SIGIL "Split from "John Romero and Adrian Carmack's new FPS""
#301 Posted 28 May 2019 - 10:23 PM
M4 is very infamous by the crusher maze, and for a valid reason, it's really not fun gimmick. M7 gets the flak for the last third section as it's basically a nastier version of The Chasm. M8 is said to be a lukewarm boss level without a true ending, while M9 is just an also ran map with poor design choices.
As for the music, I will be unpopular here, but I think Jimmy's tracks are clearly inferior to Buckethead's cool riffs. It's more fun to play this mapset with Buckethead music, than with Jimmy music. The only exception is the secret level, where the midi was absolutely awesome.
This post has been edited by Nancsi: 28 May 2019 - 10:33 PM
#302 Posted 28 May 2019 - 11:09 PM
#303 Posted 29 May 2019 - 01:20 AM
Ninety-Six, on 27 May 2019 - 03:58 PM, said:
I always use GZDoom while setting the visuals as close to vanilla as possible (still retaining high resolutions)
- Polysoft renderer or software renderer;
- Disable bullet and rocket holes (decals = 0);
- Disable rocket trails;
- Disable translucency of fireballs etc, ...
- Compatibility settings = Doom (strict)
Anyway, just finished Sigil. It was good, but I expected more. I actually thought it was rather easy (mind you I played on Hurt me Plenty) and definitely easier than the first 2 levels of Thy Flesh Consumed. I really liked Buckethead's soundtrack though. So yeah, a fine episode but not necessarily better than some fan megawads out there. And definitely not as good as No Rest For The Living.
I hope he will make a megawad for Doom 2.
This post has been edited by axl: 29 May 2019 - 01:21 AM
#304 Posted 29 May 2019 - 02:49 AM
Btw there was a short duct-like maze later on with a few Lost Souls in it (in E5M7). I disliked that part even more since it was just a dark maze with bland wood textures, nothing else. Stuff like that just doesn't belong in any modern map, regardless who is the author. Then again, the whole final part of E5M7 is pretty much dickish. That pit with the narrow ledges you got to balance along while fighting Lost Souls and Cacos without falling down, then fighting your way up those narrow stairs with Barons right behind the yellow skull key door... meh. OK, once you have played it and know what to expect, it's not that bad any more. It's also the penultimate level, so you can argue that Satan (aka Romero) really wants to stop you at all costs.
I'm also not a fan of putting Cyberdemons in tight spots where it's easy to catch rocket splash damage even if you manage to evade the projectiles. Luckily, if you don't play on UV, there is a max of two CDs to deal with, and the encounters are kinda OK-ish.
I liked the MIDIs, but Buckethead has a certain Doom 64 vibe which I prefer for the darker maps. 6.66 bucks is a fair price for the music, and I believe it's worth buying, even if you don't like the maps.
Romero needs positive feedback to keep mapping, so spam him on social media. I already mailed him, not without adding some criticism. Any difficulty up to HMP is managable while UV tends to be rather nightmarish and nothing I'd like to endure. Even Romero couldn't do it during his live video feeds, so if you don't want to get frustrated, stick to HMP.
This post has been edited by NightFright: 29 May 2019 - 03:15 AM
#305 Posted 29 May 2019 - 09:12 AM
#306 Posted 29 May 2019 - 06:38 PM
NightFright, on 29 May 2019 - 02:49 AM, said:
It's not impossible, it's just hard to do. I managed to do it in two of my 3 playthroughs and I think the trick is that you have to pay attention to the two bigger crushers between the broken teleporter and the end of the room with the lost souls: there is a state where one is wide open while you can only barely fit under the other one.
This post has been edited by Zaxx: 29 May 2019 - 06:38 PM
#309 Posted 30 May 2019 - 07:38 AM
I only listened to Jimmy's MIDIs with OPL3 emulation. Seems like that didn't do the tracks justice. Gotta do a third replay with a good soundfont to re-evaluate its true quality.
I stick to my initial opinion and say Sigil is a good episode. Maybe not fantastic or legendary, but still good enough to beat episodes 3 and 4 easily (spontaneously remembering E3M7 with its horrible teleporter puzzle). It feels and plays like Doom, and if you can forgive a few moments of dickishness and pretty much E5M8 in its entirety, you are in for 1-2 hours of classic Dooming you won't regret.
That issue with the eye switches being walled off before you can shoot them should be addressed, though. TBH I don't even know why they need to disappear after activation.
This post has been edited by NightFright: 30 May 2019 - 07:45 AM
#310 Posted 30 May 2019 - 07:50 AM
NightFright, on 30 May 2019 - 07:38 AM, said:
I assume it's to make things less confusing so you don't keep shooting the same switch over and over if you get unsure of what to do next.
