Perpetual Powers [/idgames] - 21-level megawad

[Lorenz0]

Perpetual Powers is a 21-level megawad made for and tested with GZDoom and Zandronum. The wad is split into three distinct episodes, each containing 7 maps - usually short to medium sized ones, with a large one to end the episode. The project is co-op compatible.

 

Download: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/megawads/perpet

 

Screenshots:

 

 

 

 

 

Music credits and guest info:

 

 

01 - Xaser - Angry Science

02 - BJ34 - Demon Hunters

03 - Eris Falling - Autumnal Chills

04 - Jimmy - Ripsaw (guest map by @DMPhobos)

05 - Simon Judd - Industrial

06 - Eris Falling - Thanatos (guest map by @Guardsoul)

07 - John Weekley - Demon Resurged

 

08 - Stewboy - Jade Empire

09 - Deadwing - Groovy

10 - Psyrus - Pyre

11 - Alfonzo - Digging Up Ghosts (guest map by @Misty)

12 - AD_79 - Deathstalker

13 - Stewboy - Web of Steel

14 - Jimmy - Become the Hunted

 

15 - Kyle Dobson - Waves of Intrigue

16 - Stewboy - Grotto

17 - Lewkforce - Survivor’s Guilt

18 - Crunchynut44 - Stomping Grounds

19 - AD_79 - Sludgehammer (guest map by @JustCallMeKaito)

20 - Apostate from The Binding of Isaac

21 - AD_79 - Uneven Structures

 

Intermission - Eris Falling - FFPS - Midnight Motorist

Menu - Eris Falling - Arctic Voyage (intro only)
 

 

 

Additional credits to:

Ukiro for OTEX, Tango for the trees and hanging lights from Supercharge, Captain Toenail for ice stalagmites and stone heads. Insane Gazebo for the M_DOOM logo.

My playtesters: Malefication, FrancisT218, HAK3180.

Edited September 15, 2021 by Lorenz0

[Guardsoul]

Congratulations for the release! Glad to have contributed for this project!

[Misty]

I'm so glad that this project is out! I had lots of fun to contribute, despite of all hardships behind it. Anyway, I hope people will have fun with this project.

[ReaperAA]

Why is everyone posting awesome wads when I can't play them due to being busy.

 

Spoiler

jk. Congrats for the release. Keep 'em coming

 

[RonnieJamesDiner]

Congratulations on the release! Been really looking forward to this one.

[Deadwing]

Holy fuck! Amazing pics!

Congratz for the release @Lorenz0!

Edited June 18, 2021 by Deadwing

[Malefication]

Happy to see it finally released! Some really great levels here!

[DMPhobos]

Congratulations on the release! Im glad i contributed a map and i hope people enjoy the set

[Biodegradable]

WOW! Those are some beautiful screenshots, fam. Congratulations on the release!

[MattFright]

Played only thru the first episode of this, most maps were pretty fun (DMP's contribution was the highlight of the episode for me) and absolutely gorgeous. Just wanted to report two things about the maps though:

 

Random hole in the geometry in MAP03

Spoiler

 

 

And this funny gap in... IIRC MAP05? That you can just barely fit through and get stuck in (possibly more throughout the main arena?)

Spoiler

 

Either way congrats on the release Lorenzo and everyone else that contributed maps to the project, i'm pretty happy that i can just barely run these maps through LZDoom despite my horrible laptop :D

[Firedust]

You've shown notable improvement with every single release so it'd be really interesting to see how this project plays out! Great texturing in the screenies!

[Pirx]

8 hours ago, Lorenz0 said:

 

 

  Hide contents

 

 

 

 

 

those hanging lights are gorgeous.

 

 

8 hours ago, ReaperAA said:

Why is everyone posting awesome wads when I can't play them due to being busy.

 

 

 

i know your pain  ;)

[HAK3180]

The far left red door/switch in Map 11 is untextured. I'm not sure what was going on there.

[Lorenz0]

19 hours ago, HAK3180 said:

The far left red door/switch in Map 11 is untextured. I'm not sure what was going on there.

Could you share a screenshot? I checked all the switches that require a red key and I didn't find any issues.

[HAK3180]

2 hours ago, Lorenz0 said:

Could you share a screenshot?

 

How about this?

 

 

This was a subsequent IDFA run. I tried to do the same route, so I don't know if it's dependent on something else, but yeah. I should also note I did not finish the level, so I can't speak to any potential progression issues.

[Lorenz0]

I have no idea how I missed that, I must have somehow not been paying attention while playtesting this area before release.

 

Well, that's getting fixed for rc2 for sure.

[Lorenz0]

The wad has been updated!

 

Changelog:

MAP03 - fixed a nodebuilder error. Fixed a bug where the platform leading to the soulsphere secret would lower indefinitely in zandronum.

MAP05 - removed the random gap next to the sg

MAP11 - missing switch texture is no longer missing

MAP13 - the crusher trap could softlock you on co-op, so players can now lower the wall, that's locking you in, from the outside. Added more radsuits on co-op as well.

