[ck3D]

Maybe some minor mistakes left (definitely some slight TROR portal funkiness) but tested several times and good enough just in time for D3D's 30th. Should run fine in classic/software, absolutely no idea about how other renderers may perform.

First level in my upcoming episode; see .txt.

Basic user map + MIDI format. Current par time in episode user.con (not included) set to 15:00 and no 3DR time, feel free to let me know your times (casual runs or not) and ultimately I might use them.

Oh yeah I know the RPV's technically bug out but left them like that on purpose so they act like they guard key areas. Somehow when TROR interferes like this, they do not look confused/get lost and it looks legit.

[Dr.Panico]

Congrats on the release!
This one took me 35 minutes and I still missed a few enemies and most secrets.

So far, so good. I haven't noticed any particular glitches. Everything seems to work as intended. As for visuals and gameplay, they were top-notch as always. I must've missed the Expander somewhere, since the map gives a lot of ammo for it (and I could've used it in the last battle).
Getting inside the Million Dollar theater was a little confusing, but it's nothing too obscure fortunately. In general, the layout is well-put together and the visuals are neat.

[ck3D]

Thank you once again for playing and the feedback.

Yes there is a Shrinker in the map, depending on what the player does after they have found the key, they are more or less likely to find it.

Just replayed the level. Can confirm no major issues, only minor visual ones if you really look out for them, and last but not least the ultimate explosion in the level doesn't go off despite being set up (surely a simple MASTERSWITCH hitag thing) but I like that, will make it cooler to replay in the final episode with fireworks at the end there (and on my end the work is already spent).

[ck3D]

OK I wasn't going to let people hanging without the aforementioned fireworks (it's not even much but it is the proper finale). This version of the map fixes the explosion (as expected was stupid MASTERSWITCH mistake) and also adjusts some visual errors here and there, I still have some stuff that breaks (handful of Cyclers failing) but nothing I will fix before the final episode release, none of the adjustments will be practical and thus matter at this point.

Sorry for double post, website doesn't let users edit posts after a four-hour window limit.

[unedukecated]

Took me like 30 mins on CGS, found all secrets since there are only a few. Map can be played in Polymer, brightness and general lighting looks a bit better there I'd say, performance gets a bit slowed down in some outdoor areas indicated by FPS turning red - just like in my current map. Still decently playable so it's fine, also tried with Polymost which is kinda too dark in some places but that was the intention anyway I think.

Layout is nice, good city vibes and lots of TROR and the cinemas connected is very neat. A good portion to explore, finding secrets, solving puzzles etc. Well done!

Some points of critique containing spoilers:

Spoiler

doesn't feel much Dukeish to be honest. Scaling is a bit odd (I accidently wrote "off" first, fits too) here and there (for example road is huge, then some other things are tiny) and item distribution is suboptimal - usually there are tons of them everywhere which feels like too much making it too easy to proceed - but then, there are also the sentries in some area and there is like zero health - had my first rip in first playthrough there xD Funny how a vent, considered a safe space, is actually the most lethal place in this map - at least to me.

[ck3D]

Thanks for playing and commenting, happy you liked the layout, was really fun to put together.

I know what you mean about the scale, it is the one I've figured over time actually is optimal for this game, a game like Ion Fury that plays more sophisticated can afford to look more sophisticated but Duke moves as fast as a skateboarder and when on roids faster than a truck (can catch up with own launched rockets), and so you want curbs that feel like ledges and props that sometime look comically tall (in the comic book sense, the base game is quite full of them) so that they can fully perform gameplay function (e.g.. cover), otherwise from a pure performance perspective arguably may or may not be a waste to make three-inch little curbs that will barely even alter enemy height, etc. But it can be a bit distressing from player POV at first if one is expecting realism rather than suggestion, I know it took me a bit to understand it the first few times I played a Billy Boy or WG map but once you do there is no real turning back. Maybe sometime check out Military Madness by Ale and then WGHotelHell back to back and you should immediately get what I mean. Mostly it is just going with the dimensions inherent to the game due to the movement, hitboxes and collisions and that has to come with some abstraction. (Shin rather than ankle-high red curbs aren't necessarily uncommon in real life either, saw so many of those around California; they look funny there too.)

