Good Doom/Heretic/Hexen WADs

This looks REALLY promising, post apocalyptic TC with RPG elements and Strife inspired hub design http://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?p=881444#p881444

 

I'm replaying Plutonia Experiment and TNT: Evilution from Final Doom with the Brutal Doom mod.

Is is just me, or is the TNT campaign miles better than Plutonia campaign?

The ONLY map from Plutonia worth a damn is Go 2 It (Map32), while TNT has Map04 (Wormhole) which pulls a neat trick, Map07 (Prison) which features one of the more brilliant secrets right before a massive cagefight, and then Map09 (Stronghold) which features nothing but a horde of low-level enemies. I'm currently on Map11 and already TNT has Plutonia beat 3 to 1.

 

I've played those recently, but since I played all official levels from ultimate doom throught the master levels, doom 2 and final doom, the thing that is stuck in my mind about TNT is that it had a lot of levels based on low level enemies like imps, chaingunners, zombiemen and shotgun guys.

 

I've never played the Master Levels. How are they?

 

Played Master Levels myself about two years ago, but sadly can't remember many details from the WADs.
I didn't like my countryman Kvernmo's WADs much; too focused on multiplayer for my taste.
I think Jim Flynn had some really huge, unlinear levels that I liked.
John Anderson's were clever, but not quite my cup of tea.

 

That isn't a popular opinion to have, but I can see where you're coming from. Plutonia is a significant jump in difficulty, and its gameplay has a different focus so someone might be disappointed (or burned) if he comes to it expecting continuation of base Doom 2.

 

I prefer Plutonia to TNT myself since I believe Plutonia has very solid level design and is really challenging, though TNT has incredible music and some cool gimmicks.

 

TNT had its share of really memorable and creative maps - Dario Casali's work, for example - but honestly I thought it a mixed bag for the most part. Plutonia on the other hand has a generally rock-solid quality, and is just so much more enjoyable and intense to play thru.

 

Well, I found a program that compiled all of them in one big megawad. Since I played it on a marathon with all official levels, i can't pinpoint which level is from which wad, but there's one with a tower that I thought it was cool, you go through top levels of a tower and battle the cyberdemon at the top. I had some trouble with some stuck spawning monsters that I usually have with lots of monsters in spawn triggers.

Another cool one is a mausoleum level that has an Icon of Sin inside, and lots of revenants in a somewhat closed space.

The compilation I used puts the levels in a progressive difficulty and theme order. But it's the usual doom standard overall, with space base levels and hell themed ones.

edit:

here: http://maniacsvault.net/files/masterlevelspatch.7z

if you want to use the music patch, the installer asks for the original doom 2 wad. If you want to use remastered music, instead of using the doom 2 wad for reference, you can use the high def music wad in its place. This patch has many different combinations. It's added to the menus of doom 2 as a new episode.

 

I hadn't played Plutonia and TNT for ages, last did so during v3 of Aeons of Death about 10 years ago, I'd guess. So why I didn't remember much from them, there were a few levels that I had recollections from...almost all of them from TNT.

As I finished TNT: Evilution, I was feeling how much it dragged on. The later levels did not impress me as much as the early ones, with some of them outright annoying me. Running around large maps trying to find that one minute detail that changed when you flipped a switch gets old really fast. The worst map of TNT is easly Map30 (Last Call) - when you've slogged through 31 level of demon-slaying action, the LAST thing you do is pull out a puzzle. It just completely breaks the flow of the game.

Plutonia is trying little more than to be a tough wad and has been outdone by dozens of wads since then, so I (for one) don't see a reason to ever play it again (except for Go 2 It with Aeons of Death). TNT however, is not only trying to be a little clever but also likes to pit hordes of weak enemies against the player - something that Brutal Doom excels at. There was an moment where side rooms opened up and about 100 Sergeants poured out. My Minigun feasted on their souls in a 30-second orgy of death screams, flying entrails and case shells spattering on the ground.

It was DYNAMITE!

