Dominus Diabolus - Episode 1 released (updated 5/18)

[JohnnyTheWolf]

That is how you get the Soulsphere, completely intended.

Hmmm... weirdly enough, on a second playthrough, I cannot get it anymore by hugging the wall. I guess the first time was an accident.

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However, I was able to reach it by shimmying across the ledge: that is when the Soulsphere emerged from the tube-shaped hole.

EDIT #1: In MAP04,

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the secret room that is revealed by shooting at a hanged corpse wall texture seems to count for two secrets. I am not sure what caused the second secret to register, though: I was noclipping my way around and I have to wonder if it is getting the shell box or hugging the the far-right corner of the room.

EDIT #2: In MAP05, three Hell Knights waiting in the third hidden row at the bottom of the map seem unable to teleport in, even after having been activated.

In any case, the music is pretty good, even if it does not always fit the mood of the map - which to be fair is something vanilla Doom is equally as guilty, so that is not really a criticism.

You seem to be quite talented as a composer!

[Bofubutt]

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However, I was able to reach it by shimmying across the ledge: that is when the Soulsphere emerged from the tube-shaped hole.

Ah, my apologies - that's how you're intended to get it. I misread your original message. I might change it up to make it more visible and prevent accidental cheese/not triggering the secret. I'm willing to bet it was one of those speedrunner "grab items through walls" things that only works when you're going a certain speed and direction.

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the secret room that is revealed by shooting at a hanged corpse wall texture seems to count for two secrets. I am not sure what caused the second secret to register, though: I was noclipping my way around and I have to wonder if it is getting the shell box or hugging the the far-right corner of the room.

Fixed for the next release, thank you!

EDIT #2: In MAP05, three Hell Knights waiting in the third hidden row at the bottom of the map seem unable to teleport in, even after having been activated.

Can't recreate this one. Which port/complevel are you using? That might help me figure out what's going on.

Never mind, figured it out. Teleport destination was misplaced in the version of the wad in the archive.

In any case, the music is pretty good, even if it does not always fit the mood of the map - which to be fair is something vanilla Doom is equally as guilty, so that is not really a criticism.

You seem to be quite talented as a composer!

Thanks for the feedback! My approach to the music was definitely similar to how the tracks were made in the original Doom - everything, in fact, is meant to be a bit reminiscent of the original experience, including having a variety of music that doesn't necessarily intend to reflect the map being played but just accompany the action (but some tracks do - see MAP04)

EDIT: I've updated the download to have fixes for the double secret in MAP04 and the Hell Knight not spawning in MAP05.

[JohnnyTheWolf]

Oh yeah, when I first heard MAP03's track, I thought it was Lee Jackson's "Going Down The Fast Way"!

Anyway, I made it to MAP07. So far, it is pretty good: harder than Doom II, but much easier than Plutonia.

My least favourite map for the time being would be MAP02: I do not really care much for attempts to create Duke Nukem 3D-style levels using vanilla Doom assets, but much like with the music, there are much-beloved official and semi-official mapsets (e.g. TNT Evilution, Perdition's Gate, Hell To Pay) that did just that, so I guess it is more of a matter of taste.

Keep up the good work!

[Bofubutt]

Oh yeah, when I first heard MAP03's track, I thought it was Lee Jackson's "Going Down The Fast Way"!

Anyway, I made it to MAP07. So far, it is pretty good: harder than Doom II, but much easier than Plutonia.

My least favourite map for the time being would be MAP02: I do not really care much for attempts to create Duke Nukem 3D-style levels using vanilla Doom assets, but much like with the music, there are much-beloved official and semi-official mapsets (e.g. TNT Evilution, Perdition's Gate, Hell To Pay) that did just that, so I guess it is more of a matter of taste.

Keep up the good work!

Thanks. MAP02 is probably the most "Doomcute" level out of any of them and has a layout that popped into my head, but then struck me as ideal for an office-type building. I liked the idea of multiple entrances and exits to the building for deathmatch purposes, and it all stuck. Levels like that won't be the norm, especially since MAP11 (which I've started working on) is the last map of the "Earth" episode and is literally called "Go To Hell," so there's not much room for those types of levels going forward!

[JohnnyTheWolf]

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How do I get the blue keycard in MAP08?

[Bofubutt]

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How do I get the blue keycard in MAP08?

You don't need it to beat the level, but there are a few clues around the level. If you do some switch hunting, you may find it.

