= THE DARKENING = = Episode 1 : The Nameless Project v1.01= ====================================================================== = The Darkening homepage: http://gallery.uunet.be/jan.van.der.veken/ = ====================================================================== Finally, it's here. After many months of hard work, The Darkening team proudly presents Episode 1: The Nameless Project, featuring ... + 11 single player levels + 11 deathmatch levels + tweaked for optimal gameplay + stunning new graphics New in version 1.01: + fixed a missing flat bug that caused [DM Map 08] to crash. + fixed animation sequence FIREBLUA from 2 frames to 3 frames. =============================== STORY ================================ It has been 3 years since the destruction of the huge demon that masterminded the invasion of Earth. Your journey back home was almost as difficult and bloodthirsty as your journey into hell, but you made it. You had expected to be made a hero; after all, you had saved Earth and all it's worlds from a fate worse than death. But it was not to be that way. Upon your return, you discovered that things had begun to change. The UAC, deprived of some of it's key personnel, had become more secretive and shadowy. You could swear that the Mars station's light levels were lower than you remember them. . . Instead of briefings by the top brass, troops were given datapads for their missions. Sometimes people would go missing. . . Some of the other marines decided that they would leave. Their ship blew up shortly after departure. Recently, things have gotten worse. All remaining marines have been confined to quarters for weeks, and contact with Earth has been cut off for months. Some of your closest friends have started to disappear Perhaps hell won the fight after all. . . Then, one night, it is your turn. Your dreams suddenly turn to nightmares, a Spider Mastermind strafing your body, it's manic laughter the only thing you can hear ... As the last bullet pierces your skin, your eyes blink open. Something is wrong. . . it seems even colder and darker than it did before. . . Suddenly, everything goes black. Fearing the worst, you reach under your bed for the pistol you always keep there. Your chaingun and shotgun are in the other room, but it is too late and too far. Your sight begins to return to you. But where are you? You are in a tiny brick room, a silver door the only way out. Tightening your grip on the pistol, you open it and step through and prepare to discover the purpose of this ... this Nameless Project. ============================ INSTALLATION ============================ - Unzip the file darken.exe into your doom2 directory WITH THE OPTION -d !!! example: pkunzip -d darken.zip c:\doom2 - Go to your doom2 directory and type darken to start. The Darkening comes with a dehacked patch as well. This patch changes the map names that are displayed on the automap as well as the texts at the end of map 06 and map 11. The patch is optional, so you don't HAVE to load it to be able to play the levels. It is however *nice* to have, and we feel The Darkening is more complete with it. To install this patch you need to run the batch file "exepatch.bat" which you can find in the "\darkening" subdirectory. No original Doom2 files are modified during the install. ============================ LEVEL CREDITS =========================== [ Map 01 ] Level name : Scary Author : Jan Van der Veken Description : Short but sweet map. This level more or less defined the typical metal 'n' bricks style for this episode. It started off as a regular Doom2 level without new textures. Later I picked it up again, I radically changed the texturing and made some structural changes too. The title? Oh yeah, it's a dark and _scary_ level. =) [ Map 02 ] Level name : Bloody Hell Author : Jan Van der Veken Description : Another shorty. Made this one right after Scary. It took me less than 3 days (or should I say nights?) to finish. [ Map 03 ] Level name : Entropia Author : John "Gestalt666" Bye Description : A tightly packed little stone complex built around a courtyard... Just a little 'un. [ Map 04 ] Level name : Relentless Author : Travers Dunne Description : Started out doing the start room, then came the fenced area which i thought looked cool. soon all the gauntlet was drawn up, as well as the exit room and a few other bits. And i hadnt even started texturing ANYTHING! [ Map 05 ] Level name : Hand of Doom Author : Jan Van der Veken Description : One of the larger levels in this episode. The layout is pretty complex and non-linear with some nice architecture. It's pretty tough on a pistol start too. The title comes from a Black Sabbath song. [ Map 06 ] Level name : The Mines of Death Author : Nick Baker Description : This started out in a similar style to TNP Map 07, but then I decided to do something a little different. . . I've always been a fan of mine type levels, so I let Mark Klem's MKMINES and Iikka Keranen's two mine levels (Dystopia 3/Requiem) be my main source of influence for most of the level. There are several original ideas too though. Oh, thanks to Travers for doing up this level a bit! [ Map 07 ] Level name : Dead Simple ][ Author : Nick Baker Description : OK, so the only visual similarity to Dead Simple is the first tiny little room. It's not what it looks like that gives it's name, but what you have to