A comunity megawad in two weeks (READY to download)

[Vegeta]

Farhaven, I have sent you the files, I really apreciate this. Hopefully next version will be more stable. I'll upload the file to both hosts suggested.


Sorry for all this confusion, I were excited to release this, and didnt' think the annoyances this could have.

The mapinfo add map names and configurate the megawad, instead of random maps, it put things like this

Maps 1-8 are set in the moon, and have a lunar sky
A victory message must be displayed when you beat last map.
Maps 9-11 are set in hell, there are references to Sverre Kvernmo's Master Levels (okey to the plot behind them, if you read the word "baddest" it isn't a spelling mistake), a hell sky must be displayed
A victory messages introduces the next episode
Maps 12-16 are set in Earth (a new Earth sky is displayed, very similar to the first map in DOOM 2, but closer to Thy Flesh' sky)
Last victory message introduce you to the victory screen.

Also it sets the correct music making the maps more atmospheric.

If you're having problems with Zdoom, please try Gzdoom, there are some issues with the codes that for some reason can't be loaded in certain versions of Zdoom (but if Zdoom runs with them then any crash is unknown for me).

If you're for a challange try to beat the bosses without using plasma weapons, (I added bfg for these who want to finish fast though).

[farhaven]

vegeta,the wad is right on it's way to you. should be as stable as possible now,the only thing to include into the zip would be the textfile which I (shame on me) deleted during merging the files.

[Antidote]

I got to map10 when I decided to stop playing. I really did not like maps 1-7, as they were bland, boring, and too much of the same. Too many hallways, with too many doors, that lead to unimportant rooms. Other than that, levels 8, 9, and what I've played of 10, seem to be doing alright.

[Vegeta]

Just curious, could you use the mapinfo?

Updated version will be updated very soon, please take this into account as saved games will not work, and the new version also include some bug fixes in map03 06 07 14 16 (all of them are cosmetic with the exception of map 14 that has a problem with the red door).
Another chance should be to note the ammount of health, armour, weapons, and ammo you had, at the start of certain map, and then with the new version cheat to have these values.

[Antidote]

Vegeta said:

Just curious, could you use the mapinfo?

I downloaded the compiled version that Catoptromancy posted. It had two files: MEGAW.WAD, and MEGAW.txt

[Belial]

You see Vegeta, a reaction like Antidote's is exactly what I was getting at when I pointed out that issue.

[Vegeta]

Thanks I didn't note that was a compilation. Would you mind if I send you a bug fixed version of a pair of map, most of these fixes are for esthetic value, but map14 has a red door that doesn't work (yet there's a red door, you'd just need to noclip to pass it, yet you'd have problems playing coop). The other fixes solve some visual annoyances, like the one from the volcano map with the slime fall.

The bosses are designed to be faced without using the BFG or plasma gun, yet these weapons are there for these who want to finish fast.

[Antidote]

You could just fix all the problems and then re-release it.

[Grazza]

BTW, some of the maps use Boom features (et al.). This isn't really a problem, since the whole thing needs Zdoom anyway, but it is contrary to the stated design specs:

will not use any other Zdoom specific function (probably except decorate if we have nice contributions), neither Boom stuff except limit removing, in fact, the maps alone could be played in doom2+.exe

Anyway, if you want details, please ask. If your intention was that people would be able to play it in any port, as long as they were willing to forego the decorate monsters and mapinfo effects, then it fails in that respect on most maps.

Thanks for explaining the map14 problem - that one had been puzzling me.

[MikeyScoots]

I'd like to note to all that Map13 had major texture changes due to custom textures I used in my own tex pack(being minor around the map anyways). If anybody would like to see the actual version, I might just upload it to the archives.

Edit: After playing through what vegeta had stripped of my map, I think I'm going to just upload my version. Please ignore what you guys are/have/about to play of Map13.

[Lizardcommando]

There seems to be a texture problem in my map MAP12. I know for a fact that the original version did not have this texture on it. It had the brown switch texture that's supposed to match with the rest of the walls in that central area.

[Vegeta]

Here's the bug fixed version. There are other minor bugs, but the main problems are solved, I updated a bit the txt file.

http://www.speedyshare.com/854830994.html

This does the following fixes

Map 3: removes dumb sectors from the automap, and fixes the display of a secret room.
Map 6: remove dumb sectors from the automap, and replace the water with brown liquid texture in the room with slime tanks.
Map 7: fixes the slimefall bug at the begining, and make look better the little slime river.
Map 14: fixes red door problem.
Map 16: fixes some little texture problem, and make the light level incress smoother in the way to the final boss arena.

To avoid confusions, any new link will be posted (also) in the first post.

Co-op and Dm where not tested yet.

