The DWmegawad Club plays: Plutonia 2

[gaspe]

MAP12 - Imprisoned

Kills: 100% | Items: 100% | Secrets: 100%

A very nice atmospheric introduction to the second episode. Like MAP10 it seems a weird map to be in a Plutonia-style mapset, but the change is very welcome. I liked the room where the biggest fight takes place (though we can really abuse the infighting there) and going outside around this room to take the key. Climbing the tower to reach the exit was a really cool ending. If you are careful you won't have too many problems at the start even with the low health, and the very easy to find secrets will also supply you a bit to much to tackle the map. The only thing that really bugs me is that afterwards the first green armor there's a mandatory blue armor to pick.
Overall an interesting and kinda unique map.

  On 11/11/2015 at 9:08 PM, Memfis said:

Maybe it's the music that reminds me of Vinyl Goddess From Mars

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I think that the author of the music took more inspiration from Chrono Trigger - Magus Theme.

[Salt-Man Z]

MAP11: Archi-Violence
So, I'm not a big fan of "Hunted". I dig the concept, and I love the choice of music, but with those door triggers it's just such a pain in the butt to play. This map, though. Wow. I saw the monster count was low(ish) and then when the first encounter was archies, I figured I knew what was up. But I was still unprepared for the awesomeness of this map. Yeah, the encounters can be tedious or just plain BS, but tedious play doesn't really bother me, and ha-ha-you're-screwed situations get mitigated by my tendency to save fairly frequently. (That ending was frustrating as crap, though.) Gorgeous level; the blocky architecture was fantastic, the maze was clever, and that Escher area was beyond cool. Great map.

(This is the point where I began keeping notes as I played, as I was already through MAP11 when the Club play started.)

MAP12: Imprisoned
16:09 | 100% everything
Started this one all but dead from MAP11 (1% health, no armor) which I guess is what's supposed to happen, reading the wiki. Anyway, a pretty straightforward map. Chaingunners caught me off guard a few times, but my only death was the surprise ambush while crossing the bridge at the end. The textures used put me in mind of TNT, actually, which was weird. Decent map, though.

[vdgg]

MAP12. This may be the best looking map in PL2, so it deserves respect. Other than that, it is small-medium and straightforward, but not too easy.

[TheOrganGrinder]

MAP12: Imprisoned

After MAP11's maze the relatively straitforward layout here is welcome, and the early vulnerability that stems from the damaging floor exit from the previous level is soon taken care of, though not within some trepidation of the "one shotgun blast means DEATH!" variety. There's an odd design choice, reminiscent of MAP05, in how block monster lines are used in the eastern part of the complex, keeping even the pain elemental and its lost soul spawn penned in on the stage; that encounter and the subsequent emergence of cacodemons feels a bit neutered as a result. Not a whole lot to complain about but nor is it really a map that's going to stick in my memory for long, I feel.

[scifista42]

MAP07 - "Enemy Caught"

I'm not opposed against MAP07 clones specifically, but I consider homages cheap, and this quality project could have done better than rehash a map from its prequel. The beginning was kind of exciting, but with simple circle-strafing involved, not that much difficult after all. All of the following battles were... Nothing special, although nothing terrible either. The final Revenant ambush caught me unprepared, I hid inside one of the Revenant's alcove and struggled hard to survive with an SSG against an incoming horde of Revenants + HKs + Barons, I eventually managed to switch to plasma rifle and this saved me by a hair's breadth. The very last Archvile encounter could have been done better as well, he could be either skipped or sniped from behind a corner, none of which makes for an exciting fight.

[NuMetalManiak]

MAP12 Imprisoned

and here is a messy situation for continuous players, due to that Type 11 exit before. not long into the level until you find enough ample health to restore it though. One of the more fun levels regardless of whether it's pistol-started or not. the big hall that winds to the yellow key is a highlight for me. I always like to rush my way to the key, and with the space provided I can run past teleporting hordes without worry. the bridge to the big UAAF building also, with the general scourge of Plutonia placed as turrets. the level ends rather quickly after that, but overall this level wins in fun value for me.

