What is the difference between Scythe-inspired gameplay and Plutonia-inspired gameplay?

[gudermannian function]

Recently, I have been reading a lot of article in wad gameplay and lot of gameplay discussions. Many people say Plutonia 2 does not exactly play like the OG Plutonia Experiment. In fact in the "Roots of map design"; Plutonia 2 is considered to be inspired by Scythe. I have not played Scythe or Scythe 2 but I have played Plutonia and Plutonia 2. I have seen people say that Scythe-inspired gameplay rewards continuous movement (For example; MtPain27 in the episode of NOVA 2 said in "Vindaloo Chronicles" is inspired by Scythe) but sometimes this is even true for Plutonia (For Example:- Last fight in Abattoire). So my main question is what is difference in Scythe-inspired gameplay and Plutonia-inspired Gameplay? At which point does Plutonia gameplay become Scythe like Gameplay? 

[TheMagicMushroomMan]

"Scythe-style" maps are usually short and challenging maps, usually with a mid-tempo or fast pace, although difficulty isn't always a factor when making comparisons to Scythe, as early-mid Scythe/Scythe 2 maps aren't that difficult.

 

Plutonia-style maps usually feature a heavier emphasis on tricky traps, and length isn't as much of a factor when describing maps as "Plutonian".

 

When someone says "these are Scythe-style maps", that almost always means, if nothing else, that the maps are going to be a little on the short side.

 

Try playing Scythe/Scythe 2, you'll understand the difference.

Edited September 29, 2022 by TheMagicMushroomMan

[Azure_Horror]

I think the main difference between Plutonia and Scythe approaches is the role of map geometry.

 

- In Scythe approach, maps tend to be built around Arenas. (I don't mean lock-in fights here!)

Arenas are made to cause some kind of Glorious Combat! (What is Glorious Сombat exatctly? This depends on the map. Fire and Ice is different from Graverobbers, which is once again different from The Starport)

 

- In Plutonia Experiment, maps tend to be built around Terrain.

Terrain is meant to be exploited by both Doomguy and the monsters alike. Hence we have ambushes, corners, hidy holes, and lots and lots of scirmishing.

 

That said, I don't think that the two approaches are clearly distinct.

- Plutonia 2 has a lot of smilarities with Scythe's, but it also has a lot of similarities with Plutonia Experiment. Most of the maps in Plutonia 2 combine the two styles. This tendency is present from the very start of the mapset.

- Morever, original Plutonia Experiment has at least one Scythe-esque map - Map 16. Map 16 loves its rev-AV arena. It is also a compact map, netting additional Scythe points.

Edited September 30, 2022 by Azure_Horror

[Jokin]

One of the things that I haven't understood about "Scythe inspired" gameplay is the huge difference that one can find between the first 24 maps of Scythe and the last 6, it makes it seem a little more vague?

One of the main elements of plutonia for me were the ambushes, when I think plutonia inspired I think of them.