The DWmegawad Club plays: Doomer Boards Projects 26, 7, 19

[ABearInThaWoods]

Map08: La Gare et la Maison Impie by Gaspe

 

Playthrough Video

Spoiler

 

 

Technical Info

Played on GZDoom on Ultraviolence

Using the Hight HD Soundfont Synthfont (Download Here)

 

First Impressions

You start in a dreary looking alleyway that leads to an imposing mansion at the opposing end, at the intersection of a three-way stop. There's a feeling of dread in the air and hopelessness begins to seep in as you realize there is no other way but forward toward the cursed venue. This map really establishes the feeling that you are deep within a living breathing city that is filled with monsters. The buildings sprawl out beyond the playing area, a train station down the way has a line of Zombiemen waiting to board, and everything in sight feels like it belongs.... well except for that mansion. It sits like a monolith of evil and when you watch the Baron go inside it's a sign that nothing good is going to come from this place.

 

Music

As the wad continues on the music becomes more brooding and dark, giving off an uncomfortable air of transgression. A sense of looming danger around every corner. I've made the comment several times now and it feels just as applicable here. The song is titled Fortress of Doors and it comes from the American McGee's Alice games. This track features strings that slowly crawl along while the percussion in the form of xylophones and bells set an unsettling backing track. The soft chorus fills in, giving a more ghostly texture to the track until everything drops out, leaving only the strings alone in the silence. It's an eerie track and does a great job setting the tone for this map's haunted feel. 

 

Visuals

As mentioned in the first impressions this map feels like a living, but haunted, neighborhood within a larger city. It's not simply that the buildings exist and that's what makes it feel like a city, instead it's the backdrop of other buildings, the way they are laid out, and the filtering in and out of different corners of the block which makes it feel like a real place that had gone so terribly wrong. The 3d spiral staircase is a great technological feat as well as the architecture on the wings of the red key house. The train station was excellently put together and picking up the secret BFG from the Tomatoman was like taking a gift from and unreliable source. The interior of the mansion gave me the impression that I had been lured into an awful trap in a place I shouldn't be. That hunch was eventually proven correct.

 

Map Walkthrough

This map features a lot of retreading of ground that you had previously been to, so be prepared to get a little confused in the way that this progresses. You start off with a shotgun, some shells, and a row of armor bonuses in front of you. At the end of the alleyway there is a pillar with a rocket launcher and 3 packs of rockets. There is a Baron standing in front of the front door but as soon as you fire he teleports away. On both sides of the house are Mancubus (2 on the left and 1 on the right) who will begin firing. When you engage them you will hear two Eyeball turrets wind up in the lofts of the house. Once you progress down the street enough the windows on the house will open and reveal the turrets. Also keep in mind that two Cacodemons, one on either street, will fly in over the houses and attack you. From here you should decide witch side street you want to go down, going left will put you in a fight with 3 Pinkies, a Dollhead spider, a train station lineup of 4 Zombiemen with two Shotgunner's punching tickets, and inside of the building on the right side there will be 4 more chaingunners. Cacodemons also approach from the other side of the wall. Your reward for this path is a switch, a lot of shotgun ammo, and a chaingun. I typically save this path for second because of ammo issues. On the righthand street there are 4 Pinkies, an Imp, two Shotgunners in a house, an Arachnotron, and a Shadow Imp. Overall an easier fight to take and you get super shotgun and a backpack for your efforts. Once you pick up the backpack you just have to deal with a single Cacodemon from a house across the street. Also, next to the house with the two Shotgunners, if you follow the path to the side you can pick up a berserk.

 

Once the enemies are all cleared from the streets you should jump into a slime pit down the left path. Once in the pit you can press on a wall to reveal a passage that will lead you to a switch and a teleporter. This teleporter will take you to a roof on the building next to the Shotgunner building. In the windows of the next building you will find several Lost Souls pouring out. Kill them and press a button that lowers a section of the roof. You can now enter the Shotgunner house where you will find a Plasma Gun and a switch. Hit the switch and it will open a wall across the street with 4 Shotgunners and 2 Hell Knights inside. As you fight those enemies an Arachnotron will spawn by the house and will begin to fire at you. Dodge his attacks, kill the monster, and go back up the staircase and toward the map start. A pathway on the lefthand side will open revealing a small cul-de-sac with 2 Imps, 4 Pinkies, and a Revenant. Once you kill the enemies if you head across the ledge on the righthand side and approach the locked door a Mancubus will be revealed along with two Zomiemen and a Shotgunner in a caged area to the left. Once you clear the threats out shoot a switch inside of the caged area to open the locked door. There is a green armor on the Mancubus platform that will require some slick strafing to reach, it's very possible and worth grabbing. This will take you up a spiral staircase and into the Hell Knight house from earlier, but up on a ledge. Walkng into the room drops a teleporter entrance, go inside and you will be sent to the Red Key house.

 

Inside the courtyard to the Red Key house you will find multiple Imps, Shadow Imps, Dollhead Spiders, with 2 Mancubus and a Hell Knight behind the house. There is a switch on the back side of the house that you need to flip to open up the next path. Head back to the front of the house and there should be a teleporter pad, when you take it you will be dropped above the Shotgunner house from earlier in the map. Press on the wall to lower a section, revealing 5 Shadow Imps and a Pain Elemental. Drop down to the street and head back toward the spawn where your path will be blocked by a Baron who has the high ground. Kill the boss and start heading to the spawn again but this time on the right side of the street you will notice that a wall has been dropped. Inside of this room you will see two Shotgunners in the rear. If you move forward the floor will drop to reveal 4 Dollhead Spiders. If you stop your momentum just moments before the floor drops you can head up a staircase to the left and find the first secret, a supercharge. Ride the lift back up and head to the end of the hallway to fight a Revenant in a cramped area. After that is done take the lefthand exit to a small control room overlooking the train yard. Kill the Cacodemon, flip a switch, punch out the boards and head through a small toxic corridor into the yard where 2 Mancubus and 2 Revenants are waiting for you in a field of barrels. On the walls there are several Imps flinging projectiles and the Red Key on a pedestal. Then at the top of a small platform you can hit a switch to open a teleporter.

 

Take the teleporter and you will find yourself back where the Pain Elemental spawned. Jump down and enter the teleporter to the Red Door house. Use the key to open the door and fight off the 3 Revenants inside. Up the staircase there will be 2 Shadow Imps to kill and a small jump to a switch. Before leaving the area shoot the all seeing eye on the window inside of the Red Door house, this will open the train door where you can find  your second secret, a BFG next to Tomatoman64. Once you're armed head to the big house in the center of the map and open the door to fight another Baron. Kill him and move inside of the house, the door will lock behind you and trap you with 6 Shadow Imps. Lure the Imps to the back of the room near the front door and open the two boxes on either side revealing Revenants. Kill them and you will begin to hear Reapers getting antsy in the crypt. Shoot a switch inside of a small notch in the wall and ready your BFG as soon as possible because you will be set upon by 7 or 8 Reapers in a very small area. Honestly I don't know exactly how many there are since it all happens so fast. Head down into the crypt and through the other side and you will find the exit.

 

Critiques and Thoughts

I distinctly remember feeling that this map's finale may potentially be the most I have ever felt hated by a map. The final fight with a gang of Reapers is downright malicious and it's a great capstone to this sprawling map. It takes a little bit to understand how the map is laid out but as odd as it may seem it actually flows very well and feels pretty intuitive. It's much harder to describe the map than to actually just play the damn thing. I like how Gaspe used the bestiary to great effect, using all but the two big boss monsters. Each monster presents a unique challenge and are not at all haphazardly dropped into their positions. Careful consideration seems to have been taken in order to maximize the amount of threat each monster presents. I'll happily admit that I believe I died in almost every room as I played through this map. It's a challenging ordeal and completing it with 100% is absolutely an accomplishment I'm proud of.

 

Secrets

While there were only two secrets on this map they are polar opposites in terms of what kind of secrets they are. One is a very simple and easily missed path that is practically open with no barriers in place while the second is a fairly obscure trek that only becomes available just before the final conflict of the map. It took a good deal of searching and a little bit of Slade sniffing in order to discover the mechanics of the BFG secret. It's very well done.