@Grazza, if you're on map14 I assume you have played through the previews maps. Then this was a success, even with the annoyances and bugs. I tried to keep people inmersed (seriously or not) to follow the 16 maps.
What kind of Boom features are you refering to?

@Bloodskull, I have pointed this a few posts back, I'm sorry if you didn't like it, still I think it's the same may be a bit more classic doomish, it took a pair of hours to retexture it properly (or so I think), but I understand your position. Sorry I just didn't like the idea of including a whole extra texture pack just for one map, also the map should look out of place. I had to ask you though.

[Vegeta]

Lizard, I swear I didn't touched that, perhaps the texture pack did it. It's late at night here, tomorrow I'll fix it I promise. Please for this kind of issues send me a pm, otherwise it just make the mod look like crap, when clearly it isn't.

[lupinx-Kassman]

Great! The project is released! I couldnt wait to see the maps from the other members. Thanks for fixing the issues you found in map 16 Vegeta, I was having a hard time with the pillars in the final arena getting in the way, removing them WAS the best choice :P.

EDIT: (I just realized I totally forgot to put in dm starts. Crap. >_>*)

[Lizardcommando]

Vegeta said:

Lizard, I swear I didn't touched that, perhaps the texture pack did it. It's late at night here, tomorrow I'll fix it I promise. Please for this kind of issues send me a pm, otherwise it just make the mod look like crap, when clearly it isn't.

My apologies. That wasn't my intention.

[Grazza]

Vegeta said:

@Grazza, if you're on map14 I assume you have played through the previews maps.

No. I just played those maps that would start up at all without Zdoom. More to test them than anything else, given that it sounded like many wouldn't strictly require Zdoom to work (and thus be more interesting from a recording viewpoint).

What kind of Boom features are you refering to?

I made a note of the following (not all Boom features, but possibly things contrary to the plan for this wad):

• Includes Doombuilder camera object: 9, 14 (crashes some exes)
  
• Texturing problems (I'd guess due to using the Zdoom feature of mixing flats and textures, etc.): 7
  
• Has Boom-only switch(es), etc., needed to complete the level: 4, 5
  
• Has Boom-only switch(es), etc., but the level can be exited without them: 6 (two archies don't teleport in, kind of ruining a trap)
  
• Program exit at map loading even in prb+, which 'forgives' some problems that crash Boom (haven't investigated reasons): 2, 3, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16

[Lizardcommando]

MAP12 does that? Odd. It worked fine with PRBoom for me.

[Grazza]

Do you mean that it worked fine when you were making it? Or have you downloaded the package that is now available and find that map12 still works OK?

Edit: the ones I listed (2, 3, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16) appear to be Hexen format (if I'm understanding the information from Doombuilder correctly), which would explain it.

[RjY]

I played this in a boom engine too, but wasn't going to post a bug report after seeing the part about made for zdoom. However, Grazza did, so I will add to it.

Grazza said:
Texturing problems (I'd guess due to using the Zdoom feature of mixing flats and textures, etc.): 7

AASHITTY was gone from the start of the texture list so ASHWALL2 had an index of zero. Therefore Doom skips its rendering and you get screenfuls of HOM. Anyway it's been restored in the updated version so no harm done.

Also about map14, the red door is fixed but you could also look at the spiderdemon/cacodemon teleporter at the end. The cacodemons appear early and the spider doesn't appear at all, because the cacos can get past the spider in the holding chamber, and use up its teleporter line before the trap is meant to go off. I think you'd be better off redesigning the whole thing with each monster in its own holding chamber.

[entryway]

Vegeta must die

[Johnatone]

Damn, I didn't think there would be this much bitching. Heh. Well, I'm glad I didn't check this thread for a few days, as now some of the issues have been resolved. It looks like negativity but feels like Community Beta testing. I'll download this after work.

[Vegeta]

Well the text file says it requires latest version of Gzdoom or Zdoom to play, so I don't see all this as a problem. What I want is classic DOOM gameplay, no transulscent walls, wind, deep water, scripts, slopes, so let just say the rules changed.
The text files explains that certain maps can only be played with Zdoom or Gzdoom, I'm not pointing to you Grazza, but I think many should read it before bitching (the previews txt file also explained how to run the mapinfo).

Entryway, I don't see why so much hate, I don't owe you anything. Please grow up next time.

We didn't have time for betatesting, vital bugs are already fixed, these prboom boom problems aren't really that important as the mod is designed to be played on its own, because of the decorate files and mapinfo it shouldn't run with other ports anyway. Perhaps later will fix them.
As I posted before, even DOOM 2 had grotesque bugs and it was made by a professional team with way more time (chronological and daily time for editing), so please be more patience, this isn't the final version that we'll upload to the archives. Yet is a version that can be played from start to finish. The gameplay is balanced, you'll have a lot of health in the first maps (intentional), then things will turn a bit harder yet not excesive. The ammo quantity is like on id Software's games.

