(Official Release) Evil Returns 32-Map Megawad

[Cartel]

 

Well, it took 7-years, but I finally finished my wad. 

 

Evil Returns is a 32-map megawad. There are various styles of maps including various themes. I tried to do a little bit of everything as everyone has their own preference of mapping styles. I have simple, easy maps, small, medium & large maps, puzzle maps, a couple joke maps, slaughter style, high-contrast, hell-themed, tech base, and even a hotel-themed map. There is a plot to this wad, nothing special, just a little bit of context to what's going on. There's also a story to go along with the gameplay but only for the DSDA & GZDoom files. Very generic, but I wanted to duplicate the original Doom 2 as much as possible. Currently, I'm done with the wad. I have no plans to do anything else to it regarding mapping, however, if a major mistake/error is found by someone, even though there shouldn't be any, I will fix the mistake/error, then add new download links. But as of now, what you see, is what you get. 

Please keep in mind, this wad may be difficult for some. It starts out fairly easy, but gradually becomes more difficult in the later maps. I would only recommend more advanced players for Evil Returns. 

 

Thank you to all the testers who helped me during the years it took to design this wad. I greatly appreciate it. 

 

Additional info:

• Multiplayer friendly
• Plot can be found in the "READ ME' file if you're interested
• Pistol start can be done, but originally designed for continous gameplay
• Midi's are not custom. If you are the creator of one of the midi's I used and want credit, let me know
• GZDoom file has also been uploaded to 'allfearthesentinel' & a ZDoom file has been uploaded to 'doomshack' for Zdaemon & Zandronum hosting
• For map 22, be thorough when searching through the rooms. There are a couple of keys that are a little bit hidden, specifically the red & blue keys.
• All other info, which includes credits for the testers & a fun little challenge, can be found in the 'READ ME' text document

 

Screenshots:
 

Spoiler

https://postimg.cc/gallery/bhvrcjRj (Additional Screens)

 

 

 

Download Links:

 

DSDA-Doom:

 

Spoiler

DSDA-Doom Google Drive

DSDA-Doom Mediafire

 

GZDoom:

 

Spoiler

GZDoom Google Drive

GZDoom Mediafire

 

ZDoom:

 

Spoiler

ZDoom Google Drive

ZDoom Mediafire

 

Edited March 20 by Cartel

[Paul814]

Congratulations on the release of your megawad! Eventually I will get to playing this, the screenshots look interesting.

 

[Cartel]

3 minutes ago, Paul814 said:

Congratulations on the release of your megawad! Eventually I will get to playing this, the screenshots look interesting.

 

 

Thanks, man. Hopefully you like it. 

[DRON12261]

Got through the first 4 maps and looked at the beginning of the fifth. I'm excited for a little magnum opus. The maps are very pleasant, the combat is quite interesting and the most that is here is very beautiful and unusual visuals. I like the way you approach texturing. I'm hooked and hopefully in the next maps the stakes will only get higher.

[CacoKnight]

Wow, congrats and thank you! Played for 10 mins and already added here, will play later when I finish this other wad I'm playing :)

[Cartel]

1 hour ago, DRON12261 said:

Got through the first 4 maps and looked at the beginning of the fifth. I'm excited for a little magnum opus. The maps are very pleasant, the combat is quite interesting and the most that is here is very beautiful and unusual visuals. I like the way you approach texturing. I'm hooked and hopefully in the next maps the stakes will only get higher.

 

I would say it starts to pick up on map 06. But thank you for taking the time to play my wad. 

[Cartel]

1 hour ago, CacoKnight said:

Wow, congrats and thank you! Played for 10 mins and already added here, will play later when I finish this other wad I'm playing :)

 

Thanks, bro. 

[Paul814]

@Cartel I started Evil Returns today the first two maps are solid in my opinion. The map 3 midi put a smile on my face, I played that game enough to recognize it instantly! I have a terrible feeling the real challenge is ahead, but I plan to push forward. Playing Ultra Violence I might have to drop down to hurt me plenty, not knocking the difficulty it's a skill level issue for me lol. I am having fun with the megawad.

