I have been almost completely radio silent regarding this project for the last two months or so. Grad school, work, and personal relationships have taken up a majority of my time. That being said, work has been done! A minor update is in the works that will add in and modify some content in preparation for the maps as well as bring a few presentation changes into the mix. I have no idea when this update will come out, as life is quite hectic at the moment.
The majority of the work that's been done has been in planning. I have written out three detailed documents for how the maps will look and feel and how bosses will behave. I have included them here for anyone who wishes to read them. Know that these are not exhaustive descriptions and are subject to change, but they will spoil pretty much everything of note. Read at your own risk! Also there may be some typos.
DESIGN RULES: This was written to keep me accountable in designing fair levels.
1. Maps must abide by John Romero's eight rules of level design.
-Always change floor and ceiling height when changing textures.
-Use border textures between different wall textures and doorways.
-Be strict about texture alignment.
-Use contrast between light and dark areas and cramped and open areas.
-Make sure that if the player can see outside, they can somehow get there.
-Be strict about having several secret areas on each level.
-Make levels flow so that the player revisits areas to better understand the 3D space.
-Create several recognizable landmarks for easier navigation.
2. The player must never spawn in monster LoS.
3. Teleporters must never put the player in LoS of monsters within 768 DMU. For zombies, they must never teleport into LoS at all.
-When teleporting into monster LoS, the player must be able to step off the teleporter in at least three directions.
4. Monster and items lists must be adhered to strictly.
-If a vanilla monster is listed without an asterisk, anything that appears on the normal spawner may be placed explicitly. The vanilla monster can be placed for the purpose of randomization.
-Monsters that only appear on X-grade spawners, and AN-exclusive monsters, may not be placed explicitly unless listed by name.
-Vanilla weapons may not be placed under any circumstances.
-Due to a lack of editor numbers, ammo, health, and powerups must be placed using the vanilla items they replace.
5. Traps may not leave the player within 512 DMU of monsters when triggered.
-For lifts that lower into rooms full of monsters, this rule is waived so long as the trigger is not standing on the lift.
6. Monster teleport traps must have an obvious entry point. Teleport destinations must be on these spots only.
-If making an encounter where a monster teleports around the room, it must be confined to that room.
7. When placing zombies, cover of some kind must be provided. Cover must be sufficient to conceal the player fully when crouching. This can include trees and pillars.
8. For all encounters except major bosses, a means of retreat must be provided. Said means does not necessarily need to involve a bottleneck. In fact, bottlenecks should be limited. Additionally, these means of retreat do not necessarily need to be free of monsters themselves, but these encounters must be easier than the one the player is running from.
9. Switches must be placed such that whatever they operate is immediately clear or the player will invariably walk past it on their way out.
10. One-use triggers, unless their effect is permanent, are strictly disallowed. In other words, NO MISSABLES!
11. Keyed doors must be unlocked on the opposite side of where the key(s) is/are placed for the purpose of backtracking. Same goes for switched doors. Challenge areas where the player must be locked in are the exception. Additionally, terrain may be used to create points of no return.
-Once opened from either side, keyed doors must never close. Switched doors may close since they can be opened from both sides freely, though it is recommended that doors remain opened in general.
12. Exits to non-secret maps must write the name of their destination in linedefs. Said lines must be visible on the automap at all times. Any sectors created with these lines must have a brightness of 0.
13. Any damaging surface must be escapable, and instant death hazards must use deep, semi-transparent liquids.
-Water, mud, and blood may not damage the player at all; only nukage and lava may be hazardous.
-Mud may not ever be deeper than 16 DMU.
14. Designated area themes do not need to be strictly followed. In the case of secrets or other small chunks of map, other themes can be used provided they remain at least somewhat cohesive or play into the idea of this being a televised arena game show.
15: Duplicate weapons may be placed after the intended point of collection for the purpose of ammo refilling.
16: Try to ensure that the player can approach within bauble pickup range of every monster. That is, 256 DMU before the Armor Magnetizer and 512 DMU after. If this is not possible due to the design of a setpiece, such as air combat rooms over an instant death hazard, that is acceptable.
17: Be generous with room gimmicks/setpieces for the sake of variety, but keep any puzzles simple or short so they don't break the pace.
18: Use skulls and eyes for shootable switches. Use buttons and levers for usable switches. Do not use computer terminals or anything of the sort as a switch.
19: Remember that the player has a great deal of acrobatics at their disposal. Make them use these abilities.
20: Don't expect the player to make precise landings until they acquire the Helipack.
MAP DETAILS: This is a deep dive into every map, describing major events, battles, progression, etc. It also gives a quick overview of each boss.
Every map contains an Amm-O-Matic hidden behind a wall decorated with the emblem of a rock or metal band. A platforming or swimming challenge must be cleared to get it. Each is listed under Other Setpieces.
All references to vanilla monsters, unless marked with *, refer to the spawn set, not the actual monster.
Trap and spawning rules don't apply after going beyond the Ogre's Castle.
All boss HP values are subject to change.
Zombie Complex
Themes: Desert, military base (indoor/outdoor)
Sky: Doom E1
Monsters: Scientists, Zombiemen, Shotgunners, Chaingunners, Elites, Demons, Turrets
Items: Helipack, N60, Bomb Glove, Combustor
First Visit: The player begins the campaign here and starts in an open, rocky desert. Here, they'll fight melee-only monsters with their wrench and locate two keycards to open the main gate. Once inside, they'll go through an entrance lobby and warehouse before reaching three doors that will open as they approach. A yellow-key door will close behind them. Behind each door is one of the three weapons available in this area. They must pick one, and the remaining two cannot be obtained without the third keycard, hidden somewhere in the barracks, firing range, command center, or food storage. The only exit they can take for now is the one leading to the Outer Wastes located in the brig.
Second Visit: The player teleports in from the Underground Base into a darker, more dilapidated part of the base crawling with Demons and high-tier Zombies. The area is comprised of a large storage area, kill house, and docks. Fighting here will be much more close-quarters than in previous regions. Tucked away somewhere in the ruins will be the Helipack, which the player needs to progress. Once the Helipack is obtained, a door will slam behind the player. They must advance through another section of the northern Lost Mines.
Red Key: This is a simple platforming sequence, as the player has minimal movement capabilities at this point. Strafe-jumping will be necessary here and throughout the mod, so a brief tutorial message can be found at the start of this.
