Hey Castle!
Well, I was just about to post my completed play-though of Version 1, then I saw you've already fixed all the sequence breaks I was using =P. Instead I just clipped together a few areas of interest. Just a couple textures and one more sequence break.
redfox4.com/castle
In all honesty I don't think you'd get much out of a full playtest from me anyway. Everything not shown went flawlessly. Even on my first run through I never really got lost (besides getting turned around in the library a couple times). The thing's well made, man! The few times I died were well deserved and actually exciting, like "OH MY GOD THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!" I also think the final battle was a much needed addition to make this feel like a full episode (gotta have a Cyberdemon or it isn't a map 8! =P). Glad to see health strewn about - I needed all of it O_O... and those poor marines at the end didn't stand a chance, haha!
Oh, I wasn't able to trigger your signature room this time around, though I think I heard you mention it was health related.
One last thing, and don't take it the wrong way -- it's me, not your level. I've never been a fan of lock-in wave battles, not just in doom but at all. Like the "Zombie" modes in COD. I guess I just find them tedious and soulless. They go on seemingly forever and end as meaninglessly as they start. I think one of the reasons I tried so hard to find sequence breaks in your map was just to skirt around the lockins. That said, I also have to admit I enjoyed the challenge. And it's your level, your design... the Lockins are a key element in it, so please don't take this to say they should be changed. Just providing feedback as a player.
Well, that about does it. It's been fun watching this evolve, and I can't express my excitement enough that there's finally a new episode from the (co)creator of one of my favorite episodes of all time! Carry on, man. Carry on.
Thanks! ill take a look and see what I can fix. There are a few small issues I already want to work on so I will probably do everything at once. Yeah, my signature only triggers if your health is above 100 when the sequence ends.
Addendum: None of the lava in the room just past the blue skull key door hurts the player. Oh, and I broke the final battle by jumping around like an idiot =P -- added "finalBattle.mp4 to redfox4.com/castle
Thanks for the tip btw - got your signature to appear!
Peace.
nice finds! ill see about getting them fixed this Friday.