[WIP] EPOCH - The Xasermap Mixtape Megawad

[Xaser]

 

WHAT THE IS THIS?

 

Epoch is a compilation-ish-thingy of random Xasermaps, with new weapons and monsters and reworked gameplay and farm animals, celebrating [ERROR: integer overflow] years of Cran Time™!

 

This project uses some fancy new "Boom-plus-plus" features -- namely UMAPINFO and DEHEXTRA -- so it'll require a port that supports those. "Officially" supported ports, at the time of writing, are Eternity, GZDoom, DSDA-Doom, and Doom Retro. Results guaranteed or your money ($0) back!

 

Coming Soon Eventually Maybe!

 

FEATURING:

- 20 maps, ranging from old classics to new & remixed shiny things
- New & reworked weapons, 'cause killing things is fun!
- An expanded bestiary, with devilish new fiends waiting to carve your heart out
- Tons of gameplay improvement across the board, including de-suckification of a few not-so-great maps :P
- Far too many fake exits
- Sheep

 

SCREENSHOTS DAMMIT

 

 

(click to enlarge, yo!)

 

THE MAP LINEUP

 

EPISODE 1: Hard Day at the Business Factory

- E1M1: Hex Machina

- E1M2: Uac Corporate Hindquarters

- E1M3: Matryoshka Citadel

 

EPISODE 2: Welcome to Pizza Villa
- E2M1: Freudian Swamp
- E2M2: Cran Canyon
- E2M3: All Aboard the Mega Magilla Gorilla Flotilla

 

EPISODE 3: The Ghost of Christmas Chainsaw
- E3M1: The Scar
- E3M2: Archtrees and Everlasting Towers
- E3M3: No Festivus for the Living

 

EPISODE 4: Large Hadron McGyver
- E4M1: Kick Your Own Ass
- E4M2: Scalpel Tart
- E4M3: Professor Jatsand's Spayss Sittey Beatdown!

 

EPISODE 5: Monkey Pumpkin Rumpelstiltskin
- E5M1: Wicked Garden
- E5M2: Sharp Things
- E5M3: Helix

 

EPISODE 6: Nobody Told Me About Cran Time
- E6M1: Castle Wolfenstain
- E6M2: [TOP SECRET UNANNOUNCED WIP MAP!]
- E6M3: The Serpentine Lemniscate

 

SECRET MAPS (oh no, spoilers!)
- Ziegenhaus
- Stove Pipe

 

PREEMPTIVE FAQ

 

Q: So what, is this just a collection of a bunch of stuff you've already released?
A: Yes and no. It's more of a "remaster/remix album" than a "greatest hits" collection. Beyond the new weapons and monsters, gameplay's been reworked across the board to make the new stuff work and the less-good maps have been fully overhauled to be... well, more-good. :P -- Either way, there should be plenty of new content to justify the price of entry (read: free! ha ha!) even if you've already played most everything on the list.

 

Q: Isn't this missing [map X]?
A: The idea was to round up my lesser-known speedmaps and one-off project contributions into a full set, rather than just have it be "every xasermap ever", so there's a few 'high-profile' projects that aren't represented here. Namely, you won't find anything from D(2)TWID, BTSX, NEIS, Eviternity, or TNT2 (whenever it releases :P ), nor does it contain stuff that deviates significantly from the target game+compatibility level (GZDoom stuff, Heretic maps, DM maps, jokemaps, etc). I almost didn't even include the two PRCP maps (Helix and Wicked Garden), but the wad felt empty without 'em. It's really just a fun excuse to polish up a bunch of random stuff and make a kooky megawad with new guns. :P

 

Q: Hey, I'm using [port X] and things aren't working!
A: Officially-supported ports are Eternity, GZDoom, Doom Retro, and DSDA-Doom. If you're using one of those, make sure you've updated to the latest version. If you're using something else, you're swimming at your own risk and I can't help you (unless you're the port dev). That said, it probably works fine in the latest PRBoom-Plus releases (the UMAPINFO ""fork""), though I've not tested it explicitly.

 

Q: Hey, aren't some of those weapons from Heartland?
A: Yup. Translated to DEHACKED as best they can be, at least.

 

Q: When will this be released?
A: I 'unno.

 

Q: Cool, thanks!
A: Wait, that's not a question.

 

That's all for now. Comment away, and remember kids, it's always Cran Time™!
 

Edited March 14, 2021 by Xaser

[Catpho]

18 minutes ago, Xaser said:

Cool, thanks

.

