Six Ways to Die/Palais des Cauchemars: [Release]

[Rex Claussen]

Six Ways to Die/Palais des Cauchemars is a 2-map wad for GZDooM. It is intended both for stand-alone play and as an add-on to Paranoid. Information & screenshots at DooM Nexus.

Edit: Released on December 27, 2011

[Firebrand]

I really like what you are doing with the maps architecture, specially those arched doors, nice!

[Rex Claussen]

... specially those arched doors, nice!

Thank you.

Arches are particular favorites of mine, and I was using them even before ZDooM supported sloped sectors.

[Firebrand]

They look really good, but I've always had problems creating arches like those myself, heh!

[Rex Claussen]

.... I've always had problems creating arches like those myself, heh!

When I first started creating arches I drew them out on graph paper and created sectors corresponding to the lines on the graph grid. Nowadays I simply go into one of my old maps and copy & paste. Because I have created a variety of arches in terms of shape (e.g., cathedral arches, bridge arches, multiple-layered arches, etc.) and size, I have a good variety from which to choose.

[Rex Claussen]

The game is complete.

Download

Text file

[Enjay]

Very nice. Interesting use of 3D architecture but still managing to keep quite a classic feel. Six ways is fun and I like the whole "drop down a tube and commit to sub-map" logic of it. Mind you, that jumpy room over the lava really exposes my inability to do jumping puzzles. Looking at the level in the automap is quite a treat. There are very few areas where the NESW orientation of the grid is used. You've always been one for your circular structures and rooms at 45 degrees to the grid but I think this may be the most extreme example so far.

The real gem here, IMO, is Palais des Cauchemars. It's a lovely large level that uses open spaces nicely. It has very consistent use of 3D floors where the floors are an absolutely integral part of the map and utterly integrated with the whole game rather than just added in because 3D floors are possible. As well as that, I enjoyed the progression of the map, I found the fights entertaining, at times challenging and requiring a range of different battle strategies (still complicated by me having to play with my controls reversed because of my dodgy arm ).

I confess that I had to cheat to get to map32 though because, true to form, I managed to find a grand total of 0 secrets from the 8 possible across the two maps. You know, I think you could put a big flashing sign saying "Enjay - look, the secret is here" beside an obviously oddly textured wall and I'd still miss it. I'll check the secrets text before I go again.

[Rex Claussen]

Very nice.

I'm glad you liked the map-set.

Interesting use of 3D architecture but still managing to keep quite a classic feel.

I've been mulling an idea to create "city" maps for DooM2, using only DooM2 resources. We'll see how that goes.

Mind you, that jumpy room over the lava really exposes my inability to do jumping puzzles.

I'm not very fond of jumping puzzles myself, but that was the best I could come up with for the lava cavern. In my defense, I'd say that the platforms are long enough to make the jumps relatively manageable if you're not in a hurry.

Looking at the level in the automap is quite a treat. There are very few areas where the NESW orientation of the grid is used. You've always been one for your circular structures and rooms at 45 degrees to the grid but I think this may be the most extreme example so far.

The departure from the NESW orientation was a huge pain in the butt, and required much more work than I am ordinarily inclined to put into a map. What took disproportionately long to do was rotating the FLATS for the jumping pads in the rocket arena. Without the Scaling/Panning/Rotating Tool developed by TheMisterCat I would have given up on aligning the FLATS (which had to be done in the tiny control sectors, no less).

The real gem here, IMO, is Palais des Cauchemars.

Now you're embarrassing me. But do go on

It has very consistent use of 3D floors where the floors are an absolutely integral part of the map and utterly integrated with the whole game rather than just added in because 3D floors are possible.

I was going for functional achitecture as well as decorative 3D stuff (which is more subtle at times, e.g., the library book "shelves").

I confess that I had to cheat to get to map32 though because, true to form, I managed to find a grand total of 0 secrets from the 8 possible across the two maps. You know, I think you could put a big flashing sign saying "Enjay - look, the secret is here" beside an obviously oddly textured wall and I'd still miss it. I'll check the secrets text before I go again.

Surely you couldn't have missed the solitary lion's head switch on the pillar across from the soul sphere in the super shotgun area of Six Ways to Die? The Satyr head switch behind the green torch in the plasma rifle area is, admittedly, more subtle, but still reasonably visible. The secret in the rocket launcher arena is easy to find if one is observant and has the luxury of time; unfortunately, it's also an area where one is constantly being harried by enemies, and doesn't have the luxury of time. The secret door in the chainsaw area is less obvious, as is the teleporter under the lava in the chaingun area, but both are really not that obscure. The one secret that is probably obscure is the hidden door in the shotgun area.

Anyhow, I hope you get a chance to go back and play it after you're read the secrets.txt file. And, as always, thanks for your unflagging support and encuoragement.

[Gez]

Anyhow, I hope you get a chance to go back and play it after you're read the secrets.txt file. And, as always, thanks for your unflagging support and encuoragement.

You could try starting to use the now built-in [wiki]secret[/wiki] feature, with the dedicated lump.

[Rex Claussen]

You could try starting to use the now built-in [wiki]secret[/wiki] feature, with the dedicated lump.

Cool feature. Yes, that is something that I can incorporate in (G)ZDooM levels in lieu of the text file.

[The Ultimate DooMer]

Just found this the other day, more neatness but this time halfway between phobos-g and deimos-v. Shame the usual suspects are at it again...why everyone feels the need to judge a wad by the choice of port or the person who made it instead of the actual contents of the wad is beyond me. (same with that memorial thing, anyone can copy/paste all the IWAD maps into 1 map and change all the tags etc. but oh no it must be awesome and win a cacoward because DW's favourite mapper did it)

[Rex Claussen]

Shame the usual suspects are at it again...why everyone feels the need to judge a wad by the choice of port or the person who made it instead of the actual contents of the wad is beyond me.

The Cabal at work again. Well, what're you gonna do, eh? Just roll with the punches.