Good Doom/Heretic/Hexen WADs

[Denim Destroyer]

For the Ashes fans it looks like Afterglow won a Cacoward this year.

 

[Sjukob]

For the Ashes fans it looks like Afterglow won a Cacoward this year.

Oh yes, the Cacowards 2021 have arrived.

Looks like this year has been outright wonderful for Doom, so if you haven't found any new games worth playing just check out recent releases for Doom. Goodness awaits you.

 

[lightbane]

Since Mike McDee is now a persona non grata for the insane Doom community, his excellent Dynamite Duchess + expansion is not even mentioned.
Odd that somehow Sarge Mark IV was pardoned, and there's even a mention of Blade of Agony despite the shitstorm with the last chapter.

 

[Riskbreaker]

Eh, much the same thing happened with The Inquisitor 3 years back. Earlier one had a secret where the members of Pussy Riot were being tortured, and you can imagine exactly where the folks from Doomworld would stand on that.

Anyway, it's an "Easter egg" because the three women are a reflection of Russian public anger - mirrored by Shadowman - at the members of Russian Riot Grrrl band, Pussy Riot, that protested the Russian Orthodox Church's endorsement of Vladimir Putin. The telling remark, by Shadowman himself, was that "IMHO, some women do deserve tortures, and Pussy Riot are the first candidates on it."

The result was that the third one, in spite of being the most ambitious attempt at making a full fledged RPG TC at that point, was completely snubbed two years in a row.

Anyway, BD and BoA are a bit too big, have received too much coverage. Doesn't mean that Sarge and even poor Tormentor won't be bearing a mark on their foreheads as long as they are around in Doom community.

 

[Curratum]

At this point in time, the better part of Doomworld and the ZDoom forums are comprised of trans people and extreme neoliberals. The best thing you can do is stay as far away as possible from both of those places and go boot up Memento Mori or whatever the fuck and enjoy the game without having to deal with any of the horror of current-year Doom community.

 

[Bigg Boss]

Pretty wild stuff. I wish I could find the mod now, but among other things, allowed you to duel wield pistols that functioned completely independently of each other. You could fire one and reload the other at the same time. All with stock Doom assets. I think you can also do pretty complex stuff with AI in ZScript, but I haven't actually seen it used in a mod yet.

Brutal Doom/Project Brutality has this duh

Not only that but there are dozens of mods that do that already that don't use Brutal Doom crap.

The Zscript AI is developed but not in a mod since modders in the community like to make either Brutal mods or shitty map packs.

 

[lightbane]

Anyway, BD and BoA are a bit too big, have received too much coverage. Doesn't mean that Sarge and even poor Tormentor won't be bearing a mark on their foreheads as long as they are around in Doom community.

And even then Sarge's works had that over-the-top response of making certain mods become unplayable if you tried to combine them, something which is still a thing I believe.

At this point in time, the better part of Doomworld and the ZDoom forums are comprised of trans people and extreme neoliberals. The best thing you can do is stay as far away as possible from both of those places and go boot up Memento Mori or whatever the fuck and enjoy the game without having to deal with any of the horror of current-year Doom community.

So far most of the awarded WADs are map packs which while great, they don't seem to be that much compared to awards from previous years. I suppose that's to be expected when the community goes crazy as you say.
There are many wads mentioned by the Youtuber Icarus that are not even given a mention.

 

[Bigg Boss]

Zdoom forums at least has a lot of helpful info while Doomworld is just a shitty forum that hosts some mods.

 

[Curratum]

Honestly, I don't give a rat's ass about what the community is making anymore. I'm friends with the only sane modder guy of the bunch, whose name I won't mention because I don't want the trans mob chasing him down and cancelling him.

I have enough maps and mods to keep me entertained for a lifetime, I've been collecting this stuff for over two decades and have hundreds and hundreds of levels to play, as well as a couple of mod packs to play them in a completely different way all over again, swapping both weapons and enemies.

The majority of the new wave mapping is bollocks anyway, with a heavy focus on "aesthetics" and a predominance of slaughter maps, which I can't stand anyway.

 

[Alphons]

Since Mike McDee is now a persona non grata for the insane Doom community, his excellent Dynamite Duchess + expansion is not even mentioned.
Odd that somehow Sarge Mark IV was pardoned, and there's even a mention of Blade of Agony despite the shitstorm with the last chapter.

Both Tormentor and Sarge apologized for their behavior (Sarge even repented and went after Tormentor's ass for daring to include Randi as a reference in BoA).

Impie was "problematic" from the beginning. First were muslim suicide bombers and other terrorists in Operation: Bodycount. Then the eldritch monsters feeding on boys sent to feminist re-education camp. Then the tank WAD where you blast some "peaceful protesters".

