[Ultimate Doom Community Project] Solar Struggle - Making maps where names are pre-selected (Development thread) [Looking for artists] [WE HAVE ALL THE MAPS]

[RataUnderground]

51 minutes ago, PinkFlamingo said:

 

Hey! I played your map on HMP and enjoyed it. The map looks great. Choice of textures was clean and tasteful. You also made good use of the rocket launcher for combat: lots of action and explosions throughout the map. Progression was a bit confusing around the blue key door: First, I didn't find the blue key. I was expecting to find it somewhere further along the road passed the blue door. Instead, it turned out to be hidden right next to it on a lower platform. Second, once I hit the switch in the blue key room I didn't know what it did. It lowered a barrier, right next to the door but this was not obvious to me. Perhaps a window could be added where the player can see the barrier lowering from the switch location? Or the barrier itself could be marked with a blue texture? Also, consider adding an extra exit sign next to the exit switch because I totally didn't notice the sign above the red key door. One last bug I noticed: the texture of the blue door is misaligned.

 

One thing I didn't like was the song you chose. The song itself ('paranoid') is fine, but I don't think well known popular songs fit with Doom. I kept on singing the lyrics inside my head and it distracted me from the map. It's also fairly short and repeated itself four times during my playthrough.

 

That's all. Great map! Cool atmosphere. Consider a different soundtrack.

Thank you for your feedback! Okay, I'll consider changing the soundtrack. The only problem I had with it it it's maybe too short and repetitive, but its a valid criticism.

About your blue door room switch suggestion, thinking about it you give me an idea that will fix the issue. Thank you very much! 

[Wavy]

Oh my. We're almost at April and I still haven't submitted my map yet? Yikes, let's change that!

 

So here's the very, very long awaited E2M2: Storage Complex

 

 

Here's le le download (v1.2)

^{Here's also le old downloads for v1.0 and v1.1}

 

This map has been in development hell for a while, but all-in-all it still came out real fun and nice. Still might need to mess with balancing but I think the map's fine overall as it is (unless there's some kind of major bug that I'm unaware of :p). Criticism and feedback are wanted and appreciated!

 

Technical junk:

Game: The Ultimate Doom (DOOM.WAD)

Map Name: Storage Complex

Map Slot: E2M2

MIDI: The Demons from Adrian's Pen (Redux)

MIDI Author: Jay Reichard (silentzorah)

Tested With: DSDA-Doom 0.24.2 (-complevel 3)

Difficulty Levels: All

Coop: Yes (only starts)

Deathmatch: No

 

Other screenies:

Spoiler

 

Automap view:

Spoiler

 

Changelog:

Spoiler

v1.1

• Add more varied texturing in the large crate room.
• fixed minor texture errors thoughout the map.
• Slightly tweaked health distribution.
  • ^ Removing some health pickups around the latter part of the map, added a medikit in the small hallway before the first crusher.
• Changed the position for the skull pole (thing 287) at the start of the map to prevent falling and getting stuck behind it.
• Messed with ZokumBSP's settings.
  • This fixes the sector bleed issue and mentioned by @DFF and should (hopefully) fix map collision data as well.

 

v1.2

• Fixed texture misalignments

 

Edited May 27, 2022 by Wavy
Update to v1.2

[ViolentBeetle]

37 minutes ago, Wavy said:

So here's the very, very long awaited E2M2: Storage Complex

Great map. Glad I waited.

The only thing I think might be a problem is health distribution. First area is rough, but in space between crusher and when I first saw yellow door I barely ever dipped below 70 hp. Maybe some health should move to before crusher and imp windows.

[Wavy]

36 minutes ago, ViolentBeetle said:

Maybe some health should move to before crusher and imp windows.

Good idea. Will do that when I receive more feedback to apply to the map. I'll also play around with the general health distribution as well (as I do agree that it's a bit disjointed).

