Things WAD designers do that you LOVE

[40oz]

Basically the reverse of the other thread. Since I'd much rather mappers have a resource of ideas to create levels people will love instead of levels people won't hate (there's a big difference there) I figured a thread like this is in order.

I love a ton of stuff about Doom so the list is pretty long. I'll post mine in a little bit.

[esselfortium]

Known Bugs              : A whole bunch. Ants, beetles, etc.
                          Full list can be provided via email upon request ;)

May Not Run With...     : Scissors LOL!!

[Csonicgo]

esselfortium said:

Known Bugs              : A whole bunch. Ants, beetles, etc.
                          Full list can be provided via email upon request ;)

May Not Run With...     : Scissors LOL!!

done in one.

[Vordakk]

- Height variation
- Clever monster placement
- Making use of the loop principle to avoid backtracking and 'cause it rules
- Using traps imaginatively/creatively
- Unique detail and/or detail that has a purpose other than fluff
- Good pacing and creating a sense of reward upon completing a task
- Clever secrets
- Texturing which is well thought out and doesn't clash
- Creating difficult situations without resorting to a closet full of Revenants and Arch-Viles (e.g. clever traps, confined spaces, walkover linedefs which trigger something that startles the player, etc.)

There's a lot more but that's all that I could come up with right now.

[gun_psycho]

Slaughtermaps that don't rely on the revenant/archvile spam constantly is one thing I look forward to in said maps.

As far as secrets go, I mainly prefer secrets that aren't too much of a pain-in-the-ass to get, but are very rewarding to get to. (even supersecret areas with big rewards are nice.)

[Tango]

finish their maps/projects (essel)

[Untamed64]

- Fun Easter Eggs
- Weapon/Enemy replacement wads that Actually come with their own maps (coughWildWeaselcough)
- Jokewads

Just a few I can name from the top of my head =/

[printz]

Generally, I LOVE the wads that materialize the dreams I've been having about Doom mods, but wasn't able to make real myself. For example, I'd be really excited if someone makes a well-executed WAD/PK3 where you play as a demonic monster and fight the human military, holy warriors and angels.

As made so far, KDiZD did materialize my dream of a revamped Doom with new monsters and modern, creepy challenges (even if it's not the best thing under the sun) and I'm looking forward to BtSX for materializing my dreams about a deep-space yet traditional Doom mod (even if it may not be this, it does look like it). Not to mention older wads like DoDead or Crusaders which look like worthy expansions of Doom episodes 1 or 4, something I had really wanted to see, too.

Carnage Galore 3 also looks awesome from Youtube demos. I'll have to look into it definitely.

[jute]

Interesting themes
New (or at least non-Doom) textures
Elaborate secrets
Secrets within secrets
Lots of outdoor areas
Secret levels that are genuinely unusual or novel
3D bridges - lots of them

[Grain of Salt]

[The Ultimate DooMer]

esselfortium said:

Known Bugs              : A whole bunch. Ants, beetles, etc.
                          Full list can be provided via email upon request ;)

May Not Run With...     : Scissors LOL!!

I prefer the hi-tech version myself.

[dannebubinga]

Grain of Salt said:

1. Gardens
2. Nice architecture
3. Atmosphere in general
4. Fights that are like wading through hot treacle

5. comfy blankets?

Also, I totally agree with your list though I would like to swap gardens for brick and vines.

[Grain of Salt]

[Phobus]

The love thing is a lot harder to state, I think. A lot of the time I'll enjoy something because of a number of reasons coming together. You could boil it down to "fun gameplay" or "quality mapping" I guess, but that's no help at all.

One of the key things for me enjoying a .WAD is simply having no real detractors - or even only one or two minor/forgiveable ones. If the monsters aren't overwhelming, the movement flows alright and the layout of the map is interesting and varied, it'll do me just fine. Appearances, music and other extra stuff does help, but ultimately the formula behind the game play is what will make a map work best for me.

[40oz]

Required objectives hidden in relatively easy-to-find secret areas

Having to work for the items you want (putting the first shotgun behind a crowd of pinky demons or something)

Chainsaws and berserk!

Shotgun shells everywhere

Successful combination of detailed architecture and thing decorations

Single player levels that also double as deathmatch levels

Secret levels that introduce a new theme other than wolfenstein, such as a level based on the authors favorite game.

Monster closets with a TON of monsters in them.

Teleport ambushes!

Monster closets that actually turn out to be teleport ambushes (monsters in the closet start teleporting everywhere as they leave the closet)

Secret areas that occupy huge sections of the map.

Fighting tons of revenants at a time with the super shotgun in a wide open area.

Fighting a few revenants at a time with berserk.

Windows so that you can see into places you may be approaching later, and be able to pick off some of the monsters within.

Fighting monsters in the dark, or in blinking light areas.

New music or IWAD music swapped around. I don't care if you make the first level start with D_EVIL As long as it's not the default playlist.

Spider Mastermind fights with lots of room to move and lots of rockets.

