[Vanilla Doom] Atonement (32-Level Megawad for Doom II)

[MysteriousMoustachio]

Atonement is an upcoming five-episode, 32-level mapset which will lead the player through a multitude of maps strung together with loose story elements and a strong sense of progression. Each level in this megawad will be created solely by me though I will graciously accept input from anyone who would like to test the maps for me. The wad will aim to be vanilla-compatible. It will use the Community Chest 4 texture pack as well. Finally, I would like to have a full 32-song OST with perhaps additional original themes for the title and intermission screens; I'm aiming to get this portion started as soon as possible, so, please, send me a message if you're interested.

-=FIRST EPISODE TEASER COMING OUT SOON!=-

EPISODIC STRUCTURE
I'm planning on implementing a "five-episode" structure in which I switch the level theme every intermission screen (minus the one before MAP32). It looks a little something like this:

PROGRESS: (1/32)

EPISODE ONE: MARS
MAP01: NOT YET STARTED
MAP02: NOT YET STARTED
MAP03: NOT YET STARTED
MAP04: NOT YET STARTED
MAP05: HYDROEXTRACTION ZONE
MAP06: NOT YET STARTED

EPISODE TWO: EARTH
MAP07: NOT YET STARTED
MAP08: NOT YET STARTED
MAP09: NOT YET STARTED
MAP10: NOT YET STARTED
MAP11: NOT YET STARTED

EPISODE THREE: CAPITAL
MAP12: NOT YET STARTED
MAP13: NOT YET STARTED
MAP14: NOT YET STARTED
MAP15: NOT YET STARTED

EPISODE FOUR: WAR
MAP31: NOT YET STARTED
[MAP32: SECRET LEVEL -- NOT YET STARTED]
MAP16: NOT YET STARTED
MAP17: NOT YET STARTED
MAP18: NOT YET STARTED
MAP19: NOT YET STARTED
MAP20: NOT YET STARTED

EPISODE FIVE: HELL
MAP21: NOT YET STARTED
MAP22: NOT YET STARTED
MAP23: NOT YET STARTED
MAP24: NOT YET STARTED
MAP25: NOT YET STARTED
MAP26: NOT YET STARTED
MAP27: NOT YET STARTED
MAP28: NOT YET STARTED
MAP29: NOT YET STARTED
MAP30: NOT YET STARTED

I believe the shorter lengths and larger number of episodes will help the wad be more interesting and varied both visually and gameplay-wise. And while I say that there will be 32 maps in the title, all the details are really up in the air. What I can guarantee, though, is that the final wad will be my most polished and gameplay-oriented set of maps to date. More screenshots and info coming at a later time.

Screenshots (taken in GZDoom w/ various slight visual mods):




If you would like to help with the production of this wad by either testing maps or composing original music, please, send me a message and let me know. I'm extending this invitation to anyone reading this right now.

[Hellser]

Interesting. You're using Map31 as an extra map for the episode. I like the concept and the pictures so far are really interesting. Do continue!

[MysteriousMoustachio]

Thank you! I'm glad you like the screenshots. The MAP31 thing was something I borrowed from Hacx (admittedly one if its more interesting ideas), but that wad didn't have the secret MAP32 as well.

[joe-ilya]

To be honest, I'm not very keen about this megawad project right now, it's got very little to it [1 or 2 maps out of 32, judging by the amount of different screenshots (that third one doesn't count since it's the same as the first one)] and the very little it has doesn't seem so promising anyways, just a couple of flat screenshots that don't seem charming in any way, but eh, maybe I just haven't seen enough.

[MysteriousMoustachio]

Oh shit that was linked wrong. There's a six-map episode coming out soon. I have 6/32 maps done. Thanks for your input however.

And for anyone interested, here's the 4 map demo that I originally released on Doomworld.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/5cadn1eu2 ... apprev.zip

DEMO MAP LIST
MAP01: TRAM STATION
MAP02: PUTRID CHEMICALS
MAP03: HYDROEXTRACTION ZONE
MAP04: EARTH ARRIVAL

[joe-ilya]

I've just played through the maps you've given so far, and it turned out to be better than was represented in the screenshots, but it still wasn't quite there, it was tedious at times.

MAP01 should have an SSG and/or a plasma gun because of the hefty amount of revenants and cacos that are incredibly boring to shoot with the chaingun|shotgun|berserk by the dozens.
MAP02 should have a rocket launcher and more barrels placed around, because of the many huge groups of monsters in big spaces that could be a lot more fun to kill with tactically placed barrels and rockets, instead of just slowly slogging through with the hitscan weapons.
MAP03 is perfect.
MAP04 needs invisibilities in heavy hitscanner areas and to have an SSG at the start, since rockets are scarce, or vice versa, you could put more rockets in the map but keep the SSG where it is, or keep it the same but put a plasma gun somewhere with ammo. You can also get stuck between some of the cracked rocks in the nukage and take the yellow card without pushing the misaligned switch by simply jumping from the stairs.

The maps aren't as gameplay-oriented as you claim they are, they're entirely set in flat corridors and flat big rooms with only a few stairs, cover and not much else and the monster placement feels samey, same with the gameplay, it's the same plain run n' hide n' gun gameplay, not many interactive heights, no ammo scarcity, no puzzles, no special effects, no weapon management and no other gimmicks. It always starts with finding a weapon, some armor and then running around in the simple areas while searching for keys, and the exit, I have nothing against that, it's the classic 90's Doom map formula which I myself put in my maps most of the time, but if I'd make a megawad and call it gameplay-oriented, I'd make sure that the gameplay is varied and not formulaic because I think gameplay-orientation loses its value when it's the same throughout 32 maps or even just 3 (MAP03 was much more varied in gameplay than the rest so I don't count it).