The DWmegawad Club plays: Claustrophobia 1024

GZDoom/UV/Continuous/Blind/Saves (if needed)

Map 07:  Dead In, Dead Out - Mechadon

100% kills and secrets

Time: 6:12

Deaths: 9

Well that was an unexpected difficulty spike. This Dead Simple map goes from 0 to 60 incredibly quick. As soon as you climb the stairs in front of you, mancs and hitscan are targeting you. The mancs are placed in ways where there is no safe spot in the map until you get rid of them. You might think to run into the small enclosures on the sides, but not only are there barons in there, but the mancs can still hit you. Add in the fact that lost souls start teleporting in outside, and that makes rocketing things very dangerous. 8 of my 9 deaths came from just trying to get my footing in this first fight. I started to make progress when I just started doing laps around the arena, but I still died from mancs who got lucky with their shots. The way some of this environment in designed is that there are windows that I didn't realize were actually windows, so the mancs would start firing at me when they saw me in those, leading me to run into fireballs I didn't see coming. Kinda annoying. Once the mancs are dead, arachnotrons will take their places, but if you kill everything else in the arena beforehand, this wave is much more manageable. Got rid of them, and noticed I still had like half of the enemies left. 2 switches in the alcoves are accessible now, and hitting them opens the exit, but also unleashes the rest of the demons. including 2 archies and 2 pain elementals. Didn't expect the archies the first time, and got roasted the first attempt. The 2nd time, I blasted one of the archies into the starting pit with the RL, so I didn't have to worry about it! I then proceeded to plasma everything else, especially the PEs. This was some of the most cramped plasma firing I've ever seen, as there was a good 15 seconds where I couldn't see what I was doing cause of the point-blank plasma blasts. I didn't find the secret megasphere until everything else was dead since it was pretty well hidden, but I will appreciate its use in the next map. Overall, a very tough map, but it's still fun and looks very good! 

MAP08 - “Hex of Depression” by @pcorf

QuestZDoom, UV, blind, saves

This one is a nice relaxing stroll, especially after the last one. The music is nice, shotgunning imps is always fun. I feel like I'm going to be in a minority here, but an easy map like this is just what I needed right now. Out of all the maps so far it also feels the most spacious somehow. There's a lot in it, using every inch of the allotted space, but it doesn't feel cramped at all. I've found myself looking at the minimap a couple of times just to make sure there are not shifting walls shenanigans.

I did get my ass kicked by the revenant after failing to notice a door closed behind me, but other than that it was pretty chill, even the two somewhat inconsquential barons at the end.

I really have no idea what the Hex of Depression is, since my spirits only got lifted by this map.

6 hours ago, Flyxolydian said:

Map 09: Bitter Sanctuary - Wow... that's quite the monster count. This one is a bit marmite. It's very pretty (especially that view outside, boy that's cool), and the concept is cool, but it's very repetitive, and only having a shotgun for most of the map gets old QUICK. The ending is pretty hard, and nearly dealt me my first death of the WAD... not quite though :')

Map 10: Mudbath - Quite a hot start on this one, and another teleport ambush ending similar to that of map 09. My PC was kind enough to lag right at the end of the final fight, still didn't quite kill me though. The maps are definitely getting harder!

Ok... that's enough for tonight.

Remember not to talk about maps that are not on schelude yet, we are still on day 7/8