Also it is all to be relativized by how now 16384 walls is more than enough for both bold and fine detail, but things like curbs, vehicles, fences and crates are major structural elements and so deserve to stand/stick out, literally. E.g.. any counter in a shop or bar can be just a prop if too small or its own game of peek-a-boo vs. stayput enemies if large enough, but in reality that is just mapping on the scale the game (not engine here) expects in order to work best at least the way I like it.

Item distribution the map indeed is very generous, but as the first level of an episode should work (still noting/reserving the idea to cut a few items if over time stand out as overkill). What matters is no one should have found any explosive but 1/ parking lot tripmines and/or 2/ unmarked secret pipebomb before reaching the cinema. As a standalone/single map release now yes distribution would be suboptimal but then so would be the layout too, episode level and user map must obey to different scopes of composition altogether otherwise would be no appropriate scaled buildup and good pacing.

Fun fact about this map: the broken keypad actually has a chance to malfunction (but there is another way around the door if it does), and when it does and you keep refilling on keys with DNKEYS to keep feeding it, eventually EDuke starts rejecting the sprite in a funny way. I know how to do it nearly on command and think I understand what is happening (to an extent) but is better if I don't explain much more about it. (If the behavior ever has to be fixed then I don't care, but I suspect it's in part a game side thing since works similar to a popular speedrun trick.)

[stillTodd]

Frustrated that my temporary situation here means not playing these for a bunch of days. Glad and grateful to see them. I'll do my usual cheap 11yo laptop + DukePlus tryout and report back in the latter half of next week

Thank you and way, way looking forward to the experience. I might be in fresher laptop buying mode!

[ck3D]

Just skimmed through your most recent post history page to check on your situation exactly and I'm actually curious, sounds like your issue is your current setup can not run maps with TROR at all since you also couldn't play pepso's E-I-E-I-(annoyed grunt)? That is interesting to me seeing as I also am using rather ancient hardware (possibly older than some people playing the game at this point), but TROR is smooth for me (when cleanly made) in software mode, which is supposedly more expensive than Polymost except I can not even run Polymost altogether without unplayable lag (let alone Polymer). Alien Armageddon also runs well for me in classic mode in spite of being a Polymost mod, the voxels load, etc. (it actually is pretty amazing how software compatible it really is). Either way both those maps have reasonable TROR, lots of it but isolated enough it shouldn't perform too crazy but perhaps in a couple of spots. It will get less pedestrian later though.

This specific episode, the maps are designed (ideally) with most type of EDuke mod compatibility in mind and should not be a problem to play in DukePlus, AA, Legacy, etc. as long as post 2023 EDuke is supported.

[stillTodd]

Oh it's not a functional issue at all, it's totally performance Thinkpad Helix 2nd Gen, 8Gb, Win10 and a Core M 5Y71. Fanless, in a tablet format (with good detachable keyboard). It's pretty cool still (somehow) and I bought a few used ones, one of which runs Mint for my Mom.

I'm thinking the SSD may have performance issues, so I'm going to try imaging over to another, fresher one and see how things transpire.

Edit: I know the ropes with this stuff, and at a certain point it just becomes cheaper to pick up something better, used. Plus it would have a better screen and likely a keyboard with more travel. I don't know if it's just me, but I prefer a good laptop keyboard vs a full sized one nowadays - I can type more quickly.

[unedukecated]

@ck3d: I don't know what you mean, yes I prefer realism above all (?) or at least most other things. So to say you have to make a road huge and add (huge?) curbs sounds hilarious to me. Steriods - the most useless item in DN3D. I never use them, I never place them. Who really *needs* it anyway? It's super short and movement is awful on steriods, yes you are faster and maybe can jump a little more far, but for what purpose? It's not trickjumping like guys did/do in Quake III Arena. Although I guess some guys actually made maps where you would really need steriods to proceed, but whatever. I have a tiny puzzle involving speed in my new map but there's no need for steriods. Anyway I don't think a huge road is really needed (!), and certainly no biiiiiiiig curbs.
I have also played "Military Madness" now for the first time, that level doesn't feel very Dukeish either. It's short, straight-forward, repetitive, overrated and yet technically supreme in terms of how it was built, but no more. Visuals clearly lack variety there. And yes scaling is a little bit of an issue there too, although it kinda fits there because there is like no reason to jump - so low ceilings are okay there. Any original DN3D map is better than that in my eyes...

