The DWmegawad Club plays: Community Chest 2

[Doomy__Doom]

Last month my energy to play any Doom at all got obliterated despite a stellar wad selection, so maybe CC2 is what I need to get back on track. Idk if I'm going to keep up till the end, but I'll try.

DSDA-doom, pistol start, UV, sparse saves/rewinds.

 

Map 01 - The Furnace

 

A mostly relaxing opener doing the usual non-slaughter opener things, with a small stress point in form of awkward HK cqc segment. I'm not sure what was the point of blue armor in the final encounter, given that it doesn't lock the player in any way, you just walk out the red door. It makes sense that it works that way between the year and the mapper, but something along the lines of a Baron-door(tm) behind the player would need to happen to justify the giveaway.

 

 

Map 02 - Coolant Platform

 

Two levels in, and we're looking at a sinner with 2 barons, 12 rockets and 0 weapons above chaingun. The previous level didn't feature one either, so what gives? Upon UDB inspection - RL is a deathmatch-only affair. Odd choice, but alright.

I'll give it points for cute boom stuff usage. Teleporting some extra ammo on your way back through an area is a nice touch, although in year 2023 I would prefer a Revenant or two to help out with the Baron. Voodoo lighting sequences before they were cool. The backpack appearing all the way back in the beginning after you hit a linedef around the level's end begets a ??? though.

Overall I guess I could classify this as a nice-looking forgettable chaingun appreciation level.

[Monsieur E]

I've completed FW and just need to write up on 31 and 32, but I don't want to fall behind here too much. DSDA-Doom, complevel-9, saves allowed, going for most kills, pistol starts on UV. Also I'm going to be replacing the stock doom2 MIDIs with midtwid stuff corresponding to that map number but will be leaving the custom MIDI selections here intact.

Map01: "The Furnace" 
By Eric Alm, 53/53 kills, 1/1 secrets, 2:57

Eric Alm starts us off with a very pleasant opener. Invocative of his early scythe maps, The Furnace is a quick but fun little map set in a modest techbase. There is a certain fluidity in this map, channeling you through this techbase under fire from hitscanners and imps.

Despite its short nature, I found a few memorable spots in this maps. The first is the titular furnace, some kind of hellish cave where you are suggested to engage in a boxing match with two hell knights, I just prefer to use the chaingun to do most of the damage. I like how you enter the furnace itself by jumping into it rather than taking the teleporter, it adds a feeling of interconnectedness to the map. The other standout moment in the map is the final fight which raises the tempo by dropping in revenants alongside the regular lowtier roster for a bit of a challenge, which can also be cheesed by walking back out of the ambush but it's not like it's gonna get you anyways.

Tying together this pretty solid opener would be the MIDI selection which I really like, it adds a certain casual but exciting feel to it, like the start of an adventure making it a perfect pick. 

 

[finnks13]

MAP02 - Coolant Platform by iori:

7:28/0 Deaths
I don't say this often about a map, but Coolant Platform is absolutely adorable, showing off Boom features with the enthusiasm of someone who's discovered voodoo scrollers for the first time and wants to use them for everything! This is best exemplified by the start of the map, which has a few mini-scripted sequences of opening and closing various doors, silently teleporting in monsters and keys with all the subtlety of someone excitedly pointing to the screen while saying "Look at how cool this shit is!" The other boom shenanigan highlights are the spinning light before you descend into the main section, which I have to admit is actually pretty neat, and the little hell star that appears in the nukage after grabbing the yellow key along with a sleeping baron.

 

It's definitely a tribute to Knee Deep in the Dead, sharing the same sky, lack of heavy weaponry and being completely trivialised as soon as you pick up the chaingun. It's a little more ambush heavy than you might expect from a KDITD homage, but the ambushes are kept pretty easy and the plentiful amount of health and very generous secrets will keep you topped up. The only moments I'd call "not fun" are the couple of times you have to shotgun a baron to death, and also the cacodemons in the outside area are also a bit of a slog due to weapon #4 being your most powerful one, and the complete lack of rocket launcher. I reckon the map would have been better off had it stuck to the episode 1 monsters exclusively, though I guess they do help differentiate it from the million kditd homages that exist a little.

 

Coolant Platform is mostly memorable for the enthusiasm towards the boom features in it's opening minutes, the rest is a fairly inoffensive KDITD reference that's given a bit more personality from the scripted sequences.

[Electro Rage]

Pistol Start, UV-MAX (even when it's not worth it), Saves (because I'm gonna need it) DSDA-doom 0.24.3.

Map 01: The Furnace by Erik Alm

Classic Erik Alm. Nice cozy visuals, enough difficulty to serve as a warm up for punching hell knights (which will be useful later), and is over-all just chill. It's basically Scythe Map 01 but better.

