[Now on /idgames!] 3x3: Take Two - 3 flats, 3 textures, 3 monster types speedmaps again!

[MFG38]

 

3x3: Take Two is the spiritual sequel to the first 3x3 community project, hosted by Yours Truly. The set contains 30 maps from 22 different authors, using only 3 flats, 3 wall textures and 3 enemy types per map. (Once again, a select few textures and flats were excluded from the limitation.) Maps were sorted roughly by difficulty this time around to make the final mapset more friendly for continuous play.

IWAD: doom2.wad
Port: Boom-compatible
Map #: MAP01-28 + 31-32
Mode(s): Single-player, coop (partial), DM (partial)
Difficulty settings: Yes
Tested with: PrBoom+ 2.5.1.5, GZDoom 4.5.0
Estimated play time: 3-5 hours

DOWNLOAD LINKS

/idgames: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/megawads/3x3ttwo

Personal website: https://mfg38.github.io/files/doom_wads/3x3ttwo.zip

Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/7403i88drhd0mlf/3x3ttwo.zip?dl=0

Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RMMfqCe95qSV2olsI98x1nQ3PBbV7qeT/view?usp=sharing

 

SCREENSHOTS

Spoiler

^{(MAP02: "Powered by Grayskull" by Death Bear)}

^{(MAP07: "Coastal" by AtticTelephone)}

^{(MAP13: "Nebula Swamp" by Salmon)}

^{(MAP22: "Garden of Despair" by myolden)}

^{(MAP27: "City of Chalk and Flame" by Dac)}

 

MAP LIST

MAP01: "A Short Ascent" by PeceMan
MAP02: "Powered by Grayskull" by Death Bear
MAP03: "Keep Out!" by Mr. Tadpole
MAP04: "Metal-pipe-skin" by Jacek Nowak
MAP05: "Moss Cushion" by Alper002
MAP06: "The Devil's Gut" by MFG38
MAP07: "Coastal" by AtticTelephone
MAP08: "Toxic Rumble" by PinkFlamingo
MAP09: "Vile Book Club" by Worriedidiot
MAP10: "Maudlin of the Wall" by Helm
MAP11: "Sludge Terminal" by SCF
MAP12: "Nukage Castle" by Jacek Nowak
MAP13: "Nebula Swamp" by Salmon
MAP14: "Forkress of Doom" by Worst
MAP15: "myhouse.wad" by muumi
MAP16: "A Librarian's Nightmare" by 7Soul
MAP17: "3TEK" by Dieting Hippo
MAP18: "Iron and Stone" by Captain Toenail
MAP19: "High Class Bypass" by PeceMan
MAP20: "The Badlands" by Captain Toenail
MAP21: "Metallurgy" by PinkFlamingo
MAP22: "Garden of Despair" by myolden
MAP23: "Skull Faced B*stards" by NeilJohnRips
MAP24: "Rocket Tears 2" by Death Bear
MAP25: "FRICKIN HECK" by reverie
MAP26: "Metal2Metal" by Helm
MAP27: "City of Chalk and Flame" by Dac
MAP28: "Formula 666" by muumi
MAP31: "Tightrope" by MFG38
MAP32: "The Faces of Evil" by BoxY

Edited October 11, 2021 by MFG38
Added personal website mirror

[Worst]

Nice, wouldn't mind participating on this one as well. A few questions though:
 

- Custom sky texture: I'm guessing you can only supply 1 sky texture per map submission? MBF sky transfer allows multiple different skies in a single map, which perhaps could be somehow abused if an arbitrary amount of custom skies would be allowed.

 

- Custom textures: Is there a rule against just making the texture a big image that clearly composites multiple different textures? I think this might somewhat go against the spirit of the 3 texture limit.

Example:

Spoiler

Though some of the vanilla textures also composite clearly different textures into one texture, but not too many at a time.

[MFG38]

23 minutes ago, Worst said:

- Custom sky texture: I'm guessing you can only supply 1 sky texture per map submission? MBF sky transfer allows multiple different skies in a single map, which perhaps could be somehow abused if an arbitrary amount of custom skies would be allowed.

 

Yeah, only one custom sky per map.

 

23 minutes ago, Worst said:

- Custom textures: Is there a rule against just making the texture a big image that clearly composites multiple different textures? I think this might somewhat go against the spirit of the 3 texture limit.

 

Using a big composite texture would indeed be abusing the system in some way. I actually thought about it a while back but forgot to specify a size limit for custom wall textures... But let's say a 128x128-pixel size limit.

 

I edited the OP to clarify these points in the rules.

Edited March 30, 2021 by MFG38

[Michael Jensen]

Awesome! Can we reserve map slots? I may have a cool idea for map01.

[MFG38]

45 minutes ago, A.H. Sankhatayan said:

Can we reserve map slots?

 

Reserving map slots is a no-no, mostly because there's no guarantee how many maps the final set will have. I'll edit the OP and update that in the rules.

