[Alien Vendetta] MAP09: Castle Gardens (UV-Max Demo)

castle gardens is maybe a map i feel like i have a hard time coming to conclusions about. on the one hand, a lot of it is built on squares, rectangles and corridors, and especially the latter tends to lead to some pretty rote combat. on the other hand, the atmosphere is really pitch perfect, and there's a lot of detailed lighting work that goes into selling that as well. that is especially on display in the library with the chaingunners, which, well, i don't know why you'd arrange bookshelves like that but it certainly looks cool. also don't do what i did and snipe the arachnotron on the other side of the wall - you get to go there in a secret later. that wall should probably have been six inches higher or a foot lower, not sure which. there are a whole lot of other secrets in the level too, some of which, like the bfg in the blood fountain, are probably more useful in continuous play. and the outro is a really nice setup for the next level, which is (spoilers!) iconic.
oh and the midi. this is another case where i liked the original midi, but i think the new midi fits the quiet and isolated nighttime atmosphere of this level better. it's also by chris laverdure, who wrote the only bespoke midi on the original soundtrack (for map 20).
alien vendetta: www.doomworld.com/idgames/lev...
av midi pack: www.doomworld.com/idgames/mus...
get the demo: s3.yrriban.net/doom/av_map09.lmp
source port used: dsda-doom 0.27.5
sound font used: arachno.sf2
flags: -complevel 2

[@CornelisquandaleHigglebottom]

Love your playstyle, it's similar to mine, maybe that is why I have a blast watching those videos

[@Yrriban]

glad to hear you're enjoying them. i'm usually not going to win any speed records but it's nice to play methodically in general.

[@Skronkidonk]

Man this is honestly one of my favorite AV maps of all time (I say this about almost every AV map). Although it may be hallways and squares connected together I can't help but be infatuated with the lighting and the atmosphere the place gives off. Its the perfect Segway into Toxic Touch. Its also one of Kims earliest maps that apparently date all the way back to 1996! Although this Chris Laverdure midi is awesome and gives off the vibe of this map quite nicely. I can't help but prefer the original Lands of Lore midi! Nice run!!

[@Yrriban]

it's really pretty amazing that kim andre malde put together this map entirely using dos tools - i can't imagine getting all the shadows and such looking good would be easy at all working like that.

[@Skronkidonk]

@@Yrriban When you play Nemesis I might rant on about how it gets a lot of unnecessary hate and is one of the most impressive vanilla maps. Making vanilla maps in itself can be hard (atleast for me) but making them with these ancient editors is straight up amazing.