IronEagle Competition 25: The Enigma Episode (v. 2.0)

[Pegleg]

Welcome to the next monthly installment of the IronEagle Competition, the ironman competition that welcomes everyone who wants to join the fun. Additionally, streamers and non-streamers alike are welcome. Join us, we're the life of the party!

 

You may be wondering if we were going to do anything special for the 25th installment. I thought about that, and decided an appropriate thing to do to celebrate (if you will) would be to tackle a mapset from one of the legends.

 

This month, participants will be challenging themselves against The Enigma Episode, a 9-map mapset for Doom 2 released by the late, great Jim Flynn in 2003. He adapted this mapset for Doom 2 from his classic Enigma Episode, originally released as an episode replacement for Knee Deep in the Dead.

 

Download The Enigma Episode (version 2.0) here.

 

The Enigma Episode begins at Map 01. Survival is completion of Map 09. There is no secret level. This wad uses either complevel 2 or Doom (strict).

Spoiler

 

• Template for Chocolate Doom:
  • -iwad doom2.wad -file enigma.wad -skill <x> -warp 01 -record <IEenigma>

 

• Template for PRBoom+:
  • -iwad doom2.wad -file enigma.wad -complevel 2 -skill <x> -warp 01 -record <IEenigma>

 

• Template for ZDoom:
  • -iwad doom2.wad -file enigma.wad +compatmode 2 -skill <x> +map map01 -record <IEenigma>
    • it is possible you may have to use +set skill <x> for GZDoom

 

 

 

EDIT:

NOTE: There is a potential softlock on Map 05. There is a window with a Mandelbrot pattern midtex on it (so you can't see through it). This window is the only such window in the whole map. Although the window may look solid, it is actually passable, and it is possible to jump through this from one of the upper ledges rather early in the map. If you do this, you will be stuck, because the side walls are not lowered until later. There is a rocket launcher and rockets in front of this window, so if you jump out to try to get them, just make sure you're careful to avoid going through the window.

 

 

Rules:

The rules are basically the same as they have been. Either demos or streams are permissible. If you are creating a demo, post the demo. If you are streaming, post a video of the stream. Even if streaming, you can still submit a demo, if you want to.

  

The basic rule is that you submit a demo/stream played at a particular difficulty level (HNTR, HMP, or UV) and you play without saving and reloading, ending your run when you die (or survive). Freelook, as well as mods that are cosmetic only, are allowed. Further, more specific, rules are below.
 

Spoiler

 

• Submissions (except for streams, as described below) must include a demo from one of the listed acceptable ports. The first actual attempt must be submitted, there are no do-overs (with very few possible exceptions, which I will address as they arise).
• You may practice a mapset if you want, but these practice runs should not be submitted as your official entry, and your run would be Category 2, unless there are exceptional circumstances (such as described below).
• A run must be done in a singular sitting with no saves. (With room for breaks. This will be addressed below.)
• Streams and video runs are accepted provided you post a video of the stream/run or a link to the video.
  • If you post a video of the stream, you may post a demo if you want, but it is not mandatory. You may also post a demo if you, for some reason, do not want to post the video or a link.
• Secret levels, if present, do not have to be completed for a survival run. If they are completed, they are extra credit.
• Freelook is allowed.
• Jumping and crouching must be disabled.
• Mods that affect how Doom plays (they change the damage, they change what enemies drop, they change the abilities of Doomguy, they add items, etc.) are not allowed.

 

 

Any port is accepted provided it will actually run the mapset. There is no preference. Of course, if you want to try a Boom map in Chocolate, your run may be over rather quickly.

 

Category System:

Category 1: Blind run.

This explains itself. You have no knowledge of the wad and have not played/seen it before.

Category 2: Non-blind.

If you have played the wad before and/or possess any foreknowledge, your run is non-blind. Basically, anything that is not Category 1 is Category 2. The exception to this is if, for example, you do something like die in the first or second room or two of Map 01 and then decide to play again for your run. Call that Category 1.

 

If you're unhappy with your blind run, feel free to record a new run, and submit that run instead. If you want to submit your first run, no matter how you perform, by all means, go ahead and do it. You just shouldn't feel that you HAVE to submit a run you're dissatisfied with, just to preserve a "Category 1" status. If you want to go back and submit a second run, you're welcome to do so, but, at this time, it won't be counted.