[Walter confetti]

Cool! There's no playable area size limitations like for the previous session of 3x3, right?

Edited March 30, 2021 by Walter confetti

[Worst]

Reserving map slots would also go against the plan of sorting the maps roughly by difficulty.

[MFG38]

11 minutes ago, Walter confetti said:

There's no playable area size limitations like for the previous session of 3x3, right?

 

There was no playable area size limit in the first 3x3 and there won't be in this one either.

[Walter confetti]

Another question: if someone wants to use a new animated wall or switch, are the frames for said textures (for example, THEFIRE1-5 for animated texture or SW1/2PULS for a switch) are part of the new texture usage limit?

[MFG38]

5 minutes ago, Walter confetti said:

Another question: if someone wants to use a new animated wall or switch, are the frames for said textures (for example, THEFIRE1-5 for animated texture or SW1/2PULS for a switch) are part of the new texture usage limit?

 

Those will be treated as a single texture, and that single texture will count towards the limit.

[AtticTelephone]

Hey, maybe I'll have a chance to finish my unfinished submission. Definitely going to make a map.

[rouge_means_red]

 

Consider myself in

[A.o.D.]

Nevermind, it was an ignorant question.

Edited March 31, 2021 by A.o.D.

[AtticTelephone]

Alright, I finished my first submission. Coastal. This was actually going to be for the first 3x3, but I couldn't finish it before the deadline. It's a pretty short but nice looking map. About 2-3 minutes long.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/1jeffao8y9a8kl8/coastal.wad/file (OLD VERSION)

Edited March 31, 2021 by AtticTelephone

[MFG38]

@AtticTelephone That was a pretty good map. I already liked the unfinished version back when you teased it, and I liked it just as much now. The visuals were pleasing to the eye, and the gameplay was fun with the methodical approach it occasionally forces upon the player, in particular with the Chaingunner swarm right before the teleporter. Couple criticisms, though: first, there's a pretty notable lack of healing items in the map given the amount of hitscanners - some additional stimpacks/medikits would be greatly appreciated, maybe even a secret soulsphere somewhere. Second, the exit could do with being marked more clearly, as its location is pretty unclear unless the player realizes to look right behind them as soon as the map loads. It needs an EXITSIGN indicator at the very least, perhaps even something to highlight the path to it after the player picks up the blue skull. I'm thinking a trail of health/armor bonuses could serve that purpose.

 

Also, if you'd be so kind as to specify the music track and custom sky you used along with their sources, I'd be immensely thankful.

 

Should probably whip up a template for map submissions, now that it crosses my mind...

[AtticTelephone]

16 minutes ago, MFG38 said:

...there's a pretty notable lack of healing items in the map given the amount of hitscanners...

I can make a v2, so yeah, definitely going to add more health, something I always forget.

16 minutes ago, MFG38 said:

...the exit could do with being marked more clearly... ...perhaps even something to highlight the path to it after the player picks up the blue skull.

I tried writing "Return" (go back to start) in linedefs at the end of the sky area, but maybe that's a bit too hard to see. Should probably do those little marker things like in Plutonia MAP11. Also, the blue skull doesn't actually do anything, it just makes it easier to tell what to go towards to lower the wall on the side.

 

The music is what I assume to be from MAP03 from Sunlust, and the sky is from Sunlust MAP31.

Edited March 31, 2021 by AtticTelephone

[MFG38]

1 minute ago, AtticTelephone said:

The music is what I assume to be from MAP03 from Sunlust, and the sky is from Sunlust MAP31.

 

Alrighty, cheers!

 

On that note, the submission template is now a thing - it's in the OP right under the rules.

[AtticTelephone]

Ok, finished a v2.

https://www.mediafire.com/file/2njc4hhqcuyedcp/coastal%282%29.wad/file

Also, I'm just going to fill out the submission template to make your life easier.

 

Map Name: Coastal

Author: AtticTelephone

Build Time: I don't even remember, probably a long time.

Play Time: About 1-3 minutes?

Music: "The Hall of Collosia" from Secret of Evermore

Textures: No custom textures, besides the sky, which is from MAP31 of Sunlust.

Difficulty Settings: I'm not sure whether I implemented difficulty settings or not.

Ports Tested: PRBoom+.

Description: Coastal is a somewhat short and sweet map. A mini-adventure near what seems to be the ocean. The combat is mostly either monsters waiting for you, or monsters suddenly appearing. Gameplay is not exactly the primary aspect of the map, the focus is mostly on the atmosphere and aesthetics. The map was originally made for the original 3x3, it was titled "Going Coastal" (as in reference to the phrase "going postal") and was originally going to have the player fight on a beach. Due to the fact that I didn't really want to make an entire full size beach (and due to the fact that there wouldn't be much to do), I decided to make it a journey across a strange rocky landscape with miniature floating islands and cave systems with ancient passageways carved into them. The name was changed to simply "Coastal", since it was a lot more calmer than I expected, but it still had a sort of coastal feel.