 

Final Word

This map checks off several boxes that make it a memorable addition to DBP26. It's a challenging map with a fair approach to enemy placement, it understands and uses to maximum effect the theming of the wad's textures and atmosphere, and it flows in a very natural way that doesn't make the map abrasive at all. You can try and try again without feeling like you're being ground down by the map. It's one of those magical types of experiences that motivates a player to keep trying until you can finally get it right. I think this might end up being my favorite map of the wad.

[ABearInThaWoods]

Map09: La Mort de l'Innocence by Glenzinho

 

Playthrough Video

Spoiler

 

 

Technical Info

Played on GZDoom on Ultraviolence

Using the Hight HD Soundfont Synthfont (Download Here)

 

First Impressions

When I first loaded this wad up I jumped from map to map trying to figure out what midi soundfont I wanted to use to lock in the sound I desired. When this map came up it immediately struck me as a very unique opening scene along with the English translation of the title "the Death of Innocence." Opening up in a small room with a ray of moonlight pouring through the window, it feels like you arrived too late to stop one massacre but just in time to start the next one. 

 

Music

Starting off with a touch of mystery and suspense the music breaks into the soundtrack to a chaotic rampage as the map kicks into gear. The accordion and upright bass providing much of the texture of the song. There's a somber energy to the track which helps reinforce the map's underlying theme of this awful injustice that has happened. There's a sadness that exists there next to the feeling of determined retribution. 

 

Visuals

That damn Tomato. Somehow, someway, it feels like he's pulling the strings here and not the golden giant headed man.  In past maps the Tomato seemed to exist in places where he was trying to give you assistance but now he appears whenever something terrible is about to happen. First when you are dropping down the secret elevator at the beginning of the map, next above the train station on fire, again when blowing up some barrels preventing you from escaping with the children. He's taunting you and it's frustrating. Aside from that the map has some beautiful lighting touches, the attention to detail to make sure the moonlight properly cast shadows through the map was an excellent choice. The map has a very natural feeling to it, as if it was built on a model of an existing place. A hallowed out, unused ruin of a train station next to a pier. There's a very natural feeling to this map. It's hard to really explain but it's an amazing translation of how a location can be emulated in the Doom engine and feel so very real.

 

Map Walkthrough

Like with most of Glenzinho's maps there is this thing I call "onion peel gameplay" which I feel describes the general flow of his gameplay philosophy. He really likes taking a central area or two and opening them and peeling it open piece by piece. Then when you reach the core where no more material exists you just have tears because of how brutal it becomes. This map follows that structure pretty closely. You start off in a small room and open a door to reveal Chaingun, some ammo, and a hell scape behind it. After dropping a false bookshelf you get your first glimpse of the Tomatoman, taunting you as you head into the passage out of the building. An Imp and Dollhead Spider block your exit. Rip through them and blow up the chain of barrels to escape. Outside you'll be attacked from both sides by Zombiemen and Shotgunners. Depending on which side of the building you exit you will either face two Dollhead Spiders or several more Zombiemen and Shotgunners with an Imp on a wall. On the front side of the building next to the explosion is a secret door containing a Blue Armor. Around the back of the building out in the water an Eyeball Turret will appear when you grab the Rocket Launcher. Take it out, grab the berserk, and flip the switch. When you exit this area on the righthand side of the building are two Arachnotrons and on the lefthand side will be a group of Pinkies with a Hell Knight. Head to the Arachnotron side of the building and a wall will drop revealing another switch. This switch drops the fence leading to the train tracks.

 

Turn left and head down the tunnel until you get to the two train cars and a small platform. Take out the Imps, Shadow Imp, and the Cacodemon inside of the container on the platform before moving toward the end of the passage. When you approach the end you will get a Plasmagun while the Tomatoman sets a few fires blocking your path to the children. As soon as that happens a Mancubus and some Lost Souls will appears behind you. Take them out and head all the way down to the shipping yard where you'll catch a glimpse of a Cyberdemon before he teleports away. On top of the containers are Imps, Shotgunners, and Dollhead Spiders as well as a Revenant in the train with two more in an alcove behind you to the left. Out in the yard behind boxes you can find more Imps, Zombiemen, Shotgunners, and Dollheads. Once you're finished with the fights in the yard go into the train and hit the switch, a small platform will drop allowing you to ride it up. Open the door number 1 and you will reveal a Dollhead spider. This is a three-staged secret door, in the map there are two other numbered switches that will unlock doors two and three, this will take you to the end of the level secret. Head back out and then move up the staircase to fight a Hell Knight. To your left will be two boxes of bullets, press the lefthand wall and you will reveal a switch up above. When you hit that switch the 2 door will be unlocked for the major secret. When you get to the top of the staircases you will find a Hell Knight with a second teleporting in behind you. Kill both of them and grab the Supercharge. Move down the hallway and you will find an Arachnotron protecting the Blue key. Take the key and it will spawn a Pain Elemental behind you with two Cacodemons below you. Leave this area immediately and kill the Pain Elemental as soon as you can to prevent additional spawns. Be mindful that several Reapers will be released around the spawn area, reviving a handful of enemies no matter how quickly you can return to fight them.

 

Take out the Reapers and head back down the train tracks to the platform where the blue doors are. You'll run into a few Zombiemen and Shotgunners with more appearing as you head up the staircase. Inside the room you will fight several Imps on a platform in the corner, a Pinky, two Dollhead Spiders, a Hell Knight, a Shadow Imp, and a couple of Shotgunners in a doorway. Moving into the next room you will get a shock as the Cyberdemon appears momentarily before teleporting away again. It is possible for him to fire off a few rockets so be mindful of that before he leaves. After that an Imp, two Revenants, and a Mancubus appear on top f the boxes around the room, around the corner is another Mancubus on the floor protecting a Blue Armor. When you move into the next room you are ambushed and forced into a fight against two Arachnotrons blocking the doors, a wave of Cacodemons and a Pain Elemental coming over the exterior wall, and a couple of Barons meant to bring the pain. You should have been supplied with plenty of rockets in the previous room so you should be able to take care of business without much trouble. Hit the switch on the glowing wall and it reveals another switch between the two rooms, press that and walk through the open passage to drop a staircase to the pier and release a gang of Revenants. When you walk through the doorway a panel on a pillar behind you will drop and reveal another switch. Hit that switch and it will drop the final map end secret door by the train yard. Fight off the Revenants and head down to the pier where you can gather up rockets, cells, and a yellow key. Once you pick the key up you will be attacked by a couple of Cacodemons and 6 Pinkies will block your narrow escape route.

 

Exiting the area and going back down the train tracks you will find that the Cyberdemon is loose and going directly for you. Near the starting building a couple of Cacodemons will spawn in and another Reaper will be released. Additionally a couple of Mancubus will be teleported in where the Cyberdemon is, giving you an opportunity to create an infight down on the tracks while you dispatch the enemies up above. Head down to the yard and head through the yellow door. This will allow you to travel down a trench toward the exit house, on either side you will be attacked by Dollhead Spiders with a Pinky behind you. Alternatively, if you have opened all three secret doors, you can head down that pathway and it will teleport you to the inside of the house where you can obtain a Supercharge. When you hit the switch you will turn the lights on revealing that you have saved a great number of children. Hit the exit door and that is the end of the map.

 

Critiques and Thoughts

Like other maps from Glen this map really makes good use of multiple passes over the same area, making liberal use of triggers to lengthen conflicts and keep the player engaged. You should never take anything for granted in levels like this because picking any significant item will spring a trap. From the beginning of the map you are promised a rough time with the Reapers being activated early but kept locked up being a sort of open threat of what is to come. It acts as a means of unsettling the player since you're never really sure when these dangerous enemies will be released and of course Glen decided to do it when you are close enough to realize they are loose but too far to do anything about it. Thus you are left in horror to watch these guys run around a revive everything while you rush back to stop them. The usage of the Cyberdemon runs along the same thread of promising misery and playing with your emotions by teleporting him in and out of rooms. This whole map really has a playful maliciousness to it, this extends to the Tomatoman at the end of the train tracks. When the Tomatoman trap springs I suspect there is a voodoo doll around the corner because I always seem to take a slight bit of damage regardless of how far away I stand. I think this is meant to give you a bit of a shock before the party starts behind you. I think the name of the map really fits in with how it plays with you over the time. Your faith in the map's ability to play fair is shaken by all of the deception.

