2002 A Doom Odyssey - The DSF UV demopack
-----------------------------------------

Recorded by Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff, Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore and
Doug "Opulent" Merrill.

This is a collection of recorded demos (lmps) for all levels
of 2002 A Doom Odyssey. Most lmps were recorded on skill 4
(Ultra-Violence), ending with 100% kills and 100% secrets.
Owing to technical difficulties some levels were recorded
with a source port, while others have been completed without
100% kills. See times table for details.

To playback these demos, unzip the pack to your doom directory and type: 

        doom -playdemo 2?m?-uv -file 2002ado.wad

where ? is the episode and level number. Make sure you have the current
release of 2002 A Doom Odyssey as some demos may desynch otherwise.
Demos may desynch if you use a source port other than PrBoom.

Want to join our demomaking team? Go to

http://dsrf.tk/


General Comments
----------------

Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore
----------------------
This megawad is excellent all-around, incorporating its own styles from a
group of talented wad-designers while recreating the themes of the original
episodes (even though it may have its quirks... like e5m1 :) . I' ve been
anticipating this one for a while, so I was happy to give Ryback a hand with
this pack. Enjoy the demos!


Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff
-----------------------
This is a good honest megawad with lots of old-skool action. Even though
this is the second release I still say there could have been some more
playtesting - some levels you can't get 100% kills, some 100% secrets,
and the VPO errors are a pain. But the wide variety of levels and mostly
faithful renditions of classic Doom themes make for a great release
regardless.

The DSF people put out a demopack for the 2001: Episode 1 teaser release
last year - this time around we improved each time from that demopack. As
for the more 'quirky' levels, it turned out not to be possible to do
maxkill demos for some of them, so rather than leave the slot blank Opulent
did some speedruns. All in all this pack has 37 demos, which should keep
you occupied for some time :)


Doug "Opulent" Merrill
----------------------
To be honest, I haven't had time to mill around through many levels
or even watch the demos yet. But what I have seen is just what it should be.
I'm not expecting Class_ep, and I think no one should.
2002ADO is clearly one of the few UD releases that is a must play.


Times table
-----------

Level      Player                            Time     
-----      ------                            ----  
e1m1       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           1:19
e1m2       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           2:49
e1m3       Doug "Opulent" Merrill            3:59                  
e1m4       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           3:46
e1m5       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           5:19
e1m6       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            4:31  
e1m7       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           5:26
e1m8       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           1:39
e1m9       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           5:10

e2m1       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            1:54 
e2m2       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           7:09
e2m3       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           4:44
e2m4       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            9:52 
e2m5       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            6:29 
e2m6       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           9:40
e2m7       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff          10:32
e2m8       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           1:05
e2m9       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           4:47

e3m1       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           2:21
e3m2       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff          10:47 
e3m3       Doug "Opulent" Merrill            1:59 *
e3m4       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           7:12
e3m5       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore           11:22 
e3m6       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            6:10  
e3m7       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            7:50  
e3m8       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            3:52  
e3m9       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           1:18

e4m1       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           1:42
e4m2       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            4:56  
e4m3       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            9:37  
e4m4       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           6:29 &*
e4m5       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           5:53 &
e4m6       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore           15:17      
e4m7       Drew "stx-Vile" DeVore            7:28  
e4m8       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           7:42
e4m9       Chris "Ryback" Ratcliff           7:19

e5m1       Doug "Opulent" Merrill                 *


&  - Recorded with PrBoom 2.2.2, doom_demo_compatibility on.
     Level crashes under vanilla Doom.
*  - 100% kills not possible. See level description for info.


Descriptions
------------

Level descriptions follow. Each description was written by the team member
who played the map.


E1M1 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
A small, quite simple introductory level, nothing particularly notable.
Wim's demo for this in the first pack was pretty fast, I rely on some
small route changes and luck with the monster alignment to bring out
a one second improvement.

E1M2 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Another compact level, with some neat architecture and enjoyable gameplay.
This was a level I did in the last pack, and the time turned out to be
fairly easy to improve.

E1M3 - Opulent
--------------
I like the map, Anthony' s comments were right on -- good barrel and monster
placement. poor secrets. very fun and short map. The demo is quite average...
but with Ryback and Vile on the team, nothing could compare. :)

E1M4 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
This level shows the 2002ADO team's fondness for reusing structures
from the original WAD - the Episode 1 levels are particularly notable
for this. Quick demo, mainly through some accurate SG usage and no
real errors.

E1M5 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
This is the first level to have some changes done to it from the 2001                e1
wad. The Barons have gone, which means more ammo... too much, as I exit
with over a hundred cells. The teleporting monsters are still there, though
with their teleport sector very inconveniently placed - I have to head to
the exit just to make sure they all cross the line. And there's an
earlier mistake where I miss the red key switch - maybe 10s lost there.
Start is fast though.