Map 02: Coolant Platform by Iori
Weird map to be honest. I think playing CPs like Capybara have really spoiled me, especially at the start. The secret rockets are pointless, because there is no rocket launcher. There are TWO barons of hell which I have to Shotgun or Chaingun to death. THERE'S NO SSG! Only Doom 1 monsters- hell it feels like E1 of Doom! I remember playing CC2 when I was a lot younger and leaving because of this map! There is a pointless switch pressing session at the start. I will say the visuals are okay, especially that strobe light room, might look at that to figure out how it's done, I like it a lot.

Grade for map 01: B+
Map 02 grade: C-

Edited January 2, 2023 by Electro Rage

[Dusty_Rhodes]

Map02: Coolant Platform

by Iori

played continuously in PrBoom+/UMAPINFO on Ultra Violence

Coolant Platform is a good representation of Community Chest 2's early levels: inspired by Knee Deep in the Dead, tightly designed, a little generic, and full of fancy Boom effects. In this case, the Boom features being the sky transfer giving us those Chinese mountains we all know and love, and all the quick rising and lowering floors in the beginning. These simulate a sort of scripting, and I love them for the novelty, but they really are bizarre. It's creative to use the same opening
room like this, but it's just strange to put so much emphasis in the first room. That said, along with the much touted strobe light, it's definitely memorable. Otherwise, the combat is pretty easy, mostly cleaning up fodder with the single barrel. The detailing is great, but the secrets are a little too much. I'm playing continuously, so all the gear definitely bolsters the later maps. Some would call this forgettable, and maybe, but I've actually quoted that nukage hallway with the button in it before, so it must have stuck in my head enough to be in one of my maps.

 

I agree with @LadyMistDragon in saying this is some good quality vintage Iori. I definitely agree with @finnks13 saying it's adorable. I do love Boom scripting like this, so I'm a bit of a sucker for Coolant Platfrom. The Caco fight really begs for a rocket launcher, though. I've played the first and second Community Chest numerous times, so I have no quibbles with fighting a Baron with the standard shotgun. I am, however, insane, so disregard this.

 

Overall, pretty good.

 

Map ranking:

Spoiler

Map01: The Furnace

Map02: Coolant Platform

 

[Anarkzie]

Coolant platform 

 

A level that is easy to overlook how creative it due it being another techbase with only very basic enemies. The progression in the opening rooms quirky and reminds me of an early level of Doom 64. Not bad stuff.

[Poncho1]

I'll join in for this one, I think. Playing continuously, UV-Max rules (minus the speed part, I guess) and with as little mid-map saving as possible.

 

Because I'll be revising for some uni tests that are right around the corner, I may leap ahead with my reviews as opposed to everyone else. Sorry.

 

Map01: The Furnace

Author: Erik Alm

 

There's a definite Scythe 2 episode 3 vibe here, what with the textures for sure. Oh course, that's a given, seeing as this is an Alm map. As far as first levels go, Alm blows Pistol Panic out of the water, being infinitely better in every way: pacing, duration, gameplay and aesthetics. I actually nearly died as a couple of moments, though that's more to do with me being stupidly reckless. Good use of Hell Knights, Revenants and the smaller enemies such as Imps and hitscanners rounds out this short but sweet opener.

 

Map02: Coolant Platform

Author: Trevor Primmett (iori)

 

Here's a level that could've easily been placed into an Ultimate Doom WAD: there's no SSG and nor are there any Doom II enemies. I liked how the start opens up bit by bit, but the rest is just a bog-standard corridor shooting round without much in the way of interesting fights, playing as a lacklustre Ultimate DOOM level with a little better attention to detail than that seminal game. The secrets are either overpowering (the Supercharge) or utterly useless, since the others contain rockets for a Rocket Launcher that isn't there on any difficulty. Things like that made me think that this map was indeed meant to be part of another WAD, but was thrown into Community Chest 2 to get it to 32 maps.

 

Map03: Slige Control

Author: Ian Cunnings (The Flange Peddler)

 

The Flange Peddler is one of the more prolific mapmakers for this WAD, outdone only by Gene Bird. From what I understand, this map was initially created by the program known as Slige, which randomly generates maps; afterwards, TFP added his own little details to make it feel as if a real human had made it. The addition of an SSG, a trap involving a small swarm of Cacodemons and Lost Souls and some devilish hitscanner placements make Map03 a much better level than its immediate predecessor, though you can strangely easily miss enemies by forgetting to run over certain platforms (I nearly missed 4 Pinkies since I ran past the initial Shotgun). The symmetry is also typical of Slige, but the map's short enough, so it wasn't too bothersome.