 

Secrets

I really like the approach Glenzinho took with this map's secrets. While the first one can be overlooked easily due to the lack of a distinctive tell (misaligned or different texture) so that may be something that needs addressing. I was only able to discover it via noclipping. Even though it was a blue armor I didn't find it all that necessary to help complete the map. The multi-latch approach to the second secret was really smartly put together. Finding the different latches was a journey worth taking even if the supercharge wasn't greatly needed. Both of the secrets on the map aren't required for success but act as kind of insurance for completion if you want to use them as such. 

 

Final Word

I know I keep saying it but this map follows the tone set by the opening maps and helps to reinforce the worldbuilding. It's impressive to continuously see that the theming of the wad is of top priority and is respected by every mapper. Each member adding their own spin on the world without distracting from the overall drab and depressing feeling. I don't believe this is just the texture set doing the heavy lifting, the way the maps are constructed really build this image of a city that is suffering and neglected. Every map feeling like a nighttime mission to save the children. Map09 manages to shift my impression of the Tomatoman by virtue of his appearing whenever things go wrong for the player. Everything feels off and I mean that in a narrative way, it's unsettling and the only way to find answers is to push forward. I think this easily sits in the top 3 maps for me, maybe in the 2 spot with Glenzinho's other map, Map02, sitting in 3rd. It's really hard to rank the maps though, they have all been excellent so far.

[kalaeth]

MAP 10 : A imp shoots at me as I stand in the starting position basking in the view, telling me to move. I do so, and notice a evil eye in the distance, shooting at me and several low level enemies all around. I start with those before trying to take out the eye. With it done I go collect the bonuses spread around this town square and find the exit door just there, a big iron door closed. On the other side of it I see two detonators, apparently connected to the door it self. A switch opens up twin staircases and I pick one at random to climb. Walking up the walls between them fall and reveal a few flaming skulls, easy target for the pellets in my SSG. The final steps brings me a caco and imps, lots of them roaming the flaming room ahead. A chaingun and a button are also there for me, i grab one and press the other unleashing a pair of pinkies. The stairs where they descended from lead to a giant crusher room, quick footsteps take me to the other side of it, where hell knights await. Another button opens up a niche with the yellow key, required to open up two more switches that will open up the way outside, throw a window. An air vent leads me to a theater room where 4 zombiemen watch the stage, expectantly. Little do they know the main act is plasma from behind, I think laughing while shooting them. Killing them opens the curtains to reveal not one but two tomatoes. Grabbing the map I use another vent to drop down to street level, where imps play in a barrel infested water. Leaving throw a gate I snipe a few imps with some well placed rockets. Up the stairs a reaper shows up, together with some other annoying little buggers. A not-so-secret soulsphere helps take the damage away. An oldschool computer hides the passage to a berserk but the way forward lies back there, in the big door. Also laying there, a mancubus and his zombiemen friends. Up is the way to go, more reapers and shotgunners trying to impede my passage but the power of the rocket compels me. I fall into a pool of lava to reach a secret : my friend, the BFG, finally! Now to move forward I must return down and mow down a few enemies, climb containers and return to the beginning of the level. I retrace my way back to where I was before, reaching a beautiful brick made building from where imps shoot at me. Not wanting to appear indelicate I reply in kind before entering one of such buildings. The path down is blocked so up I go again, crossing flames and facing a pinkie, and I'm now inside the building I just saw, where the friends of the imps from before try and avenge their fallen kind. I step into a teleporter into the dream realm, where as usual there isn't much I can do, and get ported back. Killing the evil eye I grab the blue key and jump down, and I'm again staring into the chimneys and from there I return to the level start, but this time I lower the bars that were blocking my way. And now I must confess to be lost for a while, so I retrace my steps and bang head first into some blue bars, the way forward revealed finally. Also revealed, cacos and pain elementals. Grabbing the backpack and the invisibility sphere I spin the wheel, sending the elevator down.. And I reach a room filled with every sort of enemy. My friend, the BFG (the F stands for Friendship), helps me thin out the numbers a bit and circle around the room to find all the wheels I must turn in order to proceed. 1,2 and 3 are done. 4 is missing but I eventually find my way to it and open up the teleport, grab the red key, teleport back, grab a radiation suit and walk along the lava into the way back. I can now enter into the exit, the little kids that had been caged next to the door have escaped thanks to me and used the detonators to blow up the door. I was hover one secret short and having the area map there would be no excuse for it, so I went back and grabbed the sweet blue armor. I left two enemies alive, in the elevator that won't go down again, and so I'll have to end at 99% kills but 100% secrets.

42 minutes and 32 seconds after I believe the side I choose is clear, comrades.

[Phobus]

MAP10 - “Choisis ton Camp, Camarade !” by Big Ol’ Billy

This map is a big one - the showcase for the set, arguably. We're in a big, multi-tiered industrial town, with hints of previous opulence in the greenery and apartments, but covered in the shanty structures and other, more mechanical stuff that's taken over since a presumed heyday.

 

Progression is quite open ended, with two main routes that can lead to weapons, exploration and objectives, plus secrets that mix the routes together and get the player behind the scenes in quite a few areas. My favourite is the one with the two Tomatomen, doing a Romeo and Juliet homage to an audience of Zombiemen. You get an automap, but really it's all about opening up the fun extra stuff! Another secret nets you a BFG9000, which is very welcome later in the map, as the numbers in the big lava pit are high enough to warrant several blasts!

 

A nice feature here is the way that you often cycle through the starting area, with signs pointing you to the key doors, but also multiple green armour pickups to keep you in the fight, even if you're not having the most efficient run, or have gotten lost. There's ample ammo supplies, and even light exploration should give you plenty of plasma and rockets to take on the equally liberally sprinkled tougher enemies. It seems like each area is overlooked by, or linked to, another, allowing the fights to have plenty of breathing room and permutations, allowing replays to be drastically different, and the mixture of freely roaming and entrenched enemies means that any given encounter is quite dynamic and can be handled organically. Even later on, when you throw yourself into a big pit of lava and most of the side routes have eye turrets, the amount of space, health, armour and ammo (plus a couple of helpful radsuits) mean you can mix it up in the middle, methodically pick your way around or even just run around frantically, taking on whatever is between you and your next few steps. It's an episode of strong maps, but this is a highlight even so, if you ask me!

[Pechudin]

MAP09: Death of Innocence

    I keep saying this, but this is my most favourite map thus far. It's just so mean and playful at the same time. Also, I see I am not the first to not trust that 2-eyed Tomato, he seems to be behind every mishap that befalls DoomGuy. Loved the start where you could screw yourself by thinking you found a neat secret by going down the grey bookcase, and instead you just gimped yourself by missing on a chaingun. The Reapers make you anxious, not knowing where they'll be released, and the Cyberdemon was quite the scare! Not too hard to kill it though ...

 

    I felt the end was a bit of a letdown, but that is only because I was wrong on the story. You see, I was under the impression the children are the evil ones, and thus expected them to devise traps for me, but it seems like they are the ones in peril (boats sinking, them going up in flames, ...).

 

Anyhow! The video was done blind, so the commentary was a bit lacking.

The Video:

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by Pechudin

[Antkibo]

MAP06 - "Dans la Machine à Rêves" by Big Ol’ Billy

 

Nice map with many "oh shit" moments. I've played this map the most, but, strangely, I don't have much to say about it. While thematically solid, I feel it should've appeared earlier on the set.

 

MAP07 - “À l'Intérieur de la Machine” by Zedonk

 

A necessary break from the general theme, À l'Intérieur de la Machine is a dream sequence that puts players into a onion-layered metal cube where death is most likely.

 

If previous maps try to evoke post-industrial realism, this entry strides right into industrial surrealism. The textures are beautiful with intricate embossing and could feel right at home at an idealized factory of some silent movie. The patterns of the receding columns (stark white and black) contrast nicely with the surrounding walls. Lighting and height variation are also put to great effect: each area that opens up uses both to stand out. So, even if the playable space is small and narrow, and you keep on circling, you never get lost. Green and red are also used to point players toward key areas, breathing life into the otherwise gray arena.

