FATAL
June 18th, 2007, 11:19 AM
Thy Infernal
Author: Algeroth
Thyinf.wad (125kb)
ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pc/games/idgames/levels/doom/Ports/s-u/thyinf.zip
Port:Limit removing
Single player
September 2005
1 map.
Reviewer: Danimetal
Port used: Jdoom (Doomsday v1.8.6).
Score: 3
To begin with in full depth, this wad is the average. There´s nothing actually special on it that you won´t find on many other wads on the net or even on the original Doom wads so if you´re looking for something really outstanding I´m afraid that this is not the product you´re looking for yet. Many players will be dissapointed when they just load the map and check out the frequent amount of square rooms, square detail and similar looking areas (though the second room is warmly reminding of E1M1 and could keep you moving). Some of those players will instantly quit while others will be persistant and come to find better looking areas as they advance. Where´s the problem?. Well, there´s a moment in wich you just can move on no more since all doors all closed and there´s no other way to go. This is where problems start: you will be backtracking for hidden switches leading to hiddn doors and hidden keys and, eventually, to more areas, more hidden switches and more hidden keys. This is a very critic moment in the wad: it can become frustrating easily and with frustration comes irritation (with the layout, the design...) and you all know the rest.
I don´t interpret that something positive. Don´t get me wrong: I like open ended wads but I like when the player gets hints and a feel about where he´s heading and what to do next. This doesn´t happen in this map since, for example, all key-locked doors are almost accessible from the beginning and you never get a glimpse of where the keys are until you find the secret switches that unlock them. There are small hints on where things are (like glowing arrows) but to access them you still have to find stuff that is hidden... To sum up, the planning is not exciting or engaging and the map suffers from frequent blocks where you won´t know where to go.
Gameplay wise it was balanced. It may be me or may be me not being used to Doomsday but I was on the edge during most of the map: not a lot of ammo, not a lot of health, not a lot of armor and the exact amount of monsters to keep on advancing carefully. I definitely liked that on this wad. O.k, it´s a bit excessive to face the player with a Baron of Hell in the second room but there´s no actual reason for him to engage into a fight (same as happens with caged monsters and stuff). We could say the balance is good but there´s also a flaw on this aspect: clip lines. Several lines into the map are marked as "Monsters clip" and this very same lines tend to coincide with the borders of the rooms, passages and doors thus, several monsters like demons or lost souls are rendered useless since they won´t be getting you unless you stay inside the room or section assigned. It´s not like the gameplay would be superb without this lines (there aren´t surprising ambushes or monster refilling in backtracking or any of these things we enjoy so much) but when you play and notice that you get the feeling that things could be much better.
Before getting to the conclusions I´d like to do a few notes on the look of the map. From the pure architectural point of view this map is not special: everything is functional, there are no architectural details added and there is not much stuff to enhance the visuals (there are even some writings on the floor) except on the cave area (reminiscent of other wads). Rooms are frequently square, indoors are repetitive and the walls outdoors have fun sharp shapes that don´t add much. What could have been a nice moment (a labirynth of square rooms) is ruined by a no-no epileptic light effect that is really irritating and can only be solved by finding a secret area with some googles... The theme is a consistent hell with intrusions of the hexagon metal textures here and there and some "compspan" that won´t fit... Still, there are small details like carvings on floors and ceilings that look surprisingly good so I would say that the author has gone through a process of learning that could surprise on his next wad... Definitely, to enhance this experience there should be tweaks done to the layout and architecture as well as gameplay (those hidden switches and stuff) but, that done, this could be a pleasant map with replay value (when finished I didn´t even visited the whole place... Notice also that there´s no exit switch but a big burning cross).
In conclusion, this wad is a first effort. We all know how average first efforts are but that´s no reason for giving a wad special judgement. Being objective there are nice moments but nothing outstanding. That would make for a 4 or 5 but the frequent blocks are that desperating that I can´t go above a 3. Still, as every author deserves, you could give this wad a try and forward your own suggestions and criticism to Algeroth. I´m sure he will be thankful for that.
<a href="http://img341.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thyinfernal019ft.png" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/6364/thyinfernal019ft.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Seems like I´ve been here before.
<a href="http://img341.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thyinfernal027ga.png" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/78/thyinfernal027ga.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Sometimes you find shinning details, like in this dark and gloomy room.
<a href="http://img341.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thyinfernal030yx.png" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/5096/thyinfernal030yx.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
A simple idea can bring nice results, like on this screenshot.
