[GZDoom] Devil's Hellfire: mini-episode, feedback welcome!

[Deon]

[imgur]https://i.imgur.com/xrkKnzH[/imgur]

Good afternoon, doom guys and doom gals.

Map features:
- Outside area, two dungeon crawling areas.
- Seamless transitions between levels, so you can backtrack to find secrets and restore health.
- Arena-based ends for each minilevel, and monster closets disguised as teleport/architecture ambushes.
- Each minimap features a boss fight of sort.

A lot of detail was put into details (furniture, decorations) but a bare minimum of custom resources are used (only trees and one banner). Most of the stuff is vanilla doom, shaped to look good.

[imgur]https://i.imgur.com/2D0Lf3e[/imgur]

This is my first short episode/map (well, 3 maps, connected as a hub).
But I've just started mapping/modding very recently, just a week ago (look at my profile, joined Thu Oct 08, 2020).
So this is my first project.

Recommended mods
- I've designed the map with Brutal Doom + Ultra Violence in mind. If you play something easier, you may find it somewhat simple.
- Alternatively, it's a nice feeling to run the Gothic Weapon + Monster packs, since they add to the feel. Originally the map is inspired by Diablo 1, so it should work well:
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=69090

Why do I post here?

I would like to receive as much feedback as possible, and I will take into account when I expand the episode.
I think I enjoy doom mapping a lot, so it may be my next long running hobby.

To start playing, download PK3, put it in GZDoom, and start a new game, episode "Devil's Hellfire".
Load it along Brutal Doom for the intended experience.

The maps are small, thematic, and follow each other. You start outside and go into dungeon crawling.
Each map has only one secret and a bunch of monster closets which I tried to make as cool-looking as possible.

Preview:
The video on youtube is of older version. The current version features smooth transition between levels, and you can return to kill remaining monsters/pickup items.

If you want to check if it's worth your time, I have a video on Youtube, but if you watch it all, you will spoil yourself the traps and secrets, so I would appreciate it if you could play it spoiler-free and tell me which feelings have you got.

2-map alpha (older version) with Gothic skin pack:


Full playthrough with brutal doom:


Screenshots:

Link for multiple screenshots:
https://imgur.com/a/DwpL48W

Download:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/blg0hl8wi ... 1.pk3/file

[Deon]

Version 1.1 is out.

I have discovered how to make hubs, so now you can seamlessly transition between levels and backtrack to pickup ammo/health. I am trying to be not too frivolous with health, so it may be useful.
Because of seamless transitions, my stupid intermission texts are gone, and the intro bus level too. It's for the best.

[CBM]

I really like this... there are many good things and a few bad

+
* the houses... oh my god... the houses are very nicely done .. I got inspired by them
* great use of dynamic lights

-
* misaligned textures mainly around the windows
* weird texture selection around windows
* the sludge is not swimable

[Deon]

Yeah, I will pay better attention to textures. I was using HD textures when initially making the map, and when I switched to basic textures I found out why it was a bad idea.
I am slowly working on a big town/castle map and I try to remember some of my mistakes.

> the sludge is not swimable
Which specific one? In the river it is, if you use the latest GZdoom at least.

One thing I noticed: some monster replacer mods (like Doom EXP) do a dirty enemy replacement and dont inherit monster scripts, so they can break level fight sequences. I will design to work around this problem.
Also I will never make sector furniture again. It's just so much time for little gameplay value. I will work on voxel furniture instead, it's more rewarding and can be reused .

[Ferretmanjcdenton]

So ..I played through the first map and started the second ..it looks awesome but what bugs me a lot is ..also these maps are small (at least the first one ) it lags UNBELIEVABLE ...
I get 12-15fps with my Snapdragon 855 phone when using lzdoom and gles 3 ..in gzdoom 3.8 and gles 2 I get 20-24 fps ...
Why ? There aren't hundreds of monsters and also only a few houses .what's the cause of this lag ? Any idea .
In perspective ,my phone's handle MMDCXIV and HURT perfectly fine ...

