Doom 64: Ethereal Breakdown Discussion Thread

[Immorpher]

For those who have access to the resource wads "Switchless" by @BlueThunder has been added to map slot 10 and is ready for testing on both ports!

And for those considering making a map, you still have over a month left to work on a map! We'll make an announcement on the new deadline soon. The current plan is to release a demo on Doom 64's anniversary (March 31st) with a smaller selection of currently finished maps for the public try out. Then 64 days after to make the full release for the public with all of the maps and a demon key progression.

[Immorpher]

Haunted Eye by @agony ZENITH has been added to map slot 11 and is ready for testing for those who have access to the testing wads! What you see doesn't begin to describe the madness which awaits. For anyone curious about making a map, you will have over a month left to do it with the new estimated deadline!

[AtomicFrog]

.

Edited October 28, 2022 by AtomicFrog

[styd051]

I would have liked to make a final boss for the last map with several phases (kinda like I did for my Boss Fight Mother Demon for BD64)

but unfortunately we are very limited in terms of scripts or custom content on DOOM 64 Vanilla so this is not possible :(

[Immorpher]

To update everyone! We got the promised demo almost ready, only a couple maps left to debug. It will be compatible with BOTH the official Remaster and Doom 64 EX, so it takes a little bit longer to ensure compatibility with both ports. But thanks to @Jetx_121 and @United VirusX the debugging has occurred very rapidly!

[Immorpher]

Two updates!

First, to make your mapping life easier. A new Doom Builder 64 is out by @the_kovic! This version builds upon Iori's Doom Builder 64 which has advanced color editing. Now it includes a fix for using numbered macro actions and sets the square hitbox icons for the things (making them easier to place) by default. Finally it uses a new missing texture graphic, with a 64x64 sizing grid for easier sector work. More updates are planned in the future! Get it here: https://github.com/thekovic/DoomBuilder64/releases/

 

Second, we've released a demo of 7 maps from this jam! The final release will be double that map number. And you still have time to make a map; we think the new deadline will be May 15th which will give us time to debug. Test your maps in the remaster as you build them to speed up the debugging process! Get the demo here: 

 

[BlueThunder]

Nice

[Immorpher]

I believe everyone mapping for the jam is currently is on the Doom 64 discord. But if you haven't seen the resources channel there, I have posted an idea there for the organization of the final map jam release. Since it affects all of the mappers (in at least some minor way), check it out and give me feedback. If you don't have access to that channel, but are mapping for this jam, let me know! I can either pass the info to you or give you the right access. :)

[Immorpher]

The map jam build has been updated to version 18, which is a major update! All of the maps I have received so far (unless I forgot some) have been added to a hub (which has texture misalignments at the moment), which is easier for playtesting. Feel free to update the bug list if you find bugs. 

----------------------
General updates
- New intermission sequence to hub which does the death exit and allows players to keep demon keys in the Remaster (automatic for EX).
- Maps no longer need death exits, but they will need to exit to map 1.
- Feel free to add an unmarked demon key secret to your map, but make it tricky to find, and let us know which key color so we can keep track
 

----------------------
Map updates
- Major changes to Hollywood Holocaust
- Blood Temple by @the_kovic added
- Death Gate by @thexgiddoomerx added
- Castle of the Damned by @AtomicFrog and @Immorpher added
 

----------------------
If you are currently making a map for this jam, and don't have access to the latest build and/or bug list, let me know and I will get it to you!

[AtomicFrog]

lol... sent you a version of our map with some bugs taken out so you'll have to update it again ;)

 

[Immorpher]

11 hours ago, AtomicFrog said:

lol... sent you a version of our map with some bugs taken out so you'll have to update it again ;)

 

That's what I am here for! :D And its updated!

[Immorpher]

@the_kovic has updated Doom Builder 64:https://github.com/thekovic/DoomBuilder64/releases

- Added Doom 64 colors to 2D texture view modes

- Added indication that existing map changes have not yet been saved in the top-left corner

- Changed label for the button that makes gradient sector colors to make it more obvious for new users

- Fixed purple artifact not showing up as purple in the Thing selector

- Other small sprite touch-ups in the Thing selector

[Thelokk]

Hey, sorry I went completely MIA, I gave it my best shot but I'm somehow having a very hard time adapting to the D64 editor, and the mapping style the game requires. Whatever I'm working on will miss the deadline by a lot.