Author: Algeroth
Thyinf.wad (125kb)
ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pc/games/idgames/levels/doom/Ports/s-u/thyinf.zip
Port:Limit removing
Single player
September 2005
1 map.
Reviewer: Danimetal
Port used: Jdoom (Doomsday v1.8.6).
Score: 3
To begin with in full depth, this wad is the average. There´s nothing actually special on it that you won´t find on many other wads on the net or even on the original Doom wads so if you´re looking for something really outstanding I´m afraid that this is not the product you´re looking for yet. Many players will be dissapointed when they just load the map and check out the frequent amount of square rooms, square detail and similar looking areas (though the second room is warmly reminding of E1M1 and could keep you moving). Some of those players will instantly quit while others will be persistant and come to find better looking areas as they advance. Where´s the problem?. Well, there´s a moment in wich you just can move on no more since all doors all closed and there´s no other way to go. This is where problems start: you will be backtracking for hidden switches leading to hiddn doors and hidden keys and, eventually, to more areas, more hidden switches and more hidden keys. This is a very critic moment in the wad: it can become frustrating easily and with frustration comes irritation (with the layout, the design...) and you all know the rest.
I don´t interpret that something positive. Don´t get me wrong: I like open ended wads but I like when the player gets hints and a feel about where he´s heading and what to do next. This doesn´t happen in this map since, for example, all key-locked doors are almost accessible from the beginning and you never get a glimpse of where the keys are until you find the secret switches that unlock them. There are small hints on where things are (like glowing arrows) but to access them you still have to find stuff that is hidden... To sum up, the planning is not exciting or engaging and the map suffers from frequent blocks where you won´t know where to go.
Gameplay wise it was balanced. It may be me or may be me not being used to Doomsday but I was on the edge during most of the map: not a lot of ammo, not a lot of health, not a lot of armor and the exact amount of monsters to keep on advancing carefully. I definitely liked that on this wad. O.k, it´s a bit excessive to face the player with a Baron of Hell in the second room but there´s no actual reason for him to engage into a fight (same as happens with caged monsters and stuff). We could say the balance is good but there´s also a flaw on this aspect: clip lines. Several lines into the map are marked as "Monsters clip" and this very same lines tend to coincide with the borders of the rooms, passages and doors thus, several monsters like demons or lost souls are rendered useless since they won´t be getting you unless you stay inside the room or section assigned. It´s not like the gameplay would be superb without this lines (there aren´t surprising ambushes or monster refilling in backtracking or any of these things we enjoy so much) but when you play and notice that you get the feeling that things could be much better.
Before getting to the conclusions I´d like to do a few notes on the look of the map. From the pure architectural point of view this map is not special: everything is functional, there are no architectural details added and there is not much stuff to enhance the visuals (there are even some writings on the floor) except on the cave area (reminiscent of other wads). Rooms are frequently square, indoors are repetitive and the walls outdoors have fun sharp shapes that don´t add much. What could have been a nice moment (a labirynth of square rooms) is ruined by a no-no epileptic light effect that is really irritating and can only be solved by finding a secret area with some googles... The theme is a consistent hell with intrusions of the hexagon metal textures here and there and some "compspan" that won´t fit... Still, there are small details like carvings on floors and ceilings that look surprisingly good so I would say that the author has gone through a process of learning that could surprise on his next wad... Definitely, to enhance this experience there should be tweaks done to the layout and architecture as well as gameplay (those hidden switches and stuff) but, that done, this could be a pleasant map with replay value (when finished I didn´t even visited the whole place... Notice also that there´s no exit switch but a big burning cross).
In conclusion, this wad is a first effort. We all know how average first efforts are but that´s no reason for giving a wad special judgement. Being objective there are nice moments but nothing outstanding. That would make for a 4 or 5 but the frequent blocks are that desperating that I can´t go above a 3. Still, as every author deserves, you could give this wad a try and forward your own suggestions and criticism to Algeroth. I´m sure he will be thankful for that.
<a href="http://img341.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thyinfernal019ft.png" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/6364/thyinfernal019ft.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Seems like I´ve been here before.
<a href="http://img341.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thyinfernal027ga.png" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/78/thyinfernal027ga.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Sometimes you find shinning details, like in this dark and gloomy room.
<a href="http://img341.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thyinfernal030yx.png" target="_blank"><img src=" http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/5096/thyinfernal030yx.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
A simple idea can bring nice results, like on this screenshot.