For the sake of keeping things short, and emphasizing just how lazy I am at everything, I will keep each review no longer than (roughly) three sentences.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAP01: Kicking off with a bang, this map's antique techy visuals and simplistic yet effective outdoor vistas suit it very nicely. This map isn't difficult, just some hitscan and some imps, that's pretty much it. Overall, this map resembles stronghold a bit, yet creatively outclasses it on every front.
Grade: B+
Difficulty: D-
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAP02: This map is quite similar to the first in that the ceiling is usually low, and the visuals are usually quite blue, however I do prefer this one slightly. The combat in this map fits in with the visuals quite nicely, as some of these fights tend to compliment them, which subsequently ends up making them harder, but who gives? This map is regardless of it's similarity to the first map, undeniably superior.
Grade: A-
Difficulty: D+
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAP03: My favourite so far in the set, this map looks like a doom 1 beef-up. The combat however is anything but doom 1, and uses the conveyer so well that it pretty much sells the whole map for me. The rest of the map is just as good as the rest; creative, sharp and in it's fullest form an absolute joy to play.
Grade: A
Difficulty: C
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAP04: The difficulty of the WAD starts to ramp up here, you have chaingunners, imps and hell knights swarming these caves like wasps and rotten tomatoes. You better get a grip on how this map feels, because the next few maps will operate very similarly to this one in that they use very cramped modes of transport as opposed to the much more open-ended approach of the first three maps in the set. The cave setting is familiarly cool, it feels like some sort of construction project interuppted by the discovery of a cave or something. Use your imagination with this map because anything proves to be possible here, kiddo.
Grade: A-
Difficulty: C+
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAP05: I'm not too sure on how to feel about this map, on one end, it's unique from the rest of the maps in the set, but on the other, the combat proves to be quite a chore. The map flowed pretty smoothly, revolving around the bridge room in the middle when suddenly the map just chucks hell knights at the player without any buildup or prior gear or really anything. All the player has is a shotgun and a chaingun, what is fun about slowly picking away at the hell knights with low-tier weaponry? Anyways, the map ends with one more annoyance, the exit door opener jamming, shoving a baron in the player's face, and then forcing them to go back through the entire map after just coming back from the other end of the map to fully open the exit door that's on the other end of the map from the exit door opener, despite the size of the map, the cramped nature proves a much bigger irritant than what one might catch a whiff of initially. Regardless of that, this map looks pretty good, and the earlier half doesn't play bad at all.
Grade: C-
Difficulty: B
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------MAP06: This map feels unnecessarily tedious, simple as that. The map starts with a boring imp fight, then proceeds to throw an annoying lift and switch contraption at the player. What is the god damn point of this structure? It's just padding! It does nothing other than to exhaust and bore the player for a few more seconds of the most forgettable MIDI I've ever heard! The map proceeds to throw some pretty good combat at the player, which is what I would say if the map didn't recycle the exact same lifts with buttons that spawn enemies concept three times over, heck, it even recycles the encounters that happen in those rooms! I want to like this map, but I just can't bring myself to like a map that does nothing but waste my time on boring puzzles. I guess this map looks unique, but that's about all it has going for it. Time to snooze.
Grade: D-
Difficulty: C+
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MAP07: Finally out of the bad stretch of the WAD, this map starts with a screaming roar, and ceases to let the player out of it's firm grasp. There is not a single section of the map that is ever safe from any of the enemies, there are always at least two ways the enemy has to kill the player at any moment, moving the player around the map like a chicken with it's head cut off. And just when the map quiets down, half of the enemies get resurrected and everything is back in motion but even more insane this time, with double arch-viles, swarms of barons and cacodemons, this map has it all. It's fun, visually unique, and has a knack for flow.
Grade: A
Difficulty: B
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAP08... Woah, woah. Not yet.

MAP08 - “Hex of Depression” by pcorf

The experience of this map is very much dependent on whether you find the single secret in this map. If you do, the map is a pretty neutral experience, if you do not find the secret then this map is dull and rather annoying to beat (You get the joys of killing 2 barons with the boomstick). There isn't much of note to this map, the yellow key trap is entirely skippable if you are light-footed and virtually everything else can be dispatched with a little care. 

Unfortunately I didn't find the secret, as such this map goes to the bottom of the pile, it isn't an awful map, but it is entirely forgettable with the only lasting memory being the grind to get past those barons.

MAP08: Hex of Depression by pcorf

An odd combination of castle and techbase aesthetics, this one is short and and not bad. Ammo can be an issue, unless you spot a slightly indented wall. It also holds a super shotgun, which helps a lot against stronger monsters, especially a pair of barons at the end. Other than that, it's mostly imps and hitscanners hidden behind corners. I don't mind a breather after the previous map.

7 hours ago, DJVCardMaster said:

Remember not to talk about maps that are not on schelude yet, we are still on day 7/8

Ah, I see. Thanks for letting me know, will keep that in mind!

After-playthrough notes: apparently there IS a SSG secret in this map! I might not've been so harsh on it had I found it, but alas, such is the way of things. 

