Stanimapping (Grindmapping) Exercise - GO GO GO!!!

[scifista42]

Starting right now. It's 15:58 now here in the Czech republic. It won't take longer time than 6 hours. I'll edit this post as I go along. Look forward! ;D

16:06 - Putting textures from Doom 1 and music from Mandrill Ass Project in the wad. Good start, isn't it? Well, maybe not...

19:50 - Yay, this is bad, this is bad. Seems that I'm not good at speedmapping (this is actually my first attempt). Four hours and I have only this area which has practically no gameplay. Hmm... we'll see how it would be changed in next two hours...


22:42 - Done. My mind and bottom are totally destroyed and I must sleep. Here's the link:

http://speedy.sh/3qr6Q/indstr42.zip

It's 1994/DukeNukem style level. Feel free to laugh at it. There's Doom 1 sky, which you can remove in the final version, purist.

Good night all!

[scifista42]

Quick question: how do I exclude the SKY texture from TEXTURE1? Deleting the patches or the texture itself in TEXTURE1 lump results in an PrBoom-plus fatal error. Yes I agree it's my problem and my fault and if I hadn't wanted to use the texture pack it wouldn't happen - but help please. :)

[purist]

Just use the whole texture pack for now and worry about splitting it afterwards.

[dobu gabu maru]

Giving this another shot while I catch up on some old podcasts. Starting 2:20 EST, aiming for 3 hours.

4:00 Doing much better, already have most of the final fight and starting area mapped. Contemplating the battles in the red key and yellow key room next. Afterwards I'll just add detail until I get bored and tired and decide to submit it.

5:07 Gonna be around ~5 hours I think. Some areas aren't as fun as I initially thought they would be. Food break

5:32 Back to work. Trying to think up a red key fight...

7:32 On 4.5 hours, should be done in one or two more. All rooms boxed out, but balancing is going to take quite a while. Might just get basic monster placement and tweak it along with extra difficulties in the morning.

9:25 Looks like I accidentally did another long map haha! 90% of the enemy/item placement is done, just obsessing over detail now. Not really sure how long this one took, as I spent about ~5 hours mapping and 1.5 hours just playtesting over and over. Will do one last update when I think it's pretty enough.

12:32 Basically done, although it didn't technically take me exactly 10 hours like it did last time... more like ~7 with various breaks and extended sessions of playtesting. Happier with it than my first product, I'll have to see what you guys think... it's a bit more gimmicky than I thought it would be. Will balance/add difficulties soon and upload soon.

[Walter confetti]

So, i started a level for this at the 03:00 PM, and after a walk and dinner i'm come back to work.

Also, this map screams 1994 from every corner...

EDIT: After 3 / 4 hors of working (maybe) here's what i have made so far: http://i.imgur.com/LAD4O.png i've starting to don't have anymore ideas on this...

EDIT 2:Oh shit, i closed for mistake Doom Builder, anyway bah not glad of the result, sorry but i give up for now.

[Phobus]

I'm also going for a 3-4 hour attempt, having started about 40 minutes ago and gone for the main scene that I wanted to put in straight away.

EDIT: This is purely shapes on a grid with some line and sector specials applied and a few things chucked in, but after 2 and a half hours, this is the layout all done:


Textures, heights and lighting to be added for my next update.

EDIT 2: I think I've been going about 5 hours now. This texturing, heights, lighting and stuff is taking a while! Looks like I'll be up a bit late tonight, as it's already midnight...

EDIT 3: Roughly 6 hours now and my right hand is starting to ache quite a lot. Nearly done with the architecture, textures and stuff now. I think I'll leave it tonight after I've got that done, so I can quickly get in proper game play and testing tomorrow. As much as I'd like to beat the ugly out of this level too (hooo boy...), that'd be taking it too far for this exercise, so I'll be sure to upload it as soon as it is done tomorrow and then, after some feedback, I'll probably polish it up a bit and look at rolling it into a project with that 1-Tag map of mine.

EDIT 4: The Final Editing: Right, 6-and-a-half hours has me a map that one can run around in, using keys, switches, doors, teleporters and lifts to get from the start of the map to the end. There's even secrets and weapons. Just no enemies to shoot. But factor in testing, tweaks and stuff and I'll call it quits for the night. I think I have two, maybe three hours of work ahead of me still and I definitely shouldn't be up at half 4 when I've got work tomorrow :P

I was a little overambitious, but had this have been a weekend I'd have gotten it done in one prolonged sitting, so I'm pretty happy with how this has gone. Look out for a playable map tomorrow!

