New Technology, Old Techniques

[Batman6794]

Hello All,
After a LOT of experimenting with the different possibilities of SnapMap and trying to find NEW things to do,I decided I was familiar enough with the tool to attempt to make a map experience that felt more like the old school WADs I used to make.

I wanted to implement the old "pulse action" method, in which players have to survive an onslaught, followed by some exploring in which some roving monsters might be encountered, followed by another big battle, and so on.

I chose to avoid using any kind of lock down, because, as a player, I prefer a level that flows seamlessly from big battle, to low key, and back. I don't want to know if the the next room I enter or next thing I pick up could be the trigger for the big fight. When I'm in a big fight, I don't want to know if I'm truly finished with it either. I really like the tension this adds to a level.

I also like the idea of preserving the freedom of movement of the original game. Doom was the first game I ever played that allowed me to go where I wanted, when I wanted. I may not be a bid deal anymore, but it blew my mind at the time, and I wanted to honor that in my design.

The level is maxed out on hand placed monsters, with a copious amount of spawners as well to up kill numbers.

I also tried to find theme to work within for my old wads as an additional "hook" . For this map that them is "Can you survive with only shotguns?. You start with a combat shotgun, and are given explosive shell and rapid burst shotguns fairly early, but the super shotguns will be harder to find.

One concession to progress I made with this map is the way lives work. You get 8. If try to beat this beast on your own, you get 8 tries. If you hop in with a friend, 4 tries each. You and three friends? Only two deaths each.

This would not be possible in the original, but my hope is the difficulty will be relatively consistent no matter how many people are playing. (Having tested it with my brother, though I gotta say that it is WAY more fun with friends, even if the difficulty is the same)

Please let me know what you think of this map. What you like, what you don't. I want it to be as good as it can be, and might make a small series.

Boomstick Gauntlet - NP3QA2EM