MAP08: Hex Of Depression

100K | 100I | 0S

And we hit a low point, most definitely the lowest so far. Light ammo starvation at the start makes this a bit interesting (although I’ve never been a fan of these styles of gameplay) followed by single-shotgunning not one, but TWO barons is a nasty unfun combination. Who knows - there might be a secret SSG somewhere in the map, but as with most Doom maps, secrets should not be required to beat a map and have fun with it. Bland difficulty, weird layout, not much going for it other than a somewhat cool gothic techbase aesthetic. Going to the bottom. 3.0 out of 5.

MAPRANKS:

MAP08 - “Hex of Depression” by pcorf

pcorf has become well-known over time for his Zone 300/400 linedef-constrained series, but this map predates both of those projects. In any case, whilst the mood I played this in could have contributed, this one wasn’t for me. Visually it does the job, even if it isn’t as stark as Mechadon’s finely crafted contributions. The gameplay falls flat for me though. The first half is basically low-tier cannon fodder, which is fine if a little dull. The second half is very grindy, slaying cacos and barons with the single shotgun, unless you found the SSG secret in time - and locking decent gameplay behind a secret doesn’t really sit well with me.

MAP08 - Hex of Depression - Pcorf (100%K/0%I/0%S):

It is one of the most simple maps in terms of combat, as there is nothing too big happening here and there. You will have to suffer in a Hell Revealed way as there are some instances you will be shooting barons with a regular shotgun if you are pistol-starting. If you came stacked from the previous map, you will indeed, nullify all challenge. I have to say though, there is a really nice use of 1024 space around here, but I feel combat could have been more surprising. It is quite a depressing map, but I like the MIDI. Just like TGH, Paul makes his music for both of his maps. Still I do think a breather after MAP07 is welcome, but as a stand-alone level, I did not enjoy it.

(UV - Playthrough/PRBoom+)

Order of Preference:

map08

starts out well, with an intriguing first few rooms. i particularly liked the little pool and the boxes stacked on top of each other. being able to see the exit is cool.

however it rapidly devolves into door-camping. none of the fights are particularly interesting. i wonder if the secret was a berserk - i wouldve put one in as mandatory.

without it, the number of small rooms with doors plus a limited/weak arsenal make retreating the best option - which is dull to me. also, the use of barons - no, i am not wasting my time on doors with health!

GZDoom/UV/Continuous/Blind/Saves (if needed)

Map 08:  Hex of Depression - Pcorf

100% kills and secrets

Time: 4:13

Much easier than the last map, that's for sure. This gothic techbase is mostly a shotgun affair, tho you can get a chaingun from a chaingunner and a SSG from a secret that I initially missed. The SSG looks like it could be essential to beating the map, but really the map is fine without it, just not as quick. The yellow key ambush is the hardest part as the small outdoor area you're in gets flooded with imps and cacos. If you have bullets, that may be the best option here honestly, even if you have the SSG. The 2 barons after this are more of a grind than a threat. Overall, the map is fine in the gameplay department. Nothing really tough or memorable, but fun at least. Map looks pretty good too.

MAP09 - “Bitter Sanctuary” by @Kyka

QuestZDoom, UV, kinda practiced, saves

Not sure where to start with this map. The beginning is intriguing. I keep mentioning how I like to shotgun fodder and this map is almost all about that. As the playable area starts to unfold, the ambushes get more and more dangerous to the point of being outright cheap. I'm still enjoying myself though. One fun thing to do in VR is to whirl around quickly to take down an enemy standing behind you. You can do it real fast by just turning naturally if you've got the presence of mind and it feels badass, so a lot of the imps teleporting behind my back ended up being quite fun to deal with.

Around the time pinkies and spectres started to be thrown into the mix, I've finally started feeling kinda tired of the gameplay, though I figured there can't be much of the map remaining, right? At least there were some chaingunners too so I could switch weapons for a change. *Big mistake*.