Blue Key: Up until now, the player has only fought single monsters. Now, they will have to face them in small groups in order to reach the key.
Yellow Key: The power is out in the command center. The player will use night vision to locate and activate the emergency power switch that opens the way to the key. Should they take too long, they will have to navigate by the lamps and ceiling lights.
Exits: Outer Wastes (key), Lost Mines North (Antigravitator), Lost Mines North (Helipack), Underground Base (teleport)
Other Setpieces:
-The three weapons are placed under spotlights.
-Some counters with food storage barrels are actually trap lifts containing monsters.
-Turrets hiding in command center cubicles.
-"Dead" zombies that wake up when the player gets close.
-Shutters hiding ceiling turrets that fly open when the player enters the room.
-Firing range is entered backwards. Initially, the room is dark, but at a certain point, the lights kick on and chest-high walls fly up. The player will have to use them for cover against the snipers taking shots at them.
-Killhouse monsters all use shotguns and automatics.
-All monsters on the docks use nails and explosives.
-Storage area is flooded with nukage, so the player must hop over crates to stay safe.
-The dock area is largely comprised of shipping containers. Some of these will open when approached, releasing monsters. There are secrets in the water, but they will have to dive down and contend with Demons.
-Sabaton wall in the barracks.
Note: If possible, spotlights will work as follows.
1l,2l,3l=lights
1d,2d,3d=door
each line is a new 'on' sequence
[enter room]
1l
2l
3l
1l,2l,3l
1l,2l,3l,1d,2d,3d
Outer Wastes
Themes: Valley, Cave, Crater, Waste Disposal
Sky: Doom 2 Cluster 1
Monsters: Imps, Nightshades, Demons, Spectres, Nightmare Spectres
Items: Charge Boots, Blitz Gun, Scorpion Flail, Decoy Glove, Thruster Pack
First Visit: The player enters a network of caves dotted with pools of nukage, which open up into a deep trench. Here, they will find Charge Boots, which they can use to get out by climbing a series of outcroppings over a pool of lava. Some of these may slide down into said lava. The first open area has a few enemies and a large resupply of health and ammo. From this point, they will traverse other valleys connected via caves and trenches. The three weapons available here can be found hidden away somewhere in the map. They can exit to either the Lost Mines or Underground Base.
Second Visit: The player will navigate a network of dark caves populated by Wraiths, Nightshades, and Spectres until they escape through a rock wall lowered via switch. The switch is blocked by a pool of lava with a cage wall over it. They will need the Thruster Pack in order to navigate this obstacle. This opening has a direct view of the entrance to the northern Lost Mines.
Exits: Zombie Complex, Lost Mines North (Charge Boots), Underground Base (Charge Boots), Outpost 051 (Levitator)
Other Setpieces:
-To get the Blitz Gun, three switches must be pressed to raise the bars.
-The Scorpion Flail is in a hidden blood pool and guarded by Nightshades.
-Most barrels are in pits that raise up when the player or a monster gets close.
-The Decoy Glove is located in a minefield. Yellow mines are shootable, red ones are not. Imps are sat on high perches and will fire down at the player as they try to clear the hazard.
-Areas full of nukage and barrels contain high concentrations of Maggots, Vulgars, and Nukage Imps.
-Burning barrels are set on pillars so they're contents will rain down when destroyed.
-Suspension bridge segments will fall into lava below.
-There's a hidden TV room with an Amm-O-Matic tucked away somewhere in the map. The Amm-O-Matic is hidden behind a Demon Hunter wall.
Lost Mines North
Themes: Mine shafts, caves, military base
Sky: None
Monsters: Scientists, Ethereal Souls, Phantasms, Pain Elementals, Deep Ones
Items: Holoshield, Chopper, Lava Gun
First Visit (assume entrance from Outer Wastes): The player clears a series of pits and drop-offs lined with lava while battling scientists. At the bottom, the path splits four ways. Turning left returns to Zombie Complex through increasingly techy caves. Going right leads to the Underground Base through perilous jumps and swarms of monsters. At this stage of the game, they cannot yet go forward in either direction, as one path is blocked by a wall which serves as an exit from Zombie Complex (should they open it from this side, they will be greeted with a jump they cannot clear yet) and the other is locked behind a door requiring six gold bolts, of which they only have two at most. This door leads to Death Canyon. Both paths would be impossible at this time due to a lack of Antigravitator and Helipack.
Second Visit: This one is very short. The player will glide across a series of wide gaps to return to the main portion of the map through the rock wall. From here, they will return to the Underground Base.
Third Visit: The player will open the gold bolt door and traverse a deadly series of long gaps with low ceilings. The area ends with a steep descent that opens out into Death Canyon.
Exits: Zombie Complex (Charge Boots), Zombie Complex (Helipack), Outer Wastes (Antigravitator), Underground Base (Charge Boots, 1 gold bolt), Death Canyon (6 gold bolts)
Other Setpieces:
-The Holoshield can be found in an alcove branching off from one of the lava pits. A switch must be shot to open it.
-The Lava Gun can be found in a hidden opening under the large hub area. The player must drop down to a platform below and turn around to spot it.
-To get the Chopper, the player must locate a cave entrance suspended above a lava pit. From here, they will locate a shootable switch to open the way in. This will teleport them to the base of a steep set of bluffs. As they ascend, platforms covered with monsters will lower behind them. They may choose to fight them as they climb or get the new weapon from the top and use it to fight them all at once.
-Deep Ones always appear from trap walls that open behind the player.
-The last big room before the Underground Base is full of Scientists and monster-only teleports.
-Tool wall hidden in one of the many pits.
Underground Base
Themes: Corrupted military base (indoor), computer station (indoor), lava fields
Sky: None
Monsters: Shotgunners, Chaingunners, Cacodemons, Phantasms, Pain Elementals, Turrets, Synthenoids, one Cyberdemon
BOSS: Overlord (40,000 HP) - This boss sits motionless on one of eight teleporter pads. Each of its attacks, grouped into two groups of eight, corresponds to a particular teleporter. After the attack, he will disappear momentarily before appearing at the new spot. With each teleport, they will leave behind random health and ammo items. The player will have a window of time to attack the Overlord before he chooses a random action. At times, he may choose a ninth option, where he will quickly and randomly warp around the room, releasing random Souls (including X-grade Souls) at each stop. At the start of the fight, the first of each pair is chosen from. The Overlord will switch to the second set below half health.
