UnknDoomer's corner of ultra silence - Short WAD Reviews / Longplays / Hints

110. Pantheon of War (2018).

 

https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=62287

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/pow_1-png.277221/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/pow_2-png.277222/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/pow_3-png.277223/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/pow_4-png.277225/

 

Wad for Heretic. Occupies the slot of the first episode and consists of three levels. A small number of custom textures been used. The levels were divided thematically - a palace with water pools, caves and lava, an underground fortress. According to the author himself, this wad is his second and at the same time the first serious work. The result obtained can be called quite acceptable.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 1 hour to complete.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

111. Divergence (2022).

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/div_1-png.277227/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/div_2-png.277228/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/div_3-png.277229/

 

A colorful short wad, presented by @Misty, focused on high-speed action. Consists of 2 levels and occupies the slot of the first episode. Previously author developed wads for Doom, but in order to somewhat diversify this activity and try something new, the choice fell on Heretic.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 20 minutes to complete.

* There are no secrets.

* There are no bosses in the wad, including malotaurs.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

112. The Nadir (2010 / 2012).

 

https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?t=26071

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/the_nadir_1-png.277248/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/the_nadir_2-png.277249/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/the_nadir_3-png.277250/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/the_nadir_4-png.277251/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/the_nadir_5-png.277252/

 

Wad for Hexen, presented by @otsego. Consists of 1 hub and 3 levels (taking into account that the hub occupies 1 of 3 slots). Initially it started as a personal experimental project, but later it was modified and presented to the general public. There are 2 new types of weapons, which are a recycled cane and a bow from Heretic. At the end the boss waits, after whom the wad was named. The levels have a good design and architecture. Complexity, including puzzles, can be count as moderate one.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 1,5 hours to complete.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

19 hours ago, UnknDoomer said:

111. Divergence (2022).

You forget to add the dl link:

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/heretic/Ports/divergence

Ups.. sorry.. i just saw the link to the thread after the title, my bad.

113. Caldera (1997).

 

https://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/caldera.html

https://doomworld.com/idgames/levels/hexen/a-c/caldera

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_1-png.277371/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_2-png.277376/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_3-png.277406/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_4-png.277407/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_5-png.277413/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_6-png.277414/

 

One of the early wads for Hexen. Consists of 6 (taking into account the fact that the hub occupies 1 of 6 slots) well-built levels. By specifics they are compact, there are relatively few enemies, consumable items are presented in abundance. The main notable feature is the rather complex but interesting puzzles. The overall quality level can be assessed as sustained and high, taking into account the year of release - in particular.

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 2.5 hours to complete.

* Sseparate switches can activate hints on the levels.

* Local "security system" in a number of places leads to the respawn of enemies.

* Secrets counter is disabled. In the typical sense, there are no "usual" secrets here, but there are several well-hidden ones, where each opens access to the next. Access to the first and main opens at the "Cadre Exion" level.

 

 

Walkthrough notes.

 

I've attached a author's guide to the post (https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/csolve-txt.277375/). To me it seems to be overloaded and difficult to read, so I decided to briefly dwell on the most not obvious points. The main task will be to find four gears. Using them will allow you to get crystals that must be be inserted into the column in the center of the hub. This, in turn, will open a portal to the final level. At the same time there is a feature exist in this wad, apparently left as an easter egg, it seems. At level 3, "North Massif", in the south of it, you can find a switch that teleports hero straight to level 5, but it works once.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_secret-png.277412/

 

The door leading to Corax is normally blocked, but in this particular case it turns out to be open, which allows, from a certain point, to actually completely ignore the passage of the rest of the wad and go fight with the boss instead. For the specific details see the paragraph "Secrets / "fast track" ending" below. In order not to get confused it is best to pass the levels in the sequence indicated on the map.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_hub_map-png.277374/

 

Level 1. Valles De Morte.

 

1. First you need to get a few keys to insert them into the column in the center. In case of one of the keys the passage will be blocked by stone blocks. The solution here is rather non-obvious - you need to pay attention to the columns next to which the fragments lie, and press on them. As a result the trigger will make it's work and the stained-glass window will break nearby - you can pick up the key.

2. After applying the keys D'Sparil's heart will randomly move to one of the points where it could be found earlier, i.e. fire columns. You will need to re-examine the surroundings in order to pick it up. Among other things, there will be new items, including weapons.

 

Level 2. South Massif.

 

To some extent nothing complicated, but you have to tinker. It is required to consistently lay a water channel so that the water can reach the clock tower. All switches should always be adjusted to way the section they control is remain open.

 

Level 3. North Massif.

 

1. Press the switch in the center section. A platform with a knight will rise. After that four switches will become available around the perimeter. You need to press them, after proceeding to the previously closed wooden door and hit the bell in the tower. One of the gilded doors will open.

2. Wandering further you can reach the doors in the northeast. Opening them requires a rusted key. You can find it in the northwest, it appears on one of the graves after the destruction of enemies.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_puzzle_1-png.277377/

 

3. To pick up one of the books you will need to solve a puzzle. As a guide you can use the reverse side of the rack - the symbols with a cross are behind it.

4. The second one is on the table in the yard behind the library. When hero approaches it will disappear and appear randomly on one of the five shelves. In my case it was on the second floor.

5. After inserting two books and fighting with enemies you will need to get out of the location. To do this you will need to activate the symbols in a certain sequence. According to the author the correct one could be seen in the place where, apparently, the first book was located, but I didn’t remember it and limited myself to the save & load method to get the right combination.

 

Level 4. Cadre Ixion.

 

1. Ultimately you will need to press the switch in the southwest of the map so that two sections for servicing mechanisms located near the stairs become available to the southeast. In the initial position they are near the ceiling, while the switch is pressed, they go down. You can't access the right one, but you can go to the left one and pick up a skull there.

2. The use of the skull opens a large gate - you can fight with an intermediate boss. Further in the same location there is a switch - it will open access to the second, previously inaccessible section. You can pick up a gear in it and immediately insert it into place - the door that did not work before, which was blocking the path to the main gear, will open if you touch a button near by. On that the passage of the fourth level as a whole ends, but there is a remarkable detail exist here.

 

Secrets / "accelerated" ending.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_puzzle_2-png.277403/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_puzzle_3-png.277404/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/caldera_puzzle_4-png.277405/

 

A switch can be found in one of the fireplaces to the northeast. Pressing it will open the door on level 2. A lot of consumables and weapons are hidden behind the door. Pressing the switch in this secret, in turn, will open another one at level 4, where many items and a switch are also hidden. Pressing the latter will open section on level 3, where the waterfall was, in the west of the map. There's nothing here, just one switch. Pressing it will move hero straight to the last level, number 6, where you can directly go to Corax and fight with him, thus ignoring the solution to the main puzzle and, accordingly, if you pass the third level first, then most of the wad in total.

 

Level 5, hub. Mare Caldera.

 

First you need to activate the switches in the form of grimace, then insert the gears, then press a few chains, a couple of which are in a places different from the location of the crystals. All 5 received crystals must be placed at the top to the tower - a permanent teleport to the final level 6 will open. As you could also notice one gear is missing and one door is blocked - it will be possible to remove the block and open the door at a new level.

 

Level 6. Mare Clause.

 

All doors are closed. The path lies to the north, in a cave. You can find a gear there. With it you will need to return to the hub. Pressing the last chain will lead to the destruction of a small stained-glass window - another boss awaits. Destroying him will unlock the final door at level 6, as well as two sections with consumables - it remains to fight with Corax. The two final teleporters work a little differently - the right one leads to the credits, while the left one redirects to one of the levels of the regular Hexen.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

114. Vaults (1996).

 

https://www.rattlebars.com/mtz/vaults.html

https://doomworld.com/idgames/levels/hexen/v-z/vaults13

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vaults_1-png.277469/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vaults_2-png.277470/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vaults_3-png.277472/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vaults_4-png.277477/

 

Another wad from the author of the previously reviewed Caldera, which in general follows the same concept - puzzles and a large number of consumables, with the difference that the overall scale is smaller and the overall difficulty is lower - a little thought about puzzles in general may be required only at the first level. It consists of 6 (taking into account the fact that the hub occupies 1 of 6 slots) levels. The story begins in a dungeon, from which hero has to escape by means of a nearby sewer.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 2 hours to complete the passage.

 

Walkthrough notes.

 

Wad author's notes - https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vaults-txt.277417/

 

Level 1. Hub. Bishop's Vault.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/vaults_puzzle_1-png.277468/

 

1. You need to activate 4 solar panels. Three are available in the canyon and the last one is on the top floor, which can be accessed via a local version of the elevator. The elevator will not go to the last floor if at least one panel is not activated.

2. Puzzle with switches. A symbol can be seen under the frozen acolytes. It must be read from left to right. Thus the first switch is on the left side of the acolyte on the left, the second on the other acolyte on the right, on the right side, the third, again, on the left side, below, and the last one again on the right, below. After pressing all four you need to press the switch behind the acolyte on the left side.

3. Puzzle with columns. Clicking on one of the sides of the column rotates it, clicking on the others moves it. The symbol on the wall must match the side of the column to be pushed against the wall. In 3 cases out of 4 - in the case of an ice column there is no difference from which side it is compared. If the column is attached on the wrong side the trap will be activated. In the case of an ice column it works in both cases.