MAP19 - fatal script error that would softlock you in the blood room if you pressed the switch at the wrong time was fixed. The door at the castle entrance which locks you in for the soulsphere trap now opens on a timer instead of requiring a switch, in order to remove a co-op softlock. A lot of the co-op only monsters were removed/changed as well.

MAP21 - first trap on the left path now locks you in for a while, instead of allowing you to back out from the fight. Moved around player starts to make the co-op teleporter more obvious.

[grrfield]

This is not getting the attention that it deserves.

 

[Deadwing]

This is next on my list after Cydonia >.<

[Deadwing]

I'm on map 6 and this set is fantastic! I loved especially maps 3 to 5, where each had very unique visuals and landscapes. I'm not used to GZDoom, so it was the first time playing on it, but the 3D Floors made big difference on these levels, especially 4, which gave me a strong Unreal vibe. 5 also got that eerie feeling with the music and the circular layout that was really cool.

 

The first two are also pretty good, while being easier but without the grinding aspect of this style of maps. But its with map 3 onwards that we get to beefier and multistage setpieces, so action gets more intense!

 

Also loved the visuals and the detailing. This is OTex but it feels nothing like Eviternity, which is great because Perpetual Powers so far has a strong identity. It sucks people isn't paying atention to this. Fuck, I didn't record the playthrough for the first 5 maps, sorry >.< Somehow Windows didn't do it...

Edited July 10, 2021 by Deadwing

[Lorenz0]

@Deadwing

Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.

 

I tried using 3d floors in some interesting ways, though there are quite a few maps that don't have them at all too. Some of them could probably work well in a boom mapset, heh.

[Deadwing]

5 - Great map! It's surpring large for a 20 min map, with lots of non-linearity and exploration, but it was easy to find my way on it. The fighting was easy but on the good side, as main were pretty good.

 

6 - Another awesome map, loved that sleak windows from the screenshots! This times it seems that opposition is getting bigger in numbers, some setpieces were quite challenging. Loved also the central room the neon 3D floors.

 

 

 

[Deadwing]

8 - Really great map that introduces us to a new theme, one that I enjoyed a lot. It's very colourful, alien and beautiful, this sort of twisted mix of trees, temples and red everywhere. The maps begins with an expectation of being just an introduction level, but as you dive in, things get tough quickly and managing your ammo is crucial to stay alive. The MIDI is also awesome and fits really well with the theme.

 

9 - The map with the best MIDI! :D haha, just kidding! Still another great map, with some non-linearity and exploration outdoors to find the first two keys, and then the finale with the last key that is an awesome orchestrated setpiece (quite difficult and tricky one too). I'm loving these micro-slaughter setpieces that is constantly challenging you with target priority and finding enough space to stay alive.

 

(the video should be available soon :D)

 

 

[HAK3180]

@Deadwing, I definitely mentioned to Lorenz0 at one point several months ago that some of the maps reminded me of your stuff. Not surprised you're loving this release. At some point I gotta play through it all myself, but I've also liked what I've seen.

[Lorenz0]

@Deadwing

I'm not sure if you were looking for that at the end of map08, but you actually can go back from the final area to explore the rest of the map. A few steps appear, though they might blend in with the wall behind them. Also fun fact; this was the last map completed for the project.

 

As HAK said, map09 was quite Deadwing-inspired, even excluding the midi. I think I made it soon-ish after playing Exomoon, along with the cave section in map12. I'm glad you liked it!

Btw I'm impressed you figured out that secret where you have to walk on bushes, it's one of the weirder ones in the wad :D

 

Also the audio got really messed up from 17 minute onwards, what's up with that? :(

[Deadwing]

Oh, I see, I was trying to get back indeed lol looks like I didn't explore enough >.<

 

I also got surprised that I was able to find the way to the switch haha I think what's helped was that the switch was quite visible and in the previous map, a similar approach (walking over bushes) was used to reach some health bonus.

 

Also, it's really cool to see Exomoon helped as an inspiration for map 09 :D Thanks a lot, this set has been fantastic so far!

 

[Deadwing]

10: Another fantastic map with the hardest setpieces so far. I love how orchestrated and well planned they are, making the action be more intense than it already was.

The setting was also diferent from the previous maps, while retaining the episodic theme, which was nice. This time we have a more city-oriented approach with some really beautiful indoors and outdoors landscapes.

 

 

[Firedust]

I beat the first episode and a half. Great stuff although I feel you were going through some sort of an identity crisis over the course of mapping this megawad. Some levels are setpiece heavy, and then all of a sudden you get a map which is pretty much all incidental encounters (penultimate map of the first episode iirc). Was that a conscious decision?

[Not Jabba]

4 minutes ago, Firedust said:

(penultimate map of the first episode iirc)

There were four guest maps, including this one, which may clear up much of what you're experiencing. It's kinda snuck in, but if you go to the music listings in the OP, you can see which maps were guest maps.

[Firedust]

25 minutes ago, Not Jabba said:

There were four guest maps, including this one, which may clear up much of what you're experiencing. It's kinda snuck in, but if you go to the music listings in the OP, you can see which maps were guest maps.

Oh, silly me! Thanks for clearing that up. Now it all makes sense.