 

[Terminus]

Congrats on the release! I seem to have played an earlier beta of this way back in 2017, glad to see it's finally finished.

[Cartel]

2 hours ago, Paul814 said:

@Cartel I started Evil Returns today the first two maps are solid in my opinion. The map 3 midi put a smile on my face, I played that game enough to recognize it instantly! I have a terrible feeling the real challenge is ahead, but I plan to push forward. Playing Ultra Violence I might have to drop down to hurt me plenty, not knocking the difficulty it's a skill level issue for me lol. I am having fun with the megawad.

 

 

Awesome, man. I'm glad to hear that. 

[Cartel]

1 hour ago, Terminus said:

Congrats on the release! I seem to have played an earlier beta of this way back in 2017, glad to see it's finally finished.

 

Thanks, dude!

[Cartel]

friendly bump

[LadyMistDragon]

I laughed at the title of 05. Just another spin on the ol' sewer trope we all know and ah...something. But BLOOD JUNGLE!!!!

 

 

 

[CacoKnight]

Title says vanilla but it doesn't really seems to work with limit-removing only ports. Sometimes I play 2-3-4 wads with International Doom and on MAP2 the third switch to get the blue key didn't work, I thought it was a port issue and I tried with So Doom and Crispy but same issue.

Edited March 19 by CacoKnight

[Cartel]

7 hours ago, LadyMistDragon said:

I laughed at the title of 05. Just another spin on the ol' sewer trope we all know and ah...something. But BLOOD JUNGLE!!!!

 

 

 

 

Watching it now. Very cool. Thank you so much for playing. 

[Cartel]

2 hours ago, CacoKnight said:

Title says vanilla but it doesn't really seems to work with limit-removing only ports. Sometimes I play 2-3-4 wads with International Doom and on MAP2 the third switch to get the blue key didn't work, I thought it was a port issue and I tried with So Doom and Crispy but same issue.

 

Hmm, not sure. I retested all three versions and the switch works. LadyMistDragon played map 02 as well and it worked for her. My only recommendation would be to use DSDA or GZDoom. I'm not too familiar with Crispy. 

[CacoKnight]

Yeah, I usually play, save etc. with DSDA but I was just checking and I noticed that.

[SuperGiantNinjaYeti]

3 hours ago, CacoKnight said:

Title says vanilla but it doesn't really seems to work with limit-removing only ports. Sometimes I play 2-3-4 wads with International Doom and on MAP2 the third switch to get the blue key didn't work, I thought it was a port issue and I tried with So Doom and Crispy but same issue.

 

I encountered the same problem in MAP02 in DSDA-Doom with complevel 2. Boom compatibility made the switch pressable.

[Cutman 999]

Holy shit, madman accomplished the dream of random person discovering doom builder, and it take him 7 long ass years...

 

Congrats for the release!

[Cartel]

1 hour ago, Cutman 999 said:

Holy shit, madman accomplished the dream of random person discovering doom builder, and it take him 7 long ass years...

 

Congrats for the release!

 

Thank you! Yeah, I would take months and months off from mapping due to IRL stuff, health problems, or from simply being burnt out. 

[genitalgrinder]

7 hours ago, CacoKnight said:

Title says vanilla but it doesn't really seems to work with limit-removing only ports. Sometimes I play 2-3-4 wads with International Doom and on MAP2 the third switch to get the blue key didn't work, I thought it was a port issue and I tried with So Doom and Crispy but same issue.

 

I had the same issue with DSDA on complevel 2. It left me puzzled, since the description explicitly says vanilla. complevel 9 (BOOM) got it working though.

 

RIP to my FDA of MAP02.

[Cartel]

2 hours ago, genitalgrinder said:

 

I had the same issue with DSDA on complevel 2. It left me puzzled, since the description explicitly says vanilla. complevel 9 (BOOM) got it working though.

