Questions about doom mapping

[T.W.C. Doom]

To Doom players, what is the thing you love to see in maps? I'm trying to create a fun wad, and I'd like to see what people like.

 

Edit: Alright, thanks for all of the advice. I'll be sure to include no walls or ceilings or exits in my WAD

 

 

Edited April 10 by T.W.C. Doom
da funny

[ObserverOfTime]

I generally like to have some monsters to shoot, that usually makes for a pretty decent experience. Bonus points for also being able to punch some monsters, that's alright too! The occasional button to press and door to open here and there also immediately elevates the experience.

 

Certainly, I am a simple man.

[Shepardus]

I generally like to have no monsters to shoot, that usually makes for a pretty decent experience. Bonus points for also being able to punch no monsters, that's alright too! No buttons to press or doors to open either.

 

Certainly, I am a simple man.

[DoomPlayer00]

Some of the basics that come to mind:

• Monster variety:
  • It's generally favorable to have multiple monster types in your map for some combat variety.
• Verticality & angles in level design:
  • Try to have some verticality as well as "natural" angles in your maps. Don't just connect a bunch of square-rooms together but include stuff like stairs, ledges, curved hallways etc.
• Varied texturing:
  • Let's say you've just created an epic level with multiple fights and cool level design but you've used only a couple textures throughout the map. Bland texturing can kill a player's interest fast. Try to mix things a little. You can try separating different areas in your map with different texturing for instance.
• Accessible platforming & inescapable pits:
  • I dare say that most of Doom community doesn't like platforming much. If you want to make your map accessible, try to keep any potential platforming sections simple and offer escapes from pits.

 

NOTE: Don't take my advice as pure facts. Obviously there have been great wads in the past that have focused around limiting stuff like monster/texture variance in maps (such as 3x3) or wads focused on platforming etc. These are more so suggestions to keep in mind if you're new to Doom mapping.

[DankMetal]

Idk just do whatever you want

[Lucius Wooding]

We want a realistic, down to earth map that's completely off the wall and swarming with magic robots.

 

 

...And also you should win things by playing.

[Murdoch]

Doom maps can be anything - spooky and atmospheric, or action packed slaughterfests. So it's hard to give specific recommendations because it really depends on what you want to do. So I guess that's the first thing - have a clear vision. Decide on the setting (military base, castle, tenth level of Hell, whatever) and try to design accordingly. The nature of Doom's geometry lends to more abstract layouts, but there should still be a certain sense of place and flow. Don't just stick rooms together and hope for the best. That design methodology is usually pretty obvious and doesn't work. Decide on the gameplay style, and populate it with hardware and bad guys accordingly. While no one is going to expect hyper detail from a new author, still pay attention to the little details like texture alignment, door sizes, and that kind of thing. Do not design things so that textures obviously not intended to tile (like doors) do so. It looks ugly and half-assed. Doors should also only be about 16 - 32 units wide. @Gothic makes a good point about lighting. You need not go too nuts if you're new, but it should be logical too. Don't put torches in a pitch dark room. Don't make an underground cavern full bright. Don't make a room next to a window dark. That kind of thing.

 

Get as much feedback as you can from testers regarding gameplay balance. As the author, you are the worst judge on if a map is too easy or has too many resources. You know what's coming. You know where everything is. If you can't get testers, always add a bit more health and ammo than you think you need. Allow for the player to make mistakes and approach things differently than you do. An otherwise fun map where the player finishes with more health and ammo than they need will be fondly remembered, one where they are constantly getting pissed off micromanaging every last bullet and shell will not be. It is possible to create fun tension via resource deprivation, but it is very, very difficult to get it right and I would not recommend an inexperienced author try it. The line between "wow this is tense!" and "fuck this fucking map to fucking hell" is very, very thin.

Edited April 8 by Murdoch

[Gothic]

Good lighting

[senpaigru]

As mentioned by others, it's kind of whatever you want to make and that's the beauty of it. As a fellow newer mapper I tend to also play a variety of wads to get a good idea of the different types of gameplay that can be offered or to get inspiration. If I play a wad I find inspiration in, be it the gameplay or visuals or both I'll make a mental note of how certain fights are structured, what types of guns were given when, etc. One of the more helpful things that helped get me past some of the initial hurdles of learning the ropes was joining a few discord servers and joining in on some community projects and speed mapping sessions. Just keep at it, ask questions when you're confused. Most importantly, don't compare yourself to others and just have fun making stuff. 

