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Author Topic: More intro-level layouts needed!  (Read 4534 times)

Kornel Kisielewicz

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More intro-level layouts needed!
« on: June 29, 2011, 07:36 »

By now you probably all know all the intro level layouts, there are only 5 of them. I think that it would be fun to raise that number to 10 or even 20! Instead of coming up with more, I decided to ask you folks for input?

So, here are the rules, this is a sample level:

Code: [Select]
.......................................................
..............,,,,,,,,,,,,,............................
.....,,,,..,,,,,,,########,,,,,,,,,,,....,,,,,,,,,.....
.......,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,,,#########,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..
........,,,,,,,,,,#1,,,,,+,,,,,,,#3,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.
......,,,,,,,,,####+###,,#2,,,,,,#######,,,,,,,,,,,,,..
.....,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,,,########,,,#,4,,*#,,,,,,,,,,,,...
.....,,,,,,,,,,#1,,,,,+,,,PH>#,,,+,,,,,+,,,,,,,,,,,....
.......,,,,,,,,#,,,,,,########,,,#,4,,*#,,,,,,,,,......
.....,,,,,,,,,,####+###,,#2,,,,,,#######,,,,,,,,,,,,...
......,,,,,,,,,,,,#1,,,,,+,,,,,,,#3,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,....
......,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,,,#########,,....,,,,,,,,,,,....
........,,,,,,,,,,########,,,,,,,......................
..........,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........................
..............,,,,,.....,,,,...........................

  • the level *must* be 55x15
  • the level will be surrounded by the standard empty space
  • only the markers below may be used
  • the amount of markers needs to be the same, and all need to be present
  • try not to make it too hard for players (e.g. immedate sergeants outside)

The legend:
Code: [Select]
. - phobos rock
, - floor
# - wall
+ - closed door
> - stairs down
* - medkit
P - challenge dependant 1-st level reward (should be by the stairs)
H - guaranteed sergeant (*1)
1 - guaranteed former (*3)
2 - if DIFF > ITYTD former else floor  (*2)
3 - if DIFF > HMP former else floor  (*2)
4 - if DIFF > HMP sergeant else if DIFF > HNTR then former else floor  (*2)

Let's play :D
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at your service,
Kornel Kisielewicz

Shoop da Whoop

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Re: More intro-level layouts needed!
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2011, 12:35 »

Code: [Select]
.......................................................
..............,,,,,,,,,,,,,............................
.....,,,,..,,,,,,,,#######,,,,,,,,,,,....,,,,,,,,,.....
.......,,,,,,,,,,,,#*,,,,###3,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..
........,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,1+,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.
......,,,,,,,,,#####,,,,,#2,,###,,,,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..
.....,,,,,,,,,,#,,,#######,,,,,###,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,...
.....,,,,,,,,,,#>HP+,,1,,+,,,4,,,+,,,4+,,,,,,,,,,,,....
.......,,,,,,,,#,,,#######,,,,,###,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,......
.....,,,,,,,,,,#####,,,,,#2,,###,,,,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,...
......,,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,1+,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,....
......,,,,,,,,,,,,,#*,,,,###3,,,,,,,....,,,,,,,,,,,....
........,,,,,,,,,,,#######,,,,,,,,.....................
..........,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........................
..............,,,,,.....,,,,...........................

The idea is: you can run straightforward to get out faster or you can try to get medpacks after some time. Thing before door is something like entrance "gates", with guard, heh.
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Code: [Select]
He had posted some posts.
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He played classic Doom but not passed. He also played rogulikes. And once he found the intersection of these sets...

General Patton

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Re: More intro-level layouts needed!
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2011, 15:37 »

The problem I see with that one is that even on ITYTD, it is impossible to stop formers from grabbing the medkits. Perhaps the medkits could be stuffed into little closets. This makes it almost guaranteed that you'll get them, which helps balance the fact that everything will wander into the first room where the entrance is too narrow to sidestep in.

Code: [Select]
.......................................................
..............,,,,,,,,,,,,,............................
.....,,,,..,,,,,,#########,,,,,,,,,,,....,,,,,,,,,.....
.......,,,,,,,,,,#*+,,,,,###3,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..
........,,,,,,,#####,,,,1+,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.
......,,,,,,,,,#,,,#,,,,,#2,,###,,,,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..
.....,,,,,,,,,,#,,,#######,,,,,###,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,...
.....,,,,,,,,,,#>HP+,,1,,+,,,4,,,+,,,4+,,,,,,,,,,,,....
.......,,,,,,,,#,,,#######,,,,,###,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,......
.....,,,,,,,,,,#,,,#,,,,,#2,,###,,,,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,...
......,,,,,,,,,#####,,,,1+,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,....
......,,,,,,,,,,,#*+,,,,,###3,,,,,,,....,,,,,,,,,,,....
........,,,,,,,,,#########,,,,,,,,.....................
..........,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........................
..............,,,,,.....,,,,...........................

