1994 tune-up challenge (*updated /idgames link*)

[traversd]

Hades House of Horrors - Part One by Mr. Freeze

Another small map tune for the early parts of this map pack I think.

Difficulty suits that too - although looking at the map in Slade there is no real difference in items/monsters between skill HMP and UV - perhaps the map could be given a bit more grunt on UV? (I think it's fine as it is for HMP.

-sector 359 (a door) its ceiling is -28units below the floor. might be on purpose but all other doors have a height of 0
-linedefs 1018 & 1021 are set to type 260 (translucent) but have no mid-tex.
-linedefs 87 & 97 are both tagged to sector 21 but cannot be used (I think maybe they are left-overs from the original?
-linedef 259,260&261 can also have their tag and types removed.
-the fallen roof object in sector 40 kinda seems a bit odd. I think it's more to do with the height of sector 40s ceiling so you don't see it's fallen, blocking your path. Perhaps drop the ceiling height or replace the object with midbars or something?
-I made a change to the start room (to see how it would look) as the 16unit high steps really just add this mountain of height variation for little benefit I think. I reduced them to 8 units high and thus also lowered both the ceiling and floor of the sectors that encompase the blue key area and it seems to work well. It actually means the monsters in the ssg area can see the player better too and vice versa. I'm happy to send it over if you're interested in seeing the change.
-thing 108 (HWG) has no skill setting at all.

Mr Freeze let us know if you're able to make any alterations etc or happy for someone else to correct some of the items above etc.

cheers
Travers

[Dragonsbrethren]

traversd said:

Undersea by Dragonsbrethren

I'll look into fixing this stuff up sometime this week.

[Dragonsbrethren]

Okay, I fixed up all of that stuff except for the brightness transfer on the water ceilings and the torches. Even brightening the water to 255 didn't help with visibility, all it did was make some of the brightest pixels turn blue, which I was trying to avoid. Having everything gray in the underwater areas keeps the illusion a bit better than having random bits of color. (If custom textures were allowed, I'd just recolor every one used outside, which would fix this nicely.)

I actually really like the torches and planned on keeping them from the beginning. They remind me of the somewhat out of place candelabras in E1M1 and E1M5.

I also fixed up a few minor texture alignments and unpegging issues. I'm not going to release a new version just yet, I have a few more ideas that didn't make it into the last, but drop me a PM about it if I don't post a reply in the next few days.

[traversd]

Dragonsbrethren said:

Okay, I fixed up all of that stuff except for the brightness transfer on the water ceilings and the torches. Even brightening the water to 255 didn't help with visibility, all it did was make some of the brightest pixels turn blue, which I was trying to avoid. Having everything gray in the underwater areas keeps the illusion a bit better than having random bits of color. (If custom textures were allowed, I'd just recolor every one used outside, which would fix this nicely.)

I actually really like the torches and planned on keeping them from the beginning. They remind me of the somewhat out of place candelabras in E1M1 and E1M5.

I also fixed up a few minor texture alignments and unpegging issues. I'm not going to release a new version just yet, I have a few more ideas that didn't make it into the last, but drop me a PM about it if I don't post a reply in the next few days.

No worries. Yeh, the translucent linedefs probably don't help the look of the water on the other side. I recall the windows in TECHBASE having everything feel like the colour has been sucked out of it and a tinge of green added - To do with the palette and shawn2 texture used for the window I'd imagine.

Maybe sit the blue torches on a raised section? Here is a quick edit of the map I have.





Things seem a bit quiet here (the project) at the moment. I'm not sure whether to press ahead with testing and feedback for the original authors or check with 40oz and Snarboo if they are happy to take the latest versions of submitted maps and fix them up enough for a quick release.

@Snarboo - Maybe we send out an email to all those that submitted maps to see if they are interested in continuing to alter their maps or for someone else to make alterations to enable a release? I haven't heard from MajorRawne (PM'd and emailed) so will start making alterations to woodhal2 myself shortly. I've tested "Hades House of Horrors Pt2" by Lareman however he/she has not posted on DW since April.

Travers

[40oz]

Is that what my position calls for? I've been hesitant to get anything done because every few days someone responds with bugfixes for their map so I have to keep peeking here for updates. I feel like some maps need some pretty drastic overhauls to be honest.

