ROP 2015: Finished!

[Cupboard]

Alfonzo your track is something great and progressive-rock sounding. Digging the percussion quite a bit

[Varis Alpha]

thanks Alfonzo! i've tried to challenge myself recently so that my music just overall sounds better and is more varied in progress than before. just looking to improve my own work and all.
i really do like your latest track, too: the vibraphone part at the beginning of the track is very reminiscent to a track i've heard in some Zdoom wads, though i have no idea of that track's origin. the progression's really good, i can't really seem to work long enough on a track to make it go on like so, usually just repeating some melodies several times like in the track i posted here. i guess it'll get there eventually though.

and as for more Heretic music, i can't say for sure. this was really a spur-of-the-moment deal for me i just had to make, i don't know if i'll be able to knock out more original Heretic music. and i don't think i have anything older lying around i could contribute to the project, either. we'll see i guess.

[Varis Alpha]

so i made another thing. https://dl.dropbox.com/s/gnyee1eqisw6x18/The%20Avengous%20Domain.mp3?dl=0

song's called The Avengous Domain, though i'll probably change the name at some point (or if any of you have a better name in mind.)

[Cacowad]

Finally had time to play egregor's submission, played on UV, solid stuff overall, i liked the interconnettivity between the various areas and the gameplay up to the maulotaurus was good. I would say the climax was the cramped room before them, where the dragon claw + tome + egg was really satisfying to pull off. From there there was a really sharp downfall, since or you kill the maulotaurus (difficult but doable) or you finish the level, i have choosen the first, thinking i had missed some untextured switch (since the textures are all over the place, since it is an early version); i did had to even use the wand to finish the maulos off, so i may suggest to add more ammo or at least another non-secret tome before it, it would had helped a lot.

Also i think you could safely add some more time bombs here and there to spice up the varius encounters, since you got 5 at the start and nothing else until the very end (where they are basically useless), also i like time bombs, they are good.

One last remark, i don't know if i missed something (since every switches from the last area were non textured) but i could not find a way to the exit after opening the green key door and opening the passage to the secondary tower, may i think the sectors supposed to form the stairs lowered a bit too much and now is broken?

Anyway, looking forward the next revision!

@Doomhuntress: i'll hear that in a minute ;)

[Cupboard]

Nice job Cacowad that was clear and concise to read.

Here are some WIP areas that I'm receptive to input.
http://i.imgur.com/fNlrUWm.png
http://i.imgur.com/YmjaeaA.png

[Varis Alpha]

MIDI file for the song i posted earlier, now it's called The Avenger's Domain (because i found out that Avengeous is not a real word): https://www.dropbox.com/s/f5mcxij17g0r8lm/The%20Avenger%27s%20Domain.mid?dl=0

[Cupboard]

That track just oozes style. Wow. I think it could fit in a penultimate level right before a boss. Reminds me of E5 of Heretic.

[Cacowad]

Nice track, i can see it used in a short but hectic map.

[Cupboard]

Good news: just finished a map. It has around 125 monsters and a beta version will be uploaded shortly. I have plans for a small icey romp next..

[Cupboard]

Here is a preliminary version. It has a new midi by Illkallio called "Skeleton".

Feedback is of course welcomed.

[Cacowad]

I gave it a quick run on UV, the atmosfere was bizarre in a good way, it had a good sense of place while being a little surreal (what is this place?). Regarding the difficulty, it was really easy for my standard, ammo was generous and the enemy's placement was really forgiving without any real traps. I got a couple of things i want to address, but i am in hurry now, so i will post them later with srceenies.

[Cupboard]

Thx. Yah I thought it might be a little easy. Will probably add a trap or two to that map once I get a nice headstart on my next map.

[Xaser]

Quick question for Sir Egregor: when's the alpha release slated for? I'd like to see if I can get Iron Forge thingplaced by then, since I've kinda been twiddling my thumbs on it otherwise. :P

[19Wraith]

Hi guys. Just finished two heretic maps. They are under vanilla, but may not run with dosbox for the visplanes and stuff. Initially i posted them here http://www.doomworld.com/vb/wads-mods/72646-last-two-heretic-maps/ but Obsidian suggested me posting them here for the project. If you guys accept them i would be very pleasured.

Links to the wads:

https://mega.co.nz/#!DxIhEBID!JbTGqWSMdamskosTtrKhetE6h0KmUocZK_B5YW2n9d8

https://mega.co.nz/#!qgREXSrK!oBPNPIqK4-QX5mR7IEv7mQ0Uyqm3bpbsT-SQFs7O7Vo

[Egregor]

I'll start getting serious about compiling it mid-month, so try to have something by then, though keep in mind this is just a level place holder compilation so we can see how the episode is shaping up. Balance/things placement doesn't have to get serious until the beta, when it will hopefully get play tested.

[Alfonzo]

Oracle Night - A sombre, progressive, choir-heavy track that might serve well in a variety of grave and depressing environments. Fairly lengthy. I'll probably go for something heavier next time round... and steer away from that damn fretless!

[Cacowad]

That is a sweet track you got here Alfonzo, i like it.

19Wraith: got you covered, i'm gonna play your maps today (at least one for sure).


TheCupboard: didn't forgot about you, but i need to replay your map to be sure to be on spot.

EDIT: things got in the way and i didn't had time today, but soon(tm) i'll do it.
EDIT2: Aaaand i wont be home until monday, so i can't play until then...

[Cupboard]

Let's see some action here. Momentarily I will deliver another second rudimentary map.

Just check in. How are all the Heretic mappers doing as far as this project goes?

[Cacowad]

I hope they are going well. Also 19Wraith, i didn't forgot about you i just had no time to play anything lately...

