Articles - Brutal Doom: Kickass Edition mod for Doom II

As the summary states, the Final addendum for Kickass Edition has Been released, It is so hard to believe that the mod's development has finally come to an end, but I'm happy and thankful for everyone who has shown their love and support for what was quite literally my first ever mod, I'm so glad that I stuck around with this mod, rather than leaving it on v3 (As I intended to do originally), As keeping myself working on this mod has been a stressful, but rewarding experience.

At this point, I think I've added so much shit, that I don't think I could add anything else to the mod, and if that doesn't tell you something about how much I've added in, then I don't know what will...

Hello again, Doomers!

Good news! v0.50 of Dragon Sector (The Remake) is now available!

Feel free to check out the rest of this post, it's got some fun stuff in it, too.

It’s been a little while since our last update, so we felt it was a good time to make a post here and let you all know what’s been going on with Dragon Sector since our last release in October.

Before we get to that, though, there are a couple of links we’d like to share with you.

Next, I did a Q&A with @BarefootMapMaker about Dragon Sector, which will shed some light on some of the thinking behind the project and how we approach its making. It’s a pretty substantial read, so you may want to set some time aside. But if you’re interested in knowing more about the backstory of the mod, it will be well worth your time.

Dragon Sector (Remake) Personal Spotlight

Now, the news that you clicked this link for.

We had taken a break from working on the maps to recharge. We are now back at it, and Map 5 is progressing quite well. While he’s been at home, @BarefootMapMaker has been working on the map. I have to say that what I’ve seen taking shape over the past few days looks great! It’s been a real treat to watch it take shape.

This large industrial area manages to feel vast and claustrophobic at the same time. You get a definite sense that you’re in someplace huge, but the walkways make it feel cramped. There are also lots of opportunities for using cover to help you deal with monsters.

As always, here are a few screenshots to show you what it’s looking like at the moment.

I've been working on some monster modifications. There are a lot of monsters out there online, ready to use, and I always appreciate when folks let people use and modify their creations. It’s something that’s been part of the Doom Community ethos since the beginning.

That said, we want the monsters in Dragon Sector to feel unique, so we figure out what we want them to do, and then I go about making it happen. You might recognize a monster, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to behave as you remember it. We feel this helps keep things interesting.

We’re looking forward to bringing you this next map. We really want to thank everyone for downloading and playing our mod, and for leaving feedback. While we may not act on all of it, you can be sure that we are hearing you.

That’s it for now. Have a great one!

@BarefootMapMaker & @DarynS

Hello Doomers!

It has certainly been a hot minute since our last update. If you have been following our blog posts, you’ll know that there has been stuff going on behind the scenes, though. Today we’d like to bring you up to speed officially on what is happening with Dragon Sector (The Remake).

Map 7’s concept has not been coming together. Instead of trying to force it, we’d prefer to have the idea, the main flow and the aesthetic in mind before we get going. BarefootMapMaker doesn’t want to put out a map he is not fully happy with and doesn’t enjoy playing, so for now, this release will only include the six maps previously released.

That isn’t to say that there is nothing new. All six of the maps have received substantial additions, rebalancing of both monster and item placement, and in some cases, completely new areas. So, if you’ve already played through them, it will feel much different now, especially given the recent changes to Project Brutality.

Unfortunately, this also means that savegames you made previously will not be compatible with the new version. So if you have a playthrough going, maybe finish it up before starting fresh with the new version.

There has also been a lot of work done to other aspects of the mod. Several of our monster variants have been tweaked. We’ve also added a new beastie to fight, the Behemoth. Thanks Amuscaria for that one.

Last, but not least, are the changes to the Security Bot. This is the initial implementation of inkoalawetrust’s KAI library. Now, the bot is much better at finding its targets, and much more reliable when it comes to following you around. No more spinning around like a top and veering off at random.

As we continue to move forward, more features will be added, and KAI will be implemented on other actors, like the Drone, or some monsters. It’s taken a lot of work and brain numbing trial and error to get here, but DarynS feels pretty good about what the bot is capable of now, and looks forward to improving it in the months to come.

Here is the full list (that we can remember) of changes to v0.65.

Fixes

• BFG Commando’s Shot now hurts the player again.
• Fixed an error that caused a lot of “Invalid Sound Position” errors with the turrets to appear in the console in Map 04.

