Poll: "Sensations about Doom monsters"

[GuildNavigator]

Hi everybody!
I'd like to make a poll: what's the immediate sensation, think, reasoning, etc. you think when suddenly you encounter a Doom monster?
Do you always think the same thing when you find a certain kind of monster? And so, behave consequently?

For example, when a Revenant discovers my presence and start to follow me, I think: "Oh shit! Now I gotta run as far as possible from that fuckin' skeleton! Or maybe.. YEAH, I could try to give him a couple of double-barrel shoots if I'm close enough!" And I suddenly feel caught by anxiety, because of the psychological effect..

And which monster most make you anxious when you encounter it? By my point of view, the Revenant is the most stressing opponent to face, despite there are more enduring and powerful monster, such the Cyberdemon.

[Salad Viking]

... Where's the poll?

[Ryan Cordell]

Revenant: "FUUUUUUCCKK"
Archvile: "FUUUUUUCCKK"

That is all.

[Enjay]

I can't say that I have a standard response to the monsters because it is not just about which monster you are meeting, but how, when and where you meet them.

However, I have to say that, unfortunately, a recurring feeling I get when playing is one of sinking disappointment when a particular situation reveals itself. Not fear, panic or any such emotions, just a dull - "oh, well that's a bit shit" kind of reaction. What I mean is that I might be playing a map, perhaps really enjoying it, but then a predictable "I've got to make this bit hard" sequence has been used by the map author where a dull, unimaginative revenant flood, or archvile ambush or some similar device is employed. It tends to occur most in single maps where the author seems to have decided that, because there is only one map, basically the entire difficulty progression of a full game needs to be represented in the one level. If it is done well, fine, but too often it comes across as an almost mechanically decided (but badly timed - because it was the decision was made mechanically and not by feel) "I think it's time for a miniboss fight, I'd better throw in a predictable hard fight now".

Such a situation is often enough to sap my fun away completely and, commonly, shortly after the fight I may well have lost enough enthusiasm that I just switch on god mode and any other cheats I feel like using ("kill monsters", noclip, whatever) wander around to see if there is anything else interesting in the map and then quit shortly afterwards, consigning the map to the bin.

[GuildNavigator]

Yeah! You're right... sometimes I think the same things you explained..

[Cyanosis]

I find playing the HR wads desensitizes me to monster encounters. Whereas you go "OH SHIT!" when you see Mr. Cybie in a normal map, you're like "Oh you again." in HR. I think I've been exposed to so many of everything by now it's hard to feel anxious. But Revenants can go fuck themselves with a rake.

[wildweasel]

Imp: Kill it.
Revenant: Kill it faster.
Cyberdemon: Kill it much faster.
Arch-Vile: Fuck this, I'm out.

[Project Shadowcat]

Kind of like Cyanosis, I've been pretty desensitized to the game thanks to Hell Revealed and all that, however I still find all kinds of enjoyment out of the game. However, I can't help but feel like Robocop -- with rocket boosters on my ass -- when I'm in combat.

Arch-Vile: Priority 1 target. Use highest DPS weapon available regardless of space available (this is typically the Rocket Launcher since lately the BFG isn't available).
Pain Elemental: Priority 2 target. See Arch-Vile on weapon preference (though if they're alone, chaingun, chaingun, chaingun.)
All Hitscanners: Priority 3 target. Destroy in order of largest to smallest, largest being the Mastermind, smallest the zombieman. Except against the mastermind, I try to use the chaingun against them all.
Revenant: Priority 4 target. Encourage infighting with anything around that hasn't already been killed. Use plasma or rockets.
Everything else, including the Cyberdemon, is priority 5.

After all Priority 1 and 2 targets are dealt with, apply infighting where convenient.

[FDARI]

Imp: Wait for the one-shot.
Revenant: Don't let it fire.
Cyberdemon: Don't let it hit.
Switch at the end of long, dead-end corridor: Oh no... Do I really have to?

