FATAL
June 24th, 2007, 11:23 AM
Underhalls (remake).
By: Doom_Dude
d2m2r.wad (72kb)
ftp://megawad@server1.thefourwinds.net/maps/d2m2r.zip
Port: Doom Legacy, Doom2 iwad.
Single Player, DM and Coop not tested.
May, 20th, 2004.
1 map.
Danimetal using Doom Legacy v1.42 in Gl Mode.
Score: 6
It happens to Doom mappers that, in some time in their career they try to recreate some classic Doom map. Some of them release a remake, some a couple of them, others release more than a couple and, finally there´s the ones who never make their vision true. Anyway, Doom map remakes usually rely on a familiar layout and add some twists of their own so the map feels different. Strangely enough this remake for the classic Doom 2 map "Underhalls" feels a lot like the original and rather than deforming known areas or adding new twists you´ll find exactly what you remember. Is that a wise choice?. Well, we´ll soon find out.
In terms of lenght, playability and fun you can expect this map to work like it´s original Doom 2 counterpart: it´s a short map that you can finish in a few minutes and you can play it carelessly without much concerns about health. If you had the original map among your favourites because of it´s layout and mild puzzle sequences you´re to have a lot of fun with this map.
Puzzles and secrets remain the same: the very same locations for the keys and locked doors (though the blue key is underwater), the same switch playing so you can acess the two side areas and so on. One thing that it´s missing is the jump you had to perform to acess the red key area: it could have been used here to add some platforming sequence but instead of that you get a much larger room and a lift to acess it... Fights also work in the very same way. You have some teleporters that the author added so monsters pop in but you´ll find almost the same battles and ambushes when, for example, you pick the red key. To be honest, I haven´t compared both maps in the editor so the monster types may be different (not strange considering that this map was made from scratch) but you won´t find any monster outside of your expectations in this map.
The there´s the visuals. It´s a delicate point concerning map remakes as many authors tend to create visually impressive remakes to give different visions of classic levels. This time that´s not the case. There´s a remarkable level of overall polish regarding texture alignment, room shapes and balance but there´s not a large amount of shiny details or crazy 3d floors to create complex structures. Also, the larger areas tend to look bare due to the plain ceilings and repetitive texture patterns so you end up thinking that some stuff could have been added to balance the looks of this map.Some architectural elements, like 3d ceiling lamps, 3d floors affecting gameplay or deep water have been added and they look pretty cool but considering the map as a whole, it´s a little bare, just like it´s doom counterpart... Anyway, I have no problems with maps that look simple enough so my biggest complain with this map is with it´s light management: it just looked way too bright in Legacy Gl mode and there weren´t much light variations. Remember when you entered the side passages and they were pretty dark when you first played this map?. It doesn´t happen in this remake: you always manage to see everything and it feels like a wasted chance to get some nice things done so, well, I think that the light in this level could have been managed in a much better way.
And the rest you surely already know: a map on the easy side with enough health to keep you alive and tons of ammunition dropped by your enemies (mainly zombies and some imps) make this map a breeze to play. Would have been correct to add a more challenging gameplay?. Well, maybe but it´s hard to tell: in the txt file the author tells us that he obtained American McGee´s permission to redesign his level so, does it mean that this map is intented as a face lift with new details?. If that´s the case, the map manages to keep the classic look with some new stuff thrown in (new textures and little details). Is this map intended to be a step towards the original map?. If that´s the case, the map falls a little short... Anyway, for my review I´ve taken the first interpretation: a redesign of the classic level so I personally think that this map does live to my expectations: no new scripts, no new places, no new elements that deform the classic experience.
Taking that into account I give this map a 6 for reminding me of happy Doom 2 days: it plays easy, catches a glimpse of the original feel (shame about the light management) and it´s fair with the original. With a couple of revisions and attention to some small details it could have been much better but this map remains as a nice curiosity so get five spare minutes to download and play it.
<a href="http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=d2m2r018np.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/5766/d2m2r018np.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Does this look familiar enough?.
<a href="http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=d2m2r020vv.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/4389/d2m2r020vv.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Yes, crates could be stacked in 3d some time ago.
