Best Icon of Sin map

[Kotzugi]

Feel free to answer any or all of the questions here.

- Which is the best Icon of Sin map you've played (from any PWAD or IWAD)?
- Which one's the worst?
- Which is the hardest or most challenging?
- Which has the best music?
- Which is the most unusual?
- Which do you think more people should play?
- What makes a good IoS map? (mappers feel free to chip in)
- From your pick, how would you rate the map set as a whole?

Personally I like the fact that there can be so many different variations of the original with some truly unique puzzles or challenges. I can't think of a specific one that stands out (haven't played any lately) but I've seen a few breathtaking IoS runs.

[Devalaous]

Just to be THAT guy: <|>

In all seriousness, while I usually cheat past these maps because FUCK THIS RANDOM NEW GAMEPLAY SEPARATE TO THE LAST 31 MAPS, I love Perdition's Gate's "IoS" (Escape sequence from an exploding base) and Alien Vendetta's Point Dreadful (Atmospheric as FUCK and ridiculously memorable)

[Veinen]

The best would be Darkness Without End from Speed of Doom, hands down. So simple yet so effective. Now if you want a map with the actual IoS wall present, then I guess Dis from Unholy Realms is one good candidate that immediately springs to mind. Generally longer IoS maps are more to my liking and even better if it doesn't have that switch-lift-shoot -sequence to wrap it up.

[clamgor]

Quite frankly, I hated the IoS.
Crappy boss concept. Would've liked it if it were a real monster and not a machine...
Hopefully there's a WAD that makes good use of the monster spawning feature.

[Waffenak]

Best ios map was the original

[EvilNed]

I quite liked TNT's. Difficult as hell.

[Devalaous]

The level itself or the actual IoS part? I freaking loved Last Call for being an actual level. The actual IoS part wasn't the best, but it's fully redeemed by the sequel..

[Kotzugi]

Gooood gooood *grins while taking notes while preparing to run off to play some Doom*

Ragnor said:

FUCK THIS RANDOM NEW GAMEPLAY SEPARATE TO THE LAST 31 MAPS

Wouldn't a boss map basically be real different anyway? Regardless of how it's implemented?

Ragnor said:

The level itself or the actual IoS part?

The whole level but one that makes use of the IoS mechanic (shooting out spawns).

[Phml]

Scythe2 map30 was a good IoS map.

Wouldn't a boss map basically be real different anyway? Regardless of how it's implemented?

The cyberdemon and spider mastermind play by the same rules as the rest of the monster cast, they're just on a bigger scale. And it works.

[Kotzugi]

Phml said:

The cyberdemon and spider mastermind play by the same rules as the rest of the monster cast, they're just on a bigger scale. And it works.

I agree, but it's still different than your regular enemy encounter. Whether it works better than IoS is up to the player I suppose. (Personally I prefer something along the lines of a WoW or Kontra boss where you need some additional tactics instead of just something bigger with more HP. Not that I didn't like the Doom boss encounters.) There's nothing radically different about the original IoS, you still play by the same rules of physics, and the concept is really simple.

[vdgg]

I'd like to take this opportunity and ask Sandy Petersen, Milo Casali, Jim Wraith, Jimmy Sieben, Gwyn Williams, Thomas van der Velden and Matt Tropiano why they put this stupid pile of weapons at the start including the chainsaw!?

[Kotzugi]

vdgg said:

I'd like to take this opportunity and ask Sandy Petersen, Milo Casali, Jim Wraith, Jimmy Sieben, Gwyn Williams, Thomas van der Velden and Matt Tropiano why they put this stupid pile of weapons at the start including the chainsaw!?

Well it does give you the impression that you're preparing for one hell of a fight. Whenever I start a map and there are weapons and ammo everywhere, I'm thinking uh-oh, this is gonna be bad, it sets everything up game-wise (you got the hardware to deal with it, plus some more) as well as psychologically (apprehension and immersion).

[Gez]

- Which is the best Icon of Sin map you've played (from any PWAD or IWAD)?
None.
- Which one's the worst?
All of them.
- Which is the hardest or most challenging?
Don't care.
- Which has the best music?
Listening to music would require playing them.
- Which is the most unusual?
Who cares.
- Which do you think more people should play?
Maps without an IOS.
- What makes a good IoS map? (mappers feel free to chip in)
Not having an IOS at all is what makes a map good.
- From your pick, how would you rate the map set as a whole?
0/100.


Yeah I don't like fighting against a wall.

[clamgor]

Gez said:
Yeah I don't like fighting against a wall. [/B]

This is the best quote I ever heard on these forums.
It would have been nice, if it were a monster, rather than a wall that shoots blocks that spawn monsters at you. The Spider-Demon didn't make a satisfying Final Boss either.