 

Combat progresses quickly from zero to hero, but always feel fair as each new wave of enemies is preceded by better equipment. Life, armor, and ammunition is also given left and right, which overall puts the map on the easy side. That doesn't mean things can't get hairy quickly -- a cyberdemon and three grim reapers will argue against that.

 

Even if MAP07 is more a divergence from the theme than a example of it, it's still one of my favorites. It's quick, easy, fast, and gorgeous.

[tmorrow]

map11

Uh, oh! It's big, it's bad and it's cybie, there to greet you at the start of the map. Pretending to be shy, cybie teleports away to the top of the tower.

Opening the gate to the base of the tower, doomguy is delighted to see lots of weapons and ammo to pick up. It's an ambush of course and monsters pour in to stop him.

Doomguy spots a second cybie after taking a lift up to the next level, who timidly teleports away to join his brother at the top of the tower. He is attacked by demons and revenants in the new area and to add to his woes, he is zapped by an 3 evileyes along the climb to the bfg below the next lift and is ambushed by some archvile ghosts.

The next lift ride takes doomguy to the top of the tower. The area is littered with cells and doomguy thinks he knows why. And he's right. It's come down to a deadly rooftop finale with the cybie twins. Cybies are experts in the art of creating havoc, it's one of their many gifts. In this case though, even though a couple of barons show up, doomguy bears the brunt of their havoc. Doomguy has long since learned that holding the bfg button until everything stops moving is the only way to handle a situation like this.

Don't forget to marvel at the views from the tower down to where doomguy started his epic adventure. All the poor caged children can now be freed.

The maps single secret is most useful, a megasphere just in time for the twin cybie finale.

map12

Take a tour of the this marvelous credits map, that takes place where doomguy began his adventure on the docks but now the world has been restored to peace with all the monsters caged up and the rescued children all safe again. A statue of doomguy has been erected in his honor. Yay doomguy!

[Capellan]

 

[kalaeth]

MAP 11 : Finally, my fighting has brought me to the feet of the tower. A cyberdemon stands in attention between me and the objective, but I am well armed and equipped, I fear nothing! As I approach he teleports away, leaving me alone in front of a gate. Opening it I enter and I'm met with resistance, imps and more imps and more imps! Some mancubi also join the fight and another one appears where I began the level. Rocket launcher in hand I deliver death to those who oppose me. Hell knights show up but I do short work of them too and before long I have cleared the space. I use the plentiful ammo spread around to return to max power and circle around the tower. On the right side there is no passage so left it is. A few revenants try to stop me but for each of their missiles I have two rockets in return. A switch waits for me at the end, pressing it a lift lowers. I'm going up. Up there the cyber teases me again before a massive hoard of pinkies appears, together with a pair of revenants. The close quarters nature of the fight won't allow me to use the rockets so I spit plasma into them. The way back is shut, I must go ahead. Turning the corner a evil eye looks at me, so I look back with rockets in my eyes. A pain elemental shows up, chaingun. Another eye, rockets. Imps, shotgun. Another eye, rockets. Reapers, plasma. Imps, SSG. A secret button! Megasphere for me. Now, all main weapons at max, live and armor at max, I press the button next to the gift BFG, lowering some bars and opening the lift. Entering the lift I take a deep breath and get ready to go even further up. And I get plastered into tiny little bits by the cyberdemon. I return to the lift, as if by magic. Armed with my Best Friend Gun I spam the two barons and two cybers until they die and climb the stairs. My anger is such that I punch the head of the scientist until he blows up!

He dies, and it took me 11m30s to get 100% T/O/S.

 

I wake up in the pier, monsters caged so I can better examine them, and after a walk around I board the SS Vive La DBK and off I go, after 4 hours 18 minutes and 34 seconds of fighting, the kids are free and I can go rest...

 

really nice set, as usual from DBP. Next week (I don't play much on weekends) we start on the xmas sets!  

 

 

[Pechudin]

    Gotta say, making videos in effort to make one video where I do not die is an interesting experience. Otherwise I'd just make saves and go on, but now I find myself practicing parts of the map that present trouble and stringing together a way to best beat the map. Helps that this mapset is so layered, each time I replay I find something else new.

[Capellan]

 

[tmorrow]

DBP07/19

We are in for a xmas treat with DBP7 and DBP19. This is the first time I've played all but one of these maps. DBP7 gives us 5 wonderful maps and it's clear that a fair amount of work went into the creation of xmas graphics. In the follow up DBP19, doomguy is slapped senseless and dizzy with more xmas spirit and we have 12 game play maps (the even maps) and 13 story telling maps (the odd maps) that have some game play weaved in as well.

The plethora of xmas aesthetics are blatantly obvious for all to see, hear and love and as clear as the bloodied nose on doomguys face, in every direction he turns. These maps are rich in comedy and fun without sacrificing an ounce of full on and serious and challenging doom action. Careful no to laugh so hard that you get doomguy killed. From the cute little red bow tied around the barrel of doomguys shotgun to the snow covered rockets that cybie lovingly sends doomguys way and all the merriment in between, there's much fun to be had. Let's get started.

 

map01

It appears that times have been good for doomguy. He's lives on his estate in a large house, a sweet bachelor pad indeed. And yes, it's time for doomguy to settle down for some seasonal relaxation. What is that noise downstairs? Time for doomguy to investigate. There's his trusty shotgun. Is that santa emerging from the fireplace!? Why is santa shooting at doomguy? WTF, ambushed from all sides. Poor doomguy, never catches a break.

Doomguy has to clear out the ambush on his house and then head outside to investigate the situation and damage to the rest of his property. Damn, the enemies are everywhere.

Fortunately, doomguy is a seasoned veteran, strategist and planner. He has 3 secret hideouts where he has cleverly stashed a partial invisibility, soulsphere and berserk pack throughout the estate in case of emergencies such as this. Now if he can only remember where he hid them ...

[Antkibo]

MAP08 - La Gare et la Maison Impie by Gaspe

 

A challenging one -- took me a few tries to beat. You're put under high pressure from the get-go with well positioned turrets prowling nearby. I like how the map creates mystery by showing peculiar buildings that start as inaccessible; the cathedral at the start is the best example, but, in general, this entry reuses its areas with class.

 

Loved how the damned children are put at the best places possible -- that lil' girl looking at me at the warehouse was CREEPY.

Edited December 12, 2020 by Antkibo

[Capellan]

 

[Endless]

MAP10:

 

 

Here is the map-set monster. The biggest and one of the most detailed map. Full of enemies; this is a map of enormous quality, made to be as entertaining as it is dynamic. Its progression is perfect and the different areas we find are fantastic. Beginning with an industrial complex, we make our way through burning apartments and arrive at a dark and hellish cave, to finally come out and face the last demonic horde. One of my favorites.

 

MAP11:

 

 

The ending ends big thanks to an excellent map that reuses part of the look of the first map, but expanding it into an arena of combat. In the Die-Hard arena, we have to climb a large structure through different levels full of demons until we reach the roof and fight against the cyber-demons. A great ending deserving of good applause to this brilliant map-set.

 

 

I guess I should still post the credits map, right? After all, it feels pretty much like a direct continuation of the previous one.

MAP12:

 

 

As most of the DBPs, here we have a great credits-map that serves to give us closure to all our efforts, as well as congratulations. It introduces us to a re-interpretation of the first map, but now more cheerful thanks to our victory. There is also a kind of museum-ship that is certainly worth checking out. 

 

This is one of my if not my favorite DPB ever. The theme is so unique one must wownder where does this inspiration comes from. Fuel for dreams and also nightmares. I did, previously, a small review of why I love this one so much.

