The DWmegawad Club plays: No End in Sight

[bioshockfan90]

E2M5: Deep Storage|25:28, 100% kills 85% secrets|


It's "No End in Sight" does E2M2. Well, at the beginning, anyway. After a while this techbase opens up to some pretty horrifying sights, culminating in a cool circular-nukage foundry type thing. There are a lot of things to love about this map, but it's a matter of getting past the slow beginning. So much creativity is going on here. You have some cool rooms like a barracks room with health and weapons, a cool switch puzzle to get the plasma gun, and the secret sections for the secret exit dominated by Hell textures. Regarding secrets, If I hadn't been so blind, I wouldn't have had to have checked NaturalTventy's allsecrets demo, apparently I had just completely forgotten about part of the map. But secrets are REALLY well hidden here, and you might find yourself at a loss once you're almost there, but it's not too challenging.

This map has a fair bit of challenge, actually. Limited radsuits to wander across blood and nukage, a fair amount of barons, the occasional horde that could have you backed into a corner....It's not difficult, but it's important to manage ammo and weapon usage if you want to beat this level.


Overall, this was probably my favorite map of the episode by far. It's got so much going for it in terms of detail and cool little odds and ends that you simply wouldn't find in the IWADs. No End In Sight is starting to become its own beast.

5/5

[NuMetalManiak]

E2M5 Deep Storage

Now here's an idea for the ages. Imagine Containment Area's crate maze and layout design, but without an ounce of power. Some enemies remain, but then again, it's probably best to ignore them for now and find the switch, the one that turns on the power. Now everything works, and the killing spree can begin. I saved an invulnerability and an invisibility for that purpose, and also to tackle the entire voltage area where the soul sphere is. Scouring is fun, although we've got one of those puzzle secrets for the plasma rifle.

So that was the first part of the map, the second involves some nukage crossing once we get to the big circle. Plenty of enemies await down the corridors and circular rooms as I make my way for the yellow key, and with the amount of dead bodies flying around, it's easy to forget how long the radiation suit lasts. Looks like that's it, but you know what? It's a level with a secret exit, so I first find the blue key, which thankfully I figured out due to a tip-off in a door just being open and remembering where it was, and then climbing the spiral stairs to my goal. This lowers the nukage into much more damaging blood, but allows for two more secrets, one is the red key, and it's super tricky as it involves shooting the eye switch where the imps are, yet that can be made impossible if the imps are not shot at in the right spot (read, shoot them when they are in front of the switch).

[rehelekretep]

dobu: what map are we meant to be on for the 11th? or anyone else? :D

[NecrumWarrior]

E2M5: Deep Storage

The beginning of the map felt very much like running through a level in Wolfenstein, which honestly is a nice change of pace after all the sprawling labyrinths we've been running through. This map has a whopping 244 (I think that was the number) demons inhabiting it which includes ungodly amounts of Cacodemons and a double Baron fight at the end. There were a few places where I took damage for no good reason, like standing in the water outside or in a brightly lit area next to one of the demon murals, which was very frustrating since they both got me killed. I never did find the blue key, but a red key did magically appear in my inventory so I could move on to the secret exit ;) On the whole a pretty fun map. I'll play the Castle of Illusions after work tonight.

Favorite Maps:
1. E1M7: Biosphere
2. E2M2: Proving Grounds
3. E1M4: Abandoned Factory

PS: How the hell did they fit those boxes in there? They just barely manage to squeeze through so they couldn't have lifted them with anything.

[baja blast rd.]

rehelekretep said:

dobu: what map are we meant to be on for the 11th? or anyone else? :D

32 non-secret/non-bonus maps in a 31-day month so two were done on the 1st and it's supposed to be e2m4. But the club works on Aussie time sometimes so e2m5 is fine. :D

[rehelekretep]

fair enough :)

[bioshockfan90]

Do secret maps not fit in the schedule, as in... do them on your own time?

[baja blast rd.]

