Stairway to Hell (FINAL VERSION!)

[MarzoLeon]

Oh, hello there!

I dug out a DOOM'ish map from the bins, which I began to saw 2.5 years ago, and only now the inspiration has come to finish it. The level is not easy, have a bit of challenge and platforming with a pinch of slaughter. There are enough traps and furious battles here, there is even a memory puzzle (i would not advise to be mistaken ^^). Also, have little edited Commander Keen and Romero's Head, because unique Icon of Sin. A little easier in ZDoom'ish ports, because buttons are shot with projectiles.

IWAD: Doom II

Compatibility: Boom
Replaces: MAP01-MAP02 (main level & ending)
Build Time: Not counting long breaks, 2-2.5 weeks

Tested with: GZDoom 4.5.0, PrBoom/GLBoom+ 2.5.1.4

Credits: Skyboxes from Mek's Box 'o Skies!, music by James Paddock

Difficulty Settings: Yes (but for true experience, choose UV)
Length: About 45-60 minutes

Designed for single player, no jumping & crouching

P.S. My first map of this scale and the last in general. Let it out only because I had to finish what I started.
P.P.S. When you fight the icon, pay attention to the inscriptions on the ceiling next to it, otherwise something will go wrong. It's not simple here and it's important.
P.P.P.S. I am not a mapper and I am not able to map. It was interesting for a certain period of time to try myself in this and this is what we have now.

Good luck!

DOWNLOAD

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

Changelog:

Spoiler

 

v1.0:
Release

v1.1:
1. Added arrows in the starting room
2. Reduced the size of cage to better see shootable switch
3. Slightly modified the entrance to red key arena
4. Added some ammo in the final battle
v1.2:
1. Fix Romero's head pain sound
2. Added hint on automap with final boss
v1.3:

A small, but important fix in the room with a yellow switch. Monsters now spawn AFTER the button is fired when you are locked in a cage.
v1.4:
1. Changes in battle with Icon of Sin.
- added ammo of other types
- Romero's head health raised to 1500 (initially 750)
- since the lower part of head is now at player's level, the Icon can be shot with ANY weapon
2. Some little fixes with misalign textures and block monsters lines
v1.5 (FINAL):
1. Added a bit of detail and changed textures in some places.
2. Reworked some secrets and added several new ones (now there are not 7, but 10).
3. Added a teleport behind one of the doors in second part of the map, so that you can return to the first and look for remaining secrets or supplies.
4. Slightly remade the final fight. Now it has become simpler and clearer (i hope):
- now you can see in the forehead that there is Keen (in general, there is a "hint" on the auto map, but yes, very few people will guess about it)
- Keen's HP has been greatly reduced, now they are not so fat
- removed two buttons behind columns (because they are not entirely obvious)
- elevators on the sides are now accelerated (they go down quickly)
- moved all ammo down, so that they lay in a conspicuous place and it was easier to get them

 

Edited April 16, 2021 by MarzoLeon
new version

[Kore]

I got stuck in the starting room. I could only action the shotgun lift. What are you supposed to do?

[MarzoLeon]

3 minutes ago, Kore said:

I got stuck in the starting room. I could only action the shotgun lift. What are you supposed to do?

Oops. You need to jump in both of windows with lift.

[Kore]

I see. That's some obscure progression.

 

[PeceMan]

um dont get me wrong, i like the idea of a cage fight, but...

Spoiler

am I supposed to be here? While everyone else melees outside?

[PeceMan]

I heard an Archvile, I dont think I'm supposed to be inside anymore

 

[PeceMan]

Spoiler

this is all infighting

 

 

 

 

huh

[PeceMan]

WAIT A MINUTE WAS I SUPPOSED TO FIRE THAT THING IN THE CORNER

[P41R47]

I think something is off with the title of the map.

We, old timers, know for sure that it is a long stariway to heaven, and a fun highway to hell.

:P

 

Aside from the joke, i like what i see on those screenshots.

I will try to make some time to check this.

[PeceMan]

oaky you can't tell me this is intended

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[PeceMan]

Okay this one is my fault

 

[MarzoLeon]

7 hours ago, PeceMan said:

um dont get me wrong, i like the idea of a cage fight, but...

  Reveal hidden contents

am I supposed to be here? While everyone else melees outside?

Yeah, you must shoot in switch, when you find yourself blocked.
 

6 hours ago, PeceMan said:

oaky you can't tell me this is intended

  Reveal hidden contents

  Reveal hidden contents

  Reveal hidden contents

 

In this BIG infighting, you need to jump out of the portal into this arena and try to survive. There are 4 buttons on it that open a portal that brings you back. That's it.
Maybe I'll redo this moment a little.
And... sorry you have to play this... heh.