Improvements

• Initial Implementation of inkoalawetrust’s KAI Library for the Security Bot.
• Security Bot is now much better at following you and navigating around the level.
• Pressing “Use” on the Bot will make him stop firing at whatever it is fixated on and look for something else to target.
• The bot’s eye now follows the player and targets.
• The Item Magnet’s range has been increased.
• The Item Magnet’s Upgraded Range and Speed have been increased.
• The Item Magnet operates a lot more intelligently than it did before, it now only pulling items that have direct line-of-sight to the player.
• Poison Resist powerups now stack.
• The VitalSphere and related powerups now bestow bonuses based on selected play difficulty.
• The Roach is now quite a bit faster. He also does more damage and regenerates a lot faster. He is now a pretty decent challenge, some weapons much better than others at defeating him, and some not very effective with him at all. Especially when he is encountered in packs!

Map Changes

• Map 01 - Executive Complex
• Ammo increases to help better balance of gameplay.
• Removed the “Magnet” powerup, moving it to map 02.
• A few structural upgrades.
• Added a few monsters in key and in new locations.
• Removed the need for the Blue Key to release one of the security drones.
• Map 02 - Resources Reclamation
• Ammo increases to help better balance of gameplay.
• Reworked the secret reservoir area to add a significant structural upgrade.
• Map 03 - Skyway
• A good number of structural improvements - many decorative but also many functional.
• Ammo increases to help better balance of gameplay.
• Changed some powerup locations to make them make more sense as to placement and relevance to progression of play.
• Map 04 - Fuel Refinery
• Added structure to some areas to make secrets a little less obvious.
• Added strategic elements to some areas of the map’s/play areas’ structure, to help the player make better use of the map’s features for the purpose of dealing with monsters.
• Final area can now be drained, with the addition of a lift that can access the bridge from the area’s floor, after the drawbridge has been raised.
• A new monster added to this map - the Behemoth, which replaced the Mancubi which were there before.
• Map 05 - Nuclear Station
• Changed the monsters that emerge from the portals in the secret area where the blue key is found. This increases the area’s challenge while also giving the player decent chances at additional pickups.
• Reworked the “Boss Encounter” number of pre-fight pickups.
• Map 06 - Facilities Support
• Changed the hoard of monsters that come out of the closed alcoves in the later part of the map, from just Zombie Fodder to a larger variety of monsters.
• Filled the “Void” within the turn of the stairs. It features a large structural set of features and is now the method for gaining that level’s special powerup - The Damage Enhancer.
• Added a larger number of Core Tentacles to the hub area, to make that area of the map a more engaging challenge.
• Reworked the final “Boss” encounter, in addition to adding a significant structural feature to that play area.

Thank you all for your support and for playing and enjoying Dragon Sector (The Remake). We’re far from done, so keep an eye on this mod page and on our ModDB blogs.

Those of you who have made content featuring the mod, with the amount of changes and improvements that we’ve made, you might find it worthwhile to revisit the mod.

That’s it for now. Download and let rip!

BarefootMapMaker & DarynS

Good Day, Doomers!

After several months of work, we're finally ready to release Dragon Sector (The Remake) version 0.40. With @BarefootMapMaker's hectic work schedule, this update has taken longer than we'd expected. He's been getting a bit done whenever he wasn't too wiped out from driving all day or night to concentrate on it.

For my part, I've been going back and forth with him over the phone, bouncing ideas between us, and implementing what I can. This is a work-in-progress for both of us, and we're both learning new things as we're making this mod. So, while not everything we want to do is possible now, as we learn more, it will be.

Okay, enough with the preamble. Let's get to the update itself.

First and foremost is the release of Map 04, the “Fuel Refinery”. It's an engineering level that draws inspiration from “The Focus” from Doom II. The most obvious of these nods are the shutters at the beginning of the map. These are decidedly more violent than those in the original, setting the tone that something Very Bad has happened here.

The map's key progression is also similar to The Focus, where only the Blue and Red keys are required to progress through the map. However, the Yellow key will let you gain access to supplies that will make things much easier for you.

Dealing with fuels and other toxic materials is not a clean job. The map starts to take on a darker and more dirty aesthetic in the deeper sections.