They are unlocked for commenting on the same day as the map leading to them. Bonus maps I guess can come at any time during the episode.

[bioshockfan90]

Okay, cool. In that case.....

E2M9: Castle of Illusions|11:02, 96% kills 66% secrets|


Hey, it's E3M9 in E2 format! Nice! All joking aside, this is a fun spin on the design, and actually is a challenging and well-thought out level to play through. Whereas E2M1 was grounded more in the techbase side of things with a small side offering of hell, M9 shows you the rest of the facility that was previously blocked off, where it's mostly corrupted by flesh and blood. You get keys, you kill things. Pretty simple.


This was pretty difficult as well, I died a few times from the damaging blood sectors and trickily placed barons, as well as a big arena towards the end of the map that has a lot of cacoes and spectres.

Secrets were easy to find, and I'm sure had I spent a bit more time looking around I'd have found the last one, but all in all it's just a matter of remembering M1. Good stuff.


4.795235/5

[joe-ilya]

rdwpa said:

Bonus maps I guess can come at any time during the episode.

Only applies to E1M0, E4M0 must be played at the same time as E4M6, since there's a Zdoom secret exit there to E4M0 unlike E1M0 which has no maps leading to it based on the MAPINFO text file within the wad.

[NuMetalManiak]

E2M9 Castle of Illusions

Receiving Station Warrens-ified, somewhat. Sure, we see some areas from the level, but it's certainly not conjoined all at once so that you go through the entire normal level before everything else opens up. Instead, we see these new areas as we hum along. The keys are in separate places, and former secret areas are used for progression. Actually a fun level for once. The keys all take a bit of time due to the amount of meat provided consistently, especially for the blue key, but then again I get through things a lot quicker than I ought to.

[Spectre01]

E2M5 - “Deep Storage”

Oh hey, that's where the e2m2 crate maze got moved to! The beginning sets up a pretty good atmosphere as you navigate the dark storage rooms while killing the occasional ambushing enemy. I do like how you have to locate the main power switch to bring the base back online and get the doors working. Goofed pretty hard in a couple of spots here. #1: I forgot where the blue key was despite seeing it in the closet that closes after going down the stairs. #2: I had no idea how to legit shoot that eye switch and spent way too long before I just, you know, moved my crosshairs over it and pressed mouse1. I watched NT's secret demo afterwards to learn that monster auto-aim + Shotgun spread is how it's done. Too bad I nuked the Imps with a rocket as soon as I saw them. Kind of an e1m3 deal here but even easier to mess up. Also, why is this water damaging?

E2M9 - “Castle of Illusion” by Xaser Acheron

A Warrens-style secret map which expands upon e2m1. Castle of Illusion is an appropriate name as the map geometry changes quite frequently and there are plenty of surprises. I particularly like the cave with spiky fireblu corners. Damaging floors also appear often which creates a sense of urgency and good radsuit usage, when there is one. One of the harder maps so far.

[NecrumWarrior]

Yeah, seriously what is up with the damaging water? It was extremely cheap and got me killed once.

E2M9: Castle of Illusion

I retract my previous complaint that this wad used the same E2M1 as DTWID. I now complain that DTWID should have used a different map, because this secret map is awesome! I very much enjoyed this configuration more than the original. Every expectation I had along the way was thrown out the window immediately. The style of map was very fitting to the key hunt, which did a great job of encouraging me to search every nook and cranny. The yellow key was actually right under my nose for a long time haha! Lots of great tricks in this map, great job! I'm gonna go to sleep now.

[NaturalTvventy]

NecrumWarrior said:

Yeah, seriously what is up with the damaging water?

From Mario to Master Chief, everyone knows that video game characters can't swim.

[joe-ilya]

E2M5

You got to do this one fast, or you'll run out of ammo and health, unless you get into the armoury and get your heavy supplement of ammo and health, it's a crucial part of this map that you better get to if you're planning to play slow on a 100% max quest.
After the box storage you get into a bunch of boring hallways and plain circular rooms, not much is going on there, it's shoven to the bone with enemies, that's all there is to it.
The only thing I liked is the way the secrets are hidden, especially the blue key, which tested my memory in a clever way, like one of those cup challanges, except you can guess infinite times.
The red key should've been guarded by a baron instead of a couple of imps.