[MarzoLeon]

A little UPD:
1. Added arrows in the starting room.
2. Reduced the size of cage to better see shootable switch.
3. Slightly modified the entrance to red key arena.
4. Added some ammo in the final battle.

 

[PeceMan]

Spoiler

 

[PeceMan]

So this is a slaughter map, with some puzzle and platforming elements. Those are easily my least favourite genres. Plus it was made by someone with little experience mapping. Progression was confussing, Softlocks were posible, Hallways were cramped and the final fight is unproportionatly hard.

 

But if the wad were so bad, why did I play through to the end? Why did I spend more than two hours over multiple days trying to beat the last fight? And when I hard-locked my own savefile, why did I go out of my way, playing the same level again, just to get back to where I was, just so I could finish the bloody wad? And why did map02 give me that weird tingle in my heart?

 

I'm afraid that, despite all its flaws, this wad is good. Like, really good. As in, I haven't played a single wad i enjoyed so much in months. This one's definitely going in the "Good wads" folder. I mean honestly, despite all it's flaws, this is one of the best wads I've ever played.

 

I fear I may not be able to score it any less than 10/10. If I'm being harsh, its still a solid, very solid 9.6/10. Would definitely play again. Probably will. Would definitely reccomend. Probably will.

8 hours ago, MarzoLeon said:

And... sorry you have to play this... heh.

You should be sorry not to have released this earlier...

[PeceMan]

18 hours ago, MarzoLeon said:

P.S. My first map of this scale and the last in general. Let it out only because I had to finish what I started
P.P.P.S. I am not a mapper and I am not able to map. It was interesting for a certain period of time to try myself in this and this is what we have now.

You gotta have more confidence man. You gotta learn to sell your product. I mean seriously, you make it sounds like it's hardly worth anyone's time. You're underselling yourself man, by a long shot.

[MarzoLeon]

53 minutes ago, PeceMan said:

So this is a slaughter map, with some puzzle and platforming elements. Those are easily my least favourite genres. Plus it was made by someone with little experience mapping. Progression was confussing, Softlocks were posible, Hallways were cramped and the final fight is unproportionatly hard.

 

But if the wad were so bad, why did I play through to the end? Why did I spend more than two hours over multiple days trying to beat the last fight? And when I hard-locked my own savefile, why did I go out of my way, playing the same level again, just to get back to where I was, just so I could finish the bloody wad? And why did map02 give me that weird tingle in my heart?

 

I'm afraid that, despite all its flaws, this wad is good. Like, really good. As in, I haven't played a single wad i enjoyed so much in months. This one's definitely going in the "Good wads" folder. I mean honestly, despite all it's flaws, this is one of the best wads I've ever played.

 

I fear I may not be able to score it any less than 10/10. If I'm being harsh, its still a solid, very solid 9.6/10. Would definitely play again. Probably will. Would definitely reccomend. Probably will.

You should be sorry not to have released this earlier...

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, it may not be perfect, but plenty of time and effort has been put into it. Considering that I studied most of the features myself, without any guides. And the level that turned out is partly due to heavy wads, which I played a lot. Idea for icon came at the last moment. Just two shots from a rocket launcher to the head is not serious. I tried to do something similar to a boss fight from available resources. It was for this room that I was most worried.
 

1 hour ago, PeceMan said:

You gotta have more confidence man. You gotta learn to sell your product. I mean seriously, you make it sounds like it's hardly worth anyone's time. You're underselling yourself man, by a long shot.

Endless depression and anxiety is bad for me. Now I'm trying to heal. Someday, I'll get out of this hole.
In fact, I'm more of a streamer than a mapper. And this map became an outlet that I wanted to share.
And yes, it was worth it. :)

[Caleb13]

Pretty solid work, but I encountered one problem, I wasn't able to kill all the monsters in the yellow area (after you grab the rocket launcher). I managed to evade the monsters and escaped out to sector 607, but the archviles were stuck behind the corner and kept resurrecting so many of them that I run out of rockets. I didn't wan't to waste shells (the ammo is rather tight in this part of the map), so I just left them there, only cacodemons were able to fly up those narrow stairs.

 

Oh and BTW, the boss music is from another WAD Escalation Titan, track 05 to be exact.