Items: Antigravitator, Synthenoid, Seeker Gun, Meteor Gun
First Visit (assume entrance from Lost Mines North): In the first map, the player will immediately receive the Antigravitator which they will need to clear the large gaps filled with lava. The area is labyrinthine, filled with dead-ends, loops, and keyed/switched doors. Getting to the second map requires finding all three keycards and one more gold bolt. In the second map, fewer platforming hazards will be presented in favor of more traps and swarms to fight through in a mostly-linear sequence of open rooms and corridors. The last door is locked and requires three gold bolts. In the event the player lacks these, they can take a teleporter back to the beginning of this stretch of the base and backtrack. At the end, they will take on the first boss, the Overlord. Once it's defeated, a teleporter will open up that returns the player to Zombie Complex. Entering through the Outer Wastes will involve platforming and minor switch hunting along with fighting Pain Elementals to reach the Antigravitator.
Second Visit: During their first visit, the player passed by a huge gap they couldn't cross before. Now they can, and it will take them to an air combat sequence ended with a Cyberdemon. Defeating it will open the way to the Healer's Marsh.
Red Key: A series of long jumps must be performed while Synthenoids attack from the sides. The alcoves they emerge from can be entered for health and ammo.
Yellow Key: The player must cross a bridge. Linedefs along it alternate between opening shutters full of monsters and collapsing segments of the bridge. The key stand opens the wall directly behind it, giving room to dodge the swarm of Cacodemons. A fence around the bridge ensures the player can't just jump around these lines.
Blue Key: Located in a seemingly benign server room. Upon collecting, the walls will drop, surrounding the player with zombies and Pain Elementals.
Exits: Zombie Complex (3 gold bolts), Outer Wastes, Lost Mines North, Healer's Marsh (Helipack)
Other Setpieces:
-Each weapon here is located somewhere near the keys. Synthenoids are in the red key area, the Seeker Gun is in the yellow key area, and the Meteor Gun is in the blue key area.
-All secrets are hidden dangerously close to the lava.
-Monitor walls will drop releasing Chaingunners.
-Some areas are lit entirely by dynamic lights. Sector lighting is low across the entire area.
-On the way to the boss, a hidden armory can be found containing every weapon available up to this point. The path to it is full of lava hazards and Pain Elementals.
-Slayer wall hidden in the yellow key area.
The Healer's Marsh
Themes: Blood swamps, caves, ancient ruins, dead forests, castle
Sky: Doom E2
Monsters: Zombiemen, Shotgunners, Chaingunners, Imps, Nightshades, Catharsi, Demons, Spectres, Cacodemons, Cacolanterns, Fallen, Lost Souls, Ethereal Souls, Phantasms, Pain Elementals, Archviles, Artisans, Deep Ones, Hellspawn
Items: Gravity Mine, Flux Rifle, Arbiter, Morph-O-Ray, Hypnomatic, O2 Mask
First Visit: The player will climb through the ruins, facing Demons and Spectres in large numbers and tight spaces until they emerge from a rock face onto the edge of a cliff. Here, they'll find the Flux Rifle which they can use to snipe the team of Archviles* approaching from the distance. Upon dropping down, rock walls will fly open revealing an ambush of Zombiemen and Shotgunners. Trees and rocky pillars serve as cover, and there is an alcove with ammo and health they can duck into (literally), guarded by a handful of Cacodemons* hidden in a deep pool of blood. Once this assault is beaten back, the player must navigate the swamps until they reach a fork where they will choose to take either the forest, where they can find the Gravity Mine, or the swamps, where the Arbiter awaits. Both meet up at the same place, but once one is chosen, yellow skull doors will drop behind them. At the end of the branching paths, the skull awaits behind a second horde. They can use it to backtrack through the other path. A third door waits at the beginning of the branch, also locked by a skull door, with a teleporter that can be used to skip the fork. The player will eventually reach a room with two doors, one leading to the southern Lost Mines and the other needing eight gold bolts that leads to the Sunken Station. In the swamp path, they may notice a ledge that is well out of their reach. They will need the Warp Pad to access this. Once they do, they will fight through swarms of Hellspawn until they find a road with the entrance to the Forbidden Summit.
Second Visit: The player navigates a second network of ruins, this time with a mix of castle structures. Hidden here is the O2 Mask which they will need in order to progress. They will eventually reach a cliff with the Morph-O-Ray hidden nearby and an army of Zombies below. Upon dropping down, a rock wall can be lowered, letting the player out next to the gold bolt door.
Red Skull: The player must navigate a teleporter maze by figuring out the color sequence to follow. Should they make the wrong move, they will be teleported back to the start. A large group of Demons waits on the other side.
Blue Skull: A bank of shootable switches operates a series of doors on the opposite end of the room. One contains the key. The rest contain a group of Spectres and an Archvile.
Exits: Underground Base, Lost Mines South (key), Ogre's Castle, Sunken Station (8 gold bolts), Forbidden Summit (Warp Pad)
Other Setpieces:
-Hypnomatic is hidden in a pit concealed by trees and rocks. To exit the pit, the player must traverse a cave lit only by torches, flats, and other producers of dynamic lights.
-The last hallway before the exit from the ruins has a series of fast, crushing ceilings. Getting caught in these is instant death.
-An early platforming section will have the player timing their jumps with crushers that take up the entire platform.
-Every demon-and-pentagram wall will fly open to reveal Demons and Spectres.
-Gojira wall hidden in one of the deep pools of blood.
Lost Mines South
Themes: Flooded caves, ancient ruins
Sky: None
Monsters: Spectres, Lost Souls, Pain Elementals, Death Elementals, Grell, Archviles, Hell Knights, Revenants
Items: Infector, Armor Magnetizer
First Visit: The mines are mostly linear, with a great deal of uneven footing and deep water from which Pain Elementals will rise. Large sections of ruins branch off at points where the player can go to collect items, but they'll have to contend with stronger monsters and many traps. The three skulls are located in these ruins, which are required to enter Outpost 051.
Second Visit (Optional): This section of the mines is totally underwater. The player will have to swim through various traps and contend with Lost Souls and Pain Elementals. Halfway through, they will encounter a fork in the path. Going right takes them back to the main section of the mines, while going left will take them through submerged ruins with Hell Knights and Revenants high above the water. Beyond the gauntlet is an opening the player will have to throw a Warp Pad into to access the Path of Death.
