A single Boom-compatible map for Doom 2 using vanilla gameplay mechanics, released as a part of NaNoWADMo

Download doswadmo.zip

Doom screenshot of a dark rocky tunnel with specters and an imp approaching. A candle lights a wooden alcove with green armor and some health potions on the left

It's got spooky tunnels.

Doom screenshot of a courtyard area with stone patio. Rocky natural terrain with dead trees and a bloodfall area ahead. On the right is a green covered structure

It's got an outdoor area that I'm very happy with how it came out aesthetically and for combat.

Doom screenshot of a dark room with hanging tech fixtures. A revanent is on a platform in front of a switch, a hell knight is on a raised platform, and corpses of various monsters are strewn about

The level's main encounter puts players in a transforming room where experiments with teleportation aren't going very well

Doom screenshot of an imp mid-death taking a shot for a hell knight. A final fireball is on its way to the player. Small raised floors with bright lights offer a super shotgun and green armor if the player advances.

Playing with textures to make a weird vaguely techbase area without throwing computers everywhere.

Background

In late August, I wound up getting into Doom again and tried my hand at mapping for a change. I was mostly just messing around, figuring out how to do much of anything, made a little map, had Geight play it, continued doodling and not getting anywhere with anything else.

But then one of my started maps did start making actual progress and I realized that I started in in October and would be able to finish it by month's end, meaning that I participated in NaNoWADMo without intending to.

Meanwhile my ZZT game for Oktrollberfest is in a disastrous state. Oops, wrong game jam

Turns out mapping is fun as heck once you start to understand the basics and figure out how to make adjustments without exploding the entire map. I'd like to keep going with this sort of thing!

Afterthoughts

Compared to the previous unreleased map which was mostly rectanglular rooms connected to rectangular rooms, I feel like this is a big jump in playability, though clearly I still need to learn the intricacies of making rooms for monsters to teleport from as the final encounter will randomly have enemies slow to a trickle or some just pretty much refusing to warp in.

I also think I'll try UDMF next time rather than Boom compatibility. I went with Boom as it seemed like the "standard" not realizing that I'd already want some more conveniences as opposed to having like 4 tripwires in a row to get an encounter going, windows shutting, lights dimming, and such.

But it was a good learning experience! Thanks again to the nice folks in DavidXNewton's server for feedback and help with things like music and answering questions on how to publish something for the jam.