Map Updates and Jump Testing

[Catoptromancy]

More map updates. 

 

I have been picking out maps that needed texture alignments, small vanilla issues, and jump testing and touching them up. I use chocolate-doom to look for vanilla issues, such as trails, tutti frutti, and such. In lzdoom I also look at texture alignments from mouselook angles, and abuse jumping as much as possible. 

 

No softlocks from jumping is important. Making all windows impassible is also boring. If people are going to jump anyway, might as well make something interesting.

 

These updates are just a little more polish on the maps, hopefully not ones someone already working on. Any of my updates can be replaced if someone doing something else with it. 

 

E1M3 - Align textures in almost every room, adding detail to make them fit better. Lots of crouch jumpable windows are now death pits, impassible, or planned routing.

http://www.geocities.ws/catodemos/freedoom/catoptromancy/2021/phase1/e1m3_005.wad

E1M3 Jump route spoiler:

Spoiler

If you skip lowering platform for blue key to jump straight to exit, you can still open secret exit and have to play entire blue door area backwards. If you get blue key and jump to exit, you can normal exit early. MAPPING: I only made a bar labelled as bluekey in front of exit door that lowers with same switch that lowers blue key platform, and blue door does not need a key if opened from back side. Vanilla players(using no cheats) will not notice a single difference, jumpers have the option of playing half the map backwards entirely.

 

MAP21 Fixed vanilla issues, posting here to not forget.

http://www.geocities.ws/catodemos/freedoom/catoptromancy/2021/map21_002.wad

Edited August 21, 2021 by Catoptromancy

[Catoptromancy]

E2M9 Looks like it was a boom heavy map that was never finished. All the directly boom stuff had already been removed, but lots of traces were still around. Obvious raising bars were tagged, with nothing to raise them, control sectors off map not controlling anything. It also had 6 key doors, that was converted to vanilla. Currently could beat map without playing 2 of the last areas, I probably hastily added an exit years ago. 

 

I had to reroute entire map to make it 3 keys. Jump testing found this a good map for taking jump shortcuts with minimal adjustment. The key and exit setup ensured gameplay was good for vanilla players or jumpers.

 

E2M9: Vanilla polished, jump tested, skill balanced. Play tested -skill 4 to exit, in choco and lzdoom.

http://www.geocities.ws/catodemos/freedoom/catoptromancy/2021/e2m9_c6.wad

 

Much of E2M9 looks really good, cept for the maze and yellow and red key areas near end. I know map was never finished in the first place, and those two areas near end dont really fit with rest of map. They should be remade, I only fix stuff and they are functional so its up for someone else to remake. Keep in mind the exit system was designed so that people that jump down a one-way path still have to eventually go back and collect the yellow and/or red keys. 

Edited August 11, 2021 by Catoptromancy

[Catoptromancy]

So I mangled MAP12 pretty good getting it vanilla compatible. I now have lots of time and will be redoing it entirely. I have learned what works well on this map and think I can save many details. There will be a lot of windows and doors moved or removed, or made smaller and offset. Areas will be basically the same, just shifted. Will need to make sure you cant see through entire map this time. Will also focus on the drawsegs, texture alignment, and general vanilla issues. There are very few jump exploits. Map will be much more finalized after this.