[Archvile Hunter]

MAP12 - 'Imprisoned' by Ebola, Metabolist, PAGB666 and Thomas V.D.V. [https://youtu.be/xuYkoExzwpM]

Kills: 100% | Items: 50% | Secrets: 66% | Time: 8:56 | Attempts: 1

Huh, starting out on low health didn't appear to be such a big problem. It's mostly just Imps with a few Shotgunners to keep you on edge, and before long you'll have 100% health again. Other than that, the map is pretty straightforward and pretty easy on the whole too. There's some weird block monster lines again in the big arena area that block 8 Cacodemons, which is a shame. It also doesn't feel very Plutonia-esque, but I can appreciate something a little different. The architecture really is great.

Also, 'Ebola'?

[Memfis]

Ebola is Kristus' old nickname.

[scifista42]

MAP08 - "Harmany"

This map's layout is simple but elegant, and the same can be said about its gameplay. While the map can be played slowly and safely, it allows aggressive/unsafe playstyle and rewards it by a lot better feeling, at least I felt it. Interesting shortcuts can be found here. Detailing was a little inconsistent or cluttered at times, but I liked it overally. The only thing that slightly bugged me was that some areas towards the end contained inaccessible areas with monsters.

[vdgg]

MAP13. Plutonia + techbase bits. I love, adore this map, the ending is kind of out of place though (there was a discussion about monster raising from the ground recently...). And about no Vrack 4's (as this map is partially Fredrik's), apart from Memfis suggestion (Deus Vult II), there's Epic 2 MAP15 and CC4 MAP19, which do belong to the Vrack saga IMO :)

[gaspe]

MAP13 - Hard Facility

Kills: 98% | Items: 97% | Secrets: 100%

A really cool techbase map, not chaotic as other maps but very fun. All the varied areas make the exploration and the progression really nice. It looks a bit weird to see the bloodfalls with the red rocks. I outright skipped the last archviles.

[Salt-Man Z]

MAP13: Hard Facility
30:29 | 99% Kills | 97% Items | 75% Secrets
Can't decide if this level is cleverly named or not. :) It's definitely a fun one. Nice and sprawling, with a nonlinear feel but also a path that loops back and forth through the various areas in clever ways. I died 3-4 times at the start due to that first turret of chaingunners; I was starting at 27% health and no armor from the previous map. Missed one of everything; the secret/item combo (I'm assuming) was that supercharge raised up on the goathead block. Couldn't figure out how to lower that. Great map.

[TheOrganGrinder]

MAP13: Hard Facility

Ooh, I like this one. A twisty fusion of techbase and Hell, the one gradually flowing, bleeding into the other; the use of red-green contrast is delightful, as is the balance of meaty combat encounters with the middle tiers of the bestiary against opportunities to chew through swarms of lesser foes in close quarters. If I've a complaint about monster placement it's that the map is rather too dependent on sniper cubbies, turrets, perches, and balconies for my liking, leading to frequent "stop, hop, pop" encounters that break up gameplay that's otherwise very free-flowing and exploratory. There's a kind of burly confidence to the way the map lets you wander, allows you to peek into open areas without demanding that you commit, doesn't punish you for leaving monsters to stew for a bit. "Sure," it all says, "do what you like. Go check out that other corridor, or get yourself a bigger gun, or see if there's a way into here from another direction. No problem. I'll be waiting."

If there's a turning point in the flow of the map, it's probably the jaunt into the north-eastern subcomplex with the blue key. It's the first point at which a determined effort is made to restrict your movements, and after you've picked up the key and hit the escape switch, it's also the point at which arch-viles decide to introduce themselves into previously visited (and cleared) areas, picking up and dusting off their monstrous colleagues for a second go at you; the map is suddenly fighting back. It's always playful, never punishing, but with lots of chaingunners ready to open up on you the moment your back is turned, it's never slow to let you know that you've screwed up. I finished this one with only 50% secrets, but it's one I'm sure I'll be coming back to in the future.