Red Skull: The player must use a series of linedef triggers to open a row of doors blocking their path. Any wrong move on the tiles will close all doors and open one of the trap doors in the room.
Blue Key: Hidden in a pool of blood in a sacrificial chamber. When the player resurfaces, they'll find the room is full of monsters.
Yellow Skull: Located in a large, mostly open room with a pentagram carved into the floor. When the skull is collected, the door will close for 30 seconds, Pain Elementals will begin teleporting in, and the ceiling will start to lower. The player can take cover from the monsters, but not the ceiling. They must wait until the door reopens, then hurry out before they are crushed.
Exits: Healer's Marsh, Outpost 051 (Helipack, keys), Sunken Station (O2 Mask), Path of Death (Warp Pad)
Other Setpieces
-The Infector can be found in the yellow skull room.
-The Armor Magnetizer can be found at the bottom of a deep pit. To get out, they must find a switch to raise a set of stairs.
-Throughout the ruins are several floor panels surrounded by lowered gates marked with skulls. Should the player or a monster enter one of these, the gate will fly up, trapping them inside, and a crushing ceiling will swiftly drop onto them, resulting in instant death.
-All secrets not in the ruins are underwater.
-System of a Down wall hidden in the water.
-Teleporter traps are commonplace in the ruins.
-The optional stretch of the mines is entirely populated by Pain/Death Elementals and Grell, not including the monsters perched on pillars.
Outpost 051
Themes: Computer station (indoor), hangar, offices
Sky: Starry night
Monsters: Mancubi, Plagues, Volacubi, Arachnotrons, Stone Cacodemons, Synthenoids, Turrets, Elites
Items: Mini-Turret Launcher, Tesla Claw
First Visit: This is a labyrinth littered with traps. The player needs only to collect the three keycards and open the door to the main hangar. After fighting through this, they'll reach an exit room with a gold bolt and lift that takes them back to the Outer Wastes.
Red Key: Located in a maze-like server farm lit only by the ceiling. Once collected, the lights will come on and servers will lower. The player will be attacked on one side by Mancubi and on the other by Arachnotrons.
Blue Key: Located in a closet in the back of a hangar. On their way out, the player will have to contend with groups of zombies using energy weapons.
Yellow Key: Tucked away in the offices which are guarded by Synthenoids and turrets.
Exits: Lost Mines South, Outer Wastes (key)
Other Setpieces:
-All Synthenoids and turrets are locked behind shutters that open when the player gets near them.
-Offices are strewn with yellow mines.
-Tesla Claw can be found behind one of the shutters.
-There is a desk in the main hangar hiding a flight of stairs. Taking these will lead into an armory containing several weapons including the Mini-Turret Launcher.
-Blue Stahli wall hidden behind one of the shutters.
Death Canyon
Theme: Lava canyon, caves, ancient ruins
Sky: Doom E2
Monsters: Zombies with flame weapons, Stone Imps and Demons, Serpents, Fallen, Cacolanterns, Barons, Artisans, Revenants, Mancubi, Archviles
Items: Levitator
First Visit: The player will traverse a long, winding canyon densely populated with a variety of monsters. Numerous caves and alcoves dot the canyon for safety, supplies, and the occasional alternative route. Monsters cannot cross the canyon, but the player can. Should they fall in, lava will be waiting to catch them. In the last stretch, they will climb over increasingly sparse platforms to exit the canyon and make their way into the Ogre's Castle.
Exits: Lost Mines North, Ogre's Castle (Levitator)
Other Setpieces:
-A door will close behind the player when they go to get the Levitator. They will have to use it to clear a gap with a very low ceiling.
-Semi-hidden outcroppings in the lava pit contain Cacolanterns that will float up to attack. They are restricted to moving around inside the pit.
-Some serpents are hide in rock walls that open up when the player gets close.
-Several zombies are reworked for this map to fire only flame weapons. For example, the Security Officer fires non-homing Combustor flares, and the Gunner only uses his flamer.
-All secrets are hidden high up, requiring platforming or the use of switched lifts.
-There are no monsters in the final climb itself, but three Artisans wait at the end.
-DragonForce wall hidden at the top of a lift that requires a shootable switch.
Ogre's Castle
Themes: Castle interior, walls, and courtyard, outer fields
Sky: Doom E1
Monsters: Elites, Fallen, Hell Knights, Barons, Paladins, Revenants, Artisans
BOSS: Ogre (60,000 HP) - Moves fast and selects attacks based on range from the player. Should they get within melee range, he will take a swipe at them with his chainsaw, dealing tremendous damage. Similar to the Overlord, the Ogre has sets of three attacks that change as his health drops. The sides of the arena are packed with restorative items on the ground and on a balcony wrapping around the throne room.
Items: Hoverbomb Gun
First Visit: The map begins with the player facing down a line of Hell Knights. They must then search the outer perimeter for the switch that opens the gate. Once inside, they will have four back-to-back assaults to survive in the courtyard, main hall, dungeon, and atop the back walls. Along the way, there will be small rooms to hide in and resupply as well as connective halls littered with traps. At the end of all this, they will reach the throne room where they will square off with the Ogre. Defeating him will earn the player a gold bolt and open the way to a large stretch of ruins north of the Healer's Marsh through a storage cellar.
Exits: Death Canyon, Healer's Marsh
Other Setpieces:
-All Revenants are placed on high perches and fire down on the player.
-Formations of Hell Nobles generally place Hell Warriors at the front and Paladins on the sides.
-Fallen are placed on the highest points of the walls outside the castle, attacking the player from overhead.
-The Hoverbomb Gun is placed in an optional fifth area, a dining hall. Here, Elites will teleport in on top of tables, and Artisans guard the doors.
-Every area contains at least one trap wall full of Paladins that will charge out and revive monsters.
-Powerwolf wall hidden behind the throne.
