Azazel's Second Descent - Beta1.5 - 32 map one man mega wad

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

Azazel's Second Descent is a full, 32 map megawad. This is a one-man megawad and all maps were made by me. I have completed all 32 maps and would like to get your feedback on them. I would categorize the maps as slaughter-lite, meaning it is not full-on slaughter but you might face a horde or two, especially the farther into the wad you go.  The WAD is broken down into six 5-map episodes. This is still in beta and changes will be made based on feedback from the community. There are 4 new monster types and 2 bosses added. Difficulty settings are now implemented for all maps. 

 

How I implemented the difficulty settings in general is: 

HMP has the same monster count as UV but with more resources
HNTR and ITYTD have reduced monster counts and different enemy placements, along with more resources 

 

Please let me know if your difficulty setting seems appropriate as it is hard to balance. All maps are balanced around pistol starts.

 

When I started this project I had only created and published one map. Needless to say, there was quite a lot to learn. I made many mistakes, from changing texture packs a quarter of the way through, to scraping the whole blood chapter. This is the most effort and time I think I have ever put into one thing in my life and I hope it shows. ASD is a passion project in every sense. I would categorize it as slaughter-lite with classic gameplay. It looks and plays like any other classic wad. The reason it is in GZDoom is because when I started, I did not know any of the differences between the source ports and formats.
 

Known Bugs:

I will try and update the wad every Friday with bug fixes.

 

Beta 1.5

Map 14

- added more ammo to the 2 side caves

- changed the timing of the baron side fight.

map 32

 - fixed some missing textures

map 17

- changed a bit of geometry around 

- fixed the lifts were not set to repeatable

 map 18

- fixed crusher secret 

- moved some geometry around the yellow key room

- added monster blocking line deffs to some pillars 

- fixed some missing textures

- fixed an archvile spawn

- removed some health from the final fight

map 19

- fixed some monster spawning in at the wrong time 

-fixed the cyber getting stuck and not teleporting

map 20

- fixed a soft lock

-fixed a fight you can trigger early

map 21

- fixed soft lock by the blue armor secret

- fixed missing damaging floors

- fixed missing textures

 map 22

- added more rad suit to nukage pit

- rebalanced a few fights

 

 

IDgames link to the finished project.

https://www.gamers.org/pub/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/megawads/azazeldescen.zip

 

Finished project Doom World Link

 

 

Information:
Source ports tested: GZDoom

IWAD: Doom II 

Difficulty setting: Yes

Freelook: Optional 

Jump/crouch: Disabled

Single-player only

 

Big thanks to Terminus, Johnsuitepee, Jukeboxin, Thingy, Murderous Mashed Potatos and FrancisT218 for playtesting the maps.

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by Bloodbath Giraffe
update

[FrancisT218]

Shots look great! The secret map is quite the treat of a bonus too :)

[Terminus]

Congrats on the public beta!

I'm glad I could help with the playtesting. This mapset is great, both in visuals and gameplay. There's always a lot to explore and the combat doesn't leave you dry for a second.

 

Best of luck with the rest of this!

[evil_scientist]

Working my way through the first episode and I really dig the "jungle cave" theme!

 

Also, at one point I died and just lay there for 30 seconds, watching two infighting Lost Souls duking it out, it was very funny :D 

[Helm]

Hi! I like your stuff! Here's a video going through maps 1-4 on UV, pistol starts. Lots of thoughts small and medium (no big thoughts on this beta, as it's quite good!) that may or may not amuse or be useful. I hope more people pay attention to this set, it's well made and has its own character.
 

 

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

Thanks for the feed back it was very helpful. The background and level names are just a placeholder mostly. I'm glad you enjoyed the playthrough and had fun. I have the layout for the first 25 maps just have to do everything else.

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

I am happy to announce that the next episode is ready. I am releasing 5 new maps today. Episode 3 is the final episode of the first chapter and marks the half way point of the megawad. I have also made a few bug and game play changes to the previous levels. The plasma rifle has a new sound. Looking forward to see what your though are on the new maps!