 

Map04: Déjà Vu

Author: Gene Bird

 

I was pretty defensive of Gene's work in the first Community Chest, seeing his maps there as - at worst - inoffensive SSG-spam corridor massacres. It's sort of the same case with this map, but I must admit that it isn't very engaging, either. For starters, the visual continuity is non-existant, going from wooden corridors, to a white outdoors courtyard, and sort of ending with a bedroom that leads to a prison (was that the warden's quarters then, or what?). Yeah, doesn't make much sense. The gameplay department consists of using the SSG, and that's it. A few of the traps bump the intensity up a notch on a couple of occasions, such as a sudden trap with Revs and Mancubi in a [non-damaging] nukage area, and a fight towards the finale when Arachnotrons, Cacos, Hell Knights, Mancubi and Imps clog up a square-shaped room, but the rest is simply drab. Add to the fact that the secrets are piss-easy to find (somewhat negating their designation as "secrets") and a few cheap instances like the Tenements-esque leap of faith into a pit with an Arachnotron, and you get a rather poor level. Nowhere near the worst or most boring I've played, but pretty weak, all things considered.

 

Speaking of Gene Bird, I'm gonna make a preemptive prediction of what people will say about each of his levels (so, surprise me, people!):

Map04: "it sucks!" (I agree, I admit)

Map08: "worst thing ever!"

Map12: "it's a slight improvement"

Map16: "almost the worst thing ever!"

Map25: "his best effort for this WAD by a long stretch"

[Somniac]

I can offer some thoughts on the first few maps of CC2 as I started replaying it myself a couple of weeks ago, and its one of "those" mapsets to me, a classic.

 

MAP01- Furnace - Eric Alm:

This map is classic Alm circa Scythe. Short, relatively simple, with an elegant and refined old school mentality to its architecture, detailing and gameplay that guides you intuitively to the end. It could have easily been an outcut from Scythe and would have fitted in that WAD nicely. Tasteful opener, a fine map. He made it look so easy, didn't he? Extra points for not forcing the player into boxing Hell Knights, but giving you the chance to if you so desire. Personally, I love going toe-to-toe with these bastards. Even better if there's two of them.

 

MAP02 - Coolant Platform - Iori:

Peak early 2000s Boom, to my mind at least. That is to say, an otherwise fairly regular map with some Boom under the hood to spice things up just enough. At least, that's how I see it. While the lack of any Doom II enemies, no SSG and nothing heavier than a chaingun unless you get the secret rocket launcher (with 2 x Barons waiting to give you a smack) feels a bit out of place, I still like this map. It does what an early community project map should do. Like Furnace, its pretty easy but can still give you a hard time if you get too cocky. I love the red key appearance, and the detail and lighting are tasteful. The E1 feel sits well with me. A fine map.

 

Both these maps are the kind of easygoing Doom "comfort food" I have all the time in the world for. 

[Azure_Horror]

5 hours ago, Doomy__Doom said:

Map 01 - The FurnaceI'm not sure what was the point of blue armor in the final encounter, given that it doesn't lock the player in any way, you just walk out the red door. It makes sense that it works that way between the year and the mapper, but something along the lines of a Baron-door(tm) behind the player would need to happen to justify the giveaway.

IMHO for map 01 this blue armor feels right at home for two reasons:

- It still nudges the player to go Rambo with a chaingun. This strat is purely optional at this point, but it is

still a productive approach to this fight.

- Continuous players can grab a nice power up! Doom 1 does this with multiple strong itmes, a lot of WADs do the same with backpacks (Even Sunlust has a non-secret bacpack on map 03).

1 hour ago, Anarkzie said:

Coolant platform 

 

A level that is easy to overlook how creative it due it being another techbase with only very basic enemies. The progression in the opening rooms quirky and reminds me of an early level of Doom 64. Not bad stuff.

Yeah, the quirky progression sequence at the start was fun! I think, using boom features in minor ways looks very cool. Sad, that few maps do simialr things...

[Fairen]

Map 2: Coolant Platform (UV)

 

Well, it's got some fancy effects in the first room and scattered throughout the level, but all in all it's kind of a linear, simplistic romp. The design isn't bad, but it isn't really that memorable, and nor are the fights throughout. Plus, as others have mentioned, the level makes a point of giving you rocket ammo as secrets...but forgets to include the rocket launcher. (Maybe the creator figured it would have been given on a previous level?)