Sunken Station
Themes: Computer station (indoor), warehouse, caves
Sky: None
Monsters: Cacodemons, Cacolanterns, Lurkers, Nightmare Lurkers, Pain Elementals, Death Elementals, Lost Souls, Ethereal Souls, Phantasms, Demons, Spectres, Nightmare Spectres
Items: Bouncer
First Visit: This map is entirely underwater with the only exception being exits and a secret or two, so monsters are weaker than in recent maps to account for the player's reduced speed. If the player tries to come here without fighting the Ogre for the O2 Mask, this map is impossible and they will have to turn around. Tight passageways and large server rooms and store rooms make up the bulk of this area. This map branches off into two exits leading to the Cyber Colosseum and Queen's Web. Each exit requires a set of three keys being held by Nightmare Lurkers. Keen-eyed players can also find a tall lift to the Derelict Outpost. Should they wish to backtrack, there is also a hidden door leading to an optional section of the southern Lost Mines. This area was accessible before, but like the Sunken Station, it is impossible to survive without the O2 Mask.
Red Key: The first Nightmare Lurker is fought out in the open to give the player an idea of how this monster works.
Blue Key: The second Nightmare Lurker is fought in a server maze the player will have to kite them through. Effort is taken to ensure there are no dead ends since it will be hard for the player to tell where they're going.
Yellow Key: The third Nightmare Lurker is fought in another open arena. It will teleport around the room and is supported by Nightmare Demons sat on a ledge that wraps around the room.
Exits: Healer's Marsh, Lost Mines South, Cyber Colosseum (key), Queen's Web (key), Derelict Outpost
Other Setpieces:
-Getting the Bouncer will require the player to first find a hidden pit to swim under one of the store rooms into a cave. Here, they'll battle through a massive gauntlet and locate three skulls to open up the way to each wave. The third and final wave is fought on dry land. In the last room, the Bouncer is presented on a highly-decorated platform. Upon collecting, trap walls and teleporters will be triggered so the weapon can be used on the way back out.
-Several secrets are hidden behind crates that can be lowered. These secrets all release monsters.
-The server maze where the blue key is found begins as an open room. To enter, the player and Lurker must cross a linedef on their respective sides that will raise them into place.
-Alestorm wall hidden in the caves.
Note: Because the Warp Pad does not work in deep liquids, it has very little use here.
Cyber Colosseum
Themes: Arena
Sky: Doom Lost Episode M1
Monsters: Cyberdemons, various cybernetic monsters, Turrets, Synthenoids
Items: Warp Pad
First Visit: The player steps into the first arena. There are 16 total rooms like this, each one designed to be distinct, all connected via hallways and supply rooms. Upon stepping into each, all doors will close for 30 seconds. The correct sequence will take the player through 10 of these, with the remaining six containing additional challenges or items. At the exit to the Tower of Power, there is a teleporter back to the map's entrance. Additionally, hidden in one of the extra arenas is a teleporter to a gauntlet of monsters. Surviving this will net the player the Warp Pad, which they will need for the Tower of Power's front gate and many secrets as well as accessing the remaining two secret levels.
Arena Layout: Player begins at 1, and the correct path is 5, 9, 10, 6, 7, 8, 12, 11, and 15.
13 14 15 16
| | | |
9--10 11-12
| | |
5 6--7--8
| |
1--2--3--4
1: Standard Cyberdemon* battle, but against three. Four pillars serve as cover.
2: Mech-Demons and Retches teleport into each of the five pentagrams carved into the floor. Exiting to 6 requires a key.
3: Nukage pit densely populated with zombies. The player will have to stick to an outer ledge. There are rooms they can duck into for items, but each of these has an Arachnotron or two to deal with.
4: The red key can be found here guarded by Cybarons and an Annihilator.
5: Mech-Demons charge at the player while a pair of Cyberdemons take potshots at them from the upper ledge.
6: An Annihilator begins raising up from a deep pit while rocket turrets immediately target the player.
7: Breather room. Only a few enemies and a large supply of ammo, plus a Nanotech Booster.
8: A gauntlet of Cybarons. Walls must be risen into place via switches to provide cover.
9: A pillbox full of ammo is placed in the center. Once entered, the entire surrounding wall will open, unleashing Synthenoids in all directions.
10: A massive, open room full of lava. The player must glide from pillar to pillar while fighting Volacubi.
11: Zombies are infinitely spawned in the center while turrets attack from the sides. A wall around the center serves as cover from the zombies.
12: Barrels repeatedly spawn in and fall into the arena while the player fights off a group of Cyberdemons.
13: The ceiling slowly lowers while the player must contend with a group of Annihilators. There are several Nanotech Boosters placed throughout the room.
14: Except for the door, this room is entirely underwater with Mech-Demons and Retches stomping around at the bottom. This is the only room that doesn't lock the door. Instead the player must find their way through tight hallways to a telporter that takes them back to the entrance.
15: The player will trade shots across a pool of lava with five Cyberdemons* and three Annihilators in order to reach the exit.
16: This area is also underwater, but the player must find the yellow key to open the door. They will be attacked by Arachnotrons, as well as turrets tucked into the walls. Alongside the yellow key is the Warp Pad.
Exits: Sunken Station, Queen's Web (Levitator), Tower of Power (9 gold bolts)
Other Setpieces:
-Queen's Web can be reached via a secret wall in 8.
-Powerman 5000 wall hidden in 14.
Queen's Web
Themes: Corrupted base (indoor/outdoor), Hell
Sky: Doom E3
Monsters: Cybernetic Zombies, Elites, Spiderdemons, Arachnotrons, Shocktrons, Arachnorbs, Stone Cacodemons, Arachnorb Breeders, Hellspawn
BOSS: Arachnorb Queen (120,000 HP) - The queen sits at one end of the arena, and the player enters from the opposite side. The room is mostly lit by torches. At the sides are shelves from which Arachnorbs will spawn continuously. She will select from a wide variety of attacks similarly to the Overlord, with a small chance to call forth a group of Rail Arachnotrons. Both varieties of summoned monster will drop health and ammo instead of XP.
Items: Warp Pad
First Visit (assume entrance from Sunken Station): The player will be immediately attacked by their first Arachnorb Breeder. Once she's dead, they can explore the rest of the base and worm-like caverns linking what remains of it. At times, they will have to swim through deep pools of blood while fighting Arachnorbs and Stone Cacodemons. Reaching the end will see them facing down the Arachnorb Queen for the final gold bolt needed to complete the Tower of Power.
Exits: Sunken Station, Cyber Colosseum (Levitator), Tower of Power (9 gold bolts)
Other Setpieces:
-Arachnotrons often appear in groups of four, arranged in a square pattern.
