#ZDoom Community Map Project Take 1

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Doom WADs’ Roulette (2004): ZDoom Community Map Project “Take 1”

We have reached the end of the 2004 roster. And it ends on a map that has Community Chest vibes (kind of... not really...) but on ZDoom and on a much smaller scale.

G10: ZDoom Community Map Project “Take 1”

Main author(s): Various (project led by Daniel Gimmer (Tormentor667))

Release date: August 28th, 2004 (original version)/ July 23rd, 2006 (version 2.1)

Version played: 2.1

Required port compatibility: ZDoom

Levels: 1 (MAP01 replacement)

Moving from one collaboration project to another, we have ZDoom Community Map Project; to be more precise, the first take of it. And from what I’ve seen at this point, only two of these takes ended up getting a Cacoward. Hell, I don’t think there were more sequels to this map than two. But I digress.

So this idea came out of Daniel Gimmer’s mind (who, of course, was a leader behind the project), who wanted to create a ZDoom map with his buddies from ZDoom.org. Each member of the project was supposed to follow the steps; that is to say add a room/area or two, alter previous areas, and add something in between. NiGhTMaRe Textures and Monster Resource WAD were allowed.

This project grew up to around 15 people and it was released over 1.5 months after the initial announcement.

So now that we know how this map came into fruition, why won’t we take a look at it, and see if it gave me more fun than CC2.

If you are wondering how this map looks, well, it’s good. I mean some locations look much better than others and there are funny details here and there, but overall it all feels like a typical Doom progression from tech to heck. It’s not bad, but it happened so much when playing (almost) all of the recommended WADs from 1994 to 2004 that I feel numb towards it.

Musically wise it’s really good. The main track is something that greatly pumps you with dopamine, giving you the morale to keep going forward. The boss music is also good to listen to. More subdued than the main track but on the same level of adrenaline rush giving.

ZDCMP1 isn’t really a complicated map. While it was more complicated than the usual stuff from Doom maps/WADs due to adding ZDoom’s features, it wasn’t really that hard to guess where to go next. Even the map’s size (which was bragged about being the biggest map of all time at the time it was released) wasn’t a trouble for me, although, it has that stupid crate maze again.

-_-

While the map has a basic level structure, it adds some unusual stuff like looking at the gear to fix the switch (probably inspired by Void), and some switch sequences here and there.

Just two tips if you are playing the first time. When you get the blue keycard, swim out of the sewer section the same way you came in. And also the courtyard that has doors for this key has Super Shotgun in one of the corners. You should grab it first before swimming through slime.

This map wasn’t really that hard most of the time in spite of having almost 800 monsters on HMP. Even when there are moments where you end up surrounded, it’s mostly with Imps, and if you hold a Super Shotgun or Plasma Gun, you can escape from their circle and start mowing them down.

My favorite fight was right before the yellow skull area. It’s literally a homage to the Serious Sam series. It even starts off with you picking up a health bonus, referencing traps in that game series after doing the same thing! Fucking awesome (except for the Hoovies part; that part sucks)!

There are many new enemy types, usually from the Monster Resource WAD. Most of the time they are basically a tougher version of the original enemy but these enemies tend to have a few quirks in their sleeves.

Imp has three additional variants, the Dark variant, the Stone variant, and the Uber variant. Dark Imp can either shoot homing projectiles or act like the one in Void, having a chance to throw a red fireball that deals greater damage. In both cases, it’s twice as healthy as the regular Imp.

Stone Imp meanwhile is much tougher to kill but it only attacks with melee, so it is a perfect food for the Berserk Punch. One thing I really like with Stone Imps is that there is a moment where they lay dormant before attacking you after doing a switch sequence.

Uber Imp is kind of a mini-boss. He wasn’t that much of a challenge since with the Super Shotgun and good dodging skills he can be killed in around four shots on HMP. This enemy is kind of interesting since (from what I’ve seen) the difficulty of fighting him changes with the chosen skill level.

Blood Demon is just tougher Pinky and nothing else. Same with Cacolantern.

Hell Warrior has a shield that protects him for a moment after his pain state.

Lord of Heresy can shoot three projectiles instead of one.

Hell Guard functions closely to Ophidian from Heretic but with Hell Noble legs and a longer volley of projectiles.

Also, Stalker from Hexen makes a cameo in sewer sections. If you don’t know how he works, he pops from water (or slime in this map) to smack you before diving back.

There are also two variations of Afrit (not the one from Hexen). Both act like flying Baron and look the same but this is where the similarities end. The regular Afrit guards BFG and has two small meteors flying around him. He can also shoot these.

The boss Afrit (called Oblivion Demon) is the final boss of the map and he shoots destructive fireballs alongside some areal fire attack (at least that’s what I can remember). Probably the toughest fight on the map.

While the regular arsenal can handle these fiends, ZDCMP1 adds two new weapons.

First new weapon is more like an ammo type. Your rocket launcher can now fire mini-nukes that implode into a bunch of projectiles alongside the regular explosion. I have mixed feelings about this. Sure, it technically deals more damage but the projectiles spread is so big that almost non of these hit the target. It’s still better to use regular rockets.

The second weapon is Freezer, a ROTT Bazooka colored in blue that function as it says. It does a good job, I guess?

The only bug I’ve encountered was with Blood Pinkies not making an attack noise.

ZDCMP1 feels like a better collaboration project than Community Chest 2. Much less of a mixed-bag and more of something that is actually really good to play (despite a few hiccups) on something that feels like three maps combined into one. I say give it a shot. You won’t regret it.

So... now that the last Golden League WAD of 2004 is done, tune in next time, people. Revenant Awards 2004 is upon ye.

Bye!