My first ever doom map "The Deep Labs"

[Doomax]

Hello Everyone!  I am completely new to doom mapping.  I made this map as a way to learn how to use the editor (Ultimate Doom Builder).

 

This is a single Doom2 map, and it's taken me just over a week to make (although I did stay up late).  I've only ran it in GZdoom with vertical mouse look on, and no jump or crouch (though I don't think jump and crouch will break the level, and you can probably do it all without vertical mouse look).

 

It's an underground tech base built into a cave system with very deep secrets.  Almost half of the level is hidden behind the secret blue door.

 

The main path of the map is not too difficult, about the same as Kneed Deep in the Dead, but the secret parts are much harder.  I wouldn't recomend playing through the secret areas on Ultra Violence in a first play through.

 

Honestly I have no idea what I'm doing, so I don't know if it's compatible with older source ports etc. and there may well be technical mistakes.

 

I'd love to get feedback of all kinds.

TheDeepLabs.7z

Edited August 12, 2021 by Doomax

[hakros]

Hi !
I've just played it and it's quite nice. 
Good work !

[Doomax]

Thank you hakros.  Did you go though the secret blue and red doors, or did you just do the main path?

[Worriedidiot]

I played your map.

This is some impressive stuff. It feels like something a very experienced mapper would make.

But, sadly, I didn't find the secret paths, so I can't really comment on them.

[Doomax]

That's a great thing to hear.  Thank you for playing my map!

 

If no one can find the blue key then I'll probably make a post explaining how to find it.

[hakros]

I didn't find all secrets paths either, i will try again tomorrow !

["JL" was too short]

This looks seriously good/effort-ful for a first ever Doom map!  Congratulations, and I hope you keep mapping <3

[dmdr]

am I the first to find the secrets? It's not too hard to find as long as you find the computer area map

 

anyway yeah cool level. The level looked great and in particular, the lighting was amazing! The red key area was a bit of a let down though, just one cybie c'mon you can do better than that, the blue key area was way nastier. Speaking of which, the green marble area was a bit too easy to cheese once you know what's gonna happen. OK, I'm being critical but I'm honestly pretty impressed with this (and the other first maps ever we've been getting recently too).

 

ANYWAY I checked and this level is not compatible with non-ZDoom source ports (the room before the berserk distends in such a way to make the map completely impassible). If you're interested in compatibility, please read this post I posted, and this useful thread on the subject. Or don't if you aren't, there's nothing wrong with making ZDoom exclusive stuff if that's what you wanna do.

Edited August 10, 2021 by dmdr

[Biodegradable]

Holy shit, this map rules. Overwhelmingly underestimated yourself, Doomax. This is some terrific work. The amount of detail and craftsmanship on display, a solid understanding of combat mechanics, monster closets, cheeky secrets and nasty ambushes, you've clearly done your homework. I'm gonna have to give it another spin later on to try and unlock the other area I couldn't figure out how to get to the secret blue door. I did find the key though, which was fun by itself. I fucking love this map. :^D

 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Biodegradable

[Murdoch]

First impressions based on the screenshots is this is a pretty damned stellar effort for a first time author. As my esteemed colleague, friend and future collaborator in my world domination plot @Biodegradable said, you have done your homework.

Edited August 10, 2021 by Murdoch

[Murdoch]

OK some notes...

 

There are some minor texturing issues in the computer area just after the first hallway that opens up after the yellow key switch. One texture is cut off on the right and looks a bit awkward, and others on both sides look fractionally misaligned vertically but that might be a rendering quirk. See shot one.

 

Shot two is to the left of the first main room. Not really sure the wood and metal texture quite works here. Seems at odds with the rest of the theming?

 

That's it. Two minor notes. An extraordinary result for a first time author over one week. Fun to play through. If this was part of a map pack, I would keep going for sure. I liked the nice touches of fleshy textures, like Hell is slowly corrupting the base.

 

You should be proud. Really well done.

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Murdoch

[Doomax]

Wow there's a lot to reply to!