TheCupboard: i owe you this one:

Why is this unpassable? you can mount on top of the wall but you can't drop off the ledge to where the teleport is.

this ambush would have been more effective if they spawned from behind:


i find odd that this is a secret, maybe swapping a rod for a hellstaff?


i was disappointed that there wasn't an ambush there:


you can't access this secret since the ceiling is too low:


unclosed sector here:


aaaand i think this is it...

[Cupboard]

Awe-inspiring level of feedback, thx. Will address all these concerns.

[Cacowad]

19Wraith: both txt files report the map names to be: "Title: Tekloniton Filename: Tekniton".

psanctum: played in UV with the ROP texture pack, that led to some interesting results...
This map was polarizing for me, the first part was "okay" since the difficulty wasn't too hight but the relative lack of health items made it so i wasn't ramboing everything that moved. I died once sniped by a ghost knight and once trying to climb here: these ophidians have too much health to be worth the urn probably, but is a choise.
Is a little unclear on how this door open: i just came back here after a while searching and i found it misteriously opened.
once i got the green key i just didn't bothered killing the disciples + liches and after grabbing the rod i just gtfo there. Then the revelation: you got a good sense of scale man. The liches at the bottom were just chilling, so i just ignored then and moved on. I was unprepared for what came after, since the difficulty spike up quite a bit here, mainly becouse of the better layout of the area but also the good mixture of ghosts, aereal and normal monsters that just swarmed me from every angle. So i just died trying to rambo it, the second time i used better my items and i got out safely. I really liked this area. I grabbed the blue key and moved on the next area, but i immediatly panicked and wasted a tome here: that was scary stuff. The final battle was fine, i got all the ammo i needed and the disciples swarm wan't really a problem once i herd them in the center, maybe adding a couple of melee units (sabreclaw, golems, i dunno) would spice the fight up whitout making it too hard. Then i was: "cool! it took a while but i did it! where next?..." so i discovered the horror incarnate: this thing took 5 good minutes from when i killed everything to lower completely, i personally suggest to reduce the waiting time,i know this things take a lot of practice to figure out a good timing, but it is necessary.

Overall, i liked it and i'll probably replay it soon(tm) once i play your other one.

magnum: well, it live to it's name, the scale is massive, but while the singular areas were ok, the map as a whole felt not coesive at all; this is a common problem with large scaled maps, the areas tend to feel a lot scattered and very disjointed. Probably it could have felt a little less "disjointed" if the yellow key was visible from the start, or was at least visible from the center area (where the giant pillars are) with some visual indication of progress (like pillars lowering or similar stuff) beside the horde of monsters that spawned after each switch. After the green key all hell break loose, and this happened: ELEVATOR MUSIC INTENSIFIES.

Health and ammo was ok, i was taken down by pop shots a couple of time but that was ok.

Also i know you flagged all the windows as impassable to prevent disciples from flooding the indoor areas, but it was really irritating not being able to drop off ledges i could teoretically pass trought, may i suggest monster block lines instead?

There was something else that bugged me a little, but i can't seem to recall what was now.

TheCupboard: not sure if?... whatever :P

[Xindage]

i have played his both maps and well is VERY HARD, in the magnun i get much lost because of that switchs of i get no idea what that do, except from that horde of monsters that aways appear after switchs but i ignored they since the map was big i wndered around cleaning building by building when i got all keys i go to that last door and i see that lift, something like dejavu gets thought my head and i thinked another d'sparil but no, i run around put near 400 of the monsters to get infight when the exit lift gets to floor i exited. 2 Lives - No Saves - 100% of monsters 96% Itens.

Also in magnun has a giant Hall of Mirrors if you look in the outside in a certain place.

[Cupboard]

Finished 2nd map, here is a screenshot. It is not hard or lengthy, just a brown rock-place with icy accents. It could go near the beginning of an episode. There may be time left to make another.

[Obsidian]

Should I make one more map for this? I see the amount of maps submitted and it's kind of demoralizing, but I don't want to end up having too many contributions.

[Cacowad]

See it this way: we already have 9 contribution! that is a full episode right here. BUT, do what you feel like doing, if you want to do another one be our guest ;)

TheCupboard: the screenshot looks great,not sure about that roof over the door, it seems kinda floaty and disconnected from the building.

[Egregor]

My computer crashed . . . again! But the repair shop just told me they were able to recover my files. This is why I have not been present over the past 2 weeks. I am going to wrap up my Mayhem submission and then get the ROP alpha out the door, but it will be a little later than I originally expected. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[Halfblind]

@TheCupboard

I do not know if these issues have been addressed but here are 2 screenshots for issues that I have found with your map.

The first one has missing textures or HOM or something.

Shot 1

The second has missing textures on the floor.

Shot 2

I hope I have helped in someway, thanks.

[Cupboard]

Thanks for your notes Halfblind, I love hearing from Heretic players, we're a bit like mutants in our "Dooming" abilities, don't you think? :p

So how is everyone doing? It's been a month, I trust people are keeping up the work on their respective maps? Please do check in. It's almost summer in the northern hemisphere, come together now people, we have more time now than ever

[Egregor]

Right now I am using my free time to finish my Mayhem1500 entry, followed closely by my Nova II entry. Creating the Alpha compilation for ROP is 3rd on my priority list. Though that seems like it could take a long time I've been making good progress this week. At this rate I expect to put an ROP Alpha out by the 2nd or 3rd week of July. This is just a guesstimate though so ima leave it outta the OP.

[Cupboard]

Thanks big guy. I understand you have other creative irons in the fire, as do many of our other contributors. I've fallen off the wagon and started a vicious LAN gaming triangle that is taking up some of my late-night hours. I'm trying to create content as we speak.