======================================================================= Although the levels have been only tested for a single player game, each one of them should be able to be played as a cooperative or deathmatch level. I never played multi-player Doom. Therefore, I never had a chance to test each level except in single-player mode. Each level has a two-player cooperative exit. In other words, the single player exit is sealed off in multiplayer (by torches, floating skulls, or other obstacles), and you need the help of one other player in order to exit the level. Note to deathmatchers: E2M1, E2M8, and E2M9 should be feasible for deathmatch. If you want monsters, play at skill levels 1 or 2. Otherwise, play at skill level 5. Story?: You have one already: You are stuck on Deimos. You are stuck on the Shores of Hell. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Below are brief descriptions and hints of all the levels: E2M1 - "Outpost" Build Time: 1 week. - 8th level Description: A relatively small base taken over by demons when UAC began experiments on interdimensional travel. The base contains a marble structure in the shape of an inverted cross. Theme: I wanted a small level that could replace Doom's E2M1. I also wanted this level to be a fun deathmatch level where you can score many frags quickly. (Too bad I don't know someone to play Doom with. :( ) Hints: * Computer terminals can act as switches. * Practice your jumping skills. E2M2 - "Death Camp" Build Time: 3 weeks. - 3rd level Description: The name of this level speaks for itself. This base has several places where you can hose down many troopers. These places include: a trench, a couple jail cells, and a mess hall. Theme: Your marine is the executioner in a concentration camp. The humanoids in the base are just mere beasts to be slaughtered. Hint: * Proceed with caution when you tread in a jail cell. E2M3 - "Toxic Hell" Build Time: 1 week. - 7th level Description: A "barrels o' fun" type of level. Your primary threat are barrels, rather than monsters. The quick can survive, but the greedy will die! Theme: This level was designed as a replacement for MAP23, ID's "Barrels O' Fun". I also wanted a level with booby traps that can kill greedy players no matter how powerful you are. Hints: * Don't try to grab more than one weapon when you start this level. * Watch out for the soul sphere. * Get ready to move when you flip a switch. E2M4 - "Dark Circuit" 4th level - Build Time: 1 week. Description: You start in the middle of a circular arena. Many former humans and weapons surround you. Outside this area is pitch dark and invisible to your area map. This dark circuit contains several shotgun sergeants, specters, and barrels. Theme: I wanted a level of darkness. However, if the level was completely dark, it would not be any fun. Therefore the area in the beginning of the level (i.e. the inner circle) is lit. This was originally designed to be a secret level. Hints: * The candles shall light thy path. (There are fewer candles on higher difficulty settings.) * There are no official secrets, but the sector surrounding the exit is tagged so you will get 100% secrets. * The multiplayer exit is located in one of four corners of the darkness. E2M5 - "Demon Pyramid" Build Time: 3 months. - 1st level Description: A stepped pyramid is at the north end of a huge outdoor area. Two sniper ledges flank the pyramid. South of this outdoor area is a winding maze of overgrown vines. Separating the maze and pyramid is a fissure whose bottom is filled with lava. If you fall in, you will certainly feel the burn. Theme: I wanted a level with a little Indiana Jones theme. The vine maze is the jungle and the pyramid is the ancient temple which is guarded by obstacles. I also wanted a fairly simple level because I did NOT have a good nodes builder when I started constructing this level. Hints: * Do NOT fall into the river of lava; no items are hidden there and you will be stuck there until you die. * Some secrets are hidden near by armor helmets. * Look for misaligned textures while you travel on the sniper ledges. E2M6 - "River of the Damned" Build Time: 1 week. - 6th level Description: This level is a very large maze with a tiny shrine at its core. You have many winding passages. There are few dead ends, but it is easy to run circles. Oh BTW, avoid a swim in the river unless you are wearing a bathing suit. Theme: This is an extension of the vine maze idea from "Demon Pyramid". Hints: * Use your auto-map frequently. * Some secrets are hidden near by pools of blood or other items. * The tranquillity of the circle shall be broken upon thy arrival. * Be wary of items left apparently unguarded in certain rooms. * Take a leap of faith in certain key rooms. E2M7 - "Underworld" 2nd level - Build Time: 2 