[Astro X]

Just played thru maps 01 and 02 :)

 

I think your work deserves more attention than it's been getting. Very good stuff!

 

 

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Astro X

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

I’m glad you enjoyed the first two maps. Thanks  for posting your play through. 

[Bri]

I've only played the first 3 maps but I love what I see so far. I second that you deserve more attention. I can see you've put a lot of work into this and it's good stuff. It gets quite tricky/tough (just how I like it :P), mainly thanks to the good Archville placement that puts the pressure on. :P But all-in-all it looks good and plays good!

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

Hey I’m glad you liked the first 3 levels. Hope to get your feed back on the next levels 

Edited August 27, 2021 by Bloodbath Giraffe
Spelling

[Bri]

Played episode 2 and loved it! I loved the challenge in those. They feel like veteran-made levels and can be pretty brutal, which may turn some people off, but that's not a problem if that's what you're going for. You're very talented and you've got a good knack for making hard engaging fights where you need skill to survive. I enjoyed working out these levels and beating them. I may post some videos if I can not fuck up while recording. :P

 

I would love it if this was compatible across different ports though (dsda, Prboom+), but not a big deal because I understand a lot would need reworking for that.

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

I’m glad you enjoyed episode 2 and hope you can get your videos working. I only made one map before I started this projects so I’m still pretty new to map making. I would eventually like to get it to work on different spire ports, but I I’m still learning how things work. 

[dei_eldren]

Gorgeous maps, and playing i was thinking this is the first WAD that resembles Eviternity that i've seen.  Got too difficult for me on MAP02 (one death in MAP01), with the second Arch-Vile, so i look forward to playing this someday when difficulty settings are implemented.  Other than that i thought the gameplay was great, too.

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

20 hours ago, dei_eldren said:

Gorgeous maps, and playing i was thinking this is the first WAD that resembles Eviternity that i've seen.  Got too difficult for me on MAP02 (one death in MAP01), with the second Arch-Vile, so i look forward to playing this someday when difficulty settings are implemented.  Other than that i thought the gameplay was great, too.

thanks for playing and the plan is to compleat all the maps on about uv difficulty. Then based on feed back implement the other difficulty’s. Also thanks for comparing it to Eviternity that a very good looking map set and I hope to get to that level of detail and map layout someday. 

[Suitepee]

https://youtu.be/iKJRX01P0vI = maps 16-19 playthrough starts at around 40:55. (was asked to playtest those maps by the OP)

 

Ouch. Fun overall, but took me a bit to get used to the difficulty and those teleporting Archons.

Edited December 13, 2021 by Suitepee

[eharper256]

Got around to checking this out with Walpurgis. As others have said, it has a pretty brutal difficulty for most casual doomers; but the environments and texturing are absolutely top notch work. The challenge currently in Map 2 should probably be just shy of the peak you reach when you get around to when doing difficulty levels for HNTR.

 

Still, I look forwards to the full release!

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

I am happy to announce that the next 5 maps are ready. I am releasing the first 5  maps of chapter 2. Episode 4 is the first episode of chapter two which will be themed around 3 different liquid types (blood, nukage and lava). I have also made a few bug and game play changes to the previous levels. I took the two "secret" levels out because they will be released in the next map dump. I'm hopping the next 5 maps wont take as long to release, because two of them are already done. Looking forward to see what your though are on the new maps!

[Bytefyre]

Hi there!  I didn't see this in the initial post, but what format is the WAD in?  Is it Boom-compatible, UDMF, or something else?

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

2 hours ago, Bytefyre said:

Hi there!  I didn't see this in the initial post, but what format is the WAD in?  Is it Boom-compatible, UDMF, or something else?

 

it is for GZdoom only 

[TheCyberDruid]

Really cool start so far (maps 1-3). Map 3 should be called 'Night of the sniping chaingunner' ;) The fights are tough, but I like how supplies are plentyful and there's always cover. The amount of archviles so far is concerning though. The design and choice of textures is great.