[NuMetalManiak]

MAP13 Hard Facility

this on the other hand, nah. Too many imps for my taste. a layout that ends up with tons of monsters initially but ends up rather dissatisfying as I plow through them. plus I get turned around quite often too by a somewhat confusing layout. when I figure it out, it's more of the stuff I don't like, coordinated teleport ambushes in close quarters really. extreme fuck you moment at blue switch before the exit.

[scifista42]

MAP09 - "Wormhole Zone"

Another Gusta map, but that's fine, because his style is at its finest in Plutonia 2. Beautifully designed and detailed abstract map with good gameplay, non-linear progression and intriguing shortcuts / unobvious routes that can be taken to speed up travelling around.

[Archvile Hunter]

MAP13 - 'Hard Facility' by Fredrik and Gusta [https://youtu.be/Vllk-GbUF_Y]

Kills: 96% | Items: 56% | Secrets: 75% | Time: 13:23 | Attempts: 1

I remembered this map being quite hard, but it didn't really feel that way when I played it now. Anyway, it's another techbase map, though there's a lot of contrasting red and green rock, which gives it a mildly hellish feel. There's a lot of interconnectivity, but I still never got a grip of the overall layout. There are some nasty traps here and there, most notably the teleport ambush after you press the blue switch. I also managed to grab the secret soulsphere through the door, which is nice.

[scifista42]

MAP10 - "Cosmodrome"

The spaceship trick was very impressive. The map as a whole was OK, more in a good way than a bad way, I thought. The Refueling Base homages were the worst part for me. I liked the exit pedestal, but I didn't like the fact that the exit area was inescapable once you were inside.

[gaspe]

MAP14 - Charon Eclipse

Kills: 100% | Items: 100% | Secrets: 100%

It doesn't have many great moments, or something memorable, but it's still a good map. Cool secrets and a really nice track.

[vdgg]

MAP14. The secrets are too powerful. Super-symmetrical. I just don't like it.

[scifista42]

MAP11 - "Arch-Violence"

Certainly ominous environment, but the combat sucked. Too much AV vs. SGG shot-and-pop, as I ran out of rockets and BFG fast. The last fight was the only entertaining part (backtracking from there was once again impossible, though, which I dislike). Then the ending underwhelmed the last positive feelings I might have had from the map. I would rather pistol start MAP12 than continue the way how ZDoom/Zandronum handles sector type 11 exits, by keeping player's inventory but setting health below 10%.

[NuMetalManiak]

MAP14 Charon Eclipse

Eternal brings it back with something a bit more homelike Plutonia. very set-based, but likeable and balanced. nothing too much to note, except for the finale. The mancubi there are automatically set in place via barrel entrance, which is strange to say the least. that makes them immediately fire upon seeing Doomguy, which sure as heck isn't a warm welcome. of course, Sir Cyber is next in line behind that door, and when that's done, a teleporting horde will do its best to shield the arch-vile that appears by the exit.

[scifista42]

MAP12 - "Imprisoned"

Early on, there was an unavoidable blue armor pickup, then I lacked armor as I approached the map's end. The chaingunner ambush on a bridge near the end killed me and I had to replay half the map since my last save, not pleasant. Otherwise this map was fine, less exciting feel, but decent eye-candy and sufficiently good playability. I like that the authors weren't afraid to incorporate darkness and light contrast.

[Fredrik]

I'm not very proud of my maps for P2, and it's interesting to read how others react. When I play them today, I just get annoyed by the crampedness, random monster placement, and sloppy texture alignment.

MAP13 was a really old unfinished map (like from 2000) that happened to have some Plutonia textures. After I submitted it, Metabolist added the NE area and Gusta finally added the exit.

Also MAP04 was made earlier for another (dead) project. It's very loosely based on D1 E1M5 and D2 MAP05. I retextured and submitted it more or less as filler to help get P2 out of the door (when Vincent took over circa 2007, P2 had been in development hell for half a decade).