E1M6 - Vile
-----------
I did this one last, just to say I at LEAST noticed the first episode (which
is excellent, I just concentrated on the new levels first :) . A cool
E1-style level, very easy, but still fun. There were a lot of rockets left
over since the rocket launcher is received late, so I used the radius damage
to kill those elusive imps on the crates near the end.

E1M7 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
A good first half, but the various points of the level are too spread out                 
the central arena doesn't seem to be *used* for anything, just connecting
stuff. I race through on Martin's route, a few tries brought about 20s
improvement.

E1M8 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
This level only has one change from the 2001-e1 pack, but it's a big one:
the rocket launcher is now accessible in single player (it *must* have
been an oversight on the earlier release). Coupled with the rocket ammo
and many Barons, this allowed some very easy time improvement: from 3:24
to 1:39.

E1M9 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
A fun level with some varied action, the main feature here is a secret
sector behind a door that opens up after five minutes. So before the door
opens you clear out the rest of the level, then get the secret and exit.
(A pity, because the secret has a BFG). In my tries for the 2001                e1 pack
the timing was almost perfect, the rest of the level takes just under five
minutes and I'd arrive just as the door opened. Here it zoomes by faster
for some reason, and I'm standing twiddling my thumbs waiting for the door
to rise. Sorry about that. They did fix the secret sectors though, you can
now get 100%. And the time improvement just comes from taking the secret and
exiting quicker.

E2M1 - Vile
----------- 
Short but sweet, this one definitely feels like E2. There' s some
berserk-fist action to go along with the shotgun/chaingun combo here, since
it kills the spectres/cacos faster.

E2M2 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
An awkward, tight level... I don't like levels where you're constantly
bumping into corners and trying to squeeze through narrow gaps. This is
one of those. The demo's a first exit, so don't expect anything spectacular.

E2M3 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
This one's very reminiscent of some E2 levels, and I really like that
grey brick/blue grill texture combination. The gameplay is quite
straightforward, no difficult areas, though I do forget some secrets near
the end.

E2M4 - Vile
-----------
This level is an enigma, and that's the best way to describe it. It's
definitely unique, ranging from the teleporting shotgunners, some oddball
secrets that are linked to each other (meaning you have to find one secret
to open the next) and the entrance to the zdoom secret level E5M1, The
Mighty Blue (which is just awful, avoid at all costs). And uh, hey Paul,
what' s up with that pic in the secret behind the yellow door? No offense,
but I shot him once for good measure.  ;) A fun level overall with some
tricky fights and traps.

E2M5 - Vile
-----------
The first level I did for the pack, a spectacular-looking castle level of
flesh and bone with some ammo problems near the start. One of the early
secrets will fix that problem, however. Several switches throughout the
level will open the secret exit at the start, which I used to exit in this
demo. About the message in one of the early secret rooms... if it has
anything to do with the dude in E2M4, keep it to yourself.  :)

E2M6 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
A good tough level with plenty of action, but you have to be careful with
your ammo. Early on you come to an arena where you need to provoke monster
fights, and later on all sorts of monsters teleport in and if you don't have
enough ammo for them, you're cornered. And the end is four barons, with you
very likely low on rockets and shells. Some earlier tries left me without
any ammo at this point, so I play cautiously and try to provoke
monsterfights. And can someone tell me what 200 cells are doing in this
level, with no plasma gun or BFG? The level designer's just taunting us...

E2M7 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
A level just the way I like them, long and monster-filled and packed with
ammo. The E2 influences are obvious, but there's also a lot of originality
here.

E2M8 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
The author makes a big open space, plonks a Cyberdemon and some cacos in
there, and gives you the plasma gun. Very straightforward, easy level.
Hard to see what's there to optimise...

E2M9 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Fun secret level. The Heretic textures remind me of Alien Vendetta level 24,
but a lot easier. And despite some tough monsters, you'll do nearly all
the fighting with just the SG. Cyber trap at the start is tricky, I just
let him take the cacos out and return later. Red key area can kill you
sometimes, but it's fairly easy.

E3M1 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Small, redbrick-themed level that's reminiscent of some early Memento Mori 2
levels. Plenty of monsters hanging around too, so there's lots of action.
The red key area will VPO sometimes in vanilla Doom, but fortunatly this
demo doesn't.

E3M2 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Big level with plenty going on, but I have some problems with it. The e3m2                 
inspired design is ugly in parts. Through most of the level, you have to
take on large groups of dispersed monsters - they rarely line up to be
efficiently dispatched. You get a plasma gun near the end, but not near
the start of the level, where it's most needed. Far too many lost souls.
And there's a bafflingly placed monster teleporter trigger near the
yellow key switch. Why would anybody trigger this in normal play?
I did enjoy the level though, so don't get me wrong :)

E3M3 - Opulent
--------------
speedrun. Includes an almost worthless keygrab and some poor running.
Nearly impossible to maxdemo, due to the lack of ammo in the exit area
and the bars only closing once.