 

(also it does amuse me greatly that these sorts of tricks were possible and known in near-vanilla source ports nearly twenty years ago)

[Thelokk]

MAP03: Slige Control by The Flange Peddler

DSDA / UV / 100% kills / 100% secrets

 

Using machine-generated prompt is a long established tradition in both the arts and the written word (a good 50% of 20th century poetry wouldn't exist without random prompts), and I really see no issue with doing the same in Doom mapping. Of course taking a SLIGE map and shilling it as your own is not cool, but why not let seeded randomness dictate the bare structure upon which one might work? I did it in the past and, honestly, it's lots of fun. If anyone starts an OBSIDIAN-powered community project, count me in.

 

All this to basically explain why the origin of 'Slige Control' does not bother me in the slightest - I find it, in fact, to be one of CC2's most solid maps. Sure, the structure is rather symmetrical, but Doom at its core has always been about angular symmetry, and The Flange Peddler's exquisite tech detail makes all the difference anyway. Progression is clear but not obvious, and couple curveballs are thrown into what would otherwise be an exercise in pressing four switches; combat is simple but more than respectable, pivoting around masses of hitscanners but always with plenty of room to move around. 

 

While it's impossible to say what the map owes to SLIGE and what to Peddler, I sorta don't care. It's a fun exercise, as well as a more than acceptable Doom offering - and, to be quite frank, much better than many of CC2's non SLIGE-fueled maps.  

Edited January 3, 2023 by Thelokk

[Book Lord]

I played the first Community Chest with the club and it was a great experience. I'm joining now for this month and I hope not to fall behind too much:

 

MAP 01 – The Furnace by Erik Alm @Erik

DSDA-Doom v0.24.3, UV, Pistol start, blind run w/saves

 

Judging from my nickname, I might be taken for a devotee of Erik Alm; while I recognise his ground-breaking work and long-lasting influence on the Doom mapping scene, I hold a small grudge against him because Scythe was the first megaWAD I did not finish. It was long ago, I have beaten harder things since then, and my pride has been cut down to size by more precise, updated challenging concepts. Still, it was Alm that introduced me to a new idea of difficulty in Doom, and I both blame and revere him for that.

 

Speaking of The Furnace, I found it a concise, refreshing, and tasteful opener for Monopoly Community Chest 2. The moderately-detailed architecture of early Scythe levels was used to mimic a realistic place, including the titular furnace where a Berserk pack and sanguine hues encouraged the player to punch two Hell Knights. The rest was simple fare MAP01 action, with enough resources to dispose of all the Imps and former humans, but not to be wasteful. The progression was a bit unusual in a couple of points: if jumping in the hole looked the only viable solution, walking through a small FIRELAVA wall to teleport was more demanding for my insight, especially with a row of candles pointing at an odd satyr face with no function. A classic candle on the wall was used to signpost the backpack secret.

Spoiler

The exit room was a fine closet mess, with a Combat Armour serving three purposes: it was the bait for the ambush, the resource to overcome it, and the final prize for continuous players like me. It was great to have The Furnace to start Community Chest 2, but at the same time I am glad that we do not have another map by Eric Alm in the third episode, where things get longer and meaner.

 

MAP 02 – Coolant Platform by Trevor Primmett @iori

DSDA-Doom v0.24.3, UV, Continuous, blind run w/saves

 

The starting area of Coolant Platform must have left an impression on Boom neophytes in 2004: pressing a switch caused more than the usual single effect, making the RK appear from nothing along with enemies and with a visible transformation of the surroundings. Rotating beams of light were met inside the tech-base, where other special effects and voodoo dolls cheered up the linear path through the nukage-filled halls. A particularly long lift effect was used to access the secret Soul Sphere, shown at the entrance, and hidden shortly after.

Spoiler

No major threats awaited Doomguy on his way to the YK, vanishing and then becoming accessible through a staircase after dealing with Spectres and the first Cacodemon. While retracing the steps to the yellow door, some closets opened and there was even a Baron of Hell to kill with basic weaponry. No SSG was offered, and the rockets acquired in the other two secrets were of no use on this level. The last two areas were packed with opposition, even though it was mostly frontal and easily defeated by camping doors. The courtyard made me realise the whole level had strong Doom E1 vibes and that no Doom II monster had been used. What a cool MAP02 by iori, it was a nice showcase of Boom tricks under a coat of classic textures that looked familiar. Combat was the standard Doom hallway shooting, appropriate for the slot.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Book Lord

[brick]

GZDoom, Boom compatibility, HNTR, blind, continuous with saves.
The early maps are easy on HNTR, but I'm conditioned from previous exposure to expect a sharp (and potentially completely random) difficulty spike. Besides it's always fun to compare my experience on HNTR with those playing on UV, and to see just how much care some authors put in balancing their maps.