 

dmdr:

Look like you're the first to make it into the secret parts!  Feedback on the harder monster encounters in there is valuble to me, that's the sort of thing I need to get a lot better at.  I'll have a look at the compatibility thing that you mentioned.  Although I'm not too sure if I'm really worried about it.  My end goal is to make a stand alone game anyway, so at this point my priority is just to learn the tools and design skills.

 

Biodegradable:

Man I had a great time watching your playthough!  The blue door is meant to be something you find easily and the blue key is meant to be hard!  I can't believe you were able to grab that box of shells through the bars at the begining!!  I'll need to fix that.  That box was meant to be a clue that there is a secret there, and that secret is meant to reveal the blue door to you lol.

Wow there's a lot to reply to!

 

dmdr:

Look like you're the first to make it into the secret parts!  Feedback on the harder monster encounters in there is valuble to me, that's the sort of thing I need to get a lot better at.  I'll have a look at the compatibility thing that you mentioned.  Although I'm not too sure if I'm really worried about it.  My end goal is to make a stand alone game anyway, so at this point my priority is just to learn the tools and design skills.

 

Biodegradable:

Man I had a great time watching your playthough!  The blue door is meant to be something you find easily and the blue key is meant to be hard!  I can't believe you were able to grab that box of shells through the bars at the begining!!  I'll need to fix that.  That box was meant to be a clue that there is a secret there, and that secret is meant to reveal the blue door to you lol.

 

Murdoch:

Thanks for your feedback here, I might change the wood texture.

 

By the way, about the yellow door.  Originally I wanted it to just be a switch that required the yellow key, but I couldn't work out how to do that so I just put the switch behind a yellow door. >_>

[Murdoch]

12 minutes ago, Doomax said:

I can't believe you were able to grab that box of shells through the bars at the begining!!

 

Heh, I did the same. It's an old trick taking advantage of Doom's sometimes ropey nature. If it's a two sided blocking linedef you can often reach items on the other side if you get the angle and momentum right. Same thing if the item is on a platform slightly too high for you to actually move up onto but is still within range of the position checking code in the item pickup function.

 

12 minutes ago, Doomax said:

By the way, about the yellow door.  Originally I wanted it to just be a switch that required the yellow key, but I couldn't work out how to do that so I just put the switch behind a yellow door. >_>

 

I did wonder about that. Set your switch's action to 137 - S1 Door (Yellow) Open Stay. Use the existing sector tag. That should - I think - do it. I have not seriously edited in about 20 years though but pretty sure that's right.

Edited August 10, 2021 by Murdoch

[Omniarch]

Just finished a preliminary run of the map now, and found it to be very impressive! In particular, the high-contrast lighting in this map is legitimately one of the most striking examples of such I've seen in months. The texture work in general is also surprsingly strong for a first map, and the layout compliments both it and the lighting.

 

I don't have much to add in terms of criticism, just wanted to highlight what I found to be most impressive about the map. As a connoissuer of moody, decomposed techbases, I look forward to seeing more from you!

[DynamiteKaitorn]

A fairly well detailed albeit confusing first map.

The use of lighting to create somewhat realistic shadows is fantastic and really contrasts the light and dark areas well!

However... the map IMO is a bit too dark as it made navigation a pain in the backside. maybe add some occasional torches here and there to add a small amount of extra light.

 

Difficulty is very well balanced for HMP difficulty as you're never hurting for resources but the enemies to pose some threat. well done! :)

 

Also just as a heads up for anyone who tests this with other engines besides GZDooM, you may not be able to finish the map as after getting to the exit door room with imps, I couldn't find any way to continue onwards (engine used: WooF 6.1).

[Nootrac4571]

Played on UV, 100% kills, 9/10 secrets

 

Excellent map - looks lovely, and I very much enjoyed hunting for the secrets. Pretty relaxed iwad-style combat along the main path, but as promised the secret route had a bit more spice. Definitely wouldn't trouble the top tier of players, mind, but was pitched pretty nicely for me.

 

Secrets were top notch. Got a bit hung up on the blue key because

Despite shooting literally every wall in the whole map that looked a bit suspicious, it took an embarrassing age for my idiot brain to consider shooting the unreachable switch. It's the most obvious thing to try, so that's my fault rather than the map's.

