Six Spooky Speedmaps - Six Maps for Doom 2 that I made in 4 days.

[act]

After creating a Halloween'd version of the map de_inferno for Counter-Strike, I decided to try my hand at Doom modding. I've been a semi-avid Doom player for a while, and although I've dabbled into mapping, nothing ever was published because I felt like it didn't meet a standard of quality.

One day I just decided to take this weird Halloween .WAD I had lying around since 2019 and use it to create a couple of speedmaps, while trying out UMAPINFO while I was at it. I think I made a pretty good set of maps in the end, with secrets here and there, good balance, okay geometry, etc. What do you guys think?

I've tested the .WAD with PrBoom+, but I assume any limit-removing and UMAPINFO supporting Source Port can run it.

Spoiler

 

Download the map here:

s3_r1-1.zip

 

Old Version:

s3_r1-0.zip

Edited October 31, 2021 by act
Added the Release 1.1 Update.

[P41R47]

trying this right now!
i need a good dose of spookyness
;)

EDIT: completed it just now on HNTR
Not bad for sure.
It shows potential.

The new assets are quite good and you use them quite well. The maps are moody and nice looking, and thats a lot to say for speedmaps.
There are just a few monsters and the placement is straightforward. So the challenge can be tweaked a little bit along the ammo placement, that is scarce, but since the maps are short and the enemies just a few, the balance is complicated to achieve.
The architecture is a bit to the point, without much details. Orthogonal rooms and some obstacles. Since this were speedmaps is okay, but more height variations and sector detailing could be useful to create more interesting areas.

A few things i notice:
-Map01: rocket launcher secret is not obtainable. I checked on the builder, and there is no action that open it.

-Map03: this maps needs a few more ammo placements, after obtaining the red key, i was almost without any ammo.
-map05: the arachnatron in the last area where the exit is, is stuck. Ammo starvation here too. I had to kill lots of badies by chainsawing them.
-map06: the process of completing this map is not quite clear. The insufficient ammo to kill the cybs made me think that there was another way to complete it. So, after searching all around the map, it suddenly ended.

Aside from that, the maps are fun and they all play pretty well.

Keep at it!
As a first release, this is quite good :)

Edited October 29, 2021 by P41R47

[act]

Thank you, P4. I think the reason why the maps look "Moody" is because I took full advantage of a darker map and the textures used in the more gory and horror-centered episode of Doom; The Shores of Hell. This allows for most people to make a quick association with the texture selection and an air of grittiness and moodiness.

However, I do appreciate the criticism on the bugs and map design. For Map01, I'll be sure to fix that. I literally just went "EHHH" when it didn't work and believed it was caused by me not properly activating it. Same with Map05, never noticed the error in that one. With the ammo issue, I'd blame it mostly on the fact you played on Hey, Not Too Rough as opposed to Ultra-Violence which is my go-to skill. I'll be sure to place more ammo for medium skill in the maps.

As for Map06, the platform you teleport to activates a crusher above the Icon of Sin, and after ~2 minutes of time, the crusher crushes the Icon, killing him and ending the level. This is why there's 4 holes in the platform that the Cyberdemon stands on; these holes are filled with 4 pillars, each corresponding to 1/4th of the time it takes for the Icon-killing crusher to reach the Icon. I'm not sure how to make it more obvious without putting a ridiculous looking sign or something, so if you have any suggestions, please tell me ASAP, because I'm planning on releasing an updated version by the 30th.

[P41R47]

16 hours ago, act said:

As for Map06, the platform you teleport to activates a crusher above the Icon of Sin, and after ~2 minutes of time, the crusher crushes the Icon, killing him and ending the level. This is why there's 4 holes in the platform that the Cyberdemon stands on; these holes are filled with 4 pillars, each corresponding to 1/4th of the time it takes for the Icon-killing crusher to reach the Icon. I'm not sure how to make it more obvious without putting a ridiculous looking sign or something, so if you have any suggestions, please tell me ASAP, because I'm planning on releasing an updated version by the 30th.

Yeah, i realise of the crushers after a while running around waltzing to the cybers.
A suggestion would be to, instead to linedef activating it, maybe putting a switch somewhere.
Probably just in fron of the IOS, blocking the cyb missles.
That way, the player will actually see the crushers comming down, and realise that is a survival session until the time runs out.

[act]

Alright, the updated version is up.

[Pixel Fiend]

Good stuff! I really enjoyed every map in this (I played the updated version). I hope others will get a chance to play it soon too - there's a pile-up of new wads. I'm looking forward to more maps from you. 

[bartekmil]

Decent map01, nice open space fight in the main area of the map, nice looking church/chapel room, though you can cheese it by just staying behind the door and taking shots at the imps - the baron in the screenshot is free to leave through the back but for some reason stays there which makes him unable to hit you so you can just obliterate him from up close. Overall first map is nice, and good assets choice.

Map02 is not bad either, though it felt a little short on ammo towards the end, but maybe that was the point to starve the player a little. No glaring bugs except this here:

just like in map01 I could freely attack the baron without him doing anything really - a shame because I like those intense encounters that put you in a small room with a baron. The map has pretty nice lighting work for a speedmap, which makes it visually appealing despite having pretty simple geometry and shape - only tip I could give is to use the Change lighting linedef special in that dark lost soul corridor on the candles, so that only the floor is brighter and ceilings are as dark as the rest. Good job, maybe I'll come back for the rest of the wad later

Edited November 1, 2021 by bartekmil
reviews

[Vaeros]

>I have no idea where I found the Halloween assets, since I downloaded it years ago. 

 

Years ago? lol Some of these assets are from this year. You're using an earlier version of Ad Mortem's HUD and other resources like the green exploding barrels, lamps and cacolaterns were made by myself. idk where you found them but If you're going to use these assets give credits to 4chan's /vr/ or me. Thank you

Edited November 3, 2021 by Vaeros

[act]

32 minutes ago, Vaeros said:

>I have no idea where I found the Halloween assets, since I downloaded it years ago. 

 

Years ago? lol Some of these assets are from this year. You're using an earlier version of Ad Mortem's HUD and other resources like the green exploding barrels, lamps and cacolaterns were made by myself. idk where you found them but If you're going to use these assets give credits to 4chan's /vr/ or me. Thank you

Well shit, thanks for letting everyone know. Anyways I only assumed years ago because it was on the remaining bits of the Windows partition on my hard drive from before I instal