Abyssal Speedmapping Session 7 (ABYSPED7.WAD)

The Doom community has generally had semi-regular speedmapping events in one form or another but in my mind they seemed to get new life in 2013. One of the longer-running institutions--now defunct--is The Abyssal Speedmapping Sessions. The Abyss was a forum that ended up receiving some of the now defunct NewDoom regulars, and Obsidian wanted to bring them together to make some Doom maps. The first ABYSPED didn't have the greatest turnout but they kept it strong, eventually ending at a grand total of 69 iterations. ABYSPED7 is the seventh Abyssal Speedmapping Session, organized in June of 2014. A bunch of regulars from past sessions showed up as well as some, err, new blood, to put out a grand total of 14 levels, replacing MAP01-MAP14.

Abyssal Sessions generally have themes and this one was no different. This time, authors were asked to adhere to one or more creative limitations. The themes included:

• 2X2 (no more than 2 textures and 2 flats)
• 10 Sectors (no more than 10 sectors used)
• 1 tag (only one tag used)

The only one of these that was abundantly obvious to me is the 2X2 restriction. It typically results in fun level geometry with plain but elegant texturing and, well, I imagine that it's difficult to make only 2 wall textures look like a ton of different ones. Most of the entries went with 10 sectors, a handful utilized 2X2, and a couple of brave souls tackled 1 tag. Generally speaking, if you hadn't told me that the 10 sectors levels had imposed such a limitation upon themselves, I wouldn't have suspected that they were under any requirement besides the 2 hour make / 30 min polishing duration.

As with speedmaps, your mileage may vary. Some of these authors are highly capable of making something that looks and plays like a damn fine small Doom level. If you're looking for deceptive, "normal" maps that are hiding in ABYSPED, then might I suggest Jimmy's "Super Bollocks" (MAP03)? Obsidian's "Angst 2: Angst Harder" (MAP02) is structured more like a normal map, if incredibly tiny and more like something you'd find in 1024. If you don't mind levels that are on the (much!) more challenging side, then you can try out the exacting combat of Alfonzo's "Salvador" (MAP06) and Tarnsman's "Hundred Acre Woods" (MAP10). Each of these has its own peculiar hurdles, from Alfonzo's forced damage floor treks to Tarns's two-prong arch-vile and cacodemon assault. TheMionicDonut's "Tuba Toothpaste" (MAP11) takes punishing adversity to new extremes as it punches relentlessly at the player for every step taken and shot fired.

Another reliable ABYSPED standby is a basically linear gauntlet map. I mean, plotting out a route through a regular map with keys and backtracking seems like a lot of work to happen within the 2 hour time limit. Just look at Obsidian's "Angst 2: Angst Harder" (MAP02) which, while having two keys, is super tiny. Voltale's "Pileofshi.wad" (MAP05) and jmickle's "Slapcreak9000" (MAP09) are great, more or less straightforward monster courses with at least one super-spicy moment each. RottKing's "Industrial Overdrive" (MAP08) is sort of in the same vein but with a twist as the first half of the gameplay forces you to run THROUGH the gauntlet of enemies. Mugsy's "Spacious" (MAP01) is more abstract in its architecture and texturing but it follows the gauntlet principle and works pretty well, if a bit slow in the darker half.

I really liked GRB's "Whatever" (MAP12) for what it was, though its somewhat cryptic progression re: the soul sphere slow lift and revealed northern passage may make for a bit of a hang-up. AdamAK's "This Cold Night" (MAP04) is a pretty fun wood and metal microcosm with some quirky use of monsters as invisible barriers by way of the "infinitely tall" property. Katamori's "Metal Cobweb Orgasm" (MAP07) is a tiny slaughtermap with a dicey beginning, after which it settles into some more comfortable BFG and rocket launcher blasting. The last of the normal levels is the goofy but cute "Nuts 5" (MAP13), by Panzeh, which has more than 1600 monsters, almost all of which will be slain off-camera.

I can see that some people were bagging pretty hard on speedmaps back when this was released, but there are some gems in here, and it's hard to hate on anything that 1) brings community members together to work and 2) helps them sharpen their authorial chops. I can even take most of the spicy levels given how short they are. Thank goodness that there's more ASS to follow!

ABYSSAL SPEEDMAPPING

SESSION 7

by various authors

Spacious	MAP01
by "Mugsy"
This is a short but fun abstract action gauntlet that starts out strong with shotgun action, puts the SSG firmly into your hand, and then slouches toward pitch black darkness for its final moments. There's nothing particularly difficult about the imp fight for the rocket launcher or the Baron in the shade. You might not know that the latter is lurking in the shadows if you don't catch it throwing some green shit during infighting, though.

MAP02	Angst 2: Angst Harder
by James Caldwell aka "Obsidian"
	Having some fun with castle textures, I see. This is a handsome looking castle/outpost floating in the void. There isn't much to it as long as you're patient; the arch-viles are the only major threats and they're behind bars, ready to get chipped down. Don't step into the void, by the way.

Super Bollocks	MAP03
by James Paddock aka "Jimmy"
Okay! This is a pretty cool map with a bit of a classic Doom II installation feel. It's got a lot of raised walkways that section off / border a lower, wilderness area with holes and water and the like. It's a hot start where you have to find guns and you're waylaid by imps, demons, and spectres on the ground; revenants here and there; and a couple of troublesome hitscanner pockets. The two chaingunners are nasty if you don't realize that they're sniping you, but they're also apt to draw revenant rocket fire. I thought that the super shotgun semi-secret was a cute bit of speedmap fungineering.