[Ferretmanjcdenton]

Oh ..I just see ...that's a hub map ? Means it loads all maps directly?
Ok ..that's the problem I guess ..

[Deon]

Hello!

Thank you for telling me. I am playing on PC and didn't notice any problem. I had no idea there's a problem with this on the phone, but it makes sense.
Next time I develop a map, I will keep it in mind! Somehow I forgot DOOM now runs on everything . I really appreciate the information!

[CBM]

People can not expect a modern GZDoom map to run on Everything from their moms toaster to the Space station

Better Visuals requires better hardware... Thats just how it is

You Risk destroying your map for no real benefit but to allow a feW potato rigs to run a torn shadow of the map you really wanted to make

[Deon]

I don't see it as a "risk", it's just a decision you need to make as a mapper: do you want your map to be compatible or of specific complexity.

I am just glad that I was reminded that there are phones too, so I can keep it in mind if I have to.

[Ferretmanjcdenton]

People can not expect a modern GZDoom map to run on Everything from their moms toaster to the Space station

Better Visuals requires better hardware... Thats just how it is

You Risk destroying your map for no real benefit but to allow a feW potato rigs to run a torn shadow of the map you really wanted to make

That's the most stupid thing I heard today ..
I don't talk about a toaster ..I talk about the literally FASTEST mobile soc in existence ...(Snapdragon 865+) also ..since today the Kirin 9000 seems a little bit faster ..

And since mods like total chaos run perfectly fine (not the retro edition but the big PC one) I can really say you don't need to cut anything out .
It all comes together how well optimized something is ...
And I believe the way of using 3d slopes or something like that can also make a real difference .
But saying that nobody should care for the mobile community only cause you where blinded by such awful stuff like shadowlegends or any other crappy pay to win crap and think that mobile games are ONLY cashgrabs is just wrong and really offending .
Mobile ports are something ABSOLUTELY AMAZING ...
And with Delta touch as an example you have nowadays 9 different classic doom sourceports in ONE program with extremely high customization options and even a extremely well working doom 3 port at your hands .(doom 3 works with 100+FPS in ultra and FHD on Android if you have a good phone ...)

And actually ...Delta touch and doom on mobile is nowadays a REALLY big community . I talk about 1+million players ...that' are your "FEW" ones ...

[Ferretmanjcdenton]

I don't see it as a "risk", it's just a decision you need to make as a mapper: do you want your map to be compatible or of specific complexity.

I am just glad that I was reminded that there are phones too, so I can keep it in mind if I have to.

Thanks a lot ..I appreciate it ..I'll upload a video in a bit of your awesome mod ...I'll post it here

[Deon]

Heyy guys, let's not throw insults like "stupid" at each other, we are a rare breed of gamers who enjoy DOOM . As long as we have fun it's all that matters. Peace!

[Rex705]

Ok so I had a go at this last night and it was fun. The hub feature is a cool idea and could be used to make some interesting maps, but I didn't really need it here. Everything played nicely, looked great, and kept the theme going. The only thing I noticed was on the 3rd map when going for the button with the imps. If you walk into where they came out of it looks like it's open but you hit an invisible wall and some missing textures. I liked the theme and the level designs so it would be cool to see more of this.

My video


Playlist all 3 maps - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... PAkwL-p0KA

[Deon]

Hey Rex. I've noticed missing texture in those alcoves recently.

Right now I am working on my second map, and I agree that HUB is not always needed, but it was intersting to me at a time.

Thank you for playing, I will watch the video now.

[eharper256]

Played with Walpurgis, and its pretty neat as a psuedo-fantasy level with lots of Doomcute. Reminds me a cross between the start of REKKR and start of DUSK.

I felt the rather technical looking sewer area felt a bit out of place compared the rest of asthetic, but its nice enough overall.

Was also going to report the HoM's in the spawn area for the imps but I see that's already been found.