Interzone - (limit removing vanilla - Doom2 textures only)

[jariditumim]

Title: Interzone.wad  
Map Format: Doom 2 (limit removing)
Ports Tested: GZDoom (Doom strict compatibility)
IWAD: Doom 2
Map: MAP01
Gameplay: Single play
Difficulty Settings: Yes
Multiplayer Placement: No 
Requirements: None
Par (UV Max): 30 min

My first creation that resembles conventional map, setpiece-oriented. Please enjoy and share feedback.

Old version (gzdoom only) Interzone.rar
Latest version (limit removing vanilla) InterzoneV5

Edited December 27, 2021 by jariditumim
update

[Crock Wilson]

I've been playing this through crispy and I noticed that there are a bunch of stuck enemies. It looks like they're stuck inside the hanging corpses. 

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

[jariditumim]

Interesting, GZDoom has no problem with this.

Fixed version: Interzone v2 <- removed hanging corpses.

Interzone v2.zip

[Crock Wilson]

I played it for a while through crispy and I believe that you just cannot complete it through crispy. I opened it in gzdoom and ran through to check if crispy was the problem, and whaddaya know. The map just doesn't work in crispy. I thought you just made a busted map for a while, but it works fine in gzdoom.

 

Visuals: You did a really great job with visuals. Especially considering it's all doom 2 textures this map looks fantastic. Much better than anything I could ever do.

 

Progression: Here is where your map struggles. I got really confused with what certain switches did and I still don't know what triggers what. You should replace all of the computer looking things with regular switch textures because that had me really confused. I found out you could press them by wall humping. It is good that you stayed consistent with them, but I still would prefer normal looking switches.

This map is filled to the brim with setpieces. I really love them for the most part, but the over abundance of them hurt the experience for me. After I had gone through enough of them I started to lose myself in the map and completely forget which switches I had already pressed. Once I figured it all out it is a really awesome map, but it took me way too long to figure it out. 

 

Combat: You did a pretty good job with the combat. I'm not a big fan of the timed sections (I think they're timed I can't really tell with some of them). Timed sections can be done well, but there's just no feedback for some of them. The one in the sewer was executed pretty well because I could see the nukage draining (freaking awesome) and that showed me that the switches I was pressing actually did something. It did last a little longer than I think is necessary, but yeah I did think that was awesome. 

This map is pretty hitscanner heavy and that started to get on my nerves. If I took the time to remember where they were it would be a non-issue, but for the first few times playing it you will get wrecked by them.

 

I think this map has a lot of potential to be great. There's a lot of great ideas here and you're clearly talented when it comes to making stuff look good. The setpieces are awesome, but I think there are enough of them to be split up into multiple maps. 

In order to make it more enjoyable, you need to make it more clear to the player what they need to do and what they are currently doing. For example, after draining the nukage I had no idea what to do because I had no clue there was a lift all the way in that back corner where the pinkies came from. Moving that lift to a more visible area or putting health next to it would make a big difference. In addition to moving the lift, advertising the switch that the lift brings you to would make an even bigger difference.

I hope I was able to explain my thoughts well. I'm looking forward to your next map, especially if you take these criticisms into consideration.

[P41R47]

GZDoom (Doom Strict) its not a testing mode at all.

IF you made a limit removing mapset, you need to test it on a limit removing port, other, than GZDoom cause it changed soo much the behaviour of the original game, and how maps are handled, that no matter how good it plays there, it will probably not be working properly on other ports, even when they are limit removing.
A few months back, a guy made a really good limit removing megawad but only tested it on GZDoom, and unfortunatelly, he discover that it only was playable on GZDoom because there are things on GZDoom that let you go while making the maps, but vanilla/limit removing behaviour not.

 

So, @jariditumim please, if you can, test your maps on crispy doom, as it is the way to go limit removing port.

If you are new to using Crispy Doom, here is a way to set up your map to test it:

1-create a .txt file (a simple notepad file) on the same folder where crispy doom is, the iwad is and your map. 
2-copy the following code onto the .txt file, close, and save the changes:

@echo off
start crispy-doom.exe -iwad doom2.wad -file (name of your wad).wad
exit

3-select the .txt file and change the file extension from .txt to .bat
4-done!

Now double click on the .bat file and you will be playing your own wad. :)

You can edit the .bat file simple by right-clicking on it and selecting ''edit''.

Hope you understand that this is not critiscism at all, and i only want to help you deliver your map to be playale by all the people possible as not all use GZDoom or a zdoom base port.

if you need something else with crispy doom, just ask ;)

Edited April 24, 2021 by P41R47

[Doomkid]

The hanging corpse decorations have two variants, blocking (impassable) and non-blocking. You can reimplement the corpses if you like, just be sure to use the non-blocking variant. Architecture and texturing here looks really nice by the way!

[jariditumim]

Thank you very much for feedback. I've reworked the map taking your advices into concideration. 

- nukage and piping theme removed (the Caco / Lost Soul arena will be used in another map) 
- two new rooms, now it's much easier to navigate through map and progression shouldn't be so obscure, I hope.
- 93 less enemies (including lost souls)
- Tested in CrispyDoom.

- Computer panels are always interactive. This might be confusing for someone but for me they are switches, probably because as a kid I knew only Doom2. They are used only in Chasm but, always as switches.

InterzoneV2.zip

[FireWarden1000]

I tested Interzone InterzoneV2.wad with PrBoom-Plus on Hurt Me Plenty, I was unable to complete this map. The starting area, you have to avoid missiles while several enemies are attacking you in the hallways. Finding weapons will require you to survive monster traps which are well placed. The map would be better with more health, armor, and ammo. You find the weapon, then you will use half your ammo, and lose half your health surviving the ambushes. The next room, this is where you run out of ammo, and health. There is a room where you have to take rocket damage, and chaingun damage at the same time. The room after, you have to avoid rockets, fireballs, and green energy attacks until the door opens. After the door opens, and you press a switch, more monsters will ambush you. Add a plasma gun, and energy ammo to the starting area to decrease the difficulty of the map.

[jariditumim]

Latest, probably final version. 

• Archvile arena reworked - less archviles - less tedious
• More rockets dispersed throughout the level
• Final arena widened which makes it less random
• Number of monsters slightly reduced
• Exit reworked ... idea comes from Kama Sutra map 13

InterzoneV5.zip

[jariditumim]

I revisited this map for decino's viewer submissions.

• Cosmetic changes.
• One secret added.
• Some fights slightely modified.
• Cyberdemon can no longer rocket you in the back when he teleports.
• Automap cleanup. Lines you're not supposed to see are now hidden.

InterzoneV10.zip

[Nembras]

Just saw decino playing this map, and it looks really, really good. I'm gonna play it in a year or so, in order to be able to play it somewhat blind.

 

Also kudos for removing superfluous lines from the automap. One of my pet peeves is maps that are rendered useless by line clutter.