months. Description: The best description that I can think of for this level is that of a fleshy wasteland connected by rocky strobe light tunnels and a teleporter maze. Theme: The level was originally going to be a blood 'n brains wasteland. Instead, it wound up as sort of my experimental level. I started on this level first, but I did not finish it until long after "Demon Pyramid" was finished. The reason: severe HOMs I could not fix until I got a good nodes builder. Hints: * There are several false walls. Your auto-map will expose some but not all of them. * Can't reach the blue key? On ITYTD or ...Not Too Rough, play connect-the-dots with the candles. * Be careful when you shoot a barrel. * A very nasty surprise awaits the unwary near the exit. E2M8 - "Demon Hotel" Build Time: 1 week. - 5th level Description: Welcome to their lavish hotel and the gateway to hell. This building contains nearly 150 rockets. You gonna need them because you must kill the one or two cyberdemons residing in the building. Beware of the spider. Theme: This was designed to be a cyberdemon boss stage (i.e. Tower of Babel replacement). I thought it would be interesting to fight in and around a single skyscraper. Hints: * Look for the texture that does not match its surroundings. * Flip any switches you find. E2M9 - "Square City" Build Time: 1 month. - 9th level Description: The layout of this level is one big square containing nine buildings. The buildings are organized in a 3 x 3 matrix. This level contains a large stockpile of weapons and an army of monsters. Theme: I wanted a small base or city that contains (nearly) everything such as a huge armory where you can max out your weapons. Hints: * Grab a weapon and the soul sphere ASAP. * Computer terminals can act as switches. ======================================================================= Q & A: Below are some questions and answers I wrote up. -------------------------------------------------------- Q: What does PM2129.WAD mean? A: PM are my initials, 21 (E2M1) is the first level of my episode, and 29 (E2M9) is the last level of the episode. Q: How many platforms occupied by the enemy can I access? A: If you see someone walking on a platform, you can reach it. There are two exceptions. In E2M2, you can't dance on the food table (fresh brains!), and in E2M4, you can't reach the platforms where the imps are hiding. Q: Are there any inescapable traps? A: Yes, two to be exact. In E2M5, if you fall into the lava, you are as good as dead. In E2M2, if you get caught by the crushing floor but survive, you are trapped until you kill yourself with the rocket launcher, someone else kills you (the plasma gun can't touch you though), or you type a cheat code (you know what they are). (Personally, I despise inescapable traps. Unless there exists a compelling reason, such as deathmatch traps for an easy frag, I do NOT use them.) Q: Are there any bugs in PM2129.WAD? A: Unfortunately, yes. I discovered a few HOMs in E2M5 near the SW and NE corners of the pyramid. To my surprise, these HOMs exist in earlier versions of "Demon Pyramid". I playtested this level numerous times and never found them. To see the HOM, turn your map grid on, then stand about two squares south of the SW corner of the pyramid and face north. I have spent several hours trying to fix this bug, all in vain. I also had HOM problems in E2M4, I moved vertices and I tried BSP and Warm. It fixed most but not all HOMs. Now, thanks to Zennode, the HOM seems to have gone away (and I hope it stays that way). In short, I do my best to fix bugs when I find them. Q: Does a FAQ for PM2129.WAD exist? A: You mean "Did I write how to find all the secrets?" No. You have PM2129.WAD. Therefore, you must have Doom or Doom][ and you probably have a level editor such as DEU (or know someone who can get you one). Use the level editor to examine a level if you can't find all the secrets. There are some hints above. Q: Why are some of the levels of PM2129.WAD so difficult on UV? A: I am tired of listening to people who say you're NOT a man if you can't play Doom on UV. The way I see it, HMP should be the standard, not UV. Unfortunately, I have played many levels that are relatively easy on UV and, on a few occasions, even Nightmare. "Knee Deep in the Dead" is a perfect example of what I mean. Another complaint I have on difficulty levels is that the increase of difficulty from UV to Nightmare can be very high; even more so than the increase from ITYTD to UV. If you can't play on UV, play HMP or lower. This is why difficulty levels exist. One final note: If you think my levels are easy, send me a LMP. Any feedback is appreciated. You have reached the end of this file. Enjoy your game. Have a nice day! :) =======================================================================