UnknDoomer

@Andromeda, @kdoom, well, it seems I've got into wrong source then. Fixed.

165. Heretic To Hexen Mod (2019 / 2023). The last work on the current list and which I would like to focus on this year, presented by @deathzero021. Conversion of three original Heretic episodes into the Hexen reality. Everything was replaced - textures, enemies, weapons, consumables. At the same time, the structure of the levels itself remained the same as it was many years ago, but from the standpoint of the surroundings it was also replenished with the possibilities provided by the latest versions of GzDoom, which is why the familiar atmosphere is perceived doubly differently. Otherwise, there is nothing special to say here - the same Heretic, only in different angle. Since I played through the original three episodes more than "few times", and the author does not plan to expand it to five, in general I decided to limit my playthrough only to the first episode, additionally diluting it with a gameplay modification of Walpurgis. As a result the balance became somewhat lame, which is why it is recommended to get acquainted with it without any “additives”. Settings and features: * GzDoom 4.11.3a, difficulty 4/5. * Walpurgis 0.96A. * The first episode will take ~ 1,5 hours.

162. PUSS XXVIII: Quoth the Raven (2023). Screenshots: https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-15-14-28-43-44-png.304025/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-15-19-06-11-78-png.304027/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-15-23-41-43-86-png.304031/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-15-23-44-36-66-png.304032/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-16-00-15-53-74-png.304035/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-16-00-45-54-76-png.304039/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-16-01-38-53-58-png.304040/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-16-07-00-02-11-png.304044/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-16-07-01-25-79-png.304045/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-16-07-07-07-48-png.304046/ Wad for Heretic, presented by @Death Bear, consisting of 3 episodes and 27 levels (3 secret). It is a collective work of 17 authors, created, among other things, in a short time frame - no more than 8 hours to develop one map. Despite such timing, the end result is quite solid, the maps are well detailed, not least due to the use of a custom texture pack. In this sense, in general, it can be noted that this element, which 4-5 years ago in the Heretic context was rather a unique event, is now gradually becoming commonplace. The name of the game does not refer to the company that developed the original game, but to Edgar Allan Poe and his famous poem, in connection with which, in particular, there is a related plot. The theme changes from episode to episode - if at first it is the surroundings and various spaces, such as caves and forests, then in the second episode these are combined with the predominance of urban buildings and with a small, or, conversely, large number of enemies. The third is the embodiment of conventionally abstract demonic, or more precisely in this context, “snake” fortresses. Settings and features: * GzDoom 4.11.3a, difficulty 4/7. * Heretical Doom 1.5 + Monsters 0.4. * Complete completion will require ~ 5,5 hours. * EXM9 exit is automatic from E1M6, E2M4 and E3M4. Pros: + Small details. + Soundtrack. + E1M7 - "The Deep Woods of the Hopeless Morrow". + E2M4 - "Clue". + E2M9 - "Water Weird". + E2M6 - "Crystal Caverns". + E3M4 - "Quaff of Raven".

@Desdinova's "Revelations" added into [WIP] section of 64.

164. Veil of Darkness (2023). Cacowards 2023. Screenshots: https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_1-png.304253/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_2-png.304254/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_3-png.304255/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_4-png.304256/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_5-png.304257/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_6-png.304258/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_7-png.304259/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_8-png.304260/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_9-png.304261/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_10-png.304262/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vod_11-png.304263/ A wad for Hexen, presented by @Captain Toenail, notable for a number of features. In particular there are: - new consumable items; - the usual roster of monsters was supplemented with unique varieties; - several colorful bosses, in particular ettins, driving chariots and a tank in the Warhammer style; - chests of two types with different utilities; to open them you need to find keys; - 5 trolls, the first of which can be found behind one of the shelves in the first location; finding all five will give access to the fourth weapon, which would otherwise be quite difficult to assemble (the first part is hidden in the basement of the castle, the second under the mill, in the ventilation, which can only be climbed using the jump panel, finally the third is hidden in the pyramid, access to which will open when saving a character in the starting location; I personally did not get it). - custom textures. Based on the combination of these factors, wad is comparable to Wolfen, released in the 2000s. According to the plot, the chosen hero will have to confront a demoness named Nox (the reference to the corresponding title is quite direct) and explore a series of locations, from a swamp and forest, to a castle, an ice cave and the huge mechanical basements of a mill (hello Hexen II). Balanced gameplay, interesting puzzles and a patch for compatibility with Walpurgis are included. Playlist Settings and features: * GzDoom 4.11.3a, difficulty 4/5. * Walpurgis 0.96A. * Complete completion will require ~ 6,5 hours. * Colored lamps do not have a special functional load and can be used for additional lighting in a particular location. * The ending is open.