 

 

Difficulty System:

You may submit a demo/stream for only one of HNTR, HMP, or UV. Choose only one, because subsequent submittals will be rejected (i.e., if you submit a HMP demo, the HNTR demo you then submit will be rejected). We're not using the 1CC rule set here. And your first submission is what counts.

 

Only runs from the same difficulty will be pitted against each other. Each difficulty will be graded separately.

 

 

Submission:

When you submit your run, please the include the following information:

The category (1 or 2)

The difficulty

If you survived or what map you died on

The time elapsed when you survived/died (even if it's only approximate)

How many kills you had on the map where you died

The port you used (if you included a demo)

A link to the stream/video (if you did a stream)

 

You may include a commentary about the maps or details about them, if you want to. If you do include specific information about the map (e.g. "The demon trap in Map 08 is rough"), please put it in a spoiler, so that people that want a completely blind experience won't be tipped off. In you're just putting in a general comment (e.g., "Pro tip: don't get hit"), then no need for a spoiler.

 

Attempting to max the maps is not necessary to win.

 

Ranking for this mapset will be determined by:

Survival

Map of death (in descending order from Map 09 to Map 01)

Total time for survival/death

Kill count at death

 

If you die, please wait a few seconds before quitting.

 

 

Breaks:

Everyone gets tired. Sometimes people survive longer than they expected. Nature calls. Every now and then, there are family emergencies. Needing to take a break shouldn't necessarily end a promising run. While you should try to complete the run in a single setting, this isn't always possible. If you have to take a break, try to make it quick.

 

 

Happy Dooming!

 

 

 

Previous IronEagle Competitions

 

2018

Spoiler

 

• Scientist 2 (Winners -- UV: leodoom85   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Liberation)
• Vanguard (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Liberation)
• Crumpets (Winners -- UV: NoisyVelvet   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Pegleg)

 

 

2019

Spoiler

 

• Dark Covenant (Winners -- UV: kmc   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Brood of Hatred (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: Crusader No Regret   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Riot Control (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: Walter Confetti   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Scimitar (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: Crusader No Regret   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Bauhaus (Winners -- UV: vdgg   HMP: Crusader No Regret   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Bloody Steel (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Pegleg)
• The Brotherhood of Ruin (Winners -- UV: leodoom85   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Flashback to Hell (Winners -- UV: kmc/Bdubzzz   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Pegleg)
• A Taste for Blood (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Back to Basics (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: Horus   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Whitemare (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz & NaZa   HMP: Crusader No Regret   HNTR: Pegleg)

 

 

2020

Spoiler

 

• Thy Flesh Turned into a Draft-Excluder (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Fava Beans (Winners -- UV: NaZa   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Beyond Revival (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: n/a   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Absolute Dishonor (Winners -- UV: Veinen   HMP: Crusader No Regret   HNTR: kalaeth)
• Ever Shrine (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: Dieting Hippo   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Operation: Biowar (Winners -- UV: Veinen   HMP: Austinado   HNTR: Pegleg)
• The Attraction of All Things Uncertain (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: seed   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Fracture (Winners -- UV: Bdubzzz   HMP: Horus   HNTR: Pegleg)
• Spectrum (Winners -- UV: golbeeze  HMP: Horus  HNTR: Pegleg)
• Tyrant (Winners -- UV:   HMP:   HNTR: )

 

 

Edited November 9, 2020 by Pegleg
Added note about softlock.

[Andromeda]

Recorded on PrBoom+ 2.5.1.4 -complevel 2, category 1, HNTR.

 

Softlocked myself on what looked like the intended way to progress - sucks, everything was going well until then. (MAP05 DNF - 34/71 kills @ 1:29:16)

 

ironeagle_andromeda_enigma.zip

Edited November 7, 2020 by Andromeda
forgot to attach demo

[Clippy]

Damn you can get softlocked in these maps? And if that happens to no fault of our own we're dun? Sux there should be an exception to clip out of softlocks where it's the maps fault not the player :/

[Pseudonaut]

1 hour ago, Clippy said:

there should be an exception to clip out of softlocks where it's the maps fault not the player :/

 

This can't be done while recording a demo, so it would provide an unfair advantage to anyone who only records a video.

[leodoom85]

The exception to the rule is that the player got interrupted by some power outage, I think. That might give another chance to the player to play the set again (of course, this must be informed in here).

