Project Idea: The Master Levels part II

[GraphicBleeder]

Hey all, GraphicBleeder here.


So, recently I watched MtPain27's video on the Master Levels for Doom II and decided to replay them again for myself.

 

 

As you may expect, they were less then stellar maps, but that's why I thought of a project that could be fun.


The Master Levels for Doom II, part II.


The whole idea is basically the same as it was in 1995, the communities top mappers can come together to create a mapset truly worthy of being, the "Master Levels".

 

 

Now, I'm not a mapper myself, I never have and I don't think I ever will be. So you can dismiss my entire idea by that alone if you wish, but I thought this could be an interesting project for people to do, and I hope you all think the same.

[Mr Masker]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/9160/Master_Levels_for_Doom_II/ no this is master levels

[Walter confetti]

  On 3/21/2021 at 9:45 AM, Reelvonic said:

werent the master levels like 3000 shit wads crammed into one and then sold

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No, that is Maximum Doom! Kinda related, but it's a different thing from Master Levels.

[continuum.mid]

There was a thread posted very recently called "What megaWAD could be considered a true Master Levels." People pointed out there already were a lot of community projects that brought together experienced mappers. The Community Chest series is an example - the last entry, CC4, had maps from Skillsaw, WH-Wilou84, James Paddock, Joshy, Lupinx-Kassman, Torn, and many others. "Master Levels II" would basically just be another community megaWAD, but this time for vanilla Doom.

Edited March 21, 2021 by northivanastan

[Maes]

Oh no no no, you must bring togeter the best authors from back then, especially those responsible for the "Master" levels, lock them in a room with a 486 running DEU, and don't let them out until they clean up their act, this time. For added stoicity, make that a 486SX without a FPU, just to make node building all the more slower. I'd say bring everything down to a 386SX, including playtesting, but I'm not that evil.

 

Only that way can you have a true sequel to the Master Levels. Everything else is just name appropriation. Master Levels: The Way They Should Have Been Done (TM) or nothing.

Edited March 21, 2021 by Maes

[continuum.mid]

  On 3/21/2021 at 2:13 PM, Maes said:

Oh no no no, you must bring togeter the best authors from back then, especially those responsible for the "Master" levels, lock them in a room with a 486 running DEU, and don't let them out until they clean up their act, this time. For added stoicity, make that a 486SX without a FPU, just to make node building all the more slower. I'd say bring everything down to a 386SX, including playtesting, but I'm not that evil.

 

Only that way can you have a true sequel to the Master Levels. Everything else is just name appropriation. Master Levels: The Way They Should Have Been Done (TM) or nothing.

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Jokes aside, new Sverre Andre Kvernmo and Tom Mustaine maps would be great. Not sure about the other Master Levels authors, though.

[GraphicBleeder]

  On 3/21/2021 at 2:43 PM, northivanastan said:

Jokes aside, new Sverre Andre Kvernmo and Tom Mustaine maps would be great. Not sure about the other Master Levels authors, though.

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Have any of those guys made any more maps after the master levels?

[Maes]

  On 3/21/2021 at 2:43 PM, northivanastan said:

Sverre Andre Kvernmo

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Uhm.... no.

Edited March 21, 2021 by Maes

[continuum.mid]

  On 3/21/2021 at 2:49 PM, GraphicBleeder said:

Have any of those guys made any more maps after the master levels?

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Mustaine made Perdition's Gate, Kvernmo contributed to Eternal Doom and made Echelon. 

[Catpho]

A little off-topic but psa: any time you catch yourself wondering what else your favorite mappers made, try checking their Doom Wiki (.org, not fandom) articles! Certain folks don't update them for nothing :)
 

You can find the link to all the authors here

[GraphicBleeder]

  On 3/21/2021 at 2:13 PM, Maes said:

Oh no no no, you must bring togeter the best authors from back then, especially those responsible for the "Master" levels, lock them in a room with a 486 running DEU, and don't let them out until they clean up their act, this time. For added stoicity, make that a 486SX without a FPU, just to make node building all the more slower. I'd say bring everything down to a 386SX, including playtesting, but I'm not that evil.

 

Only that way can you have a true sequel to the Master Levels. Everything else is just name appropriation. Master Levels: The Way They Should Have Been Done (TM) or nothing.

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You're absolutely right.

 

 

I'll call my local necromancer and tell him to ressurect Dr. Sleep.

[Devalaous]

  On 3/21/2021 at 3:01 PM, GraphicBleeder said:

You're absolutely right.

 

 

I'll call my local necromancer and tell him to ressurect Dr. Sleep.

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Jim Flynn is gone too, sadly. 

[GraphicBleeder]

  On 3/21/2021 at 6:34 PM, Devalaous said:

 

Jim Flynn is gone too, sadly. 

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Wait really?


Damn, that sucks.

[Devalaous]

I have a few Master Levels-related ideas I'd like to see. One of them, a music pack for them, has already been done recently.

 

• TWiD-style project where people study and emulate the original ML author's works and tendencies. No being lazy and releasing them *only* as seperate wads though. Theres only so much 'historical accuracy' you should strive for; use your damn common sense here :p As a bonus, people could also emulate other prominent authors from that period of time who did not end up in the Master Levels; there was that one mystery contributor whos departure led to Soundblock's hiring, afterall. Who knows how many others could have gotten on board in the right circumstances? Bob Evans would have been a natural fit in the Master Levels, for example.
• A 'Wonderful Doom' for the Master Levels; carefully made remixes of the 21 levels that 'feel' like the originals in a familiar way, yet very different. Also see TNT Renascence by Eternal for an idea of what im looking for. Entries from this project could also be used in the following three points
• A tribute to Dr Sleep by emulating his style and creating an Inferno episode using cues from his almost-completed series. Remixes or remakes, whichever feels best.
• A tribute to Jim Flynn, a chunk of maps set on Titan and featuring the kind of level tricks he liked to use, but with a bit more modern detailing. Not for everyone, thats for sure, but people like me LOVE his puzzly exploratory Doom maps.
• A community effort to finish Sverre's Cabal megawad with his guidance and blessing, mapped entirely in 1995/1996 style, and potentially including his original maps or remasters of them. As Black Tower, Bloodsea Keep, Mephisto's Mausoleum and TEETH are property of id, remixes of those maps would suffice to avoid legal stuff.

Tim Willits, Tom Mustaine and Chris Klie have their own episodes or megawads of content already, but there's still stuff that could be done to honour their Doom legacy.