I eventually reached the final fight below the elevator - fairly healthy, but all outta bullets. That fight feels impossible with just shotgun. I've tried pushing through dozens of times but I would just get torn asunder again and again. When the best strategy you can come up with is "hide behind zombiemen", you know you're in trouble. The shotgun just didn't have the rate of fire to deal with the shotgunners appearing *everywhere*, and no capacity to stunlock. Rushing the buttons only added hell knights to the mix (maybe I could hide behind those? Nah, not with so little space). So I did the only reasonable thing I could - I rage quit and played the map again from the start the next day.

Second time around I made sure to keep my chaingun loaded and as I suspected the fight was more than doable. In fact I beat it first try even when playing sloppy.

So I ended up with quite mixed feelings about this one. Love the visuals and the basic idea. Thoroughly enjoyed most of the gameplay even though it felt like the map was being cheap at the same time. Got stuck on a fight I couldn't win (not in VR at least) only because I wanted to switch weapons after using nothing but the shotgun whole map and actually got pretty pissed off at the map...

Here's the successful run:

MAP08 - Hex of Depression (HMP)

Lots of imps at the start, so many of them before encountering anything else. I used all the shells I had at the beginning on them, so when I finally got around to the shotgunners and chaingunner I was scrambling for ammo on whatever became a corpse first. Killed more imps and a hell knight while at 7% health, opened a door full of more imps and a revenant too. I went back and found a box of shells in the opening area that I missed before, that eased up my ammo woes. Finally got some health in the next area, but just a stimpack. The pinkies in this small area were effective at blocking me and got me dead a few times (mostly since I saved soon beforehand, still without much health). Eventually I got through that and got the yellow key by climbing across some cool pillars.

The yellow door was back over in the revenant hallway, and now I’m down to 3% health. Kill the rev and now there’s a baron up top where the Hell knight was before. Through the yellow door is a red key on the same type of pillars, and from there the map is pretty much over save for a single baron at the exit. As usual, I didn’t find the secret until everything was dead. That SSG would have been so nice…

MAP09 - “Bitter Sanctuary” by Kyka

Haha, as soon as I loaded this map I recalled it from my last playthrough instantly. It’s an exercise in how to squeeze as much gameplay as possible in a single 1024 map. The map gradually opens up, little by little, a bit like an extended and more vicious version of Map 5 of TNT. The fact that I knew what was coming lowered the frustration dramatically this time round. Instead, it just made me smile! Honestly, most of it isn’t even that difficult anyway.

The one hard bit is definitely the final arena with the teleporting hitscanners and imps, at first I entered it with low health but then I found the soulsphere secret which was a game-changer. I don’t know if I could have done it otherwise without load-scumming!

Overall, I think this map achieved what it set out to do. I can’t say it’s my favourite map of the bunch, but not my least favourite either.

GZDoom, Boom compat, software, HNTR, blind, continuous with saves.

MAP08 - “Hex of Depression” by pcorf
In case you miss the author's name on map entry, the lighting will immediately tell you that yes, this is Pcorf's entry, scored to his own music of course. The map looks beautiful, I kept thinking it made me think of a mini Death Tormention map, with the orange sky and metal walls, though I think it's missing the characteristic marble. Paul goes for small tricks to make the most of the space, like putting the keys high up on small platforms, or spawning enemies when you're backtracking (the baron definitely took me by surprise). It's a very quick playing map, but I enjoyed every moment.

MAP09 - “Bitter Sanctuary” by Kyka
Very interesting sector machinery to make maximum usage of the small space. The early map is definitely claustrophobic, passages are narrow and packed and enemies (mostly zombies and imps) teleport right behind you or come out of tiny closets hidden everywhere. As the map progresses, you press switches and cross linedefs that lower walls and slowly open up more passages and connect existing ones, one small bit at a time, until the initial areas are unrecognizable. It's a very clever way to make a longer map (it took me almost 10 minutes) within the limits. I also really liked the "bridge" with sector chairs and control panels; there's a huge section of map outside the playable area, and it all seems to be there to just to provide a beautiful view.

On 8/8/2023 at 2:52 PM, cannonball said:

MAP08 - “Hex of Depression” by pcorf

 

it isn't an awful map .....

I thought it was bloody terrible! ..... And I think the upcoming MAP11 is worse with it's symmetrical layout.

Not easy when you have restricted space and just throw up a map on the fly, especially when you don't design the layout on paper. I made a few 1024 maps including some standalones, not my cup of tea. I prefer 2048.