[traversd]

You can do if you want 40oz(If not I can send something out). Did you end up coming up with a bit of an order for the maps?

I've been posting feedback on and off the past few weeks while I avoid the editor to focus on kitchen renovations - hoping it might spark some interest from the authors that submitted maps but only a few have responded (hence why I thought the PM/email might help us re-assemble the working party).

You are right that some of the maps need more work. Some have been submitted simply to meet Snarboo's original deadline to lock-in maps. RAWNWOOD.WAD for example has quite a few things to correct. I'm taking MajorRawnes work and tuning it up some more based on the ideas he added to the map. To MR's credit it was apparently his first or second map so he's done well to tune-up the original.

I'm happy to work with someone to try and get the maps that need a bit more work completed for release - but probably best to ascertain who of the original authors is still keen to contribute before we expend any effort on maps that might be updated by the original authors.

That sound ok? I haven't been involved in a "project team" like this since I stopped mapping in 98 *L* I don't want to tread on toes etc. Just keen to keep working away at the content for a 2010 release.

Travers

[printz]

Feel free (any of you two) to correct my map by exactly the issues mentioned in this post.

[Walter confetti]

Here's the latest version of pure evil remake, icon of sin trick works for boom (but not for higher ports like skulltag or similar). feel free to fix some bugs (but are minor things, i think):

http://www.mediafire.com/?0r564ls415iwww9

[Snarboo]

I've added your map to the first post, walter.

Honestly, if this project is going to see the light of day, it would be best to get a small team together to finish any unfinished maps. I will contact everyone whose maps are incomplete and ask them to finish their map or ask if they would allow someone else to finish them. In terms of author credits, both the original author and the people who work on completing their map will be listed.

Can someone give me a quick list of authors of maps that are unfinished?

[DeathevokatioN]

For starters Major Rawne... not sure about the others yet.

[Walter confetti]

long time ago i posted a unfinished version of this map:

http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/index.php?id=294

and i deleted it from my own computer... (it exist only in the internet, i've updated it whit mediafire...)

[Malinku]

Still working on my map

[traversd]

I am fixing up MajorRawnes map. I might change my stance re:tuning up the map further. It's probably more respectful to keep as close to the original tuners intended style&layout so at present I am just fixing errors and "neatening" areas that I think they had not completed.

I'll look to do the same with Printz & Walter's maps. Just addressing what I had mentioned.

travers

[maggot202]

I think i've finished yet another version of comcon. I've added some sort of difficulty mode, and made some cosmetic changes, taking into account what was said about the keys and trapped monsters (you wanted to slaughter my precious specimens, you blood thirsty bastards!? there you go. Nothing fancy, really, just a switch that activates a crusher inside the cage. Could've been useful in case those guys from immigration went to the base looking for some unregistered demonic aliens in u.s. soil).

You can download the new version here:
http://www.cec.uchile.cl/~nilopez/comcon/comconV2.zip

Snarboo, could you please change the link on the first post? that one is no longer valid.

Oh, by the way, i want to change the title of the map to "Bio research facility"

[tatsurd-cacocaco]

The web service which I use was closed at the end of Oct. Therefore, the DL links of my maps and masayan's maps have already been unavailable. I think Snarboo and others have final versions of them. However, I'll upload them again if they are necessary. At least, I don't intend to update my maps any more as far as fatal bugs are found.

[Snarboo]

First post has been updated.

@tatsurd: I have your maps, but if you wouldn't uploading yours and masayan's again, I'll upload them to a permanent host.

[traversd]

I see the drd sharespace mentioned a lot for publishing files for d/l. Could a "1994tuneup" account be created for those submitting maps to share access and keep maps in a central spot? Or is that not in the spirit of the service?

-travers

[Snarboo]

I'd have to ask Euranna if creating an account like that would be okay. I don't see why not, but there is potential there for abuse.

[Walter confetti]

Snarboo said:

I'd have to ask Euranna if creating an account like that would be okay. I don't see why not, but there is potential there for abuse.

Euranna?

[Snarboo]

AKA Soul Priestess, I believe she runs the DRDTeam file server.

Edit:
I'm probably going to limit access to any account to only a few people, namely me, 40oz and maybe the testers, assuming Euranna approves.

[Gez]

walter confalonieri said:

Euranna?

She's the European version of Eruanna.

[Walter confetti]

Ah, thank you now i understood...