Edited March 31, 2022 by Wavy

[DFF]

@Wavy Was planning to playtest your map. I still will but figured i'd let you know of a strange immediate problem. In PR boom+ 2.6 (my testing choice) linedef 12 in the start for some reason is not impassable and i consistently am able to fall outside the map boundaries (the next sector has damaging floors so its short lived). moving one of the line's vertice seemed to fix the issue so it is likely just a random nodebuilder issue.
 

[ViolentBeetle]

2 minutes ago, DFF said:

@Wavy Was planning to playtest your map. I still will but figured i'd let you know of a strange immediate problem. In PR boom+ 2.6 (my testing choice) linedef 12 in the start for some reason is not impassable and i consistently am able to fall outside the map boundaries (the next sector has damaging floors so its short lived). moving one of the line's vertice seemed to fix the issue so it is likely just a random nodebuilder issue.
 

Same port, but doesn't happen to me. Weird.

[DFF]

Figured i'd add a demo just for note sake. I was actually even able to re-enter the map at a certain point. Nodebuilders can be strange SolarE2M2.zip

[DFF]

A very fun homage and stylized map of the original e2m2. Overall difficulty felt decently well paced. some of the map navigation is a bit more exploratory and less straight forward, but not of any major time consequence.
Only issues other than the wall i found, was part of the door to the blue key cave (linedef 1409) had some weird sector bleed issues (possibly another strange nodebuilder thing, or i need to re-download PRboom) and the player can get stuck behind the skull pole in sector 99 (by the floor lamp container on the cargo belt). the section is small but the player could potentially fall in there. There's also a crevice in the lava belt area thats a death pit but since its out of the way and damaging floors, its not softlock problematic.

[Wavy]

33 minutes ago, DFF said:

A very fun homage and stylized map of the original e2m2. Overall difficulty felt decently well paced. some of the map navigation is a bit more exploratory and less straight forward, but not of any major time consequence.

Thanks for playing! I'll play around with the node builder to see what's up with all the weird technical bugs (I'm using ZokumBSP).

[Wavy]

Bit of a bump, but I updated E2M2 to version 1.1 to address the issues mentioned above. Here's the changelog:

Spoiler

• Add more varied texturing in the large crate room.
• fixed minor texture errors thoughout the map.
• Slightly tweaked health distribution.
  • ^ Removing some health pickups around the latter part of the map, added a medikit in the small hallway before the first crusher.
• Changed the position for the skull pole (thing 287) at the start of the map to prevent falling and getting stuck behind it.
• Messed with ZokumBSP's settings.
  • ^ This fixes the sector bleed issue and mentioned by @DFF and should (hopefully) fix map collision data as well.

 

[ViolentBeetle]

5 minutes ago, Wavy said:

Bit of a bump, but I updated E2M2 to version 1.1 to address the issues mentioned above. Here's the changelog:

  Reveal hidden contents

• Add more varied texturing in the large crate room.
• fixed minor texture errors thoughout the map.
• Slightly tweaked health distribution.
  • ^ Removing some health pickups around the latter part of the map, added a medikit in the small hallway before the first crusher.
• Changed the position for the skull pole (thing 287) at the start of the map to prevent falling and getting stuck behind it.
• Messed with ZokumBSP's settings.
  • ^ This fixes the sector bleed issue and mentioned by @DFF and should (hopefully) fix map collision data as well.

 

The link says I don't have access.

[Wavy]

1 minute ago, ViolentBeetle said:

The link says I don't have access.

Ack. It should work now.

[ViolentBeetle]

2 minutes ago, Wavy said:

Ack. It should work now.

Now it does. I guess now that the isssues is fixed, the map can be considered done. Which means Episode 2 narrowly wins the race to completion.

[ViolentBeetle]

I've been working with @Astro X on E3M9: The Dark Side, since he wasn't able to dedicate enough time to finishing the map. Due to texture mishap I had to retexture it, and I also expand and revise some of the encounters and added 2 whole new ones.

I was hoping to discuss this with him in private first, but my computer isn't doing so great, so I wanted to push some things out of the gates before it might go belly up entirely. So I'm hoping for feedback on what I have now.