 

MAP01 - “The Furnace” by Erik Alm
Very small and very short opener. It has a design combo that I don't particularly like, forcing you to pick up items to open progression and of course unleashing a multi-sided ambush when you do, but the map is too short for this to be a real problem. The hellish area is pretty cool and I really liked the way the "hell gate" teleporter look. The use of custom music is pretty nice too. I like it more than CC1's opener.

 

MAP02 - “Coolant Platform” by iori
This one's quite a bit more substantial. The most memorable thing about the map is the lighting I think. It looks uniformly great with some standout features, including a rotating light that reminded me of Doom 64's first map, another favourite of mine was the UAC corridor with some great contrast between lighted bands and darker areas. Every light source casts light, ledges above doors cast shadows; the sector work is really lovely, it reminds me of Pcorf's lighting work. There are other fun tricks, such as walls raising or lowering in script-combination, keys appearing when you complete a sequence, a lift that stays lowered much longer than you'd think thanks to sector tagging magic, and so on. Combat and progression are good, but all the little details really elevate the map. Very fun overall. I realized this is iori's first (published) map, a few years before he started getting Cacowards for his solo work; now I really want to check those out for more of this lovely attention to detail.

 

MAP03 - “Slige Control” by The Flange Peddler
Another very small map, though this one does have quite a bit of opposition. It does give you the SSG, and between it and the chaingun, mowing down all the cacos is quite satisfying. There's some nice and evocative detailing here, like the broken and leaking pipe, the rotating blue pistons, in general there's a machinery feel to the map, and it makes pressing all the switches to access the red key feel quite fun. Another enjoyable one.

 

This is honestly a very promising start to the megawad.

Edited January 3, 2023 by brick

[KickAss]

GZDooM 4.9, PB 3.0, HeXeReTiC HUD PB3 v8.3RC2e, Weapon Neural Upscale, Simple Upscaled Enemies, Destroyable Decorations Definitive Edition, Glory Kills v29b, SilentDoomguy, Flashlight, -iwad doom2.wad (ver 1.666), -skill 4 (UV), continuous play, no saves.

 

MAP03 - “Slige Control” by The Flange Peddler

 

 

[Anarkzie]

Slige Control

 

The real danger from A.I and robots is not some silly future war that will be waged but that they will take our jobs(da tik ah joooobs). As a mapper this level is threatening. It's finely crafted and free of my trademark errors, no wonky lines, no delightful slime trails just a nicely made level. Computers can do my job better than me, gulp.

 

I'm not sure what the ratio of A.I to human is with this map but the end result is good. I like the visuals, and I think for a tech base it has a nice bright palate. Combat-wise I find it's use of demons, hitscanners and cacos very effect. Playing from a pistol start I kept finding myself switching from the shotgun back to the pistol due to exhausting my ammo during the beginning and middle section, I actually like this sort of thing as it made fights between lower tier enemies more meaningful.

 

If I have any criticism is probably just about its lack of much hight variation and there is not a lot of wow factor, it is however a well made map.

[Monsieur E]

Map02: "Coolant Platform"
By Iori, 133/133 kills, 0/3 secrets, 7:00

 If I had to guess, I think this map was supposed to be from some kind of Ultimate Doom Boom wad, perhaps to be played continuously evidenced by the presence of rockets but no RL (on any skill level) in either this level or the previous.

I like the Boom trickery, the surprise monster teleports and the sudden appearance of the pentagram in the big nukage room stand out in particular. The map looks modest but pretty. However, since this map basically plays like a Udoom map, it is unfortunately pretty boring and occasionally tedious to grind down the two barons and the few cacodemons who barely pose a threat. There's nothing bad with it per say but I don't like it much either. 

Map03: "Slige Control"
By The Flange Peddler, 96/98 kills, 0/1 secrets, 6:22

As the title indicates, this is the slige map from a contest "where participants would be assigned Slige levels, and then tasked with detailing them, keeping the original structures but making them look nothing like the originals" (via doomwiki). The compilation wad of these maps seem to be lost now, unless it has been dug up recently.

Returning to the map itself, I like actual detailing of the map with its cozy lighting and texture cohesion. The combat here is okay, it's nothing too special but I like how the windows allow enemies from other rooms to attack you. Otherwise, it's a pretty bland super-shotgun fest, however, due to its short nature, I don't mind it too much.

[Book Lord]

MAP 03 – Slige Control by Ian Cunnings @The Flange Peddler

DSDA-Doom v0.24.3, UV, Continuous, blind run w/saves

 

The name Slige Control set things clear and avoided any ambiguity; the author was not selling a programme-generated Doom level for an original creation, but he applied enough detail and knowledge to keep the symmetrical linedefs under control, achieving a passable environment that occasionally delivered good gameplay. The rest of the story is told by Doomwiki and it is worth reading, even only for a glimpse of the controversy sparked 20 years ago by SLIGE and similar software.

