Find It (EAFINDIT.WAD)

FIND IT

by Erik Alm

Released after Europa 3: The Dark Side of Vrack, this is an EA level that you won't find much discussion of. Comments on /idgames are mixed, the highest-rating given by someone who assumed that this is merely a troll level with the author maliciously using Alm's name. The two 0-star comments consist of a simple "barf" and someone appalled at the idea that Erik could even conceive of making a jokewad. I wonder whether it even received any attention prior to the author establishing his reputation through Scythe and, later, Scythe II. Find It is a MAP01 replacement for Doom II, published in April of 2002. It requires a source port that supports Fragglescript, originally crafted for Simon Howard's SMMU. For a long time this basically meant that it could only be played back in (G)ZDoom and Legacy but it seems like more folks are doing retro-revival ports for modern architectures.

The concept of the map is simple. The arena is a big, box warehouse with a healthy smattering of crates. There are a bunch of lethal monsters thumping about including three arch-viles and two pain elementals. As you start trying to get your bearings, you hear a voice - presumably Alm's - declaring whether you are getting "warmer" or "colder" while telling you "hot" when you are close. He also says something that I couldn't quite distinguish when you are very far away ("You must be freezing your ass off"). Yes; it's "hot or cold" while a small army of demons tries to slaughter you. The audio is attempting to guide you to the blue skull key which, when obtained, ends the level in victory for you.

The object would be easy to find were it not for the varied horde of monsters, of course. Knowing where it is, you still have to deal with a veritable blockade of beasties. Some demon slayers may not be satisfied until all of the Hellspawn are destroyed. To this end, Alm has supplied a plasma gun and tons of cell ammo. There isn't much margin for error since the author has neglected to provide any health or armor pickups. This gives the action a decidedly arcade-like feel. Your mileage may vary as you desperately dodge arch-vile flames while trying not to get body-blocked by revenants or arachnotrons and avoiding chaingunner cover fire. If this seems like a bit much, well, the only thing to be gleaned from lesser difficulties is the 50% enemy damage nerf.

As far as proof-of-concept goes, this "jokewad" is a wicked cool idea and the script looks like it's super easy to extrapolate to other PWADs. Provided that their target ports can use Fragglescript, of course. It looks like you could even do something other than audio clips. Not to harsh on the DoomCute vibe of the voice prompt, but as charmed as I am by this sole instance I imagine that it would quickly wear thin if repeated over a longer set. Granted, it doesn't actually sound if the player stops moving for a few seconds, not that you would know here when you have to be constantly on the move.

Find It's target audience appears to be the intersection of folks who aren't too serious to enjoy "quirky" levels and those who are capable of enduring chaotic, high skill-ceiling combat. Somewhere in all this is probably the germination of the notion that Erik Alm is secretly Ruba. If you are at all interested in hearing Alm out here then grant him the chance to give you a smile.

THE FOUNDLING