Mapping Philosophy -
        
        This WAD starts easy but gradually ramps up into hardcore
        slaughter gameplay. Please make sure to use the difficulty
        settings. Maps 20-24 will probably be inaccessible to most
        players on hard and hard is intended for expert players who
        have already beaten the WAD on medium.

        A key decision I made was to make each map it's own theme
        rather than have a common theme throughout, to make maps
        more memorable and to break up the experience. Maps aren't
        just mixed up thematically, but also by layout. You
        will find a mix of linear and non-linear maps. Originally
        I aimed to only use textures from the original 4 IWADs to work
        on my texturing ability but ended up dipping into other textures
        where I thought it was crucial.

        I prefer Doom maps to be organic, there are some things
        I avoided, like crushers randomly activating to crush turreted
        enemies and line 242 stuff where enemies stand like statues or
        that "walking on air" fake floor effect. Those two things are
        my least favorite mapping trends of today.

        Another philosophy I have for combat is a focus on aggression.
        I like fights were you need to take action and focus down
        enemies. If you have trouble in any of the fights, try being
        more offensive. Most fights also have ample ammo. I hate avoiding/
        running past enemies because I feel like I don't have the ammo/
        weaponry to deal with them.
         
        I did not focus on maxability for this WAD and made no
        consideration for how fun the maps are to beat in a single
        save. Some of these maps are very long with extreme difficulty
        and would be a pain to single segment.

        The maps do not take themselves too seriously. Interspersed
        throughout the WAD are easter eggs to Genesis the band, as
        they are my favorite. You may also catch a picture of my face
        or two.

Maps -

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                   Map01: Extraterrestrial Cargo Bay

        After making about 10 maps or so for this WAD I came
        back and decided to make a new map01 (Map02 was originally
        the first map in the WAD). It's a weird theme for a
        map01, but I think it's okay. It introduces the G Door
        mechanic to the player in an obvious way and isn't too
        tough.

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                            Map02: Harbour

        This was the first map I made for the WAD. I created it
        while at college in the fall of 2017. I remember at the
        time I aimed to make a WAD where I would make maps fast
        without regards to visuals or enemy placement. Boy how
        the scope has changed since then.
        
        This map used to suck really bad before a time I like
        to call the "Great Renovation." This was a period after I
        worked on map20 where I decided to go back and spend 3
        years updating maps 01 - 20 with better visuals and combat.
        The map has a weird layout but I think it's alright.

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                        Map03: Mountain Mayhem

        A large map with a winding layout. Another map heavily
        modified by the "Great Renovation." I think the updates
        to this one did it well, as the combat here is improved
        from the previous 2 maps. I remember having a clear
        vision for the cliff area, which I think turned out to
        be a nice setpiece.
 
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                       Map04: Converted Library

        I had an idea for a tightly packed library with hellish
        growths protruding through the walls and floor, so I made
        this. I think the fight at the end of the map is well done.
        There also used to be a ton of extra colors in the library
        but I replaced them with grey because they looked like shit.

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                          Map05: Parker's Web
      
        By far the weirdest map in the set, I had an idea of making
        a map that had all spiders and ended up being shaped like a
        spiderweb. This was back when I didn't think about the
        intricacies of combat and didn't realize how bad it would
        turn out building an entire map out of some of the most
        difficult enemies to use in the Doom 2 bestiary. I used
        the white concrete texture because it reminded me of tightly
        packed web filaments.
   
        Before Renovating it the map was made entirely of
        the white concrete texture so I made each wing have an
        specific color featured to try to make each wing more distinct.
        Travelling to the end of 4 of the spokes unlocks the way to
        the switch that unlocks the end of the map. I had trouble
        finding a way to effectively communicate this to the player.

        The map also features a janky secret that allows you to meet
        a certain colorful neighborhood hero. 

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                          Map06: Joe's Marsh

        This map was made completely new during the Renovation
        Phase and I think it shows. The layout is much more
        interesting than the previous maps and the combat better.
        I also think this map denotes a huge step up in my visuals
        and the first point at which I started to develop a signature
        style. My outdoor style is inspired heavily by Sunlust's
        outdoor visuals.

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                         Map07: Fatally Complex

        I'm really proud of the implementation of the map07 mechanic
        here and I'm hoping this becomes one of the more memorable
        map07s out there. I had a vision of a giant metal complex
        where new areas would open up when all the mancubi or
        arachnotrons are killed. I think the player is prone to get
        lost in the later stages of the map but hopefully the
        signposting is good enough that if the player is lost it's
        their fault.
 
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                       Map08: Greg's Garden (Part I)

        I decided that I was gonna have a trilogy of short arena maps
        that would occur every 8 slots, so here's the first
        installment. This one was remade from scratch after the
        "Great Renovation" because I didn't like the original. Like
        Part 2, this one turned out to be a little more than a "short
        arena map," but whatever. Lots of close encounter fights.