 

Never found the last secret though. Someone above mentions

A computer area map, which I never saw. I guess that's the one I missed then? Would have made finding the other 9 secrets much easier, but to be honest I enjoyed hunting for them without it.

 

The secret route was a fun ramp up in difficulty - although the final encounter was maybe a little underwhelming?

The teaser window into the final area promises you a BFG, so you know there's something scary waiting for you, then... it's just a single Cyberdemon in a fairly roomy space with a bazillion health powerups. Far less of a problem than the Archviles in tight dark spaces beforehand.

 

Although maybe he's supposed to be easy to beat, and you were going for a cathartic power-trip ending? In which case actually yeah, I enjoyed blasting him.

 

Anyway, great map, and especially impressive if it's your first one. Please make more!

[Doomax]

I couldn't reply before because I had apparentely reached the limit of how many posts I could make in a day after just three posts!  So I'd better make the most of this one.

 

I'm happy to hear that people like the shdaows.  I Kept having to change the shape of ceilings because the light up there is the same as on the floor, it was hard to make the light make sence on the ceiling too.  I do worry that some sections are too dark and I did add some extra torches at the end, such as the one in the second screen shot I posted.  I could probably squeeze a couple more like that in through the map in some of the darkest areas.

 

Nootrac4571:

I'm happy to hear you liked the difficulty balance.  I don't think I have any interest in trying to make the most super hardcore difficult maps.

So you missed the computer area map but still managed the find everything else.  That's great news.  I'm always torn about the computer map, I think it can kind of ruin the fun of exploring for yourself.

Spoiler

At least two people have said the final Cyberdemon is underwhelming.  This is good information.  For me personally, I'm not the most skilled doomer and a Cyberdemon in a room that size is a very real threat.  I might try and re-work the room.  Or maybe I'll just move on and make a new map.

 

 

dmdr said: "the green marble area was a bit too easy to cheese once you know what's gonna happen."

 

This bothers me.  Can anyone make any suggestions about this?  I want an encounter to be possible on a players first blind attempt, but if an encounter is based on a suprise, how do you make it non-trivial once the player knows what will happen?  A supprise only works once.

 

Alternativly, if you design an encounter to be difficult even when the player knows it well, it seems like no one will have a chance on the first attempt, which I don't like.  The worst case I can think of, has the player turn up, die to some BS, then re-load and easily avoid it because they know it's coming.  In that situation, they had 2 attempts at the encounter and neither of them were interesting for them.

 

Mr dmdr, is that what happend to you in the green marble area?

[ElPadrecitoCholo]

TheDeepLabs

 

Ultra-violence || Zandronum || Default

 

Status:

Deaths → 0

Saves → none

 

 

 

A really interesting and very entertaining Wad, the space to fight in each corner is really great, it really surprises me how fresh it feels to have such basic structures and architecture but well placed in each corner to make this map a good proposal for a trip through internal sites such as an underground Hangar, or see installations in caves, things that really catch my attention, apart from that, there is a remarkable variety here, from the initial area with that huge cross, to the area secret full of toxic soils and also a huge area where there is lava and rocky structure, without a doubt, this Wad has a lot of what can be seen in Doom 1, and that really has delighted me without a doubt. The other thing to highlight is the combat, since here the fights if they become extremely intense at all times, so there is not much time to think and only act instantly, and it gets worse in the secret area after crossing. the blue door, there are enemies that do leave the player with enough concern, and even more that there is no escape from those combat areas, but that in the same way they turned out to be very intense and entertaining. Great job on this map, and I'll be looking forward to new things that you get to bring here, buddy, heh.

[CHAINMAIL]

Just beat it, really impressive first map! Can't wait to see what you do next. I like what you did with the aesthetics, it's quite pleasing to look at. The realistic shadowing is quite lovely. I like what you did with the backlit imps against the scrolling red faces at the end as well, very dark and moody. The mix of natural rocky cave type areas with tech base areas is also a good blend.

 

I couldn't find the blue key but I also didn't spend terribly long on it. I might try again later! I like how you give the player the option to beat it without it, and give more content to enjoy for the die hards.

