like how pronounced the mod rail on the top is. I feel like this might be getting too far away from that smooth sci-fi aesthetic. I dunno tho. I figured I'd put it here as another option, or maybe I can use this for the pickup sprite and the UMP for the actual "viewmodel."

For real tho I would like some input on which of these is preferred as a chaingun replacement.

[YouAreTheDemons]

i personally think you should go with a P90, its got a nice 90's aesthetic to it and it looks nice and sci-fi

[Biodegradable]

9 hours ago, HQDefault said:

First off: I am still alive. Poggers.

 

Poggers indeed! Nice to have you back, fam.

[ketmar]

22 hours ago, YouAreTheDemons said:

i personally think you should go with a P90, its got a nice 90's aesthetic to it and it looks nice and sci-fi

+1.

[HQDefault]

Quick progress update.

https://i.imgur.com/Y7UiT3w.mp4

 

Not only have I settled on the P90, but I've also made a new sprite for the pistol based off of the 1911. Mainly because I just like the 1911. But also because it helps convey that it functions differently than the vanilla pistol I guess.

[Cipherz Gaming YT]

AHHHHH! SO GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK, HQ! I MISSED YOU!

[HTD]

I've noticed a few minor bugs when playing with PB 3.0: there are 2 secret doors and one regular one that are inaccessible and blocked with a wall!

 

First in E1M2, in the server room. There is a hidden closet with a backpack. Two barrels in front of the blocking wall.

 

I've seen videos when people played SC with PB and just shot the barrels standing next to the blocking wall and the wall was destroyed. The problem is - in my case the wall is just seared black and not destroyed. That forces me do use `noclip` command, but there's clearly a bug somewhere. Either in PB 3.0 or SC itself. Maybe there is a fixed version somewhere?

 

I tested those maps with Brutal Doom Platinum 2.0 and it worked OK, so it's a clear Project Brutality 3.0 compatibility issue. I disabled all other mods to test if it's the case and it is.

Edited March 18, 2022 by HTD

[HQDefault]

OKAY.

 

FOR REAL THIS TIME, I'M ACTUALLY BACK, AND I HAVE A REAL UPDATE THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD.

See, it's right here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/hmfts3tmv34tut0/Spectacle Creep Build 6.zip?dl=0

 

 

I've been awfully busy since my last update, and while that definitely meant I continued to get sidetracked, it does mean I've learned some valuable skills that I've been able to bring to Spectacle Creep, namely: 3D Modeling!

 

Yeah, no more substitutes necessary. I modeled a sort of modernized interpretation of the Doom Box Art SMG, using the MPX-K, UMP45, and a few other SMGs as a reference. (I plan to publicly release the model later, but I want to improve some things first. Right now it doesn't have any real textures and is really only good enough to be seen as a low-resolution sprite) I was also able to re-purpose some other 3D models I had made so I can use them for the Addon Mod. Fast forward several weeks, and now we have most of the weapon roster fully animated using pre-rendered 3D models.

 

Here's a quick sample: https://imgur.com/3dOe76W

 

I don't have the rocket launcher or BFG done yet, though. I figured those could wait for the time being since the sprites don't show Doomguy's arms. I plan to make a model of it that uses elements of the QLZ-87 grenade launcher, because in some ways it looks kinda similar, at least in my mind.

 

 

But WAIT, we're not done! While the Addon Mod is definitely getting the most love this update, I did manage to further improve the current mapset. I'm trying to double down on Doom's light horror themes and provide a darker atmosphere, as well as just make the lighting look fancier in general. In future updates, you can probably expect me to start adding blood decals.

 

Map 4 also features some relatively drastic changes, as it's now the first instance of me messing with the locations of keys and doors in order to try to improve the general flow of the map. Yeah, you'll definitely see more of this in map 6 and 7 (and definitely the later episodes if I do decide to work on them) as I want to try and make these maps feel less-maze like without sacrificing their nonlinearity. I felt E1M4 was a good place to trial run this idea, one, because I've actually seen players get lost in it, and two, because I noticed it has the issue of finding the solution (the blue keycard) before finding the problem (the blue door). So now the command terminal opens up the latter half of the map, and you have to find the blue key somewhere else.