[AtticTelephone]

I'm actually working on a Malum II, it's Malum, but better.

Spoiler

 

 

 

[A.o.D.]

There's no time limit other than the end of April, right? 

 

This is, uh, going to take a while.

[MFG38]

12 hours ago, A.o.D. said:

There's no time limit other than the end of April, right? 

 

This is, uh, going to take a while.

 

Yeah, end of April is the only real time constraint, so you needn't hurry too much with making a map. Just don't make anything excessively extravagant. :P

[Helm]

Hello! This is right up my alley because who needs more than 3 flats and 3 textures and 3 monsters anyway? That's my style of mapping. 

I went ahead and spent a couple of days on this. Tested it in PrBoom+ works fine. Music is Forbidden - Through Eyes of Glass (can't go wrong with busy thrash for Doom). 

I'd love to know if you play it if it works correctly. As this is a map with a lot of railings, I am bound to have forgotten to make some edges impassable here and there, if you spot anything, let me know. 

I know there's 400 monsters on the map but they're 80% imps and you have a rocket launcher, so don't worry. I clocked my runs at around 5 minutes. 

Difficulty is only UV currently, let me know if you'd like me to remove the revenants and immediately it's HMP ready, heh.

I made it and I know how to run it, but I don't think this one's too hard. I always aim to make maps I can finish myself and have fun without saving and reloading, and this is definitely one I can do, and I'm no doom god, so...

Map is called 'Metal2Metal' because it's my favourite texture getting a chance to shine.
 

Map Name: Metal2Metal

Author: Helm

Build Time: About 8 hours

Play Time: 5 minutes

Music: "Through Eyes of Glass" by Forbidden

Textures: No custom textures.

Difficulty Settings: Just UV right now

Ports Tested: PRBoom+, GZDoom

Description: Linear, gotta-go-fast style circuit map with some imp gridlock here and there. Unlock further parts of the map by walking over buttons. Super shotgun, berzerk fist and rocket launcher are the only tools you'll need, not just for this map, but generally, in life. Ammo and health is scarce, you'll have to constantly push forward. Ascend to the death lotus room for a final showdown and then escape into the silent darkness.


https://www.mediafire.com/file/yyoq919dizjwdkq/metal2metal_0.9.wad/file

This was so much fun, I might do another by the deadline.

Edited April 1, 2021 by Helm

[MFG38]

@Helm Great work here! Your map was a joy to both look at and play. Gameplay was delightfully hectic especially in the latter half, and I liked your texture usage. The architecture in the final battle arena is worth a special mention. I'd say the only thing that needs to be improved is the relative lack of health - some extra stimpacks/medikits wouldn't be amiss. That and it's a bit odd to start the player off facing the "wrong" way. I'd swap the places of the player start and the first Demon (right behind the player start), or rotate the player start by 180 degrees at the very least.

 

I also looked through the map in UDB real quick and didn't catch any railings that weren't flagged as impassable.

[Helm]

Thank you for the kind words! I'll add a little bit more health in the end arena, perhaps. I love the start gimmick though, I'll keep it, I think. It tells the player 'this is a hectic map and you are being hunted, keep moving' which, in doom-cruelty parlance is as much of a tutorial as anyone's gonna get, heh

[muumi]

Map Name: myhouse.wad (.wad is part of the name)
Author: muumi

Build Time: 7-8 hours

Play Time: 6-8 minutes depending how long you spend admiring the sector piano 

Music: Let Me Fly by Jimmy

Textures: vanilla textures only, sky from ultimate doom

Difficulty Settings: yes

Ports Tested: prboom+, gzdoom

Description: Theme with spirit of 90's doom maps but with early 2000 execution. World always needs more sector furniture and doom levels with sauna's. There is lots of enemies but they can be dispatched relatively quickly with heavy weaponry.

 

DOWNLOAD

 

Spoiler

 

[ViolentBeetle]

Just out of curiousity - is Pain Elemental considered 2 monsters?

[MFG38]

3 minutes ago, ViolentBeetle said:

Just out of curiousity - is Pain Elemental considered 2 monsters?

 

No, PEs count as one monster.

[Doritos420]

@muumi Very impressive this was very of fun. Couldn't find any secrets though. Good use of sector brightness and I liked the little skull shape outside the house. This would have taken me ages to make.

[rouge_means_red]

Map Name: A Librarian's Nightmare

Author: 7Soul

Build Time: Anothing from 13 to 20 hours, who knows

Play Time: 6~8 minutes

Music: Darkman Level 7 Composed by Jonathan Dunn, Arranged by Samusmmx

Textures: CC4's animated waterfall

Difficulty Settings: No

Ports Tested: GZDoom, PrBoom+

Description: is a map

 

A_Librarians_Nightmare_3x3_7Soul.rar

 

 

Spoiler

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by 7Soul

[ViolentBeetle]

So, just need a clarification before I start planning:

Can I make an entire set of textures custom?

I am allowed to abuse the limit a bit by stitching 2 separate 64x128 textures together?