 

My only complaints are that I was a tad bummed that getting the blue armor in the upper right area didn't trigger a secret. It took me several tries to figure it out so once I did it felt a little underwhelming. Also while I love all the details, in some places it's easy to get caught in little corners. Mostly in the same area the blue armor is. Really nitpicky stuff here though :)

 

Awesome work!

[Esperpento]

Just finished it, UV 100% kills 7/10 secrets.

 

Great work!! I really liked it. Impressive detail and lighting. I'm not a fan of vanilla textures tech bases but you managed to make it look really good. I like maps with a sense of exploration and secret hunting, you nailed both. Loved the secret key doors, it's a mechanic present in OG Doom that I didn't find too much in pwads. The combat is fun, in the secret areas is harder but it remains a fair challenge nonetheless. The archies surprised me in all the encounters!

 

My only suggestion it's about the music, I believe some dark ambient sounds would go great with this map (something like Dimension of the Boomed/Quake).

 

Looking forward to your future releases!

[Doomax]

ElPadrecitoCholo:

Wow!  I can't believe how well you managed the green room.  You played it better than I do and I know where all the monsters are.  Your decision making is so fast!  Are you considered to be a top level doom player or does everyone round here play like that?  Anyway I'm glad you liked it.  I'm probably going to make a Heretic map next I think.

 

CHAINMAIL:

I thought about making the blue armor a secret, but the fact that it's in the middle of the room in plain sight to me meant that the armor can't be a secret.  I've reconsidered now though and made it a secret.  Also, the secret count is getting kinda high, but it meh, it is what it is.

You're right about getting caught on stuff in that area, but the combat is easy in there so I'm not too worried about it.

 

Esperpento:

Man I have no idea how to change the music.  I couldn't change the "Par time" either.  Good luck finishing the map in 30 seconds lol.  I guess you need to use dhacked or something?

[Clippy]

@Biodegradable brought this map to my attention and I'm glad he did. I found all but one secret - then watched Bio's video to see where the map was lol that would have helped!!

 

This map was fantastic - especially for a first outing. I loved it. I'm very much into secrets and loved to explore this one. I was totally blown away by that blue key room - the best room in the map and maybe not everyone will find it. I love these kind of secrets - you put a lot of effort into a mysterious area but that's part of the allure. Oh man we seem to be quite like minded here - your concepts and design really felt in sync with the way I think of stuff - if that makes any sense

 

Lots of fun - the  public areas of the map weren't that hard to be honest but I am really intrigued how the blue key area turned up the volume - it was like unlocking a new difficulty. It was a blast to be rewarded with epic challenges in hidden areas like Indiana Jones or somethin

 

Here is my video anyway first attempt good times - I'll be watching for more maps!

 

 

[kalensar]

BABAAHAHAHAHAH. That was awesome. I still didnt beat it on HMP. I died to the Rocket Launcher trap. Backpedaled straight into the main part of that trap of Imps, escaped from the imps and died to my own dang rocket on a wall. 

 

Excellent map there dude. I found the blue door!. 

[HalfLife9000]

On 8/9/2021 at 12:08 PM, Doomax said:

Hello Everyone!  I am completely new to doom mapping.  I made this map as a way to learn how to use the editor (Ultimate Doom Builder).

 

This is a single Doom2 map, and it's taken me just over a week to make (although I did stay up late).  I've only ran it in GZdoom with vertical mouse look on, and no jump or crouch (though I don't think jump and crouch will break the level, and you can probably do it all without vertical mouse look).

 

It's an underground tech base built into a cave system with very deep secrets.  Almost half of the level is hidden behind the secret blue door.

 

The main path of the map is not too difficult, about the same as Kneed Deep in the Dead, but the secret parts are much harder.  I wouldn't recomend playing through the secret areas on Ultra Violence in a first play through.

 

Honestly I have no idea what I'm doing, so I don't know if it's compatible with older source ports etc. and there may well be technical mistakes.

 

I'd love to get feedback of all kinds.

TheDeepLabs.7z

This was 10x better than my first map.