 

Edit: On map 4 an arachnotron got stuck in the wall on GZDoom 4.7.1 after teleporting in.

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by TheCyberDruid

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

Glad your enjoying the wad so far. Thanks for finding the stuck arachnotron. I agree map 3 has to many hit scan I need to go back and review the placements. 
 

7 hours ago, TheCyberDruid said:

Really cool start so far (maps 1-3). Map 3 should be called 'Night of the sniping chaingunner' ;) The fights are tough, but I like how supplies are plentyful and there's always cover. The amount of archviles so far is concerning though. The design and choice of textures is great.

 

Edit: On map 4 a arachnotron got stuck in the wall on GZDoom 4.7.1 after teleporting in.

 

 

[adamadam]

I was playing this wad today, really like the visuals, and the fights are not crazy difficult.  On map 5 I was having issues in the red keycard room

Spoiler

the wall never opened up with the archvile behind it & switch to teleport out, I'm not sure what the trigger is to open that little area.  Then after clipping cheat to get out of the room, pressing the red & yellow switches in the center, nothing happened - I'm guessing stairs raise up to take me towards the exit.  I began with gzdoom 4.5.0, saw the new version 4.7.1, both are not letting me out of the red keycard room without clipping cheat.  I play on I believe just all default gzdoom settings

 

Edited May 7, 2022 by adamadam

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

1 hour ago, adamadam said:

I was playing this wad today, really like the visuals, and the fights are not crazy difficult.  On map 5 I was having issues in the red keycard room

  Hide contents

the wall never opened up with the archvile behind it & switch to teleport out, I'm not sure what the trigger is to open that little area.  Then after clipping cheat to get out of the room, pressing the red & yellow switches in the center, nothing happened - I'm guessing stairs raise up to take me towards the exit.  I began with gzdoom 4.5.0, saw the new version 4.7.1, both are not letting me out of the red keycard room without clipping cheat.  I play on I believe just all default gzdoom settings

 

 

Im sorry I'm not sure why it is doing that. On the current build it works as intended. I have redesigned that wall that should lower so it more obvious on where to go for progression. I am glad your enjoying it and hope you like the next few levels after map 6 the WAD really takes off. I hope to get a patched version out sometime next week to fix a few of the bugs people have been finding.

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

I am glad to announce Azazels Second Decent is now in full beta. The wad now contains all 32 maps which were all made by me. Please let me know if you find any problems so i can fix them in a timely matter. I still plan on adding a few more details to a few levels but the game play is done. I plane to have it in beta for a month or two then fully release it to the world. Thanks for downloading and hope you find it enjoyable.

[Firedust]

Played the first two maps, seemed very solid stuff. Will probably complete over the course of a week or two. If I find any bugs, I'll let you know.

[Terminus]

Proud of you for finishing the whole thing. It truly does take dedication.

This is an extremely solid megawad, glad to have been an early tester for this! Keep up the great work :)

[Red Recluse]

Hell fire wad in slaughterfest 3 style something like Gridlock and Death in Excess wads.   

[Bloodbath Giraffe]

2 hours ago, Terminus said:

Proud of you for finishing the whole thing. It truly does take dedication.

This is an extremely solid megawad, glad to have been an early tester for this! Keep up the great work :)

 

Thanks man you play testing gave me lots of motivation to continue and see this project to the finish. 

[Firedust]

In map 3, you can actually leave the blue key trap before anything happens and the player will be unable to get 100% kills. That's what happened to me. I ran to the central hub as soon as I grabbed it because I knew the monsters would get resurrected but the rocky floor raised and they are all stuck there now. Also, there's a hom on that floor that raises in that trap. And why is there so much plasma ammo despite there being no plasma rifle? I got both secrets but it wasn't in any of them...

 

There's also one archvile that never spawns in and what's odd is that it doesn't appear anywhere on the map. Playing on UV in GZDoom 4.7.1.

 

EDIT: Map 4's name is misspelled on the automap as "Caves of Madnes"

Edited August 2, 2022 by Firedust