After playing through Saydm1, I want to start off by saying that I'm glad people are finally paying attention to the overall quality of their levels. In the past we've gotten quite a mix of Doom deathmatch maps, and their collective worth was average at best; there were those maps that sported insane amounts of detail but poor gameplay/flow, while others were just the opposite. At least now, recent map releases have been consistently getting better. Hopefully, this is a trend that we will see increase even more in the near future.File name: saydm1.wad Author: Robert "Shadow" Babor Map Size: Medium Map Summary: A Control Station located in Area 6 of a military complex. This lvl was NOT created to be an insane fragfest, but with 3+ people it can be. (Excerpted from saydm1.txt)
The lighting in this stairwell is highly intricate.
When it comes to exquisite map detail, Saydm1 gets an A+ grade right off the bat. Architecturally, the level doesn't quite approach the lush facades of say FragFest Initialized or Sacrifice DM 4, but the lighting and outer detailing more than make up for this shortcoming. A quick run around the level makes it obvious that the author went through great pains getting every offset and light level just right. Just trying to comprehend the amount of time spent into perfecting the visual details makes you appreciate the level all the more, and really shows off the author's artistic flair for some great looking environments. Looking out the windows in Saydm1 reveal stunning vistas, and even buildings that you normally can't reach have been fully detailed as well! (Go into single player mode, type IDCLIP and run through the outdoor areas to see what I mean) Sure this sounds really anal, but when you're a map editor, being anal about your work is truly a Good Thing. I'm not even sure it's necessary to say this, but even the texture and sky choices were excellent. The level had a consistent tech/base atmosphere without being overly brown, and the environments are unique but not garish.
Some superb detailing adds greatly to the atmosphere!
Saydm1's layout is pretty nice, but nothing fancy or ground-breaking. Again, it follows very closely with the tech/base theme, since you're supposed to be deathmatching in an old industrial complex in the first place. There's a medium sized arena in the middle, and stairs allow access to the upper floor and side areas. The flow is decent, and does very well considering that base themed maps tend to be boring. Thankfully the usual square room-door-square room has been avoided entirely, and players can get to both inner and outer areas freely. There aren't really many spots that campers can sit on, and the size of the level prohibits any babysitters from hanging out too long before getting jittery. Indeed the map is pretty spacious, enough so that 4 players might have a comfortable deathmatch without any marked dull patches.
Hanging chains are cool...
What I really liked most about this map was the fact that the weapon placement was very well thought-out. The two arguably most powerful weapons in Doom2, the BFG and plasma gun have been sequestered away nicely. Anyone looking to take these weapons have to go through considerable risks, but the benefits more than outweigh them anyway. Anyone looking for the plasma won't really find it until they do a little exploring, since it turns out that the gun sits atop a *high* platform in the main arena. It's only accessible through use of a teleporter on a far section of the map, which subsequently teleports you to that tiny little platform up high. What's so risky about this is that the size of the platform makes telefragging simpler than usual, and the long jump down leaves you exposed to the high-traffic main arena. Chances are you will take a little flak either way, but anyone wielding the plasma will gain a substantial advantage in this level. As for the BFG, it sits behind a wall that takes a really long time to come down. Not only is it a hassle to go all the way around the map to get to it, but it's also in view of the main arena! It won't take long before someone will spot you, which means you'll have to do some fancy footwork to avoid getting smacked upside the head with a rocket if you want the BFG that badly. What else can I say? Saydm1 is a solid map that looks good and plays great. I do have a few problems with this map, but those relate more to my play preferences than to technical map design. For example, the flow is a little awkward near the insta-lift section, since the sudden transition makes so simple to get away from opponents chasing you. Just jump on the lift, make your way to a corner, then wait for the other guy to come up. The insta-lift disorients him for a split second, which makes him a sitting duck for two loads of buckshot. Annoying, but some players actually appreciate the strategy with this little tactic. Other than that, I'm hard pressed to find any more faults with this map. Doomers should only get high quality maps to spend their valuable time on; when it comes to some good quality fragging, Saydm1 delivers. If you're going to be wasting your time playing Doom deathmatch, then this level is a good way to do it! =)
Review by Razorback
The Doom DM Resource Recommends:Get Saydm1 from Shadow's homepage.3-4 Players New Deathmatch (makes getting plasma much trickier) Play over LAN Use with Zdoom