JAMAL JONES TRILOGY - Old development thread - [Doomkid's 20 Years Mapping Contest]

[Jacek Nowak (jacnowak)]

Unfortunately I don't have time to look at this now but I was using ZokumBSP as far as I remember. I tested the map with Crispy Doom (5.10.1) quite extensively and didn't encounter any clipping issues. (just to clarify - I tested the map BEFORE it was included in the compilation but I guess it is included unmodified so that shouldn't matter)

Edited June 10, 2022 by jacnowak

[CittyKat112]

Started playing this today and found this small bug in MAP02. That stimpack starts floating in the air after you get back in that area after obtaining the yellow key. Not sure if you pointed it out in your video as it's been awhile since I watched it, but I felt like I should mention it anyway. I'm only two maps in as of writing this, pistol starting every map on UV trying not to use saves YET and I'm really liking this wad so far. Will probably play Rowdy Rudy part 1 and 2 sometime after I'll finish this mapset. Looking forward to idgames release as I really want to record a demo for one of the maps :D 

[Doomkid]

Hey everyone, just wanted to post a quick update with all the latest map updates that have been posted:

 

DOWNLOAD - https://doomshack.org/uploads/All_3_JJ_Eps_B3.zip

 

Both of my maps are 99% finished at this point, and not only are other author updates now included, but some sweet sprite re-touches by Blue Phoenix are now in place for the Cacos and Hell Nobles. They compliment the other new sprites by Chronoteeth really well!

[Vladguy]

4 hours ago, CittyKat112 said:

Started playing this today and found this small bug in MAP02. That stimpack starts floating in the air after you get back in that area after obtaining the yellow key. Not sure if you pointed it out in your video as it's been awhile since I watched it, but I felt like I should mention it anyway. I'm only two maps in as of writing this, pistol starting every map on UV trying not to use saves YET and I'm really liking this wad so far. Will probably play Rowdy Rudy part 1 and 2 sometime after I'll finish this mapset. Looking forward to idgames release as I really want to record a demo for one of the maps :D 

Yeah honestly I can't even anymore, I noticed that before and I didn't really care alot about that, but

SCREW IT

OKAY THIS IS THE FINAL VERSION https://doomshack.org/uploads/Running_Down (v6 FINAL_2).wad

Edited June 10, 2022 by Vladguy

[TheShep]

Can't wait for this to be all finalized and juicy.

[CittyKat112]

12 hours ago, Vladguy said:

Yeah honestly I can't even anymore, I noticed that before and I didn't really care alot about that, but

SCREW IT

OKAY THIS IS THE FINAL VERSION https://doomshack.org/uploads/Running_Down (v6 FINAL_2).wad

Just checked this version and I almost thought the map is broken because the last eight enemies didn't teleport in. But then I pressed an exit switch...

Also, MAP04 has a broken secret teleporter that can only be accessed from one side. I'm sure it's a bug and wasn't intended as it's not telegraphed in any way. I watched the vid and Doomkid couldn't find this secret as well. I had to open the map in UDB to learn how to get to the last secret XD

I'm currently on MAP10...

 

[Doomkid]

The FINAL 2 parts will be going live in about 7 hours!

 

 

 

[Sneezy McGlassFace]

6 hours ago, Doomkid said:

The FINAL 2 parts will be going live in about 7 hours!

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

Maaaaaan, I need to get some sleep. But this IS the big finale... okay, worst case scenario - I'm sleeping under the desk

Edited June 11, 2022 by Sneezy McGlassFace

[El Jeff]

Thanks doomkid for allowing me to brag to my friends and family that you played my map

[Glikkzy]

Here comes Version COKE of Pollution Plant!

 

https://wadhosting.com/Wad/895415A3A2FADD60AAD5499398200AE9D1F797E8

 

Version COKE Changelog:

- The workers in the Pollution Plant no longer have to drink polluted water (added three Coke vending machines throughout the map)

- Lighting pass on a few barebone areas

- Texture variety in a few barebone areas

 

The gameplay and feel of the map is the same, but there were a few areas I felt desperately needed just a little visual polish to keep them in line with the rest of the map. So yeah, just a little late polishing update!