[Amaruψ]

A good balance between aesthetics and gameplay.

[june gloom]

Good lighting goes a long way, especially sensible use of color.

[Somniac]

The thing I find most satisfying is maps where you revisit areas and the map loops back round on itself as part of the overall progression at some point. I have played good maps that don't do this, though.

 

Windows are great. Being able to see and go outside in a map is cool, with viewpoints to/from other parts of the map. Even if you can't get outside and its just scenery, it can help make a map feel bigger and more like a real place.

 

Verticality within the overall layout and individual areas goes a long way. It doesn't have to be loads, but loads of it can be really cool.

[RDETalus]

I like a lot of switches, platforms, doors, etc... anything that moves in a level.

[eanasir]

 

3 hours ago, Shepardus said:

I generally like to have no monsters to shoot, that usually makes for a pretty decent experience. Bonus points for also being able to punch no monsters, that's alright too! No buttons to press or doors to open either.

 

Certainly, I am a simple man.

I usually like no monsters, no doors, no moving parts, no floor textures, no ceiling textures, no sidedef textures, no end, and no start points. That usually makes for a pretty decent experience.

 

Certainly, I am a simple man.

Edited April 9 by eanasir

[Wahrnehmungskrieg]

You need a cyberdemon in your level that continually vapes as to obscure hissen in the fog. Only way to make a good map suited to the modern age. Wd be right atmospheric too

[Andrea Rovenski]

secrets that interlock and provide access to other parts of levels earlier than usual are one of my favorite choices

[Cilian]

Broken teleport closets

[Maximum Matt]

Innmost Dens tributes

[Doom-X-Machina]

Exits.

Exits in maps are awesome.

[EPICALLL]

Personally, I think maps should have textures. Rooms would be nice, too. Walls are cool, too, I guess. But you know what my favourite thing is? Maps. I think your WADs should have maps. I know, high standards of me to have, but I think WADs really should have maps. Controls aren't very necessary, but they're still nice to have.

[prfunky]

1 hour ago, Doom-X-Machina said:

Exits.

Exits in maps are awesome.

This!

 

Anyhow, chainsaw. Seriously, don't forget chainsaw. It doesn't have to be super-obvious in placement but I

like a map where I get a chainsaw by the time I'm a third of the way through or earlier. Chainsaws make it

possible to conserve/manage ammo. Chainsaw feels good to kill monster with. Chainsaw makes annoying

noise when running all the time but less annoying when being used. If your chainsaw is really well hidden

feature, then later, add another chainsaw ~ RIP! TEAR! GOUGE!!!

 

[reefer]

revenants and plenty of pain elementals. make sure to starve the player of weapons (I recommend only the shotgun for the first 40 minutes of your wad). fake walls too. fake walls are the best way to hide secrets. oh and make sure the only healing items you use are health bonuses.

 

 

in all seriousness though, just play A LOT of doom, and look at the maps you enjoy from a mapper's perspective. good way to get inspiration and understand what makes doom fun :)

Edited April 9 by reefer

[PeterMoro]

Don't try to make cool maps, clever maps, fancy maps, detailed maps, difficult maps, impressive maps. Try to make FUN maps.

[erzboesewicht]

make myhouse.wad clone in vanilla

[eanasir]

1 hour ago, Doom-X-Machina said:

Exits.

Exits in maps are awesome.

Incorrect answer

 

Edited April 9 by eanasir

[ALilGrayBoi]

I love it when a map has doom cute in it. Especially if it’s really detailed

[VICE]

Force the player to pickup partial invisibility and make him fight a bunch of barons.

[reefer]

4 minutes ago, VICE said:

Force the player to pickup partial invisibility and make him fight a bunch of barons.

 *with the chaingun

[VICE]

** with the chainsaw.

[reefer]

which is worse xd

both have relatively shit damage, and sound annoying asf

prob the chainsaw tho haha