4. As a result you will be able to get 3 keys that open access to three teleports. As in Caldera, the main quest will come down to finding gears.

 

Level 2. Mill Born (fire symbol door).

 

1. In general nothing complicated. First you need to press the switches in the form of grimaces. Then press 3 chains near the platform with the gear, then activate the central switch - a path to the gear will appear. You can also find 4 keys here, including a silver one that unlocks the fourth door in the hub.

 

From the not obvious. The swamp key is hidden in an iron pillar in the hall where there are also lava pillars. Iron one can be lowered. Axe key is located on one of the shelves in the northwest of the level. All shelves can be lowered.

 

Level 3. Dark More (swamps).

 

1. Nothing specific here. You need to press the switch near the clock, then run around and press the switches - you can pick up the gear. Also on the level you can find a cave key.

 

Level 4. Deep End Bay (puzzles and graveyard).

 

1. You need to solve several small puzzles by successively pressing the chains first in the original location, then in the rooms. The solution to one of the puzzles, apparently, can be ignored - there are six puzzles, and the solution of five only is required to access the gear. The algorithm for opening a closed door in a room with many sections, behind which a chain is hidden, is not entirely clear. It does not open by default. Moreover, if you wander back and forth it becomes available. I didn't find clear algorithm here.

 

2. In the cemetery a closed door tells you which tombstone you need to go to in search of a switch.

 

Level 5. Crystals Cavern (icy).

 

1. Generally nothing special as well. You need to find and press a few switches in the form of grimaces. The exception is the symbols puzzle, which works randomly. The correct solution is three yellow circles. In order not to waste items when fighting groups of enemies that appear with a number of drop-down combinations, it makes sense to reload the save.

 

Level 6. Korax Vault.

 

Inserting the last gear opens access to the portal. A huge number of consumable items around will allow you to deal with the final boss and his minions without any problems and, if you are playing as a cleric, given the peculiarity of his last weapon, even more so.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

115. N*E*C*R*O*S*I*S (2009).

 

https://www.moddb.com/mods/necrosis

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/nec_1-png.277540/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/nec_2-png.277588/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/nec_3-png.277591/

 

Wad for Hexen, presented by @ShadesMaster, which, it seems, back in the day used another nickname. Consists of 9 compact levels. The weapons of all three classes have been revised and replaced with new ones, 3 new artifacts and 8 new types of enemies have been added, in addition to a number of arrivals from Heretic. The experiment with weapons came out somewhat ambiguous, as for everything else, the innovations were quite successful. There is a plot according to which hero died during the events of the original Hexen, but, with the participation of an unknown force, he was resurrected and now plans to figure out what's what. Although this is a wad for Hexen, the level structure is extremely linear - one level ends, the next begins. There are no hubs, there were practically no places for any puzzles, as well as secrets - the gameplay is pure run & gun. As for the visual component here everything is rather closer to Hexen II style.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 1,5 hours to complete.

* If hero's health falls below 40 HP he loses the ability to run.

 

Walkthrough notes.

 

M6. To raise the platforms in the west, you need to press 3 plates. Along the way you can find a hint where the ratio of the color and the desired pattern is indicated. There will be no effect after pressing the correct plate.

 

Southwest - N.

Southeast - cross.

Northeast - triangle.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

116. Black Heaven (2008).

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/black_heaven-rar.277593/

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bh_1-png.277595/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bh_2-png.277602/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bh_3-png.277604/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bh_4-png.277605/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bh_5-png.277606/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bh_6-png.277607/

 

Before you is a rather rare representative - a completed, and preserved to this day, short, but a good one, wad for Hexen, made by a one of the CIS community members. The bulk of such creations, speaking specifically about wads, and not single maps, and also in relation to the context of Heretic / Hexen, suffered an unenviable fate - some were not completed in their own time, and some, if they existed, were hopelessly lost in time / have died into oblivion along with now non-existent resources of varying degrees of scale, small author's pages, as well as not the most convenient, but in demand in the era of the beginning and middle of the 2000's file-sharing resources. If you type in the combination "black heaven hexen wad" in a search then in a best case you will find only two links, one of which leads to an archived discussion on local iddqd forum, which is about single map by the same author and you will not find anything on youtube. The same wad-archive, now officially also ceased to exist, knows nothing about this wad as well.

 

It consists of four levels. The main focus was on puzzles combined with traps. Switches are often hidden in rather obscure places, so you will have to check the map and tap the walls here regularly. In the context of the plot the events take place after the original Hexen:

 

Quote

After the warrior of the legion Baratus, the priest of the church Daedolon and the magician of the arcanum Parias, the three of them destroyed Corax, they took possession of the sphere of Chaos. Now the threads of the world of Kronos are in their hands. But the sphere of Chaos told them that only one being is able to control the forces hidden in its depths. Three friends united in a war against the forces of the Serpent Rider became bitter enemies, ready to do anything to wield the power of Corax.

A new war swept over Kronos. What was left of the three main structures of power and existence on Kronos after the yoke of the Serpent Rider began a bloody battle. But no one knew why and for what this war, except for their new leaders - Baratus, Daedolon and Parias.

It seemed that only a few hours remained before the last person perished from this plan. However, the forces hidden in the sphere of Chaos called the three leaders, and in their dreams they saw a black citadel in which a dark army was gathering to deal a crushing blow to Kronos. When all three awoke from their sleep, they suddenly lost power over their people. The Chaos Sphere was no longer under their control. On the contrary, her forces absorbed the full power of Kronos. And now, the three heroes are forced to unite again to find the black citadel and put an end to the dark army of monsters.

Among the ancient scrolls of the library of the sages of the arcanum, writings were found mentioning a citadel called the Black Sky, built by apostate heresiarchs even before humanity was divided into three structures, and that the entrance to this citadel lies through the sewers of the City of Three.

What awaits our heroes in the halls of an ancient citadel of unearthly origin? Only time will tell.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* The full passage takes ~ 40 minutes.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

117. Dream of Magic (2008).

 

https://www.moddb.com/mods/dream-of-magic-ep-1

https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?t=16524

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_1-png.277828/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_2-png.277829/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_3-png.277830/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_4-png.277831/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_5-png.277832/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_6-png.277833/

 

Wad for Hexen. Consists of 5 levels (taking into account that the hub occupies 1 of 5 slots). Initially the author planned to develop it into a large series, but the development process goes down several times, until the end was put in 2009 and the development was cut off at one fully completed episode. The classic 3 classes have been replaced with 2 new ones - necromancer and demoness / succubus, similar to the classes from Hexen II and its add-on. Both have 3 types of weapons, which are in fact a combination of what was available to the five classes in Hexen II, but with some changes. Each weapon has an alternate attack. So using the first the necromancer can resurrect killed enemies as allies and the demoness / succubus can call on small demons to help. In both cases hero's health becomes the price for such assistance, so you need to use the ability wisely. Items dropped from enemies are another characteristic feature, in particular you can replenish the health and mana of both varieties. New types of enemies were added, most of which came straight from Hexen II, resulting in an explosive, but quite successful, mixture of sprites from Hexen I and 3D models from Hexen II. Custom textures took a place, there is a plot exist:

 

Quote

The strike of the necropolis was the key movement to conquer the land. Every race was under the control of the 2 factions belonging to the necropolis: "the worshippers of the three" and "the Apocalypse cult".

-The worshipers of the three are those who follow blindlessly the idea of bringing back to the land the three prime evils that once rule and brought destruction to this world.
-The Apocalypse cult are those who are considered (by themselves) the minions of the four horsemen, taking them as the most powerful force in existance.

Both factions are in dispute due to their opossed beliefs. For many years the internal fights in the necropolis have caused devastation...

Necromancer
Your name is Zaereth. You were a high rank member of the apocalypse cult, until the surprise attack of the worshippers of the three to the cult's fortress, where you were almost killed when facing hordes of demon like warriors. But you somehow survived waking up somewhere far from the fortress. You start your way back to the necropolis. In the way you realize that something have changed. Through your travel you gathered some information of real value. Seems like years have passed since the worshipper's attack to the cult's fortress, and more. Is also rumoured that the worshippers recently found a way to bring their masters to the land. However, the Apocalypse cult have made some movements too. Akerneth, with his eternal delusions of superiority, managed to take control over the apocalypse cult. Plus, he also managed to bring the avatars of the four horsemen to this plane of existance. For many centuries have been know that no person nor creature should call the avatars to the land; they are supossed to come only when is the right time, otherwise, the avatars will reap the whole land making no exception. Now you must find you old nemesis Akerneth and kill him. You have to stop the avatars, plus you must deal with any and all worshippers you find in your way, and why not? kill their masters too.