We've also got a tweak to the friendly drone and turrets. Both of them are more reliable allies, now, since we were able to dial in their behavior. However, you don't want to shoot them. You are not cleared to be on this base. Shooting the drones and turrets will cause them to see you as an intruder, and you'll be forced to destroy them if that happens. There is a threshold, so it shouldn't happen accidentally. It's another fun little wildcard element that you'll need to pay attention to.

Finally, we'd like to say this is our most intricate and detailed and technically advanced map yet. We added in some special lighting effects to enhance the atmosphere, and unique fixtures like the toggleable doors and cyclable airlock. There is also a ton of complex layering of 3D Floors happening here. I tried to look at how it's done, but my brain wanted to explode when I looked at the map in UDB. Still, @BarefootMapMaker can understand it, and boy, has he done something impressive.

All of this stuff is added to meticulous monster placement, to create some fun, challenging encounters. If you haven't picked up on it by now, setting up monster infighting is a key strategy to our maps. There are numerous opportunities in this map to do exactly that.

Okay, we know you want to go play the maps now, so we'll leave you with one more thing. We hope you enjoy these maps. They're a ton of fun to make, but they also take a ton of time to do so. So please, watch this mod, share it, talk about it to your friends, make YouTube videos about it. Help us get the word out. We'd really appreciate it.

Above everything else, though. Have fun, and stay safe!

And here's a video I just recorded of this awesome map!

@BarefootMapMaker & @DarynS

Hello again, Doomers!

It's been a good while since our last update, but things haven't been sitting still. We've been hard at work on a bunch of improvements to the existing maps while getting ready to start on Map 5.

@BarefootMapMaker wanted to dedicate some good, uninterrupted time to working on Map 5. Now that's he's on vacation, that time is available, so the ideas that he's been itching to put down on the grid can finally come out.

We've also added a new Security Bot to the Dragon Sector base's roster of helpful assets. While it's still a work-in-progress, it's working more-or-less the way we want it to. There will be some visual tweaks and damage adjustments that will probably happen after this release, but for the most part, it's ready to help you fend off the host of intruders that have taken over the base. Just don't get in its way while it's firing. Just even a second or two in its line of fire, will cost you a lot of health and armor! And, as with all of Dragon Sector's security assets, shooting them too many times will cause them to see you as a threat, and act accordingly. In which case, you're likely to die just as fast as the baddies.

With this release, we'll also be putting out a full package which will contain everything needed (aside from the Doom II wad) to get up and running on Windows. The regular pk3 file isn't going anywhere, though. We're just adding this option for those who want everything they need to play our maps without having to go to a lot of bother.

We would like to thank Agent Ash, Barry Burton, Cherno, Marisa, and the rest of the fine folks on the Zdoom discord for sharing their knowledge and time. You guys have been super helpful and we appreciate it enormously!

A special Thank You also goes out to the content creators who have played our maps and made videos of them. So thank you AndroidFerret, Doom EX, Doomslayer117, DraugraK, Martinoz, and RatteKing, to name the most recent. Check out their channels! They make cool videos!

That's all for now. We hope that you enjoy the many changes and improvements to the current maps, and we're looking forward to bringing you Map 5!

Featured Changes:

• A new Security Bot has been added to Dragon Sector's assets.
• Updated Liquid Texture Pack to v6.7.
• MAP01
  • There is now a blue carded door that will let you return to the landing area if you need to get back there.
  • Replaced the Captured Marines with Security Bot placements.
  • Adjusted some item and monster placements.
  • A number of visual fine-tuning and fixes.
• MAP02
  • Overhauled the reservoir area, making it much better looking.
  • Added a lift to the tower. You can still make the swim from below, but logically it made sense that the base personnel would have a way to get up there.
  • Added a Bot in place of the Captured Marine.
• MAP03
  • This map has seen the most changes of the four. There have been a number of visual changes made that make the map feel more cohesive with the rest of the set.
  • Monster and Item placement have also had a lot of adjustments.
  • Some Security Bots were being unloaded, hmmmm....
• MAP04
  • The walkway area to the control room has received a face-lift. It looks a lot better, now.
  • Added a bot to that area.
  • Sped the doors up so that you don't have to wait to close them anymore.
  • Fixed an issue where you couldn't open one set of doors while the others were in operation.