I also don't want to argue with you about the other stuff like item distribution. I get it you have your reasons and will find an "excuse" for everything now - just like I did when defending my first map.

[ck3D]

I don't have the time for this but will still dignify your reply with a response, you're wrong about steroid use (when it's not abuse), dimensions (practical ones) and I think you're being your own enemy when it comes to edukecating yourself when people offer help but you were not expecting how seriously you would be taken. Because that is just what it is, is it not? I don't think any mapper has any business projecting any complicated feeling of self-worth over the hobby or whatever. Yes someone who has made 200 maps is going to be more likely to have 'reasons' about their choices than need 'excuses' compared to a newcomer, I mean it's a lot of time spent looking out for the reasons why this engine even works just mathematically (to then do your part as a larger community member and transmit), and that doesn't even invalidate the newcomer which would be one leap in logic already (i.e.. how does that magically appear into the equation?). Heck, newcomer sometimes can be right over the OG and offer fresh perspective (whole point of e.g.. watching player footage, etc.) but is this the case here I wouldn't know. You're probably just projecting past experiences of condescending people bullying you in the past or whatever; fuck them, not me as someone who has spent the time engaging about your work or the heron will break into your kitchen at night and make a mess of all your sectors and walls.

Tying this back to level design nerd talk I am absolutely with you on Military Madness, that is exactly why I was saying compare it to WGHotelHell. One of the directions very obviously is wiser than the other extreme (= one of the maps isn't flat with random pseudo-detail protruding into 5 of your body parts on every frame). But maybe don't read too much into it or might end up inventing that I said only one style has to exist or some other post-reality bull. No map is perfect means every map is unique and precious for it.

[stillTodd]

Hey ck3D! I subconsciously sprained my knee, in order to free up time to test drive DNLV1 on my current system.

First - man it's good looking! I'm a big fan of this style. For DukePlus, akimbo pistols early on are a good thing, and there's one staring at the player upon map load.

I'm gonna go shopping for a laptop (used, cheap, Thinkpad w/thinkpoint) to run these maps. A few of your previous ones were also unsupported (performance-wise) by this Helix, so I haven't played them, dnkroz notwithstanding.

[lllllllllllllll]

Never seen a manhole used like that

and for a split second I thought you somehow placed a light bulb

[ck3D]

Oh yeah that one sloped ceiling sprite thing? Clearly the strangest thing in the map. For the longest time I had the map progression a bit stricter, no explosives including tripmines or secret pipebombs until the first toilet and then traversal between the back room floors was one-way only so Duke had to blow up the correct screen out of both, or otherwise felt like penalty/random waste of time barely even compensated for by the ammo cache. In an introductory level would have been a bit mean (but otherwise a good trick) and so I thought I'd simplify the traversal at all and just add a little platform. Sprite choice highlights the hole in the same (to me semi-pointless) fashion sector lights do on matching top floor etc... to make sure a rushing player can't miss it, which honestly they might since TROR is still relatively fresh (it's old now but in practice still timidly used) and thus unexpected to find. Would be cool to make a product that can teach players to look up and down more. Funnily sloped sprites look bogus too but in a strangely attractive way, for instance that specific one looks so odd and out of place you can't help but imagine and test theory by jumping onto it.

stillTodd: so sorry about the knee, I know how bad that can be and how frustrating because it is such an important body part, I hope you get better soon and the culprit wasn't a shin-high curb. Stoked you like the style. It isn't so inspired really but by some of the original levels (released or unreleased), most of the maps in the episode are bound together by my style in order to work but otherwise patchworks of existing thematics.

[NNC]

Played the first map so far (I have all four in my directory), and of course the strenous gameplay and all the visual noise was what I expected (and it's part of the charm of your maps), but good thing there weren't any battlelords in the map. The concept and the vibe is clever (in fact it feels similar as my beloved Ministry of Fear/Trackside Tragedy from PnP), so looking forward to the upcoming maps.