Demoness
Yor name is Avak'askon. You were one of many demons summoned by the worshippers of the three. Your role to play was just a pawn and a servant for the worshippers, nothing but a puppet in the hands of worthless humans. Of course you were not willing to allow that. Being a young decendant of the elder demon, your powers are very immature, but that was enough to scare the worshippers to a point of despair: they tried to kill you when they felt threatened by your growing powers. Their attempts falied, however, you were not powerful enought to kill your new enemies, just enough to run away. Traveling in lands, searching for ancient artifacts, you became wise. You learned about the war that had been devastating the land between the worshippers and a cult for the Apocalypse horsemen. Your summoners are blind followers of whose they call "the prime evils": Mephistopheles, Ba'alzebub and Diablo. Now you have a goal in mind, show to the ones who dared to bring you to this land who is the supreme being, the same that gave you life: Tiamat. While you are still very weak in comparision of how strong you'll become in a couple hundred years, you are confident that you can stop the worshippers from bringing their "supreme three", and if is too late for that, then stop those demons by yourself. Of course those apocalypse worshippers are going to be another entretainment for you.

 

The abundance of consumable items and the overall balance allows to assess the complexity as low one. The puzzles are generally logical and do not cause difficulties. An exception, as well as the main drawback of the wad, is the final battle with the rider, which is the first boss from Hexen II. Unlike the original version, here the battle is very long, tightened, regardless of the location of the player and the HP reserve, he is able to kill hero / heroine with one hit, no any supply of items will help here, in addition to this, a large number of allies will constantly spawn to help him. Saving during the battle I ended up stuck - no matter what I've done heroine died from one hit. As a result completed the battle with the "god" cheat code, but even in this case it was noticeable how long the process was.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 2,5 hours to complete.

 

Walkthrough notes.

 

The main task will be to gain access to the teleport leading to the fifth level. To obtain it you will need to find several keys and two books. By reading the books located in the castle you can get useful hints from which you can find out that, for example, the silver key is hidden in a dungeon and one of the other keys is in a small cemetery, in an unmarked grave.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_puzzle_2-png.277822/

 

In general there are no particular difficulties, three levels are compact offshoots of the main fortress with less than 100 enemies each. Easter eggs stand apart. If you manage to solve the riddle you can listen to the track written by the author. To open it you need to find 5 jewels.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_puzzle_1-png.277820/

 

1. There are no problems with three, they are scattered along the branches. Another one is hidden in an inconspicuous cave in the southeast of the hub. It will be possible to pick up the fifth only after collecting four others.

2. After that you will also need to press on the previously blocked switch located in the southeast of the hub.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_puzzle_3-png.277823/

 

3. Next you need to go to the "the nine towers" sublocation. In the south you can scatter and make a jump. Then, after walk around, you need to make another one - boots will come in handy here for acceleration.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_puzzle_4-png.277824/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dom_puzzle_5-png.277825/

 

4. After passing through a transparent rocky wall you can find yourself in a room where there are pedestals for crystals. The use of all five will open a passage in the east of the map.

5. At the entrance a melody will play. To the left of the entrance the is a teleport. Moving through the nine towers you can read the gloomy lyrics of the song, as well as collect some useful items and a castle key, which will come in handy for picking up a few more in the last closed section in the hub.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

118. Korax Must Die Again (2020).

 

https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=68375

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_1-png.277866/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_2-png.277867/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_3-png.277869/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_4-png.277946/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_5-png.277948/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_6-png.277972/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_7-png.277985/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_8-png.278044/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_9-png.278045/

 

Wad for Hexen. Consists of 9 levels (given that the hub occupies 1 of 9 slots and 1 is taken by a secret level). The main emphasis was placed on relatively large-scale maps, a large number of enemies, protracted skirmishes with such and numerous complex puzzles, which in places can easily give odds to the original Hexen. New varieties of enemies, unique textures (with the exception of one), or some other similar elements are not take a place here - a purely "vanilla" / default set is used.

 

 

For part II check this link.

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 9 hours to complete the passage.

* The counter of secrets is disabled. There are many secrets and finding a number of them is not easy.

* Difficulty can be rated as high one.

 

Walkthrough notes.

 

The main task is to find 4 red gems to open the door in the hub leading to the final level. There are slots for 2 more gems, one of which can be found on the "Spire of Frost" and the second on the "Forsaken Catacomb", which can initially be accessed through the ice level.

 

(?). Apparently it is impossible to get one of the gems without using cheat codes - the second magic platform on the "Forsaken Catacomb" is placed too high and it is not possible to jump on it.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_10-png.278019/

 

(?). An alternative potential solution lies in the fact that you can try to get a helmet for flying in secret at the last level, but I did not find how to get close to it - it is located too high, and there is teleports that might lead there.

 

(?). What influences the insertion of all 6 is not clear, but presumably, by analogy with points 5 and 11, it makes Corax ever more weaker. One way or another, some secrets that could be affected are not noticeable either in the hub or in general.

 

You will have to wander back and forth quite a lot, some of the levels are primarily available only through others and not through the hub, there are many switches. Due to the combination of these reasons I will focus only on important subtleties. For everything else watch the videos.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_secret_level-png.277865/

 

1. In the hub, which is also the first level, there are hidden switches, I counted four of them. Whether this affects access to the secret level or something else, I do not know for sure, but it is quite possible to find one, if you look around carefully. On the map the entrance to secret level is marked with an arrow with number one. Also an additional entrance will appear during the transition.

 

2. In the swamp level, "Endless Mire", which is covered by fog, there is a section where you can put green gems. At least 5 are randomly scattered around this location. 1 more can be found in one of the following levels. To open access to two segments you need to find 4 gems. Inserting more will give green mana. The vision-impairing fog, but not teleporting one, can be temporarily removed by activating the torch.

3. Boots for acceleration and items to return to the beginning of the level should be saved for use - they might can come in handy during the passage more then just ounce.

4. To access the crypt of the warrior, located on "Endless Mire", you need to make all the torches nearby to be lit. For this you will need to properly examine the level for torshes that standing alone and not lit. Light one such torch - one will lit next to the crypt. Inside, however, there is nothing of particular value.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_1-png.277986/

 

5. By clearing the specified sector of the secret level from enemies you can weaken Corax.

6. Along the way you can find two gears, one of them is hidden in a cave on the icy "Forsaken Catacomb" level. Also at level where there is a library, there is a complex puzzle. By solving it you can get a book with the letter "O". Both things, gears and book, can be applied at the secret level.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_2-png.277987/

 

The screenshot shows the application point of the book. At the same level there are two parts of the fourth weapon can be found.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_4-png.277995/

 

7. Dungeon key, which can be useful on the secret level if you are interested in additional items, is carefully hidden in the "Yawning Chasm" volcanic level. In the tower, which you will need to get into along the way, there is a bookcase. To the left of it is a switch that pushes it away. Behind you can find several items. There is a switch in the same room. If you press it the platform will go down - climbing the narrow steps under the ceiling,you can find a barely noticeable key.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_3-png.277990/

 

8. Swamp key can also come in handy at the secret level. Located in the swamps, "Endless Mire" level. If you open the map then in the north you can see a kind of snake. If you "step" on its tail a message will appear and the lights will light up. After following the "body" of the snake, you will run into a stone wall, which in this case will open. If you just approach it, ignoring the figure, then nothing will happen.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_5-png.277996/

 

9. On the "Serpent Oasis" level you can see an object in a small tower, around which there is a lattice, which in fact is only a decoration. You can pick it up right away, then use it in the south, where it is possible to take another one of the same - it will come in handy already at the secret level.

 

10. Gears instead of a secret level can also be used on the last, "Winnowing Halls" level, which in theory should make it easier to pass the puzzle at the entrance. Otherwise, you will need to match the symbols several times. Moreover, with some probability, it will be indispensable here without invulnerability and an object for a teleportation.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_8-png.278014/

 

There is also a point of application for a book with an "O" symbol.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_6-png.278010/

 

11. By analogy with point 5 clearing the specified sector of the last level will further weaken Corax.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_7-png.278020/

 

12. Cave key is located in the northwest of the last level. As well as the door, where it is required, it is rather unnoticeable.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/kmda_puzzle_9-png.278016/

 

13. In order to be able to break the stained glass windows in the last level you need to pick up 3 items that fall from intermediate bosses and apply them in the section shown on the screenshot.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The developer’s answers dated 26.09.23 to a number of questions that were not clarified on 8.01.23:

 

1. How to get the gem here?

https://ibb.co/sK9r0W2
https://ibb.co/w41XHnC

It's possible to jump on first platform, if you have enough patience to try, but not the second, ever with the boots. Guy here

 

 

had similar issue. I've found that there is secret with flying helmet exist on the last level, which might solve the issue, might I didn't find a way to get there. Decide that it's a bug and used "noclip" to get one.

1. alexsa2015sa:

...bad news are, it is a broken puzzle.

Longer answer: I broke this particular puzzle in at least *three* places at once while attempting to fix the fourth problem that did go away; two of the critically important bridges are at wrong height (one hardlocks the floor movement because glitter bridges cannot be moved, and the other is too high) and one script command does a softlocking owie. I actually fixed this in July, but then I decided I want to improve everything else anyways; I was much sloppier about texturing back when it was a baby's first wad, and it... drags on since.

The Wings of Wrath on the final level are not accessible. I placed them for... reasons? and then I started to mutilate ceiling heights in Spire of Frost, at which point I decided allowing player to fly is badwrong because they can possibly see unpegged texturing outside level bounds (heh, as if it is actually any worse than the rest). There are actually other problems I don't recall in details which boil down to entering areas without activating mandatory triggers in the process.