 

Different strokes. For me, Plutonia is as replayable as original Doom's episodes. And I definitely don't agree that it has been outdone by bunch of wads. Plutonia's gameplay and difficulty are perfectly balanced, map sizes and monster counts are just right for the kind of difficulty it offers. Most of megawads that claim to be inspired by Plutonia or are compared to it, sadly including various unofficial sequels, miss the point entirely by having insane monster counts, too large maps, or even focus on Painkiller like arena combat...
Plutonia is still the best and most perfect Plutonia style wad.

 

Meanwhile, on moddb....Aliens: The Ultimate Doom went into now most popular mod, throwing Brootal Doom out of throne.
For once there is something good here and beat the shit out of shit.

 

I just gave it a go.
Pistol start is hardcore, but it can be done.

 

Interesting. The original Aliens TC I played 20+ years ago won because the monsters were hard to see in levels specifically designed to camoflage the xenos. This is...kinda like that, but doesn't seem to feature original levels - only reskins.

But still, the beefed up speed of the Aliens in this mod is nothing compared to running into an Alien in the Aeons of Death mod. Those move at about 97% of Doom Marine's maximum run speed, and only need a few blows to frag the player. So running into one is a frantic scramble to either reach a safe location to kill it from, or pulling out the biggest weapon you have and pray. This mod...doesn't seem to have that level of danger.

 

This Aliens mod looks pretty good but it's way too fast (I know this is Doom, but compare it to Colonial Marines for example).

 

He is working on a custom episode too, I linked video from one of WIP maps before. That is what I am waiting for, I can't say that i care for it as a reskin/gameplay mod.

 

Finished E1M8b, pistol start.

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Either I'm rusty as all hell or its quite hard. Good level. Romero uses some new tricks, no doubt learned from the Doom community:
- Teleporting monsters
- Teleporting monsters WITH monster closets, so you're inside an ambush inside a trap.
- Sniper monsters left in sniper nests and vertical areas. I don't think going here without mouselook is a good idea.
- Damaging floors all over the place

Then there's the Grand Finale

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Its just me or ALL REMAINING LIVING MONSTERS teleport straight to the end-battle area? Also the damaging floors. Those are clever tricks to turn the now-boring Bruiser Brothers fight into something exciting.

I have a feeling that just before the boss battle the huge teleport ambush is supposed to make you bolt into the last room... then the monsters you thought you fled from show up again

 

Mouselook…. You are weak.

 

The Post Mortem level of Hell Revealed...Holy Shit this is the most insane Doom level I've ever played. And there's six levels left. I wonder how they can top this.

I'm always looking for mouse.

 

Khajiit is feeling particularly witty today?

Anyway, I decided to actually try and beat Heretic Treasure Chest in its entirety. After the epic, hour and a half long struggle E1M4 - made by Kaiser of Doom 64 EX fame - lies barren and conquered behind me. That same monstrosity was the reason I quit E1 few years ago.

 

I admit I always got a soft spot for Gadget.

 

My power is far yet from returned in its entiriety... for now.

 

Just finished Hell Revealed (OK, I used God Mode on the last map), and it was just the hellish experience I'de been warned about, even playing on default difficulty.
I liked that it was mostly big battles against the legions of hell, and not so often against single type enemies in tight spots. Although this Mega WAD taught me that the good old faithful double barreled Shotgun is more effective against Cyber Demons than the Rocket Launcher, when you want to save on ammo for the BFG (which you want to do with Arch-Viles suddenly popping up all the time).

Most memoreable maps for me were 11 Underground Base and 14 City in the Clouds (most fun), 24 Post Mortem and 26 Afterlife (for being the most brutal Doom maps I've played).

Overall a every enjoyable Mega WAD, and hats off to those Doom Gods who manage to get though on Ultra Violence with Pistol Start.

 

skillsaw released episode made of touched up cut Valiant maps https://www.doomworld.com/vb/wads-mods/86554-sawdust-valiant-scrap/

 

I'm going through it with Brutal Doom (UV difficulty), just cleared Map14 and I agree with you, it's an intense map that really put me to the test. I just lolnoped at the third Cyberdemon fight, though. Map11 had too many obvious traps, though. I enjoyed Map13 far more, even though the traps were more obvious they had better spins on them.

I faintly recall playing through Hell Revealed using Aeons of Death, but the only level I'm remembering is Map24 as you mentioned - that one was utter madness in AoD, I'm kinda looking forward to playing it again - if I get that far.