Since this is a beta, here are my "red flags", and these should be considered as changes:

Red key: This is fully deceptive and I hated how it played out. First, I only had tripbombs as explosives when I saw the cracks in the cinema (later, I learned the RPG location in the "waiting line" toilet), and therefore I opted to go through the vent section (which was very clever), as the other crack behind the curtains wasn't beatable with tripbombs, and that was expected to be the normal way.... However that resulted the problem. I got into the red key door, but from the other/inner side. There were some monsters in the streets, so I expected to go there, and spent 20 minutes of wandering (including to the RPG toilet) without finding the next room, and reverse engineered the map by jetpack cheating. As the bar is full of colours and lots of flickering darkness with many rooms to go, finding the important one with the elevator is not given.

With that said, I would remove the keycard entirely, force the player to go through the vents, have unlock button from the inside, and highlight the next room more.

Seaside sound: It has to go. Doesn't add feeling to the map, and quite annoying, especially with other sounds, like the barmusic.

That metal bridge spritework up there: When I jumped into the top of it, I encountered drones (this is my second playtime, when I finally learned the locations) in the darkness, sinking into the metal bridge, and I couldn't have a chance. As there was a lot of darkness here, I actually struggled with the liztroops as well. But then, at the end of the spritework, an unmarked (as it's dark) trap had me falling into the ground.

Expander: I saw a lot of ammo for it, and it would have helped a lot against drones/liztroops, sadly I didn't find the weapon.

A minor thing for the end: The toilet with the waiting line was cool, but I didn't like that some sprites couldn't be destroyed and they blocked my movement. The ones marking the time left. Not a big thing, but has to be reported.

I'm wondering what's your opinion about these feedbacks.

[NNC]

ck3D, on 23 April 2026 - 12:42 PM, said:

I was saying compare it to WGHotelHell.

Yes, WG Hotel Hell is another map that this one reminds me of. Particularly the TROR segment in the bar with the many rooms to the bed girls.

[ck3D]

NNC, on 01 May 2026 - 06:44 AM, said:

Played the first map so far (I have all four in my directory), and of course the strenous gameplay and all the visual noise was what I expected (and it's part of the charm of your maps), but good thing there weren't any battlelords in the map. The concept and the vibe is clever (in fact it feels similar as my beloved Ministry of Fear/Trackside Tragedy from PnP), so looking forward to the upcoming maps.

Since this is a beta, here are my "red flags", and these should be considered as changes:

Red key: This is fully deceptive and I hated how it played out. First, I only had tripbombs as explosives when I saw the cracks in the cinema (later, I learned the RPG location in the "waiting line" toilet), and therefore I opted to go through the vent section (which was very clever), as the other crack behind the curtains wasn't beatable with tripbombs, and that was expected to be the normal way.... However that resulted the problem. I got into the red key door, but from the other/inner side. There were some monsters in the streets, so I expected to go there, and spent 20 minutes of wandering (including to the RPG toilet) without finding the next room, and reverse engineered the map by jetpack cheating. As the bar is full of colours and lots of flickering darkness with many rooms to go, finding the important one with the elevator is not given.

With that said, I would remove the keycard entirely, force the player to go through the vents, have unlock button from the inside, and highlight the next room more.

Seaside sound: It has to go. Doesn't add feeling to the map, and quite annoying, especially with other sounds, like the barmusic.

That metal bridge spritework up there: When I jumped into the top of it, I encountered drones (this is my second playtime, when I finally learned the locations) in the darkness, sinking into the metal bridge, and I couldn't have a chance. As there was a lot of darkness here, I actually struggled with the liztroops as well. But then, at the end of the spritework, an unmarked (as it's dark) trap had me falling into the ground.

Expander: I saw a lot of ammo for it, and it would have helped a lot against drones/liztroops, sadly I didn't find the weapon.

A minor thing for the end: The toilet with the waiting line was cool, but I didn't like that some sprites couldn't be destroyed and they blocked my movement. The ones marking the time left. Not a big thing, but has to be reported.

I'm wondering what's your opinion about these feedbacks.

Of course I really appreciate all of it and am glad to read you are playing and liked specific aspects of the map. I know some if not all of the influences in this one are rather on-the-nose like 'average Duke3D fan service' but hey it really is another alternate take way to relive the mystique (and even if one is tired of the nostalgia gimmick at this point then the map is short/simple enough not to milk it). In the progression and structure of the locations too I wonder if it can be sensed what I did but probably is straight up explicit.