 

P.S. I was expecting 32 levels of Stove Pipe

[Bridgeburner56]

Well this is a big fucking pog

[antares031]

21 minutes ago, Xaser said:

FEATURING:
- Sheep

 

It's a sheep!

[Endless]

I can't wait to lose myself in the existential doubts caused by Xaser's maps. Oh yes, give it to me.

[ReaperAA]

First Heartland, and now this?

 

*Sips tea* This is gonna be a good year.

[GarrettChan]

Playing with knives is fun.

[Omniarch]

Gimme gimme gimmie gimmie gimmie gimmie gimmie ^gimmie GIMMIE gImMiE GiMmIe GIVE-IT-ME!!!

 

...

 

*ahem*

 

Imma gonna keep an eye on 'dis. Looks good!

[Kurogachii]

Nice guns, Nice name, Nice screenshots..

 

I rate this wad S for SHEEP.

 

[dmslr]

So, it's basically Xaserian Reliquary?

[TJG1289]

Well this looks pretty cool! Looking forward to it for sure!

[cannonball]

Sheep eh......

 

This looks really good by the way. Though that is probably a given here.

[Uni]

I think I recognize some of these maps from the Tango Speedmapping sessions maybe? I could be so wrong though. Still, looks really cool. Will check it out as soon as possible. 

[Marisa the Magician]

I like this.

 

I like the sheep.

[Kurogachii]

25 minutes ago, Marisa Kirisame said:

I like this.

 

I like the sheep.

Anime maids love sheep.

[seed]

Yes, this does look very good 👌. Looking forward to it.

[Yugiboy85]

Not enough circles. 0/10 

 

 

[Alter]

Does this mean you will finally finish the stomper (RIP) city map? I would love it to be a part of this.

[Phobus]

I am not uninterested.

[MFG38]

Is there such a thing as too many Xaser maps? No. No, there isn't.

 

Looking forward to this!

[Xaser]

Thanks, y'all! Glad there's some interest in this goofy venture. :P

 

19 hours ago, dmslr said:

So, it's basically Xaserian Reliquary?

 

Basically, yep. I technically started the project years ago, but got inspired to revive it when antares did his take on the idea. I kinda cribbed the idea of doing new weapons for it, and figured I'd take a stab at porting a few Heartland guns over 'cause they're fun to muck about with, and hey ho here we are.

 

Side thought: I wonder if folks would be interested in some "developer commentary" on some of the map overhauls -- may plunk down a few words about how I approached doing things in some of these levels, since it's been a pretty fun exercise trying to figure out how to make some of these crappy old layouts have interesting gameplay. :P

 

[Or maybe I should wait 'til release so I don't spoil the shit out of the whole wad. :P ]

Edited March 15, 2021 by Xaser

[Egg Boy]

Another announcement for a brilliant looking wad that we wont see for 2 years? I'll take it.

[dmslr]

18 minutes ago, Xaser said:

Basically, yep. I technically started the project years ago, but got inspired to revive it when antares did his take on the idea. I kinda cribbed the idea of doing new weapons for it, and figured I'd take a stab at porting a few Heartland guns over 'cause they're fun to muck about with, and hey ho here we are.

Mind you, my "question" was just a joke. :D

[dmslr]

32 minutes ago, Xaser said:

Or maybe I should wait 'til release so I don't spoil the shit out of the whole wad. :P

Yes! Don't spoil anything!

[Omniarch]

2 hours ago, Xaser said:

Side thought: I wonder if folks would be interested in some "developer commentary" on some of the map overhauls -- may plunk down a few words about how I approached doing things in some of these levels, since it's been a pretty fun exercise trying to figure out how to make some of these crappy old layouts have interesting gameplay. :P

 

[Or maybe I should wait 'til release so I don't spoil the shit out of the whole wad. :P ]

My monkey brain is like 'Ugg want Xaser commentary naow', but I think @dmslr is right sadly.

 

Needless to say, such commentary would be of great interest to me personally. I always wonder what goes into making a Xasermap.

[NeoWorm]

Nice to see my graphics getting used. I have to check Heartland too.

[Xaser]

Totally Important Spoiler-Free update from Xaserland, USA:

 

There is now a green key.

 

 

That's all. Carry on, folks.

[Xaser]

Been a bit busy with other things lately (read: MBF21), but here's a couple of other angles of Greenkey Map, a.k.a. "I can't believe it's not Anor Londo!"

 

 

 

[inb4 "goddammit crosshair"]

[Catpho]

Quite a substantial remix of Matryoshka Citadel! Eager to see the full package.

Edited June 21, 2021 by Catpho

[NaturalTvventy]

Did you combine SUPPORT3 and METAL in the map or in Paintshop Pro?