 

The map betrayed its origins with the clear symmetry of the layout, shrewdly masked by plenty of niches, windows, light sources, and props like the broken nukage pipe. I have no idea of SLIGE behaviour, but the crates placed in regular patterns and the deaf monsters lurking behind every corner seemed the offspring of artificial intelligence. On the other hand, the Pinkies materialising when picking up the shotgun in the first room, and especially the enjoyable Lost Soul and Cacodemon ambush triggered by the RK, were both valuable products of a human brain. The final teleport of a herd of Spectres in the BK room was less memorable, but they chased me efficiently regardless of the stairs and architecture.

Spoiler

I found the hidden Partial Invisibility by checking the automap and there were 3 Chaingunners still left to kill. I would not pick up the Security Armour while carrying the blue one from MAP01, so they stayed in their closet to rot. I do not understand the use of traps on optional items, especially on a green armour that might be avoided on continuous play. This minor problem did not prevent Slige Control from being an acceptable contribution to Community Chest 2.

[Fairen]

Map 3: Slige Control (UV)

 

It's a little odd that the map mostly made by a map generator has been the best so far. It's not some spectacular fast-paced level, but the non-linear layout is nice, the map's easily the best-looking map thus far, and despite this map being the first to give you the super it doesn't throw overly-spongy hordes at you. It could probably do with fewer surprise chaingunners around corners, though.

[Yumheart]

map03 "Slige Control" by The Flange Paddler
Another easy techbase map, the combat in this one is even less threatening than in maps01 & 02. I liked the high density of hitscanners though, you could probably make a map filled only with Chaingunners with the "Ambush" flag and I'd still enjoy it. Despite being in no way underdetailed, this map is a bit bland visually, which I blame on the relatively uninspired texture selection and lack of height variation.
Speaking about the layout more generally, I like how the map is built around one central arena-like area and there's windows letting you see it while clearing out the surrounding rooms. The progression is less linear than the previous maps, though I found myself getting turned around occasionally due to the symmetrical layout and samey texturing, so perhaps guiding the player around some more would've been the right call here. Not much more to say, this one falls into the same category as map02 for me.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Yumheart

[Doomy__Doom]

Map 03 - Slige Control

 

A perfect union of man and machine this is not. Between excessive symmetry, flatness and combat design of "demons be there" kind it doesn't compare favorably to maps 1 and 2. I'm quite ready for things to kick up a notch at this point, even if I understand that CC is a grab bag. To say something positive - the ammo balance seems reasonable for the kind of combat it presents - move around to pick up those shells, SSG can absolutely chew through supply if staying in one spot too long.

[Anarkzie]

On 1/1/2023 at 9:26 PM, Dusty_Rhodes said:

I'm most certainly biased, but I've never found CC1 or 2 to be forgettable. There are some maps that aren't incredibly distinguished, but even then, I remembered most of the maps since the first time I played them. Even in CC1. Though I find a strange narrative connection between the first ten or so maps that isn't, in reality, there. That's probably why I remember them in such a distinct way and what inspired multiple playthroughs. This thread isn't about CC1, so I won't elaborate on my narrative theory too much for fear of highjacking.

 

I'm interested in hearing what your theory is. If this Megawad club is based on book clubs then this is probably a legitimate place to share this.

[E.M.]

MAP03 - “Slige Control” by The Flange Peddler

DSDA-Doom, UV, Pistol Start

 

As you can guess by the title, this is a heavily modified SLIGE map. That ancient program was notorious for producing atrocious maps that were just a series of interconnected rectangles that had no regard for combat design or balance. I should know. I've played through Nazi Auferstehung. This presents an interesting challenge: can you take a SLIGE map and make it not only playable, but fun to play? That's what The Flange Peddler did. First he fleshed it out with lots of fine details, then he refined the encounters. The beginning can be hard to deal with, but once you get the chaingun and SSG, things will get easier. I wish there was more health, though.

[finnks13]

MAP03 - Slige Control by The Flange Peddler:

5:58/1 Death

Slige Control was the result of a competition to spruce up maps generated by the tool "Slige", where mappers were tasked to keep the layout and monster placement the same, instead detailing them until they looked nothing like the original. This means that Slige Control has a high level of detail that does feel beyond anything a level generation tool would bother with, but plays pretty terribly. While the level of detail in the map is very high (which is a consistent theme between all three of The Flange Peddler's maps in CC2), it does feel rather busy to look at, with each different room blending into one another due to the similarities in the details. I've never been massively fond of this sort of very high detail design, but I can understand why you'd go for as much as possible when trying to differentiate your map from it's generated original form.