E3M4 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Some more Alien Vendetta inspired design here, it's a very good looking
level. There's a short period where it seems you're in for a long haul of
shotgunning, but the action soon gets more varied. I conserved too much
rocket ammo and a demon messed up one of my BFG shots, but otherwise
the demo went well.

E3M5 - Vile
-----------
A very gothic level, the start has quite an impressive view. I had to use
the berserk quite a bit to save ammo for the refilling cage of imps (over
60 imps teleport in). There's some excellent architecture all around, as
well as a dark and hectic end scene. In this demo the cyberdemon plants
a rocket squarely between my eyes... it was cool to survive that, hehe.

E3M6 - Vile
-----------
The E3 influence is noticable in this one. Mistakes are unforgiving here
since both health and ammo are in short supply, so scratch runs can be
tricky. You're also forced to run over lava a few times with what little
health you have. Be sure to pick up all the health you can find! I didn't
take the secret exit here since it's not tagged, but if you want to find
it after hitting the two fake exit switches, go back to the blue key...

E3M7 - Vile
-----------
My favorite selection from the wad, a superb level with boundless
personalities. What does that mean? Every single room seems to have gotten
its inspiration from a different source, so it seems like all 4 episode
themes have been merged together into one level. There's also a ton of
rockets/cells here, so it's carnage galore! I really enjoyed playing this
one, being able to blast through the level on cells and rockets alone just
kicks ass, even if it makes it easy!

E3M8 - Vile
-----------
A nice way to end an episode, short and bloody. I dodged the barons at the
start until I could reach the ammo room, then they can be cleaned up
faster. The final arena hosts two cyberdemons, then the traditional
spiderdemon. I was lucky that I weakened the second cyber enough, since I
killed the spider first and had to finish him within 5 seconds.  :)

E3M9 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
It's a short level with weak enemies and lots of cell ammo, so I just
hurl myself through as fast as I can and hope for the best. Cybers really
do make efficient monster killers :)

E4M1 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Hmm, I'm guessing this was designed as a Deathmatch level? The level lacks
a clear progression and it's quite difficult to decide how to play it.
I opted to head for the red key area as it was easily defended, then
wandered around getting all the monsters in front of my shotgun sight.
Felt speedy rewatching it, but who knows.

E4M2 - Vile
-----------
Thanks for a great base level, Anthony! Under 5 minutes was a stretch, but
somehow I managed it. The closest you'll get to death here is the rocket
launcher trap early on.

E4M3 - Vile
-----------
Another tricky level by Chris Hansen with some nasty Baron traps. I save
the plasma ammo for the blue key trap in particular. It's also extremely
compact, so be careful with those rockets.

E4M4 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Nice level (though a couple more rockets wouldn't hurt), but a major VPO
problem in vanilla Doom. Happens maybe 80% of the time. So this demo was
recorded in PrBoom 2.2.2. It'll actually play back under vanilla Doom, but
there's a VPO crash halfway through. Also, the 98% kills figure comes about
because two monsters in a teleport sector are positioned too close together,
and so can't reach the teleport line.

E4M5 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Has an even worse VPO problem than E4M4, so recorded under PrBoom as above.
Plays back under vanilla Doom until etc. It's not a bad level, though very
similar to other levels we've seen before in this pack.

E4M6 - Vile
-----------
This was a most excellent adventure. A dark marble castle with some tough
close-quarter combat and a few tricky secrets. The cyberdemon greets you as
an obstacle partway through, then teleports to the end when you have the
armament to destroy him; a very nice touch, IMO.

E4M7 - Vile
-----------
Chris Hansen comes back to kick our asses one more time! Like e3m6 before
it, ammo/health is in short supply for the most part, so mistakes are
costly. There's also a tricky baron trap at the end: running forward will
net you two green-fisted bitchslaps across the face, so hold onto those
cells for that occasion. :)

E4M8 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
Nice looking level, but the gameplay hasn't been fully tweaked. There's an
ammo balance problem - too little at the beginning, far too much at the end.
The Cyber trap is completely harmless, and only seems to be there to waste
plasma. Time is a bit long, you can see my playing is still a bit
experimental...

E4M9 - Ryback
-------------                                                                                                                                                                                                                
An excellent Wolfenstein-themed level: the design of the original games (in
particular Episode 6) has been faithfully rendered. Square rooms, mazes,
ordinary enemies, it's all there. I sometimes seem to be running into
invisible objects - that's just Doom's limit on visible objects.

E5M1 - Opulent
--------------
another speedrun. Kind of a homage to a couple other bonus maps... I didn't
think this map was all bad, but a bonus map that is short on ammo and
gameplay. :(
Interesting engine limitation that DOOM will crash if you hit the exit
switch. (The map was intended for Zdoom.)


***

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