DICKIE09 (DICKIE09.WAD)

DICKIE09
by Richard Wiles

The DICKIE Doom series was published by Richard Wiles in ten installments in 1998. DICKIE09 is the ninth map in the running, and according to its .TXT, the cap to the first episode of what one can infer was to be several. He finished DICKIE off, however, with DICKIE10, and moved on to a brand new undertaking - the SPOOKY series (later released as part of CRUSADES). DICKIE's story is set up in the first WAD. You're some kind of interstellar traveler who lands on a demon-infested planet and manages to take down the brain of the operation. The other maps have you hitting the rest of the monsters so that the planet is thoroughly cleansed.

As always, Wiles tries his hand at another brand new style. The combination of textures is very Doom II, with a lot of grey cracked rock jutting out of the rippling brown earth. Along with some of the platforming, it reminds me of Doom II's "Circle of Death" or something Orin Flaharty might make (though precarious positioning is limited to one very memorable section). It's very "blocky", in his own words, and there are a lot of hallways you'll run through with windows into surrounding areas to give it a very open feel despite your constrained movements. He also shows some savvy with the layout, considering how quickly you can reach the red door after grabbing its key.

It's another toughie, starting you off in a dangerous ambush and forcing you to clear your way through a watery trench to get to higher ground, which isn't that much safer. Thankfully, you get the SSG and rocket launcher early (the first at the start) so you avoid feeling underpowered, at least. There are several hordes to contend with, the red key potentially mitigated by an invulnerability, and one nice bit where cacos advance on you while you're boxed inside a cage. By far the most memorable moment has you running on several narrow catwalks between dangerous opposition housed in open closet pillars. It's not that tough but it demands care while moving or you'll suffer some floor damage (better than eating arch-vile blasts, I guess).

It's definitely one of Wiles's more navigable maps. There's one route that you stick to, dictated by the available area, and you don't have to do much backtracking to clear (unless you fall of either ramp from the cage near the end, in which case, sploops!). I don't like this as an end to his first DICKIE episode – it doesn't feel climactic enough. It's good, then, that he decided to finish it with a final level! DICKIE09 is still a great classic Doom II map, and while linearity may reign supreme, there's enough action to keep your mind preoccupied from making such observations. If you're looking for more Doom II action, I recommend you play this WAD.

This post is part of a series on
Richard Wiles's DICKIE series

DICKIE01	DICKIE02	DICKIE03	DICKIE04
DICKIE05	DICKIE06	DICKIE07	DICKIE08
	DICKIE09	DICKIE10