================================================================ Title : DOOM "Sacrifice" Episode Filename : SACRFICE.WAD (DMSACR.ZIP) Authors : Ty Halderman and Robert Taylor Email Address Halderman : CIS [70155,1125] Internet: 70155.1125@compuserve.com Email Address Taylor : Internet (preferred): rtaylor@sam.neosoft.com CIS [74513,3065] Misc. Author Info : 2 guys with patience and obsession. Many testing hours in modem and single user play. Yeah, it was *testing* ... that's what it was! NOTE: This is the initial "Labor Day" release of levels 1-6. Levels 7, 8 and the secret level (9) will follow within about 2 weeks (just like DOOM releases do...) Description : This set of 9 episodes attempts to use mature levels of sophistication and puzzle solving rather than just turning up the volume. Children (you know who you are) may be bored. Levels increase in complexity, difficulty and violence. Definite considerations were given to consistency, theme and fairness. Plan to die a bit, but to be able to finish with a sense of true accomplishment. Additional Credits to : DEU (5.0, 5.1, 5.2GCC, 5.21), BSP (1.1, 1.2x) and their many contributors; the masses of Compuserve Gamers who have unwittingly helped by allowing their problems and ideas to further our productivity; the WADmakers of the world for sharing their ideas and examples with us; the folks at id for making such a creative endeavor possible; all those who have made other tools and nifties that have allowed us to keep our sanity (if we still have any). Specific people who mostly unknowingly have helped: Dr. Sleep, Paracelsus, Patrix, Blackfist, the Brunis, and whoever those others are that we can't remember suddenly (sincere apologies). Yes, Paracelsus, these levels will save under version 1.2 . ================================================================ * Play Information * Episode and Level # : E1M1 through E1M9, see below for descriptions Single Player : Yes Cooperative 2-4 Player : Yes Deathmatch 2-4 Player : Yes Difficulty Settings : Yes - every difficulty level different Note that the levels get tougher as they go, just like the "real" levels do. New Sounds : No New Graphics : No (maybe next time) New Music : No Demos Replaced : All 3. Demos are partial runs of levels 1, 2 and 5. Sorry, none of them show everything in the levels. We want you to see stuff firsthand. * Descriptions * Level 1 Description : "A Good Day to Die" You'll see why the name is Sacrifice. Several separate puzzles; be careful not to get over- anxious. Brains are better than brawn. Visual clues are important. Level 2 Description : "Goop City" Must have gotten lost. Lots of goop around, but be careful--the barrels are tough. Can't go swimming in that stuff for long, but there are enough suits around to keep alive if you don't waste too much time. Some interesting views here. Level 3 Description : "The Morgues" Even the bad guys have morgues. They aren't as picky about our dead as their own though. You can enjoy some nice views--briefly. Don't miss the elevator rides, especially after dark. Level 4 Description : "The Office" The idea is, it's a level that looks like it might have offices in it and is reminiscent of our office building enough to be a kick to people who work there. Meanwhile, it's one of the largest levels, and should take a while to complete. Takes "us" about 45 minutes and we aren't stopping to admire the great level design... Level 5 Description : "The Throne Room" One of the rooms is the Throne Room (you'll know it when you see it). Interesting altar area, and don't miss the subtle(?) humor in the dining rooms. You *will* hate stairs when you get through... Level 6 Description : "The U(AC)-Bahn" Or something. A cross between a subway station and UAC Central. Be sure to ride the subway. Level 7 Description : (** In progress, available soon **) "Mining Camp" We tried _not_ to make this just another endless maze of underground tunnels. You decide. Level 8 Description : (** In progress, available soon **) ??? There are several ideas in progress, and the first one finished will become #8. Level 9 Description : (** In progress, available soon **) "Redundancy revisited" Hey, this is the secret level. If we described it (more than the title does), it wouldn't be secret. Lotsa luck. You get here from "The Morgues" if you go the right way... * Construction * Base : 9 new levels from scratch, probably hundreds of hours over 4 months; who cares, this is fun! Editor(s) used : DEU 5.0 through 5.21, plus BSP 1.2x Known Bugs & Limitations: None that we caused (we hope). DOOM 1.2 engine has some limitations when you get many transparent (2 sided) lines in a row. 1.6xx improves that limit. Also doesn't like rooms over about 500 units high -- may briefly see nothing but ceiling (like a flash). Sorry about that, Chief, but it was worth it for some of the effects. There are brief HOM (Hall Of Mirrors) problems in level 6 if you stand in the right places, but with 1.6xx right around the corner, it didn't make sense to mess up the level by taking out the offending lines. Pardon us if you disagree, but we needed to release this by Labor Day weekend. Please report any "features" (other people call them bugs) to us via one of the addresses above. * Philosophy * Appearance/Design : A lot of effort was put into making things look good. After your killing spree is over, take the time to look around. Several levels have some vantage points with grand vistas (or at least as grand as the DOOM engine would allow). If you want to see how fast you can get done, fine. Then go back with the -nomonsters switch and just look. Not everything has a purpose. Some things are just there for artistic or architectural interest. We think that is one of the things that made the original DOOM levels so good. We used Episode One because we liked the sky better. Of course, that means you have to hear the Episode One music. Put on a CD and turn up the SFX if you don't want to hear the Episode One tunes again, but the Level 3 music really fits well. Traps : All levels were intentionally made so you should not get trapped irreversably (though you may die learning how to get out). Please let us know if you end up stuck in a place you wouldn't think you'd fit. We tried to be _real_ careful about this. Secret Areas : You should not have to get into all secret areas to complete a level. Keys or switches to open main path doors or areas should not be located in secret areas. All secret doors should be slightly different or highlighted in a way that a casual stroll through the area (as opposed to a 70MPH screaming streak) should allow you to find them. You should _not_ have to resort to pushing everything in sight. However, if you miss Wolfenstein, go on and push. Secret doors will not show up on the map. Sorry, but if we allowed that, we wouldn't need to make them subtly different, and that wouldn't be as much fun. For either of us. Sometimes you'll get a computer map, and that will usually show the areas. But we'll hide that map in a secret area, so you'll still have to use the little gray cells. Monsters : We prefer a few sneaky ones to a roomful that makes you prefer a date with Godzilla. This also means that once you learn our levels, they become easier to play. Don't like that? Go Nightmare. That'll teach you. Levels were all built for Ultraviolence (skill 4). Then some of those bad & good things were changed for the lower levels (2 & 3--level 1 is the same as 2 except the goop doesn't hurt as bad). Some areas are differently populated (different critters) and others are less densely populated with the same critters. Whatever seemed appropriate. Sometimes "easier" levels just get more health and ammo, or guns are more readily available. Since the original design was for UV, you'll probably get the best total feel for what we built if you play at that level. Of course, you have to live that long... * Copyright / Permissions * Authors may NOT use this level as a base to build additional levels. Let us do that. This is all 9 levels anyway--a set. Ideas are fair game, in the spirit of synergy. I'll steal yours if you'll steal mine... You MAY distribute this WAD, provided you include this file, with no modifications. You may distribute this file in any electronic format (BBS, Diskette, CD, etc) as long as you include this file intact (how about two free copies of the CD's. Huh? Huh?). * Where to get this WAD * Compuserve GAMERS library 8 [subject to change] as DMSACR.ZIP Various places on the Internet including the orginal posting at infant2.sphs.indiana.edu [subject to change]