Doomworld Maximum Project 2022 - Uploaded!

[JustAthel]

Color me interested, it could serve as a nice break for me to dabble in some Doom 2 territory for once.

 

Want to clarify though, you say there's no DeHackEd content allowed, which is fair in its own right, but does this include the usage of extended states (i.e. BEX or DEHEXTRA), so long as nothing is replaced in the original IWAD? Or is that also off the table?

[Obsidian]

1 hour ago, Athel said:

Color me interested, it could serve as a nice break for me to dabble in some Doom 2 territory for once.

 

Want to clarify though, you say there's no DeHackEd content allowed, which is fair in its own right, but does this include the usage of extended states (i.e. BEX or DEHEXTRA), so long as nothing is replaced in the original IWAD? Or is that also off the table?

 

I would lean towards having those be off-limits as well, considering only one person would be able to use them in the ensuing compilation. I do appreciate you asking beforehand though. :)

[jazzmaster9]

Another year another Doom Maximum Project. Sign me up

[MDevlin]

I should be able to get my shit together and hold it for this one. Sign me up.

[Azuris]

Once again, i will follow the call.

[DoctorNuriel]

Count me in!

[Obsidian]

List of mappers has been updated!

 

14 hours ago, ANonThingie! said:

Also, this is more because we're in a fair bit of drought for community projects, while the rules seem flexible enough, is it possible for lil ol Thingie! here to add a ZDooM RNG map of theirs to the project, if we get time.

 

I'm inclined to say yes (as the OP says, we take all comers), but I'm somewhat curious as to what exactly an "RNG map" is, at least in the manner the phrase is used here. Could I get a little explanation please?

[ANonThingie!]

6 minutes ago, Obsidian said:

...I'm somewhat curious as to what exactly an "RNG map" is, at least in the manner the phrase is used here. Could I get a little explanation please?

Normally, mappers have the facility in something like Ultimate Doom Builder to add your Monster Things/Actors in by hand and change their flags for certain difficulties. That's not exactly how we've grown to add monsters into maps. We tend to use ACS scripting to control the spawns and now trying to work with special Decorate Actors that do that with a kind of RNG decision table to mix things up each time players start the map :D. By RNG, literally regardless of difficulty, you won't get the exact same monster [and item] spawns. The reason we wanted to be sure is, most of the projects we see tend to be vanilla or just non ZDooM compatible.

So again, sorry for asking so specifically @Obsidian, but didn't want to start working on a new map, if Decorate and ACS [+ZScript, if we do get around to that] was completely off the table. While this isn't expected to have a concrete answer, what's the average playtime of the maps in projects like this? Actually curious, since it helps in trying to keep within some restrictions.

For the others in the thread, hello, how are you all doing? *waves to everyone else* Looking forward to the potential playtesting fun later, as time runs in. Just wanted to leave another reminder to leave us a message and we'll see what we can do for playtesting work.

[Optimus]

It's too early to decide, but what the heck. I can work out one of my other ideas. Count me in!

[Obsidian]

@ANonThingie! Ahh, I see! That sounds perfectly fine for a DMP submission, go right ahead. :)

 

8 hours ago, ANonThingie! said:

While this isn't expected to have a concrete answer, what's the average playtime of the maps in projects like this?

 

Due to the nature of the project, there isn't really an average playtime for the maps: folks are given a decent amount of freedom to make whatever they like and that freedom stretches to map size and playtime. I'd prefer it if people didn't submit gargantuan magnum opus-style projects (the older projects like this one implemented a restriction on additional resources, which may yet become relevant here), but beyond that everything else is pretty much fair game.

[Alter]

Count me in, the deadline is generous enough for me to come up with something that might satisfy my personal mapping needs.

[Egg Boy]

Might throw a speed map in this year.

[Obsidian]

Currently compiling last year's DMP and I wanna make something very clear: please rename your included textures in accordance with the rules. I've come across multiple maps that just have the textures copied and pasted with no name alteration and more than one instance of people just replacing the E1 sky with their own sky patch, which as you can imagine doesn't play nice with the other maps. Following these rules helps me greatly with getting compilations out in a timely manner and just makes my life that little bit easier.

 

If you're using textures, have them with a 3-letter prefix of your username. If you're using a custom sky, use a Boom sky transfer or define it via MAPINFO.

[Shibainumaster]

May i participate?

[horselessheadsman]

I'll sign up for this as well.

[RastaManGames]

Output format must be *.wad or *.pk3 is okay enough as long as final product is intended to be played in GZDoom?

By the way, may I participate?

Edited January 14, 2022 by RastaManGames

[Pegleg]

I'm interested. I wasn't able to finish a map for the Maximum Project 2021, so I should be able to finish the map for this one. Count me in.

[Rykzeon]

I don't know much about this project, but it seems fun. Count me in. Since everyone else stating their map format, I am stating my own too. Will be working primarily for Vanilla, but if my map does not fit into Vanilla Limits or needs more advanced techniques, I'll move into Limit-Removing or Boom.

BTW, why there is "No reserving MAP07 or MAP30 slots." and "No using the secret exit actions." rules? (Considering the WAD can use MAP31 and MAP32)

Edited January 14, 2022 by Rycuz

[Pegleg]

26 minutes ago, Rycuz said:

BTW, why there is "No reserving MAP07 or MAP30 slots." and "No using the secret exit actions." rules? (Considering the WAD can use MAP31 and MAP32)

 

This is my two cents. Obsidian may have different rationales.