 

(The screenshot is from older revision, I'm not able to launch Doom properly to make a proper one either.

E3M9_RC1.zip

[BluePineapple72]

Fusion Plant 1.0

Author: BluePineapple72

Music: Well of Ass - Jimmy

Difficulties: Very minor variations. Will address in future updates

Coop: N/A

Comments: Level is beatable and for the most part finished. I will be willing to go through and redo any combat encounters or any other misc changes. I do want to add more to the outdoor area that the player can access, but that is a very minor thing. I also want to do some combat updates to the nukage area; I just wish to expand it a little. I may need to remove some details as this may go a bit beyond the visual requirement, that's all up to Beetle. Difficulty should be fine, I've cut back a lot since previous verisons.

 

Screenies:

Spoiler

 

 

[ChopBlock223]

Every time I see screenshots of the levels you guys are working on here, I really enjoy the visuals.

[ViolentBeetle]

As a little update, E4M2 has acheived playable (on ports other than gzDoom) state, thus making Episode 4 the second to be completed.

[Peccatum Mihzamiz]

Finished E1M2: Admin Offices. Here's the map file. Undergoing some final repairs right now (there's some funky node stuff going on) Thanks for the repairs @ViolentBeetle. Here are some screenshots to keep you warm:

 

 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2022 by Peccatum Mihzamiz

[dac]

So, after what took way too long, here is E3M3.

 

Solar Struggle E3M3 - Deep Space Observatory

 

I expect some more tinkering and fixes, but as far as detailing and monsters are concerned it's definite.

 

An observatory it is, but of what? That's a secret to uncover...

 

screens:

 

Spoiler

 

[Andromeda]

Dude, stop being a freeloader and activate GZDOOM ;)

[ViolentBeetle]

Great news! We now have all the maps.

The graphics are work in progress and although I think I can realize my intermission idea well enough myself, and I have a volunteer for M_DOOM, I could use an actual artist for a titlepic.

I will create a new release topic tomorrow. Until then, if you are a participant, please check your map - is it the right version, does it have the right MIDI?

SolarStruggleRC0.7z

[RHhe82]

28 minutes ago, ViolentBeetle said:

Great news! We now have all the maps.

The graphics are work in progress and although I think I can realize my intermission idea well enough myself, and I have a volunteer for M_DOOM, I could use an actual artist for a titlepic.

I will create a new release topic tomorrow. Until then, if you are a participant, please check your map - is it the right version, does it have the right MIDI?

SolarStruggleRC0.7z

Dammit, I’m in a middle of moving to a new house, might take a day or two before I’m able to check mine :\ 

 

But, indeed, great news! Can’t wait to play the final release :-)

Edited May 26, 2022 by RHhe82

[ViolentBeetle]

3 minutes ago, RHhe82 said:

Dammit, I’m in a middle of moving to a new house, might take a day or two before I’m able to check mine :\ 

 

But, indeed, great news! Can’t wait to play the final release :-)

I think you haven't updated for a while, so it should be fine. In any case, it will linger in release candidate status for a bit.

[Wavy]

I see that all the maps are done =)

 

That reminded me that I've been meaning to upload v1.2 of E2M2. This version doesn't change much other than misaligned textures.

[ViolentBeetle]

Official release thread:

The fixes will be cummulatively added over time, but I won't reupload file for every fix.

[ChopBlock223]

Amazing, looking forward to playing this once my obligations are over with.

[Woolie Wool]

Is the midi for E2M3 an arrangement from a Gran Turismo game? It sounds very familar but I cannot figure out where it originally came from.

 

E: found it, it's the car dealer music from Gran Turismo 3.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Woolie Wool

[Chao-G]

I'm currently on Episode 3 and I'm honestly blown away at the quality of the maps. I sometimes even forget it's a Doom1 based WAD. These are some of the most meticulously designed levels I've played in a while. The difficulty also seems fair, with occasions of total carnage, compared to more hardcore WADs that never give you a moment's rest.