[scifista42]

Hi, I'm here again. Here's some info (and my thoughts) about my map I stanimapped for this project yesterday:

Start time: 15:58
End time: 22:42
(times are GMT+1)
Total time: 6 hours 44 minutes
Music ripped from Mandrill Ass Project
Textures from Doom 1 (resource pack)
Tested in PrBoom-plus.
Download: http://www.speedyshare.com/3qr6Q/indstr42.zip


Stanimapping was an unusual and remarkable experience for me. Besides other things, it provided me a first-hand experience of something I never understood. How it is possible that lousy 1994-like maps are being made even nowadays? Thanks to stanimapping (speedmapping), I found the answer. People rush!

When starting mapmaking, I had a vision in my mind of a building site full of working machinery. Unfortunately, I failed to organize my time well. I had to abandon many of ideas and to speed up mindless throwing sectors and things here and there.

The result is... you can see it for yourself. I actually made many maps before, I am aware of using an editor and using actions and I am aware of crappy 1994 maps generally condemned by majority of pro Doomers. But... if you played my map, it looks like I'm not aware.

To sum up, I'm not prepared to speedmapping, since time press is obviously something I cannot handle well. Still, I'm glad I tried it and maybe I'll join next month.


Apologies to purist: I copied the whole texture pack in my wad. However, I used just very few of them. I had problems with removing even only one of these textures, so I let all of them in the wad. So it's on you to remove the redundant textures when compiling submissions together, unless you let me to remove them now.

[purist]

scifista42 said:

Apologies to purist: I copied the whole texture pack in my wad. However, I used just very few of them. I had problems with removing even only one of these textures, so I let all of them in the wad. So it's on you to remove the redundant textures when compiling submissions together, unless you let me to remove them now.

This is why I was reluctant to allow new textures. If you are able to, please seperate the textures used in your map from the rest of the texture pack so there's no redundant textures in your WAD.

If you can't do it I might have a go at the end of the month so your level can join the compilation but no promises.

[Phobus]

@scifista42: I played your map. Absolutely loved the way that correct progression logic is "Have I thrown myself off of this building at that one yet?" and the cheesey music really worked for me. Pretty simple visually, but with a few nice touches. Those weird plungery things have one problem though: some strange graphical glitches occur. You're very well stocked as a player, but I don't mind that in something as fun and carefree as this is. The first secret I got definitely isn't actually secret, although I did manage to miss a 4th one, so overall it balances out.

In short, very fun and enjoyable :)

I'm now going to resume my slog from yesterday. Disappointing that I couldn't do it all in one sitting and if it's disallowed from the compilation due to this, I understand. It could definitely use some polishing time, even after I declare it finish in a couple of hours or so.

[dobu gabu maru]

After closing Doom Builder yesterday, I actually got an idea for a third (and final) map to do and will likely start it when I have enough free time. I'd like to submit the third one first before I submit my latest endeavor (titled "Tehom") as all three maps are part of a continuous story I've made up in my head (Migdal Bavel being the 2nd part). Since Tehom takes place after you drop into the pit at the center of the tower, I wanted to make a small and low-enemy level that's about the journey from your home to the tower.

[scifista42]

purist said:

This is why I was reluctant to allow new textures. If you are able to, please seperate the textures used in your map from the rest of the texture pack so there's no redundant textures in your WAD.

I finally figured out how to do it. This fixed version shouldn't have any unused textures/flats/patches. In all other aspects it's the same file, of course :)

Industrial Zone 42

[Katamori]

As I mentioned, I recorded the process of making my map. Here's the timelapse video!

Sorry for the quality and the lack of music but more than 8 hours was needed to make it this way.

scifista42: good map, it was a pleasure. =)

[Phobus]

The map now has literally everything but the monsters, decorations and standard pickups in now, which isn't bad considering I've only spent an hour or so on the map today. I think another hour or so should be plenty for putting things in (with difficulty settings) and testing. To whet your appetite, here's a screenshot of the centre piece (which is surrounding some buildings I'd love to detail the exteriors of, but know that'd be against the spirit of the project)

[scifista42]

Heh, thanx, I couldn't have imagined anyone would say my map is any good :)

btw Phobus, which source port did you use? I haven't encountered that jackhammer bug neither in PrBoom, nor Zandronum, nor GZDoom. (although GZDoom strangely blinked in that place several times)

[Phobus]

Standard ZDoom is my port of choice (software rendering is my preference, you see). The latest official release, to be precise (which has it's product version as 2.6, but progam version is 2.6.999.3982, according to windows).

