Map02 finished!

[boris]

Yes! I've finally come around to finish map02! >> DOWNLOAD <<

Ok, now gimme some feedback :) I'd especially know about the following:
- How are the looks? Any parts you think need more detailing?
- How does it play? Since I'm rather inexperienced in creating single player maps I'm open to ideas. Is it too easy (I think it's waaay too easy)? How is item placement (ammo, health...)
- Is it confusing where to go next?
- Are the secrets too hard to find? (there are two of them)

BTW, there are no skill settings yet. Oh, and it's running on map01, not map02 :)

[Torn]

it are a nice map... but it could need some more ammo. 10-12 more shells, I think, maybe more.
But I like it... :)
Keep it up

[Fredrik]

Heh, cool... the 624 COMPSTA textures made me think of some amateurish but really neat WAD I played like five years ago.

[boris]

COMPSTA r0x0rs my b0x0rs! :P

[Grazza]

Not a map to have orgasms over, but perfectly OK. Not too difficult, but easy to die if you're careless or try to get through it too quickly. It's not always obvious where you should be going, but small enough that you're never spending ages looking around.

I think it's maybe a bit less difficult than the original map02, so you might want to consider adding some tougher opposition.

I found both the secrets OK. Might have been nice to get a chainsaw or berserk in one of them though.

Ammo/armour/health-wise, it seemed OK. Enough to get the job done without 1337 pacifist skills if you didn't find the secrets, and plenty if you did find them.

I was playing on UV; I didn't try NM, because I'm feeling lazy.

[boris]

Grazza said:

Not a map to have orgasms over, but perfectly OK.

Well, what didn't you like about it?

[Fletcher`]

Wow! I haven't played a tough map in a good while (not including requium). It does need a little bit more ammo and health. I was punching the very last 3 imps with 3% health.

[Fredrik]

IMO the ceiling lights are a bit repetitive (I know, I should shut up about that heh). Also, the tech/brick textures clash a bit. And it's a tad too simple.

[Grazza]

boris said:

Well, what didn't you like about it?

Nothing specific, it just didn't particularly excite me - that probably merely reflects my preferences though. I tend to like big challenging maps where there is constant danger, lots to kill and plenty of power-ups - not that map02 of a non-extreme megawad should be like that, of course.

Basically, I think it is quite appropriate as a map02.

I had a quick look at NM ... ouch. A berserk pack sure would help, esp. with all those demons.

EDIT: Just done UV -fast Max. Seemed OK - enough ammo. The imps don't teleport into very threatening places (maybe that's just because of the route I used?) - it would be a lot scarier if they dropped in right behind you in places where you have little cover. BTW, which ports is this intended to work with? jDoom spat it out, while Legacy doesn't support voodoo dolls, so it is impossible to exit the map as far as I can tell.

[fraggle]

I've added it but it seems to use some textures named "STEEL1" and "STEEL2" which I cant find in doom.wad or doom2.wad (and hence freedoom either)

[boris]

Ah yeah, those STEEL textures are from one of fredrik's texture wads. I'll fix that. But I think they are at positions you don't see them at anyways.

[Torn]

ravage said:

Wow! I haven't played a tough map in a good while (not including requium). It does need a little bit more ammo and health. I was punching the very last 3 imps with 3% health.

You have played the compet-n version of AV, have you?
Just try play on UV... I got to map14-15, before two cyberdemons at the same time had fun with me... :P

[Little Faith]

Fredrik said:

Heh, cool... the 624 COMPSTA textures made me think of some amateurish but really neat WAD I played like five years ago.

This shouldn't by coincidence be relive.wad?

[boris]

Ok, I've updated the map. Download. Is it better now?

[Fredrik]

Little Faith said:

This shouldn't by coincidence be relive.wad?

Not IIRC. It was some factory-themed level (I don't remember the name). It didn't have *that* much COMPSTA but enough of them to make me remember it :)

[Grazza]

boris said:

Ok, I've updated the map. Download. Is it better now?

I like the changes. The balance seems better now, though maybe still a slight ammo surplus if we get an RL in map01.

[boris]

Now there is too much ammo? Personally I think there should not be a RL in map02. That it was like this in Doom2 does not mean we have to do the same fault.

[Grazza]

boris said:

Now there is too much ammo?

Only if those rockets can be used in this map (i.e. only if there is an RL in map01).

My earlier comment about the previous version was that if you didn't find the secrets there was just enough ammo, and if you did find them there was plenty (meaning much more than enough). Now the balance is pretty good, though still slightly on the side of having a little more than enough to get the job done. I had, IIRC, about 50 bullets (or maybe it was 90?), 10 shells and 10 rockets when I exited, having killed everything and found all the secrets (UV Max). I imagine it would be tighter for a UV Fast Max run, though I haven't tried that yet.

My earlier comment about a berserk pack was with respect to NM.

I agree that the player shouldn't have an RL when he reaches this map - those rockets just made me wonder whether that was the plan.

[boris]

Grazza said:

I agree that the player shouldn't have an RL when he reaches this map - those rockets just made we wonder whether that was the plan.

No, I just needed some items for the secret. I didn't want to put another armor there, and I don't think using the more powerful power-ups (soundsphere, backpack...) is not appropriate for a map02. Hmm, maybe I'll put a berserk pack in the courtyard secret and replace the rockets in the last secret with one or two shotgun shells.

[boris]

Ok, next version is up :) Added a berserk pack in the courtyard and removed the rockets from the last secret. I also removed the voodoo doll and replaced it with another Boom effect, so it should work fine in Legacy now (can anyone confirm that?).

[Grazza]

It works fine in Legacy. The map seems nicely balanced - I found UV -fast quite a scramble to survive, and the items in the third secret were certainly very useful. The berserk pack works well, I think.

[Job]

The level was good and fairly balanced. I didn't have to resort to the Tyson moenouver either.

[Torn]

Vulg@r said:

The level was good and fairly balanced. I didn't have to resort to the Tyson moenouver either.

I think grazza was testing, if it worked good for speedrunnig... :)

[fraggle]

I've added the latest version. Looks good :)

I've also added Rick Clarks map12 in dev snapshot, be sure to check that out too.

[Grazza]

Torn said:

I think grazza was testing, if it worked good for speedrunnig... :)

Not so much that; it seemed a well-judged health boost, and the berserk fist is a very good weapon vs multiple demons on UV -fast or NM, even without the ammo conservation factor.

(Sorry if this is a bit of a "bump" - I've been out of contact for a week.)