[HUGE UPDATE!] Doom II: Purgatory (v1.3)

[SouthernLion]

Updated post with official Zandronum/BSE server. (Cooperative / Ultra-Violence.)

-(REMOVED)-

[SouthernLion]

Update just uploaded. Fixed a lot of bugs and a few balance issues players have told me about.

[SouthernLion]

Have a BE server up again for easy play/download now that the bugs we found are fixed (as well as some balance changes). It's 4-player cooperative in Ultra-Violence.

[SouthernLion]

WTF no wonder no one joined, sever just randomly gets deleted??? Fixed it though.

[SouthernLion]

Still no feedback on here. :/

All of my feedback has been from friends, or from reading the server log (from **LINK_DISABLED**.org:15145).

[Mav3rick]

hey i played and i have to say..

1.. if you try to get a some feeling like doom64 is not working
2.. the levels are big but it feels like a open space with nothing, the levels need more things and stuff you know?
3.. the new weapons feels way to slow and really that shotgun for unknow reason dont fit at all
4.. will be better if you add a weapon pack and even new enemies to vary
5.. if really need plz change the music choise, the actual is no creepy, is not fast is very boring since the maps are no scary or dark

hope this help on the proyect with HUGE improvements

[SouthernLion]

hey i played and i have to say..

1.. if you try to get a some feeling like doom64 is not working
2.. the levels are big but it feels like a open space with nothing, the levels need more things and stuff you know?
3.. the new weapons feels way to slow and really that shotgun for unknow reason dont fit at all
4.. will be better if you add a weapon pack and even new enemies to vary
5.. if really need plz change the music choise, the actual is no creepy, is not fast is very boring since the maps are no scary or dark

hope this help on the proyect with HUGE improvements

I appreciate your input.. here's a few of my counter-thoughts:

1. - Although I didn't use Doom 64's actual engine or textures etc, I was merely inspired by their level design (the abstract puzzles. This mainly comes in to play with the secret level, and the secret area for The Unmaker. Oh, and MAP07.)

2. - That is some feedback I have gotten the most. Although I've gone through a few balance shifts with most of the testing during development, I do agree that a few of the areas feel dead (especially after you kill all the monsters.) I don't think I'll be dealing with open environments as much, in the future.

3. - This was also tweaked a bit, and it does a pretty high amount of damage versus the weapon cooldown. I'm fairly happy with its implementation, although you're right it's not perfect.

---

The Unmaker's purpose is to kill the final boss. It has 3 "bullets" in the entire game, and 3 exactly kills the last boss. Using it for anything else is a waste, kind of like the Chronoceptor in Turok 1.

4. - I'm not interested in just dumping things created by other people. I think that's amateurish and lazy at best. Yes, I used some resources around the internet, but it was because I had something in mind... not just adding random "recolors" or what have you. I'm not at all interested in adding random guns from Realm 667. In fact, the end boss, and both new guns have been completely altered from their original form. My next project I am thinking about some new monsters or so. The thing is, this isn't a "mod" it's just a level set. It almost didn't even have the new guns in it, but I thought I would make it more interesting that way. I'm more interested in balance then in new things.

5. - Not a chance. I love the PSX/Doom 64 music, and I spent months and months handpicking songs for each level. I've gotten lots of positive feedback on the music choice (although I can see what you mean that since it doesn't exactly match Doom 64's ambiance, the songs may seem slightly out of place.) I think the music works best in MAP07 and MAP09, less so in the space levels.


I appreciate the feedback, it will definitely be something I consider in the future as a mapper.

[kraflab]

I suspect you haven't gotten much feedback because, frankly, this mapset is rather lacking in the quality department. I blind raced this with some other guys a couple months back and you can read the direct comments people left afterwards here: http://speedrunslive.com/races/result/#!/86221

I have to concur with the Mav3rick's comments. The levels are big and empty and the "puzzles" are just random switch hunts if I remember correctly - i.e. they aren't puzzles at all but rather time sinks. This mapset fails to capture the atmosphere, gameplay, and level design that doom64 had, which was my main disappointment after I read how it was inspired by doom64. I also agree the new weapons were pretty useless. I think this is a situation where you missed the point on why doom64 or doom in general is fun. The maps aren't completely without substance but the organization is just flawed.

I'm not trying to be mean here, I'm just being blunt because I think you have the capacity to make quality maps (a couple were decent), you just need to rethink the design.

[SouthernLion]

Interesting. I've gotten really positive and really negative feedback throughout this journey; it's almost polarizing. The most prevalent note was the large empty rooms, which I think I will be avoiding in the future.

[Mav3rick]

i guess the only thing that will be needed is the update of the level with more details to make the emptiness gone and more enemies on some places

[SouthernLion]

i guess the only thing that will be needed is the update of the level with more details to make the emptiness gone and more enemies on some places

As I fix the bugs (most of which are fixed for v1.1), I am going to explore a few of the big empty areas in an attempt to capture the players interest a bit.

[SouthernLion]

Wondering if anyone else tried all 9 levels and has feedback? I'm going to soon re-visit this project and adjust a few things for a possibly final update. I feel most of the bugs are fixed (I tried to break the hell out of my levels as I built them.)

[cortlong50]

So I've given this a play and I definitely love the lay outs and the gameplay (which are the hard parts in my opinion) but honestly....the maps look bland. Especially with the after market textures...it makes things look bland. Not eying to be rude but if you go through the levels again spice up the detail. Nothing crazy just kind of add some detail so it's not so one dimensional. But the layouts are sick as fuck and you definitely nailed the gameplay.
But seriously. Just make em look a little more fitting for the textures and you'll be in business.

[SouthernLion]

So I've given this a play and I definitely love the lay outs and the gameplay (which are the hard parts in my opinion) but honestly....the maps look bland. Especially with the after market textures...it makes things look bland. Not eying to be rude but if you go through the levels again spice up the detail. Nothing crazy just kind of add some detail so it's not so one dimensional. But the layouts are sick as fuck and you definitely nailed the gameplay.
But seriously. Just make em look a little more fitting for the textures and you'll be in business.

I appreciate the feedback. I'll look into that as I work towards the hopefully final build.

[Average]

I pretty much agree with the general consensus here. A little more detail and it'll be great.