Edit: Perhaps a way to keep the sergeant in the final room instead of wandering to the center would help balance the difficulty. Same goes for preventing going around the gate and hitting the second door on a diagonal, which is faster than a straight line through both doors. Plus it's too easy to corner shoot the UV/N! sergeant, at least too easy for also having guaranteed medkits.

Code: [Select]
.......................................................
..............,,,,,,,,,,,,,............................
.....,,,,..,,,,,,#########,,,,,,,,,,,....,,,,,,,,,.....
.......,,,,,,,,,,#*+,,,,,###3,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..
........,,,,,,,#######,,1+,###,,,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.
......,,,,,,,,,#,,,+,#,,,#2,,###,,,,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..
.....,,,,,,,,,,#,,,#,#####,,,,,####,,,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,...
.....,,,,,,,,,,#>HP#,,1,,+,,,4,,,+,,,4+,,,,,,,,,,,,....
.......,,,,,,,,#,,,#,#####,,,,,####,,,#,,,,,,,,,,......
.....,,,,,,,,,,#,,,+,#,,,#2,,###,,,,###,,,,,,,,,,,,,...
......,,,,,,,,,#######,,1+,###,,,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,,....
......,,,,,,,,,,,#*+,,,,,###3,,,,,,,....,,,,,,,,,,,....
........,,,,,,,,,#########,,,,,,,,.....................
..........,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........................
..............,,,,,.....,,,,...........................
« Last Edit: June 29, 2011, 16:25 by General Patton »
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Shoop da Whoop

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Re: More intro-level layouts needed!
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2011, 20:12 »

I think, you're right here.

It's hard to get 20 starting levels with enough differences. So it's better make them as different as possible, even having not so big number.
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Code: [Select]
He had posted some posts.
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AStranger

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Re: More intro-level layouts needed!
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2011, 20:19 »

So I woke up this morning, saw this thread and thought, 'Hey it'd be cool if I could actually play the levels posted here'. I figured I could make a sandbox level that I could just paste into and be able to test the level. Unfortunately I couldn't get Level.place_tile to work with items and mobs, which got me thinking about writing a script to do the conversion. At that point I realized that more than just linux users might want to try this out so I settled on using racket, here is what I've come up with:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Simply save the code to a .rkt file and run it with DrRacket. The interface should be pretty straight forward. There is a text area for the level, buttons for changing the difficulty level, a button for front/back toggling, a file name text area and a generate button. Simply paste in the level, select your options and hit generate.

Caveats:
DrRacket runs on Linux/OSX/Windows, but you'll need it installed because I was way too lazy to create/post binaries. You can get it here http://racket-lang.org/.
I wrote this under Linux but briefly tested it under a virtual Windows. It seems to work correctly. It was written with DrRacket v5.0.1 but tested with v5.1.1(current). They both seem to work.
I didn't do the greatest error checking in the world, there is a rough check to see if the map is the right size and it doesn't check the filename, it just assumes it is correct.
If you use any other symbol than the ones already defined, I'm not sure what will happen. It should still generate a playable level, but I never tried.
I think I lined up the map/player placement correctly, but I could be wrong.

Here is some sample output from the second map from General Patton's post:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: June 29, 2011, 20:21 by AStranger »
Logged
[24|23|20|18|13] v.0.9.9.3
[17|10|8|5|2] v.0.9.9.2
[15|11|10|6|3] v.0.9.9.1
[18|17|14|10|6] v.0.9.9

Deathwind

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Re: More intro-level layouts needed!
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2011, 00:37 »

I've got an idea but it needs alot before it'll be playable, if anyone wants to try to make this work go ahead.

Code: [Select]
..........##.................................##........
..........#####################################........
.....,,,,..#,,,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........#.,,,,,,,.
.......,,,,#,,,,,,+,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........+,,,,,,,,,
........,,,#,,,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........#,,,,,,,,,
......,,,,,#,,,,,,########################...#,,,,,,,,,
.....,,,,,,####+###,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,....#####,,,,,,,,,
.....,,,,,,+*,,,,,+,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.H..+P>*#,,,,,,,,,
.......,,,,####+###,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,....#####,,,,,,,..
.....,,,,,,#,,,,,,########################...#,,,,,,,,,
......,,,,,#,,,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........#,,,,,,,,,
......,,,,,#,,,,,,+,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........+,,,,,,,,,
........,,,#,,,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........#.........
..........#####################################........
..........##..,,,,,.....,,,,.................##........
When was the last time a building like this only had one exit?
I was getting a bit tired of the stairs always being on the left so I put them on the right.
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AStranger

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Re: More intro-level layouts needed!
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2011, 01:37 »