-A second breeder is encountered in a magma chamber. Shocktrons will defend the Breeder.
-The entrance to the Queen's lair is guarded by two Breeders that attack from opposite sides of the arena. The queen is under the mountain serving as a center piece to the room, which can also be used as cover.
-Stone Cacodemons rise out of the blood pools.
-Spider King Temple: This is an optional map within the Queen’s Web. The rooms and hallways are thick with traps and teleporters. The main room resembles a church sanctuary, but with hanging bodies and puddles of blood under them. A Cyber Mastermind stands at the pulpit over a congregation of zombies. A choir of Arachnorbs floats behind him. A wall covered in hanging bodies blocks off the pulpit until the player gets closer to it. When this happens, Hellspawn will be released from cages up above. Another Warp Pad can be found here, behind all of the Arachnorbs.
-Slipknot wall hidden under the pulpit.
The Tower of Power
Themes: Varies
Sky: Starry night with full moon
Monsters: Anything goes
BOSS: Terminator (256,000 HP) - The Terminator is a slow, lumbering boss capable of attacking with one of six weapons in each of its four phases. Each set consists of one of each: conventional (bullet), energy, homing, explosive, base player weapon, and powered-up player weapon. Weapon properties are not mutually exclusive, so an energy weapon can also be an explosive, but that does not account for both types. Weapon sets will be swapped out for the next set every 64,000 health lost. The player must also deal with the Hellspawn being beamed in, or they will get overwhelmed.
Items: Championship Trophy
The Climb: The player will step out into a flat wasteland dotted with tall pillars. Atop and around these pillars are large groups of monsters, weaker ones on the ground and stronger ones lining the ledges. They must be fended off while searching for the tower entrance where a Warp Pad must be thrown in to cross a line of deadly lasers. Additionally, they will need all 10 gold bolts to open the door. From here, they will ascend the tower through 10 floors of monsters, traps, and other obstacles. Each floor is broken off into its own map and contains either a combat section, a platforming/puzzle room, or some combination of the two. In the stairwells connecting each floor are buttons the player can use to teleport back to the entrance should they want to leave and power up. In most cases, all monsters must be defeated to open the way to the next floor. At the 10th floor, they will find an elevator to the roof where they will fight the Terminator. Upon defeating the final boss, a gold-colored teleporter will appear that takes the player to the victory stand where a trophy can be collected. This has the effect of raising their maximum health to 600 and enabling New Game+ monster spawns and linedef triggers. From here, they may go through the door on their left to battle the Terminator once again or the door on their right to begin New Game+. Should they begin New Game+, all gadgets and gold bolts will be taken from them, and they will return to the start of Zombie Complex with all their weapons, XP, and current Nanotech.
1F: A computer station overrun with only the most powerful zombies and imps. This floor is divided in half by a massive door requiring a red key.
2F: This floor consists of a teleporter maze. Each of the nine rooms in the maze contains flying monsters that will take off from elevated shelves wrapping around the room that open up when the player steps off a teleporter. They need only reach the exit on this floor.
3F: There are six layers to this floor. Three round layers on the inside resemble Hell and contain swarms of Hell Nobles and Revenants, while three square layers on the outside resemble Earth and contain Elites. At ground level is a switch to open up the first layer. From here, stepping onto a layer opens up the next. The top layer contains two Arachnorb Breeders and a Cyber Mastermind. Tech base-styled rooms provide cover, where the player can attack from relative safety through the windows.
4F: Lava will raise and lower at regular intervals. The player must time their jumps through them while also navigating a network of lasers. At the end, they will encounter a switched door they cannot reach in time under their own power and must use a Warp Pad to clear the distance.
5F: Two opposing sides separated by a deep pool of nukage. On the player's side are dead trees and pillars that can be used as cover. On the other side are hordes of monsters with homing and explosive attacks set up on three levels of elevation. A Cyber Mastermind sits atop the fourth, guarding the door.
6F: The player will be sent to the outer edge of the tower on this floor. The inside only contains a stockpile of items to get them back to full power. Outside, they will find that a lava flow from the tower has flooded the area, meaning a fall from here will be lethal. Catharsi and Cybarons will attack them as they navigate precise platforming, backed up by occasional waves of Fallen and Grell. They need only reach the exit on this floor.
7F: The player steps into a massive courtyard. On the opposite side, three rows of teleporters spanning the entire width of the area will begin spewing forth hundreds of stone imps and demons. The player must beat them all back without being overwhelmed. Once they're all defeated, a dozen Archviles* will warp in and set to work reviving the swarm, alongside a handful of Artisans who will create more of them.
8F: A bank of switches open and close a series of doors, as well as trap doors behind the switches. The player must find the correct set of switches to open the way to the exit. This will have the side-effect of opening all trap doors as well.
9F: The last major encounter before the final boss will see the player taking on groups of boss monsters in a large arena. Once each group is defeated, the next will teleport in. After five waves, the door will open.
10F: A hallway of lava, crusher platforms, lasers, and snipers is all that stands between the player and the Terminator. Before going up to the roof, they will be given a Nanotech Booster and full supply of ammo.
Roof: This is a point of no return. The door the player came in through will lock behind them. In front of them is a lift they will take up to the roof. This is a wide-open arena with no cover to speak of. Reflexes and gadgets are the only means of defense here. Hellspawn will teleport in on the glowing red edge of the rooftop at regular intervals. Should the player need to get more distance from the boss, numerous floating platforms encircle the arena, one of which has a high pillar blocking the exit teleporter. This will lower once the boss is defeated.
Exits: Cyber Colosseum, Queen's Web, Victory Stand
Other Setpieces:
-Bloodywood wall hidden in 3F's third Earth layer, tucked behind a server bank.
Path of Death
Themes: Cyber Fortress, Lava Fields
Sky: Doom Lost Episode M1
Monsters: Anything that flies or floats
Items: Groovitron
First Visit: The player's movement gadgets (Charge Boots, Antigravitator, Helipack, Thruster Pack, Levitator, and Warp Pad) are taken away from them, and they are locked into the map. They must survive a series of platforming and combat challenges to get them back, all the while contending with minimal supplies. Each area containing a gadget requires that gadget to escape. They must simply reach the exit teleporter where the Groovitron is waiting for them.
Exits: Lost Mines South
Other Setpieces:
-Dethklok wall hidden under one of the larger platforms.