 

Spoiler

 

Edited June 12, 2022 by Glikkzy

[El Jeff]

On 6/12/2022 at 11:56 AM, Glikkzy said:

Here comes Version COKE of Pollution Plant!

 

https://wadhosting.com/Wad/895415A3A2FADD60AAD5499398200AE9D1F797E8

 

Version COKE Changelog:

- The workers in the Pollution Plant no longer have to drink polluted water (added three Coke vending machines throughout the map)

- Lighting pass on a few barebone areas

- Texture variety in a few barebone areas

 

The gameplay and feel of the map is the same, but there were a few areas I felt desperately needed just a little visual polish to keep them in line with the rest of the map. So yeah, just a little late polishing update!

 

  Hide contents

 

nice of you to think of the workers

[INfront95]

Small bug point: Episode 1 map 5 crashes Chocolate Doom from the start

Edit: it loads perfectly in Dosbox tho

Edited June 15, 2022 by INfront95

[INfront95]

Ok sorry for next follow up but im really curious what can cause it. E1M1 Same thing, works in Dosbox, works in DSDA, crashers in Chocolate when you look here. You can walk in this area as long as you not look to the left crates. Error message W_CacheLumpNum: 3411328>=numlumps

Spoiler

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by INfront95

[Sneezy McGlassFace]

Huh, I had no idea chocolate and dosbox have different error handling.. isn't that the whole point of chocolate? 

[Blue Phoenix]

53 minutes ago, INfront95 said:

Ok sorry for next follow up but im really curious what can cause it. E1M1 Same thing, works in Dosbox, works in DSDA, crashers in Chocolate when you look here. You can walk in this area as long as you not look to the left crates. Error message W_CacheLumpNum: 3411328>=numlumps

  Hide contents

 

behind the crates is a STEP1 flat.  This is a big no-no because One Man Jury has a STEP1 patch/texture.  When I run the map with chocolate it just displays the flat as garbage instead of crashing though.

[Mark Bloom]

The Cauldron v5 - Release candidate

 

As I said in my previous post - I've made cybermaze more spooky. But level geometry alteration caused blockmap overflow again, so I "squished" the area where final battle takes place. It's not too drastic of a change, so the combat is unchanged for the most part. With that said, I've had no crashes during my playtests and I cannot find any visplane overflows with UDB. I hope it'll stay that way.

 

- Slightly altered geometry of cybermaze area

- Changed light levels of cybermaze area

- Minor texture fixes, light level fixes and sector height fixes

- Removed 2 useless arachnotrons from lava pits

- Altered final fight area to fit blockmap limits

- Added a few decorations

 

I've also come up with a small story for my map (sorry for grammar, english is not my primary language)

Spoiler

During his furious fight with the hellspawn, Jamal Jones has discovered that some of the demons were more resilient to his weaponry, thanks to the magic potion being brewed by the most cunning cyberdemon somewhere inside the hell keep, buried deep beneath lava lake in the middle of the void. If Jamal wants to defeat this devilish army, he need to venture into the void, get into the most hazardous labirynth he's ever been in, fight his way througn cinder and brimstone, locate the Cyberdemon alchemist, defeat him and neutralize the cauldron with unholy brew... by pissing in it.

 

[Goat-Avenger]

Hey folks,

 

@b0n3 and I have been playing through the Beta.  We were keeping an eye out for any bugs or issues we ran into along the way.  I'll just paste it here.  If a map isn't listed, we didn't notice any issues.  Most of the issues are just texture alignment issues, or little odd irregularities.  There are a small number of little bugs; but, overall, I don't think there was anything major.  Anywho, here's some notes on stuff we noticed for episode 1.  I  don't know if this info will be helpful or not; but, if we continue to play through E2 and E3, I'll probably keep taking notes as we go, and post again.  Some of my notes might be a little vague, it was the best I could do to describe what was visually noticed, just during a playthrough.