We don't have a circle, so here is a quick attempt at one.
Code: [Select]
.....................,,,,#####,,,,.....................
...................,,,####,,,####,,,...................
.................,,,####,,,,,,,,###,,,.................
...............,,,###,3#,,,,,,,,,,###,,,...............
..............,,###,,,,#2,,,,,,,,,,,###,,..............
.............,,##,,,,,#####+####,,,,,,##,,.............
.............,##,,,,,,#1,,,,,,,#4,,,,,*##,.............
.............,#>PH,,,,+,,,,,,,1#,,,,,,,,+,.............
.............,##,,,,,,#1,,,,,,,#4,,,,,*##,.............
.............,,##,,,,,#####+####,,,,,,##,,.............
..............,,###,,,3#2,,,,,,,,,,,###,,..............
...............,,,###,,#,,,,,,,,,,###,,,...............
.................,,,####,,,,,,,,###,,,.................
...................,,,####,,,####,,,...................
.....................,,,,#####,,,,.....................
UV Version:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
Edit: Swapped 2 and 3, so mobs clump less on lower difficulties.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2011, 02:50 by AStranger »
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[17|10|8|5|2] v.0.9.9.2
[15|11|10|6|3] v.0.9.9.1
[18|17|14|10|6] v.0.9.9

General Patton

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Re: More intro-level layouts needed!
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2011, 01:42 »

Needs cover, you can't be expected to run straight up to them from such a distance. This would end an AoB very easily, depending on where the center is in relation to gift-dropping spots. Pistols probably wouldn't work well either. AoSg might have an advantage shooting down those halls without seeing the enemies. AoMC might have an easier time doing the same with the pistol, but the lack of cover is still going to shred you.

Code: [Select]
.........4##.................................##........
..........#####################################........
.....,,,,..#1,,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,,,,........#.,,,,,,,.
.......,,,,#,,,,,,+,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,#.......+,,,,,,,,,
........,,,#,,,,,,#2,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,........#,,,,,,,,,
......,,,,,#,,,,,,########################..3#,,,,,,,,,
.....,,,,,,####+###,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,,....#####,,,,,,,,,
1....,,,,,,+*,,,,,+,,,,#,,,#,,,,,#,,,.H..+P>*#,,,,,,,,,
.......,,,,####+###,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,,....#####,,,,,,,..
.....,,,,,,#,,,,,,########################..3#,,,,,,,,,
......,,,,,#,,,,,,#2,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,........#,,,,,,,,,
......,,,,,#,,,,,,+,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,#.......+,,,,,,,,,
........,,,#1,,,,,#,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,,,,........#.........
..........#####################################........
.........4##..,,,,,.....,,,,.................##........

I wonder if I'll find it necessary to modify every suggestion here. God I hope not. I don't want to be that guy who thinks he can do better than everyone else.

Also...
I was getting a bit tired of the stairs always being on the left so I put them on the right.
Oh my God! The status quo has been disrupted! The end is nigh!

Edit: Oh good, I can't complain about the circular one. I'm officially not that guy.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2011, 01:47 by General Patton »
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tehtmi

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Re: More intro-level layouts needed!
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2011, 04:57 »

AStranger, your idea of providing a sandbox mod to test these levels out is excellent.  As much as I love scheme racket, I think it will be easier for most people to directly use a sandbox mod, so I took the liberty of hacking one up.  The source is here.  If you don't know what to do with a sandbox mod, download the attached package instead.  It's readme.txt provides instructions.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
I have made four layouts so far.  Comments are welcome!

tehtmi 1
Code: [Select]
................,,,,......,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,............
...............,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,3,,,,,,,,,,,........
............,,,,##,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,##,,,,,,,,.......
............,,,,####################+###,,,,,,,,.......
..............,,,#,,1,,,,,+,,,2,,#4,,,#,,,,,,..........
...........,,,,,,#,,,,#######,,,,#,,,*#,,,,,,,,,,......
............,,,,,#,,,,#,,,,,#,,,,#,,,,#,,,,,,,,,.......
.............,,,,#,,,,+1,H>P#,,,,+,,,,#,,,,,,,.........
...........,,,,,,#,,,,#,,,,,#,,,,#,,,,#,,,,,...........
.........,,,,,,,,#,,,,#######,,,,#,,,*#,,,.............
........,,,,,,,,,#,,1,,,,,+,,,2,,#4,,,#,,,,............
........,,,,,,,,####################+###,,,,,,.........
..........,,,,,,##,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,##,,,,,,,........
............,,,,,,,,,,,,...,,,,..,3,,,,,,,,,...........
.............,,,,.,,,..............,,,,,...............
This is intended to be fairly straight-forward.  Having the doors on the sides helps make both of the first two rooms areas of engagement.