I'm scared nobody posted any comment about the plot through the game (story so far, and victory messages).

[Vegeta]

RjY said:

The cacodemons appear early and the spider doesn't appear at all, because the cacos can get past the spider in the holding chamber, and use up its teleporter line before the trap is meant to go off. I think you'd be better off redesigning the whole thing with each monster in its own holding chamber.

That's odd I can't reproduce this on Gzdoom, the spider's size just prevent cacos to take the first line. Which port are you using?

@Lizard, I have fixed what you pointed. The problem was caused because the texture pack uses a diferent name for that texture. I changed the botton texture with a switch, as the plataform lowers too fast to note the lights of the botton change. Download link will be out soon, I just want to fix other bugs before.

[RjY]

Vegeta said:
That's odd I can't reproduce this on Gzdoom, the spider's size just prevent cacos to take the first line.

It's a blockmap miscalculation, one of those curious quirks of Doom's behaviour. The spiderdemon is so large it overlaps several blockmap squares so Doom gets the size determination wrong and effectively allows the cacodemons to pass through it. ZDoom fixed this some time ago I believe.

Which port are you using?

My hacked up version of PrBoom. It does it in the regular version as well. However, not one of the ports you care about, so never mind:)

[Vegeta]

Thanks for the explanation, I didn't know about that, I just checked the size of the spider with the editor and put the sector size in a way cacos couldn't pass yet the spider could move freely.

I'm sorry for the other post, it isn't the nicer thing to receive pure negative coments and comlains with something that took so much work. Specialy when I didn't made any promise (except for the release date that I respected). I don't call this a failure, I hope the next version turns a bit better. The bugs that now I'm hunting are these that block gameplay in the intended source ports (Zdoom or Gzdoom), and texture problems bigger than minor misalignments. Any contribution will be apreciated, please send it to me via PM.

I think the final map has way too much cells, this will also be fixed.

For these who want to make a server with this, please wait a bit to a more stable version.

[Lizardcommando]

Grazza said:

Do you mean that it worked fine when you were making it? Or have you downloaded the package that is now available and find that map12 still works OK?

Edit: the ones I listed (2, 3, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16) appear to be Hexen format (if I'm understanding the information from Doombuilder correctly), which would explain it.

I meant that before i sent it to Vegeta to fix the texture misalignments in my map, it worked fine in PRBoom.

Vegeta said:

@Lizard, I have fixed what you pointed. The problem was caused because the texture pack uses a diferent name for that texture. I changed the botton texture with a switch, as the plataform lowers too fast to note the lights of the botton change. Download link will be out soon, I just want to fix other bugs before.

Thanks for fixing the bug vegeta. :)

entryway said:

Vegeta must die

Geez... that was kinda unecessary.

[Hobbs]

Right, Vegeta, I'd like to point out something from not-Windows land. Making ZDoom work in *nix is a right pain in the ass, I've compiled it and a whole distribution of Linux, and the whole distribution gave me less trouble. So, if I may be really very bold here, if you don't intend to allow maps to use ZDoom features, please do not require the port to be ZDoom. It is senseless. I realize you are almost definitely not going to change anything at this point, but for future reference please take that into consideration.

EDIT: Also, please remove the db map things. Normal Choco crashes when it sees them (I am so glad I changed that bit of code to not call I_Error), and IIRC ZDoom leaves a nice <!> there, though I haven't used it in so long I can't remember.

[farhaven]

hobbs,installing zdoom 2.1.7 on my linux machine was absolutely no problem,what did you encounter? maybe I can help you a little bit.

[Hobbs]

FMOD fucks itself. When I open a menu in zdoom it SIGSEGV's every time (or when any sound affect is played). Honestly it doesn't matter, even if I got it working in linux, this machine is so damn shitty I'll be using my apple in no time (took 3 boots last time for it to recognise every system device), and ZDoom on OS X is way too incomplete. Thanks anyway.

[Vegeta]

Well Hobbs I'll take that into account, the first reason to use Zdoom was because we could close the megawad before map30, also I wanted to add victory messages, and something diferent than another icon of sin, or standard DOOM bosses. The reason not to use Boom, Zdoom more specific stuff was to add more balance between maps, keep the classic DOOM gameplay, and atract mappers.

I'll remove the DB camaras object/s, that's probably the first complain not pointed to me (as I don't use DB), as Gzdoom ignores it I just passed it.
I'm tempted to call this a Gzdoom specific mod, but I'll resist the temptation.

BTW should the archives accept a DOOM 2 wad with DOOM music?