Switches where I'm not instantly sure what they do.

Secret tunnels hidden in pits of damaging liquid.

Pain Elementals used in huge rooms with a large height so it's difficult to get up close to them and fuck up their attacks.

Armor.

Sniping chaingunners placed in large areas, not long hallways.

Situations in which the items and weapons placed are absolutely necessary, not optional.

Monsters coming at you from more than one direction.

Maps that are really short but really difficult, but also not Dead Simple or Icon of Sin remakes.

Areas with monsters and weapons and places to explore that aren't crucial to completing the map.

Secret areas that release hard monsters into the map as you find secrets with stronger items and weapons (No Rest for the Living)

Making chainguns available at times where they are more useful than the weapons you already have.

I should mention that this list is not intended to be some sort of basic guideline that everyone is going to agree on. This is a list of things that I love, and it could conflict with what anyone else here loves. I encourage anyone here to post things that they love about doom wads that might interfere with that other people love. I was really hoping I wouldn't get vague responses like detailed maps, good gameplay, etc.

[didierbertrand]

what i like:
-non linear map
-middle ages atmosphere
-classic gameplay
-lots of secrets

[Khorus]

- Height variation and lots of it

- Strong, bold architecture that creates interesting gameplay rather than shoving computer panels and dangling ceiling lights everywhere

- Maps with a strong plasma rifle or chaingun emphasis (my favourite weapons :)

- Use of lighting to create interesting gameplay. Traps in darkness can be nice and chaotic

- Rare use of the stronger monsters, powerups, weapons to make them feel less of a given

- Pistol starts that are more than grab the nearby shotgun

- So called slaughter maps with a lot of room to maneuver. I recall the later Speed of Doom maps being good for this.

[valkiriforce]

Here are some of the things I like to see:

-An interesting map layout/structure to which even simply looking at the automap gives inspiration for what each area of the map could be like.

-Vanilla maps (really just a preference) at least around IWAD level of detail (Memento Mori). Though Alien Vendetta/Eternal Doom/Back to Saturn X/etc. prove that you can have good-looking maps while still being vanilla compatible.

-Puzzle maps like Jim Flynn or Bob Evans' creations.

-A level that follows the design rules of John Romero.

-Inter-connected secrets that act as different routes to be taken in a map or even shortcuts.

-Lots of thought put into linedef triggers/tripwires/etc. that make the level itself very interactive.

-Whether short or long, big or small, linear or non-linear, I'm probably the most outgoing Doomer there is. I've played some rather obscure levels that I've enjoyed. Things like E2M9 are still fun to play from time to time.

[Gothic]

-maps for heretic and hexen(doom sucks **)
-sigle maps with new music
-good detail and gameplay
-jokewads like CIF 3 or turbocharged arcade
-wads that use new textures like GothicDM, Quake 1 or UAC Ultra textures

[Olympus]

I can only think of a few (and they've probably been said already):

-Interconnected layout.

-Clever/Unique traps (hate the typical grab a key, monster closet opens)

-Maps that are challenging without clusterfucks of monsters

[elic]

-Overcomplexity

-Puzzles

-Lots of Archviles

-Special effects (fake 3D bridges, swinging doors, etc.)

-Nonlinear layouts

-Big secret areas

-Megawads with occasional death exits

-Secret levels with interesting concepts

-Megawads in which each of the maps feel connected to each other (by using the same area for the end of one map and start of another)

-Over-detail (just as long as it doesn't get in the way of gameplay)

[yellowmadness54]

-Some new graphics, preferably weapons.
- Sky boxes... that move
- really ambient, scenery. Like in Town Infection. I want to feel like I'm in that setting.

-gameplay oriented on fun, not mega archetecture

[dannebubinga]

Grain of Salt said:

Blankets are a given. Actual bedrooms would be ideal.

What kind of brick and vines? Are we talking Plutonia or Scythe II, here? :)

Scythe II and early vanguard maps. :)

[valkiriforce]

Processingcontrol said:

-Special effects (fake 3D bridges, swinging doors, etc.)

-Secret levels with interesting concepts

I'd like to add these two to my list. It's interesting to see other people's twist of the 3D bridge use. Hell Revealed II was fun for such things.

[Lila Feuer]

A pure vanilla mapset compatible with any port.

[kmxexii]

I love seeing authors stretch the limits of Doom, be it through special effects, dehacked, or even knocking around in advanced source ports, boom and more.

[Snakes]

Any author that can pull off convincingly surreal or abstract maps is cool in my book.

[Grain of Salt]

[wildweasel]

I love it when a map makes an honest attempt at making a plausibly real location. I'm not saying it should be based on a real location, but I just like levels to look "lived in." Alternatively, a little splash of colors that aren't grey, green, or brown goes a long way - especially blue. We don't get a lot of blue Doom maps.

[Vordakk]

40oz said:

Windows so that you can see into places you may be approaching later, and be able to pick off some of the monsters within.

This is one of my favorite things ever!