Insaneprophet

So a little bit like DBPs but perhaps not as long as the bigger ones and not as daunting as 66 of them to play...

Ive been a bit busy lately, too busy to get write ups out, but not too busy to continue to play the levels each morning or read everyone elses reviews during cigarette breaks at work. I missed my reviews for the last two maps of Biowar and Im not gunna bother now, I'll just give an overall, final thoughts type dealio. I for the most part enjoyed Biowar. Its no where near a favorite, nor is it even up there with the middlest of the road stuff, but it isnt the worst levels ever or even a genre of gameplay/map design that I am turned off by. The strongest thing it had going for it was its atmosphere, environments and visual story telling. That being said, it really did sell itself short by not doubling down on all of those things by taking the time to delve further into any of them. I could imagine a remake of this, that uses all of the original maps but adds on to them, doubling or even tripleing the size of them, while retaining the concept and texturework throughout the additions, creating engaging arena combat in some and vast exploration areas in others, raising the overall difficulty of everything, becoming enhanced enough to be popular with modern audiances. Its core is that good. Outside of that there were at least four, if not five or six maps that I absolutely would kill to get expounded upon by Roofi. Just think how great playing something like his contribution to Tangerine Nightmare, but set in the forest of map 10, the ice caves of map 11 or map 15s heart of the volcano would be. Thats all I got. 😀

Its probably not what you mean but "Die Rowdy" is a tower mapset where every level has the same outside building layout with the interior design of the floor changed every level by each mapper. The levels all start and end at the elevator and you always need to find the red key to go up to the next floor.

I am really liking this but damn I think Im showing my stupid. It took me seriously forever to find the yellow key. I went through everywhere at least 16 times before figuring out I could go there. Now Im next to stumped looking for tge blue or red keys... guess Ill go back through everything another 16 or so times. Good stuff everyone!

Yes I can look in that thread to connect map # with author but when I remember the name of the map that list is usless for figuring out the author. Similar situation with the text files. Just seems like a lot of un-needed leg work to figure things out when there IS a list for map #, midi name and midi creator. Why that wasnt combined for actual mapper and map name...? Like I said, just a little gripe.

Im playing through this and enjoying it. I kind of have one gripe though. Between both threads and both text files I can not find any place where it lists all maps, names, numbers and authors all in one place. This thread only lists the mappers and its up to us to try to figure out who exactly did what. Kind of frustrating when I would like to perhaps comment about certian levels.

Map 16: The Killing Fields I really liked this map. I felt that the visuals and progression succeeded in pulling of the sense of being in a real place even if that place is foriegn and alien to anything in a more human world. The combat was once again right in this wads wheel house where we are not exactly challanged, just kept busy with fighting to occupy our time while we explore the different environments. We are getting on to the end and Im still intrrested in seeing what comes next. 😀

Try out "What Lies Beneath"

Map 14: Absolution I found this to be one of the better maps by this wads main contributor so far. Combat, level design, length, story, it all starts to come together into a whole concept here. Its more than a prototype, its longer than 3 minutes, the baddies dont just line up to take turns dieing to one shotgun blast. Softlocking wasnt a problem for me as it appeared to be fixed in the compendium. Yeah all in all not a bad level. 😀 Map 15: Heat I am completely in the "I like this map ALOT" camp. This finally took the abstract, minimalistic texturing with an idealized sense of place and gave it a full story. The visuals feel perfect and the traps and incedental fighting are right where this mapset is most comfortable. There is nothing terribly difficult here but its not entirely a snooze fest either. 😀 map 31: Juggello Funhouse I hereby go on record stating that I have kind of actively dis-liked the insane clown posse for nigh on 30+ years. Nothing here changes that in any way, shape or form. The level itself left me feelin pretty much.. meh. 😀

I dont know if its exactly what you want but DBP Zepplin Armada is one damn fine wad.

Map 13: UAC Prison Anyone whos read any reviews Ive ever written is already going to be able to guess that this is by far my favorite map in the set yet. I havnt played ahead from here but seeing that someone has already stated that this is the last guest map, this is probably going to be my favorite of the whole wad. Is this a perfect level? No, far from it, but it has the length and monster density that makes it feel like Ive not only done something with my time but maybe even accomplished something while I was at it. I would have loved to get this size map with the aestetics of say map 2, 10 or 11. I dont need cohesive progression or difficult combat, just have a little more meat on the bones and Im a happy man. 😀

Map 12: Military Center This one is back to doing exactly what Doom does best. Tech-base with a hub and multiple key paths. The combat is pretty simplistic but at least some thought was put into it and the layout is pretty simplistic but at least some thought was put into it as well. I cant dislike this map, this is what made me fall in love with Doom in the first place. Yes its the standard formula but anyone and everyone can and has given us thier own versions and there will never be an end to it. 😀

Map 11: Frozen Terror Once again we have a really great aesthetic and at least the traps are more on point but the layout and size of this one really fall short and do not do the idea justice. I wish I could have got lost in the forest last map and I wanted to go exploring the ice caves this time. Both of them were like teasers for super original levels that just ended before they really felt like they began. Still, props are I guess in order as these ideas have at least seen the light of day where all my own ideas are still closeted in dark corners of my mind. 😀

Map 10: Dark Woods This map certianly wanted to create its own world and in many ways achieved exactly that but is extremely hampered by its straight line approach to progression and absolute lack of engaging combat. I would hope that this maps failures stem from the lousy editors of the time because it really seems like it was rushed and made more to fill in the map slot than it was to pad out the idea. I would have liked to see this level fleshed out more with branching pathways and possible optional areas where more indepth fights could be staged with better monster placement but we didnt get any of that. This and the next map both have very interesting concepts with cool abstract in a doom kinda way aestetics that had me thinking of the forest moon of endor and the ice planet hoth but neither got enough care and forethought put into thier creation to fully hit the mark. This was a missed oportunity. 😀

The closest I know is "The Ultimate Doom 2." I believe he has finished 25 or 26 lvls and they are massive and awesome. Was a great nostalgia trip through entirely new maps!