[REL] Zerbrechliche Klauen (Fragile Claws)

Started by quakis, 15 April 2013, 09:37:09

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quakis

Three levels I've been working on and off since October last year and released it at the Wolf3D Haven forums on February 27th 2013. I'm not sure how many people around here are interested in Wolf3D modding but decided to throw up a thread here anyway.

This set replaces E1M1 - E1M3 and takes BJ through an outpost, underground cave prison and a fancy palace/castle interior. Completed, tested and polished as much as I could. Interested to get any feedback from those who check them out.

Screenshots



Download: http://taw.duke4.net/z_klauen.zip (Installation instructions in txt file)
Recommend the Wolf4SDL Source Port: http://www.alice-dsl.net/mkroll/downloads.html

Gambini

That´s really cool man!

People doing maps for maybe the oldest FPS ever. The industry is doing something wrong. :)

Micky C

Not necessarily. I'd imagine that building maps for Wolf 3D is a billion times easier than building something on Unreal engine 3, especially when you're trying to match the quality of contemporary games.

I'm a bit surprised people are still modding the game. I mean I know it's got a cult following and all, but that would probably be due to nostalgia, at least more so than Duke 3D and Doom, which over the years have gained almost modern functionality with all their source port enhancements. Every time I try Wolf 3D, I get the same feeling: "once I've played one level I've played them all".
Wall whore.

Forge

i think i still have that game on floppy disc somewhere

course i don't have a floppy drive on the computer  ::)

looks neat none the less  8)
Take it down to the beach with a hammer and pound sand up your ass

quakis

Quote from: Micky C on  15 April 2013, 14:07:40I'm a bit surprised people are still modding the game. [...] Every time I try Wolf 3D, I get the same feeling: "once I've played one level I've played them all".

In the past I used to question why the game got modded due to its simplistic nature as an FPS, but I never owned or played the game until purchasing the 'id Super Pack' on Steam in late 2011. Despite the game's age, I was enjoying the fudge out of it. Then decided to check out user content and started to understand some of the appeal. It's difficult to explain well with words. I would recommend not claiming it's just nostalgia though.

While making a Wolf3D level is easier than, say, Duke3D... making a GOOD level on the other hand is another matter considering the limitations in place and if working on an episode, ensuring that each map remains interesting to play, such as this release which inspired me to make ZK: http://taw.duke4.net/2012/04/wolf3d/10-new-ones/

Here's another review for a good Wolf3D mod that was released last year that I recommend checking out. It's standalone; http://taw.duke4.net/2013/01/wolf3d/operation-eisenfaust-origins/

Micky C

That Origins one looks interesting. At least now they have the ability to put textures on the floor and ceiling, as well as paralax skies. But I can see why keeping all the levels in an episode is difficult given the extremely blocky nature and constant floor and ceiling heights.
Wall whore.

reflex17

OMFG AWESOME

I played wolf3d when it was new, it was the cool game to talk about when I was a lad, until doom came out... I still have it on my HD (altho not doom oddly enough) so I'll give your maps a try ASAP and let you know what I think... screenshots look cool... very clean design which reminds me of E1 and E6 of the original :) 

The simplicity of the game is it's key, easy to play and make levels for, you can make a great map in a few hours instead of days/weeks or whatever... wolf 3d was inspired by a top-down stealth game so in it's development it had such features as dragging dead guards out of sight etc., but id software took these things out to make the game more fast-paced... this was important I think in it's appeal because while it wasn't exactly the first FPS, it must've been the first one where you shot representations of real people. Quite a visceral experience in it's day. Wolf 3d and SoD introduced me to mapping and I still give it a whirl now and then, pity most of my levels have been lost to the mists

Thx for sharing this here, I may not have seen it otherwise! Off to d/l will comment when done! :)

reflex17

EDIT//// SMALL SPOILERS TO QUAKIS' MAPS MAY FOLLOW

A damn good set of wolf3d levels right here 8) I said above that the shots remind me of classic episodes but I see having played the maps that as a whole they follow a more modern/complex layout... these levels are quite realistic for wolf3d which is a style I like, the rooms and hallways seem to make logical sense, where some of the old id maps especially feel like a mashup of themes sometimes (they are 20 yrs old but just an example).

I played on skill 3 but now I wish I tried 4, maybe later hehehe... Combat was fun and well laid out, kept me on my toes most of the time without being too random/frustrating. Health and ammo placement was fine, I had a few close calls but I was never starved for either... I died once on lvl 3. near the 4 guard quarters when I ran out in the hall and was surrounded by brownshirts  ::)

Attention to detail in regards to textures, objects and secret placement all around excellent. As one might see from your Duke maps you work effectively in a variety of styles as each level felt different yet similar enough to be cohesive (for example teaching the player to love seeing the metal wall texture - icebox for chickens!... I was at 20-25%hp the first time I saw one of those, came as a relief when i went inside lolol) now for level clear stats FUN:

1.
Time: 14m:07s
Kills: 100%
Secret: 75%
Treasure: 85%

2.
Time: 20m:03s
Kills: 100%
Secret: 25%
Treasure: 15%

3.
Time: 19m:36s
Kills: 100%
Secret: 75%
Treasure: 92%

- I tried to 100% everything but some of your secrets foiled me! hehe... I'd give the levels each 8, 8.5, and 9.5 out of 10 respectively, the 3rd level being the stand-out in my opinion. It felt like running thru a fancy nazi castle while secret meetings were going on, just like the txt file said :) If I was to recommend anything for improvement, I'd say your choice of decorations was great but their identical placement sometimes in very similar rooms/halls can lead to getting turned around/lost a bit... it's not too severe or annoying but in the 1st level most of all I occasionally had to wonder which hall I was in and ended up going in circles a bit... overall though great work and my best tip if you continue to make wolf levels is to DO MORE OF WHAT YOU DID THERE!!! hehe  :)

quakis

Hey man, thanks for the feedback! Glad you enjoyed the levels. ;D

QuoteI'd say your choice of decorations was great but their identical placement sometimes in very similar rooms/halls can lead to getting turned around/lost a bit... it's not too severe or annoying but in the 1st level most of all I occasionally had to wonder which hall I was in and ended up going in circles a bit...

I can understand this, making areas a little more distinctive with some kind of landmark or something to help orientate players as to where they currently are would definitely help.

Quoteoverall though great work and my best tip if you continue to make wolf levels is to DO MORE OF WHAT YOU DID THERE!!! hehe  :)

Wolf3D mapping is enjoyable, gets me thinking hard about how to make an interesting level while being different from the last. It's likely I may jump into the editor again at some point in future.

MSandt

Ok, bought the game on Steam about a week ago and just played this (through Steam, meaning low resolution). It was a pretty good pack; especially the fist map (my favorite) had a very clear layout. The third one took a while to figure out, especially the last locked door; I had walked right past without noticing it/them, so I was lost for a while after having gotten the last key. The second map was my least favorite because it seemed the most typical and maze-like (but nowhere near as bad as some of the original maps). I liked how all the maps were consistent with respect to their themes, the first one being a barracks, the second a dungeon and the third a clean castle or something. I played on the second hardest skill setting and died a few times, mostly in the third map (typically surprised by a machinegun nazi).

Stats:

1.
Time: 04m:53s
Kills: 96%
Secret: 25%
Treasure: 67%

2.
Time: 07m:23s
Kills: 100%
Secret: 25%
Treasure: 15%

3.
Time: 10m:30s
Kills: 100%
Secret: 25%
Treasure: 71%
"Whatever their future, at the dawn of their lives, men seek a noble vision of man's nature and of life's potential." -Howard Roark