tehtmi 2
Code: [Select]
.................,,,,,,,.......,,,,,,,,,,..............
.............,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.............
...........,,,,#######,,,,,,,,,####+##,,,,,,...........
............,,,#P,,,,##,,,,,,,##,,*,,#,,,..,,..........
.............,,#,>,,,###########,,,,,+,,,,.............
............,,,#,,H,1#,,,,#,,,,#4,,,*#,,,,,,...........
.........,,,,,,#,,,,,+,,,,#,,,,+,,,,,#,,,.,............
..........,,.,,#,,1,,#,,,,#,,,,#,,4,,#,,,..............
.............,,####+###,,,#,,,###+####,,,,.............
..............,,,#,,,##,,,#,,,##,,,#,3,,,,,,...........
............,,,,,#,,,,,,,,1,,,,,,,,#,,,,,..............
.............,,,,#,,,,2,,,,,,,2,,,,#,3,,...............
................,###################,,,,,..............
...............,,,,,..,,,,,,,...,,,,,,.................
.....................,,,.,,............................
Here, I was trying out a layout that wasn't vertically symmetric.  The wall in the middle serves to break the combat into two major parts.

tehtmi 3
Code: [Select]
.......................................................
..............,,,......................................
...........##,,##########################.,,##.........
...........#,,,#,,,,,,#...........,#,,,,#,,,3#.........
............,,,#,,1,,,+,2.,......,,+,4,,##,,...........
...........#####,,,,,,##..........##,,,,*#,,,..........
...........#,,,###+####.,,.,,,...,,##,,,,#,,...,,,...,,
...........#,>,P,,,,H#,,##,1##,,##,,#,,,,+,,,...,,,....
...........#,,,###+####,,,,..,..,,,##,,,,#,............
..........,#####,,,,,,##..........##,,,,*#.............
..........,,,,,#,,1,,,+,2.........,+,4,,##.............
.........,,#,,,#,,,,,,#,,..........#,,,,#..,3#.........
........,,,##,,##########################.,,##.........
.........,,,,,.,,......................................
.......................................................
Here there is only one major battleground: the courtyard in the middle.  The broken horizontal wall along the middle helps keep the enemies from engaging all at once.

tehtmi 4
Code: [Select]
.............................,,..,,...,................
...................,.,.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..............
................,,,,,,,################,,,,,,..........
.............,,,########2,,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,.............
............,,,,#,,+,1,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,..............
...........,,,,,#,,##,,#,,,##,,#4,,,*##,,,.............
..............,,#,,,#,,##,,,#,,#######3,,,,,,..........
.............,,,#HP>#,,+,,1,#,,+,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,........
..............,,#,,,#,,##,,,#,,#######3,,,,,,,.........
...........,,,,,#,,##,,#,,,##,,#4,,,*##,,,,,...........
............,,,,#,,+,1,#,,,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,.............
.........,,,,,,,########2,,,,,,,,,,,,,#,,,,............
........,,,..,,,,,,,,,,################,..,............
................,,,,...,,.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,...............
................................,,,,,..................
This may look innocent, but it can be deadly if not approached carefully. There are few doors, and the sergeants are placed where they will cause a great deal of pain to an unsuspecting marine.

Deathwind: I like the way the layout can be approached from both sides.  The long horizontal walls break up the level in an interesting way, but I agree with General Patton that such long hallways would be deadly to the player without any source of cover.

AStranger: The circle is simple, but it works.  The middle room seems to do a good job of containing some of the enemies.

Shoop Da Woop: The gate is a cool idea.  Also, the medpacks idea is interesting, but I'm not sure if any player would opt to pass them by.
« Last Edit: June 30, 2011, 05:06 by tehtmi »
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AStranger

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Re: More intro-level layouts needed!
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2011, 15:27 »

...As much as I love scheme racket, I think it will be easier for most people to directly use a sandbox mod...
Actually I'm amazed someone else actually likes scheme (still not really comfortable calling it racket). I remember being a rare minority enjoying scheme when I took the class at WPI. It may have helped that I was perpetually drunk back then, but it was still a lot of fun.

Well done on the sandbox, I was unable to figure a few things out since the wiki is kinda sparse when it comes to documentation. After looking at yours I found out how to do what I couldn't yesterday:
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
All I was able to figure out about Level.place_tile was that the first argument was a table and that strings were valid in the table. I couldn't find any examples that used more than strings, but I figured there was a way. I would have just looped over the map string, had I been able to figure out how to reference specific chars. That was the point were I just gave up and used racket. Alas my plan to create more scheme users has been foiled :).

For the maps, I've only played tehmi 4. I was a little worried about AoB and if shotgun quirks would be a problem, but play testing shows I have nothing to worry about. Last run a UV AoB finished with 4 medpacks and 80% health, so it looks good.
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[17|10|8|5|2] v.0.9.9.2
[15|11|10|6|3] v.0.9.9.1
[18|17|14|10|6] v.0.9.9
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