[Cutmanmike]

Not fear, panic or any such emotions, just a dull - "oh, well that's a bit shit" kind of reaction. What I mean is that I might be playing a map, perhaps really enjoying it, but then a predictable "I've got to make this bit hard" sequence has been used by the map author where a dull, unimaginative revenant flood, or archvile ambush or some similar device is employed. It tends to occur most in single maps where the author seems to have decided that, because there is only one map, basically the entire difficulty progression of a full game needs to be represented in the one level. If it is done well, fine, but too often it comes across as an almost mechanically decided (but badly timed - because it was the decision was made mechanically and not by feel) "I think it's time for a miniboss fight, I'd better throw in a predictable hard fight now".

Ugh, this is how I feel about most wads that are considered "good" by the majority of the Doom community now.

Anyway, when chaingunners pop up out of nowhere I suddenly go to panic mode. Same for Revenants but not so much.

[printz]

I can't say that I have a standard response to the monsters because it is not just about which monster you are meeting, but how, when and where you meet them.

However, I have to say that, unfortunately, a recurring feeling I get when playing is one of sinking disappointment when a particular situation reveals itself. Not fear, panic or any such emotions, just a dull - "oh, well that's a bit shit" kind of reaction. What I mean is that I might be playing a map, perhaps really enjoying it, but then a predictable "I've got to make this bit hard" sequence has been used by the map author where a dull, unimaginative revenant flood, or archvile ambush or some similar device is employed. It tends to occur most in single maps where the author seems to have decided that, because there is only one map, basically the entire difficulty progression of a full game needs to be represented in the one level. If it is done well, fine, but too often it comes across as an almost mechanically decided (but badly timed - because it was the decision was made mechanically and not by feel) "I think it's time for a miniboss fight, I'd better throw in a predictable hard fight now".

Such a situation is often enough to sap my fun away completely and, commonly, shortly after the fight I may well have lost enough enthusiasm that I just switch on god mode and any other cheats I feel like using ("kill monsters", noclip, whatever) wander around to see if there is anything else interesting in the map and then quit shortly afterwards, consigning the map to the bin.

You really easily get bored...

[Phobus]

PDF's tactical analysis is pretty similar to mine, although I'd swap the hitscanners and Revenant priority, and note that Spidermasterminds and Cyberdemons tend to get special treatment based on situation. Particularly, if there's a lot of infighting that they're gauranteed to end up in, I'll leave them to it but if I know they're likely to win, I will blindside them point-blank with a BFG if at all possible, sometimes more than once for the intended effect.

I'll tend to avoid RL against PEs, and I'll definitely prefer to SSG a Revenant than try and hit it with projectiles.

[CaptainToenail]

My first reaction is 'KILL THEM ALL' of course.

On the other hand, pinkies and imps are my lowest priority, often these can easily be evaded. Archviles & Pain Elementals are a different story, they must be purged at once before they flood the map with even more monsters, ugh.

[Amuscaria]

I'm not even sure I can consider Pinkies a serious monster in open maps. I mean, they seem to miss with their melee attacks a lot. O_o

[Matt]

Zombieman: Panic, cry, nerdrage at cruel unfair defeat oh right vanilla Doom

Zombieman: Panic and run for cover, because it's really embarrassing to be killed by one - and it's always the little nibbly damage you don't notice that does you in later on.
Shotgunguy: Kill immediately because somehow they always hit.
Demon/spectre: Hit 1 key and plan next five minutes of Hot! Pinkie! Fisting! Action! because mappers never satisfy with just one or two anymore.
Caco: Find open space and begin circling. Nothing shoots its teammates in the back faster than a caco.
Baron: Freak out as repressed childhood memories violently bubble and burst up to the surface.
Knight: Groan in annoyance. I don't know why, I just really don't like these guys.
Chaingunner: Find cover, figure out where it's coming from, plan route to punch in dick shotgun.
Revenant: Wield corner+chainsaw combo weapon of infinite destruction, or see if there's anything else the rev can hit to save ammo.
Spiderdemon: Combination of revenant and caco.
Elemental: Close in for a point-blank kill immediately.
Archvile: Despair and play another map.
Cyberdemon: Circlestrafe until bored, then get killed and play another map.