Still really looking forward to this, can't wait to play it!

[Immorpher]

2 hours ago, Thelokk said:

Hey, sorry I went completely MIA, I gave it my best shot but I'm somehow having a very hard time adapting to the D64 editor, and the mapping style the game requires. Whatever I'm working on will miss the deadline by a lot.

Still really looking forward to this, can't wait to play it!

Thanks for letting us know! Indeed the editor is a bit old school at this point, but Kovic is slowly whipping it into shape. :D

[Immorpher]

So for anyone who hasn't checked the discord in the while, we're on build 28 of the map jam! A lot of bug fixes, new graphics, and a new map by Impboy, jdagenet, and United Virus X!

[Immorpher]

So on the Remaster, we noticed that lower textures with transparency would show black as opposed being transparent (left in the screenshot). Well original Doom 64 would show up transparency properly. By taking a look in the original maps, I noticed that they set the mid textures as blank. And indeed if you set the mid textures as blank, the lower textures now will show up their transparency properly (right in the screenshot)!


As usual, I believe the Remaster is behaving properly like how Doom 64 should. All of the original maps set transparent lower textures this way. EX was just letting us get away with more than we should have. I believe this is why some Doom 64 textures have unusual transparent pixels, but show up as solid in the original game, because their transparent pixels were rendered as black.

[Dexiaz]

7 hours ago, Immorpher said:

I believe this is why some Doom 64 textures have unusual transparent pixels, but show up as solid in the original game, because their transparent pixels were rendered as black

 

Saw it in Playstation videogames. If you convert a .tim texture with black color (000000) it became invisible ingame. But if you change it a little bit, it will became normal black.

[Immorpher]

There is 1 week left to submit your maps! We'll undoubtedly spend some time afterwards bug fixing them for both ports. But within a week the map should be playable with difficulty settings. Remember all maps should now warp (no death exit) back to map01, and you can hide one super secret demon key in your map if you wish!

[Immorpher]

This is your last day to get your maps in! After today we will do debugging to make sure maps are both compatible with EX and the Remaster. Importantly we will also get all of the maps on connected to the hub and snazzy. Then once we're happy with the package, we shall release it to the world. :D

[Immorpher]

To update everyone, we got a lot of maps in! We're doing a lot of debugging now and also finishing up the hub with additional maps to connect everything together and add a finishing touch. Once we're further along, we'll give a release date which hopefully wont be too far away. :D

[Immorpher]

Here's the coming soon poster for Ethereal Breakdown! Just one more level to finish and test and it will be out the door! :D

 

[Steppskie]

So excited for Ethereal Breakdown!

[NightFright]

You guys better pick up the pace. Soon I'm done with Reloaded... then I'm running out of new material for the Remaster port! It cannot beeeeee!

[Immorpher]

13 hours ago, NightFright said:

You guys better pick up the pace. Soon I'm done with Reloaded... then I'm running out of new material for the Remaster port! It cannot beeeeee!

Will do! :D

[Immorpher]

Alright due to popular demand Ethereal Breakdown is released! Go get it and talk about it here: 

 

[NightFright]

Hot damn, if it hadn't been for Immorpher's mention on Twitter, I would have almost missed this since I forgot to follow this thread. Thanks for releasing this just in time to save me from Doom64 starvation!

[NightFright]

Oh boy... "Templum Mortis" surely is one sick level. And I thought there were no hard Doom64 levels out there. Plutonia was yesterday... xD
Still, I think it could be a bit more forgiving on "Be Gentle". Those spawn waves are absolutely extreme.

Edited November 8, 2022 by NightFright

[AtomicFrog]

Dustztar is doing a very nice playthrough of this wad so give his channel some love.
Some really nice playthroughs in this list.

[Immorpher]

Ya we all have been enjoying @Duskztar's play through! :D

[AtomicFrog]

Zoya absolutely owning Castle Of the Damned in just 13.01