[GZDoom] Long Drop and a Missing Stop

[Wo0p]

Hello everyone :)

 

Here's my second official release that is part of my learning journey to become a better mapper, in my own eyes. This time my focus was learning to go from Decorate script to ZScript and working out the finer points of packing a pk3 with custom textures. The map itself was finished in about 4 weeks give or take, and figuring out how to pack textures and developing the custom assets (Not graphical but the scripts for enemies, weapons and such) took another 4 weeks xD

 

Anyway, by the time the map was done I also learned the limitations of my hardware and found the limit of how I wanted to size my future projects. You may find this is a somewhat graphically taxing map as it has long sightlines in places, has unreasonably sized textures and a resource intensive blood system (That could be optimized, I feel. Just not sure how yet).

 

I already want to remaster the map because of inefficiencies like that but it's all a learning experience. Originally it was meant to be map 01 of a larger mapset and it still may be... but in the far future I think. For now, I'm done with this map and it should be considered standalone for now.

 

So if there are all these flaws in the map why release it? Because someone might enjoy the experience nontheless. The map is finished and can be completed through a normal playthrough so the flaws are resource inefficiencies. And at this time I just want to be DONE with this project and move on to others. Otherwise I might never release this map x)

 

Premise:

Doomguy gets thrown off a cliff in a heated battle and unexpectedly finds a hidden branch of an underground UAC facility experimenting with fancy new weapons in the heart of a volcanic underground.

 

Requirements:

GZDoom v. 4 or later (Arbitrary version. Might work on older versions)

Jumping

Crouching

 

Optional (But recommended):

Freelook

Full Zoomed View (Magazine Count isn't displayed in the SBAR and at current I'm not too familiar with editing the HUD)

 

Features:

• Slower movement speed (65% of normal)
• 2 (New) Weapons
• Reloading ("R") mechanics
• Remade Health & Armour Items
• Health items are stronger. Armour is MUCH more important in mitigating damage. Armour absorbs 90% of damage inflicted with a maximum cap. So get armour if you want to survive!
• Custom Damage Types
• 3 (New) Enemies
• Doom 3-ish aesthetics & Gameplay

 

Some advice on getting a smooth playthrough:

• Use your walk/run button! With the quake-style wallsliding you're more likely to fall off cliffs if you're running! So slow down when walking on tight edges!
• This part of the UAC / Hell environment has no fallpit teleporters! IF YOU FALL YOU DIE!
• Skeletal enemies are resistant to small calibre bullets. Fleshy enemies are not!

 

So in short. If you like Doom 3 style gameplay you might like this map. Hope you enjoy :)

 

Screenies:

Spoiler

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bdtq3m60uamz0acgt8Ko6sks79N8gtwQ/view?usp=sharing

 

Edited June 25, 2023 by Wo0p

[Serathis]

The shotgun spent shell ejection is a little bit overboard. It bounces around like crazy.

[Wo0p]

Noted. Thanks for playing ^_^

[LadyMistDragon]

Cool map! Took some time to figure out how the weapons work and I'd suggest putting that in the box on the bottom right as well. There are also several untextured spots, but you'll see them in the video below!

 

 

[Wo0p]

Spoiler

5 hours ago, LadyMistDragon said:

Cool map! Took some time to figure out how the weapons work and I'd suggest putting that in the box on the bottom right as well. There are also several untextured spots, but you'll see them in the video below!

 

 

 

 

Hm that's strange, I tested it before i uploaded but I'll look into those missing textures for certain!

 

Thank you so much for playing @LadyMistDragon! ^_^

I play without the sbar in the bottom (Fully zoomed in?) and on there you can see the full ammo count + your current magazine count. Apparently it doesn't display in the sbar, sorry for not testing that! Anyways you can press "R" to reload early, I should have pointed that out in the OP >_<

 

Always a treat to see others play my work, but I do feel bad for all the frustrations I must have put you through haha. So thanks again for sticking it out till the end :)

[Wo0p]

(Shameless bump) Updated the link with the newest and hopefully fixed version!

 

Also gave the spent shells a stern talking to so they could rein in their hyperactive bounciness.

