The City of the Damned : Apocalypse | Remaster | v2.0 | Oct, 31st 2023

[Ozymandias81]

Also the file tcotd2.pk3 contains the file nashgore.pk3 inside it

WTF and how TF is that file inside there? It didn't exist at all during development! I thought everything was automated with batch files?

Probably instead of using the batch, he rapidly built the pk3 himself, with some local stuff in his repo that he forgot to remove (there is a .bak file inside the Maps folder and 2 empty fonts folders inside Fonts as well - maybe an attempt to move them from graphics to such folder, something I did myself too to test something but discarded - also not committed, so couldn't be some junk coming from the repository itself, surely something local). Not that these things influence the pk3 and the game itself at least.

[Nash]

The actual download link (in this case, to the ModDB page) is not on the first post.

More over, probably should bring the actual download link to more attention (large font or something).

Also TBH just hide the 2007 link in a spoiler or something. Don't want people to actually download the 2007 version on their first attempt.

Bumping this for importance. There is no download link on the first post lol.

[Graf Zahl]

Is there any way to disable the text overlays for the letters?

[Nash]

Is there any way to disable the text overlays for the letters?

Currently no because

1) Due to the mod's goal to make things fully localizable, it was decided that the text overlay was the objectively better way to go about the whole thing. Remember, we couldn't replace the graphics with the disabled localization thing Raze/GZD had.

2) From playtester feedback, a non-zero amount of people found the graphic-based letters hard to read, even after the resolution of the assets were increased.

[Professor Hastig]

There should still be a CVAR to handle this. Besides, since all these letters are handled on the script side you really don't have to rely on engine side handling but can choose different graphics based on the language. yourself.

What I found the most irritating issue about this mod is the ultra-slow player walk speed. It seems this was all designed with the assumption that everybody always runs. This is not true and makes the mod quite unpleasant to play if you are not among the always-runners.

[Marcelus]

Finished
Good adventure. Excellent atmosphere but final fight is very unfair.

[Graf Zahl]

but final fight is very unfair.

So my biggest gripe with the original wasn't fixed. I always found it plays extremely well but I never managed to get through this fight without either lots of luck or cheating.

[Blue Shadow]

but final fight is very unfair.

Could you detail your experience? (Put it under a spoiler, please.)

So my biggest gripe with the original wasn't fixed.

While I can't say you'll like it better, there have been changes since the original, so your opinion might end up being different if you complete the remaster.


Overhauling the final boss battle was on the table, for the record. Unfortunately, there was a deadline to meet and we ran out of time.

[Nash]

IMO the biggest problem with the final boss - and by extension, boss design ethos in the Doom modding scene in general - is that there is absolutely no pattern to his attacks.

In well-designed boss fights in commercial games, the bosses have a pattern that the player can learn, analyze and then master. Some patterns are harder than others, some patterns may require skillful manipulation and reflexes between the user's eye and hands, etc - but my point is: patterns.

The attacks of Thamuz then (and, again, by modder habit or lack of awareness I guess) are completely left up to the RNG. He sends you this barrage of attacks that you simply cannot predict.

Another issue is with the arena space itself. I think for an extremely giant and powerful demon, the arena space itself simply isn't designed to allow better options for encounter design.

These are all things me and some other testers identified very early on into the project but, as Blue Shadow said: we ran out of time to fully dial it in. The endeavor would have also definitely veered beyond a "nip and tuck" scope - it would have required working on things on a more fundamental level.

To be fair though, Blue Shadow did an amazing job with overhauling Thamuz's behavior for the remaster, given the time and resources that were available. There is definitely more method to the chaos with the current iteration. It is objectively better than the 2007 version.

[Marcelus]

but final fight is very unfair.

Could you detail your experience? (Put it under a spoiler, please.)

Of course. This is harder boss than bosses in Elementalism

---

His shots are very fast. Faster than the player and is very hard to avoid his attack. Also is too much strong. 200% armor and 100% heal is gone around 15_20 seconds. No tactic works. Is possible hide around library corners and avoid the shots on the stairs but this is 80% about luck and 20% skill.

Otherwise game is very good and nice . I d not play original version .

[ActionAlligator]

Just out of curiosity, why was there a deadline? People are busy and want to move on to other things and/or have work/family stuff? Or just really wanted to release around Halloween?

I'm still planning to play this, it looks very cool and fun, but maybe I will wait for a patch if it has unaddressed problems?

[Tormentor667]

Probably instead of using the batch, he rapidly built the pk3 himself, with some local stuff in his repo that he forgot to remove (there is a .bak file inside the Maps folder and 2 empty fonts folders inside Fonts as well - maybe an attempt to move them from graphics to such folder, something I did myself too to test something but discarded - also not committed, so couldn't be some junk coming from the repository itself, surely something local). Not that these things influence the pk3 and the game itself at least.

Just fixed this btw

[Tormentor667]

Just out of curiosity, why was there a deadline? People are busy and want to move on to other things and/or have work/family stuff? Or just really wanted to release around Halloween? I'm still planning to play this, it looks very cool and fun, but maybe I will wait for a patch if it has unaddressed problems?

Both of it. On the one hand, we wanted to finally finish it up (considering that it was in development for over 3 years now), on the other hand we all had other commitments to continue with after the deadline has been met. Overall, the vision has been exceeded that I had with the remaster and both Nash and Blue Shadow as well as Ozymandias did an amazing job and I am glad having them on board for the remaster. It lives up to what it was meant to be end even if some people do not consider it to be perfect, it's how I imagined it to be - and that's what counts the most for me If other people can enjoy it as well, even better.

[ActionAlligator]

Just out of curiosity, why was there a deadline? People are busy and want to move on to other things and/or have work/family stuff? Or just really wanted to release around Halloween? I'm still planning to play this, it looks very cool and fun, but maybe I will wait for a patch if it has unaddressed problems?

Both of it. On the one hand, we wanted to finally finish it up (considering that it was in development for over 3 years now), on the other hand we all had other commitments to continue with after the deadline has been met. Overall, the vision has been exceeded that I had with the remaster and both Nash and Blue Shadow as well as Ozymandias did an amazing job and I am glad having them on board for the remaster. It lives up to what it was meant to be end even if some people do not consider it to be perfect, it's how I imagined it to be - and that's what counts the most for me If other people can enjoy it as well, even better.

Oh, I see. Thank you for taking time to answer It looks like something you can all be proud of, so congrats on completion!

Are you planning on any further major patches or anything like that? I will wait if so, but if not, I can go ahead and play

[Nash]

Maybe we'll do one final, small patch to address the various comments made thus far. And address the final boss too while we're at it.