Walking in the Void: A Short Love Letter

[Maribo]

In my time of playing Doom, I've grown a significant fondness for an aesthetic that I personally refer to (in my head, at least) with terms like "The Void", "Voidwalking", "Walking in the void". You get the picture. What I think of as walking in the void boils down to a couple of loose criteria: maps that take place within an all-black skybox and effectively have you playing in a void-like area with floating platforms // and maps that have you walking around "in the void" of the sky texture. I think the screenshots I'll provide can give a better example if this sounds a bit silly.

Of course, it's not just a whole map thing, I think it's rather more common for maps to have single rooms or moments of void walking.

 

Here are some examples of what I'm talking about, and some words about why I love it so much. They are off the top of my head, I know there are numerous others, but these are the ones that I could remember clearly, at the current moment. :)

Stardate 20x7 MAP03

Spoiler

20x7 gets a lot of points in general for the earlier maps, because they're on a fringe line of void aesthetic in that they are floating islands or whatever. MAP03 specifically feels like it has extremely cool moments of this, with the transparent platforms with the outlines.

 

Sign of Torment MAP03

Spoiler

I actually saw this one in a Tarnsman stream, I think, and it was one of the reasons that gave me the thought about this thread. There's a staircase in MAP03 of this wad, and while it does retain a straight up floor, the effect it has is too similar to give up. A seemingly endless spiral staircase that has no thing surrounding it at all? That is a void aesthetic classic at this point, and it always gets me.

 

Sunlust MAP31

Spoiler

The aesthetic of this one is sublime in such a manner that I'm almost tempted to call it "skywalking", since reaching the end of this and going into that teleporter to be greeted with the way you exit the map is more like walking into heaven, rather than the void.

 

1000 Lines Community Project MAP32

Spoiler

This is the other thing I've encountered recently that spurred me onto making this thread... MAP32 of 1klinecp has a void-meets-hell aesthetic, in which it feels as if whatever cavern of hell you are inside is rapidly decaying while you are inside it. In terms of gameplay, this manifests in spots where the void ceiling is visible, and how damage pits are complete voids. I love it so much.

 

Zzul Bases, I cannot remember the map number, sorry.

Spoiler

This one also probably lands in the fringe area, but I think the aesthetic is similar. Screenshot taken from the one zzul used in the thread.

 

 

Frog and Toad MAP09

Spoiler

Platforming in the void. Eye-catching colors. Lovely.

 

 

I would also like to give an honorable mention to "monolithic structure surrounded by darkness and sometimes water or slime" aesthetic. Swim With the Whales MAP02 comes to mind.

 

Does anyone else share a fondness for this kind of aesthetic? Please share, if so. :)

[BigMetalhead]

Great post! It's definitely a really cool visual detail for sure.

 

I know you mentioned Sunlust already, but there's actually another map in it that does that: MAP06. Here's the screenshot of it (stolen from Decino's Sunlust walkthrough vid):

Spoiler

It's the part where you can kill the barons of hell by pressing the green button. It was a cool-looking room.

 

[Dusty_Rhodes]

I very much agree. Super cool feeling that it gives, it's creepy, yet peaceful. It allows the imagination to wander, it's especially impressive when done with only Doom 2 textures. Takes a lot of creativity to do that. 

 

I'll have to try and make something like this. I love when teleporters connect areas and in between there's dark void sections with nothing but candles. It's surreal and beautiful and brings in a calm (I'll try to find some screenshots to explain better). I'd love to do something like this in ZDoom, so I can cut or change the music, that way it really adds to the effect. 

[Xyzzу]

Evidently, I've made dozens of void areas or maps. You're probably already aware of Farfarout and Axolotl. I'll shill give a few more examples c:

My first void map seems to be Abstract Zone, there's not much void seen in these screenshots but it's there (and instadeath!):

Spoiler

 

The second map of Fricassee here floats entirely in the sky. It also has a tiny section (not shown) where you run across a series of hexagonal platforms that lower into said sky. Be sure to not actually play in vanilla exe or choco because there's HOMs in that area that at the time I didn't know how to fix:

Spoiler

 

 

Both of my 64KB Challenge maps, but Shutter Trance takes the the cake: 

Spoiler

 

My Hexen map is the king when it comes to Xyzzy-Void maps at the moment:

Spoiler

 

 

But then...: 

Spoiler

 

 

And then...:

Spoiler

 

 

So yeah, you might say I'm fond of void stuff like this, too, but I'm starting to see it as more of a crutch for me to fall back on wrt mapping out an area now :P

[Gibbon]

Well thanks to Dusty, I was trying 'the void' for 3 hours the other day.  I definitely get this, it was quite relaxing in an odd way and not seeing a solid floor makes you play a little more carefully.  Sunlust still does it right though, a nice mix of pathways to guide you but gets that feeling of being nowhere, right.

[lunchlunch]

.

Edited October 18, 2022 by lunchlunch

[Archanhell]

So, I can get what this void-walking is although my vision of it is kind of different.

The voidwalking I have seen and which sadly I do not have examples of at reach right now, it's when there is a full void BUT you can walk on floating pieces of rock/stone and cross to another structure, kind of like cosmic/eldritch stuff which I have REALLY wanted to try but never had the chance.