Edited June 25, 2023 by Wo0p

[DoomerCheems]

This is by far the most well made map I've played! To be fair the most: technically and visually stunning map I've played were those on KDIZD. It was interesting using the new weapons and you used textures that were so crisp and added to the eerie atmosphere. The monster ambushes and flashlight were such a good touch to create the horror atmosphere that you were going for. I found your design of the cave to be really fascinating, I would zoom out and everything would look like a geography map with all of the shapes. That must have taken forever  even to put the little details like the cracks and small crawlspaces. I really appreciate the effort to make something like this. It really has given me some ideas for my wads in the future. I would love to see more levels added or levels with the same level of quality from you. The combat is really interesting, especially with the way armour is treated. It makes collecting even the small bonuses so meaningful because they do so much for you. Another thing is the weapons are something that I had to get used to a bit. I missed alot at first using the shotgun but I eventually got the hang of it. The machine gun had alot of recoil to it and I missed some shots so I had to fire in short bursts. I'm thinking that you made the shotgun for close range and the machine gun for further away. The combat as a whole was alot more meticulous and meaningful as opposed to how it usually is, where you zip around the room 360 no scoping everything with a rocket launcher. Even though it stressed control and patience it didn't feel restricting at all. Also I like the story as well, all the visual cues really set the scene. I appreciate the generous helping of doom cute as well, adding in a bathroom in the blue key room was nice. I also liked the shelf of boxes and it gave me an idea for my Pandora's Box wad to use those shelves too, so I'm quite grateful for that. I felt so refreshed when I went into the locker room to get all those nice pickups, it's stuff like that that I really enjoy in a wad. When you find an area and it's peaceful with helpful stuff in it. It feels like an oasis in a desert where you can come to it when you're banged up and feel refreshed somewhat. It makes places like that feel welcoming to be in amidst everywhere else that is so dangerous.

[Wo0p]

7 hours ago, DoomerCheems said:

This is by far the most well made map I've played! To be fair the most: technically and visually stunning map I've played were those on KDIZD. It was interesting using the new weapons and you used textures that were so crisp and added to the eerie atmosphere. The monster ambushes and flashlight were such a good touch to create the horror atmosphere that you were going for. I found your design of the cave to be really fascinating, I would zoom out and everything would look like a geography map with all of the shapes. That must have taken forever  even to put the little details like the cracks and small crawlspaces. I really appreciate the effort to make something like this. It really has given me some ideas for my wads in the future. I would love to see more levels added or levels with the same level of quality from you. The combat is really interesting, especially with the way armour is treated. It makes collecting even the small bonuses so meaningful because they do so much for you. Another thing is the weapons are something that I had to get used to a bit. I missed alot at first using the shotgun but I eventually got the hang of it. The machine gun had alot of recoil to it and I missed some shots so I had to fire in short bursts. I'm thinking that you made the shotgun for close range and the machine gun for further away. The combat as a whole was alot more meticulous and meaningful as opposed to how it usually is, where you zip around the room 360 no scoping everything with a rocket launcher. Even though it stressed control and patience it didn't feel restricting at all. Also I like the story as well, all the visual cues really set the scene. I appreciate the generous helping of doom cute as well, adding in a bathroom in the blue key room was nice. I also liked the shelf of boxes and it gave me an idea for my Pandora's Box wad to use those shelves too, so I'm quite grateful for that. I felt so refreshed when I went into the locker room to get all those nice pickups, it's stuff like that that I really enjoy in a wad. When you find an area and it's peaceful with helpful stuff in it. It feels like an oasis in a desert where you can come to it when you're banged up and feel refreshed somewhat. It makes places like that feel welcoming to be in amidst everywhere else that is so dangerous.

 

Thank you so much for playing my map! :D

 

And for the high praise. And yes making all those little nooks and stuff DID take forever haha! But anyway: one of the main priorities for me making a map is for the potential to inspire others so I'm glad to hear you've picked up a few of my oddities for use in your own future maps :)

Your detailed observations are much appreciated as it makes my hard work all the more worth doing!

 

And yeah, I wanted to update the systems in Doom that often gets overlooked or ignored as I feel it makes those systems redundant. Stuff like actually using your RUN button or making armour more impactful so its not just "nice to have" but actually important. That's why armour was developed in the real world, after all. To PROTECT you :P

 

As for the weapons. I wanted to keep the spirit and/or role of Doom's original arsenal but give them a more interesting spin. So the SMG fills the pistol slot and the shotgun fills the... shotgun slot! The SMG is still a low-dmg weapon but now fires fast so its more fun to use; and it still has room to be upgraded by a chaingun equivalent down the line (If I had added more maps). The shotgun now shoots slugs to be effective at long ranges like the original shotgun, hits hard to make up for the low number of projectiles and can be fired automatically the longer its held to give it a fun firing option.

 

The introduction of custom damage types give the weapons further roles in the arsenal, but with the low amount of different enemies in the one map it's not so noticeable. Hopefully when I make more maps down the line, this will become more apparent, so there's a weapon for every situation. Kinda like the modern Doom games but a bit less frenetic.