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                            Map09: Mausoleum

        Another old map with a weird layout that makes the player
        backtrack for some reason all the way back to the mausoleum
        in question. This one is probably one of my least favorite
        maps in the set but I kept it in for nostalgia purposes and
        because I feel bad for my past self.

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                            Map10: Snowbound

        This map was another that was remade from scratch.
        I think it represents a visual development
        in my mapping style, and I was very proud of this map when I
        first made it. It starts out nonlinear with a key hunt, then
        the player finds themselves on a linear path up the mountain
        before they descend below...

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                 Map11: The Wanda Sykes Memorial Hospital

        For a while I had an idea of a tech map where the player had to
        continuously vault over a trench that had a patrolling
        cyberdemon. This one was also remade completely from scratch
        to replace an old shitty village map that used to take up map11.
        I remember trying hard to make this one really detailed to try
        to make it live up to the vision in my head.

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                          Map12: Jungle Dudes

        A very open-ended jungle map. This is an older map with the
        layout mostly intact, so some of the design choices I made
        are a little questionable. The player can get slightly
        screwed if they go down specific paths first, but I did a lot
        of testing to make sure every route was at least semi-possible.

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                           Map13: Lava Land

        One of my favorites, this one is a disguised three-key hub
        That contains a big vista reveal after some lava cave foreplay.
        There's some rather extensive secret areas in here. Can you
        reach the fabled megasphere Oasis?

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                           Map14: Launch Pad
 
        Kind of a filler map. The end of this one is supposed to 
        connect with the beginning of map15, but it's not super
        obvious. 

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                       Map15: Space Station Alpha

        This one is another of my favorites, it contains a lot of
        optional secret areas which I think is cool. The secret exit
        fight I think is particularly fun. I was really proud of the
        detailing in this map at the time.

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                      Map16: Greg's Garden (Part II)

        The next installment in the critically acclaimed trilogy.
        Like the first one, this was supposed to be a short arena map
        that turned out pretty long. The first fight is pretty nasty.
        I think the visuals here are some of my best work. There's a lot
        of detail yet it doesn't look particularly cluttered.

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                         Map17: Clandestine Sirs

        Another of the weirder maps in the set. I had an idea of a map
        where each part of the map was hidden in a secret. It's a
        cool idea on paper but I think it will lead a lot of people
        to be frustrated if they can't find the next section. There's
        also a section included that I aimed to be comedic but it
        turned out annoying.

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                         Map18: Betatakin Rueens
 
        A huge desert map with a three key hub. I think the yellow
        key path turned out much weaker than the other two paths.
        Besides that, I think the visuals are mostly great and the
        combat is some of the best thus far. The beginning of each
        path can be pretty much neutered by bringing in the BFG from
        the end of the other paths, so I put a big archvile wave on
        the return journey to try to dry up the player's cell reserves.
        The player can always just backtrack to pick up more ammo, but
        it's supposed to be a deterrent, not a prevention, so I think
        it's okay.

        I remember trying to make secret areas more involved here
        to make the player feel more special for finding them. I
        think I succeeded in that regard. The blue key finale was
        inspired by the Mines of Moria from The Lord of the Rings.

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                         Map19: Cecil's Toolshed

        A green marble map with some really tough and cramped fights.
        Hopefully it's not too cramped for people. I think the
        visuals are well done here. I started trying to really focus
        on lighting in this map and all the maps moving forward.
        some of the layout intricacies are questionable and confusing
        here, a lot of the decisions in that regard were to allow
        backtracking for missed secrets.

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                          Map20: The Stonecomb

        This map is a beast. I was trying to recreate an area from my
        favorite book series "The Edge Chronicles," specifically from
        book 4 in the series. This is the last of the pre-renovation
        maps as in the middle of its creation I decided to go back
        and update old maps. Coming back to finish it after 3 years
        was an interesting feeling.
 
        My goal in the map was to create a sprawling layout where
        the player would get lost, which is a weird goal, but I was
        fueled by an experience I had in an obscure WAD called Junko
        where I wandered around lost in a Hell map for hours. That
        experience really made an impression on me, so I wanted to
        recreate it. I think I failed in that regard however. The map
        is pretty hard to get lost in.

        The goal of the beginning of the map is to find all 6 armor
        bonuses perched on red pillars. After acquiring the yellow
        skull key you find your way into the ancient laboratory from
        the book and then ascend to the surface and finally emerge
        into the city of Sanctaphrax. I think the reveal of the city
        is extremely well done, it really feels like you just emerged
        from a cave you spent an eternity in.

        During the making of this map I ran out of sidedefs
        So the secret BFG fight is completely undetailed and the
        creation of the Sanctaphrax city area had to be cut short and
        moved into its own map, map21. This ended up having to be
        necessary anyway, since map21 needed more linedefs than I
        anticipated.

        Overall, I really enjoy the map, however I'm not sure if it
        will be enjoyable to others. The revenant tunnel fight in
        particular is really grindy, and there's a quad Archvile +
        hell noble fight that is pretty much BS, although I've
        worked out a good strat for it.