I actually had a Plutonia-themed map in the works that would have been more appropriate, but it was less than half finished and I never submitted it.

Edit: yay, I found it: http://fredrikj.net/doom/plo36.wad

[Naan]

MAP07 - "Enemy Caught" by Charly Goulois and Vincent Catalaá - Died on first try on last room before exit on UV

Yet another Dead Simple variant, this time being essentially an expanded original Plutonia MAP07. Not really much more to say.

MAP08 - "Harmany" by Tango - Died not far from exit on HMP

This one I gave up to finish it from pistol start, even after dropping down the difficulty to HMP, after a few tries running out of ammo on UV which makes me suspecting making monsters infight is required, plus the fact only the SSG is provided at the beginning which made me waste shells. Very unforgiving and tight on health, too.

MAP09 - "Wormhole Zone" by Adolf Vojta - UVMax on thirdish attempt

The best map so far. Very open, non linear, it actually reminds me more Alien Vendetta MAP24 than any Plutonia stuff. Difficulty has definitely dropped down from the previous map, provided health is probably a bit too generous and I haven't used the BFG at all. I also found all secrets mostly by accident. Great stuff, but, where is the "wormhole" ?

[TheOrganGrinder]

MAP14: Charon Eclipse

Similar atmosphere to the preceding map, but lacks a bit of its playful cleverness, with a stronger emphasis on traps and set-piece encounters and few opportunities for the player to approach things creatively. I didn't much like the final battles in the sunken blood arena and its viewing balconies, but that's likely just personal taste as far as such things go. Secrets were satisfying to find though.

[Naan]

MAP10 - "Cosmodrome" by Thomas van der Velden - UVMax on first attempt

Relatively easy map if you manage to provoke infights in the three "slaughter" portions. Also, the two blue armor secrets were too close to each other in my opinion. Outside of that, a pretty much average map with that cute spaceship trick and the Refueling Base homages already mentionned.

MAP11 - "Arch-Violence" by Adolf Vojta and Thomas van der Velden - Died in the last fight before the exit on UV

So the trick here is to rush to the SSG before attempting to fight any of the arch viles. Once I got that, I found this is a very slow paced map sometimes getting tedious without getting frustrated or instakilled which is a good place to be for that kind of gimmick map. Never got out of ammo and backtracked for life a few times, but overall it's very balanced. That last fight was unfair, though.

MAP08 was still the toughest map to beat at that point.

[Dylan Jarvis]

Oh great... I'm behind on this again.

MAP05 Flooded Chapel:

A pretty fun map that starts you off in the thick of enemy encounters that require swift movement and quick thinking to take out all the enemies, especially those rascally chaingunners. I enjoyed this one. I thought this one felt the most like a Plutonia level so far. Fun Fun.

[Dylan Jarvis]

MAP06 Collider Complex:

I really liked this one for some reason. I'm always a fan of those maps where you return the the middle "hub" room. Most of the fights were pretty fun. That yellow trap was pretty brutal though, as it throws quite a bit of revs at you, with chaigunners to riddle your precious health and armor down in the process. I also love the secrets in this map. They are so rewarding. I'm also glad we get the BFG decently early as mappers nowadays, don't like giving the BFG.

[Dylan Jarvis]

MAP07 Enemy Caught:

I liked the call back to Caughtyard here. This however is much more difficult than the original as there are more chaingunners in the mix and it isn't as easy to get on the elevators because there are more pesky arachnotrons this time. The megasphere secret was nice as I found it before I exited the level giving me a nice clean slate with full BFG ammo to boot, hell yeah!

[Dylan Jarvis]

MAP08 Harmany:

This one was surprisingly easy. Definite breather map here. There were some ok encounters here but never really that threatening. The only real challenge in this map was finding the green armor secret and maybe the Arch-vile. On to the next level where a Hell-Knight is literally fisting my asshole at the start.