[NaZa]

If that is the case, my extension cable might be turned off by air pressure if I find said softlock.

 

Softlocks and their aftermath are always very fishy territory, and it always sucks to have to end a (great) run on them (even moreso if they're seeming as intended progress, judging by what Andromeda said). While it would of course be all great if -recordfromto was allowed to players who softlocked, partially canceling out the advantage Pseudonaut spoke of, it would create an enormous advantage as a player would technically be able to start re-recording from way before the softlock happened to get to that point better armed and in better health. This would turn it into cheating. You could argue accepting demos is the same advantage, as a person can record a run n times before they're satisfied, but demos have been accepted from day one and it's a signal of mutual trust between the players not to commit a Krypto. This on the other hand would be a huge change and one which would likely be more exploited than re-recording a demo (doesn't take as much time as re-recording from scratch and, for instance, if you played Perdgate, you could start re-recording from every map 4shockblast had outlined as containing a softlock, saying you softlocked on map14 when you just had a bad run up to that point and wanted to change stuff from, idk, map 12). I think saying a run is done if a softlock is found is the most convenient and balanced solution across all forms of submission. Not fully fair, yes, but same for videos, demos and streams.

[Pseudonaut]

PrBoom+, UV, category 2 since I've played the first map before. I also mistakenly started recording on map03, played for a couple of minutes, thought I was remembering the wrong wad, checked the automap to find that it was map03, then immediately quit and started recording on map01. So aside from map01 and the beginning of map03, this is a blind run. I died on map04 after about 2:08:20. Figuring out where to go on map03 took way too long; that map alone took around 70 or 80 minutes. At least there were some cool moments early on in that map where I fought my way out of some dire situations.

 

enigmaie-pseudonaut.zip

[Pegleg]

20 hours ago, Clippy said:

Damn you can get softlocked in these maps? And if that happens to no fault of our own we're dun? Sux there should be an exception to clip out of softlocks where it's the maps fault not the player :/

 

Yes, softlocks are unfortunate, and I'm not surprised I don't catch them all, particularly when they're in secrets (not that this one was). The best I can do is add a warning that they're there.

 

@Andromeda Where is the softlock on Map 05?

 

It is also worth mentioning that you don't have to post your first run. As I said during IE 22 (Fracture), if you're dissatisfied with your run, you can re-record, so long as you don't post the original run. Whatever run you post becomes your official entry. However, if you encounter a soft lock, or for some other reason get stuck (for example, you were at 200/200 and you fell off a platform into an inescapable death pit), or just died earlier than you had planned, you have the option to record a new demo. Yes, you won't be able to call it Category 1. I'm not saying that you have to do this, but the option is there if you're unhappy. Streamers could do the same. Just don't post the first stream (or play it later and post a demo).

 

My objective with IronEagle has always been for this to be a relatively relaxed competition.

 

18 hours ago, leodoom85 said:

The exception to the rule is that the player got interrupted by some power outage, I think. That might give another chance to the player to play the set again (of course, this must be informed in here).

 

Yes, I always maintained that if you had a power failure, and wanted to continue, you could do so. There is a certain element of the honor system with this, of course, but there is with any ironman competition.

[Andromeda]

37 minutes ago, Pegleg said:

@Andromeda Where is the softlock on Map 05?

Sector 7, you can enter it early by jumping from sector 3 through the window adjacent to sector 9. I think you're only supposed to access that sector later in the level since all its escape routes are closed off. You can use -skipsec -120 on my demo to see what's going on if you want.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Andromeda

[Clippy]

Tried to record this but found it confusing progression wise and then my keyboard glitched and I fell in the acid ... so that's the end of this month's challenge for me. I liked last months better only 5 maps that seemed better suited for such a challenge. 9 maps with over 100 monsters each is daunting for a one sit session 

[leodoom85]

On 11/8/2020 at 4:38 AM, Pseudonaut said:

Figuring out where to go on map03 took way too long; that map alone took around 70 or 80 minutes

Oh no.....looks like we have another annoying map to deal with....

[galileo31dos01]

Category 1, UV, dead on map 01 at 5 minutes and seconds. Approx 15 kills. Crispy 5.9.2.

 

Well, that was quick! not like there were lots of options in the view. I think I could have gotten further had I "experimented" more with the environment earlier though, uh. 

