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

[Wavy]

Oh, and by the way, I'm slowly but surely making progress on my map. I've finally figured out what I wanted to do with that big busted out area that I shown in page 5 on this thread (it has to do with conveyor belts, but that's as much as I can say for now) as well as making rough plans for the rest of the map.

 

So yeah. I just wanted to make a status update on my map.

[Korozive]

I played the first few maps and was so impressed I have decided to wait for the full release, :o)

[PinkFlamingo]

On 11/11/2021 at 7:10 PM, ViolentBeetle said:

Played your map. Pretty good one.

Is fall into the central pit fatal?

Seems like mastermind can sometimes get stuck, I guess it might step onto the wall while it's lowered and then get lifted into the position where its AI breaks.

I am not entirely sure if Mastermind can shoot switches for you, something to keep in mind.

What happens after mastermind dies feels a little anti-climatic and lacking in cool visuals. A more hellish exit could be used.

Graphical glitch at the very start. I think it's a slime trail that will go away from moving vertices around, but not sure since the room is so round.

 

Thanks for playing. I am going to address all issues now.

1. The central pit is inescapable because I wanted to avoid players killing the Mastermind before reaching the end of the map. However, I am going to add some stairs that raise from the lava once the player reaches the BFG area. Falling into the pit at this point is rather frustrating.

2. I am going to redesign the central lava platform so the Mastermind does not get stuck. Rather than moving up and down, it will simply lower a bit allowing the player to shoot the Mastermind.

3. I believe the spider can shoot the switches. For this reason, I avoid using Cacodemons as they tend to in-fight easily with the Mastermind and it can accidentally shoot a switch.

4. I will try to make a more hellish exit, perhaps a small building in green marble.

5. I will try to fix the graphical glitch at the start.

 

I should upload the second version of this map in a few days.

[ViolentBeetle]

5 hours ago, PinkFlamingo said:

1. The central pit is inescapable because I wanted to avoid players killing the Mastermind before reaching the end of the map. However, I am going to add some stairs that raise from the lava once the player reaches the BFG area. Falling into the pit at this point is rather frustrating.

This makes sense.

 

I think on the subject of hellish exit, can you make it like an asteroid with some demonic stuff inside? That'd be cool.

Would be a nice fit for "Impact Site"

Edited November 21, 2021 by ViolentBeetle

[cannonball]

Second version of E2M7 (Hopefully close to a final version)

Changes;

- More health added, the first green armour swapped for a blue armour, the ambush here is a little tougher.

- Yellow key trap the containers now have 1 baron + 2 imps instead of 2 barons, this should be easier.

- light level raised by one unit throughout the map (Eg - 128 to 144 etc).

- Difficulty settings implemented along with co-op starts.

sse2m7.2.zip

Edited November 21, 2021 by cannonball

[ViolentBeetle]

Ok, I think it's time for another check for people I'm not sure I've seen recently (Apologies in advance if I actually seen you but forgot)

@maxresdefault You don't seem to have any activity at all, so if don't reply to this, I will take your map away.

@fran You seem to be visiting, but don't seem to be posting, so are you still with us?

@Weird Sandwich I think you reported some progress, but not sure, so please check in.

@Astro X IIRC you checked in last month, but I don't think I saw you since.

@Anarkzie You said you are working on your map, still so?

@SMG_Man You also replied back then, but I'm not sure what your status currently is.

@Pegleg Roughly the same, are you still interested in mapping?

Edited November 29, 2021 by ViolentBeetle

[Anarkzie]

On 10/31/2021 at 6:12 PM, ViolentBeetle said:

  @Anarkzie You said you are working on your map, still so?

I'm still working on my map, sorry this is taking so long. 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Anarkzie

[Weird Sandwich]

2 hours ago, ViolentBeetle said:

@Weird Sandwich I think you reported some progress, but not sure, so please check in.

 

 

I've been working on it the last couple of days, it's about 90% done. Should have it ready in the next day or two.

 

[SMG_Man]

6 hours ago, ViolentBeetle said:

@SMG_Man You also replied back then, but I'm not sure what your status currently is.

 

My original idea wasn't getting anywhere, so I scrapped it and started working again from the ground up. I'll have something playable here soon.

 

also, quick question - would it be possible to add the 32-high railing texture from Plutonia to the texture pack? It would be really useful

 

edit: yeah, I'm feeling this one a lot more

 

Spoiler

 

 

Edited November 25, 2021 by SMG_Man
screenies

[Jark]

16 hours ago, SMG_Man said:

 

My original idea wasn't getting anywhere, so I scrapped it and started working again from the ground up. I'll have something playable here soon.