Red key comment is rather important indeed, that is why player input is timelessly important, the odds are so low that any mapper will specifically anticipate 'the player will get behind just one of the cracks and then (for whichever reason) just miss unblocking the next one completely but still keep going', but it is true it can happen and then that can drastically change the way one reads the progression if they aren't aware of the street spawns until later. (Well most mappers will actually anticipate the possibility of missing the crack but not necessarily all of the intricate ramifications that may be consequent to missing the spawn). I can think of plenty of solutions, your button one is good but there is more to do I can think of already, I appreciate you making me aware of that possible interpretation of traversal at all.

Seaside sound I like a lot and maybe too much around my maps, I think I'm just used to audio chaos in general and so my threshold of tolerance for sound vs. noise is higher than most. It is true it is used a lot in this episode, I think in this specific map is important because helps sell Los Angeles (not so realistic but go figure) but I will keep an ear out when revisiting the map(s) for instances where it's too loud.

Spoiler

Spritework structure is meant to be a challenge, IIRC the drones spawn in from distance a couple of sectors before you can decide to jump out of the building and so having to fight them there directly is a bit of a penalty. But I agree without the Expander quite mean. I can only be so sorry the traps (including the hole) work but am glad to hear what was annoying precisely, reckon I can probably just highlight the gaps in the floor a little more. Ideally player should be using the NVG's in that part (around the episode in general a whole lot; hence why parking... lot... teaching you early).

Toilet line being frustrating is another design bit that works if it's upsetting because then for a couple of seconds level becomes a sensorial s(t)imulation (no matter the context the situation is 'you have to make it'). Some of the next levels also will use blocking sprites as a possible obstacle to annoy during e.g.. explosive fights but that will be a lot more reasonable than this (and maybe than how I typically do it in general), there you really get to see that blocking sprites block and sometimes will do so as immovable forces, sometimes won't but be blastable (always the same ones following the same patterns throughout the episode/my maps, TBH in line with base D3D).

I wonder what it is what has been distracting this many people so far away from Shrinker (but would assume attention caught by enemies/floors/features of the second next room immediately and then never looking back). It is

Spoiler

inside of the neon sign of the bar, you reach it by using the elevator that squished an Enforcer near the dressing room, it's not just decorative it can go back up (or should be able to?). Perhaps people find that room but do not look or find the gun on the console behind the pillar (which is fine).

NNC, on 01 May 2026 - 06:53 AM, said:

Yes, WG Hotel Hell is another map that this one reminds me of. Particularly the TROR segment in the bar with the many rooms to the bed girls.

Spoiler

There's another one of the levels (one that's already out) that shares even more WGHotelHell DNA, you'll know it when you reach it. But it is true that specific bit with the rooms is Hotel Hellish out of 2 of the E3 nods in this map. Just lacks a network of vents in between the rooms (just so it's not the real Hotel Hell tribute). Otherwise is mostly E1 including scrapped/beta bits and concepts with a minimal twist, usually to do with repeating and remixing patterns. So even those influences are pedestrian and not just the design, in the sense that they are some of the most common ones in terms of D3D community reminiscence.

[NNC]

The red key again:

There are two choices, as I read: If you find the RPG before blasting the cinema screen cracks, you likely blast the one (the city wall) beyond the curtain and shortcut into the red key door. In this case you might read the progression better, but miss out some parts of the map. Not only that, but since that dance floor is door heavy and there are many ways out (including up into "WG Hotel Hell", a toilet, etc.), you can actually end up in the turret section and circle back to the red key area. This is imho not a good progression of the map.

The other if you blast the crack with tripbombs, you won't use them that blast the city wall, go for the vent/turret section. This seems to me the more logical route, but the key opens the city door, you go outside first, and start wandering, lose the natural feel of the progression.

Not sure what's the best way to handle this. I think once again I highlight that your mapping style with all the flashy colours, flickering light and sharp shadows with all the details and huge scaling don't necessarily help nonlinear progression. In this case the crucial way out can easily be missed out. I would definitely improve the section up to the second floor. But that's maybe just me, noone else reported this, so I guess "git good" is a valid response to my complaint.