2/5

E2M9

This is the gimmick done correctly, instead of playing the whole level and backtracking to start with an overabundance of invulnerabilities, it's only the intro that sort of fools you and then you go around the new hellish environments set around E2M1's layout, they're painful, but they're varied and fun.

5/5

[TheOrganGrinder]

E2M5: Deep Storage

Here the WAD couples the classic (and thus far largely absent) Containment Area crate maze with a good chunk of sprawling infested techbase architecture, resulting in a map that's familiar in its themes yet has no shortage of surprises in its overall layout and encounters. Props for the believable armoury/supply room and adjacent puzzle section leading to the plasma gun; those aren't typical Doom elements by any means, but their inclusion helps the map to establish its own character and tone and thrive as more than merely the sum of its parts. There's something pleasantly disorienting about the shift from generally low ceilings and a tightly-packed layout of rooms and spaces in the initial western half of the map to the much more spacious corridors and more open arrangement of the map's eastern.

E2M9: Castle of Illusion

The player's first impression when loading up this map is that it's probably a Warrens homage, displaced one episode earlier, and indeed there are elements of that, but this level is so much more than just a tribute. It takes the basic elements of the WAD's own E2M1 but rearranges them, jumbling them up delightfully, adding new spaces and challenges to the reshuffled layout until the result is quite dizzying. Any familiarity the player might have with E2M1 will work against them as much as for; I found myself facing a constant stream of "This isn't what's supposed to be here!" and "This isn't where that was supposed to go!" or "That isn't what I expected that to do!" As secret levels go this is a clever and entertaining one that really makes the most of its status as bonus, optional content.

[Demtor]

E2M5 - “Deep Storage” by Emil "NaturalTvventy" Brundage
gzDoom - UV – pistol start/no saves


This is almost a tale of two maps. One with boxes and another with sewers. It really works though and I love a good turn on the power gimmick and with all of the amazing level of detail given to the shadows. Along with some of the boxes dropping in and teleporting more enemies in, flipping that power switch really felt game changing. Very good.

The Marathon-esqe switch/platform puzzle was just as annoying here as when Bungie did it. Blah. Not so sure about this area either. What exactly are those bodies hanging from? Cute little infirmiry opposite of the armory. Classic.

The second half of the map was the highlight for me. Once you go down in to the underhalls sewer area, things opened up with a lot of enemies and lot of running around. I didn't at all expect to see such a massive drop with the toxic waste turning in to red and it's hellish caves. That was pretty awesome. Finding the hidden soulsphere and RK before getting to the secret exit was very satisfying.





E2M9 - “Castle of Illusion” by Xaser Acheron
gzDoom - UV – pistol start/no saves


What? A reused map? I was skeptical at first but boy was I wrong. 2 minutes in to this thing I was completely immersed in a sometimes entirely different landscape with very minor similarities to the original. Desperately trying to stay alive while searching for all three keys needed to get out of this hellish nightmare. Lots of different things in this map that all look really interesting and creepy awesome choices in very simple ways at times.

The biggest "whoa" moment is when I had an entire rock cliff fall out from under me and dump me into hostile darkness. There were lots of other things too, though some of them used that dropping floor gimmick as well. A crazy map with a tightly wound twisting feel that ended with an impressive stobing red room fighting spectres and a couple of barons right before meeting back at the beginning or taking the exit. Very cool stuff.

[NuMetalManiak]

E2M6 Poison Control

I am reminded of Dawn of the Dead when I look at this one. Another fun nonlinear outing. A lot of caged imps and places to run around in. Lots of plus-shaped walkways with imps and lost souls around too. Too bad nothing really interesting stuck out. You just get a blue and a yellow key for the exit and raise a bridge. There's a plasma rifle in a crusher area, and before that was an annoying blinking maze. That's all of the main highlights I can think of. Ordinary but fun level.