That he was finally made into a pariah, because protagonist of DD said that that the fantasy disease doesn't kill people (which is later proven wrong as it kills her mom) just blows my mind.

 

[Riskbreaker]

Honestly, I don't give a rat's ass about what the community is making anymore. I'm friends with the only sane modder guy of the bunch, whose name I won't mention because I don't want the trans mob chasing him down and cancelling him.

I have enough maps and mods to keep me entertained for a lifetime, I've been collecting this stuff for over two decades and have hundreds and hundreds of levels to play, as well as a couple of mod packs to play them in a completely different way all over again, swapping both weapons and enemies.

The majority of the new wave mapping is bollocks anyway, with a heavy focus on "aesthetics" and a predominance of slaughter maps, which I can't stand anyway.

Now there IS some great shit among the Cacowards winners and mentions that I can vouch for. Atmospheric Extinction is godly, really slick and creative newshit visuals on top of what are, really, well designed maps with old-school, gimmick-free Doom gameplay. Heartland, Auger;Zenith and INHI are damn fine Build-style wads. The second one is particularly impressive both for how speedily it was made and just how Build-like it is without being built around any of more advanced ports.

But yeah some stuff, like Time Tripper, just alienates me. It doesn't even feel like Doom anymore or like anything I could enjoy.

 

[Tacgnol]

My biggest annoyance with the doom modding community isn't the existence of trannies, it's that they form lynch mobs and chase out a lot of talented modders.

The problem is somewhat complicated by the fact a lot of the talented modders are the angry trannies.

Still, I'm glad Ashes won an award this year. Afterglow really deserved it.

 

[lightbane]

(Sarge even repented and went after Tormentor's ass for daring to include Randi as a reference in BoA).

What a race traitor.

Impie was "problematic" from the beginning. First were muslim suicide bombers and other terrorists in Operation: Bodycount. Then the eldritch monsters feeding on boys sent to feminist re-education camp. Then the tank WAD where you blast some "peaceful protesters".

I believe he started normal, as Strange Aeons was seen okay. Having muslims as terrorists is normal if you're not a lunatic like the woke crowd, there were evil ruskies in OB IIRC too.

That he was finally made into a pariah, because protagonist of DD said that that the fantasy disease doesn't kill people (which is later proven wrong as it kills her mom) just blows my mind.

Around the tank wad he began using his wads to protest against nowadays' injustice and rise of totalitarism, which is obviously a big no-no. That's very obvious in DD as it's the main theme, the abuse of power of "certain parties" and how one should not tolerate such injustice. It's quite common to see in his latest wads, the abuse of power and so on.
Which again is not kosher in clown world. Wasn't there at least one case where people defended a serial pedo-rapist all to shit on a third party? The Kyle kid, I think?

My biggest annoyance with the doom modding community isn't the existence of trannies, it's that they form lynch mobs and chase out a lot of talented modders.
The problem is somewhat complicated by the fact a lot of the talented modders are the angry trannies.

Trannies and those that believe to be "x" sexual can't tolerate those different and naturally form angry mobs, when they're not purging each other for not being "zealous enough". It will hopefully collapse and let others rebuild.

 

[gerey]

My biggest annoyance with the doom modding community isn't the existence of trannies, it's that they form lynch mobs and chase out a lot of talented modders.

Which is a direct result of allowing and tolerating trannies (and other liberal filth) in your communities. Don't sit there and pretend one thing doesn't lead to the other.

The problem is somewhat complicated by the fact a lot of the talented modders are the angry trannies.

I'd rather have less talented modders if it also meant there were less troons around. Troons kill every community that tolerates them with their endless drama and witch-hunts and turn the whole place into a toxic cesspit where everyone has to walk on eggshells for fear of offending the disgusting flesh golems and sending them into a shit-flinging tantrum.

Troons are complete and utter filth, mentally ill sociopaths that prey on the weak so they can con people into being as miserable as they are and are perpetually bitter and angry because they know the whole world is laughing at them behind their backs.

They are extremely unpleasant people to interact with and should be shunned at every possible opportunity.

 

[Denim Destroyer]

The issue with modern high profile levels is that all try to be like Skillsaw levels instead of trying something different. These levels aren't bad either they just blend together even when made by different creators. Not every Doom level needs to be nonlinear with a focus on interconnectedness but since people found the most efficient way to create a praiseworthy map we are now stuck with this design trope.

 

[Alphons]

Having muslims as terrorists is normal if you're not a lunatic like the woke crowd, there were evil ruskies in OB IIRC too.

It's super racist!

Around the tank wad he began using his wads to protest against nowadays' injustice and rise of totalitarism, which is obviously a big no-no. That's very obvious in DD as it's the main theme, the abuse of power of "certain parties" and how one should not tolerate such injustice. It's quite common to see in his latest wads, the abuse of power and so on.