Regarding the metal spritework, I think my problem is something in the hard code. These spritework floors and ceiling give a perception of actual sectors and it's weird how flying enemies can sink/rise through them. IIRC Blast Radius had this as well, with the 1st map's fuel station with the sprite ceiling, it was weird to see when troopers flied through them. As you already used TROR in this map, you might consider using it here... not a technical guy, but hopefully it doesn't fuck up the graphics in polymost.

As for the shrinker, I think it's the same thing as the one before. Very easy to not find things with so much details going on.

[ck3D]

NNC, on 01 May 2026 - 08:58 AM, said:

The red key again:

There are two choices, as I read: If you find the RPG before blasting the cinema screen cracks, you likely blast the one (the city wall) beyond the curtain and shortcut into the red key door. In this case you might read the progression better, but miss out some parts of the map. Not only that, but since that dance floor is door heavy and there are many ways out (including up into "WG Hotel Hell", a toilet, etc.), you can actually end up in the turret section and circle back to the red key area. This is imho not a good progression of the map.

The other if you blast the crack with tripbombs, you won't use them that blast the city wall, go for the vent/turret section. This seems to me the more logical route, but the key opens the city door, you go outside first, and start wandering, lose the natural feel of the progression.

Not sure what's the best way to handle this. I think once again I highlight that your mapping style with all the flashy colours, flickering light and sharp shadows with all the details and huge scaling don't necessarily help nonlinear progression. In this case the crucial way out can easily be missed out. I would definitely improve the section up to the second floor. But that's maybe just me, noone else reported this, so I guess "git good" is a valid response to my complaint.

Regarding the metal spritework, I think my problem is something in the hard code. These spritework floors and ceiling give a perception of actual sectors and it's weird how flying enemies can sink/rise through them. IIRC Blast Radius had this as well, with the 1st map's fuel station with the sprite ceiling, it was weird to see when troopers flied through them. As you already used TROR in this map, you might consider using it here... not a technical guy, but hopefully it doesn't fuck up the graphics in polymost.

As for the shrinker, I think it's the same thing as the one before. Very easy to not find things with so much details going on.

(One of) the most useful thing(s) about your feedback is you are good at detailing the cognitive process and recognizing the 'line(s)' through a map and when/where/how there is a knot regardless of deliberate/interesting or accidental/pollution. In this case the solution is as explicit as you made the problem which is two opposite lines fail to stop when they meet then start contradicting themselves, and so logically the fix has to happen around the point of convergence. In this specific case it isn't exactly the red key door, it is the bar counter/intersection just past the door (precisely the X in layout). If the player's attention gets hooked to the right path first thing regardless of which way they came at it (basically, ideally) eliminates the problem by cutting the odds of going for the ends by this much. Simplifying because again I can think of so many fun ways to untangle that spot now that I see what is wrong in the knot (some ways that would work and some others that would not work). I'll figure it out now and again am thankful.

Sprite floors yeah timeless problem and since you pointed it out to me years ago STAYPUT Liztroops couldn't fly I haven't been really able to go back and not use those around structures like that. Here the metal framework has super large gaps so I thought it would be believable drones could sneak in through the holes though (but that is real world not D3D logic). A bit like how in Peru the Copium Battlelords shrinking you on the bridge exploits the collision bug to turn the visuals of the gaps between the beams into a credible event/hazard. TROR would be more appropriate practically in that spot (of DNVL1), it is unlikely I can retrofit it there in now (not because of difficulty but because would require hundreds of walls, unless an exercise I can imagine works, will consider). But won't be a constant offender in the ep.

[NNC]

ck3D, on 01 May 2026 - 09:18 AM, said:

(One of) the most useful thing(s) about your feedback is you are good at detailing the cognitive process and recognizing the 'line(s)' through a map and when/where/how there is a knot regardless of deliberate/interesting or accidental/pollution. In this case the solution is as explicit as you made the problem which is two opposite lines fail to stop when they meet then start contradicting themselves, and so logically the fix has to happen around the point of convergence. In this specific case it isn't exactly the red key door, it is the bar counter/intersection just past the door (precisely the X in layout). If the player's attention gets hooked to the right path first thing regardless of which way they came at it (basically, ideally) eliminates the problem by cutting the odds of going for the ends by this much. Simplifying because again I can think of so many fun ways to untangle that spot now that I see what is wrong in the knot (some ways that would work and some others that would not work). I'll figure it out now and again am thankful.