All in all, there is no good excuse for not fixing this long ago.

 

2. What inserting 6/6 gems gives? I see no any effect after and, it seems, no changes in the hub. Does it make Korax weeker? Like it happens if you clean up 2 specific spots, one on the secret level and another on the last level?
2. alexsa2015sa:

The Korax hall in the finale has 6 korax faces displayed, which actually display extra healthbars. Fifth and sixth gem disable one panel each, as does every other action which is accompanied by the "korax is weakened".

Reviewing the code, I think I made a mistake somewhere because it calls disabling script at least four more times than it should on a single panel 71, and it doesn't look like I actually foolproofed this case, so there might be no effect visible from extra gems because the half-baked script already weakens the Korax to minimal strength (he is supposed to have six extra lives' worth of health, barring classic edge cases of Map40-breaking by too high damage per second). I'll have to restest that later, but I am now pretty sure this does not work as intended unless you skip everything by abusing non-obvious shortcuts through the glass section.

3. Regarding castle level. It's require to press four switches in the hub, which I did, or you can enter there no matter of this fact and switches has another purpose?
3. alexsa2015sa:

You can enter with two switches, provided you know where the hidden first entrance is. Four switches open the second portal in the start room. This set of switches has no other effects... unless you count confusing the player by cryptic messages that is.

4. There is no specific reward after fight in the fighter's tomb? I.e. if not count items inside it?
4. alexsa2015sa:

For Fighter the main reward is Quietus piece 3. The other places this piece is found are Fairy Castle and Abode of Night. For other classes, yes, it is just a Krater of Might.

It is not terribly balanced and fair - I am not very happy about this element of Endless Mire; the effort and time spent running in search of every single torch and/or gem lost in the fogs is far in excess of the rewards when you can just visit the Abode of Night, grab a relic, punch a hundred ettins, and get the same items.

To be honest, much of what happens in the hub is optional content anyways with at least two solutions to many puzzles. Even many of the Winnowing Halls puzzle items are not required to finish.

(Also, I am pretty sure crusher puzzle shouldn't require any invulnerability or chaos device to solve, unless I am forgetting how the crusher pattern transition happens and it can misfire somehow. Mage is too slow to walk across, that is, but I tested primarily with Mage. I will be looking into it among other touch-ups)

5. It's not possible to shoot to small switch on the wall on the north part of the secret level. If you are playing as a Cleric at least.
5. alexsa2015sa:

Are you certain about that? I tested in Zdoom 2.8.1 just now and it does trigger for me, shooting from the window down there; somewhat awkward but Serpent Staff weaving helps. Do you mean the red sun SW_EL5 switch on outer wall between NE ruin? It opens a stairs into wall and isn't meant to be accessible from the upper wall anyways.

I will admit I can't recall any other shootable switch being anywhere nearby, but it's been years since I edited this so I may be forgetting something.

6. Section on south-east of the hub seems to be not accessible.

https://ibb.co/y66F8pp

 

6. alexsa2015sa:

That's the lava-filled 3rd slot room. Yes, normally it is not.

You need to do an extremely unobvious thing and ignore one gold bullswitch (I think it is *two* switches that block access, the script says so) until you pull all four chain switches and then wait a minute until it opens. Otherwise, it is already flooded by lava because some totally unrelated earthquake ruptured one of lava tanks. The Flame Mask can be accessed regardless of that by using moon switches and cave key, which is additionally rewarded with extra set of armor pieces, health and some green mana - these are also lost in the earthquake.

---

I will upload a temporary fix for the Forsaken Catacomb sometime later this week, it really does not deserve being broken the way it currently is, but I need to actually revise what did I design everywhere, and hunt down more of the texturing issues. Also very likely add my support textures from Sunrise Citadel etc to cut down on misalignment fixing when different vertical alignment cannot be reconciled. Abuse of CASTLE07 in Fairy Castle is a horrifying visual design to revisit with all of the mismatching bricks in the walls.

In short, it is very cringe to revisit this baby's first wad two years later and discover that yes, I did noticeably improve in skill.

Edited September 26, 2023 by UnknDoomer

119. Dreadnaught and Knockabout (1996).

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/hexen/j-l/k_d11

 

One of the earliest wads for Hexen, released a year after the release of the original game, which in turn is a compilation of two works that were once distributed separately. Consists of 2 hubs and 10 levels (2 secret), total 12 maps. There is a some plot exist:

 

Quote

In Dreadnaught you are Kane, an immortal who was doomed to roam the Earth by the god that created you. The punishment levelled at you for killing your own brother and thus brought terrible violence to the Earth. The irony is that the god was a corrupt and cynical part of the supernatural universe overruling Earth and you, Kane, rebelled against being used as a pawn. Your adventures take place in all ages of Earth. Your sword and battle prowess is at the service of any ruler who can pay your price. You are a true anti-hero who changes sides to suit your own advantage and mood. You never age and remain as old as you were when the god cursed you. You can be killed but up to now no human has come close to doing so.

In Knockabout...beyond Dreadnaught, Kane is continuing his majestic adventures. After surviving and conquering the onslaught that was brought upon his torn soul in Dreadnaught, Kane is back to finish his quest.

In Dreadnaught, Scotts Portals, is the beginning of your long and tasking journey. From here you will have access to the other four levels. You will have to complete the first three, The Swamps of Thark, The Tomb of Quarix and The Palace of Ice before you get access to Veda's Vault. Once Veda's Vault is conquered you will revisit Scott's Portals to finish off the ramaining beasts and ghosts of days gone before you free yourself from the curse that was cast upon your soul.

And in Knockabout, Wheel of Fire is where you begin your illfated journey. It is here where you will have access to the other 4 levels, Slice and Dice, Game of Death, The Bell Tolls and HexQuake. You must complete the first 3 sublevels before gaining access to the final level and to face the fate that you have chosen and others have failed.

 

Judging by the few surviving reviews, it was coldly received by the audience. There are few enemies, the maps are compact, but wad uses an element, behind which, in turn, the original Hexen nowadays took the slogan "Dark Souls from the FPS world", namely because of complex puzzles, cleverly hidden switches and keys, often a far from obvious sequence of what to do and where to go or what trigger affects what. For this reason, DaK will primarily be of interest to those who not only do not scare away such things, but also, to a certain extent, like them. However, this is relevant primarily for the first hub and, specifically by modern standards, local locations cannot be called particularly confusing.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 2 hours to complete.

 

Walkthrough notes.

 

1. Pressing the round button on M2, "Swamp of the Thark", displays an inscription suggesting looking outside for the switch. It is not possible to go anywhere further here, but by "outside" in fact it means a hub - a second magical bridge will appear at the starting point, allowing you to get into the portal leading to the third level.

2. After picking up the swamp key on M3, "Tomb of Quarix", the question arises of how to get back. The portal is hidden behind a golden door. It opens, oddly enough, when jumping to the nearest ledge.

3. Similar situation on M2. One of the subsequent wooden barriers in the swamp will open if you move a certain distance from it.

4. In order to open portal on IdMap01 (M6), a secret level, which is in the south of the hub, M1, it seems is enough to get rid of the wyvern, although, on the other hand, it is possible, as well as to open the transition to the second hub, you will need to fully explore five other maps of the first hub. After switching to the second hub, you cannot return back to the first one.

5. Three bosses from the end of the first hub are easiest to deal with discs. More precisely the third can kill two bosses, because the hostile cleric uses the fourth weapon and later his own attacks can be directed against him.

6. In the second hub triggers are often tied to the destruction of your enemies. If a certain sector is empty then the path further opens.

7. One of the portals on the final M11, "HexQuake", leads to M12, "HexQuake 2".

8. You can get rid of the final boss by a telefrag.

Edited January 12, 2023 by UnknDoomer

120. Wolfen (2004).

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/hexen/v-z/wolfen

https://www.moddb.com/mods/wolfen/downloads/wolfen

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfen_1-png.278050/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfen_2-png.278074/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfen_3-png.278075/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfen_4-png.278080/

 

Wad for Hexen, notable for its custom content. Consists of 5 compact but detailed levels, varying thematically. There are several new types of enemies unique to Wolfen, several bosses, a couple of new weapons - a musket (piece charges) and a crossbow (consuming new mana), textures drawn from, among other things, Heretic and Blood, sounds. There is a third type of mana, which is a kind of weapon in itself - you need to assign a separate button to use it. It wears out fairly quickly, so use it wisely.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, difficulty 4/5.

* It takes ~ 2-2,5 hours to complete.

 

Walkthrough notes.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfen_symbol_1-png.278076/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfen_symbol_2-png.278077/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfen_symbol_3-png.278078/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfen_symbol_4-png.278079/

 

1. The main task is to activate 4 round symbols. In the swamps you first need to press the switch behind the house - a ladder of wooden platforms will line up.

2. The doors in the abandoned city will open when the clock shows 12:00 and at the same moment two bells are struck. To complete this task you need to set the hour hand at 11:00, wait for the minute hand to pass nearby, hit one bell at exactly 12:00 and immediately run - here I recommend using boots to speed up to the second one. If the minute hand has time to move activation will not occur.