 

Myself so far have not tried other kind of voidwalking, at most I have done "this map looks normal and then YOU GET TELEPORTED TO AN ELDRITCH REALM OF FLESH", which no idea if others have done.

To be honest I can not give my examples of voidwalking like the thread itself shows, at least not right now.

The last void thing I remember is a secret boss in Abysm 2

[Pechudin]

I wanted to mention Sign of Torment, but I see you've already done so yourself. One void map I recall is also MAP32 (I think?) from A.L.T., Memoris Spiritus I think it's called.

[Roofi]

I like void theme when it uses a deep starry sky and a reasonable number of colors. I also enjoyed them more when they are difficult.

 

Hell Revealed map 26 is for me a long time classic . You can walk above the stars and take strange teleporters !

 

Spoiler

 

 

My favourite "void-themed" level is by far Dark Resolution 2008 map 10 by Death-Destiny. Not only because I love d-d brutal maps but the  midi renditon of Dream Theater's music bring a satisfying heroic feeling. However , you don't walk in the void in the map but the sky and the ominous darkness definitely create an otherworldy and hollow atmosphere

 

Spoiler

 

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by Roofi

[El Inferno]

My favourite void aesthetics with rather different moods 

Spoiler

Alpha Major

 

Dimensions map 2

 

Toilet of the Gods map 3

 

Sunder map 18

 

[Gez]

You may also be interested in Null Space.

 

Also, if you don't mind GZDoom maps, there's good old Void (name says it all), and the more modern Void and Rainbow (name also says it all), Refracted Reality, and Lullaby.

 

8 hours ago, Xyzzy01 said:

Both of my 64KB Challenge maps, but Shutter Trance takes the the cake: 

  Hide contents

Ah, a GRAYTALL map.

 

Unsurprisingly, Fifty Shades of GRAYTALL is a good bet for void-ish maps given the texturing restrictions.

Edited December 23, 2021 by Gez

[Andromeda]

10 hours ago, Gez said:

You may also be interested in Null Space.

Also Nullspace Junior, its 1024x1024 counterpart :)

[Maribo]

20 hours ago, BigMetalhead said:

Great post! It's definitely a really cool visual detail for sure.

 

I know you mentioned Sunlust already, but there's actually another map in it that does that: MAP06. Here's the screenshot of it (stolen from Decino's Sunlust walkthrough vid):

  Reveal hidden contents

It's the part where you can kill the barons of hell by pressing the green button. It was a cool-looking room.

 

This was actually on my mind when I was making the OP, but it was already pretty full of Ribbiks examples, so I opted to go with the more unique one in Sunlust. I do love this map though, I think it looks extremely cool.

 

18 hours ago, Xyzzy01 said:

[Stuff]

This is a gold mine, thank you for all of the examples. Farfarout has also been on my mind recently, because of the DWMegawad Club.... It honestly slipped my mind or I would have included it in the OP as well.

 

18 hours ago, lunchlunch said:

Surprised you went with the example of Zzul Base's secret map and not Dimensions MAP02: 'Walking In The Void', which I thought was what this thread would be about.

Originally I did intend to name that one as an example, but... I think I decided to just keep the name reference for the thread title and post the Zzul Bases map as an example, but the base one has a mystique to it that I was compelled to post... It's also completely possible that my goldfish brain just forgot to include dmn02.

 

18 hours ago, Archanhell said:

The voidwalking I have seen and which sadly I do not have examples of at reach right now, it's when there is a full void BUT you can walk on floating pieces of rock/stone and cross to another structure, kind of like cosmic/eldritch stuff which I have REALLY wanted to try but never had the chance.

Ohhh, I know what you're talking about. I really like this aesthetic in visual art and stuff. I can't think of any doom wads off-hand that do this but I'm sure there are some out there. Would also fit my vision of voidwalking. :)

 

15 hours ago, Roofi said:

[Stuff]

Yessss, I think HR26 was one of my first introductions to this aesthetic in Doom. I will definitely have to play that Death-Destiny map, I love D-D maps and that one has escaped me so far.

 

11 hours ago, El Inferno said:

My favourite void aesthetics with rather different moods 

  Reveal hidden contents

Alpha Major

 

Dimensions map 2

 

Toilet of the Gods map 3

 

Sunder map 18

 

GREAT contributions, the lights in Alpha-Major are stunning and this is motivating me to get to TOTG soon.

 

10 hours ago, Gez said:

You may also be interested in Null Space.

 

Also, if you don't mind GZDoom maps, there's good old Void (name says it all), and the more modern Void and Rainbow (name also says it all), Refracted Reality, and Lullaby.

 

Ah, a GRAYTALL map.

 

Unsurprisingly, Fifty Shades of GRAYTALL is a good bet for void-ish maps given the texturing restrictions.

Thank you for these, I remember seeing Null Space in the memorable maps page, but I haven't given it a proper go until now. This is also a nice reminder of graytall.

Edited December 24, 2021 by Maribo

[Nefelibeta]

ScytheX E2 is not mentioned yet?

 

Not sure if it counts but I still love it to the death.

[Plats]

Sunder MAP18 is also very epic in this term

[Captain POLAND]

Wasn't one of the secret levels in Doom 64 like this too?