15 hours ago, DJVCardMaster said:

MAP08 - Hex of Depression - Pcorf (100%K/0%I/0%S):

 It is quite a depressing map ....

Correct.

I was not happy in my life back then hence the name!

It will be interesting playing Kyka maps that arent sweeping TNT epics for once.

MAP09: Bitter Sanctuary 

99K | 98I | 0S

A map that takes the 1024 constraint to its absolute limit of dynamically-changing rooms with it feeling like every linedef you walk over or every switch you hit opens up another teleport ambush or part of the room to explore. Definitely a lot of fun to be had just figuring out where to go and blasting away at the hordes, sometimes small, sometimes big, and making your way through this tech labyrinth. It’s at this point that I noticed there really is no concrete theme in the WAD, with a whole mishmash of aesthetic going on. And that’s fine. The theme itself is the constraint, and I think personally having a different look going on for each map only helps them come alive more. Not really one of my favorites so far, but it’s definitely interesting and from a design standpoint makes the most of the space allotted, so I’ll stick it somewhere in the middle of the pack. 3.9 out of 5. 

MAPRANKS:

MAP07: Dead In, Dead Out
The Dead Simple map of the wad. What else can I really say about it? It looks cool and provides a good challenge. Trying to camp out in a corner somewhere likely won't get you very far, as Mancubus fireballs can reach just about every part of the map. Your best bet is to just get out there and start blasting. This will probably be the first map where you'll actually feel the need to use the rocket launcher, and the dangers with using explosives in a 1024 space filled with enemies speak for themselves. Took me a solid 15 or so tries before I finally nailed it for the demo.

MAP08: Hex of Depression
Was this a flawless run? I do believe so. Not much of a challenge unless you miss the SSG secret, however. If you don't find that secret, something tells me you might be in for a rather unpleasant time with the final few enemies.

MAP09: Bitter Sanctuary
Ever played that hangar map from TNT Evilution? A lot of this map plays out like the beginning of that one. Most of the map feels like close quarter combat with hitscanners, and it's pretty much up to luck whether the kind shotgunners here decide to perform free facial reconstruction surgery on your face with their shotguns or not. I got the impression this map could evoke strong opinions in some, and I'm interested in seeing what others have to say about it. As for me, I feel like I'm 50/50 on whether I like this map or not.

1024CLAU07.zip

1024CLAU08.zip

1024CLAU09.zip

MAP08: Hex of Depression. Played on DSDA v0.26.2, UV, PS. 49/49 K, 1/1 S, 0/0 I. Comp. time 9:59 (1st play) & 2:33 (2nd)

My first playthrough wasn't that fun, I had absolutely miserable single-shotgunning hell knights and barons, and after everything else had been taken care of, spent a couple of minutes looking for a secret. Thanks for the SSG. It's still a bit easier than MAP07.

The second playthrough, with the foreknowledge gained during the first run, was much smoother and even more easier. It's an okay map, bit squarey perhaps. I like the the choice of texture motif, this would serve perfectly well as some MAP01, and you'd never even be aware there's a restriction thing going on.

*

MAP09: Bitter Sanctuary. Played on DSDA v0.26.2, UV, PS. 173/173 K, 2/2 S, 74/74 I. Comp. time 10:08

What at first seems like a nice-looking and simple exercise on just how many enemies you can fit into very tight quarters soon turns into a hitscan purgatory ('specially if you didn't find the soulsphere secret) and then into a cramped quarters inferno, where you're going to have to trigger the switches immediatly and survive for a while. I was really unhappy to see the lowering platform reveal a revenant, but luckily it teleported away to where you're going to have to jump as well.

I don't know what to think of this. Hardest map so far, I guess I was expecting something easier, so taking that into account, probably the best... oh well, I guess the most challenging encounter(s) so far.