@Captain Toenail, have a several questions, before installing last gem and proceeding to the end (I suppose):

163. KGZDoom1 (2023). Screenshots: https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-17-00-17-39-92-png.304222/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-17-00-35-19-86-png.304223/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-12-17-01-03-28-00-png.304224/ This two-level wad was not on my initial list for consideration, in particular because it was published a few days ago, and at first glance it may seem unremarkable, if you do not take into account a few “buts”: 1. This is the first published work in 18 years by @kdoom, that highly rely on GzDoom features. 2. In addition to custom specifics and textures reminiscent of a combination of Quake II and the first Unreal, the work is notable for its balanced difficulty, although the final boss and the method of its destruction may raise some questions. Settings and features: * GzDoom 4.11.3a, difficulty 4/5. * Complete completion will take ~ 1,5 hours.

2. Phoenix Temple (2023). A map for Heretic, presented by @alexsa2015sa, notable for two facts. The first is complexity, due to which you will have to rely heavily on the default weapon and time bombs. The second is the complete absence, which is rare, of gargoyles. To exit a level it is not necessary to find all the keys and destroy all enemies. In this sense can say that the choice is subjective. On the other hand, if measure it by the standards of Doom, then there is nothing extraordinary here. For example I managed to pick up a phoenix pod after finding the first, yellow key, and I picked up the third and fourth weapons by the time there were practically no enemies left on the map. Would it be easier with them? Of course, especially considering the number of rounds for the third one. Is it possible to complete it without them? Yes. Settings and features: * GzDoom 4.11.3a, difficulty 4/5. * Complete completion will take ~ 45 minutes.

161. Sekhemti (2023) Quite a high-quality wad, presented by @Shawn, of 6 levels in the surroundings of ancient Egypt. The action takes place in the "Valley of the Kings". Doomguy needs to explore tombs full of monsters and traps, find a mysterious artifact, and then escape safely from the wrath of the ancient gods, expressed in this case by the constant spawning of new enemies on the last map. Settings and features: * GzDoom 4.11.3a, UV difficulty. * Complete completion will take ~ 1 hour. Pros: + M5 - "The shrine of Shepseskaf". + M6 - "The Tomb of Shepseskaf".

160. Sigil II (2023). https://romero.com/s/SIGIL_II_V1_0.zip Wad by John Romero, released on the 30th anniversary of the original Doom and, like the original Sigil, focused on working with The Ultimate Doom. Positioned as the unofficial sixth episode, it consists of 9 levels (1 secret). Traditionally, in the author's style, the locations are relatively compact, and the number of enemies on average does not exceed 150, and somewhere around 100 per level. Compared to the original, the gameplay has become somewhat more cheerful, but the concept remains similar. The main mechanics boil down to interacting with hidden switches, from now on, at each level you will encounter one, and sometimes two, cyberdemons. Settings and features: * GzDoom 4.11.3a, UV difficulty. * Complete completion will take ~ 2,5 hours. Secret level. E6M3 -> E6M9. On the map you can see a small isolated area. You will need to perform a rocket jump from the nearest ledge opposite. Pros: + E6M6 - "Vengeance Unleashed". + E6M8 - "Abyss of Despair".

159. Mosaic (2023). https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/Ports/megawads/mosaic Screenshots: https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/mosaic_1-png.303779/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/mosaic_2-png.303783/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/mosaic_3-png.303785/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/mosaic_4-png.303786/ https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/mosaic_5-png.303787/ @Szymanski: A wad of 26 maps, the structure of which is built from triangles, giving the maps a rather unusual, angular style. The levels are the same in size, compact, but different in specificity and theme, each map was created by a separate author, for this reason they as a whole were clearly not balanced in the context of “ongoing” gameplay - it is assumed to start with a pistol. A forced start, as in some wads, is not provided here - by the fourth level you can collect all types of weapons, but, for example, the same third or eighth map, considering that I play exclusively on the Ultra-Violence difficulty, remains tough even in this case, I personally am accustomed to the approach. As in most cases, when it comes to some technical limitations, the main gameplay comes down to the core idea, but everything else fades into the background. Based on this can say that there will be a couple of remarkable maps here, but, as usual, you shouldn’t expect any revelations - there are simply enough typical levels and arenas with packs of enemies here. Settings and features: * GzDoom 4.11.3a, UV difficulty. * Complete completion will take ~ 3 hours. Pros: + M11 - "Stygian Scrap Stack". + M18 - "The Witch's Cabin". + M23 - "Metamorphic Mastification". Contras: ? M25. It is not entirely clear whether this is a bug or not, but on this map it was not possible to pick up the red key without noclip - the platform does not lower. - Unremarkable ending.

Many newcomers often ask about rules on doomworld, due to a fact they cannot find a specific section about it. Not many known or remember, but back in the ancient times the was one and it contain such agreement: But so many of them didn't listen to it in proper way... so there is no more. Still, some rumors says that "post hell" is still somewhere out there, in the old backups. So, perhaps, one day it will return... BTW. New version of the Voxel Doom is coming, it seems.