 

[dmdr]

13 hours ago, Doomax said:

Mr dmdr, is that what happend to you in the green marble area?

 

no need to be so formal, haha. But yeah, more or less -- on my first attempt I was surprised by the vile appearing, ran into that little cubby hole with all the rocket boxes at about X-120 Y-320 and got nailed by the revenant inside. On my second attempt I ran straight back to the exit instead and played peek-a-boo with the rocket launcher until Archie was dead, which made the encounter more of a time sink than a threat.

 

I'm not sure what the best way to improve this encounter would be without some fairly major structural changes, since I found the basic issue to be that there's not much room to move -- even if played non-cheesily you've got that rev in the cubby to contend with while avoiding rockets from above AND trying to stay behind the very small pillars so the vile can't blast you. The easiest solution would be to make the stairway roomier so the player has more space to dodge the rev missiles, and then increase the diameter of the pillars to make them easier to hide behind while distracted, but this level has a tight layout so that wouldn't be as simple as it sounds (you'd have to redo the whole thing basically). TBH I wouldn't worry about it too much for this map -- just keep it in mind for the next one!

[Doomax]

I love watching these videos guys, it's a great feeling.  Thanks for the feedback all round.

 

I'm a little worried now that my next map wont live up to everyones expectations!  The next one probably wont have big secret areas, I don't want to do the same thing with every map.  I do want to do Heretic though, and maybe try the more advanced format.

[Esperpento]

On 8/10/2021 at 8:45 PM, Doomax said:

Man I have no idea how to change the music.  I couldn't change the "Par time" either.  Good luck finishing the map in 30 seconds lol.  I guess you need to use dhacked or something?

 

To change the music, you have to open the wad (I use Slade 3) and import the music file, most sourceports support midi and some even mp3 and ogg. You have to rename the imported music lump to D_RUNNIN to replace MAP01 music (Doom 2 music lumpnames).

 

To change the par time you can use dehacked (extended, bex) or mapinfo, depending which sourceport you aim to.

 

2 hours ago, Doomax said:

I'm a little worried now that my next map wont live up to everyones expectations!  The next one probably wont have big secret areas, I don't want to do the same thing with every map.  I do want to do Heretic though, and maybe try the more advanced format.

 

Don't worry, map for yourself and have fun! :)

[Biodegradable]

14 hours ago, Doomax said:

I'm a little worried now that my next map wont live up to everyones expectations!

 

Don't stress, fam. Doom mapping's a hobby after all. Just keep having fun and experimenting. ;^)

[LAGI]

I thoroughly enjoyed that, some good use of Arch Vile jump scares and monster placements, was a very well designed little course of events, finished the map with 100% secrets, although, I did find one weird thing, I finished the map, and it showed 99% kills, I reloaded my save and even used IDDT (twice) to show monster/items, I couldn't seem to locate a lone monster anywhere in the map, maybe just a glitch on my end.

 

All in all, I really enjoyed that little experience, very well made wad and I hope you continue to make more, this map is a true sign you have great potential and you should consider a project of some sort in terms of a multimap wad.

 

Never be afraid to try new things aswell as you make more maps, learn as you go, thats what I do :).

 

Thanks.

 

LAGI.

Edited August 12, 2021 by LAGI

[ElPadrecitoCholo]

On 8/10/2021 at 5:45 PM, Doomax said:

ElPadrecitoCholo:

Wow!  I can't believe how well you managed the green room.  You played it better than I do and I know where all the monsters are.  Your decision making is so fast!  Are you considered to be a top level doom player or does everyone round here play like that?  Anyway I'm glad you liked it.  I'm probably going to make a Heretic map next I think.

 

First of all, thank you very much for the comment, I really appreciate it a lot, and I am very happy to know that you liked the way I play on your Wad, and yes, indeed I am looking for a way not to die trying or to see what weapon It works better at the time of fighting in close quarters, since I have some experience playing Slaughter-maps, and that is why it is a bit easier for me to deal with this kind of traps, although clearly they will continue to be a pain back without a doubt. And thank you very much for valuing my way of playing, I really appreciate it brother hehe.