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

[Memfis]

I actually changed my mind about map21 music, and now I like it a lot. Please don't change it. :D

[Phobus]

Snarboo said:

I'm pretty well situated now after a decent flight and a few days to get myself acclimated to the weather here. I've got all my tools and ports setup, so I can handle everything related to this project.

I would like to see this project finished by the end of the month. At the very least, I'd like to see a beta release that is ready to be uploaded to /idgames. We only have one map left, so this is definitely feasible.

I'll touch base here over the next few days, so let me know what you guys think.

I'm going to do my best to get my map to you by the end of the month, as it's bothering me that such a small, simple map just isn't getting done, and is instead languishing on my hard-drive.

[Walter confetti]

Memfis said:

I actually changed my mind about map21 music, and now I like it a lot. Please don't change it. :D

ok...

[Snarboo]

Checking in to see what the current status of the project is. How close are you to finishing your map, Phobus? Does anyone else have maps that need finishing? Does anyone need help finishing their map? I want to do everything possible to make sure this sees release here very soon.

[RjY]

Map09 (xeno11/bug hunt) the computer map secret looks like it has been split in two, resulting in a second secret sector that can't be entered (sector 722)

[traversd]

RjY said:

Map09 (xeno11/bug hunt) the computer map secret looks like it has been split in two, resulting in a second secret sector that can't be entered (sector 722)

Awesome! thanks mate. I have fixed in the master copy now.

-t

[RjY]

traversd said:

Awesome! thanks mate. I have fixed in the master copy now.

No problem :-) A couple of other things, you might like to mark the soulsphere in the slime (sector 20) as a secret instead, and I just noticed the front texture of linedef 5282 extends up higher than the other cliffs around it.

[Phobus]

Snarboo said:

Checking in to see what the current status of the project is. How close are you to finishing your map, Phobus? Does anyone else have maps that need finishing? Does anyone need help finishing their map? I want to do everything possible to make sure this sees release here very soon.

I'm working on it slowly still, as I've got a lot of other things to contend with at the moment, but soon will have oodles of free time. I'm going to try and make a big impact for progress soon, and give you a definite percentage with my next update.

[Fletcher`]

What else is left to do? This has supposedly been in the 'final stages' for almost a year now.

[Snarboo]

rf` said:

What else is left to do? This has supposedly been in the 'final stages' for almost a year now.

Only one map is left to finish then it's pretty much ready for release barring any huge bugs that pop up. The biggest thing that kept this from an earlier release was a lack of coordination on my part. The current release is mostly complete if you want to give it a go.

@Phobus: Good to hear. :) Keep us updated as always.

[traversd]

RjY said:

No problem :-) A couple of other things, you might like to mark the soulsphere in the slime (sector 20) as a secret instead, and I just noticed the front texture of linedef 5282 extends up higher than the other cliffs around it.

Yeh I found that "tall wall" last week :o)

Fair call on the soulsphere. it is now a secret.

-t

[Snarboo]

It's less than 10 days until the end of June, so what's everyone's status? Phobus, how close are you to finishing your map?

[GreyGhost]

I'm still fiddling with potential title and/or intermission screens and have a few people to quiz about custom resources.

[Phobus]

Snarboo said:

It's less than 10 days until the end of June, so what's everyone's status? Phobus, how close are you to finishing your map?

Moving back to my parents house from uni delayed me by a few days, especially as I've had to sort out a few other things upon getting back. I'm inundated with mostly free time now though, so I'll give it a couple of days of solid work and have a finished product for you before the end of the month. I'm really sorry this has taken so long, particularly as I usually pride myself on getting these sorts of submissions in very quickly after signing up.

[traversd]

GreyGhost said:

I'm still fiddling with potential title

intiggeresting... /subscribes

[Snarboo]

Good to see we're still on track. Don't worry if you don't have every title/intermission card finished before the deadline, GreyGhost. I want a release candidate ready at the end of the month, and once every map is submitted it shouldn't take much time to finish the rest of the intermission graphics.

[Phobus]

Right... working on it now, and so far it's been clearing up the non-sensical 1994 stuff and altering textures and room design to have something approaching a cohesive theme. The result here is that each room has its own theme now, and certain small areas are one single theme as well. The main thing I've noticed is that its still largely like a brick techbase, which is alright in my book.

Most of what I'm doing is patching up aesthetics, as there's only one room I particularly want to alter the layout on. I reckon I'll be done by the end of tomorrow. As soon as I'm finished and I've tested it a bit I'll get a link up here for you all.