 

also, quick question - would it be possible to add the 32-high railing texture from Plutonia to the texture pack? It would be really useful

 

edit: yeah, I'm feeling this one a lot more

 

  Hide contents

 

 

 

I really like those vertical floor slats!  

[ChopBlock223]

Yeah, looks really nifty and distinct.

[ViolentBeetle]

18 hours ago, SMG_Man said:

edit: yeah, I'm feeling this one a lot more 

From the screenshot I assume a fence half-sunk into the floor is sufficient for your needs for now?

[SMG_Man]

2 hours ago, ViolentBeetle said:

From the screenshot I assume a fence half-sunk into the floor is sufficient for your needs for now?

 

It works well enough, yeah. A naturally shorter railing texture like the Plutonia one would solve some alignment issues, but I can keep chugging along without it if needs be.

Edited November 25, 2021 by SMG_Man

[Jark]

4 minutes ago, SMG_Man said:

 

It works well enough, yeah. A naturally shorter railing texture like the Plutonia one would solve some alignment issues, but I can keep chugging along without it if needs be.

 

When in doubt, lower-unpeg! Or upper-unpeg..? Or just mash U, L and Ctrl+A until everything aligns! 

 

Would Plutonia railings be an issue to add? We already have numerous other custom resources - only SMG and Beetle would have to change their resource packs so it shouldn't affect others.

[ViolentBeetle]

On one hand, it's a useful texture for sure. On other hand, I feel if I add some custom textures people would expect me to comply with more requests and it might compromise the theme of only using those textures. I need to think on it for a bit.

[Jark]

2 minutes ago, ViolentBeetle said:

On one hand, it's a useful texture for sure. On other hand, I feel if I add some custom textures people would expect me to comply with more requests and it might compromise the theme of only using those textures. I need to think on it for a bit.

 

Very true, and most of the fun with textures is finding all sorts of ways to use them - it acts as its own interesting limitation.

[ChopBlock223]

1 hour ago, ViolentBeetle said:

On one hand, it's a useful texture for sure. On other hand, I feel if I add some custom textures people would expect me to comply with more requests and it might compromise the theme of only using those textures. I need to think on it for a bit.

For the sake of argument, it's an iwad texture, and fits stylistically with the other textures (unlike some Final Doom textures).

 

1 hour ago, Jark said:

Very true, and most of the fun with textures is finding all sorts of ways to use them - it acts as its own interesting limitation.

There's also that.

[PinkFlamingo]

On 11/21/2021 at 8:22 PM, ViolentBeetle said:

This makes sense.

 

I think on the subject of hellish exit, can you make it like an asteroid with some demonic stuff inside? That'd be cool.

Would be a nice fit for "Impact Site"

 

How about this?

 

 

It's kinda hard to make a realistic rock in Doom. They always end up looking like an egg or a cake :-p. But this one also looks a bit like a sort of temple or an alien artifact. I'll probably add some floating skull rocks around the crater to make it look more 'demonic' or 'haunted'. Inside, I will probably make a portal (the exit) surrounded by those fleshy eye monsters you encounter earlier in the map. As if they guided you to this place.

 

I also have an idea or a suggestion for the story line: At the start of this map you see these large blocks of rock. They are made out of the same material as this asteroid (same texture). They also appear in E4M7 which is the reason why I added them. Perhaps humans were mining this asteroid and sending the rocks up to their floating city? One day they discovered a cavern with a portal inside the asteroid, and that's when the invasion started?

[ViolentBeetle]

This look like a cool ending area. I think it would work.

[SMG_Man]

Progress report:

 

 

Architecturally, the playable area of the E4M6 map is finished. The bulk of the map fits inside a rough 4096 x 4096 area (centered toward the right side), and that's where I imagine they'll spend most of their time anyway. The stuff on the left side is pretty straightforward.

 

I still need to put down most of the Things on the map and make a few out-of-bounds monster closets before I can really playtest it, but the layout is pretty set at this point.

Edited November 27, 2021 by SMG_Man

[SMG_Man]

I think I'm done. I tested HMP from pistol start a few times and UV with a bit of supplies, and while it was difficult it didn't feel too insane for my skills. Any feedback/comments/concerns would be appreciated.

 

Mass_Propulsion.zip

 

edit: some screenies

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2021 by SMG_Man
cleaned up automap

[ViolentBeetle]

@LoreCaco37

Sorry, I missed your most recent submission, but now I've noticed and played it. Still a very fun slaughter. Just a few minor issues.

 

You used upper-unpegged on the door to the blue key (Formerly a secret area) which makes it look weird in movement. There's no reason to do so

You use steps on the edge of the secret lift, and it's a bit ugly. SILVER1 would probably work better for what you going for

You should soundproof zombie towers or something, because zombies from the there wake up and start riding the lift up and down.