3. In the same location there is an easter egg with a secret boss, which is the alter ego of the developer. To get to it you need to find two books and insert them into a rack in the basement of the castle. The first can be found on the swamp level by breaking the skeleton in the ruined hut, not far from the start, and the second in the jar in the hub, in the place where the chest is located.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

The counter of the number of considered wads has reached 120. In meantime a few updates:

 

1. As it was planned earlier the topic with "archived" wads for Heretic and Hexen has been exhausted and from now on only "fresh" works will be considered, the full release of which may take place this and subsequent years. The same, but for a combination of other reasons, in general, applies to Doom as well - with rare exceptions, it is possible that wads from the top 100 community list of the doomworld forum will sometimes be affected (around 19 of them been reviewed earlier), a note about which I also made before, but nothing more. In the case of Doom 64 the fact of adaptation to Doom 64 CE becomes an exclusion factor.

2. In the foreseeable future there will be no reviews of wads for Heretic and Hexen at all. In the case of the first about 10 works are currently in active development and in the second only 2, which these are sequels to the wads previously considered in the topic, the general status of which is at an early stage.

3. There are currently ~ 50 wads I've in my notes. As the number of completed approaches 5-10 the topic will be continued, but in the meantime the rubric goes on most likely quite a long break. The same applies to longplay video recordings.

Edited March 1, 2023 by UnknDoomer

Over the past ~ 1,5 months 6 wads managed to get to the state that can be considered as "the final release", in connection with which, although obviously not for long, the cycle is resumed.

 

121. Fallen Leaves (2022).

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/fl_1-png.282241/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/fl_2-png.282242/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/fl_3-png.282243/

 

Wad of 7 relatively short levels, presented by @Bri, the main component of which has become, especially in the last 2-3 years, to the idea of flirting with colors, combined with one or another season of the year. In this case, which is far from so common, not with one, but with two. The gameplay, as it is again common in a large part of modern wads, revolves around tough skirmishes with enemies in arenas of various sizes. Cheerful .midi-soundtrack, with a melancholy title melody in the spirit of late autumn in the menu is attached in addition to.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* It takes ~ 1,5 hours to complete.

* Hardcore.

 

Pros:

 

+ Nice map design. In particular M3, M5, M7.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

122. 1 Fast Fight (2023).

Wad of 12 levels (2 bonus), presented by @TheLoneliness, created with a maximum time limit of one hour to make one map. Monsters health has been slightly reduced, while their movement speed has been increased. The concept is built around fast, but extremely tough battles in small closed arenas. As usual in such cases, although the difficulty is high, especially on the ninth and tenth maps, it is such exactly until one or another level can be "hacked" as a kind of puzzle, i.e. building a certain sequence of actions into a combination leading to a successful end result.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* It takes ~ 2 hours to complete.

* Hardcore.

* Exit to the M31, apparently, can only be entered in the console "MAP MAP31".

123. Skirmish (2021 / 2022).

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/skirmish_1-png.282358/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/skirmish_2-png.282359/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/skirmish_3-png.282360/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/skirmish_4-png.282376/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/skirmish_5-png.282377/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/skirmish_6-png.282378/

 

Continuing the previously set theme of hard skirmishes in small arenas. A wad of 20 levels, presented by @Argent Agent, in general, following a concept similar to 1FF, with the difference that the size of individual maps here is smaller in places and at the same time the average quality level of such is a step higher (the time frame does not pass in vain) and the degree of difficulty is a multiple higher.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* The full passage takes ~ 4,5 hours.

* Hardcore.

 

Pros:

 

+ The ideas of most of the levels, in combination with the previously voiced thesis, fully embody the concept of puzzle, accompanied by melodies playing to match, especially on the M6.

+ M6 - "Town of Two".

+ M13 - "Dachshund".

+ M17 - "Pobla's Pavilion".

+ M18 - "Reignited".

+ M20 - "Give in with hell beneath".

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

124. THEME-GAWAD (2022).

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tg_1-png.282468/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tg_2-png.282470/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tg_3-png.282504/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tg_4-png.282607/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tg_5-png.282608/

 

Hardcore theme is now behind, then switch to... "thematic" one, presented by @Ofisil. Community type wad, which is, as usual in such cases, act as a collection of works by several authors, united by a particular topic. In this case in a direct context - each level was created to clearly reflect one or another architectural concept, as evidenced in particular by the text file folded into the archive. On the other hand in fact new ideas are, at least in the first half of the wad, as in the case of the final map, looks like rather interspersed, while the entourage itself follows the typical Doom II scheme - technical bases, urban landscapes, canyons, mixed reality, hell. Consists of 6 episodes with 5 levels each + 2 secret ones, for a total of 32 levels.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* It takes ~ 7 hours to complete.

* On the M12 you need to get rid of all the Commander Keens, then return to the beginning of the location and press the switch. The yellow key is not needed to leave the level, it gives access to the secret.

 

Secret levels.

 

M15 -> M31. It's all pretty complicated. I will only note the fact that the secret exit is located in the south and, apparently, it will be possible to get to it only due to rocket jump and preliminary pressing of a series of hidden switches. It's hard to explain in one word - it's better to watch the video.

M31 -> M32. To the left of the main exit you can lower the wall, behind it there will be a teleport.

 

Pros:

 

+ M32 - "Agony Temple". A well-designed slaughter map, quite easy from the position of passage.

+ M21 - "Spider Temple".

+ M22 - "Mouth of Madness". A small map (only 10+ enemies) with a horror atmosphere.

 

Contras:

 

- M15. The map suffers from all the typical flaws that can be inherent in maps for Doom in general. Excessive confusion, enemies, including machine gunners, on distant hills, lame balance - I got stuck while getting to the center of the map, basically without ammo to move on. In addition, if count the approach of starting with a pistol, then the chances of surviving here would probably be even less. In the end I gave up trying to cope with enemies and entered the "god" cheat-code. Subsequently, however, it also became that, taking into account where the necessary switch is located, it would be impossible to pass this moment otherwise in my case.

- M27. Playing with chiaroscuro on this map ends up being more confusing and disruptive than an interesting element.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

125. The Lost Magic (2022).

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tlm_1-png.282625/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tlm_2-png.282627/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tlm_3-png.282943/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tlm_4-png.282944/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tlm_5-png.283140/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tlm_6-png.283141/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tlm_7-png.283172/

 

Wad, presented by @Vortale, consists of 32 levels (2 secret) divided into 5 episodes created as part of the annual NaNoWADMo, one of the features of which is a development time limit of 1 month. There are a number of custom textures involved, some of which came straight from Quake, new weapons and items are provided, some of which were taken from Hexen in particular, and some, apparently, were inspired by Powerslave. In general the wad sustained in terms of quality, begins to fail in the last third - the levels are conceptually repeated, the number of enemies ceases to be limited and what is happening is more perceived as a kind of filler necessary to achieve the cherished bar of 30 (not counting secret) levels.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* Levels are generally compact and short in terms of time to complete.

* The full passage takes ~ 5 hours. * Each new episode, i.e. every sixth level, progress is updated and the hero starts his journey with a gun.

 

Secret levels.

 

M15 -> M31.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/tlm_secret-png.282945/

 

1. You need to press switch and run to the lowered platform.

2. Press the wall.

3. After passing through the aisle press the switch and return to the train - the aisle has opened.

4. At the end of a long tunnel you can find a red key.

5. With it you can open the door leading to the secret exit.

 

At the same time, while grabbing the key, two cyberdemons are teleported.

 

M31 -> M32.

 

There are 5 crystals in the openings on the map. Another 1 is at the exit. To open a secret passage, apparently, you need to have to destroy those in less than 1 minute. It seemed to me that such restriction was unnecessary - I used noclip.

 

Pros:

 

+ The color scheme and overall spirit, especially the first episode, is a lot like Quake I, to the extent that it was adapted to the realities of Id Tech 1.

+ A successful combination of magical and technological elements.

+ M6 - "Emerald Castle". On this map, for the first time, the player can get a weapon, which can be referred to as a "magic plasma gun", combining the type of damage similar to weapons in Doom, and the rate of fire of Hexen.

+ M32 - "Hall of Champions". Archvile, 4 cyberdemons, a bunch of revenants in addition to a large group of elementals and also, in a separate room, a new kind of enemies, covering the entire area of movement with their attacks. 0 first aid kits and charges for BFG outside the starting area. To pass this map you will need to correctly calculate the main steps.

 

1. Kill only 1-2 cyberdemons so that the others do not attack the doomguy. Saved charges for BFG can be spen\ on revenants, press the switch, ignore all the accumulated enemies and proceed to the next location.

2. By running in circles press two switches, try to guess the moment and press the third one.

3. Proceed to the exit and then you can make sure that the map can be completed in less than 2 minutes.

+ M17 - "Mother Crystal".

+ M19 - "Welcome Party".

+ Soundtrack.

