Hell's Archies

[Mad Dal 85]

This is a single Doom II map wad using vanilla textures and monsters.

Made using UBD (Ultimate Doom Builder) and tested on GZDoom.
Made for GZDoom (v4 or higher)
DoomII.IWAD needed
Free-look is recommended but not necessary.
Jumping and crouching allowed but not needed.
One map (map01)
It is quite challenging in terms of difficulty but not impossible to beat.
Readme.txt file included. 

Download link:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/a25iigmnxw40dv4et1oxu/HellsArchies.zip?rlkey=y97vtocwpbwzn4w1zba57svm7&st=4cijppsj&dl=0

Enjoy! 

 

* Admins, if i have missed anything out info wise, please let me know so I can add it on here. thanks

 

 

Edited May 16, 2024 by Mad Dal 85

[Zesiir]

An epic map to be sure.

 

Gameplay flowed quite well; though there was a lot of backtracking when you got the keys. Ammo was scarce at first, but once you get into the center of the map you're stocked up for a good while, and you get many options to explore, with more ammo caches along the way. I really like the design of the central room, it's very good to tempt the player with the items they need, it encourages exploration.

 

I wish I found a Backpack. I often had to retreat to previous areas to stock up again after combat encounters. Perhaps one of the secrets had one, but I never found any of them, unfortunately.

 

The Archviles weren't that much of a problem once you got the Plasmagun. Though towards the end you used them as Stealth Monsters, as a sort of mini-bosses to open the bars leading to the switches. Those are often seen as annoying. But, I managed. The end battle felt a bit too easy, just a clump of monsters you could circle around. Perhaps the exit switch could look a bit cooler too, to signal that this is the end of the map. Oh, and I could not figure out how to get back once I reached the exit, so there was no alternative to explore the map for secrets.

 

But all in all, a solid, grand map. Very Plutonia. Starts hard, but evens out once you get going. And no bugs at all. Well done!

Edited May 16, 2024 by Zesiir

[LadyMistDragon]

I recognized your name mainly from TBJ's streams, so while I thought the concept might kind of stink, I'd at least stick it out for a bit. Thankfully, I stuck with it and it isn't half-bad overall. Although making the chaingun the first moderately strong weapon acquired was kind of BS because objectively speaking, chainguns are just dull regarding mass usage versus the Super Shotgun.

 

Another thing I noticed was the softlock if one tries heading back from the Invulnerbility chamber. I assume that's because it was already planned for the climatic series of encounters at the red key.

 

I also think it might be a touch more convenient if there were more teleporters in the lava because right now, it just seems like one has to scramble for a cave then spend 30 seconds or longer making their way back to the location they fell from.

 

Enemy placement was quite excellent (other than the spawns in the Arachnotron weapon towers which felt laughably rote after the first one)