[MarzoLeon]

34 minutes ago, Caleb13 said:

Pretty solid work, but I encountered one problem, I wasn't able to kill all the monsters in the yellow area (after you grab the rocket launcher). I managed to evade the monsters and escaped out to sector 607, but the archviles were stuck behind the corner and kept resurrecting so many of them that I run out of rockets. I didn't wan't to waste shells (the ammo is rather tight in this part of the map), so I just left them there, only cacodemons were able to fly up those narrow stairs.

 

Oh and BTW, the boss music is from another WAD Escalation Titan, track 05 to be exact.

Thanks! Well, you don't need to run away from that room. Just need to endure this mess. At least it always went like this when testing. It is better to try to use rockets at the moment when archviles appear, in order to nail them down as soon as possible. From the opposite side, it is more difficult to clean, as practice shows.
And yes, all music (except intro) taken from Escalation Titan. Perpetuum Mobile (MAP03) in main part & Subjugator (MAP05) on boss fight.

[NotSoHazy]

I don't get it, what should I do once the "BACK" sign is revealed?
Really nice map by the way

Edited March 9, 2021 by NotSoHazy

[Biodegradable]

On 2/2/2021 at 7:29 AM, MarzoLeon said:

On 2/2/2021 at 7:24 AM, Kore said:

I got stuck in the starting room. I could only action the shotgun lift. What are you supposed to do?

Oops. You need to jump in both of windows with lift.

 

Yeah I got stuck on that too. That's a bit of an odd choice heh. Mind you, I 'spose it's not too overtly cryptic and doesn't feel too out of place with anything else experienced Doomers have seen here and there. In the grand scheme of Doom mapping tricks, it doesn't feel completely out of place from where I'm sitting. 

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Biodegradable

[MarzoLeon]

12 hours ago, NotSoHazy said:

I don't get it, what should I do once the "BACK" sign is revealed?
Really nice map by the way

At this moment, elevator in the center can be safely lowered. If you start lowering it ahead of time (word "WAIT" on ceiling) - there is a chance that it will break. Height will not be enough to hit the forehead of Icon. Maybe it can be done somehow differently, but I have no ideas on this matter.
Anyway, thanks for playing! :)

[MarzoLeon]

6 hours ago, Biodegradable said:

 

Yeah I got stuck on that too. That's a bit of an odd choice heh. Mind you, I 'spose it's not too overtly cryptic and doesn't feel too out of place with anything else experienced Doomers have seen here and there. In the grand scheme of Doom mapping tricks, it doesn't feel completely out of place from where I'm sitting. 

 

That is why in one of the new versions I drew arrows there in front of the windows, in hope that this would help. ;)

[damned]

I made this already 16 years back :D
https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/s-u/stairsth

[NotSoHazy]

2 hours ago, MarzoLeon said:

If you start lowering it ahead of time (word "WAIT" on ceiling) - there is a chance that it will break. 

Wow, this is absolutely counterintuitive, and I love it

How you even managed to do this?

 

[MarzoLeon]

2 hours ago, NotSoHazy said:

Wow, this is absolutely counterintuitive, and I love it

How you even managed to do this?

 

Voodoo dolls magic! The longest ones are responsible for elevator and ceiling signs in final room.

[MarzoLeon]

Inspired to update the map after watching one playthrough.

v1.4
1. Changes in battle with Icon of Sin.
- added ammo of other types
- Romero's head health raised to 1500 (initially 750)
- since the lower part of head is now at player's level, the Icon can be shot with ANY weapon
2. Some little fixes with misalign textures and block monsters lines

Edited March 15, 2021 by MarzoLeon
extra description

[Martin Howe]

This wad is the epitome of the three things I dislike most: jumping puzzles, slaughter and longer than about 30 minutes to play. However, the imagination, technical excellence, architecture and overwhelming scale are impressive. Not my cup of tea but if I liked this style of gameplay I'd definitely give it 9/10 and a cacoward mention. It was fun watching the infighting too :)

[MarzoLeon]

After some time, collecting feedback from other players and thinking how to bring this map to mind... Here it is, the final version!

v1.5 (FINAL):
1. Added a bit of detail and changed textures in some places.
2. Reworked some secrets and added several new ones (10 instead of 7).
3. Added a teleport behind one of the doors in second part of the map, so that you can return to the first and look for remaining secrets or supplies.
4. Slightly remade the final fight. Now it has become simpler and clearer (i hope):
- now you can see in the forehead that there is Keen (in general, there is a "hint" on the auto map, but yes, very few people will guess about it)
- Keen's HP has been greatly reduced, now they are not so fat
- removed two buttons behind columns (because they are not entirely obvious)
- elevators on the sides are now accelerated (they go down quickly)
- moved all ammo down, so that they lay in a conspicuous place and it was easier to get them