[NaturalTvventy]

e1m7

7/9ths of the way through episode 1 and Xaser comes along to put me to shame. In typical Xaser fashion, this map is filling with interesting, meticulously-designed architecture and twisty, strange design. It's just a little taste of Xaser's creativity to come.

Xaser has already told the story of our meeting, but I'll tell the story again from my perspective. I've always had a fondness for Ultimate DOOM over DOOM II, and more recently an appreciation for ZDoom antics. Back in 2010 I found Xaser's The Lost Episode and it astounded me. The episode felt incredibly refined, professional, and, most importantly, DOOM-ish. I actually believed that the maps were original, alpha maps that never got released with the final game. I dropped its author a quick note to thank him for compiling the levels, and he responded with praise for end1, a mapset that was pretty much forgotten from my mind. A year or two later DTWID was in its wrapping up phases and I wanted to turn the maps I'd made for the project into a full episode. I emailed Xaser to see if he wanted to contribute, and I was happy that he accepted. The project went from one episode to three.

I consider Xaser to be the best DOOM mapper of all time. The amount of content he produces and the creativity and aesthetics he constantly conjure never ceases to amaze me. I felt quite fortunate to have him on the NEIS team, to say the least.

e1m8

I'd forgotten that this was a DTWID map, so I actually submitted 4 maps to that project. It's funny - when Xaser posted his e2m1 map for DTWID I was critical of how similar to the original his map was. Then the next thing I do is make this map, which is basically a remake of the original e1m8. I tried repeatedly to get permission from Romero to use Tech Gone Bad in NEIS, but I never heard from him. After Xaser's e1m7 Romero's work would have been a better fit.

e2m1

The original version of this map, before it got its DTWID facelift. Once I got over the similarities to the original I have been really enjoying it as the start of e2.

e2m2

This is my least favorite map of the whole megawad, and another one of those I tweaked aesthetically up until the release. I think it paid off from the comments I've gotten here. This was my first attempt at an e2 map, and I tried to follow a few guidelines. First, the map had to fit into a rectangular box. Second, the theme had to change frequently. Third, the map should be rather flat. With this in mind I went to town, while throwing in fake, generic (discolored or misaligned textures) secrets that played with players' expectations. I feel like I really fumbled through this map and that nothing was coming out right.

e2m3

To contrast e2m2, this may be my favorite Xaser map of the whole megawad. It, more than any of his other maps, feels the most like a purely DOOM map. There's no gimmick (not that I'm opposed to gimmicks; I use gimmicks up the wazoo), it's just abstract and well paced and dangerous and fun. The first time I played it I got to the exit teleporter, only to find myself stuck in an unopened coffin-shaped box. Back I had to go through the now-exposed painful floors. I'd never do this to a player; it's too cruel. But Xaser has faith that players can handle these things, and he's right to. I loved that aspect to the map. It feels punishing and tense, and when you're stuck there's always that big central nukage pool to dive into and explore more. But do you dare?? This map has depth and its pacing is perfect.

e2m4

Another map that makes me want to quit mapping because it demonstrates how terrible a mapper I truly am. I still get lost in it each time I play it, but unlike most maps, if I follow my gut in a Xaser map I always seem to find my way through. So much good stuff here. The use of primitive alpha textures I couldn't do anything with no matter how hard I tried, the furniture and believable set pieces (dining hall, lockers, showers, docking bay, escape pods), and the twisting of the ship into flesh as Hell's boarding party takes hold.