Sprite floors yeah timeless problem and since you pointed it out to me years ago STAYPUT Liztroops couldn't fly I haven't been really able to go back and not use those around structures like that. Here the metal framework has super large gaps so I thought it would be believable drones could sneak in through the holes though (but that is real world not D3D logic). A bit like how in Peru the Copium Battlelords shrinking you on the bridge exploits the collision bug to turn the visuals of the gaps between the beams into a credible event/hazard. TROR would be more appropriate practically in that spot (of DNVL1), it is unlikely I can retrofit it there in now (not because of difficulty but because would require hundreds of walls, unless an exercise I can imagine works, will consider). But won't be a constant offender in the ep.

Thanks. I would have less beef with the metal bridge if there is a safe retreat. Since drones appeared immediately below my feet, I either let them explode or accept falling. One more thing that can work if you replace the touchplate at the window frame to the "Duke Nukem must die" box below the bridge. What do you think?

Other thing, but I already know your answer: This map, like many of your previous maps use clever texture manipulations to create seemingly new ones like the "Capitol Records" or the BAR (coming from the "Improbable Mission Facility"). Why don't you try art hacking tools to create these new textures which can allow some space to the maps themselves, less sectors, less sprites. You can even create cool maskwall variants, new posters etc. Also I would consider adding some existing art from other games. For example, this map could have used tons of cool stuff from Ministry of Fear / PnP.

[ck3D]

NNC, on 01 May 2026 - 12:41 PM, said:

Thanks. I would have less beef with the metal bridge if there is a safe retreat. Since drones appeared immediately below my feet, I either let them explode or accept falling. One more thing that can work if you replace the touchplate at the window frame to the "Duke Nukem must die" box below the bridge. What do you think?

Other thing, but I already know your answer: This map, like many of your previous maps use clever texture manipulations to create seemingly new ones like the "Capitol Records" or the BAR (coming from the "Improbable Mission Facility"). Why don't you try art hacking tools to create these new textures which can allow some space to the maps themselves, less sectors, less sprites. You can even create cool maskwall variants, new posters etc. Also I would consider adding some existing art from other games. For example, this map could have used tons of cool stuff from Ministry of Fear / PnP.

Well normally would leave the questions suspended but since you directly asked. About the metal bridge I think the trigger placement is what is the most crucial to the moment the way it is intended to play out, not the problem. Your suggestion would make (complete) sense practically if it were in more common settings but here would contradict the lesson the chaos was made to teach the player ('don't rush leaps of faith/use the NVG's'). So would turn something novel into just something scenic but generic i.e.. literally the last E1L1 platform but bigger (come to think of it now, even that one could collapse). Touchplate placement here is a matter of 'exact wrong' (deliberate use of 'wrong' that is precisely right for what is desired). But where I meet your observation is the punishment can be made a little less punishing, in many possible subtle ways or even perhaps with a fresh gimmick that would complement it and make it more likely to still make it across when one has assessed the situation wrong. Making the box interactive is a good idea too, been meaning to do something with it but so far haven't decided what yet if anything. Am out of walls so can't do anything too fancy with it. Drone spawns could be moved inside of it and then only once Duke safely reaches the office they could explode out of it... In a different map where I would want just a cool setup that isn't a lesson (or is a different lesson).

About new .art answer actually is not a given as every time, there always will be a different one to why a given project uses/doesn't use it (or assets at large, or really any choice a mod dares making by being a derivation by being a mod). I don't dislike using new .art at all (in fact I do quite a lot but it needs to be right), it isn't an author thing, just what best fits the intent of the specific piece of work (also along time if/when it grows). This episode I am keeping as barebones as possible (within EDuke32 and classic/Polymost scope so not so barebones) also so that it can be free then to be run (even bastardized) to a fair degree via various preferred user settings, gameplay mods of choice, etc. Now as to why I don't make art for this game specifically is just the last thing I need or can technically afford is an umpteenth hobby/outlet to keep busy with (already been devoting way too much to Build for a few years to my liking). Sure I could get into it but in terms of focus stability for me as an individual would be game over.