MeaCulpa map 07 Version 4. Compatibility issues fixed.

[Machalite]

Actually, it is possible to get on the crate from the second floor. You run faster when you move forward and strafe at the same time, so when I successfully made it across (barely, I might add) it didn't occur to me that it wasn't intended. That strafe-running thing is just second nature for me by now.

On a related note, you can remotely activate ACS scripts from the console. It's the "puke" command.

http://zdoom.org/wiki/CCMDs:Debug#Testing

[Kyka]

Heh. Believe me, I am very familiar with strafe running. I can remember back in the early days of Doom deathmatching when I "discovered" strafe running before all my friends did, and boy for those few weeks, did I have a big advantage.

You sir, are once again, absolutely correct about being able to get those helmets on top of that crate without cheating. When I actually went back and checked (funny what happens whey you actually check things rather than just assume they are ok,) I discovered you could get across to those helmets without any cheating at all, just a little applied strafe running from that upper level.

Ooops.

So in version 3 I have moved them to another place, so there is now definitely no way to get them without cheating. For sure this time!

So thanks for pointing this out, and thanks also for the puke command. I have learned something today. Well actually several things.

[Gez]

Yay, it is now playable!

I got a bit lost at the beginning, but eventually I found the sequence to follow to unlock the level beyond the starting room.

@Gez.

Yeah, I know there are a couple of decorate issues. (Ammo slugs are not defined, and 'puff' is not defined.) But seeing as i know nothing about decorate, they will have to wait until either a) someone offers to do some decorate work or b) I get around to learning some decorate myself. And if the rate at which I have learned ACS is anything to go by, that will be a slow process. Is this what you were referring to, or other scripting things that I am not aware of?

There are DECORATE warnings, but also GLDEFS warnings which is why I recommend using GZDoom to check the script files, even if you don't play the levels with it.

Speaking of playing the level with GZDoom, there's (at least*) one part which doesn't look as intended, presumably, in the OpenGL renderer:

[Machalite]

Finally finished it after spending an hour looking for all of the secrets...

For what it's worth, I think it's an excellent level. It wasn't too difficult on HMP (the old version). The fights were balanced enough to be enjoyable, and not tedious. The only encounter that gave me any trouble was when the machine is charging up. I had no idea what showed up at the one minute mark, because other than Doomguy commenting on it, I couldn't see or hear it. Other than that, the fight was epic without making me quicksave just to get through it.

No, I'm not at all disappointed that you're expanding on the scope of your project. I thought your levels succeeded by being different (atmospheric, crazy set-pieces, level continuity), providing a unique experience paired with solid Doom gameplay. But, I thought you deserved commendation for your mapping in particular. You used textures and geometry in ways I've never seen before to create ludicrously detailed, realistic maps. I don't think that it matters what you use to achieve the same effect. Improving what you already had in mind sounds great, though.

[Kyka]

Yay, it is now playable!

I got a bit lost at the beginning, but eventually I found the sequence to follow to unlock the level beyond the starting room.

There are DECORATE warnings, but also GLDEFS warnings which is why I recommend using GZDoom to check the script files, even if you don't play the levels with it.

Speaking of playing the level with GZDoom, there's (at least*) one part which doesn't look as intended, presumably, in the OpenGL renderer:

Thanks Gez for giving this level another play after the terrible framerates of V1.

I checked the load txt and indeed there are a few gldefs errors as well as the Decorate errors. Good to know. And oddly enough, I think I can fix the GLDEF errors, unlike the Decorate ones. Which is odd coz I know even less about GLDefs than I know about Decorate. But the GLdefs just require removal of some sections, which even I can manage. Whereas the Decorate errors would require me to remove sections. And replace them with something else. Which is where the challenge would come in.

And that screenie you posted, yeah, it could probably have been done better, especially with GZDoom and its 3d floors and things. Or probably even ZDooms bridge things. But in truth, that screenie you posted is pretty much how it should look as I originally did it. Just raised sectors. The textures themselves are 256 high, and the top 64 pixels are the crate, the lower 192 pixels are a texture that fades to black, kind of creating a 'shadow' under the crates.

What were your thoughts on that section?

Finally finished it after spending an hour looking for all of the secrets...

For what it's worth, I think it's an excellent level. It wasn't too difficult on HMP (the old version). The fights were balanced enough to be enjoyable, and not tedious. The only encounter that gave me any trouble was when the machine is charging up. I had no idea what showed up at the one minute mark, because other than Doomguy commenting on it, I couldn't see or hear it. Other than that, the fight was epic without making me quicksave just to get through it.

No, I'm not at all disappointed that you're expanding on the scope of your project. I thought your levels succeeded by being different (atmospheric, crazy set-pieces, level continuity), providing a unique experience paired with solid Doom gameplay. But, I thought you deserved commendation for your mapping in particular. You used textures and geometry in ways I've never seen before to create ludicrously detailed, realistic maps. I don't think that it matters what you use to achieve the same effect. Improving what you already had in mind sounds great, though.

Putting that big boss (the one you banish in the big red star section) in the final fight in the last minute of the crate's timer was a tough call. I know from lots of playtesting that generally one of two things will usually happen. Either you don't see that boss at all, and it just dies along with everything else at the end of the countdown, (as happened to you) or you see it for about a second before you are dead. It was a risk putting it in, because it is just so lethal. It is even in there on the easiest diff setting. I might go into its decorate and make it less lethal. I just put that text warning up so the player would at least have some idea that there was something really deadly in the room with them, a little heads-up, even if they don't see the boss itself.

Don't know if this worked well, but hopefully the player treads a little more carefully during the last minute as a result of that warning.

And I really appreciate your comments. I know these levels are too overdetailed for some, and that is fine, but it is still nice to know that there are people out there who enjoy levels like this. Much appreciated.

[Kyka]

(Minor Bump)

Fourth (and hopefully final) version released. View first post for details.

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Much appreciated.