[Bdubzzz]

Cat 1 UV Dead on Map 04. Believe I finished Map 03 around the 67 minute mark. 

 

IE-ENIGMA-Dubz.zip

[Suitepee]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/808768458

 

Category 1 run on UV, starts at around the 26 minute mark.

 

So yeah, this wad is kind of difficult. I chose to kill myself with the first barrel after being taken down to 3% attempting to get out of the first room.

[dt_]

Rare treat for me, I've actually got time to participate in this this month, however I don't seem to be able to download the file from idgames, seems to be some kind of extraction error, is this just me, or has anyone else had issues?

 

Maybe someone could help a brother out and host it on dropbox

[galileo31dos01]

@dt_ Try with "open link in new window/tab" which should work, I'm assuming you're using Chrome because we're all getting the same problem. If that doesn't work, Firefox downloads stuff without issues for me so maybe try that.

[Pegleg]

23 hours ago, dt_ said:

Rare treat for me, I've actually got time to participate in this this month, however I don't seem to be able to download the file from idgames, seems to be some kind of extraction error, is this just me, or has anyone else had issues?

 

Maybe someone could help a brother out and host it on dropbox

 

Hopefully, you were able to sort out your problem, but if not, here is a dropbox link to the wad file, straight from the zip on idgames.

[Crusader No Regret]

I had a past entry that was ended by a freak power outage/computer restart so I think the precedent is that the attempt is over if it ends by softlock/inescapable area/power outage and no do-over.

 

Planning on submitting a prepared attempt.  As I waited until the 28th to decide, that doesn't leave a lot of prep time.  Something I realized I'm missing is a music wad for those maps that don't have custom music.  So used to playing maps that already have them.  If anyone wants to shoot some music pack ideas my way, I'm open to trying something new.

[Crusader No Regret]

Prepared attempt attached.  This was... a lot shorter than I thought it would be.  UV, dead on map 4 after a misstep with a cyber.  Exited map 3 at about 16:30 give or take a few seconds.

 

I have played this set before though a long time ago; before I even had a DoomWorld account.  An interesting choice for an endurance run though a very frustrating one blind, I suppose.  Lots of unmarked passages, alternate paths, and required secrets.  Also as a product of its time, not as rigorously playtested and quite a number of exploits along with some softlocks. (there's another possible one in map 7 that I found when scouting)  With foreknowledge and realizing just how little of (some) maps one actually needs to visit to reach the exit, I think I have more fun trying to go fast than fullclearing maps in this

 

I had done some hasty runthroughs with -nomonsters to make sure I knew what to do to exit each map.  Did some scouting runs for learning monster placement too.  So each map was routed in advance before recording.  Questioning my sanity for trying UV.  As the progression is the big challenge, UV seems to just be more meat to chew through.  Didn't have time to make much in the way of practice attempts so just went for it after one.

 

PrBoom+ 2.5.1.4 -complevel 2  Had I reached later maps, I would have felt inclined to write level commentary.  With the actual result, don't feel like bothering.

ironeagle_enigma_cnr.zip

[Pegleg]

Category 2
Dead on Map 03

Difficulty: HNTR

Kills: 39/107

Time: 47:29

 

ie_pegleg_enigma.zip

[leodoom85]

Archie and a lone pinky 1 - Doomguy 0.

 

Yup, wanted to evade a burn and ended up being cornered by a fucking pinky....and got the burn obviously. Great eh?

SO.....map 2 was my demise after having a great run in the map. Blind category, UV difficulty.

 

DEMO: dwie_enigLD85.zip

Spoiler

 

[SleepyVelvet]

Dead Map01

Category: Blink

Diff Setting: UV

noisy_ENIGMA.zip

 

I should've been more careful on this one.  Made a bold leap into an infinite height barrel.

[Pegleg]

Thank you to everyone who participated last month, and joined in all the mid-90's fun (or torment, depending on your perspective). Come back for next month's IronEagle and bring your friends with you! And if they've taken part before, invite them to come back. See you all in December!

 

Without further ado, here are the final results for the month.

 

UV

Crusader No Regret (Map 04)

Bdubzzz (Map 04)

Pseudonaut (Map 04)

leodoom85 (Map 02)

NoisyVelvet (Map 01)

 

HMP

None

 

HNTR

Andromeda (Map 05)

Pegleg (Map 03)