 

Spoiler

This one is sure to leave with a different taster in your mouth, one between black strawberries (that doesn’t even exist but sounds metal) and dark chocolate. Welcome to a new world, a dark one, one where the eternal fire of hell is replaced by a human dimension, one of realism and dystopia, one where reality blends with the dark nightmare. Here you will not find smiles, you will not find happy humans, you will not find ideas, you will not find culture. This is 1984 in France, this is Eraserhead in Doom, this is Brazil on earth (the film not the country, duh) here the air you breathe is not pure, it is not oxygen, it is bloody, polluted; a pinch of oil invades your lungs while your eyes drown in a noir environment that we can never overcome. Welcome to a city where children are born cursed.

 

This is La Cit’e des Enfants Damnés. A map-set of 12 maps done by none other than the great team of mappers from the Doomer Boards Community. This time around, like every month, they choose a special them and create art around it. In this case, we have something more special, more somber, yet, as fascinating as any other DBP. Based around a movie that I haven’t watched (but is now on my to-watch-list) The City of Lost Children, this map set takes inspiration from a multitude of French-film culture and some other weird, dark and dystopian references. When we play Doom, the first thing we want is to have fun, of course, but in order to achieve the fun we must first select maps that satisfy certain factors to achieve excellent quality and give us good times. The Doomer Boards Projects have been a series of fantastic map-sets that without a doubt have managed to create that quality, but there is also something else that makes them stand out like no other. And that's their theme.

 

Each monthly project is one based around an idea, a theme, a style. With the 26th delivery, they decided to give us a little baguette and launch us into a dark world where the only colors that exist are shades of grey. And oh boy, is it really grey. I’m truly convinced that creating a map is an art that offers total creativity to the author. It is here where we have to look for something excellent if we want to stand out in the great ocean of content that this game has offered for almost three decades. We have maps of all types, all art, all styles, but we will always have certain styles that will call our attention more than anything else. Maybe this map-set is one of those styles, because even if the preferences are varied and different in each Doomer, this map is themed in such an exceptional way that it is impossible to deny the quality that is under this project execution. In my case, I love atmospheric maps; those maps that offer a fantastic atmosphere thanks to an excellent combination of their design, their visuals and other extra details, especially if there’s ambient or new sounds. The City of the Damned Children is one of those maps. Each one of them, from the first to the last, stands out magnificently in the visual and environmental aspect. Like a spiral journey into a living nightmare. Black bricks, the smell of carbon in the air. The gray, dark sky, where rain is confused with pollution. Forget about the promise of tomorrow, because now you will be trapped in the past. A horribly dull and broken past.

 

The design of each map is, as expected, exceptional. We have traditional maps that follow a clear and well-defined progression, as well as fantastic maps that take different alternatives to offer variety in the gameplay. Each map follows a clear path in terms of the design you want to achieve, as well as an excellent quality control and attention to detail that encourages us to explore even if we have just killed all the demons. And oh, the demons. We all know that the most disturbing demons are those coming from none other than Doom 64. Imagine them in our beloved Doom 2 but with a certain twist of violence accompanied by beautiful classic gameplay. Just as the enemies receive a visual change, there are also certain visual changes in some weapons and even fascinating new spawns from hell, or in this case, the 1984-France; ghosts that seek to harvest your soul while they are able to revive other enemies, or even static eyes that will fry your brains from a distance. By far my favorite new skin is the one for the chaingunners, its just so metal and obscure at the same time. Fucking lovely. So come in, welcome to a gloomy world. Tear don’t exist, cause there’s no one to cry. Here, smoke and fire rule, while you obey. None shall rise, for our big brother is way up high. Let the children cry, for their unworthy souls are deserving of it.

 

I got to tell you man, Big Ol Billy now’s how to make maps, but most importantly, he’s damn great at directing full quality map-sets, or in this case, Doomer Boards Projects. No map feels like the same thing, and no map lacks in quality or fun. From the first one to the last one, this is just great. Here’s also a big shout out to the nice Doomkid, since the entire map-set makes use of his bootleg Doom 64-in-vanilla-sources, making this one a truly nightmarish setting and one that should never forget.

 

Edited December 12, 2020 by Endless

[Capellan]

 

[Pechudin]

Not sure If I'll make videos about the Christmas WAD, as I'm still a bit behind with DPB26, and I have other projects I'd like to focus on. I'll play it for sure, though!

 

MAP10: Whose Side are You on?

    The map name is the same as one of the songs sung by the early 20th century labour movements. I suppose the children are (with your help) overthrowing the oppressor (the mad scientist).

 

   The map! I know I have been saying this for pretty much every mup thus far, but this one IS my favourite thus far. Magnificent work, @Big Ol Billy! The fights are (for someone of my caliber) challenging, but never unfair. The map looks gorgeous, and environmental storytelling is also present. I loved crawling trough the burning buildings and the final area was a veritable puzzle I had to spend some time unlocking, and finding the best way to beat it.

 

The Video:

 

 

[DFF]

Sadly as of late i've been neglecting this WAD, but i'll play catchup by rattling off some quick reviews

MAP07 - À l'Intérieur de la Machine

Kills: 100% | Items: 100% | Secrets: 100%

GZDoom|No Mods|UV

 

A prototypical arena design, you start in the middle and the floors slowly lower around you, opening up the arena and inevitably releasing bigger and badder beasties. Overall the balance and design here is very decent, no big complaints. The map itself is gameplay wise minimalist as its just an arena, but it does its job well. Also probably one of the deadliest uses of the ghouls for me here. Simple but good fun, reminds me of map05, but sacrificing some visuals and unique fight design for a larger and more cohesive game experience.

 

MAP08 - La Gare et la Maison Impie

Kills: 100% | Items: 100% | Secrets: 50%

GZDoom|No Mods|UV

 

This is a map i'm torn on. Visually its a very cool and well decorated map, another fun city avenue full of (un)life and little realistic touches, from back alleys with leaky radiators to the kitchens and train depots around the main chapel. 10/10 for aesthetics. What did put me off were 2 things mainly: The flow and the final fight. The flow of this map is consistent but a bit foggy on the pathing. I was able to figure out where to go without too much headache, but there was enough times I had to search the map or press walls until I found a switch that looks like the rest of the wall but isn't thinking its a secret switch for me to comment. It makes the player double back a lot without a large amount of hints. Its not a huge issue but enough that I wanted to comment.

 

The final fight was not enjoyable, possibly because I only had 40 health going in. However springing 6 ghouls into a tiny ass room with 2 revenant and 4 extremely hard to see spectre-imps was rather frustrating. I feel like a soulsphere pillar would be a nice addition here as it was too much. I had to bolt down into the hole and kill them as they came down to kill me. not sure if the intended strategy, but was nearly impossible for me to fight them in the main chapel.

Overall great map, some minor nitpicks, also boom effects like the circular staircase and the shootable wooden boards are always a plus in my book.

 

I'll play more later today.

Rankings:

Spoiler

MAP04: La Bidonville

MAP01: Arivéé

map08: La Gare et la Maison Impie

MAP03: Sécurité

MAP06: Dans la Machine à Rêves

MAP07: À l'Intérieur de la Machine

MAP02: La Rue de la Haine

MAP05: Phare

 

[Capellan]

 

[ABearInThaWoods]

Map10: Choisis ton Camp, Camarade?! by Big Ol' Billy

 

Playthrough Video

Spoiler

 

 

Technical Info

Played on GZDoom on Ultraviolence

Using the Hight HD Soundfont Synthfont (Download Here)

 

First Impressions

Opening in a courtyard with enemies already aware of your presence, this monster of a map starts it's assault on you early and rarely lets up. As you fight your way through the open progression of this map you find yourself constantly in danger from escalating threats. The Eyeball turret that activates early in the map remains a problem until you're finally able to face it after acquiring the blue key, even then you have to manage to avoid an army of Arachnotrons while attempting to take it out. The map, like all of Billy's offerings for this wad, impeccably hits the mark for theming and world building. We are deep in the heart of an industrialized city running through streets, down apartment hallways, interrupting plays, and hopping the fence to ride the elevator down to the toxic molten mines.

 

Music

A slick track that sounds like it fits as part of a special agent spy wad, but it still manages to fit in without being too abrasive. It helps establish the tone the map is going for early on, a single man infiltrating a massive compound to achieve his mission, but it kind of falls apart when you get into the finial fight. The song doesn't present an issue for the majority of the map so it's not anissue.