MAP04	This Cold Night Will Turn Us All to Fools and Madmen
by Adam Kuczynski aka "AdamAK"
	This is a wood and metal map with a few curious features. The first hallway that you come across has circles on the ceiling that appear to be blocking your movement, making it difficult to dodge the imp fireballs. That's because there are monsters down below in holes! The imp cattle chute felt like an especially silly moment. There's a pretty good fight with two pain elementals guarding the exit and you get a rocket launcher for it, so smoke 'em if you got 'em. I was amused at an optional, small side area that you can trudge through to get some green armor.

Pileofshi.wad	MAP05
by "Voltale"
This is a fun action gauntlet rendered in plain, grey brick. It's sort of like one of those linear race-track levels but your required paths are sort of coiled up on each other so that your route through the areas is at the very least not visually non-linear. Voltale knows how to make some interesting room shapes. It's still neat to look at, even if it's all bricked out. Standout encounter: the westernmost room with the arch-vile, the heavies on the floor, and the opposition lurking around the other side of the freestanding wall was particularly troublesome.

MAP06	Salvador (And Why It's Good)
by Augustus Knezevich aka "Alfonzo"
	Whenever Alfonzo's on the menu, it's sure to be spicy. This is a sort of warped, bloody tenement that's inundated with nukage. The map requires mandatory dives in nukage. If you want to get 100% kills then you'll want to snag most of those rockets poised on the ledges, too. Economy of your health is a must; excessive damage from monsters will make it impossible to make it to the exit. Picking up the blue armor as soon as possible will help matters, but the spectres in the green stuff will not. All this and a Cyberdemon who's designed to be taken out via a touchy telefrag. Good luck!

Metal Cobweb Orgasm	MAP07
by Zoltan Schmidt aka "Katamori"
This is a fairly accommodating slaughter map designed like a wrought metal spiderweb with all of the floating slanted slot grating. This ought to clue you in as to the final boss (but I didn't figure it out until I turned the corner). The hairiest part is the start because three pain elementals, a handful of cacodemons, and a rocket launcher in a relatively small space does not a safe situation make. Given the BFG and the two soul spheres, the rest of the level feels like an afterthought.

MAP08	Captain Jack's Industrial Overdrive
by Matt Cibulas aka "RottKing"
	I wrote about Mario Kart-style levels in Super MAYhem 17, stuff that emphasizes player speed and maneuverability. The opening of this map is definitely one of those, what with the obstacles on the ground and the revenants / imps / chaingunners attacking from on high. The toughest part of this level is the first half, but it's pretty easy to weave through the imps and even past the first to mancubi as long as the chaingunner manages to tag them. You've got to be deliberate but speedy in taking out the monsters in the rocket launcher yard, my thorniest area by far. I had fun figuring out how to stick the landing, though.

Slapcreak 9000	MAP09
by "JMickle"
FIREBLU at night, Sailor's delight. This is a punchy castle-textured level that features a short but chunky monster gauntlet. Nothing here is overbearing but if you're not up to playing the peekaboo door game with the mancubi then you might have some troubles there. If you're going for 100% kills then your biggest time investment will probably be the Cyberdemon guardian. A fun exercise.

MAP10	Alfonzo Treks Through the Hundred Acre Woods - Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh, Tubby little chubby all stuffed with fluff, He's Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh, Willy nilly silly old bear
by Richard Frei aka "Tarnsman"
	Tarns takes humorous map names referencing soul brother Alfonzo to new, excessive heights. I've been thinking about this title ever since I saw it and now I know what the "hundred acre woods" are. This is a tight level rendered in wood with metal binding. There is precious little playing space as much of the map beyond the starting area is dominated by wood pits with baleful evil eyes that sap your health but will gladly teleport you out if you give them a hug. The start with the shotgun guys is very hairy but the running of the arch-viles and cacodemons once you grab the yellow key is even more so; that one caught me flat on my feet. Very fun challenge map.

Tuba Toothpaste	MAP11
by "TheMinoicDonut"
This is a full-blown murderfest in classic Doom II tan rock and beige brick. TMD's schtick is hot starts that force you to run away and wake up a ton of stuff and then survive. This map isn't any different, but a lot of its raw elements, like the randomly teleporting monsters in the first yard, the two arch-viles in the plasma gun trap, and the five or so pain elementals in the inner sanctum, are designed for maximum inconvenience. I was aghast when I set off the arch-vile crusher blind encounter and had the Barons file in to give me a great big hug. But, well, I spent pretty much this whole map reeling from one fight to the next. Godspeed.

MAP12	Whatever
by Sebastian Graham aka "General Rainbow Bacon"
	Hey! This is a pretty cool techblue puzzle box kind of level. I mean, there are blue and silver tech textures, but also what appears to a church. Saint Vidicon, I presume? I describe it as a "puzzle box" because there are instances of dead-end backtracking and a soul sphere that just doesn't want to get got. Lots of stable shotgun / SSG combat; the only really hairy moment for me was the arch-vile who teleports at the top of the first slow cycle lift. Whatever, I liked it!

Nuts 5	MAP13
by "Panzeh"
Uh, okay! You start out looking at something like more than 1500 zombimen and then teleport into a cute little STARTAN battle building. Panzeh takes care of all the zombies; all you've got to worry about are those chaingunners in the area that contains the catwalk toward the exit. It's a cute, disposable speedmap.

MAP14	TerrorTerry2K
by "KillBot VII"
	This is a level that can't be completed without jumping--nothing lowers the platform the exit teleporter is on--and the only resources you have to slay the morass of demons, SS Nazis, and four arachnotrons is a single combat shotgun pickup and all of the bullets that the Troopers drop. It's ugly, it's boring, it feels like a troll map (and sounds like one too), and its inclusion in the main collection is an act of unfathomable charity on KillBot's behalf. Don't play this.

ABYSSEIN' YOU