 

Unfortunately we didn't do any Complevel 2 testing; but, playing through on Zandro, we noticed the following...

 

Anywho, cheers.  Here's the list. 
 

Spoiler

map01 - ToTheSite - Rycuz
--May want to change textures used in the vents to "SHFL1" rather than "FLAT23".

 

map03 - Earnesttrout - Dark Secrets
--There is a switch that is directly behind a light post decoration that sort of blocks the switch.

 

map4 - Astronomical - Initialisation
--There are several texture misalignments with the Brick texture, near doors, and room changes and such.
--suggestion--blue door and perhaps other doors work a bit weird (might be intended, not sure).

 

map05 - Majipantsu - ShoppingSpree
--The first main switch, at the top area with a view of the buildings, raises from the ground.  As it is raising, you can use it to jump over the ledge and stuck permantly out of bounds of the map.  It's a pretty cool bug, actually; but, technically, is a bug.  It could be turned into a pretty sweet secret, with the addition of some goodies and a teleporter down there...

map07 - Evil_scientist - PACKIN HEAT
--needs coop starts
--right before red key, there is a spot where u can jump out to the floor of the map.  My wording here is a bit vague; but, basically if you do some clever doom parkour, in an area right before the red key, you can break the flow of the map, and in single player, possibly break the map.

 

map08 - Origamyde - Wheel of Misfortune
--There is a secret berserker in a wall that clips through the wall and can be picked up through the wall, without having to activate the secret

 

map09 - HrnekBezucha - Smells_like_cordite
--hexagonal metal texture misalignments in corridors

 

map10 - Doomkid - Base of Consequences
--When we played this, I think it wasn't finished yet.  Dunno if still needs work...

 

map11 - Valkiriforce - The Escapist
--hexagonal metal texture misalignment in corridor ++ gate at exit texture (unfixed use of a step texture that was changed probably to address tuty frooty

map13 - Jacnowak - damneddam
--Many walls in this map allowed you to clip through them.  The map was essentially broken due to this.  My guess was it had some kind of compile time errors (node builder issue?) or something.  Needs to be looked at, if it hasn't been already.

 

map15 - Weird Sandwich - SINISTER SLUDGE
--minor texture missalignments (steps near the blue door, some by the metal fences)

 

map18 - Anonymous Space Marine - Vile Streets
--texture alignment issue with hole to the sewer area

 

map19 - Peccatum_Mihzamiz - Inner City Evil
--coop starts, if player 1 dies very early, everyone is trapped.
--invisible bridge floor texture problems by BFG room

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by Goat-Avenger

[b0n3]

Small update to the map from the result of coop testing:

Menagerie Mayhem v3.2

https://wadhosting.com/Wad/7E2D9E480131D63FC976AA4A278839867A69C249

 

fixed yellow key door to actually to be assigned to the yellow key (yep a slight error in the previous revision)

few texture alignment tidy ups

removal of stalagmite softlock

 

[Earnesttrout]

On 6/18/2022 at 11:26 PM, Goat-Avenger said:

map03 - Earnesttrout - Dark Secrets
--There is a switch that is directly behind a light post decoration that sort of blocks the switch

It was ment to hide it slightly as it makrs life easier if you press it. But if it is annoying i will move it away

[Yumheart]

After playing through my map again to make sure everything is working, I noticed the exit room doesn't have the correct sky.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Edited June 21, 2022 by Yumheart

[Goat-Avenger]

5 hours ago, Earnesttrout said:

It was ment to hide it slightly as it makrs life easier if you press it. But if it is annoying i will move it away

So, I went back and checked out the map.  I think it's fine if you leave it.  It's dark enough in there, in default brightness, that it might go unnoticed, with or without the light stick.  I believe when we played through I didn't even notice the switch myself.  That switch might be better suited to opening the yellow key secret, however, now that I play through it, and see what it does looking at it in slade.