[Lila Feuer]

Links for Fortified Castle, Hades House of Horrors 1 & 2, Castle To Hell, Ice Nightmare 2, Sweet, Woodhal2, Vampire 5, Brian and Craig Spark's Map 1 & 3, and Outland are down.

[traversd]

latest versions of those submissions can be found in the 'resource' zip Snarboo posted recently. I will be posting a roughly fixed up rawnwood2010 tonight. Its not perfect but I've tried to clean up some aspects that would cause an issue when playing and any asthetic easy fixes.

After this I'll look at Walters pureevil next. Should be an interesting playthrough I think.

-travers

[traversd]

Fixes to MajorRawnes Woodhal2.wad tune-up.

http://t.underworldgamers.com/wp-content/uploads/rawnwood-fixes1.zip

edit: re-uploaded again to fix some textures and light levels.

-travers

[traversd]

Still looking at PureEvil. Have made the changes to Printz ABDITN per http://www.doomworld.com/vb/post/917281

http://t.underworldgamers.com/wp-content/uploads/abditn-fixes1.zip

EDIT: Interesting thing I found out whilst working on pureevil (map30) is that in GZdoom on map30 is a monster can telefrag a player (or monster) even via teleport (not boss spawn) however on other map numbers they will fail to teleport if the landing is blocked by the player or other monsters. In prboom+ this does not occur. I wonder which is the original behaviour - tbh I'd prefer no telefragging *L*

Also the difference in linedef type 253 scrolling speed between GZDoom and prboom+ is quite obvious in a scrolling sector in this map.

EDIT2: re-uped ABDITN to fix a sector I stuffed.

-travers

[DeathevokatioN]

If I understand you correctly with that telefragging thing, have you checked what teleport lines the monsters using? I remember there being two types... "WR Teleport", which is prone to telefragging, and then there is "WR Teleport (Monsters Only)", which as I recall if the area is blocked with a player or another monster the monsters won't be able teleport through until the area is unblocked, hence you won't be able to get telefragged. You're probably aware of this by now, though.

[traversd]

DeathevokatioN said:

If I understand you correctly with that telefragging thing, have you checked what teleport lines the monsters using? I remember there being two types... "WR Teleport", which is prone to telefragging, and then there is "WR Teleport (Monsters Only)", which as I recall if the area is blocked with a player or another monster the monsters won't be able teleport through until the area is unblocked, hence you won't be able to get telefragged. You're probably aware of this by now, though.

just quickly checked this and using type 126 (WR Teleport Monster Only) has the same effect. I've placed an imp to teleport straight away atop the player start and in GZDoom you get telefragged and in prboom+ the imp fails to teleport.

Anyhow. The whole use the icon of sin to make the map random is nuts I've fixed up the implementation a bit Walter and now just need to find the sweet spot in terms of how many spawn points/boss shooters etc. 3 certainly gets the map cranking with guys to get in the road *L*

-travers

[traversd]

Snarboo said:

Can someone give me a quick list of authors of maps that are unfinished?

GreyGhost, Xenomorph 'The Complex' - Looking at some of the start of the map in comparison to the later areas has me believe Greyghost has not finished the map.
MajorRawne, WOODHAL2.WAD - I've uploaded a slightly fixed-up version with MR's consent. Would need someone to check to see if it's in an acceptable state.
Malinku, Vampire5 - I believe Malinku is actively working on this map.
Walter Confalonieri, Pure Evil - Walter and I are still working on this map.
Maggot202, BCS02 - Maggot202 posted an incomplete version for anyone to finish off. Needs a few areas in the later part of the map to be completed.

As for the other maps they are all at a pretty advanced stage or are completed. The level of tune-up differs a bit from general detailing to large overhauls etc but the authors of each respective map have updated/modified all parts of the map.

As 40oz touched on earlier I think we need a few more people to play them to get a consensus of what's done, what needs fixing and what is too unfinished to continue with. I'll go over them again and post up a start, middle and end list that I think each map would fit into.

-travers

[Snarboo]

traversd said:

As 40oz touched on earlier I think we need a few more people to play them to get a consensus of what's done, what needs fixing and what is too unfinished to continue with. I'll go over them again and post up a start, middle and end list that I think each map would fit into.

This definitely needs to be done. I'm going to have an announcement here on Saturday about the status of the project.