 

Visuals

This really is a beautiful map, every room has had meticulous detail put into it and Billy's efforts should not be overlooked. Not only did he manage to make three maps that follow the theme of the wad perfectly, but he also built three massive maps with a staggering amount of visual detail for their sizes on top of crafting a midboss map to introduce a new enemy type. No wasted space and no concept underserved, he absolutely deserves praise for his work on DBP26. 

 

Map Walkthrough

This map is fairly open ended and how you tackle it will be up to you, you can obtain every weapon on this map so learn where they are and how to get to them. Formulate your own strategy because mine may not work for you. Because of this I will give an outline of each room in order that I approached them, please use the video above as reference as to how I cleared them.

You start in a courtyard that seems empty at first but is actually teeming with baddies. Across the courtyard is a gate that leads to the final area of the map, pay attention to your line of sight with this area in general as an Eyeball Turret will be parked in the center of the yard and will be able to spot you in the majority of the map. To the right of the gate is a set of buildings that contains some Shadow Imps and a Shotgunner. They protect a switch that drops a gate just outside of the building. To your immdiate right will be a Pinky, two Zombiemen, and four Shotgunners between a couple sheds. To the left of your spawn is a platform with four Shadow Imps protecting a Plasma Gun and in the tunnel there will be an Arachnotron that can close the distance quickly and cause some real damage. Immediately in front of you is a handful of health and armor bonuses and a Super Shotgun. Between the barrels beyond the fountain is a sneakily hidden green armor. 

 

Hit the switch and head up a split staircase where three sections will drop, revealing six Lost Souls and a Cacodemon. Inside the burning room there are four Imps and four Zombiemen. Through the door two Pinkies pour out leading you into the crusher room. When you cross the room two Barons will be revealed along with two Cacodemons and two Hell Knights. Grab the yellow key and jump out the window on the right. Kill the imp and press on the grate, leading to the first secret area containing an area map and four Zombiemen watching a Tomatoman 64 play. Drop down and fight through a large grouping of Imps to emerge on the other side of the locked gate. Grab the Rocket Launcher and move up the staircase where three Dollhead Spiders, six Shadow Imps, and two Shotgunners wait. Around the corner a platform has a large group of Zombiemen and a Reaper. This area can be seen by the Eyeball Turret so mind your cover. Walk toward the ledge, turn left, and press the large tape player to reveal a berserk secret and a path back to the spawn. 

 

Circle back around and use the yellow key to open up the tiled ledge house. A Mancubus and three Imps are behind the door with a gang of Zombiemen and Shotgunners on the staircase. As you enter the room a door on the left opens up revealing another two Shotgunners and two Revenants in the distance. When you pass through the doorway you re-enter the Turret's vision, so again be mindful of your angles. Head up the staircase and two Reapers will be released. Hit the switch in the cubby they spawn in and head across the bridge. When you turn the corner a door will open ahead of you revealing a group of Shadow Imps. There is a fake wall behind the second tapestry on the left containing a secret blue armor. Follow the hallway through the burning building and you will find another secret between two flame walls in a door on the left containing a Berserk. Fight around the corner and down the hall until you reach another Eyeball Turret flanked by two Dollhead Spiders defending the Blue Key. When you move up the staircase a Pinky demon along with a wave of Imps will be released.

 

Once you're done fighting continue down the hall and into the teleporter room that will take you to the Giant Golden Man's world. Once you have returned jump down the same chute that dropped you near the Rocket Launcher and head back up and through the tiled house. Go up the staircase and jump off the bridge where the wall is broken. Stay out of the lava and move along the back of the building where you will be attacked by a group of Pinkies and a Reaper. Grab the BFG for a secret and jump down into the courtyard to finally end the Eyeball Turret that has been harassing you. Five Arachnotrons will fill the area and once they are dispatched you can climb up a set of steps, hit a switch, and jump over the wall back to the spawn area. 

 

Head all the way back up to the tiled floor house and walk through the door and to the blue gate. The switch behind it will open up access to the mines but it will also release four Cacodemons and two Pain Elementals. Jump into the lift, grab the partial invisibility, blue armor, and hit the switch. This will trigger a good ol' fashioned Double Dragon elevator fight. Pinkies, Imps, Zombiemen, Dollhead Spiders, and a Baron will be among the attackers. At the bottom of the shaft you will enter the most difficult fight of the wad, this open chasm features a massive machine in the center with multiple branching pathways being broken up by pools of lava. In this area you will find (these are general guesses, I'm not counting it... you can't make me) over a hundred imps, twenty cacodemons four Pain Elementals, ten Hell Knights, six Eyeball Turrets, fourty hitscanners (Zombiemen/Shotgunners/Dollheads), and twenty or so Pinkies. This is a big, nasty, grueling fight and you'll be ducking in and out of tunnels and swarms of enemies in search of the four switches required to shut off the machine. Travel down each path and it will lead you to a numbered switch, when the switch is flipped the number will go away, indicating that it is no longer active. 

 

When all of the switches are flipped a teleporter will open up allowing  you to grab the Red Keycard, take it back to the control room and travel down the lava path, killing the Hell Knight in your way, to escape to the surface with the help of the children, who are now free from their enslavement. In the courtyard above a small handful of weaker enemies remain between you and the exit. Dispatch of them and head down the tunnel that began this ordeal and out through the bombed out wall to the map exit in the fire.

 

Critiques and Thoughts

Good lord this map is an epic and if the next map weren't a boss battle I would have been completely satisfied with this being the last map of the wad. The feeling of accomplishment upon completion was absolutely there, even if I failed to find all of the secrets to my shame. I eventually did discover all five of the map's secrets by using noclip but I'm happy to admit that this is the first map that truly defeated me. I could not push through and attempt another full run, I was satisfied with what I had done. Big Ol' Billy deserves mountains of praise for his accomplishment, as I mentioned before, within this wad. He drove the theme home in every one of his maps and made many of the standout levels of the wad. This map brushes with the idea of slaughter gameplay but doesn't go too hard in it's final act. There is a storyline in the gameplay here if you do a pistol start here. You start weak and unable to fight back, but with each weapon gained and each challenge overcome you build the momentum that breaks through that wall and creates the opportunities you need to make it through. Getting the BFG feels good and every use of it needs to be justified for lack of ammo. Even in the cavern below you have to select your shots carefully or else you waste the potential room clearing the BFG can allow. Perfectly done map, just hard enough to not scare players away.

 

Secrets

As I mentioned in the Critique section this map was the first to defeat me. I could not find the blue armor behind the tapestry during my attempts and was only able to discover it through no clipping. Even then I wasn't willing to go back and record a full proper 100% playthrough because the map had taken the fight out of me. It's an amazing piece of work and everyone should be playing it. The secrets are inventive and fun, requiring risk to discover great reward. I don't typically enjoy having enemies in secret areas, but I believe these can ultimately be forgiven especially the Zombiemen watching the play upstairs. It serves a comedic purpose and I can't be upset at that. 

 

Final Word

Download this wad, play this map. 100% it. I dare you to not like it.

Edited December 13, 2020 by ABearInThaWoods

[tmorrow]

map02

Doomguy starts in a small area with snow and icy waters. A small cave has some crushers that can help pacify the exhuberent monsters. Beyond is a large icy area with water flowing though it. Thankfully, the ice is non slip as there is a some platforming required to get across to the next door.

The difficulty ramps up as doomguy heads into the area with the exit. It appears the cacodemons, hellknights and barons are in a race to see who can beat up doomguy first.

When you open the door to the exit, you will be presented with a very strange scene indeed. It appears that santa has caught a doomguy with his pants down! Hmm!

The secrets will net you 4 backpacks and snow covered plasma rifle.

[ABearInThaWoods]

Map11: La Tour by Big Ol' Billy

 

Playthrough Video

Spoiler

 

 

Technical Info

Played on GZDoom on Ultraviolence

Using the Hight HD Soundfont Synthfont (Download Here)

 

First Impressions

Load the map aaaand there's a Cyberdemon. From the very jump this map does not play around. Thankfully Billy doesn't force you to fight pistol starting players to fight a Cyberdemon with only their basic armaments. The location should feel familiar, this map is centered in the same building that was inaccessible during map01. Yet another smart reusage of assets by Billy without tipping his hand that this is mostly recycled.

