[RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

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Fishytza
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[RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by Fishytza »

Image Image

Image Image

Image Image

I made this map several months ago for a closed group project that recently was abandoned. And I decided to release it standalone rather than let it go to waste.

What makes this one special is, well, it's hard to describe without spoiling it since it's pretty much this map's main gimmick, which will become apparent soon enough. :P

It's a single-player centric map, no coop, no deathmatch starts. Skill levels are supported; Nightmare has its own monsters/items different from UV rather than hyper-aggressive, respawning monsters.

It is on the more difficult side of things (including navigation :P) especially on Nightmare, which is still military-grade bullshit by design. (It's not slaughtermap-esque difficult, though.)

There is no story to this map, just a little something I want to share with the world.
Any feedback and criticism are appreciated. Have fun!

I recommend you use GZDoom 3.4.0 (or any later official release).

DOWNLOAD
Dropbox link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zx60hfqa7b6f1 ... n.pk3?dl=1
Idgames link: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/level ... r/quirkdom
Spoiler: Credits
EDIT: Added more detail in 'credits' spoiler.


EDIT #2:
Spoiler: December 18th, 2018 update
Last edited by Fishytza on Tue Dec 18, 2018 7:23 am, edited 6 times in total.
AvzinElkein
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain

Post by AvzinElkein »

Is it a DOOM map, a Heretic map, or a Hexen map?
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SiFi270
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain

Post by SiFi270 »

Judging by the pickups in the first and third screenshots, I'd say it's meant for Doom.
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Fishytza
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain

Post by Fishytza »

It's a Doom 2 map.
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ReX
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain

Post by ReX »

FishyClockwork wrote:.... it's hard to describe without spoiling it since it's pretty much this map's main gimmick, which will become apparent soon enough.
Aptly named. Quirky, logic-defying, disorienting. But, for me at least, all in a good way.

So far, except for the initial fight (during which I used monster infighting to good effect), the battles have not been difficult on HMP skill. But the stars of the show have to be the special effects that you've used. Congratulations, and I'll post the rest of my thoughts once I complete the map.
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain

Post by ReX »

ReX wrote:... I'll post the rest of my thoughts once I complete the map.
Pros:
1. Quite immersive, especially once I got accustomed to the initial disorientation.
2. Clever tricks throughout.
3. Some decent fights.
4. Good level design.
5. More-or-less intuitive map progression (although, I was often using the auto-map because of the dozens of portals you've used to connect disparate parts of the map & to play mind games).

Cons:
1. I did not find the super-shotgun, if one actually is present in the map. Without it, some of the fights became somewhat tedious.
2. There is a lot of energy cell ammo, but without the plasma rifle (or BFG, if one is present), all that ammo was useless to me. However, I could not get the plasma rifle, which is clearly visible, but probably inaccessible unless I was able to find a relevant secret. Again, this made some of the fights tedious.
3. I could not find a backpack, if one is actually present in the map. At HMP skill it was not so much of an issue, and I didn't really require to backtrack too much for ammo. But at higher skill levels I imagine this could be an issue.
4. The jumping exercise near the yellow key was very frustrating (even though the execution of the tricks was clever). After I had plunged to my virtual death for the fortieth time, I almost gave up. And then to find that I have to do the same thing in reverse was just too much to bear.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this game for players interested in the outré.
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Fishytza
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by Fishytza »

ReX wrote:However, I could not get the plasma rifle, which is clearly visible, but probably inaccessible unless I was able to find a relevant secret.
So you're telling me you got as far as the yellow key area and missed the plasma gun entirely. I wasn't expecting that tbh since getting it doesn't count as a secret, but I might change that. I'm also gonna try to do something about the platforming. (Yes, that section's meant to be difficult.)

As for the rest, yes there is a SSG (on HMP and lower) and a backpack, but those are actual secrets.
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ReX
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by ReX »

I have a saved game at the yellow key, so let me go back and see what I missed.

The thing is, there’s so much cell ammo available well before getting to the yellow key, I just assumed the plasma rifle was meant to be picked up earlier. And after the yellow key I was able to manage just fine with the boxes of rockets, that I didn’t think of looking for the plasma rifle.
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Fishytza
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by Fishytza »

Okay, so, did a minor update.

Unlike the rest of the map, when you reach the yellow key area you will have greater air control. This should make the platforming easier. But this is as far as I will go.

There's an extra plasma gun now which is hard to miss (except on Nightmare; there's only the one plasma gun for Nightmare.)

I've also put another backpack in another secret.

DOWNLOAD: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zx60hfqa7b6f1 ... n.pk3?dl=1
(Updated link in OP as well.)
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ReX
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by ReX »

ReX wrote:I have a saved game at the yellow key, so let me go back and see what I missed.
I went back and played around, and finally figured out how to pick up the plasma rifle. [Very clever, I will admit.] Also, if the player discovers how to pick it up, the weapon becomes available fairly early in the game. In which case, the cell ammo strewn throughout the map becomes very useful.

My original comment still stands, however. Even though the area with the plasma rifle is not marked as a secret, most people would count it as one. So, if a player can't discover how to pick the plasma rifle up, all that ammo is useless.
FishyClockwork wrote:.... when you reach the yellow key area you will have greater air control. This should make the platforming easier.
Ha, ha, yes! This will make the area much easier to navigate.

I have another comment, but this is a general one pertaining to GZDooM & portals. When the player is exactly at the threshold/edge of a portal, and the player is properly angled, a part of the screen can go dark until the player moves or changes angle. This severely detracts from the otherwise seamless nature of the map. (If you walk through quickly, the effect is momentary. Otherwise, it's very obvious.) Perhaps I need to adjust my GZDooM configurations?
Prior to entering portal
Prior to entering portal
Portal_Fine.png (133.01 KiB) Viewed 8132 times
While standing at the portal's border
While standing at the portal's border
Portal_Dark.png (68.88 KiB) Viewed 8132 times
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Fishytza
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by Fishytza »

Can't really do much about the portal issue, tbh.
I think I should state (if I haven't already) that this whole map was one huge experiment that's been made playable. With previous versions having managed to completely lock up the engine. >_>
I really don't want to tinker with this map's portals any more than I already have. I'm sorry.
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Fishytza
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by Fishytza »

Another update.

The early plasma gun now counts as a secret but only on UV and lower.
Added a few more items here and there.

DOWNLOAD: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zx60hfqa7b6f1 ... n.pk3?dl=1
(Updated link in OP as well.)
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by Whoah »

Just finished this map, and god damn was that cool! Reminds me a lot of Impossible: A New Reality. I'm a sucker for this kind of level design. Well done, my dude
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Fishytza
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by Fishytza »

A quick fix for GZDoom 3.4.0
The map used to compensate for a bug that's been fixed engine-side in 3.4.0
fixed - sector sounds were not translated through static portals properly
That compensation has been removed since leaving it in would result in certain sector sounds (mostly doors) being heard twice.

(As a side note: I've also updated the ZScript version number, meaning you can't run this map on anything earlier than GZDoom 3.4.0)
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ReformedJoe
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Re: [RELEASED] The Quirky Domain - (A Doom 2 map)

Post by ReformedJoe »

That was a lot of fun. Quite a few neat bits of geometry, I particularly liked the pyramid.

Honestly though, I just flew past the yellow key platforming section. I refuse to put up with nonsense like that even with improved air control.

The rest is excellent in my books.
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