 

Contras:

 

- M31. Essentially an unremarkable map with a poorly implemented M32 exit trigger.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

126. Knee-Deep in Knee-Deep in ZDoom (2022). Build 1.7. #53 (original version). Cacowards 2022.

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_1-png.283260/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_2-png.283265/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_3-png.283285/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_4-png.283286/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_5-png.283289/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_6-png.283290/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_7-png.283291/

 

A 9-level wad (1 secret; excluding epilogue), presented by @esselfortium, which is a remake of Knee-Deep in ZDoom (2007), which today can be called a classic of the genre to a certain extent. The main idea of such at one time was a rather demonstration of the technical capabilities of the port actively gaining momentum in those years (in particular against the backdrop of Doomsday and other developments). The first episode of the original Doom was taken as the example for the experiments, i.e. you will see kinda the same levels, but with a lot of innovations, including structural one. So, for example, the initially compact E1M8 here is radically different both in design and gameplay from it's ideological inspirer. In addition to the above an abundance of varieties of custom monsters and 2 new weapons are included.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* It takes ~ 4 hours to complete.

 

Secret levels.

 

Z1M3 -> Z1M9.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_secret_1-png.283245/

 

1. First you need to get a white key. To do this you need to pay attention to the barely noticeable switch in the place marked in the screenshot. Pressing it will lower the liquid level and it will be possible to go to a previously inaccessible section.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_secret_2-png.283246/

 

2. Having picked up a small cube, you can get into the passage.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_secret_3-png.283247/

 

3. Clicking on one of the sections lowers the opposite wall, but the trigger is out of reach. Here I thought it was a bug and used noclip, but in fact it turned out that after collecting all 6 keys you need to return to the computer available in the second zone, where the text about the loss of two keys was located.

 

esselfortium:

 

Quote

Press use on the “I dropped my keys” computer near the red key door.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/k-dik-dizd_secret_4-png.283248/

 

4. To open the secret exit you will need to collect 6 keys.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

The rubric goes on another untimely break, until the release of the next group of wads. Meanwhile, keeping one old message in mind and comparing different aspects, I came to the conclusion that I will not make a return to the past and special exceptions in the first paragraph of it - taking into account the remake of Knee -Deep in Knee-Deep in ZDoom was considered 1/5 of the "main" points from community top anyway, i.e. 20 positions out of 100, than in general I will limit myself.

Edited May 1, 2023 by UnknDoomer

It's been about two months. During this time three creations managed to get from the list of notes to the release + one interesting work from DBP came out. Experiments with color reproduction and palette in the gaming industry have been and are being conducted throughout its existence. It did not bypass Doom either, where minimalism, in recent years usually represented by a combination of two to four primary colors, began as a bold experiment, like Stardate 20X6, which gradually passed into the category of ordinary elements. As something becomes habitual, something more radical is required for the subsequent "border shift". Probably, to some extent, this idea was guided by the authors of the first of the four wads under consideration.

 

127. Sepia (2023).

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/20230502173457_1-jpg.288232/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/20230502174021_1-jpg.288231/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/20230502180531_1-jpg.288230/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-02-18-50-32-91-png.288236/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-03-00-37-40-47-png.288271/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-03-01-24-00-10-png.288272/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-03-16-19-47-74-png.288293/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-03-20-18-07-86-png.288306/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-03-21-19-24-46-png.288307/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-03-21-21-35-26-png.288308/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-03-23-42-04-43-png.288314/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-03-23-55-46-53-png.288315/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-04-16-16-22-20-png.288507/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-04-16-18-21-20-png.288508/

 

Wad, presented by @Petyan, has 34 (4 slots are occupied by secret one and 2 goes for epilogue) levels, divided into 4 main episodes + a short 5th one as the finale, the color gram of which is represented mainly by one color - brown, divided into shades, from light to dark. To some extent this makes it related to the previously reviewed noir Rainy Days In Casablanca.

 

 

The rest four videos can be found here.

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty. The author strongly recommends using DSDA-Doom, because there may be bugs in Gz, although in general, as far as I can tell, with the exception of the M33 and M18, there are no serious problems with compatibility, and I personally don’t see the point in making an exception because of one wad.

 

Quote

he intermission text screens bear no actual meaning, but they do mark the levels that have the said secret exits.

 

* When picking up secrets you can hear a combination of Morse code. It is also used in screens between episodes.

* A large number of enemies, especially on later maps.

* Mostly in the first third there are minefields, which are deadly to enter. Both for the hero and enemies.

* On the M13 you can hear tunes referring to Darkwing Duck (NES) and, I thought, Mortal Kombat. There are other references in wad as well.

* Hardcore.

* Later maps show structural elements similar to the mentioned Stardate 20X6.

* It takes ~ 9-10 hours to complete (taking into account the wanderings on M34 and the fact that M18 and M33 will be skipped).

 

Secret levels.

 

M7 -> M31. Approximately at the beginning of the level out of reach there is a little noticeable switch. Shooting it will unlock the ability to eventually progress to a secret level.

M11 -> M32. The secret passage is hidden behind the painting, on the left side of the main exit. Initially, it does not open.

 

Petyan:

 

Quote

The painting is the secret exit, you have to just go into it once the switch is pressed. The switch is on the side of the painting in front of the secret exit. The switch is really small, so it's a bit hard to notice.

 

According to the author a barely noticeable switch on the painting itself is needed to open the exit. In addition to that on the map I found another one, but I didn’t figure out what he was responsible for. M32, as a result, did not make it to the recording, but, however, the map is not particularly remarkable - a circle full of imps, who will be assisted from afar by archs, then cyberdemons will also be added.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-03-17-39-45-20-png.288294/

 

M17 -> M33. There are several hidden switches. Part you just need to find, to access one you first need to make a shot in a faint niche, a couple will require a rocket jump. As a result, not far from the main exit, on the left, steps will appear.

 

Petyan:

 

Quote

Unfortunately i don't think i can find a good way to optimize or improve performance for gzdoom on this map - at some point it was extremely laggy on DSDA as well, so i think i and brendon squeezed everything we could to optimize the map. It's rather sad for me to say, but you'll probably have to skip it - or swap to DSDA, but i understand that it's not very convinient to just randomly swap ports between maps.

 

The location of the switches, as well as the exit to M33 itself, are shown in the video, but it was not possible to wander around the map itself - 14226 enemies are located on it. When loading performance drops to 1-2 FPS.

 

Petyan:

 

Quote

I suspect the reason for the lag might be the complex behind-the-scenes voodoo setup to ensure that different weapons teleport different enemies in.

Quote

The map has 21 different routes, which is all insured by boom mechanics, so i'm 100% sure it just overloads GZDoom. Can't really tell what is the exact issue, but will add it to the "known bugs" section.

 

A similar problem exists on the M18.

 

M26 -> M34. On the platform you can see the "red" skull. You can get it with a properly placed rocket jump. It will also let you avoid a very non-trivial last fight with a huge amount of archives.

 

Pros:

 

+ Unusual style, to match the old film, in the second half of the wad is also combined with surreal landscapes.

+ Musical accompaniment. Classical melodies, ambient, something reminiscent of old demo videos, like those made by the demoscene.

+ M11 - "The Ballroom".

+ M13 - "Objection!". First, there is a choice. Kill the "innocent" zombie, or ignore him and go to the teleport. In the first case a tough skirmish awaits with a large number of enemies, and in the second, a clash with a group of archviles, which will be very problematic to escape from.

+ M15 - "Surpematism". The first level in surreal-abstract style.

+ M19 - "Castle Jam".

+ M26 - "Triality".

+ M28 - "The Lost Colors".

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/wolfenstein-3d-screenshot-2023-05-04-00-45-32-72-png.288332/

 

+ M34 - "Fool's Valley". The most patient and capable players will be able to play chess and mahjong with two archs. In case of victory they give bonuses, such as, for example, a megasphere. On video #4, ~3:14:00 and ~4:12:00 respectively. The key card to access the secrets can be obtained in two places. In a kind of slot machine, where it can disappear at the same time, or is guaranteed from a platform with a cyberdemon, it will not be easy to take the one from him in the latter case.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/sepia_jump_1-png.288394/

 

On the way to mahjong there is a moment that is not obvious, against the background of all other similar segments. It seemed to me that the moment shown in the screenshot cannot be passed without a jump, but according to @Ravendesk it's still possible:

 

Quote

Doing platforms one by one won't work, yeah, you won't have enough speed.

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/sepia_jump_2-png.288393/

You should cross it from this position in one motion. You can also ignore the left platform, can only run across the 3 on the right.

 

To exit the level it is enough to find 2 of 3 skulls. The video shows all of them.

 

Contras:

 

* Not a small percentage of maps relies on tough skirmishes with a large number of enemies in spacious locations, be it caves or somewhere else. Sometimes such a combination looks quite successful, but at the same time there are levels where the locations themselves are unremarkable and the idea of pushing doomguy with an armada of creatures for the nth time does not generally look fresh or interesting.