And Doom 3 cut it short by only having the Cyberdemon as a final boss.
Yeah... looking back Doom has had some pretty bad Final Bosses.

If only they had made the Spiderdemon appear in Doom 3.

[Guest Unregistered account]

Kotzugi said:

Well it does give you the impression that you're preparing for one hell of a fight. Whenever I start a map and there are weapons and ammo everywhere, I'm thinking uh-oh, this is gonna be bad, it sets everything up game-wise (you got the hardware to deal with it, plus some more) as well as psychologically (apprehension and immersion).

And also it's useful for Deathmatch. Again, not so much as far as the Chainsaw goes but I GUESS it's better than having only your fists if you *SOMEHOW* run out of ammo for *all* of the weapons.

Also I thought the Baphomet fight was a stroke of genius - I thought it was such a clever concept that required a different approach to playing and forced you to use your brain (although pretty much everyone knows about it now).

[Ribbiks]

Death to IoS maps! Long live the new flesh!

[Demonologist]

Gez said:

Yeah I don't like fighting against a wall.

Someone get this guy a beer.

[MTrop]

vdgg said:

I'd like to take this opportunity and ask Sandy Petersen, Milo Casali, Jim Wraith, Jimmy Sieben, Gwyn Williams, Thomas van der Velden and Matt Tropiano why they put this stupid pile of weapons at the start including the chainsaw!?

'Cuz I felt like it. :P


But really, I think that I should have put more weapons in the void maze in Leviathan, looking back. But then with what would you kill the Spider Masterminds and Cyberdemon at the beginning that wouldn't be tedious as hell?

[Zed]

Best IOS level? Easy. MAP30 from Eternal Doom.

[IMX]

Hellbound's MAP30
or Hell Grounds' MAP07

[Obsidian]

Community Chest 1's Icon really stands out for me: it's simplistic, doesn't require annoying split-second timing and THIS ONE ISN'T JUST A WALL GEZ. I can't really think of any that top it at the moment.

[Rampy470]

Crasger said:

Quite frankly, I hated the IoS.
Crappy boss concept. Would've liked it if it were a real monster and not a machine...
Hopefully there's a WAD that makes good use of the monster spawning feature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqbda1Zp2BY

Bam.

[Kotzugi]

Rampage470 said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqbda1Zp2BY

Bam.

I think I saw a playthrough on Brutal Doom some weeks ago. Nice concept, although the sprite could be made to look a little less flat.

[Pirx]

Rampage470 said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqbda1Zp2BY

Bam.

wow. that´s what the final boss should have looked like originally. though i`m afraid no 1994 pc could have squeezed a playable frame rate out of this.

best music - probably tnt, funniest concept - ks, i`d say...

[Dragonsbrethren]

Rampage470 said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqbda1Zp2BY

Bam.

"if doom is set in hell then wheres santan" So much for the Google+ requirement making YouTube comments better.

Anyway, Plutonia 2 was the first wad I played that actually make it look like an actual, three dimensional monster, so I'll go with that.

[Gez]

Dragonsbrethren said:

"if doom is set in hell then wheres santan" So much for the Google+ requirement making YouTube comments better.

Santan is either the lovechild of Santa and Satan, or a misspelling for suntan.

[Devalaous]

Kotzugi said:

Wouldn't a boss map basically be real different anyway? Regardless of how it's implemented?

Not a good Doom boss. Every boss ive fought in custom wads follows the same principals as the Cyberdemon and the Mastermind; A big huge asshole with extreme firepower where the only change necessary is learning to dodge its attacks as much as possible. The IoS is more of a puzzle, albeit one where you cant really stop and think because MONSTERS EVERYWHERE.

I generally skip the IoS fight in most wads because I cant be fucked finding that one spot to shoot from with the perfect timing while NOT being pushed around by 9001 projectiles or having a caco teabag me from above while im trying to shoot. I would have rather fought the original form of the IoS in a insanely giant arena in usual Doom gameplay, even if he was overpowered to the point of ridiculousness

[Gothic]

Phml said:

Scythe2 map30 was a good IoS map.

Except it has no Icon of Sin battle at all, just the Romero head to finish the level

To me the best Icon of Sin, not in gameplay but cosmetic, was on Plutonia 2 map 30 (the one on map 32 was also pretty good)

Also, does count Sgt Mark's Ultimate Icon of Sin here?

[Rampy470]

gothic said:

Also, does Sgt Mark's Ultimate Icon of Sin count here?

Fixed that for ya. Also, I beat you to that already.

[Phml]

Except it has no Icon of Sin battle at all, just the Romero head to finish the level

Hint, hint.