Open Season: The most horrific level of IWADs?

[Katamori]

Recently I started to thinking about that level "Open Season" from TNT Evilution was maybe the "darkest" level I've ever seen. The abandoned office at the beginning, the E2-ish dark server rooms, the factory with the cacodemon, the exit and even the dark music...maybe even Doom1 couldn't beat it.

What do you think?

(sorry if I waste your time with my random question, I just feel that I want to share my previous impressions =) )

[maggotjoe]

It was a good fun level, but to be honest doom isnt that "scary or dark" doom is just an incredible first person shooter that can give you endless hours of fun killing things

[Blue Shadow]

When I first read the title, I thought it said "horrific" instead of "horroristic". :P

[Katamori]

maggotjoe said:

It was a good fun level, but to be honest doom isnt that "scary or dark" doom is just an incredible first person shooter that can give you endless hours of fun killing things

Try to travel back in time and show your 9-years-old yourself Doom E1M4 blue key room, then I think your opinion will change. :D

Actually, I agree with you, but when I was 9 and I played Doom, it scared me uncountable times.

Blue Shadow said:

When I first read the title, I thought it said "horrific" instead of "horroristic". :P

I can't see the difference, maybe my English isn't perfect. :D

[Blue Shadow]

Katamori said:

I can't see the difference, maybe my English isn't perfect. :D

I searched for the definition of the word "horroristic" but couldn't find any. It's not a real word, apparently. The word "horrific" means causing horror (the meaning you're after), but sometimes it means "horrible", "dreadful", or "terrible" (the meaning I'm after).

[Katamori]

Blue Shadow said:

I searched for the definition of the word "horroristic" but couldn't find any. It's not a real word, apparently. The word "horrific" means causing horror (the meaning you're after), but sometimes it means "horrible", "dreadful", or "terrible" (the meaning I'm after).

Thanks, I didn't know that - I rewrote the title

[Phobus]

"Horrifying" would also work in this instance and also have no obvious second meaning.

I agree that the music and original scene for the map is kind of scary. The later "big machinery" parts are my main memory of the map though and they're not scary. Kind of cool though, IMO.

[hex11]

The later parts of E2M4 used to creep me out. The whole map is dark, but that area after the YK door is dreadful.

[Guest]

I haven't seen all the maps from TNT2 yet. I am kind of hoping that there is at least one that is heavily influenced by this level.

The route through the level is kinda difficult to navigate if you don't know it already, but otherwise it was a pretty good level all up. Especially the 'reactor' room and how you could see up three levels from the very start.

[DooM_RO]

It strangely reminds me of Doom 3, especially the server room. I also get this feeling in parts of E1M3, specifically in the red key card room. This might have been an inspiration for the (overly)abundant monster closets from Doom 3.

[40oz]

I'd have to put my vote in for Hunted from Plutonia. That level makes your heart stop sometimes.

[Clonehunter]

40oz said:

I'd have to put my vote in for Hunted from Plutonia. That level makes your heart stop sometimes.

Eyup, this pretty much for Final Doom.

[Katamori]

KiiiYiiiKiiiA said:

I haven't seen all the maps from TNT2 yet. I am kind of hoping that there is at least one that is heavily influenced by this level.

I hope too. I think there's no TNT remake which can be complete without Open Season-remake.

[Reisal]

Hunted in Final Doom and Command Center for Doom 1. The former is just plain stupid design and the latter is just meh to bad design to me.

[david-arquette]

maggotjoe said:

It was a good fun level, but to be honest doom isnt that "scary or dark" doom is just an incredible first person shooter that can give you endless hours of fun killing things

Unless you play Final Doom on PS1 or Doom 64. They creep me out so much.

[Tristan]

david-arquette said:

Unless you play Final Doom on PS1 or Doom 64.

Deepest Reaches was genuinely terrifying on PSX. I was always scared to go in it. Still probably would think twice before trying it today.

[Dragonsbrethren]

The name was familiar but I couldn't place it to a map until I played it, then I remembered it. Honestly, no, this isn't any scarier than your average Doom map. The computer rooms feel like a more cramped version of E1M2's maze, and the rest of the level is fairly generic. The "pistons" in that big open room are pretty dumb looking; if everything had been scaled down they'd work, but as they are they're just big and ugly.

Edit: The backtracking feels forced, too. It would be cool if these rooms were modified as you backtracked (dropping the computers, for example), but once you clear them out they're empty and you're just going through them again to extend the level.

[Katamori]

david-arquette said:

Unless you play Final Doom on PS1 or Doom 64. They creep me out so much.

Oh lol, I forgot that level. Can you imagine how that level scared me when I was a small child? :D

[Snakes]

E1M5 managed to creep me out multiple times. The dark, winding corridor, the monster closets near the outdoor secret, and the closing room all come to mind immediately. Much darker atmosphere than the previous maps, as well. The first go through the map is quite jarring.