MAP08 - Hex of Depression

From the name, I thought the map was going to have a hexagonal layout - but it's instead a rather simple, dark castle-themed outing. The combat isn't much to write home about - with the exception of the big teleporter fight, most of the map consists of incidental combat with various low-to-mid tier monsters. I've seen talk about the SSG secret (which I didn't find) being almost mandatory here - but I have the opposite opinion, in that the map is better suited for the single shotgun, except for the two unnecessary Barons at the end (the only real flaw in the map imo, they should've been HKs or Revs instead). The Caco fight in particular is better with low firepower, as it forces you to really think about your pathing options around the Imp-filled battlefield! That aside, I liked the music, good job on the composition (since I'm hearing it's an original)!

MAP09 - Bitter Sanctuary

Really cool map right there! A gradually opening layout like this is, I suppose, one of the natural conclusions of extending 1024-format maps - and this map does it really well. The low ceilings and cramped corridors make the overall layout appear much more expansive than it is, and thanks to the constant shifting of walls you always have the feeling of exploring a brand-new area (even if you've actually been there before, but back then it was a corridor maze instead of an open room). Near the end, I regularly found myself thinking, "wait, there's still space left back there??" and the final room past the elevator just flabbergasted me in that regard, which was probably the intended reaction there. :p The combat was simple but fun - the corridor clearing flew by fast, and the big battles were much harder than they seemed considering the reliance on low-tier enemies.

25 minutes ago, sq. Tiramisu said:

MAP08 - Hex of Depression

 

From the name, I thought the map was going to have a hexagonal layout

Hex also refers to a magic spell or curse - given pcorf's comment above, I would guess that it's that definition that is being referred to here

MAP09 - Bitter Sanctuary - Kyka (100%K/I/S):

Oh yes, this map, this is Kyka's first full submission to a community project ever, and right from the start he showed off some really nice tricks up his sleeve. Again I have to say I'm happy because he is returning to mapping just for the upcoming Constriction: 1024 project, as this map is one of the finest examples on creativity and space use in a Doom playable area this small.
Great map, you could both hate it or love it, and I love it, not only it is pretty creative, as the way Kyka manages to reuse space is magnificent, but it is also amazing how the author manages to overdetail places so small. the first part, consisting of mainly corridors, will resemble some of the Congestion 1024's maps, but when the map starts opening and combat starts getting interesting, the map just gets better. There is one annoying spot near the end when low-tier enemies start spawning, luckly, if you make them spawn and quickly get up the lift, you can peekaboo them safely. Talking about peekaboo, this map mostly consists of how much you can peekaboo hitscanners, as there are TONS of them. I think this is the map with the highest monster count, Kyka manages to put about 160 of them in a 1024x1024 area, but to be fair, most of them are low tiers. This is not by any means saying it is easier. Possibly the hardest map so far, without counting MAP07.

(UV - Playthrough/PRBoom+)

Order of Preference:

Again I'm happy to have Kyka as one of the mappers for my project, with maps like this, it only gives great expectation.

MAP09: Bitter Sanctuary by Kyka

"Sanctuary"? I don't see anything even vaguely religious here. It's a blue (nice colour choice) techbase with a high monster count. It starts with a short corridor and then opens up, revealing more space and more enemies - some appearing from monster closets, some teleporting in. The final two fights are so saturated with enemies (mostly low-tiers) you can barely move. You mostly have to work with a shotgun, not an ideal weapon to make space quickly, especially once pinkies and spectres appear. The last fight against a teleporting crowd of imps and zombies is chaotic and I wouldn't want it any other way. A hell knight pair and a revenant at the end are a formality at that point, you should have enough room to dodge their attacks.

Bitter Sanctuary makes great use of its limited space to create some of the most hectic combat this wad has seen thus far. Great work.

GZDoom/UV/Continuous/Blind/Saves (if needed)

Map 09:  Bitter Sanctuary - Kyka

100% kills and secrets

Time: 9:03

Easily one of the best maps in the WAD so far. This map is like a tightly-folded origami piece that unfolds ever so slightly every 4 feet. The map is mostly filled with hitscan, and I mean filled. This map has the most enemies seen so far. Like I said, the map opens up, and pretty much every time it does, there's going to be an imp or hitscan enemy right next to you. And as the map opens up more, the bigger the area will be, so more enemies will show up. And the bigger the area, the bigger the baddies that will show up, with chaingunners, lost souls, pinkies/spectres, and a caco or 2. Eventually you get taken down to a server room that gets filled with imps and zombies, but then 2 hell knights and a rev show up at the end. The rev will teleport out back to the exit, but the hell knights won't. I chaingunned pretty much everything in the room until the hell knights showed up, then I pulled out the SSG. It should be noted there are no weapon pickups in this map outside of ones dropped by zombies, so the final 3 monsters won't be as easy to kill for pistol-starters. But overall, this was a very solid map. The unfolding map keeps you on your toes since you won't know what will open up and what will be revealed. The map looks really nice and has great detail, especially the server room. Good stuff.