#311 Posted 30 May 2019 - 09:27 PM
something I noticed: this is called v1.1, and in the internal changelog (something you can only access by opening it up in slade for some reason) it talks about switching around the trigger lines for the eyes to stop maps from being messed up. I don't know if this is updated from the paid release or if it's the same, but just in case maybe you should all give it a second download.
#312 Posted 30 May 2019 - 11:19 PM
https://www.doomworl...comment=1993241
Since retail and free editions are identical, everybody can update by downloading the free version.
This post has been edited by NightFright: 30 May 2019 - 11:21 PM
#313 Posted 31 May 2019 - 12:34 AM
NightFright, on 30 May 2019 - 11:19 PM, said:
Free edition just contains the Jimmy-WADs. ;-)
I got an email from romerogames.com, with an download link to v1.1 with all 4 wads updated. I guess everybody who forwarded their order to info@romerogames.com got that email too.
#314 Posted 31 May 2019 - 12:49 AM
NightFright, on 30 May 2019 - 11:19 PM, said:
But why not anywhere else? You'd think there would at least be a text file in the zip. He has a full guide on how to even set up GZDoom, but puts the changelog inside the wad itself and expects people to be able to look at it?
I don't get it.
#315 Posted 31 May 2019 - 02:49 AM
cybdmn, on 31 May 2019 - 12:34 AM, said:
I got an email from romerogames.com, with an download link to v1.1 with all 4 wads updated. I guess everybody who forwarded their order to info@romerogames.com got that email too.
Yeah, I bought the digital version a few days ago and received the email about the update.
Anyway what's wrong with getting the update through the free version? If you look into SIGIL_SHREDS.wad all you'll find is the music, that needs no updating.
#316 Posted 31 May 2019 - 03:26 AM
Free version is also going to be on /idgames database. Was already uploaded, awaiting authorization.
Curious: On Romero Games, they state
"Note that the Buckethead soundtrack is playable ONLY in SIGIL and not as MP3 files."
Well, you can still open sigil_shreds.wad with Slade or any other wad editor and extract the MP3s. No big deal.
This post has been edited by NightFright: 31 May 2019 - 03:27 AM
#317 Posted 31 May 2019 - 06:01 AM
NightFright, on 31 May 2019 - 03:26 AM, said:
That's probably for copyright reasons similar to how GOG couldn't offer the digital files for the Quake 1 soundtrack, but you can still access the tracks through the included "hidden" game ISO. Music distribution is a very specific copyright nightmare, obviously. Terminology regarding distribution is everything. It's probably a loophole to get around saying that the MP3s are distributed along with the game. The fact that they're not easily accessible to the layman is enough for them and saying the MP3 files "aren't included" in this way sidesteps them out of trouble.
This post has been edited by MusicallyInspired: 31 May 2019 - 06:03 AM
#319 Posted 31 May 2019 - 07:36 AM
#320 Posted 31 May 2019 - 09:46 AM
https://twitter.com/...345206973644800
#321 Posted 31 May 2019 - 11:39 PM
#323 Posted 01 June 2019 - 06:21 AM
He does like shooty switches though, dosen't he?
Jimmy has done an excellent job on 90's-ifying the soundtrack.
This post has been edited by Tea Monster: 01 June 2019 - 06:22 AM
#324 Posted 01 June 2019 - 06:31 AM
Tea Monster, on 01 June 2019 - 06:21 AM, said:
Wait, so Jimmy's soundtrack is a MIDI demake of Buckethead's? I was under the impression that they were original compositions.
This post has been edited by johnnythewolf: 01 June 2019 - 06:42 AM
#325 Posted 01 June 2019 - 06:52 AM
johnnythewolf, on 01 June 2019 - 06:31 AM, said:
They are.
#326 Posted 01 June 2019 - 10:20 AM
This post has been edited by johnnythewolf: 01 June 2019 - 10:21 AM
#327 Posted 01 June 2019 - 10:47 AM
#328 Posted 01 June 2019 - 12:36 PM
Oh well. Hopefully, Blackroom - if it is still being worked on - will be better...
This post has been edited by johnnythewolf: 01 June 2019 - 12:42 PM
#329 Posted 01 June 2019 - 12:50 PM
The music is quite nice indeed too
#330 Posted 01 June 2019 - 02:24 PM
Ammo IS the big issue in this wad. Romero really wants you to save your precious cells and rockets for the big encounters. I doubt he will consider any major balancing changes now, but I would have really wished for a bit more firepower, especially towards the end of the episode. Funny enough, in the last map you won't need much ammo, you can even run past all the bosses since their deaths are not required to end the level, as you would normally expect.
My main criticism about Sigil right now is actually not its difficulty or evil design (I'm ok with that), but the fact I still haven't received any notification regarding the status of my Beast Box order. I am not the only one, and in fact it seems most of the deluxe editions haven't even started shipping yet.
This post has been edited by NightFright: 01 June 2019 - 02:32 PM