[Fletcher`]

Ok, as I'm playing the alpha of this, I'm noticing several graphical glitches in early maps--mostly oddly aligned textures (mostly short textures that are lower/upper pegged, tutti fruity etc) that even shows up in zdoom. There's also one area in map09 where part of one rocky wall outside is higher than all the surrounding rocky areas. Last one for now, the one voodoo conveyor in map12 is completely broken in zdoom.

[traversd]

rf` said:

Ok, as I'm playing the alpha of this, I'm noticing several graphical glitches in early maps--mostly oddly aligned textures (mostly short textures that are lower/upper pegged, tutti fruity etc) that even shows up in zdoom. There's also one area in map09 where part of one rocky wall outside is higher than all the surrounding rocky areas. Last one for now, the one voodoo conveyor in map12 is completely broken in zdoom.

Thanks rf',

Where is the tutti-frutti?

The map09 & 12 things you mention have been fixed.

-t

[Fletcher`]

traversd said:

Thanks rf',

Where is the tutti-frutti?

I will have to look back on the first 7 maps and find them. Mostly they were where one of the step textures were used on a ledge and were incorrectly pegged. There was the switch texture in map09 right at the start that seems offset wrong too.


I'd also like to say that map 15 is absolutely stunning and an amazing show of what you can do in Boom. My only gripe is that the secret exit was really really hard to find.

[Phobus]

As seems ot be something of a curse ofr me working on this project, I'll be a bit of a let down later today. I'll upload what I've got, but I was forced into doing an awful lot of housework, and therefore lost many hours that I wanted to spend on the map.

So I'll reach a middle ground. Work on it until I go to bed, upload what I've got and see about suggestions, then continue work tomorrow in the hopes of getting finished then.

[Snarboo]

@rf': If you find bugs while playing this, be sure to take screenshots, both of the bug and on the automap where the bug appears.

This goes for everyone else playing this who finds bugs.

[Phobus]

As promised, here's the link for what I've managed so far:

http://www.phobus.servegame.com/doom/ph_v5mal.zip

The text file is about as WIP as the map (and isn't really necessary, I'll admit). The hours worked is a complete guesstimate, as my timing has been all over the place since I started work on this map. Changes are spread throughout most of the map, so any critique or comments may require comparison with VAMPIR5.wad in order to know exactly how much has been done.

I'll get back to work tomorrow... sorry for once again being delayed :(

[traversd]

Looking quite nice Phobus :o)

I would probably suggest you "advertise" that teleport cluster just before the RL secret in some way. Be it teleport pads or something. I know the original had it but the player cannot even see the linedefs on the map which is a bit tough to navigate.

Also, perhaps put a switch is sector 259 that opens sectors 13 and 29?

Keep going with it mate... go go go ;o)

-t

[Phobus]

Good ideas - that area was still being worked on, and those two suggestions will definitely help. I'm thinking some subtle glowing will be good for the teleporters, with a candle at each destination to give the player a rough indication of the area they're in.

[Phobus]

Right, I did indeed do a load of work today, but I've not quite finished. The yellow key part and the bit where you actually get the yellow key aren't finished yet. Likewise monsters and stuff isn't in yet.

So I'll finish it tomorrow. This is taking even longer than I expected, but by the end of tomorrow I will definitely have a beta version that should only need a bit of testing before being considered final.

Here's todays version (same link as before):

http://www.phobus.servegame.com/doom/ph_v5mal.zip

Once again, my apologies for being so slow with this. I'll be cutting it fine, but in theory we could have a beta for the entire project by the end of this month.

[traversd]

rf` said:

There was the switch texture in map09 right at the start that seems offset wrong too.

Ahh got it. I had -4 on the Y alignment and hadn't checked it in zdoom. I lowered the sector height of the switch by 4 units instead. Thanks for the tip. I forgot zdoom shows those tutti frutti effects.

Glad you liked MAP15. I had to make the 2nd exit hard to find, you should try and find it in the original *L*

[traversd]

Phobus said:

Here's todays version

Looking good Phobus. I dare say its WIP but I think FLAT10 and COMPBLUE in the red-key area aren't making good bedfellows. Would probably replace FLAT10 with something grey/black/blue or TLITE6_5 (this would need bordering though as that whole area is on 45").

Keep it up ;o)

[Phobus]

Looked alright to me yesterday, but now you've pointed it out, FLAT10 really does need to go. I'll swap to CEIL5_1 and alter the one affected upper texture to go with it.

Right, on to work with the remaining part of the map.

[Phobus]

Ok, layout, architecture and detailing is all done IMO. I'm just getting gameplay in and going to give it a quick test, and then you can have RC1 of Infinity Plus at long last. Thanks for all the patience whilst I've been stuttering along with this thing.