 

Your call though, we were just playing through and making notes of various things.  :)  Very nice map, also.  Faithfully 90's, visually appealing, and played smooth.  And, no bugs, so no worries..

Edited June 21, 2022 by Goat-Avenger

[Doomkid]

On 6/19/2022 at 8:26 AM, Goat-Avenger said:

Anywho, cheers.  Here's the list.

 

Thank you both so much for testing this out in co-op and listing all your findings here. It is IMMENSELY helpful. A small handful of the things you mentioned have been addressed with the new-ish build, but there's plenty that haven't as well (In other words - new beta should be coming in a few days!)

 

5 hours ago, Yumheart said:

After playing through my map again to make sure everything is working, I noticed the exit room doesn't have the correct sky.

 

Hmm, that shouldn't be happening. All of the 3 episodes are meant to be loaded "alone", just to be clear/in case you were loading the resource pack alongside it. Using just "!E2v3.wad" alongside "1ManDeh.deh" shows a much cooler sky, with yellow mountains and overcast brown/red clouds. (I couldn't use the bright orange sky due to vanilla limitations, but rest assured it's still way cooler than the simple "dark grey clouds" in that pic!)

[Yumheart]

4 hours ago, Doomkid said:

Hmm, that shouldn't be happening. All of the 3 episodes are meant to be loaded "alone", just to be clear/in case you were loading the resource pack alongside it. Using just "!E2v3.wad" alongside "1ManDeh.deh" shows a much cooler sky, with yellow mountains and overcast brown/red clouds. (I couldn't use the bright orange sky due to vanilla limitations, but rest assured it's still way cooler than the simple "dark grey clouds" in that pic!)

Oh, alright, that explains it. I made stupid the mistake of loading "!E2v2.wad", since there's still a download link to V2 which caused me to think that V2 was the newest version. The new sky looks really cool when you get to catch a glimpse of the mountains, even though the clouds are more brown than I would like, considering how the rest of the map is already pretty brown.
It's alright though, I'm happy to see all of this take shape and understand that vanilla mapping requires the occasional sacrifice :>

[Doomkid]

Oh crap, obviously my version here is more updated than the current DL link and I totally forgot to account for that.. D'OH. (I'll also make sure the orange sky is there for ports that can read MAPINFO, at the very least!)

[Jastrzab Trzeci]

https://doomshack.org/uploads/babylon1816v2.wad
okaaaay people, heres the long awaited update for my map! Please notify me if i have overlooked some bugs

[Doomkid]

You heard right!

 

Today, the WINNERS of this 6-month-long contest are finally going to be announced!

 

**  IT'S TIME TO GET PAID!!  **

 

So, I wanted to wait until I had a proper full project re-cap video made to announce the winners - but, I'm probably the slowest gun in the West when it comes to making DoomTube content, and frankly, having the winners wait any more than about 6 months just seems wrong. A re-cap video IS in the works rest assured, but if it takes me a few more weeks to actually complete it, I don't want everyone to sit in limbo waiting forever.. You've already done enough of that :)

 

..Also, it took a while because picking winners for this has been HARD with a capital H.

 

In one sense, it's been flat-out amazing: I got to play and enjoy 56 maps ranging from "darn good" to "holy shit this is amazing Doom mapping right here". I'm not kidding when I say there isn't a bad map in the bunch!.. At least for my tastes.

 

How can I call 53 amazing maps "losers" of this contest? I can't - EVERYONE is a winner here, because not a soul among you was a slouch in your mapping. If I were a rich man I'd send you all a check for helping to create this badass little trilogy of WADs we have on our hands.