By: Doom_Dude
d2m2r.wad (72kb)
ftp://megawad@server1.thefourwinds.net/maps/d2m2r.zip
Port: Doom Legacy, Doom2 iwad.
Single Player, DM and Coop not tested.
May, 20th, 2004.
1 map.
Danimetal using Doom Legacy v1.42 in Gl Mode.
Score: 6
It happens to Doom mappers that, in some time in their career they try to recreate some classic Doom map. Some of them release a remake, some a couple of them, others release more than a couple and, finally there´s the ones who never make their vision true. Anyway, Doom map remakes usually rely on a familiar layout and add some twists of their own so the map feels different. Strangely enough this remake for the classic Doom 2 map "Underhalls" feels a lot like the original and rather than deforming known areas or adding new twists you´ll find exactly what you remember. Is that a wise choice?. Well, we´ll soon find out.
In terms of lenght, playability and fun you can expect this map to work like it´s original Doom 2 counterpart: it´s a short map that you can finish in a few minutes and you can play it carelessly without much concerns about health. If you had the original map among your favourites because of it´s layout and mild puzzle sequences you´re to have a lot of fun with this map.
Puzzles and secrets remain the same: the very same locations for the keys and locked doors (though the blue key is underwater), the same switch playing so you can acess the two side areas and so on. One thing that it´s missing is the jump you had to perform to acess the red key area: it could have been used here to add some platforming sequence but instead of that you get a much larger room and a lift to acess it... Fights also work in the very same way. You have some teleporters that the author added so monsters pop in but you´ll find almost the same battles and ambushes when, for example, you pick the red key. To be honest, I haven´t compared both maps in the editor so the monster types may be different (not strange considering that this map was made from scratch) but you won´t find any monster outside of your expectations in this map.
The there´s the visuals. It´s a delicate point concerning map remakes as many authors tend to create visually impressive remakes to give different visions of classic levels. This time that´s not the case. There´s a remarkable level of overall polish regarding texture alignment, room shapes and balance but there´s not a large amount of shiny details or crazy 3d floors to create complex structures. Also, the larger areas tend to look bare due to the plain ceilings and repetitive texture patterns so you end up thinking that some stuff could have been added to balance the looks of this map.Some architectural elements, like 3d ceiling lamps, 3d floors affecting gameplay or deep water have been added and they look pretty cool but considering the map as a whole, it´s a little bare, just like it´s doom counterpart... Anyway, I have no problems with maps that look simple enough so my biggest complain with this map is with it´s light management: it just looked way too bright in Legacy Gl mode and there weren´t much light variations. Remember when you entered the side passages and they were pretty dark when you first played this map?. It doesn´t happen in this remake: you always manage to see everything and it feels like a wasted chance to get some nice things done so, well, I think that the light in this level could have been managed in a much better way.
And the rest you surely already know: a map on the easy side with enough health to keep you alive and tons of ammunition dropped by your enemies (mainly zombies and some imps) make this map a breeze to play. Would have been correct to add a more challenging gameplay?. Well, maybe but it´s hard to tell: in the txt file the author tells us that he obtained American McGee´s permission to redesign his level so, does it mean that this map is intented as a face lift with new details?. If that´s the case, the map manages to keep the classic look with some new stuff thrown in (new textures and little details). Is this map intended to be a step towards the original map?. If that´s the case, the map falls a little short... Anyway, for my review I´ve taken the first interpretation: a redesign of the classic level so I personally think that this map does live to my expectations: no new scripts, no new places, no new elements that deform the classic experience.
Taking that into account I give this map a 6 for reminding me of happy Doom 2 days: it plays easy, catches a glimpse of the original feel (shame about the light management) and it´s fair with the original. With a couple of revisions and attention to some small details it could have been much better but this map remains as a nice curiosity so get five spare minutes to download and play it.
<a href="http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=d2m2r018np.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/5766/d2m2r018np.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Does this look familiar enough?.
<a href="http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=d2m2r020vv.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/4389/d2m2r020vv.th.png" border="0" alt="Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us" /></a>
Yes, crates could be stacked in 3d some time ago.