 

RIP to my FDA of MAP02.

 

I'm going to remove vanilla from the description. I actually thought vanilla referred to simple design and gameplay, but evidently, there's another meaning for vanilla. 

[genitalgrinder]

2 hours ago, Cartel said:

 

I'm going to remove vanilla from the description. I actually thought vanilla referred to simple design and gameplay, but evidently, there's another meaning for vanilla. 

Yeah, vanilla is a very broad term. To avoid miscommunication and confusion, map authors tend to clarify in their post which source ports their works are designed/intended for. Since you described your megawad as vanilla, I interpreted that as meaning stock Doom 2.

 

There's a pinned thread on this sub-forum full of helpful advice, I highly recommend it.

 

 

[CacoKnight]

5 hours ago, Cartel said:

I'm going to remove vanilla from the description. I actually thought vanilla referred to simple design and gameplay, but evidently, there's another meaning for vanilla. 

2, 3, 4 are vanilla :) You can see here:

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DSDA-Doom#Compatibility_modes

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Woof!#Compatibility_modes

[DreadWanderer]

21 minutes ago, CacoKnight said:

2, 3, 4 are vanilla :) You can see here:

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DSDA-Doom#Compatibility_modes

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Woof!#Compatibility_modes

 

A little correction: 2, 3 and 4 are only vanilla in the broad sense of the word. There is actually a more technical distinction between vanilla and limit-removing. Vanilla as in "pure" vanilla means that the wad respects all the static limits of the Doom engine as it was in 1993, and can be played in ultra-conservative ports like Chocolate Doom or even DOS. Abscission is a 100% vanilla wad and even exploits vanilla limitations like the intercept overflow bug, which can be reproduced with a special setting in DSDA. Same with BTSX 1 and 2. By contrast, a wad like Auger Zenith, although also 100% playable in -complevel 2, is limit-removing and not actually vanilla, so it will not run in Chocolate or DOS.

[DreadWanderer]

Probably also important to say that ports like DSDA, Nugget, GZ etc. are limit-removing in and of themselves, so the distinction between vanilla and limit-removing is kind of obliterated because they will run both types of wads. For Choco and DOS users though, it's quite crucial to know what exactly is meant by "vanilla", since it amounts to the difference between a fully playable wad or a wad that will either not work at all or work with potentially game-breaking caveats.

[CacoKnight]

Should've added these two links to my reply:

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Static_limits

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Vanilla_Doom_engine_mapping_reference

 

Not sure if there are better pages, these were simple enough for me to understand the limitations.

 

edit:

And this:

 

Edited March 21 by CacoKnight

[DreadWanderer]

22 minutes ago, CacoKnight said:

Should've added these two links to my reply:

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Static_limits

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Vanilla_Doom_engine_mapping_reference

 

Not sure if there are better pages, these were simple enough for me to understand the limitations.

 

Yeah, a lot of levels nowadays, even those falling under the category of "vanilla", are too complex to be truly vanilla and as such become limit-removing by default. What we understand coloquially by "vanilla" is those 3 comp levels (well, mostly 2 and 3) that reproduce stuff like the blockmap bug, certain RNG tables for damage, the way monsters move and interact, and so on. The removal of limits was in my opinion something very good and necessary for the evolution of mapping and content production because there's no real benefit to having your game crash or whatever when there are too many sprites, segs, visplanes, sectors, and so on. In very specific circumstances the bugs will be used for artistic purposes and for disorientating effects (like intentional HOMs), but as far as I know, stuff like the tutti-frutti effect are only reproducible in Chocolate or the original DOS executable.

Edited March 20 by DreadWanderer

[Rabbid]

based on the videos and stuff I might try this mod lol

[jmac]

I've only played up to map 5, but so far this has been fantastic. The combat is very hitscan-heavy, which is something I've always liked. Each map has been very visually distinctive and memorable. If this quality keeps up throughout, it's shaping up to be one of top wads of the year for me.