e2m5

Finally I give in and pay a bit of a hommage to my favorite original DOOM map, e2m2. There are basically two phases to my NEIS mapping, the before-Xaser phase and the after-Xaser phase. I made this map in the before-Xaser phase, when I was still trying to use as few sectors as possible and keep things feeling as close to the original DOOM as possible. Still, I get a little fancy with the power switch just so the map has a little bit of life of its own. This map also has the three-phase structure I use quite a bit as well. First the storage center, then the sewers, then the underground buried hell temple. Striving to make use of every quirk of the DOOM engine, I create a switch leading to the secret exit that can only be activated by making use of vertical monster-targeting autoaim. I agree with the guy who said it should have been a baron instead of two imps; I doubt anyone gets it the first time because of how easy it is to dispatch the imps.

e2m9

What a beautiful map. As always, Xaser uses textures in ways I've never seen, but in ways that seem to enhance them beyond their original utility. This map oozes danger and tension. The moving floors and walls are pulled off perfectly; each time the map shifts a little I get a deeper feeling of unease. The theme of "hell taking over" is what e2 is all about, and this map is the epitome of the idea. This was the map that caused me to throw out the original goal of pure classic style for more intricate, modern design.

e2m6

My favorite Lutz map of his NEIS 3. It's just so solid. No gimmicks needed here either. Lutz's ability to capture a theme and maintain it, while providing just enough variation, is top-notch. It does everything DOOM e2 just right.

If Xaser is my favorite mapper, Lutz is my childhood hero. I remember playing Inferno as a teenaged kid and being blown away by it. I must have emailed him about it, and consequently he got me on board his next project, Caverns of Darkness. I worked on one map for it, vainly striving to create a level that was somewhat of the quality of Chris's work. I never finished the map before shipping off to college, but a quick ending was thrown onto it and the level made it into map 5. Chris's skills shown in Inferno, COD, and P:AR cannot be matched. Super structures, grinding gears, cranes... my amazement never ceased with his work. He was a huge influence for much of my NEIS e3 work.

[rehelekretep]

e2m5 - fda

really loved this. the start was brilliant for setting the tone, then i was brought down to 16 or so hp and had to dive my way for the invuln and then hole up in the radiation room. that was the only low point of the map; i was just camped round the corner taking out all the bunched up enemies with the sg, which was quite slow going.
couldnt be bothered with the PG secret, and luckily i didnt need it as you can use infighting and the few rockets to sort out the barons later on.
again, the secret BK and RK made me give up, even though id already sunk almost 30 minutes into the map. a little bit too difficult for me :p

[rehelekretep]

e2m9 - fda
strong deja vu here; i almost thought id accidentally warped to a level i'd already played, but this time you can jump out of the windows into the courtyard!
all round fun encounters and puzzles but two negatives stood out:
barons - so far, baron use has been quite good, with ample opportunities to provoke infighting, but here, most of the barons must be slogged through, and the one near the RL is the worst; you cant punch him, and youll pretty much die if you jump in with him so just standing in front where he cant hit you and holding down m1 then...
the second problem is the damaging floors; there are a lot of them, and not many radsuits. therefore exploration comes with a price, which is a shame as most of these maps have been fun and challenging wrt finding the actual secrets, not really the combat, so to discourage that is a little bit odd.

[bioshockfan90]

E2M6: Poison Control|12:38, 87% kills 0% secrets|

To make up for a quick post and no secrets found, how about a screenshot?




So in this level, we go back to techbase-looking things, but this time it's more of a factory/foundry type deal. Lots of cool machinery, very cool architecture. You even end up going to a hellish building with those green marble textures that make me VERY happy. As far as the layout goes, it's nothing special, but it's good. Died once to caco-blasting.

3.7/5

[Magnusblitz]

E2M5: Deep Storage
100% kills, 7/7 secrets

Cool take on Containment Area here, I really liked everything being dark and unpowered at first, with everything then turning on and lighting up once the power was turned back on. I never did use the invulnerability, but the fight certainly can get dangerous (I was down to single digits HP and ran for the medbay). The sewer portion I found less interesting, but thankfully it was only a couple fights here and there so it went by quick. Liked hunting for the secret exit, too.