        The secret BFG fight is the first fight in the WAD that I
        need midsaves to beat. The concept for the fight was to have
        multiple waves of enemies that push the player to either
        end of the arena. I tried to eliminate grind as much as
        possible while keeping up the spectacle.

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                           Map21: Sanctaphrax

        This was intended to be the end of map20, however it took more
        linedefs than anticipated and map20 started to lag, even on
        my computer, which is pretty high-end, so that was a no-go.
        The creation of this map is where I really started to realize
        that I was starting to spend too much time detailing maps.
        This map and map20 took a combined year and a half to make,
        which I think is unacceptable. Detailing was a huge grind.

        The combat was tough to make. A huge archvile wave was
        intended to happen after map20 and push you out into the streets
        where the player would be amazed by the spectacle before them.
        The fact that the map is split in two really diminishes this
        experience and breaks my heart a little bit.
 
        I had plans to break out of my usual monochromatic texture
        schemes and be more colorful and zany here, but I ultimately
        decided against it. I used slightly different accent colors
        in different areas and I made use of multiple different
        elevations to try to distinguish the different districts of
        the city.

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                   Map22: Billy Joe's Cliffside Barbeque

        My second attempt at making a small map. I wanted it to start
        with a tough berserk session. For the indoor area I wanted to 
        create the types of feelings I'd often have in really hard
        maps where fights would seem like bullshit until I figure
        them out.

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                        Map23: The Light Machine

        This was my first attempt at creating a small map after maps
        20 and 21. It ended up being bigger than I imagined so I put
        it in the 23 slot instead of 22. I wanted to create a feeling
        of being trapped inside of some sort of computer. I also knew
        I wanted to focus on plasma gun combat because I was sick of
        RL setups. The finale is really nasty. There is a secret BFG
        but all of my testing was done without it to make sure it was
        possible without finding it.

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                    Map24: Greg's Garden (Part III)

        The end to the critically acclaimed Greg's Garden Trilogy. I
        broke from the initial idea of having these be short maps
        because maps 22 and 23 were both short. The detailing in the
        outdoor sections started to really get out-of-hand and it was
        during this map that I decided to make the WAD only 26 maps
        instead of 32. I felt like I was spending way too much time
        on maps that players probably wouldn't get to. I made the
        combat as hard as I could bear. This map is where the severe
        burnout started to happen, not just in making this WAD but
        with everything else in my life.

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                          Map31: 5000 Revenants

        I had a vision of a map with a bunch of revenants and naming
        it "5000 Revenants" because I thought it would be quirky. I
        had the idea of it taking place in some sort of floating
        walkways environment where the player would need to try to
        figure out a working movement pattern. I threw in the 
        mechanism to get to map32 in the WAD at the very end, it's kind
        of stupid, but whatever. I made this map after renovating
        map15. I'm pretty proud of it, I always enjoy playing it.

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                 Map32: Doomjo Kazarbys: We Have the Meats

        A recreation of Banjo-Kazooie but for Doom. I really love 3D
        platformer collect-a-thon games so I tried to do that here.
        The new weapons are like new moves which can help you access
        different areas and solve different puzzles. I spread out the
        development of this map over the total development time of the
        WAD because I would get burned out if I tried to do it all at
        once. One of the biggest things I tried to do while making
        this was to not have the puzzles be super obtuse. We'll see
        how much trouble people have when I release this.

        Instead of Jiggies I made it so you "collect" album covers
        of the Genesis members' solo careers and eventually the
        Genesis album covers themselves. (Note: This is unfinished,
        I was originally planning on having a sixth world but I got
        burnt out). This was to stick with the Genesis tribute theme.
        I also had an idea of collecting all the album covers granting
        access to a super secret room.

        The first sub-map I made was Peter's Space Station. There's
        two mechanisms I had in this submap that turns out don't work
        on GZDoom, even using the common scroll speed. I made it so
        they're skippable on GZDoom. This one is the simplest, I
        should've kept them this way.
   
        Next I made Castle Collins, not much to say about this one,
        I barely remember making it.
 
        Michael's Mesa I remember really being proud of, especially
        the water redirection puzzle. I think it's one of the
        highlights of the map. It's also the moment where I realized
        I wanted to stop with the overreliance on complex voodoo
        closet setups because they are hard to debug and require
        a lot of linedefs.

        Next I made Tony Town after making Map21. I think it turned
        out good. In the middle of making this one though I realized
        that having over 65K sidedefs would make all the switches in
        the map activate at once. This would cause a lot of
        miscommunication for the player because it would make them
        think the shotgun shootable switches would get activated
        when sometimes only one of the switches was hit. I had to go
        back to all the previous submaps and remove a ton of linedefs,
        as well as make the hub a lot simpler.

        Mount Hackett I knew I wanted to make bigger than the others
        but kinda fucked it up by making it too big. I wanted to have
        a big mountain with a goal of reaching the peak and I wanted
        to have lots of cave entrances that would connect to each
        other like the game The Forest.

        Genesis land was supposed to be a big amusement park world,
        which would take the map33 slot and require all covers to
        access.       