MAP09 - “Bitter Sanctuary” by Kyka

I appreciate that this map tends to deviate away from the map designs so far, but I generally found the map to be rather clunky and not very fun to play. Health and armour felt rather thin considering virtually every snare resulted in at least one free hit from the opposition (And given many of these are shotgunners, then that can easily result in you losing half your health). Having just the chaingun and shotgun to fight everything with tended to also result in instances where your shots can easily pass through what you are shooting (A few deaths came this way). In the end you gradually increase your playspace but never feel safe in a way that never feels positives and the final lift to the bottom floor is again another flood of monsters that can instantly hit you, so I simply fled back to the lift (Which renders the fight a doddle).

In the end, the map is certainly different, but honestly I didn't enjoy it.

map09 fda

just about skirts the line of being fair without preknowledge - a longer map would have felt unfair. in fact, it gets easier as it goes along once you know to be on your guard for "he's behind you!" traps.

the midi + the unpredictable unfolding creates an atmosphere of a machine or object that is malevolent and out to get you - e.g. the film 'Cube'

interesting nod to continuous players with the GA and berserk at the end - i thought it was punching time!

enjoyable map

Map08 - Hex of Depression
K: 100 |I: 100 |S: 100 |
Gzdoom UV Continuous, CCards 5.0, Zero Tolerance
Cards: Imps consume corpses to gain random effects, one monster mirrors the world when killed, nobles fire a burst of 3 projectiles

Accidentally overwrote the writeup for this one but ill keep it quick. Despite the rather neutrally chipper tune, this map is a health drought that holds only a few stimpacks to hold you over. This map does very well to give a lot of bang for your buck in the 1024x1024 space, with very nice use of height variation and room partitioning. It doesn't overstay its welcome and the combat/flow fells very well paced for this mapslot. The texturing, while a bit monochromatic, was tasteful and neat.

This wasn't a memorable map, but it was a fun one that i left with a smile on my face.

Map09 - Bitter Sanctuary
K: 100 |I: 67 |S: 50 |
Gzdoom UV Continuous, CCards 5.0, Zero Tolerance
Cards: Killing one monster drops 100 eggs containing a mystery, all monsters have lower pain chance, adds harmless illusions to the level

The aptly named "curse of the rabbit" marks an enemy that when killed spawns 100 eggs, these can drop any entity aside from decorations. this can be projectiles, items, or monsters with random enhancements, This map had an imp during the big room fight that spawned  a megasphere, a bunch of guns, an archvile, and a group of micro boners. It also granted me my 5th and 6th flare upgrade which improved impact damage and ranted the reload speed increase. The flares are now similar to the RL in damage, but slower and less splash. I do rather enjoy the more randomized elements since they are less predictable. This map also punished me for continuous, as the last health starved map gave me 15 health to make it through a hits canner gauntlet. This proved rather difficult and painful up until the rabbit curse. The final engine fight was also too random and required invincibility. The hitscanners in this mod are way too deadly for such a tight space.

A lot of commenters i saw referenced TNT's map09 stronghold, but this made me think more of the opening to Map05 Hangar. This is probably the apex of "maximize gameplay, minimize unused space, as the map is compact with demon compartments and very tight tunnels. The detailing is fine but repetitive. Id say overall a very well designed map set in a rather odd looking ship or sub if i had to guess. Its gimmick was done to death by the end of the map but was very unique. Considering i tend to grade the maps more on what they can do with the space, its a very good effort that maybe wasn't as enjoyable of an ending as the last map (ignoring the added difficulty of the mods, this map had some of those nasty teleport traps right behind the player, not a huge fan when overdone)

Rankings:
 

Cards: