Favorite Hell Based Map

[Doomkid]

Map20: Gotcha!

One of my favorite maps AND midis both perfectly paired..

Map29: The Living End and E4M2: Perfect Hatred are also really high on my list.

[hex11]

nxGangrel said:

According do the Doom wiki, yes. Maps 21 through 30 are considered "inside hell".

Nothing in Doom II feels as hellish as E3M6 to me, but I really like Nirvana, Barrels 'o Fun, and The Chasm.

[Antroid]

I figure since Doom 2 is "Hell on Earth", the "hell episode" in it is literally hell straight up moved to earth or something. That's why it looks more earth-y but is still considered hell.

Although it still doesn't make maps 18 and 20 hell maps, but I suppose with a change of sky they very well could be. Now I kinda want to play through 19 with a hell sky just to see how it would feel.

[Tracer]

Off of the originals E3M1 (because mouth for war, fuck yeah). But every hell level in Scythe 2 was absolutely beautiful.

[nxGangrel]

hex11 said:

Nothing in Doom II feels as hellish as E3M6 to me, but I really like Nirvana, Barrels 'o Fun, and The Chasm.

That's true. I never felt that the last levels in Doom II were actually hell but rather just of mash of weird looking levels.

Barrel's o' Fun didn't have enough barrels in my opinion.

[Tracer]

nxGangrel said:

That's true. I never felt that the last levels in Doom II were actually hell but rather just of mash of weird looking levels.

Barrel's o' Fun didn't have enough barrels in my opinion.

Agreed. I also don't think Tricks and Traps had enough traps or tricks.

[scifista42]

If you are looking for inspiration for your hell themed maps, I don't recommend looking at IWADs - their design is relatively simplistic, imperfect compared to many community creations, and yet it's been EXCESSIVELY IMITATED during the last 21 years. A bit too much. Nowadays you need more to make something truly impressive.

I can recommend looking for good community created (hell) levels for inspiration. See for example this or this or this thread.

For a relevant interesting read about people's opinions about hell levels, there's also this thread: http://www.doomworld.com/vb/wads-mods/63091-the-official-ignore-hell-thread/

[Tracer]

Personally, I preferred the techy levels in D°°M over the hell levels. The hell levels made the monsters feel like they belonged. The non hell based levels made the monsters seem like they didn't belong, making for a more unsettling atmosphere.

[The Doommer]

TheNerdTurtle2 said:

So I'm creating a WAD (maybe a megawad) called Earth On Hell and I finished most of my tech based levels and some earth themed levels. However I have never been good at making good hellish maps, I find the textures hard to work with even though I have some pretty good layouts on paper. Anyway, I was wondering which hell themed maps from Doom 1 and 2 are your favorite and why. If you want to rant about your absolute least favorite parts, go ahead! I want to know the do's and don'ts of a good hell themed level so I can create the best I can.

Any opinion is welcomed.

For DOOM I :
E3M4 : House of Pain
E3M6 : Mt. Erebus
For DOOM II :
MAP20 : Gotcha !
MAP27 : Monster Condo
MAP28 : The Spirit World
MAP29 : The Living End
MAP30 : Icon of Sin
MAP31 : Wolfenstein
MAP32 : Grosse

And I like DOOM II Hell Background. I suggest you to use something like that !

[TheNerdTurtle2]

@Scifista42 I'll check those out when I get home thanks a bunch!

@The Doommer Are Map31 and 32 really in Hell? Haha I know your probably kidding but what if Hell took place inside Wolfenstein?

[The Doommer]

TheNerdTurtle2 said:

@Scifista42 I'll check those out when I get home thanks a bunch!

@The Doommer Are Map31 and 32 really in Hell? Haha I know your probably kidding but what if Hell took place inside Wolfenstein?

If you see the sky in MAP32 , yes !
At the end of MAP32 , Look at the hole sky.

[40oz]

E3M2 is one of my favorites. The way lost souls stalk you in that map and how there's hardly any ammo to kill them with makes for a very chilling experience trying to find your way through that charred trench. The hand shape is a little silly but the jagged maze style and ASHWALLs and SP_ROCKS are my go-to textures for hell themes.

Also the E4 maps are a brilliantly addictive theme to utilize. Orange sky against wood, rusty supports and GSTONE with colored torches and hanging bodies mesh together so well. I'm surprised there aren't more e4 themed maps around.

[vtm]

MeetyourUnmaker said:

You should try getting some inspiration from other sources as well. Doom 64's hell levels were pretty good ...

I second this! Doom 64 hellish maps have a great look.

[Doominator2]

E3M3, not only is it the level that first introduces the BFG but it also has one of my favorite sound tracks in the whole game.