* There are a large number of platform elements. If those are alien to you, and especially annoying, then you should pass by. There are not just a lot of them here, they are combined with difficult battles, and M34, same as it's confusing secrets, is completely tied to this mechanic.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

128. Deadliest Dem(o(li)ti)on (2023).

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_1-png.288600/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_2-png.288601/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_3-png.288602/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_4-png.288603/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_5-png.288604/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_6-png.288606/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_7-png.288608/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_8-png.288611/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_9-png.288612/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_10-png.288613/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_11-png.288614/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dd_12-png.288623/

 

Wad of 14 levels- 11 main, epilogue, 2 bonus, presented by @Scypek2. The story is told from the perspective of a cyberdemon who, by the will of circumstances, lost his favorite weapon and was turned into a human. Angered by this state of affairs, he begins his journey.

 

From gameplay features. Weapons have been reworked, with a total of 5 new varieties:

 

1. The pistol here has been replaced with a rocket launcher with 200 ammo, which also doubles as a hand-to-hand combat tool.

2 & 3. Other notable examples are the twin plasma gun and the rapid-fire six-barreled rocket launcher, which occupied the original slot at number 5.

4. The double-barreled shotgun received a subtype with accelerated reloading, but the damage from it is weaker than from the usual one.

5. Double chainsaw.

 

There are new types of monsters:

 

1 & 2. Two new types of lost souls, one of which explodes when destroyed.

3. Modified gray elemental.

4. Archives that die with one shot, but have the ability to bring their own kind back to life.

5. Mechanical lions with shields. Formidable opponents.

6. Zombies in armored self-propelled vehicles.

7 & 8 & 9. Zombies with double-barreled guns, plasma guns and rocket launchers.

10. Stone imp. Fires projectiles like a cacodemon, but it cannot be killed with a single shot from a double-barreled shotgun.

 

The maps are relatively compact, but at the same time quite intricate - a significant emphasis is placed on pressing many switches, puzzles and platform elements take a place as well. These components are combined with non-trivial collisions with enemies in narrow corridors. There are many cleverly hidden secrets - I never figured out how to get a BFG, twice in a row, but on the other hand, until it came to the third attempt, there were more cartridges for a new plasma gun.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* Hardcore.

* An easter egg can be found on the M9, which is a reference to the game SUPERHOT (2016).

* It takes ~ 6-6,5 hours to complete.

 

Pros:

 

+ M4 - "Sleeping Cell".

+ M5 - "Thread Carefully".

+ M10 - "Penultimate Punage".

+ Soundtrack in general.

+ Successful replacement of plasmagun and rocket launcher.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

129. DBP58: Immortal Warfare (2023).

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dbp_58_1-png.288640/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dbp_58_2-png.288641/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dbp_58_3-png.288642/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dbp58_4-png.288645/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/dbp58_5-png.288646/

 

New, rather transient, wad from the DBP forum, presented by @matador. This time in a militaristic style. Consists of 10 levels focused on run & gun gameplay. Despite the fact that the choice of such a theme at first glance may seem like a hackneyed cliche, among other things, a prototype simulator for the military was made on the basis of the Id Tech engine, in this particular case, from a gameplay position, the impression is generally the opposite, although and the entourage itself is quite typical - USA kind army vehicles, wastelands, apparently, conditional Iraq.

 

Starting with the next release the authors decided to switch to a two-month development cycle. As a result no more than 6 works will be published during the year.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* An easter egg can be found on the M8 referring to a credits line from the original version of Rambo 3 (1988), notable for, among other things, the intense degree of "cranberry" that was generally characteristic of a number of films of that time period. Rumor has it that later in the United States, in view of the well-known events in September 2001, it was recognized as "politically incorrect", relative to the realities prevailing by that time, and cut out of later revisions of the film.

* The M10 epilogue, in turn, refers to George W. Bush's speech on an aircraft carrier on May 1, 2003.

* Traditionally for the DBP wads, a number of sound effects are borrowed from classic beat 'em ups, while the final scene refers to the classic arena from the Street Fighter series.

* It takes ~ 1,5-2 hours to complete.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

The topic of wads that have become official additions to Doom / II has already been raised many times before. About a year has passed since Arrival was considered and the list managed to expand by 4 more positions, totaling 18, or 16, if do not take into account those clearly categorized as radically different from the classic TC, as REKKR (10) already featured earlier and added to October last year Harmony (17).

 

1. Final DOOM: TNT - Evilution (1996).
2. Final DOOM: The Plutonia Experiment (1996).
3. No Rest for the Living (2010).
4. SIGIL (wiki) (2019). Official wad from John Romero. Sequel in progress.
5. Double Impact (2011).
6. No End in Sight (2016 / 2019).
7. Deathless (2018 / 2020).
8. BTSX EP1 (2012).
9. BTSX EP2 (2014).
11. Doom Zero (2019).
12. Syringe (2019 / 2021).
** 13. Earthless: Prelude (wiki) (2021). Planned to review it later. Full version is still in progress.
* 14. Revolution! (2001) + Midi Pack (2016).
15. Arrival (2021).
* 16. Anomaly Report (2022).
* 18. Base Ganymede (2009 / 2012).

 

As a result, in the foreseeable future, it is planned to consider points 14, 16 and 18, i.e. 3 wads.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

130. Revolution! (2001). Part of archive top 100 list.

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/?id=11848

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/music/tvrmidi

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/rev_1-png.288976/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/rev_2-png.289007/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/rev_3-png.289008/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/rev_4-png.289017/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/rev_5-png.289020/

 

One of the classic wads. Consists of 33 levels, 2 of which are secret and 1 bonus - specifically the 33rd was added with the release of the Midi Pack in 2009. At the time of release it was positioned as an unofficial continuation of the events of Doom II. It's been 15 years since the original. Zombies and the remnants of demons were taken and enslaved and sent to rebuild the destroyed Earth. As usual something goes wrong and they rebel, led by some sort of a new hidden leader. Doomguy is on the line again. The levels are pretty small. Difficulty, by today's standards, can be assessed as a low one.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* Level 33 is only available through the console.

* General loading sequence:

 

[Global.Autoload]
path=E:\Games\Steam\SteamApps\common\Doom 2\base\TVR!.WAD
path=E:\Games\Steam\SteamApps\common\Doom 2\base\tvr!midi.wad
path=E:\Games\Steam\SteamApps\common\Doom 2\base\tvr!midi-np.wad
path=E:\Games\Steam\SteamApps\common\Doom 2\base\tvr!font.pk3 sequence:

 

* The fonts are quite specific.

* On M8, at the beginning of the level, you will need to use a rocket jump, and at the end there is a risk of a soft lock, if you go down on the platform and fight with three pinkies - the doomguy will be blocked on the lower floor, without the ability to return to the top.

* The passage of most of the M10 can be ignored if you will make a rocket jump near the start and pick up the red key.

* It takes ~ 3,5 hours to complete.

 

Secret levels.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/rev_secret_1-png.289012/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/rev_secret_2-png.289015/

 

M15 -> M31. There is a switch in the southwest, pressing which will remove the barrier blocking the path to the secret exit. The exit itself is located not far from the main one, you need to run from the cliff to the side of a seemingly inconspicuous wall.

M31 -> M32. The usual exit plays the role of a secret one.

 

Pros:

 

+ M6 - "Wasted".

+ M14 - Dead End".

+ M18 - "XS".

+ M21 - "Hausterium".

+ M23 - "Pyramid of Pain".

+ Soundtrack.

+ With rare exceptions, most of the old wads may seem quite archaic to today's... layman. Revolution! in this respect is a fortunate exception.

+ The last third of the wad can be called as the most interesting in terms of the original architecture of the levels.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

131. Anomaly Report (2022). Cacowards 2022. #497.

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/ar_1-png.289030/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/ar_2-png.289031/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/ar_3-png.289032/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/ar_5-png.289094/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/ar_6-png.289136/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/ar_7-png.289137/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/ar_8-png.289138/

 

Wad of 33 levels, presented by @valkiriforce, inspired by, among others, Doom 2 The Way Id Did (2013, Cacowards 2013) and Memento Mori (1996, top 100). According to the author, it is made with a bias in the "old school" style. In terms of entourage, the first 2/3 and, as a result, most of the time, are dominated by tech bases and seemingly typical fortresses, occasionally diluted with original concepts or some ideological borrowings, in particular from Plutonia, such as M13, as well as machine gunners found here and there on the heights. The last third is the exact opposite of the first two - the most remarkable cards are concentrated here, which are quite different from each other. In the context of the story component, AR can be called an alternative look at the events of Doom II.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty (Expert).

* Level 33 is only available through the console.

* It takes ~ 6 hours to complete.

 

Secret levels:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/ar_secret_1-png.289092/

 

M15 -> M31. At the end of the level you need to find a place where it is permissible to jump. There is a portal below.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/ar_secret_2-png.289093/

 

M31 -> M32. At the beginning of the level you can find a map. You will need to press a series of hidden switches. Access to one of these appears to be broken. Or, at least, I didn't manage to find a trigger that would remove the wall blocking the passage. As a result - noclip for pressing the last switch.

 

Pros:

 

+ M8 - "Tanker".

+ M15 - "Colosseum".

+ M31 - "Echoes Redux".

+ M32 - "When in Romero". The map can be called a compilation of familiar elements of the original E1 from Doom, or, on the other hand, what the "extended" version of E1M1 might look like if it came out not in 1993, but in 2022.

+ M22 - "Technochasm".