[NecrumWarrior]

E2M6: Poison Control

I hate Lost Souls. I hate them so much. That said, this level was a victory for me! I entered it with just 5% health and wound up leaving it with 80 and some armor. A couple surprises in this one. The first one was when I clicked on a computer wall at random and it actually opened. I really needed the armor inside so that was quite the godsend. The other was when I collected the yellow key, and I ran through the door to escape the onslaught being released in the courtyard, only to be met with a Baron. Caught me totally by surprise but I suppose I should have expected it. This one was quite strong in the Doominess. Loved it. Hated it. Fuck Lost Souls.

[Capellan]

e2m2
I think we're going to have to chalk this wad up as too 1994 for my tastes.

[joe-ilya]

E2M6

Provides simple fun of interactive sector and enemy placement.
But sometimes it jumps onto you with cheap hitscanners with no cover as a power of threat and an annoying blinking maze, it felt like somebody was blinking for me which felt unnatural and gave me an eyeache.
The map also has way too many damaging sectors, that mixed with hitscanners in the open make it irritating to move around.

3/5

[TheOrganGrinder]

E2M6: Poison Control

This one offers up a somewhat claustrophobic maze in which toxic sludge features prominently, though more often as a visual accent than as a forced navigation hazard; occasionally it'll restrict your movement to a series or ledges or catwalks, but there isn't much in the way of necessary nukage-diving. The map strikes a pleasant balance between a functional, explorable layout and the more deliberately obtuse structure of a labyrinth, and you've generally got multiple routes to get to where you want or need to go. Combat gameplay is on the steady-paced side for the most part, with lost souls playing the most prominent role in the bestiary, tucked into the corners of many rooms to pounce on players who advance too boldly; it's a map that quickly teaches the player not to assume safety merely because of a lack of "player sighted" cries.

[Demtor]

E2M6 - “Poison Control” by Chris Lutz
gzDoom - UV – pistol start/no saves


Wow, this was one sprawling poison filled facility. Tons of cool visuals and designs. Just look at that thing! Looks good from a distance with Imps for eyes as well. (I started playing Chris Lutz's Inferno after this and he likes using that kind of weird golem face visual a lot. It's pretty awesome!) The look of everything working together with a natural feel is very pleasing in a greenish brown kind of way.

Nice work, all around this map. It felt like something cool was going to be behind every door, even if there wasn't. That's how well this map did at raising your expectations of quality looking stuff right from the get go. The journey up and down to get keys before finally crossing the large lake to the exit was all excellent.

[NuMetalManiak]

I have lost a post after the switch, so lemme do this again.

E2M7 Gateway Labs

Massive beast of a level all set in a 5120x5120 square. The keys are in strange cubby holes and take quite some time, as such, the level itself takes quite a lot of time to complete, with the wrapping nature and all. There's even a fake exit somewhere too, and 13 secrets means this is a sleuthing mission for the experts like me. One major highlight the map offers is the central area, which populates more with enemies, and thankfully there's a lot, otherwise this sleuthing mission would be very boring. The enemies provided are a damn good challenge too. Awesome level.

And why not, E2M8 for ya.

E2M8 Rubicon

Perhaps making a boss map isn't really the strong suit of these authors. This one is also quite basic, although notches it up with the inescapable pit. Still not too hard to take down ol' cybie though.

[joe-ilya]

E2M7

 

Another impressive pre-boss map but not as good as E1M7.

Lots of optional areas, central arena spawns monsters depending on which key you pick, and the key is randomized, sometimes the same spot will provide you a different keycard each time, getting out of the keycard vents could be trouble unless you have the secret rocket launcher to blast the demons from down under.

The map's a maze, but the maze is flooded with memorable sightings (like that monster closet with a colourful STARTAN interior) that prevent you from getting lost in the giant layout, the only thing it needed is more memorable doors, all of them are silver unless they require a key, makes it a little hard to navigate through.

Monster placement is frenzy, it's all over the place, especially in the centeral traps, keeps you pumping lead constantly and always looking back for troublemakers.

 

4/5