 

With each submission, the effort was clear as day and the entertainment value was always there. (To be blunt, I had a much better time playing through this whole campaign than I do with many acclaimed megawads...) I was able to whittle the map selection down to a "top 20" of sorts, but from that pool of maps, I can say the the choices for the winners really were determined purely by my arbitrary tastes, just like I promised back in January. Seriously, some of the maps that didn't "win" still made my jaw hit the floor multiple times.. That's the sheer quality and caliber of the maps I was working with here.

 

With all that said, let's move on to the contest winners!

 

 

   THE SECOND PLACE PRIZE WINNER(S) 

 

 

You know how I said picking winners from maps of this caliber was really hard? Uh, yeah, I wasn't kidding.

 

For that reason, second place is a TIE between To The Site by @Rycuz and UAC Muffin Research Kitchen by @Big Ol Billy!

 

<YT Link: contest video featuring this map>

 

To The Site is the definition of an infectious opener map for an oldschool-style WAD. It's low-key in terms of combat, but it sets the stage for a rich, highly-developed set of episodes right from square one. You start on a moving train, and you can actually see/hear the train clunk to a stop when you kill the little yellow engineers running it.

 

Even though the map is fairly small, the detail and DoomCute is off the charts. You start on the aforementioned super-cool train, but you wind up in what is frankly a gorgeous facility, complete with blue carpeting, soda machines, computer terminals (with mice!) and paintings on the wall - framed, no less - potted plants, fucking coffee mugs... The amount of effort put into making this base look not only realistic, but also genuinely beautiful is the primary reason it won me over so strongly.

 

All of that is not to mention the awesome "3D" bridge and striking outdoor area that really contribute to the world of Jamal Jones feeling like a "big place" that you're about to wander out into and explore. Stuff like that really is like icing on the cake to my Doom sensibilities. For a new player coming to Jamal Jones with no preexisting expectations, I feel this will make a fantastic foot in the door.

 

Congratulations, Rycuz! You did so well with this map!

 

   

 

..and now on to UMRK by Big Ol' Billy!

 

<YT Link: contest video featuring this map>

 

Big Ol' Billy's UAC Muffin Research Kitchen is an ode to two things very near and dear to my heart: DOOM and FRANK ZAPPA. (Billy sure knew how to work me over, eh?)

 

You start out in front of a big UAC base. It's very dark, almost feeling like you're sneaking in at midnight. Right off the bat we have VERY striking use of lighting with stark contrast, and as we walk in the front door, we are greeted with an awesome "UMRK" sign in black and bright red, with a beautiful "sector art chocolate chip muffin" just below.

 

For those not in-the-know, the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen is a recurring locale throughout the Zappaverse, and that's clearly where this map gets the name. There are even references within references going on here: Zappa sings about how a "little green Rosetta will make a muffin betta", and of course Billy has some tasty green nukage spilling right onto the top of some of the giant muffins you find around the place. Absolutely incredible.

 

...I mean, just take a second to really adsorb that concept. "Giant sector art muffins". I've seen giant food in Doom before (32in24-13!!) and have always wanted to see that applied to a badass vanilla single-player map, and Billy has granted that wish for me. It's not just about the muffins though, this map has numerous gorgeous views to take in as you blast your way through it, not to mention a rocking MIDI in the style of Zappa's music, composed by Billy and his band (iirc).

 

I spent so much time talking about the visuals and Zappa-esque flare that I forgot to give praise to the map's combat. Simply put: It's fun. (Which will be no surprise for fans of Billy's other wads like Alien Bastards!). This map does something I really appreciate, which is making sure you pretty much always have baddies to shoot. There are some tough nail-bitey moments, but you're given plenty of ammo overall and the whole thing is very digestible. Just like I like it!

 

All the combat leads up to this big badass battle in a huge nukage cave, where you have to make quick and smart use of an invulnerability sphere to get out alive. By the end, a bunch of the nukage falls have seemingly been "deactivated", the base almost feels like it's shutting down when all the lights in the main area switch off, and you're left to melt some spooky skeletons before riding a lift back to the outdoor area and zapping the hell out of there.