 

Music

A nice tense piece that earns the spot of being a boss/final challenge map song. It's got hints of desperation and urgency that suits the scene of Doomguy fighting his way up this manmade mountain where the Golden man has made his final stand.

 

Visuals

Visually this map doesn't really have any one thing in particular that stands out as overly impressive, it primarily focuses on the gameplay throughout the entire ordeal.

 

Map Walkthrough

Press forward, my friend, into the jaws of the enemy forces. Fight like a man possessed against enemies that could never prepare themselves for your fury. 

 

Walk forward and grab the Megasphere. Turn the corner and grab the shotgun to take out the trio of shotgunners. Grab the backpack, because you will need every bit of ammo you can get, and then pick up the Rocket Launcher, Chaingun, and Super Shotgun. If you have the opportunity grab all of the ammo before you get hurt by the advancing Mancubus, Imps, and Hell Knights. Take out the Shotgunners and Shadow Imps on the ledges above before retreating back out to the opening room where two Mancubus have teleported in.  Kill enemies as the pour out of the fortress and when the wave thins out move in and turn right to take out the remaining Hell Knights and Imps. Turn the left corner and clear out the Dollheads before grabbing the extra ammo. 

 

Double back and head down the hallway that the Mancubus came out of and kill the Revenants at the top of the staircase. A group of Pinkies will flood in from down the way blocking the way to the lift. On the second level of the tower you will find a second Cyberdemon, who will activate and teleport away like the first one, triggering a group of Pinkies to pincer attack you with the help of a few Revenants behind them. Around the corner a Eyeball Turret has been revealed to oversee the two Supercharges on this level of the tower and a Pain Elemental will begin floating your way. As you move forward several Imps will be hiding along the wall and two more Eyeball Turrets will be around the next corner. 

 

As you head up the final set of stairs you will be attacked by two Shadow Imps in front of you and four more behind you. Also you will need to deal with two Reapers being released from above, who will start to revive enemies down the tower. Once you're finished with them go back to the second Supercharge tower an check the left side for a button you can press. Next to the hut that the four Shadow Imps were released from a wall will drop, leading up to a Megasphere. Once you are prepared grab your BFG and hit the switch. At the top of the tower is the Golden Man and in the pits next to him are two Barons and two Cyberdemons. Use your BG, movement, and the Berserk pack as a health refill, to take out the demons and unlock the chamber. Once you put the Gold man out of commission the map is over.

 

Critiques and Thoughts

It's a straight forward affair much like how maps 05 and 07 were. There's not much else to do but fight and win. A perfect capstone to this wonderful wad and a good choice for a final payoff. Knowing that two Cyberdemons are waiting for you at the top of the tower is a nail biting experience.

 

Secrets

A simple yet effective secret, I knew it was there but had forgotten about the switch's location between runs. It's everything you need right before the final fight. Quite possibly saved me.

 

Final Word

I just really want to take this opportunity to once again highlight Big Ol' Billy's efforts with DBP26. He lead the project, built four maps, and was a vanguard for driving the theming of the project. Hats off to all the Krew for their hard work in realizing this project. It was a little bit of a shock to the system in the beginning but really grew into a beautiful dip into an alternate Doom universe. I'll be skipping reviews of DBP07 because I have another project I'm working on at the moment. I will likely return for DBP19.

Edited December 13, 2020 by ABearInThaWoods

[Antkibo]

MAP09 - “La Mort de l'Innocence” by glenzinho

 

I love trains. No, seriously, I love trains. And here they are in one of the most visually intricate maps of the set. There's pure beauty in its scenarios, which range from big arenas to extremely narrow staircases. There are memorable moments in spades: the very first sequence when you see Tomatoman, the eye turret coming out from the sea, the west section of the trail getting on fire and Tomatoman raising, etc.

 

Difficulty-wise, it's pretty hard. I played all maps without saves until this point; take care when using rockets because it's very easy to kill yourself here.

 

Overall, this entry brings the theme to new heights.

 

MAP10 - “Choisis ton Camp, Camarade?!” by Big Ol’ Billy

 

Big arena map, which starts with close-quarter combat and then transitions to bigger and bigger spaces. The turret at the middle is the biggest headache.

 

Both the last arena and the dark room with a crusher and several barons are the standouts for me.

 

MAP11 - “La Tour” by Big Ol’ Billy

 

The last map opens with a ominous sighting: the cyberdemon awaits for you at the top... or it doesn't? Is a run for the top of the tower where the man of the golden head resides -- to end this nightmare, it must face its end. Now then, the map's concept is pretty simple: advance through the tower levels and fight demons of increasing power.

 

Not the best map on its own, but a fitting end to a great mapset.

 

MAP12 - “Notre Heros” by Big Ol’ Billy

 

It's weird for series to have a nice epilogue, and it's even more rare to find a Doom WAD with one. The last map is a credit map version of MAP01 that manages to be a cathartic end to a dark trip. The color palette speaks for itself: instead of dark, oppressive tones we got warm ones. Orange reigns, signaling the sunset of this map and our adventure.

 

The day has ended and the children are safe. They build a statue for their savior. And now the brighter day paves the way for rest.

Edited December 13, 2020 by Antkibo

[Phobus]

This will have to be a bit of an evolving post, as I'm playing catch-up!

 

MAP11 - “La Tour” by Big Ol’ Billy

This is it. The tower that the inventor has hidden away in, plunging us all into the nightmare. The Cyberdemons ominously teleporting away at a couple of points makes for some great build-up, and the staged battles as you ascend the tower are all well-executed to feel chaotic and tight, with two lines of attack often employed, using mixed groups of enemies. There's some Eyeball Turrets and other emplaced enemies to mix things up, and at the top you've got a climactic battle against two Cyberdemons and two Barons. The nice thing about this setup is that it feels intimidating, but you can target one Cyberdemon relatively safe in the knowledge that the other one may get distracted by the Baron on it's side, as the Barons are nearer the middle. As you've just got the BFG before this encounter, you're well-equipped to take one down quickly and then switch to the other. Then you can just wake up the old fool...

 

The design here is great, particularly as it incorporates MAP01 and MAP05 and therefore goes all-in on continuity. It's a really enjoyable climax to the set and contrasts nicely with the big adventure beforehand. The Alice music fits very well, as well!

 

MAP12 - “Notre Heros” by Big Ol’ Billy

Amusingly for me, playing with a skin pack as I am, the marine on the plinth clearly wasn't the eyeball monster I was playing as. I guess they don't want to remember that it was a monster that saved them :P This happy take on MAP01, with lots of kids free and the enemies caged up and display to be exported fulfils the DBP tradition of a show-stopping credits map, and, sure enough, there's credits for all of the mappers and other contributors (including some dick called "Phobus"). It's a nice bit of convenience that this landed with a new sky and could therefore have an orange sunrise (I assume, as we're freeing ourselves from somebody's nightmare) sky to go with the fresh new dawn brought by our unblinking saviour!

 

 

All told, this is a really, really good set. I'd probably want to see a better MAP03, but otherwise I can't think of anything I'd change, all told! One of the best DBPs to date and a herculean effort of a passion project by Billy, with some incredible support from the Krew.

 

 

Doomer Boards Project 07: The Merry Christmassy Doom Project

According to glenzinho, this project was inspired by Twisted Joke, and brought the DBPs out of the abrupt stasis that happened between 06 and this one, thanks to 40oz just disappearing one day for well over a year. This was a community effort, with Scrangus, Glen and Billy doing some seriously heavy lifting to get the resources together (all ethically sourced from older Christmas projects, I think... Mostly H2H-Xmas, I imagine) and the majority of the mapping done in short time, although Glen also had to drop out as he went away for a trip himself for a couple of weeks or so in the middle of the development period. I was meant to help out with a map here, but was either working on something else (plausible), busy (maybe?) or just didn't get my act together (seems likely). I think I've only played this once, a year ago, and don't remember it too well. Let's see what we end up with!