It's absolutely ironic that Stray dog got him "silenced" on ZDoom and DD on DoomWorld.

I'm glad he has his own site where he can post his projects without problems.

 

[mogwaimon]

The majority of the new wave mapping is bollocks anyway, with a heavy focus on "aesthetics" and a predominance of slaughter maps, which I can't stand anyway.

tbh I haven't gotten around to playing a majority of Doom wads though I really should....but I believe this because as I'm reading through the 2021 Cacowards it feels more like I'm reading some sort of schmaltzy art review than any sort of Doom modding. That 'Doom in Spain Only' synopsis in particular has gone on and waxed more poetic about the names of the maps more than how they actually play

 

[toughasnails]

In the case of Impie and that Shadowman drama, they made explicit, in your face political statements in their wads rather than their wads simply being made by someone with particular political leanings. For Impie in particular, he made ENTIRE TCs that were political statements. So it's not exactly the same as a wad that happens to be made by someone with certain views that aren't expressed in it...

I'd rather have less talented modders if it also meant there were less troons around. Troons kill every community that tolerates them with their endless drama and witch-hunts and turn the whole place into a toxic cesspit where everyone has to walk on eggshells for fear of offending the disgusting flesh golems and sending them into a shit-flinging tantrum.

All these things, that so so many mappers being LGBTetc, drama, and the community being so creative and innovative even after all these years sadly go together... Some of the people who most push the envelopes with difficulty and design in Doom community are exactly like that.

What a race traitor.

Is he though... iirc he made a comparison between the Tormentor situation and some MachineGames guy where the latter case hasn't produced any comparable drama. Which is salient bc MachineGames tend to be taken for a super hip, progressive studio by the sort of people who would likely stand against Tormentor in that situation.

 

[lightbane]

iirc he made a comparison between the Tormentor situation and some MachineGames guy where the latter case hasn't produced any comparable drama. Which is salient bc MachineGames tend to be taken for a super hip, progressive studio by the sort of people who would likely stand against Tormentor in that situation.

Right, I forgot, he commented that. I dunno what was the answer to said statement. I suppose that since Machine Games are from the "good crowd", anything they do is kosher, even when they shouldn't.

For Impie in particular, he made ENTIRE TCs that were political statements. So it's not exactly the same as a wad that happens to be made by someone with certain views that aren't expressed in it...

Even if that's the case, if the gameplay is fine then it's not that bad, and that tends to be the case in Impie's wads. Plus I prefer statements that denounce modern world's insanity than those trying to brainwash you to accept everything.

 

[Ol' Willy]

he made ENTIRE TCs that were political statements

Which is forbidden unless you make correct* political statements

*

Spoiler

 

[Bigg Boss]

I didn't know Impie was banned. They banned one of the few creative modders hahaha!!!! I used one of his mods to learn how to mod myself. Assholes.

 

[Curratum]

The majority of the new wave mapping is bollocks anyway, with a heavy focus on "aesthetics" and a predominance of slaughter maps, which I can't stand anyway.

tbh I haven't gotten around to playing a majority of Doom wads though I really should....but I believe this because as I'm reading through the 2021 Cacowards it feels more like I'm reading some sort of schmaltzy art review than any sort of Doom modding. That 'Doom in Spain Only' synopsis in particular has gone on and waxed more poetic about the names of the maps more than how they actually play

That's pretty much the cacowards every year, for years now, no?

 

[mogwaimon]

The majority of the new wave mapping is bollocks anyway, with a heavy focus on "aesthetics" and a predominance of slaughter maps, which I can't stand anyway.

tbh I haven't gotten around to playing a majority of Doom wads though I really should....but I believe this because as I'm reading through the 2021 Cacowards it feels more like I'm reading some sort of schmaltzy art review than any sort of Doom modding. That 'Doom in Spain Only' synopsis in particular has gone on and waxed more poetic about the names of the maps more than how they actually play

That's pretty much the cacowards every year, for years now, no?

eh I might have only skimmed over last years Cacowards to be fair, it just feels especially jarring since last time I was bored enough to skim through the Cacowards (the past years in general) the prose wasn't nearly so rosy and up its own ass

 

[Riskbreaker]

Overwritten it sure is but they successfully convinced me to try out Old Still Life. I actually have something of a weak spot for weird, atmosphere-porn Russian wads (Sacrament, ALT, Eternal's stuff) that seem to be its main inspiration.

 

[Lagi]

ashes enriched is the best from this caco awards.

its not even a doom mod, it's a completely different game. With brand new enemies - NO frankenspriting, all are new. New weapons. New textures. there are even some narrative elements, dialogues, plots.

When i start playing it, i feel the melee would be big part of the game. But there is abundance of ammo. Still quick knive attack, or bashing with shotgun is nice add on.