I should probably think about reserving all my resurrection and forum-digging jokes for a later date or something; at this rate we’ll be using one for every damn episode. Anyway, yes, we’re back again (again (again)), only this time we swear we’ll be sticking around for real. We’ve got a plan and everything!
The reinvigorated Program B setup ditches the monotopical discussion in favour of a more “current affairs” approach, with the hosts and guests winging it off the back of… well, whatever Doom-related idea comes to mind! This should help us with the rate of output and hopefully toward a more thriving thread. Feedback is as always encouraged, and folks are more than welcome to spin me a PM to take part in one of the future episodes. In this week’s episode, co-host Tarnsman and guest TMD (MionicDonut) discuss:
- Doom MIDIs, and what’s considered appropriate for the game by members of the community. Caleb’s remarks on BTSX’s “gay” music might appear radical, but it’s an opinion that seems to be echoed at least in part by other members of the community, who have called certain tracks inappropriately “happy” or “like feudal farmer music”.
- The insularity of the multiplayer community. Tarnsman highlights the lack of feedback received by Doomworld designers of deathmatch, CTF and other multiplayer maps from the player base they’re targeted at.
- Handegg / Australian Barbarism.
- Limitation projects (1024, 100 lines, 10 sectors, 5 rooms etc.); what level designers get out of it, how they tend to approach it when compared with other community projects, which of them work best, and the general question of their worth.
I think I mention several times in the podcast that we’d be stopping at around an hour. Turns out I can’t count or read a clock worth a damn and so this episode comes it at only 45 minutes. We’ll be shooting to lengthen the news portion of the program at the start of proceedings and possibly work in some live feedback to pad things out at one hour. You can check out http://www.twitch.tv/tarnsmandw for all the live streams of the podcast, which will now take place fortnightly on a Saturday/Sunday evening. Exact times pending!
BTSX music being gay
I found the music to be tough to listen to at times, but I’ve always had very little musical compatibility with the members of the team I think, so I wasn’t bothered by it.
Deathtmatch mapping
I agree there’s a lack of deathmatch testers. To this day, I have very little understanding of what really constitutes good weapon placement in a deathmatch map exactly, because it’s not commonly talked about. However, I think the number of deathmatch maps reflects how little players are bored with it. As in, single player players are constantly looking for new maps because they want a new experience from different challenges delivered by different mappers. In deathmatch however, the gameplay revolves around the players involved. The same player can play the same map with a different player can be a wildly different experience, so known layouts tend to thrive versus new maps that come out every couple days in that regard.
Community projects
Going by Tman’s analogy that the community is like meth-addicts who are addicted to mapping, I think the addiction is more along the lines of wanting to be a part of a group, or a team or something. Dwelling in the community with nothing to do but post on the forums, joining a community gives you a real reason to be in the forums, a sense of purpose. It’s the difference between people hanging out at a picnic, and a two-hand-touch football game at the park.
Limitations
I agree with what the end part of the discussion says, because limitations give mappers a chance to participate in something and work on something that might help on their normal maps in the future. Also the limitations put a sort of end-point on people’s maps which lets them have an idea for a map, start working on it, and knowing while you’re working on it, where you have to fit an exit. In most normal mapping, there really is nothing telling you that your map is too long and needs an exit. in 1024 for example, you’ll find that youve exhausted 80% of your space, so you know you’ve got to put an exit somewhere in it.
I’m here just to say i love the show, i like the way you guys discuss about the subjects and you guys are actually a lot of fun! I’m brazillian, i work with photoshop and in case you guys need something, i’d be honored to help. Thanks a lot for this show, i love doom, wolfenstein and duke nukem mods, and i don’t have anyone to talk about it, so you guys fill this space. Thank you guys very much.