 

You did an awesome job, Big Ol' Billy! You should be proud of this one.

 

 

  THE FIRST PLACE PRIZE WINNER 

 

 

..And, after much deliberation, first place goes to Warhevil by @Michael Jensen!

 

<YT Link: contest video featuring this map>

 

WOW. When it comes to what I love in a Doom experience, this map has it all.

 

Amazing detail and DoomCute, all housed in/branching off from a sweet-looking underground subway tunnel that takes me back to GALAXIA.wad (not to mention, the sweet Das Boot MIDI was also used in that map). This map will send you through big warehouses full of intense-but-fair combat, big natural cave and canyon areas with waterfalls, and tons of great detail in the form of sinks, windows, tables, chairs, soda machines, test tubes, missile production lines, huge construction cranes, movie theaters even, and much, much more - it seriously has a lot of detail throughout several different areas to explore, and all of those areas are still thematically consistent with one another despite doing so much on the visual front.

 

The fact that all this was done in vanilla limits is enough to make my jaw drop! It has to be said: This map won because it really does exemplify everything I love in a Doom map. The enemy encounters are super engaging but never stacked against the player, I was never starving for ammo - but at the same time I wasn't drowning in it, and the rare moments where there are no enemies to shoot are still such a pleasure because of all the visual flare this map brings to the table. Exploring around and even backtracking are not a bore in such a badass level.

 

..Hell, it even ends with a helipad one of the most badass "base explosion" effects I've ever seen in a vanilla-compatible level! The sense of satisfaction you get when you see that base blowing the hell up is truly a perfect bow to complete the package.

 

I got the same sensations of amazement and wonder playing this map that I got as a kid playing Area51.wad, DoomCity.wad and HellRun.wad (as well as the aforementioned reminder of GALAXIA). Absolutely high-quality Doomy experiences - but of course, this is a much more modern, refined, and balanced approach to that same general style of mapping. Congratulations, A.H. Sankhatayan - amazing work on this beast!

 

   

 

...AND THAT'S A WRAP!

 

To the contest winners: Please send me a PM at your leisure with your PayPal e-mail address. I'll be marking these transactions as gifts - I mean, really, that's what they are anyway - and I'll send some extra dosh to help cover PayPal's fees and the inevitable currency exchange, where some other greedy suckers will surely try to take even more of your winnings. In short, I'll do my part to make sure the small cash prize you receive is completely full, where it belongs. (Also, please give me a couple days to actually pay you.)

 

...Wow, with that out of the way, the contest itself is finally complete! It's been such a fun ride, and I think you'll all enjoy the contest re-cap video, once I've finally got it in a state that's ready to show to the world. I want to make sure every map's best moments are compiled for the sake of this video.

 

   

 

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING!

 

You've ensured Jamal Jones will not only be a damn fun project once it's finalized and released, but that it will serve as a fun community event and memory for me to look back on fondly, and hopefully you all feel the same way :)

 

If you want to download the current beta of these 3 episodes, please check the OP - it has a direct download link, and it won't be too long from now that we get all the bugs/remaining issues fixed in all the maps, and get this baby finalized and uploaded to /idgames! Hell yes!!

 

 

[Sectorslayer]

Congratulations to the winners @Michael Jensen, @Rycuz and @Big Ol Billy! And to all the contributors of course! Thanks again @Doomkid for hosting this project! 🥳

[TheShep]

yes, no matter what i do, i'll know that I am always winner.

 

congrats to the winners!

and @Doomkid, thanks for the vids, playthroughs, contest, and the eventual bundling of all these yummies into 3 phat (and fat) wads!

[Mark Bloom]

Congratulations!

 

That was quite a ride! Can't wait for the full release!

[Peccatum Mihzamiz]

Congratulations to the winners! And again a big thank you to @Doomkid and all the mappers! These maps were so much fun to play and I'm glad we have a new triple megawad of such magnitude for all of us to enjoy!