 

MAP01 - “An Unexpected Visitor” by Big Ol’ Billy

After an amusing TITLEPIC and picking an appropriate Santa Claus skin, we're treated to a large house loaded up with Doomcute. Whether it's ZIMMER curtains, a COMPBLUE duvet strewn across a humungous double bed or the oft-seen sector toilet, there's plenty to take in. The map itself is surprisingly unforgiving, with a lot of hitscanners around after you've set the level in motion by grabbing the shotgun. As there's a lot of open space outside, those shotgun guys and, later, chaingunners can deal a lot of damage and, even with mouse look and free aim, take a while to pick off. There's plenty of water features here (frozen and liquid), as part of a wider snowy landscape scattered with decorations and enemies.

 

The festivities are off a to a decent start here for me, with all three secrets found (took me a while to associate the shoot switch in the house with what it actually did, but I got there!) and all enemies dead, although due to the hitscan chip damage and the ambush at the end of the map, I'm leaving with less than 100 armour and not much over 100 health. The default lights.pk3 GLDEFS don't match these sprites too well, and this was before I started making a wide-compatibility one for each DBP, so I might switch those off in the future! Strong start by Billy for this set (much like the last one we played!)

 

MAP02 - “Empty Present” by SuperCupcakeTactics

Empty Present is a bit of a cameo by SuperCupcakeTactics, in a map set otherwise dominated by Billy and Scrangus. I say "a bit of a cameo" because, whilst I believe the map was fully made by him, it's not quite in his usual style. The vast majority of his DBP maps (which could almost be iterations of the same design) have been very dense, chaotic "tech dungeons", where the visuals are made up of a lot of textures seemingly compacted into spaces that feel small, with a lot of tight rooms, corridors and detailing. This map does start off with a slice of that, but the bulk of it takes place outside in a wider canyon area. The gameplay is a bit more familiar to those who know what to expect, with barrels aplenty (and placed well, so that a nicely-placed shot can clear out entrenched enemies a bit quicker than you'd manage otherwise), lots of small pickups and plenty of enemies, plus the temporary platforms (in this case ice) on damaging floors that I feel like I've seen him do a few times. The key difference is that the map sticks heavily to the low end of the spectrum and allows for fast-paced action with a carried over chaingun and shotgun, with only Cacodemon baubles showing up after the midway point and a bit of a heavier fight at the end with a few Hell Knights and Barons mixing in with a larger crowd of Cacos.

 

The secrets are good, with a clutch of Santa sack backpacks hidden away in one place and a plasma rifle hidden in plain sight, where you need to spot it and then remember it much later. Particularly nice for continuous players, or perhaps those who noticed it early on and are brave enough to run for it before the big fight gets under way (perhaps via the Invulnerability that I made very little use of). A decent follow-up to Bill's map and, weirdly enough, perhaps a bit less threatening overall.

 

A bit of dev insight I've been reminded of here is that this MAP02 was apparently in real danger of being unfinished, until Cuppy was sufficiently prodded into just dropping the exit in and calling it a map. I think this worked in the map's favour, as it's a good length and the exit room with the trouser-less Doomguy hanging out of a chimney with a Zombieman below is a fun visual.

 

 

And I'm all caught up! We're two-for-two on good maps for this Christmas minisode so far. Noice.

Edited December 13, 2020 by Phobus

[Antkibo]

MAP01 - “An Unexpected Visitor” by Big Ol’ Billy 

 

MAP01 opens the Christmas season with the serenity of the holy night. Blue coats the map, which gives it a nostalgic sense of midnight. The music track, by Tchaikovsky for his musical The Nutcracker, transports you to a warm and cold place of perpetual winter -- it's one of the most famous classical compositions for something!

 

After a short section inside the wooden house you start in, the map is all about the main big area, with projectiles seemingly coming out from nowhere. Here I had to advance slowly, otherwise the damage ramps up quickly. Fear not, there're many health pickups and even a berserker pack further in. Not too hard if you take your time and use the ice for cover. Trying to speedrun this hurts really good.

 

Decoration and detailing are excellent. The little red bow on the shotgun is a nice touch. The pistol has its fire rate increased (I believe?). All pickups are changed to more appropriate variants. Even monsters, if not straight up changed, sport a santa hat, which, funny enough, make them seem less threatening -- Christmas magic? I think so.

 

MAP02 - "Empty Present" by SuperCupcakeTactics

 

First, two scary things about this map: the little leprechaun bastards, and the water. Yes, the water is actively against your well-being.

 

Now, this is a full-blown festivity map, while the previous one only had one Mr. Claus and a somber track (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the musical The Nutcracker, to be exact), this one has more Santa lookalikes than that Arnold Schwarzenegger's movie and more cutesy music. We are also presented with the Christmas-version of the cacodemon -- my favorite so far -- and that of the baron of hell.

 

Textures and lighting also play the part: there's less water and no wooden structures. Instead, snow, presents, and trees take their place, which make it seem all the more cheerful. The few structures herein use techbase textures which blend pretty well with the rest.

 

Fights are pretty easy. Even the final encounter has a invincible sphere which, in my opinion, is overkill -- it's not that hard. But well, the aim is to make the player feel good, and they succeed. The standout for me was that chained barrel explosion... awesome, man.

Edited December 13, 2020 by Antkibo

[Pechudin]

Eh, finally managed to record the videos of the final two DPB26 maps. No saveless runs this time, MAP11 is tough, but not in a frustrating way.

 

I guess I will write up my impressions of the DBP7 maps here. I have pretty much played them all in one sitting. Here goes:

 

MAP01: An Unexpected Visitor

    Well this one gets points immediately because of an amazing MYHOUSE (or is it MYMANSION). I love the way textures are used as curtains or shower curtains, or that diseased skin texture as a mirror. As MAP01s go, this one is no pushover, though. I died a couple of times in the monster-infested outside, mainly due to annoying hitscanner fire in a large open space. Not sure if I would consider this unfair or "bad design".

 

    The usual crew is dressed up in a festive way, and so are the weapons and pickups. I chuckled a bit upon picking up the Berserk only to find myself armed with a large candy cane. All in all, a very nice first map. I mainly like it for the starting house though. It certainly rivals some of the buildings in Hellbound, or Going Down.

[Pechudin]

MAP02: Empty Present

    " ... and the very next day, you gave it away. Thiiiiis year, ..."

 

    Well thanks, I got this song stuck in my head now. Oh well, 'tis the season I suppose. This map has two very distinct flavors depending on if you pistol start it or do it continuous (I did both). The starting area is now actually a dangerous area, if only for the health that will get chipped away by the Santas and Imps. Also, the water is cold, so stay out of it! After the first shotgun is collected, the maps gets very easy, and I am fine with this. It's Christmas! Relax with some easy-going Doom maps.

 

    That really is the map in essence. Nothing too fancy, it shows off the new enemy (resprited SS Nazi?) and gives you a couple of easy challenges that are defused with some fancy footwork and judicious use of the RL. At the end the map hands you a Invincibility and the Chainsaw, and sends you on your merry way.

 

    I am kind of dissapointed the Santas do not shout "OW MY FACE" when dying.

[Capellan]

 

[Pechudin]

MAP11 & 12: The Tower

    This one starts and does not let up. I died 7 times in the video, and most of those were due to my poor skills with duelling Cybies. I feel like this is a good ending map, with action from start to finish, ending with the satisfying action of punching the big bad in the face. Not much to be looked at, though. I generally do not like these gameplay-focused maps, but as these go this one is good IMO. Good for practising the Cybie duelling skills.

 

MAP12: Our Hero

    It's a credits map. The tomato "secret" in the MAP01 Chainsaw secret was a nice surprise, though.

 

The Video

Spoiler

 

 

[tmorrow]

map03

An estate with high stone walls, covered in snow. A highly nonlinear map, the 3 snow tipped keys are perched on high marble pillars and can be picked up in any order. The keys are booby trapped of course and each one also lowers a wall that allows for easier travel through the level.

Doomguy needs to tread carefully as there are ambushes everywhere, the worst is probably near the super shotgun when 2 archviles and some revenants spawn onto the map to wreak havoc.

Depending on the path you choose, you may find yourself strapped for weapons and ammo. The 3 secrets are quite tricky to find, containing a green armor, berserk pack and super shotgun.