Derelict Outpost
Themes: Starbase, asteroid belt
Sky: Space
Monsters: Anything goes
Items: R.Y.N.O.
First Visit: Gravity is reduced here, and the player is unable to glide. There are seven large asteroids separated by paths of floating meteorites. The six outer asteroids each hold a key that is needed to enter the main facility on the central rock. Three keycards will open the way to a teleporter that leads inside the main structure, while three skulls are required to open the door immediately ahead. Once inside, they must locate and destroy 12 Commander Keens to open the exit and claim the R.Y.N.O.
Red Key: The player is teleported inside a cage with four switches. Each switch lowers a wall that contains a handful of monsters plus a Cybaron. Once all Cybarons are defeated, the cage will lower. The key can be found in one of the trap walls alongside the exit teleporter.
Blue Key: The player must hurry through a crusher hallway. On the other side, they will see the key just as a door closes in front of it. Walls will open, releasing Demons and Spectres they must fight off for 30 seconds until the door opens.
Yellow Key: The player is surrounded by Cacodemons in a large air combat room. The key is found on one of the pillars jutting out of the nukage.
Red Skull: The player enters a room dotted with teleporter pads from which Plagues emerge. One of them has the skull.
Blue Skull: An Annihilator is fought in close quarters with only a few computer banks for cover. He will drop the skull upon death.
Yellow Skull: A hallway stuffed with Nightmare Spectres must be pushed through to enter the main room. Once inside, they will face off with a Diabloist for the skull.
Central Asteroid: The player teleports into a Dead Simple-style arena. Instead of Mancubi and Arachnotrons however, they will be fighting Annihilators and Arachnophytes. The arena is much larger and more complex to account for this. Once defeated, a door will open containing the R.Y.N.O. and the exit teleporter.
Exits: Sunken Station
Other Setpieces:
-Avenged Sevenfold wall hidden in the central asteroid.
Forbidden Summit
Themes: Mountain road, rest stop, abandoned shack, bunker, forest, cave, pond, waterfall
Sky: Starry night
Monsters: Anything goes
BOSS: Motherdemon (300,000 HP) - The battle begins with the Motherdemon motionless above the center of the arena. After a quarter of her health is gone, she will begin pursuing the player. At half health, the outer edge of the arena will drop into the lava below. Finally, when she reaches the last quarter of her health, sections of the arena will fall away, splitting the arena into four pieces. At each phase, several demonic attacks will be chosen from, including a wide variety of those used by other monsters. Once defeated, all platforms will raise back into place and the exit will open.
Items: Harbinger
First Visit: The player begins at the base of the mountain path next to a small pond. Should they choose to dive in, there will be a resupply of health and ammo. The path is long, winding, and stuffed with thousands of monsters. Barriers break the path into separate maps to prevent too many from swarming too quickly. In each chunk of the path, a switch must be located to open the way to the next section. Near the summit, they'll pass through a short cave. Waiting at the other end of this cave is the game's superboss, the Motherdemon. Upon her defeat, the player can obtain the Harbinger and take an exit teleporter back to the Healer's Marsh. Unlike The Tower Of Power, there is no teleporter back to the base of the mountain. Additionally, doors will lock behind the player, forcing them to continue forward. The only chance they have to turn around is at the beginning.
FS1: An uphill onslaught against a huge swarm of Stone Demons and Maulers. At the top of the first incline, imps will attack from the forest areas flanking the player and Archviles* will teleport in ahead of them. The switch is hidden in the forest.
FS2: A dense forest lit by little more than torches must be navigated while contending with Wraiths, Ethereal Souls, Lurkers, and Death Elementals. Sets of Al's Glasses can be found in secrets but are almost always guarded. The switch is conveniently placed beside the exit.
FS3: The switch is in plain view atop a suspension bridge, but said bridge is guarded by eight Spider Masterminds*: two on the bridge itself, two on cliffs above the bridge, two on platforms beside of the exit, and two on the ground in front of the exit. Each pair is equipped with a different weapon: Chainguns, Nailguns, Phalanx Particle Cannons, and HyperBlasters respectively. There are caves the player can enter for relative safety, but the HoloShield is recommended.
FS4: A landslide has left the road impassable here. They will have to go through a rest stop crowded with Shotgunners, Chaingunners, and Elites into a forest of Lost Souls, Ethereal Souls, and Death Elementals. The way out of the forest is blocked by two Annihilators encountered in close quarters. The switch can be found in this encounter room.
FS5: The road is lined with abandoned shacks. Cliffs behind them are lined with Cyberdemons. The switch is in one of the shacks.
FS6: There are two switches sat in the middle of the road. One opens the exit. The other opens a wall blocking the way. The wall will take a short while to fully lower, but the walls on the cliffs will open in just a few seconds. Behind these walls, swarms of Beheaded Kamikazes await the player and will charge forward the instant they are alerted. For this and the next map, there is no music. Beheaded Kamikazes are strictly unique to this one area.
FS7: The player will climb through a dark cave and fight through Hell Nobles to reach the summit.
FS8: In the entrance hallway, a Nanotech Booster and full ammo will be given. Upon stepping through the door, they will face off with the Motherdemon.
Exits: Healer's Marsh
Other Setpieces:
-Every map in this series has at least one man-made structure of some kind.
-There is a hidden bunker in every forest. These serve as optional challenge rooms full of deadly monsters and traps.
-Defeating every Kamikaze gives enough XP to max out any one weapon, but they give no Nanotech XP.
-The cliffs above each section of map are inaccessible to the player. These can only be entered and exited by monsters.
-Party Cannon wall containing 20 Amm-O-Matics can be found in one of the bunkers.
BOSS DETAILS: This is a detailed outline of every major boss and their attacks.
Overlord
Radius: 128
Height: 128
Mass: 100000000
HP: 40,000
Speed: 0
Pain Chance: 32 (0 when attacking)
Attack Set 1:
-Fire Breath - Two rows of fireballs, one high, one low, fired three times.
-Ice Breath - Three streams of cold mist that sweep a ross the room.
-Lightning Breath - Three fast-moving balls of electricity fired in sequence.
-Poison Breath - A line of poisonous gas that lingers, dealing constant radius damage and slows its victim's movement.
-Rolling Rock - A boulder that rolls along the ground, bouncing off walls until it stops and disappears.