I had assumed you'd not seen it in the ports you tested in, because it's very glaring for me :P

[purist]

I played Industrial Zone 42 by scifista42. It was quite fun and unique but some of the leaps of faith will have a marmite effect on people I'm sure. For the most part I didn't mind it too much except for the flaming barrels on those pillars that kept getting in my way. Regular barrels, candles or items would have been better to draw the player's attention to them. I also found a big graphical glitch on the same building you jump onto those pillars from if you look outwards from the map. Cute map, those bobbing plungers dancing to the music made me smile. I finished in 27 mins, most of which was me running around confused about where to jump from the buildings or shaking my fist at those flaming barrels. Good job though. Thanks for getting the textures sorted too. I'll update the OP again some time soon.

@Phobus: It's a shame you never got the thing placement done in your map. You should have just given it a 10 minute job and played it safe with health and ammo but I know how you must have been feeling in your last hour. It's not strictly within rules but if you'd like it in the compilation I'll be nice and just add a caveat in the text file.

[Phobus]

Well purist, if you don't mind making the exception, that'd be great :) If not, like I've said, I can accept that I failed it this time around and can try again later in the month, with this map having another use somewhere else.

Speaking of this map: download

It might have some bugs, obvious flaws or things that really, really need addressing, but as far as I'm aware it doesn't (aside from the exteriors of the two main buildings being really boring). UV gets pretty hard in my experience, but should be beatable. Feedback is very appreciated!

[Ribbiks]

hah, here's a fda for ^^. I wander around for a bit, get lost looking for what the BK switch did, then I inescapably fell behind a tree.

[Phobus]

I can guess where you fell behind the tree without looking at the demo (lowering that wall was a last minute change to make the enemies up there more threatening) but I'll be sure to watch it anyway, as I did most of my mapping for this when very tired, so I'll need all of the insight I can get. Probably put up a fixed version shortly after I watch it.

EDIT: Yeah, I thought so. I've fixed this and reuploaded it to the same file location: http://www.phobus.servegame.com/doom/ph_grind.zip

You can tell if you have the latest version, because the file in the zip is ph_grind_1-00.wad now, plus ph_grind.txt has a changelog included.

Any further feedback and stuff will be greatly appreciated!

[dobu gabu maru]

Played scifista's effort... it was uh... certainly something. Definitely the oddest level submitted so far. I was very appreciative that there were shortcuts built into the level, as I fell off the roof a couple times. Speaking of which, the roof was the coolest part since I was expecting to go up there.

Also played Phobus' effort; I have mixed feelings on it. Layout was definitely unique and mazy, and I especially liked the crate section of the map. I didn't enjoy the wide use of texture variety as it felt like I was trapped in this strange 90s dream and sometimes the themes felt like they clashed. Architecture is great like I said, and there were a few moments were I was quite impressed, although I'm not sure it lent well to enemies. Speaking of which, enemies at the start of the level didn't feel quite right, although the last half of the map had plenty of good fights and ambushes. I'm not sure what else it is about this level, I can't put my finger on it...

Still very impressive for the time it took you to make it. Mostly fun too.

[Phobus]

Thanks :)

I can tell you why the start feels off actually. Unlike every other map I've ever made, I built this one around a set piece. So the red skull structure was the first thing I made and then I kind of built progression spidering out from there. This means that the map doesn't actually have a proper start, as such and I instead resorting to just picking a place and making it the start, trying to place monsters in a way that accomodated that. I also made the crate part experimental to try and save time, as usually I'd have had those crates packed with monsters and some blockers on the floor to further hamper the player.

I'm glad these random, experimental and mostly sleep-deprived thoughts of mine turned out something playable in the end! I agree the visuals definitely need a bit of polish and some coherence wouldn't hurt in such a small map (I did try and explain that away with my little story segment in the text file, but it's clearly an excuse plot).

[dobu gabu maru]

Phobus said:

I'm glad these random, experimental and mostly sleep-deprived thoughts of mine turned out something playable in the end!

Ha, sleep deprived was one of the first things I thought of when I was playing it actually. Issues with the start makes more sense now.


So I was going to start mapping tomorrow but I have a nice chunk of time today and would rather get it out of the way now. So at approx 2:35 EST I'm starting my last map, shooting for 4 hours yet again... Definitely not mapping until 10.