 

The start of the map suffers from an extreme lack of ammo (pistoling pinkies & cacodemons is fun right?), and then the map gives you the SSG and becomes incredibly easy. The one interesting fight in the level, the red key fight, is interesting simply because it uses lost souls which is quite a rare occurrence. The rest of the map is symmetrical and boring, with the side passages around the main room feeling almost exactly the same as one another.

 

It's not surprising that Slige Control is a bit of a disappointment, and I expect the map in it's current state is much better than what it was based on, but there's only so much you can do with a level made by a generator. At least it's pretty brief :P

[Dusty_Rhodes]

Map03: SLIGE Control

by The Flange Peddler

played continuously in PrBoom+/UMAPINFO on Ultra Violence

I'm biased, The Flange Peddler is genuinely one of my favorite 2000s mappers, as much as Andy Leaver, Bad Bob, The Ultimate Doomer, or Use 3D (though maybe not as much as Erik or B.P.R.D. [can you tell I like the CChest series?]). Anyway, I consider this one a bona fide 2004 classic. It's detailed to a high degree and still looks nice today. The combat is drip feed, mostly teleport traps featuring pinkies and imps, but I like this. Along with the midi that I usually hate, it actually
creates a somewhat tense atmosphere. Anyway, other things I love are the chaingunner spam fights that force you to move quick, the ability to peek into the blue key room on the red switch to get a better vantage point on the zombies, and the constant sky lights that are in line with the floor designs. This map also uses some nice Boom features, like the independant light values on the same sector's floor and ceiling. I've always liked the gameplay in this one, so I don't mind it's from SLIGE. I've done this same concept before and it's incredible how bad SLIGE levels are. This is a huge improvement.

Great map, Flange Peddler.

 

8 hours ago, Anarkzie said:

m interested in hearing what your theory is. If this Megawad club is based on book clubs then this is probably a legitimate place to share this.

It's not really a describable thing, but to me Pistol Panic feels like it leads out into Nullth Precinct, and when you finish that level, you go under ground, leading to Map03: Ground Floor. The maps that I assume were arbitrarily placed where they were just somehow feel like one facility. It feels like the Doom Marine is pushing deeper into it. The Forgotten Prison and Goin' Down kind of mess with this continuity, but then Bad Bob's maps (which were actually from a set in the first place) flow (heh) into each other perfectly. The next few maps also still feel like it's a part of the facility. I'm looking to deep into it, there's nothing really there, but my brain just goes places when I play CC1. I think the map titles help: Ground Floor, Substation, etc. These tangible locations mixed in with the usual edginess of Doom level titles makes it feel like a journey through a location. idk

[Somniac]

MAP03 - SLIGE Control - The Flange Peddler:

 

While it is hard to say exactly what what done by machine vs what was done by the human hand in this map, it certainly looks far superior to anything SLIGE has vomited out for me the handful of times I've used it out of morbid curiosity. I thought it could be a creative assistant of sorts, but I've always found its outputs to be dull, nonsensical and too blatantly artificial when I've used it. I feel like I recognise a handful of SLIGE's hallmark elements, something about the shape of the corridors perhaps. There are some nice light details (property transfers ftw, done using a linedef that's actually part of the map and not in a control sector), and other cool little touches like the leaky nukeage pipe next to the chainsaw. I really do wonder how much this was modified from the base design, as I feel the map flows pretty well and is another perfectly fine little example of what a solid early slot map should be. The Chaingunner trap in the green armour room almost iced me by virtue of me forgetting about it (I only played this last a week or so ago too, lol), but aside from that the opposition is modest in number and pretty easy going. There are seemingly random pain sectors in the Chaingunner closet doors that I hadn't noticed before. Apart from that, another good one.

 

21 hours ago, Thelokk said:

If anyone starts an OBSIDIAN-powered community project, count me in.

 

I'm almost tempted now....I'm just not sure I want to be responsible! An intriguing idea, though. 

[Dusty_Rhodes]

Just now, Somniac said:

I'm almost tempted now....I'm just not sure I want to be responsible! An intriguing idea, though.

Heck, I'll start it after Community Trunk gets finished, how's that sound?

[Thelokk]

11 minutes ago, Dusty_Rhodes said:

Heck, I'll start it after Community Trunk gets finished, how's that sound?

 

Scrumptious. 

