Hell Palace - First Map Suggestions

[Rendar]

Hi, I'm new here but I've been lurking these boards for years. Anyway I have been working on a map on and off for a year now. Since this is my first release I'd really like some suggestions and comments. It's set in part of a city in hell with a lava sea.

Screenshots:

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Link to the wad:

https://mega.co.nz/#!3F830RoK!cI4wnJULe ... h04CfXlL3I

[Reactor]

If I were you, I'd start right from the very moment the marine enters the teleporter gate and travels towards Hell. In fact, this is something I always missed in a game involving teleportation. We see what happens before and after, but we don't see the actual progress of teleporting. Doom 3 gave a very good example with that "meaty tube" loop sequence.
My recommendation would be a "flying level" where the player is "flying" forwards (blown by sector-wind forwards) in a wide tunnel with invisible walls and a possible animated sky. There wouldn't be any enemies, maybe a few obstacles which the player must avoid while flying, and the second level would be the Hell Palace, and all subsequent (possible) levels would continue on Hell afterwards. Even if you don't really plan a whole campaign, it's always nice to build unique levels.

[Rendar]

I don't really think I'd want to do what you are suggesting but this map always felt more like it would be a later one. It's still meant to be playable with just a pistol at the beginning though. That idea is kind of interesting though!

[Reactor]

Well, if you wrote a story for your map or maps, the levels should follow the plot. I mean, unless the marine is dead from the start, it should begin on Mars or Phobos, or some place else within our dimension. Even a simple generic UAC outpost would do it as a first level, so the player isn't forced to face hordes of evil demons only with his sidearm and 50 crummy bullets...you get the idea

[Rendar]

If I make enough maps then I will work on a story of some kind. Right now I really want to know how the architecture and playability is as is. It isn't like I don't have story ideas I just want to see how my mapping skills are.

[Sh4d0wS14d3]

If I make enough maps then I will work on a story of some kind. Right now I really want to know how the architecture and playability is as is. It isn't like I don't have story ideas I just want to see how my mapping skills are.

The map itself is rather fun - although, I have to complain about the Cyberdemon overlooking the spawn. I'll give you a more helpful review once I actually finish the map without getting killed.

(playing on Ultraviolence w/ Fast Monsters)

EDIT: Welp, I never beat it on the assigned difficulty - The amount of times I've died from the Cyberdemon is legendary - and I've only cleared through half of the map, including two Archviles (with my fists because I ran out of shells ) until I did a derp and quit the game without realizing it.

Perhaps I should have put on Double Ammo or something to make it easier.

[Rendar]

Yeah I need to work on the balance for Ultraviolence for sure. Sorry for the difficulty issues and thanks for trying it! I'll probably update the link after I balance things out a bit.

EDIT

Made a minor edit that should make it slightly easier I think. Removed an Archvile and added a couple of extra pickups.

[Sh4d0wS14d3]

Woo, I beat it without saving on Ultraviolence - Fast Monsters.

It's a pretty fun map, definitely. If you grab the secret as quickly as possible, it makes the rest of the map so much more easier. I did blow off a lot of my ammunition dealing with the Cyberdemon with the SSG from the bottom, and I did get hit from the Mancubus hiding in the red skull building a few times while doing so - but yeah. Fun.

The beginning is a bit difficult to survive - but as long as you can clear the Imps trying to snipe you from the balcony, and the single Imp inside the building, as well as all the enemies outside, you're pretty much set to win.

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In short - I'd definitely enjoy more maps like this from you. Thanks for making it.

[Rendar]

Thanks for playing through it! I'm glad you liked it as well. I have one more quick question. Do you think it works as a first map or do you see it as coming later if I were to make a map pack?

[Sh4d0wS14d3]

Thanks for playing through it! I'm glad you liked it as well. I have one more quick question. Do you think it works as a first map or do you see it as coming later if I were to make a map pack?

I could see it as a MAP02, honestly. The teleporter start usually means there was something before the teleporter, and I usually see the SSG on MAP02 than MAP01.