 

 

Lastly, I want to ask you guys a question about the music. Right now most of the maps are using songs from the 3DO soundtrack, which were covers done by Randy Scott. And, in my absence, some... uh... very not good things have come out about Randy, and I'm not really sure I'm comfortable having his music in my WAD anymore. I'm leaving it for the time being, because only having some of the music be remixes would be super jarring. But for the future, what should I do to replace them? Because most existing remixes lean really hard into a more aggressive style of metal that fits Doom's current cultural zeitgeist, but doesn't really suit the tone of Spectacle Creep. This mod is trying to hit a mood that's somewhere in between Doom 1 and 3. So I'd want something a little slower and more subdued.

The way I see it, I have three options:

1- Forget the remixes altogether, and just use Doom's stock music. I mean... it's still good. But I'd kind of prefer to have the new music, because I think it can add a lot to the tone and personality.

2- Call in an open request for anyone who wants to make music for Spectacle Creep. I'm not in a place financially where I can pay to commission a bunch of music, but if people are interested in making music for the mod and feel they could make something that matches the tone, then that would definitely work. But I don't want to make that request until I'm sure that's what I'm going with.

3- Do it myself. Another thing I've learned a little bit about in the time I've been gone- making music! Only problem though, I'm still not particularly good at it, and right now I only have experience working with Midi using a special soundfont. So I could probably put something together that would fit and it would technically have high-quality samples so it wouldn't sound like windows midi nonsense, but it would definitely sound... clunky. Plus the remix I found for E1M5 is so friggin' good that I think I'd just wind up trying to make a midi version of that.

 

 

Alright, and that is it on updates for the mod. I sincerely apologize for being away for so long. It's been a really rough couple of years for me mentally, but my situation has been genuinely improving a lot lately, and I feel much more optimistic about my future (I have a blogpost if you want to read more about that: https://hqdefaultleveldesign.blogspot.com/2023/05/dealing-with-mental-illness-and.html). And that also hopefully means I'll have an easier time finding the motivation to work on things like this.

[HQDefault]

On 1/5/2021 at 6:47 PM, HQDefault said:

Hey wanna see some more blasphemy

 

https://i.imgur.com/85iRVeD.mp4

 

I'm experimenting with weapon degradation and jamming.

 

The major intent is to incentivize players to scout out each level and find new pickups of weapons they already have, even when not pistol starting. Don't worry, I promise to avoid making it too intrusive. But regardless, I'll make sure to add something in the menu that allows you to turn all this stuff off if you're not into it.

Oh yeah, also I'm scrapping this feature entirely.

 

I feel like it's not a terrible concept, but I suspect most of the people who care about needing to look for secret weapons in each map are just going to pistol start levels anyway, and everyone else would just turn it off. I just think it would have been way more trouble than it's worth.

[HQDefault]

Quick balance patch to the addon mod: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fyrqxs3qlepaadr/Spectacle Creep Build 6A.zip?dl=0

 

Kinda went a little too far with buffing the pistol and nerfing the chaingun/smg.

 

I lowered the max damage of the pistol so it no longer has a chance to one-hit a pistol zombie, and raised the damage of the smg by 1.

[MaddenedK]

How do I run this properly? I load it with GZDoom but instead of E1M1, it starts on Doom II's map 1. IDCLEV to the other maps also bring me to Doom II's maps. Weapons and sprites loaded properly, just that I'm not getting the correct levels. Help? 

 

 

[HQDefault]

19 minutes ago, MaddenedK said:

How do I run this properly? I load it with GZDoom but instead of E1M1, it starts on Doom II's map 1. IDCLEV to the other maps also bring me to Doom II's maps. Weapons and sprites loaded properly, just that I'm not getting the correct levels. Help? 

 

 

Bruh what are you talking about

 

Are you running it with the Ultimate Doom IWAD? You have to have that installed on your computer first, and then GZDoom will just prompt you and ask what base game you're running. While the weapon mod is built to be compatible with Doom 2, the mappack needs to be run using Ultimate Doom.