Resource differences that impact gameplay

[Amarande]

Twice so far, I've found my maps have been bitten by this, so I'm going to make it a more specific thread (especially in case others have been affected as well, so we can think on what may need retooling in order to alleviate it).

The problem being this: While Freedoom's resources are generally quite well done, there's a pattern I've been starting to notice and that's this: They're less ... how do I put it ... "visible" compared to DOOM2.WAD's corresponding resources.

In the case of my levels, the two things that have been recently noted are this:

* on Map05 it's somewhat hard to see the red key before you "flush" it down to the location where you actually obtain it; with DOOM2.WAD's red key I don't remember it being so hard to see the key, but because Freedoom's red key is darker, it makes it that much harder to see, and thus causes player trouble as they find it difficult to figure out the whole red key thing.

* on Map27, a secret trigger is clued in by a wood texture that is different from the others (it's the "scratched up" wood texture instead of the corresponding plain one). With DOOM2.WAD's wood textures the difference was quite visible if you looked, while the FreeDOOM corresponding texture is rather plain and significantly harder to spot (especially when you're in a dark area like the mine area of Map27).

This phenomenon probably exists in other levels with other textures/sprites but I'm not sure how frequent it is. I believe it's probably exacerbated by the fact that testing Freedoom with its own resources was a somewhat difficult matter before the 0.7 series or so, due to the incomplete state of the sprites (especially with several important monster sprites being incomplete until late in development - and while the present Map27 was first created just 2-3 years ago or so, Map05 was one of the very first few levels submitted, 11+ years ago, before many of Freedoom's graphics resources had crystallised at all!). As a result, I know I at least tended to use DOOM2.WAD while testing level mechanics, so did not even realise that these posed issues until they were mentioned on the board.

Moreover, even if we were testing all levels religiously with the Freedoom IWAD resources to make sure the IWAD levels won't pose a problem, there's still the matter of PWADs - if particular textures etc. are used as player cues and are not distinctive enough in Freedoom's version, it's likely to result in unexpected player issues while playing said PWADs with Freedoom.

Has anyone noticed any other graphics resources (textures/flats/sprites/etc.) that might pose a similar issue of noticeability in play compared to their DOOM2.WAD equivalents?

[wesleyjohnson]

As long as it is not to dark (which is also a matter of player gamma setting), any texture difference will likely be visible.

An effect that is much more counterproductive is that the FreeDoom levels are much more sophisticated (some 15 years of improvement in technique and quality). Some of Id's tricks are no longer effective in such an atmosphere.

Today, we are using every element of the engine to create atmosphere and detail. In Id's simple levels a blinking alcove might be considered a clue. There was little questioning of immersion in their world, as most levels were unrelated with the previous level and were presented as puzzles (thus the term levels, like the levels in a 2d scroller).

Today, we expect a few blinking lights in a shot up control room.
An old corridor ought to have its lights dim and blinking, they are old lights.
It is part of the detail that is expected these days.

There are other Id standard techniques that I think have gone stale.
I will probably think of many more, but there is a size limit to these replies.

* Learn by dying. This argument can be partially applied to most of the other items on this list. They had not known yet how disagreeable this is.

* Open teleport of monsters behind you.
- I think it should at least have a teleport disk.
- What was so popular with launching monsters at the player at short range.

* Doors in hallways that open to reveal monsters, as a trap.
- why are all these monsters staying in all these tiny alcoves with no doors and no windows, and not even a TV set.