 

This project isn't a typical project where there is a general set of themes and a difficulty arc that you want to preserve. I don't know exactly what Obsidian is going to do in terms of compiling the project, but, in general, with the way these sort of projects end up being compiled, there's no guarantee that any particular map will end up in either the Map 07 slot or the Map 30 slot. If Obsidian allowed mappers to use hard-coded aspects of the engine that only worked on either Map 07 or Map 30, then it is possible that multiple maps would end up broken. Similarly, secret exits generally only work on Map 15. Therefore, vanilla, limit-removing, and Boom mappers would end up with potentially broken maps/maps that didn't function correctly if their maps relied on a secret exit action. While it would be possible to define via MAPINFO the destination of a secret exit from any map slot, that would only work for those formats that can parse MAPINFO; that would mean only certain mappers would be able to use secret exit actions, thus creating an unlevel playing field. And that isn't really the goal of the project.

[RastaManGames]

Also, beside question about output file format, today in my mind another one has come.
I must name custom resources exact like [RMG_XXXX] or it may be just [RMGXXXXX]?
Difference only in 1 symbol, but it may be nice to have it just for more useful & handy names.

Edited January 17, 2022 by RastaManGames

[Obsidian]

2 minutes ago, RastaManGames said:

Also, beside question about output file format, today in my mind another one has come.
I must name custom resources exact like [RMG_XXXX] or it may be just [RMGXXXXX]?
Difference only in 1 symbol, but it may be nice to have it just for more useful & handy names.

 

I think excluding the underscore is fine, all things considered. As for file format, I'd like folks to stick to wads for the moment for the sake of simplicity.

[RastaManGames]

6 minutes ago, Obsidian said:

 

As for file format, I'd like folks to stick to wads for the moment for the sake of simplicity.

Well... I guess that this is time for me to research about WAD structure once more (i had a very bad flashbacks about using XWE long time ago (those times where Skulltag was a living thing)). This is kinda sad, 'cause i am really like *.pk3 format. It is very easy for making map in UMDF format with bundle of custom textures, sounds and (sometimes) even models.

Edited January 17, 2022 by RastaManGames

[Obsidian]

2 minutes ago, RastaManGames said:

Well... I guess that this is time for me to research about WAD structure once more (i had a very bad flashbacks about using XWE long time ago (those times where Skulltag was a living thing)). This is kinda sad, 'cause i am really like *.pk3 format. It is very easy for making map in UMDF format with bundle of custom textures, sounds and (sometimes) even models.

 

SLADE is your best friend here: much more stable than XWE ever was and fairly simple to pick up.

[Shibainumaster]

What's the deadline?

 

[RastaManGames]

1 minute ago, Shibainumaster said:

What's the deadline?

 

On 1/1/2022 at 6:00 PM, Obsidian said:

• The deadline is midnight on the 1st of January, 2023 in Yankee Time: here's a nifty keen countdown.

 

[Shibainumaster]

Thank you

[Pegleg]

As I said, I wasn't able to finish a map in time for last year's Maximum Project, so I had one ready to go for this year's submission. Although there was still a decent amount of work that I didn't realize was unfinished as of December 30th and a lot of tweaking that was still to be done, so I'm rather glad I didn't try to finish it in time and just held it for this year. Finally, I'm submitting a map to one of these year-long projects before the last week in December.

 

Small victories, people. Small victories.

 

Anyway, without further ado, here is my submission for the Doomworld Maximum Project 2022.

 

<file removed, see post on August 8 for revised version, see post on December 29 for version 3>

 

 

Map Name: Against the Smiling Horde

Version: 1

Format: Limit-removing

Textures used: Jimmytex by James Paddock (A huge thank you to @Jimmy for the great textures--seriously, more people should use this gem of a texture pack!)

Music: "Into the Furnace" by James Paddock (Another thank you to Jimmy for a great midi!)
Difficulties: Implemented
Co-op: Starts only
Deathmatch: Starts only
Tested with: Chocolate Doom v. 3.0.0, PrBoom+ v. 2.5.1.4, ZDoom v. 2.8.1, GZDoom v. 3.2.5, GZDoom 4.1.3, GZDoom 4.6.0

Known Bugs: Drawseg overflows in Chocolate Doom; Switches that don't animate (but do work) in Chocolate Doom; Possible softlock getting the soul sphere if you try to strafe run and get it before getting the blue key (I was never able to do it, but that doesn't mean it's impossible)

 

Story: The Grinning Gargoyle is the code name given to one of the demonic lords. It sent part of its horde to take over one of the forward bases to convert it to a portal for massing its assault. The armed forces were occupied with other battles elsewhere and couldn't spare a large force to retake the base. So, they sent you, one of their elite soldiers, to teleport into the base and liberate it from evil.

 

Notes on the map: My original intention was for this map to be vanilla, and it is quite possible to finish this map in Chocolate Doom, albeit with a number of drawseg overflows in the final room. However, if you press a particular switch in the final area and look in a particular direction, it is quite possible to trigger a visplane overflow. Therefore, this map is close to vanilla, but I feel more comfortable calling it limit-removing. The difficulty level of the map is meant to be moderate, and the ammo is somewhat balanced across difficulties, but shouldn't feel too tight overall. It's a relatively straightforward map, with a few turns and a bit of freedom along its linear way.

 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Pegleg
Edit 1: Removed file and added link to version 2. Edit 2: Added link to version 3.

[Shibainumaster]

Will the map be accepted if it has it's own custom music? 

[RastaManGames]

3 minutes ago, Shibainumaster said:

Will the map be accepted if it has it's own custom music? 

 

On 1/1/2022 at 6:00 PM, Obsidian said:

• No DeHackEd content, but other custom content is allowed: this includes textures, music, DECORATE, whatever you can think of as long as it doesn't replace other Doom 2 resources.

 

Edited January 18, 2022 by RastaManGames

[Obsidian]

Much is gained from closely reading the OP, heh.