-Tesla Barrier - A protective bubble forms around the Overlord that will suck the player in and deal radius damage.
-Rocket Swarm - A spread of 15 non-homing Revenant rockets.
-Summon Phantasms - Three Phantasms to deal with at once.
Attack Set 2:
-Meteor Shower - A barrage of comets fired into the air that rain down on the arena.
-Hailstorm - An unavoidable, zero-damage projectile hits the player, triggering a deluge of icy rain that follows them around.
-Lightning Strike - Sparks are thrown on the ground. After a short while, they will explode when hit by a bolt of lightning.
-Nerve Gas - A more potent poison. In addition to damage, this will blind and slow its target.
-Stonewall - Four Stone Demons are summoned at once.
-Tesla Barrier Mk II - Better in every way.
-Missile Barrage - Ten homing missiles launched in sequence.
-Summon Ethereals - Five Ethereal Souls are summoned at once.
Ogre
Radius: 20
Height: 64
Mass: 500
HP: 60,000
Speed: 15
Pain Chance: 20
Attack Set 1:
-Buckshot - A spread of pellets at close range.
-Slug - A single, powerful projectile fired at medium range.
-Bolt - An explosive nail projectile fired at long range.
Attack Set 2:
-Grenades - Three pairs of bouncy grenades fired at close range.
-Rockets - Five fast rockets fired from medium range.
-Machinegun - A spray of bullets fired at long range.
Attack Set 3:
-Rocket Saw - A chainsaw-mounted homing missile that will rip through its target, then explode after a few seconds.
-Happy Funballs - A spread of bouncy, spikey bomblets at medium range.
-Line of Fire - A napalm missile that leaves a trail of flames in its wake at long range.
-Gauss Cannon - An explosive projectile with immense speed fired at extreme range.
Arachnorb Queen
Radius: 160
Height: 160
Mass: 10000000
HP: 120,000
Speed: 15
Pain Chance: 20
Attack Set 1: Same as Arachnorb Breeder, but the "Queen Spam" attack is a directed spread.
Attack Set 2:
-Fat Attack - Three spreads of fast Mancubus balls.
-Vore Bomb - Vore projectile that moves slowly and homes in on the player. It is too aggressive to effectively dodge and must be destroyed. On contact, it will do ripping damage, and it will explode when destroyed.
-Death Beam - A concentrated beam that darts forward at great speed, exploding on contact.
Attack Set 3:
-Inferno - Balls of napalm are fired out and rain down, setting the arena alight.
-Psychic Overcharge - Rapid-fired "Queen BFGs".
-Death Wave - A wide blast of sonic energy that will rip apart anything in its way.
Terminator
Radius: 128
Height: 256
Mass: 10000000
HP: 256,000
Speed: 5
Pain Chance: 0
Attack Set 1:
-Anti-Materiel Shotgun - Three huge blasts of buckshot in a row.
-Plasma Cannon - The Terminator's signature energy rings fired at the player with an accelerating rate of fire.
-Auto-Rocket Launcher - Rapid-fired, fast rockets for a random period of time.
-Fire Wave - A pillar of flame that travels along the ground, chasing teh player until it burns out.
-N60 Storm V3
-Mega-Turret Launcher
Attack Set 2:
-Heavy Assault Rifle - High accuracy but reduced bullet speed. Fires for a random period of time.
-Legion Particle Cannon - Phalanx balls fired in three shotgun spreads.
-Multi-Multi-Grenade Launcher - Three cluster grenades that scatter five more grenades when they explode.
-MIRV - A homing missile that explodes hen it gets near the player, dropping six bouncy grenades to the floor.
-Meteor Gun V3
-Blitz Cannon (uncharged)
Attack Set 3:
-Minigun - A bullet hose unloaded in the general direction of the player for several seconds.
-Rings of Power - The plasma cannon is fired in all directions. These rings now rip, so the Holoshield won't work.
-Mini-Nuke - A sing slow but deadly rocket with immense spash damage and a ring of fire left in its wake.
-Dark Matter Cannon Mk II - A homing black hole that will pass through solid objects and surfaces, only dealing damage when it explodes.
-Plasma Coil V4
-R.Y.N.O. II (no homing)
Attack Set 4:
-Streetsweeper - Gatling shotgun with insane spread.
-Tesla Ball - It appears as a tesla barrier, but instead of protecting the Terminator, it is fired at the player. This projectil is enormous and difficult to dodge.
-Minefield - Ten landmines and fired out across the battlefield. These can either be shot or triggered by proximity.
-Harbinger V1
-Blitz Cannon (charged)
Motherdemon
Radius: 96
Height: 128
Mass: 10000000
HP: 300,000
Speed: 10
Pain Chance: 0
Attack Set 1 (These attacks persist throughout the battle.):
-Brood - 12 Hellspawn are summoned around the Motherdemon to protect her.
-Poisonous Swarm - Five Plague missiles are fired into the air in sequence.
-Lightning Storm - Sparks crawl along the ground untile the are stuck by lightning and explode.
-Death Awaits - Four Death Elementals are summoned at the edges of the arena.
Attack Set 2:
-Fat Volley - 12 Mancubus balls are fired in rapid succession.
-Vulgar Display of Power - A massive salvo of Vulgar balls are fired in all directions.
-Harvest of Souls - A random number of suols, including X-grade souls, is summoned.
Attack Set 3:
-Dark Ravager - Fast, non-homing Vore balls are fired at the player. These will explode if they so much as get close to their intended target.
-Meteor Shower - A rain of comets that chases the player.
-Nightmare Realm - The player is teleported to a Hellish cavern. They will have to fight their way through it to reach the teleporter that takes them back to the arena. This attack can only happen once.
Attack Set 4 (At this point, the Motherdemon gets a significant speed increase and can use any of the above attacks.):
-All-Consuming Void - A black hole forms around the Motherdemon. It draws in everyone in the arena as its damage radius and gravity steaily grow.
-Total Annihilation - A bullet hell onslaught of non-homing Revenant missiles, in one of three patterns, followed by a spread of five mini-nukes. These do not leave napalm in their wake.
-Desperate Strike - The Motherdemon will frenzy, firing energy waves rapidly at the player. This is guaranteed to trigger if she attacks with less than 1,000 health remaining.
-Saving Throw - A Cyber Mastermind and Arachnorb Breeder are called forth.