+ M26 - "Valley of Shadows".

++ M27 - "Trenches". One of the most difficult to pass, but one of the most remarkable maps.

+ M28 - "Nightfire".

 

Contras:

 

- M29 - "End Times". The difficulty balance on this map is questionable. In particular the presence of archviles in certain fragments can lead to a complete block of the further progress, in the absence of ammo to deal with them.

- M30 - "Anomaly". Once again, the boss is the icon of sin, access to which is somewhat difficult - after many attempts I could not adequately reach the target point in the form of a brown curb. Used the jump.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

132. Base Ganymede (2012). Cacowards 2012. #117.

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bg_1-png.289172/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bg_2-png.289173/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bg_3-png.289174/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bg_4-png.289177/

 

The last, for today, wad, which passed into the category of official 6 days ago, 9.05.23. Unlike the previously reviewed two, it is focused on working with the original Doom. As a result of the double-barreled gun and a number of varieties of enemies doesn't exist here. Actions take place on one of the moons of Jupiter, hence the name, in honor of the base on one of those. Consists of 27 levels divided into 3 episodes. Wad somewhat departed from the typical, in some places frankly hackneyed, but at the same time existing to this day, narrative scheme of the type tech bases -> also them, but interspersed with hellish elements / fortresses of one kind or another / insert similar -> hell.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* Quite a serious shortage of ammo and first-aid kits at most levels.

* Hardcore.

* It takes ~ 4-4,5 hours to complete.

 

Secret levels:

 

E1M3 -> E1M9. At the beginning of the level it will not be difficult to find a map. Another question is that you can get to the secret switch, apparently, only by rocket jump, and if you have, for example, 50 HP and 100 armor left, then this will not be enough to make the jump. Luckily you won't have to keep track of your HP for the whole level and, sometimes in vain, you won't have to try to keep it - it's enough not to pick up armor and a black first-aid kit until it's completed. After rocket jump, in my case, with the initial parameters 100/100, the values 37/69 remained. A similar problem occurs on E1M7, where, in turn, due to the low amount of health, you can not reach the usual exit - I had to enter the code "god".

 

E2M5 -> E2M9. Toward the end of the level you will need to pass a corridor with acid. You can see a switch behind the torch. You need to shoot it and go back, climb the platform up. Nearby you can find a secret exit.

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/bg_secret-png.289237/

 

E3M6 -> E3M9. You need to press the switch in the hidden section. One barrier will be removed. The second lowers automatically when passing nearby. The secret exit on the map is in the circle.

 

Pros:

 

+ The Ultimate Doom is not particularly, as in general, not in demand in the modder environment for a long time. As a result finding a good wad under it, especially if you take the timestamp of 201X and beyond, is very rare. BG is a good exception in this regard.

+E1M8.

+E2M4. Almost the entire level will need to go without weapons.

 

Contras:

 

- Excessive use of hazardous surfaces.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

Made a new topic, where it's possible to suggest wad / map to record. Among other things, it is supposed to fill the gaps in anticipation of certain releases in this way.

 

1. Bad Dream (2023).

 

Meanwhile. Usually I do not record single maps, which probably will be changed in future, but decide to give a try to

presented by @wxndxx, due to interesting concept and stylistics. Version 1.1, GzDoom 4.10.0, 17:57 in Doom time and ~ 40 minutes in overall to beat on UV, with, as it ofter goes in such cases for me, a bunch of save / load sequences took a place. Missed 2 secrets and 4 monsters somewhere.

 

 

Mastermind can be telefragged, while cyberdemon, with enough luck, might be skipped, I guess, while you will able to access the switch. Still, it rather easier to kill him. Another method, that is probably possible, but will take long - hit & run, so you can deal with him with just bare hands.

Edited May 20, 2023 by UnknDoomer

133. MAYhem 2048 (2014). Cacowards 2014.

https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Category:MAYhem_series

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m2048_1-png.289517/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m2048_2-png.289518/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m2048_3-png.289840/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m2048_4-png.289843/

 

The MAYhem series dates back to 2012 and currently has 11 wads, taking into account the release of MAYhem 2023 at the end of April. Four elements can be called unchanged components:

 

1. Release closer to May.

2. Exactly one month is allotted for development.

3. Levels, regardless of context, are small and generally focused on run & gun gameplay.

4. The concept is always based either around certain technical limitations, or general specifics, be it the color scheme, the size of the maps, compatibility only with a rarely used port (Eternity Engine), themes / textures of a certain genre, for example, in the spirit of Quake or Blood. To a certain extent, these facts make the series related to the creations of the DBP forum.

 

Specifically I will focus on, in my opinion, one of the most interesting varieties - the limitation on the size of the playing field, which affected, in general, 3 out of 11 wads, of which, in turn, 2 will be considered.

 

---

 

Wad of 35 levels, presented by @TMD, 32 are ordinary, 2 of them are secret, 3 are bonus, the main feature of which was the technical limitation in the size of the level within 2048x2048.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* Sound effects have been changed.

* The last third of the wada is filled with some pretty challenging levels. There is a shortage of ammo and not simple skirmishes, in particular due to the sometimes excessive placement of archviles and cyberdaemons in narrow corridors.

* Hardcore.

* It takes ~ 6-6,5 hours to complete.

 

Secret levels.

 

M15 -> M31. On the way to the main exit you can see a blue orb. If you run from the exit to it, you will notice that the passage is open. Going into it, you can find a teleport.

M31 -> M32. On the map you can see a small waterfall. If you make a shot under your feet, then the doomguy will throw under one, but he will not be able to survive, while it is simply impossible to get into this area initially. Apparently, the matter is in the switch in the north of the map - it can be pressed again after it has already disappeared into the ground. After that it will be possible to go down into the water, then lower a couple of walls and get to the coveted secret exit.

* M33, M34 and M35 can only be accessed via the console.

 

Pros:

 

+ Variation of the subject levels.

+ Soundtrack.

+ M3 - "Outpost Delta".

+ M4 - "Desieged".

+ M17 - "Puff".

+ M19 - "The Ax Murderer's Domain".

+ M24 - "Canyon Village".

+ M25 - "Heat Miser".

+ M34 - "99 Red Balloons".

 

Contras:

 

Most likely due to not full compatibility with the latest version of GzDoom.

 

*M24. On this map, apparently, the algorithm of one of the switches is broken, which does not allow you to leave one of the sections without a noclip.

*M28. A similar problem towards the end of the level, after the battle with the cyberdemons.

- Overestimated difficulty on a number of levels, especially on M28, M29 and M30, where dealing with the boss without the use of cheat codes looks a little doable - a very decent supply of missiles is required.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer

134. MAYhem 1500 (2015).

 

Screenshots:

 

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m1500_1-png.290157/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m1500_2-png.290158/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m1500_3-png.290159/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m1500_4-png.290160/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m1500_5-png.290207/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m1500_6-png.290208/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m1500_7-png.290209/

https://www.old-games.ru/forum/attachments/m1500_8-png.290210/

 

Wad of 34 levels, presented by @Marcaek, 32 main, of which 2 are secret, plus 2 bonus. This time the restriction was made with an emphasis on linedefs, and the style, according to the authors, was made more gothic, although in general the context remained about the same, the same applies to complexity, somewhere it is moderate, somewhere clearly above average. The final build didn't meet the typical MAYhem deadline, and was actually released 4 months later, in September of that year.

 

 

Settings and features:

 

* GzDoom 4.10.0, UV difficulty.

* Hardcore.

* It takes ~ 7 hours to complete.

 

Secret levels.

 

M15 -> M31. It is enough to find the yellow key and follow one of the doors.

M31 -> M32. It is located next to the usual exit, on the left. To access it, it is enough to make a shot at the main portal.

M32 -> M33. The normal exit leads to the M33.

M33 -> M34. Likewise.

 

Pros:

 

+ M3 - "Venom Canyon".

+ M14 - "You Are Workshipping a Sun God". The action of the level begins and ends on the submarine, while in between you happen to visit the fortress. Closer to the start of such, I observed a drawdown of frames. The issue was resolved with a simple restart. What caused it is not completely clear, because there is no abundance of any elements here.

+ M31 - "Benedictine Convulsions". Successfully implemented level in the style of surrealism.

+ M33 - "Isolation Game'. Small puzzle level. No opponents. You need to press the correct series of switches.

+ M16 - "Sacrificial Circle". If we proceed from the paradigm that "hard" cards should be accompanied by no less "hard" soundtrack, then M16 can be called an exemplary standard, where the cover of the famous Rammstein track acts as such.

+ M19 - "Still More Mayhem".

+ M26 - "Jadeamir".

+ M28 - "Merciless".

 

Contras.

 

- M30. As you know, a joke repeated many times ceases to be such. The same is equally applicable to certain techniques in the construction of maps. If on M29 the presence of 1500 enemies is to a certain extent justified and a certain balance is observed, turning into a kind of "combat puzzle", where the player will try to cope with the armada or break through it and leave the level, then on M30, to the eyeballs packed with cacodemons, , by the way, used, but successfully, a year earlier in MAYhem 2048, as well as a number of other wads, everything looks rather faded.

Edited June 8, 2023 by UnknDoomer