4:30 Doing great so far, just need more things for the player to do than run to the end.

6:30 Four hours in, only have to do a cave and the exit. Taking a food break now, will probably be back to work in 30.

8:45 Almost done, thankfully.



9:45 All set, just ran around looking for bugs for twenty minutes. In all it took 6.5 hours which is remarkably better, but at the same time I didn't need to playtest it that much. It's good to go, but I'm going to continue to work on my second map before I upload them both (and with minor fixes to Migdal Bavel). Then the "Pesha" trilogy will be complete. It was really fun making each one... might consider adding a brief backstory too.

[Egregor]

I tried the challenge and basically failed. After over 9 hours of mapping I had a medium-large complex level with working actions, minimal texture variation, no detail, no shading, and no items or enemies.

I dislike simple maps, and usually put a lot of effort into weaving my maps together into clever, non-linear layouts. This one was no exception, but I wasn't cutting corners like I probably should have been. I was using a lot of exact diagonal angles. I made areas, and then cut, copied, and pasted them into entirely different parts of my map until I was satisfied with them, I was even making building trim, but perhaps the biggest problem is it was simply too much ground to cover in 9 hours. I would say that if I kept the pace it would be another 9 hours before it would have been finished.

With that said it is on (a long) track to being a good level, but with no gameplay to speak of probably it is probably not worthy of a post. Perhaps I will post the map and some screens instead.

[dobu gabu maru]

^ It is a tough thing to finish it in one go, especially when you get tired and wish you could just finish mapping tomorrow. It really is a battle of persistence. Shame you couldn't get it finished.

Finally done tweaking my three maps. Had to change my second map's slot to 30 since I needed telefragging in it, so I redrew the teleporters to just be trap doors. That's really the major thing I added, otherwise I stuck to the rules and just jumbled and switched up enemy placement (and some composition where it felt unfair). Quite satisfied the result.



Download Pesha. Basic plot is that a demonic tower Babel has been built housing a false deity composed of blood and silver bone deep within, spawning monsters across the world. After discovering the corpse of your brother, you decide you've had enough of being under the watch of Babel, and take off to rip its metal heart out.

In order it's

MAP28 - Galut (my third effort ~6.5 hours)
MAP29 - Migdal Bavel (my first effort ~10 hours)
MAP30 - Tehom (my second effort ~7 hours)

So it basically took a whole day total. All music is by Aaron Walz. Some problems with FMOD for the first midi, so you might have to change it. Enjoy.

Oh, forgot to mention, playing consecutively will completely break MAP30, as all fights in that have been designed around pistol start. Might still put up a fight, but walking in with 400 cell and the plasma gun will definitely make it easier than it should be.

[Ribbiks]

interesting IoS idea, though it's kinda funny if you just sit there and watch monsters telefrag eachother :p.

[Egregor]

So, ya, I didn't finish my map. Mainly because my ambitions were much too big for the 9 hours of my attempt. Here is what I do have to show:

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q512/jeff_king1/Grind-A_zps4358be06.png

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q512/jeff_king1/Grind-B_zpsf636ce14.png

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q512/jeff_king1/Grind-C_zpsc51a6015.png

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q512/jeff_king1/Grind-E_zps17ef0ccd.png

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q512/jeff_king1/Grind-F_zpsb9522bc9.png

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q512/jeff_king1/Grind-G_zpsdc25a3de.png

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q512/jeff_king1/Grind-H_zpse2185919.png

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q512/jeff_king1/Grind-I_zpsd968820d.png

I think I'll continue working on this map, and maybe post the finished project in this thread, even though it doesn't technically qualify.

[scifista42]

What's up with this project? Why nobody posted for such a long time and even OP isn't updated? And will there be a theme for February? :)

[purist]

Hey, sorry I've kind of neglected this. Overloaded myself with projects as usual. There wasn't a great deal of interest and I expect there was less if it was done again, not to mention I don't think I would be able to participate myself.

I don't know whether those who participated in January think it's worth compiling the maps or not? If so I'll do it but I have a few other irons in the fire to deal with first.

[dobu gabu maru]

Might be neat to compile, although my second map needs to be MAP30 for telefragging (unless a dehacked can allow for it). I'm also happy with my contributions as stand-alones as well.

[Phobus]

I'm in the same boat as dobugabumaru - a compilation would be cool, but if not there are other maps I can add my entry into a compilation with :)