Hint 1:

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Have you noticed a door anywhere that doesn't open when you try to open it, perhaps in the red key area? There's a switch somewhere that should open it, and it's not too far from there, though it's not in the same room. There's a secret that has similar texture work to the area where the door is found.

Hint 2:

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Finding the secret requires you to lower the blue bars in the western part of the H-shaped corridor, but in order to do that, you'll first need to find a secret. In the room where you fight the zombiemen and Hell Knight to access the yellow keycard, look for a hidden switch - it might be pointed out on your automap. This will take you through a detailed secret area. If you've already lowered the bars and still can't find the switch, read on.

Solution:

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The grey room with the Baron of Hell, some chaingunners, and some Imps where you press the switch to lower the Megasphere platform has a hidden switch against the inside of one of the pillars. Opening it will open a monster closet with a switch on it, and that switch is near a blue light similar to the blue light on the locked door in the red keycard area where the first two Archviles appeared. Flipping the switch opens the door and reveals the blue keycard, which allows you to get the BFG9000 secret.

[JohnnyTheWolf]

Got it, thanks! Boy, you sure love those thin switches.

[Bofubutt]

Got it, thanks! Boy, you sure love those thin switches.

Only ever for secrets, I promise!

[JohnnyTheWolf]

Given how you keep ramping up the monster count with every map, I am afraid MAP29 might end up breaking Doom!

Anyway, MAP09's teleporter puzzle strikes me as deeply unfair: I do not mind trial and error if the penalty is not too harsh, but here, if you pick the wrong teleporter, you instantly die.

[Bofubutt]

Given how you keep ramping up the monster count with every map, I am afraid MAP29 might end up breaking Doom!

Anyway, MAP09's teleporter puzzle strikes me as deeply unfair: I do not mind trial and error if the penalty is not too harsh, but here, if you pick the wrong teleporter, you instantly die.

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Playtesters were split on this one until one of them pointed out that the hallway leading into that area tells you the exact order of the torches.

[JohnnyTheWolf]

I see. Still not a fan of that kind of trap, especially in an early non-secret level.

[Bofubutt]

I see. Still not a fan of that kind of trap, especially in an early non-secret level.

I had originally made the trap teleport the player to the very first room, but the three or so playtesters I had thought that was too frustrating because they couldn't tell that they were being returned to the start of the sequence.

I might make the puzzle a little more obvious in the future by putting some player corpses in front of the doors that lead to death in the first two chambers and always giving the player the option to backtrack, but I really don't see myself changing it to a different type of puzzle (or relying too heavily on that sort of puzzle in the future). I might remove the death penalty and simply teleport the player out to the front, but I'd need more input on that first. It's a much tamer version of the puzzle in MAP30 of TNT.

[JohnnyTheWolf]

Then again, the teleporter puzzle in TNT's MAP30 is really easy to figure out, as you only need to look at the automap and notice the pattern with the teleporter lines.

In any case, marine corpses as a warning sign would be an intuitive solution. On my way to the puzzle, I did not notice the clues and I am not used to stopping and taking notes while playing Doom.

EDIT: I have beaten Tunnel Vision, where I was able to accidentally grab the secret BFG by running into the bars. That minor issue aside, it was pretty good and I am looking forward to the rest!

[Bofubutt]

Then again, the teleporter puzzle in TNT's MAP30 is really easy to figure out, as you only need to look at the automap and notice the pattern with the teleporter lines.

In any case, marine corpses as a warning sign would be an intuitive solution. On my way to the puzzle, I did not notice the clues and I am not used to stopping and taking notes while playing Doom.

Marine corpses added! I'm still on the fence about changing the teleporter from a instagib to a soft reset of the puzzle. Feels less punishing, but still very trial-and-error-y.

EDIT: I have beaten Tunnel Vision, where I was able to accidentally grab the secret BFG by running into the bars. That minor issue aside, it was pretty good and I am looking forward to the rest!

Dang it, I tried doing that in my playtests and couldn't pull that off, so I thought it was good. (The actual method to get the BFG is mildly annoying, though, so I might change that up anyway.)

[JohnnyTheWolf]

Yeah, I can live with the instagib trap if I am given more than cryptic clues. The other problem with the coloured torches is that I had to memorize the whole sequence.

And yes, getting the BFG in MAP10 is slightly annoying indeed. I was not going to complain about it, but now that you mention it, you might want to take away the timed puzzle and just have the secret switch lower the stair section permanently.