Guards near the monorail don't teleport in fast enough, making the closet into another fast door and maybe adding bars in front of the entrance might help with that.

[Pegleg]

On 11/24/2021 at 3:48 PM, ViolentBeetle said:

@Pegleg Roughly the same, are you still interested in mapping?

 

To be honest, I started creating a map, but I haven't been able to consistently work on it, and I don't think that will change over the course of the month. I am OK with relinquishing my spot for E3M6.

[ViolentBeetle]

On 11/28/2021 at 2:44 AM, SMG_Man said:

I think I'm done. I tested HMP from pistol start a few times and UV with a bit of supplies, and while it was difficult it didn't feel too insane for my skills. Any feedback/comments/concerns would be appreciated.

 

Mass_Propulsion.zip

 

edit: some screenies

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The map looks interesting, but I haven't find my way through yet to give full feedback.

However, the entire episode has blanked restriction on 2 cyberdemons per level, and as a homage to original Doom, E4M6 specifically is required to have a boss battle with them. In any case, 4 cyberdemons is too many for most maps, IMO.

 

Particularly not a fan of having an area I could go which just ends with me getting cyberdemoned in the face.

More conventional monster squads in their place would probably be better and help player not get lost.

Edited November 29, 2021 by ViolentBeetle

[SMG_Man]

2 hours ago, ViolentBeetle said:

In any case, 4 cyberdemons is too many for most maps, IMO.

 

Spoiler

So there are 4 Cyberdemon things placed on the map, but if you check the flags you'll see that they are flagged to show up only on specific difficulties.

 

On ITYTD / HNTR, there is a single Cyberdemon in an end arena. On HMP, there are two Cyberdemons in that same arena.

However, on UV and NM, instead of fighting two cyberdemons in an arena at the end of the level, there are two different Cyberdemons that roam around the map and have to be killed before the player can progress.

It should make more sense when you get a chance to play through the level. If you've still got concerns then, let me know.

[ViolentBeetle]

6 hours ago, SMG_Man said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

So there are 4 Cyberdemon things placed on the map, but if you check the flags you'll see that they are flagged to show up only on specific difficulties.

 

On ITYTD / HNTR, there is a single Cyberdemon in an end arena. On HMP, there are two Cyberdemons in that same arena.

However, on UV and NM, instead of fighting two cyberdemons in an arena at the end of the level, there are two different Cyberdemons that roam around the map and have to be killed before the player can progress.

It should make more sense when you get a chance to play through the level. If you've still got concerns then, let me know.

That makes sense. Although it's still a very disorienting map where I try to navigate empty corridors and get rocket in the face for my troubles. I'll have to try and figure it out to see how it turns out.

[PinkFlamingo]

Here is my updated, second version of E4M8. I consider this one to be "finished", except maybe for difficulty adjustments and bug fixing.

 

E4M8-PF-V2.rar

 

Changes with previous version:

- All difficulty settings fully implemented

- Full multiplayer Coop and DM support (with extra coop monsters and extra items/weapons)

- The starting area is now seamlessly connected with the crater. No more awkward teleporter

- Entirely new ending area (hopefully you like it)

- I added invisible walls in front some of the eye switches so you cannot shoot them prematurely and break the map. These walls will lower at appropriate moments and normally you shouldn't notice them. However, if you are trying to speedrun this and you're running past the monsters, you may have to wait a few seconds at some of the switches until you can shoot them. You will also notice a hall of mirror effect as the walls lower.

[ViolentBeetle]

8 minutes ago, PinkFlamingo said:

- I added invisible walls in front some of the eye switches so you cannot shoot them prematurely and break the map. These walls will lower at appropriate moments and normally you shouldn't notice them. However, if you are trying to speedrun this and you're running past the monsters, you may have to wait a few seconds at some of the switches until you can shoot them. You will also notice a hall of mirror effect as the walls lower.

You can probably find an action that would lower them instantly.

[PinkFlamingo]

11 minutes ago, ViolentBeetle said:

You can probably find an action that would lower them instantly.

 

Yes! You are right. Replacing 'lower floor to lowest floor' with 'raise floor to lowest ceiling' and add an extra dummy sector with ceiling height set to the floor height lowers them instantly. I'll update the map tomorrow! :-D

Edited November 30, 2021 by PinkFlamingo

[Wavy]

Did anyone ask for these CRATE screenshots?

 

 

^{heh, I'll see myself out}

Anyway, this is what I've done so far. Should go without mentioning, but like all early screenshots, things are subject to change!

 

So yeah, enjoy 'em ;)

Edited December 1, 2021 by Wavy