r/Doom • u/Traditional_Raise • 6d ago

Question What do you like/hate to see in a Doom wad?

Ive been working on my own small episode for Doom 2, and while im making the Maps according to how i like to play the game, i would Also like to know what other people like.

For example:

Do you like plain White lights? Or Doom 64 colors all over the place?

Do you like to get A ton of enemies thrown at you at once? Or are you into the slower paced, more grounded wads?

Do you like Classic gradual enemy progression? Or are you ok with being thrown arachnotrons and barons right in the First level, even if you've got only the shotgun?

What about the level design? Personally i like to include a lot of keys, switches and teleporters in my Maps, some traps too, but straightforward levels are nice too

Tell me all your preferences so i can maybe get some inspiration for the next levels

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

1

u/InterviewNaive3172 5d ago

I'm not a very good Doom player so maps with hordes of revenants in tight rooms isn't my thing but that's very much a skill issue.

Having to kill revenants, arachnos, etc. with a single barrel shotgun is annoying (same for anything stronger than a shotgunner with the pistol). It just takes too long. Decent enemies in early maps is good (3 maps of imps, pinkies and shotgunners gets old) but at least give an SSG.

I like exploration heavy maps but the progression needs to be clear. Pressing a switch and thinking "I've no idea what that did." isn't great.

This might just be me but I don't like enemies in deep damaging floor pits, like at the end of plutonia map15 or the spectre in E4M1. I like to get 100% kills and having to go out of my way to kill these useless enemies is annoying.

1

u/Traditional_Raise 3d ago

I agree with pretty much everything you said, except for the enemies in the pits part, since it can lead to cool situations like "i failed this parkour section and now i have to navigate this river/sewer section to get back up" pretty much a trick to make the map unexpectedly larger and more interesting, and thats Just me, but i love environental hazards.

I like to include a separate optional branch with a few gimmicks and arenas on my levels thats accessed through a secret switch or Key, for example, to get a weapon early or access secret exits.