[Book Lord]

MAP 04 – Deja Vu by Gene Bird @Searcher

DSDA-Doom v0.24.3, UV, Continuous, blind run w/saves

 

Gene Bird levels have been bashed by more than a Doom influencer in recent times, but I am old enough to refuse such influence and try to contextualise them. Just like in the first chapter of the series, the Grandpa of Doom was the major contributor to Community Chest 2 with five entries. Four of them were released separately as part of Searcher’s own Blind Alley series, and they were included to achieve the critical number of 32, in the same fashion of the first Community Chest. In an era with less active authors, time-consuming editing process, and standards that were far from established, donations like these were a godsend. Obviously, no all-time masterpiece was left out of the collection to showcase these maps.

Spoiler

That said, Deja Vu was a long romp through halls and corridors, stuffed with almost 300 monsters and with the shotguns as trusted companions. Both rocket launcher and plasma rifle became available along the path, tucked away in secret compartments that required just a little extra attention or an automap check, but the frequently cramped spaces encouraged shell expenditure. This gameplay description normally fits all Searcher’s maps, but this 2003 work utilised tricks that were absent in his earlier production: monster teleports in meaningful spots, instant pop-ups, and a use of lifts and invisible doors to reveal closets that sometimes caught me off-guard. I was on the verge of dying in the first streak of marble rooms, because I was playing carelessly and was immediately punished by a Revenant rocket that left me with 12% health.

Spoiler

There were enough first aid kits to get back in shape, and even more generous bonuses in the easy secret areas of the second half. I liked the open courtyard with the YSK, the ambush with Revenants and Mancubi on non-damaging green slime, and the last area with the Computer Area Map, where different monster types were deployed in a sort of “infight simulator”. The various parts were clearly conceived with combat in mind; therefore, they were textured in a correct but standardised manner, with no continuity or logical relation between the segments. The result was a series of settings, ambushes, and light progression puzzles that worked from a technical standpoint, but lacked stylistic cohesion and felt arcade-ish, built just for the sake of the game. Expecting a different attitude in a Gene Bird map would be wishful thinking, and my only critique to Deja Vu is the excessive length, as it took almost half an hour for a blind UV-Max playthrough. As a final déjà vu, the exit appeared near the yellow door I crossed before, behind a strange panel I had searched in vain. This sudden revelation ended the level on a cheerful note, accompanied by the nonsensical death of a hidden Icon of Sin. Thanks once again, Searcher.

[Thelokk]

MAP04: Deja Vu by Gene Bird

DSDA / UV / 100% kills / 100% secrets

 

While I don't count myself among Gene Bird's many blind detractors (mostly because, just like @Book Lord, I am old enough not to), I do have to say that his map displays what a difference a single year can make in a scene like Doom modding - a handful of months in between, and Bird's maps went from 'fitting with the crowd' to 'hopelessly outdated'.

It's not a bad map, at all, certainly not CC2's worst. In fact it might be one of Bird's best; and, in my opinion, one of the most combat oriented adn action packed. Yet, it simply cannot shed its 90s mapping heritage, what with the ham-fisted MARBLE texturing, the rows of hitscanners waiting for you behind doors, the complete lack of coherence between one area and the next, the abundant things placement mistakes.

When you have stuff like Enigma, No Room, The Mucus Flow and The Furnace, you have to break the mould and step up the game. Gene, in this maps and his others in CC2, didn't manage to. Probably not an accident that he sort of disappeared shortly after these maps.  

Edited January 4, 2023 by Thelokk

[brick]

GZDoom, Boom compatibility, HNTR, blind, continuous with saves.

 

MAP04 - “Deja Vu” by Gene Bird
There he is! I admit this is not my favourite Bird map. I initially thought the title was because the map references another one (maybe from an iwad) but I couldn't recognize any of the features. Turns out the gimmick is that the first part gets mirror imaged. That whole sections is just a small part of the map though, and then it moves on to something completely different. In fact this is something the map does several times and it feels disjointed, with no real coherence between each little section. There's also a surprisingly mean (by Gene Bird standards) ambush in the L-shaped slime room, which unleashes a whole bunch of baddies at you (I too ate a couple of revenant rockets in the face). The end is a bit strange, you get teleported back to what seemed like an unopenable panel, press the exit switch and nothing immediately happens, then you hear a Romero head dying somewhere and the level ends. I'm not sure why it's set up this way. There's still the typical Gene Bird doomcute bedroom, and there's nice lighting and detailing in parts, but it overall feels a bit uneven.
I found it ok, but not more than that. Still, I think I agree with Book Lord more than Thelokk, and I think the reason I didn't like this one as much is that it is simply not as good as Boardwalk or Monster Mansion. In fact, if anything it reminds me most of Bird's own Citadel from CC1, which had some cool bits but suffered from a similar unevenness and lack of coherence.

 

(side note: I was wondering about Slige in the MAP03 title and completely missed the reason, it was very interesting reading everyone's explanation and thoughts within this context!)

Edited January 4, 2023 by brick