Phobos Calamity – Episode 1

[Wesbat]

#9466

Hey there!

A little project I have been working on, I thought it would be fun to share with the club for Doom (revisit) month.

This is an episode 1 replacement level pack with some new textures, the included TXT file has all the gory details and backstory.

This WAD is *vanilla compatible* and it works with DOS Doom! I tested it with Ultimate Doom v1.9, I am curious to hear feedback if it does/not work on any other versions, DOS or otherwise.

I recommend the default difficulty “Hurt me plenty”, but by all means play on the easier or harder skills as you prefer. All skills are implemented.

Instructions: extract the WAD into your Doom directory and run: DOOM.EXE -FILE PHOBOSCA.WAD

Rip and tear.

Attachments:

1. PHOBOS-3.zip

[patrick_wd]

#9468

This looks really cool so far. I generally prefer Doom 1 wads, especially episode 1 style, so this is just my kind of thing.

Just firing it up for the first time I do get an error message “R_InitTextures: Missing patch 500 in texture BLACKSQ”. I’m using Woof, which ignores this error and is playable anyway, but the Doom remaster on steam halts on the error, preventing it from being playable there.

Not sure how easy that is to fix, but I imagine most casual players will be using the remaster, so it may be worth fixing.

[dr_st]

#9469

Yes, I get the same R_InitTextures error trying it on Boom or MBF. However, the vanilla 1.9 indeed works fine.

I’ve only played through E1M1 and E1M8, and I like how the levels give a similar vibe to the original E1, including similarity in some of the secrets, while still being different.

[Wesbat]

#9471

Ah thanks @patrick_wd and @dr_st!

I mistakenly placed two graphic patches in the wrong order, this has been fixed and the OP attachment updated. I will include Boom in my future testing 🙂

[patrick_wd]

#9472

Just finished this on UV and it was a blast. Fantastic mapset; well done! Difficulty is well tuned and the maps are substantial without being too long or slaughter-y. The secrets were also well paced and interesting to hunt for. I found all but 1 without using cheats. I just wish there was a secret level 🙂

A few minor points of feedback: There are a few things that feel like they should be marked as secrets but aren’t, like the plasma rifle on map 3. Perhaps it’s an intentional “super secret” though, which is fine. I also softlocked by falling into the middle part of map 8 after raising the bridges. I thought they would be lifts to let me out but they weren’t. Maybe I just missed something.

In any case, those are minor quibbles, and this was overall an outstanding classic Doom 1 style episode. I recommend the rest of the club give it a try.

[Wesbat]

#9480

That is great to hear @patrick_wd, thank you 🙂

> “like the plasma rifle on map 3”

Yup, it’s a very obscure secret. I have “inspiration block” at the moment. Perhaps it should simply auto open as you leave the room?

> “softlocked by falling into the middle part of map 8 after raising the bridges”

You didn’t miss anything, this is indeed a soft lock. I need to add a way to escape from here, thanks for reporting.

There is another lock in map 6, in the room beyond the red key door: standing atop a platform as it raises to the ceiling will crush you, and if you survive you will be stuck in place. I want to revisit this puzzle and try fix it.

[dr_st]

#9490

Map 2 – it seems Linedef #731 does not have the DR action set, so it is possible to get locked inside the little closet with the shotgun and shell box near the start.

BTW, funnily, the fixed WAD now works for me in Boom, MBF and Crispy Doom, but PrBoom+ 2.5.1.4 throws an R_InitTextures: Missing patch 301 in texture SKY4.

I haven’t kept a copy of the first version so I don’t know if it happened there as well.

[Wesbat]

#9493

Thanks for the feedback @dr_st, I will fix the gun locker door – that’s a good catch!

I tested with PrBoom+ 2.5.1.4 and do not get that error. That is strange indeed, considering I did not change the SKY textures.

Are you loading any other WADS, like custom sky boxes or perhaps a mod?

SKY4 is a texture introduced in the Ultimate Doom for the fourth episode.

If your DOOM.WAD file is not the Ultimate edition it will be missing SKY4. Can you try run PrBoom with the “-complevel 2” option? This will force the engine to run in Doom 1.9 compatibility.

If you know for a fact your WAD is from Ultimate Doom, then ignore all of what I said, and I can’t think of what else might cause this, I will do some research …

[dr_st]

#9495

Good point! I think you could be onto something here. I may have mixed my IWADs. Will check again when I get home, it’s been a while since I played any Doom1 levels in PrBoom.

Edit: Yep. For some reason playing with complevel didn’t help, but using the Ultimate DOOM.WAD fixed the issue. 🙂

[Wesbat]

#9507

Awesome, glad that worked!

[kdrnic]

#9531

Played through the WAD in CrispyDoom, in UV
Good WAD, and quite my style,
I only point out:
some areas a bit too dark, I think more often in the earlier levels
I got stuck once, in the centre of E1M8, after falling down and couldn’t raise the floor nor lower the walls

[Pix]

#9532

I played through it on original Ultimate Doom yesterday as well and had a really good time with it. Quite impressed actually. I never played many Doom mods and have no idea what the standard is like these days. My experience was limited to a few WAD’s on magazine cover discs 30 years back.

The only bug I found was on the level where there is a platform where you have to run around raising steps then back to press a button 3 or 4 times. I had to reload once on here and the monsters didn’t spawning in for some reason after the reload so I could just run around pressing buttons risk free. Maybe because I hugged the wall more climbing the steps?

I’m glad to hear people saying it was a bit dark on here because I was wondering if it was the brightness going on my CRT.

[kdrnic]

#9534

Will this be on /idgames ?

[Wesbat]

#9536

I put on my task list to revisit the light levels, thanks for the good feedback @kdrnic and @Pix! It sounds like the dark areas are way too dark. My apologies.

Yes this will get submitted to /idgames when the project is complete. Currently maps 5-7 are placeholders (I had created them in the past, and used them to provide some form of continuity).

The puzzle where you have to hit the switch multiple times is admittedly not a good fit in this map pack, and it’s one of my placeholders that will get replaced.