do - kill the Mancubi, then the Arachnotrons. This time, though, there are plenty more monsters too, including some nasty traps. Thanks once again to Travers for touching this level up a bit, and to Daniel, my brother, for suggesting the "Interactive Box" (you'll know it when you see it). [ Map 08 ] Level name : Discordia Author : John "Gestalt666" Bye Description : A large metallic base making full use of the excellent new Darkening textures. Probably the schmmmoothest level I've ever made for Doom! [ Map 09 ] Level name : Military Complex Author : Jan Van der Veken Description : A Dodead/Knee Deep in the Dead style level: my favorite style... It's very challenging on UV. At one point there are 8 barons chasing you around ... But it's still possible. Other things to notice: the open roof architecture looks cool and there are some nice lighting effects. IMO this is the best of my Darkening single player maps. Special thanks to Lee Killough. The visplane overflow protection in BSP 2.2 saved my ass on this level. [ Map 10 ] Level name : Under Earth Author : Travers Dunne Description : Got inspired by, believe it or not, one of the very cool levels in the Quake mission pack Scourge of Armagon. Funnily enough the part that was closely related to that inspiration was dropped coz it lead the level into parts that were really spinning my head as to what to do. [ Map 11 ] Level name : Stone Tyrant Author : Adam Windsor Description : This place of brick and rock is silent, shadowed. Your footsteps echo softly as you walk slowly toward a pair of angled doors. Readying yourself for action, you reach for the switch ..... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [ DM Map 01 ] Level name : The Spine of Evil Author : Jan Van der Veken Description : Actually this is my first deathmatch level ever. I started it as a tech/base style level. Later I decided to experiment a bit and I completely changed the texturing while keeping the lay-out pretty much intact. It is now a hellish/medieval style level. A bit like the original id episode 4 levels. Thanks should go to Matt Dixon for giving me useful tips for item placement. Oh, I made a single player version of this level too that might show up in a future release ... [ DM Map 02 ] Level name : Devil's Dungeon Author : Jan Van der Veken Description : A rather large deathmatch level. Best for 3-4 players. The architecture is very detailed. Some structures were heavily inspired by Quake, like the teleporters and the *glowing* lava. Notice how the lava is full brightness, but the walls surrounding it are dark. [ DM Map 03 ] Level name : Fragmentation/Quake DM Author : Travers Dunne Description : Large DM level (Almost epic-like), with plenty of eye candy. [ DM Map 04 ] Level name : Relentless until death Author : Travers Dunne Description : A small section of Relentess... now go kill. [ DM Map 05 ] Level name : Sulphur Author : Jan Van der Veken Description : Atmospheric medieval style level. 1 on 1 is very cool on this one, although I think it will also support 3 or 4 players. I took the lava effect a bit further this time and once again I borrowed some Quake elements. [ DM Map 06 ] Level name : Return to the Realms Author : Nick Baker Description : What can I say? I took parts from all my Realms of Pain levels (except, for stylistic reasons, Map 05), fixed them up a bit, added some more stuff, and put it all together. This is now IMHO one of my best DM levels. [DM Map 07] Level name : Valley of the Lost Author : Travers Dunne/Nick Baker Description : I was stuck for inspiration for awhile, so Jan sent me (Nick) Traver's "Lost WADs" with several levels varying from half-finished to barely started. This level is one of the former - apparently Travers originally started it as a Duke Nukem 3D level! Anyway, I fixed it up a bit, mainly just in the visuals department, and handed it back to him, where he did a bit more work on it. [ DM Map 08 ] Level name : Vertigo Author : Jan Van der Veken Description : Some kind of evil temple. I got my inspiration from a program I saw on TV where archeologists dug up an ancient Egyptian temple. [ DM Map 09] Level name : Interrogation Central Author : Jan Van der Veken Description : A dark metallic tech base. I wanted it to look like a hi-tech torture base/prison. I got my inspiration from DaPak and Quake2 this time. No plasma weapons or chainguns here. Just shotguns 'n' explosives =). One of my best DM levels I think, and I made it in only one night! (I was in the mood, hehe) This is more or less the style I'd like to use for episode 2 of The Darkening. [ DM Map 10 ] Level name : Death awaits 6-feet Under Earth Author : Travers Dunne Description : Ok, so it isnt a new level (kill me) but I put in some nicely positioned teleporters to make the level more open, fast and very accessable. [ DM Map 11] Level name : Stone Tyrant Author : Adam Windsor Description : This place of brick and rock is silent, shadowed. Your footsteps echo softly as you walk slowly toward a pair of angled doors. Readying yourself for action, you reach for the switch ..... ========================= AUTHOR INFORMATION ========================= Name : Nick Baker Nickname : NiGHTMARE E-mail : Nbaker1@compuserve.com Homepage : None right now (coming soon?) Work done on TNP : Maps 06 and 07, various textures & flats (all those beginning with an "N"), the storyline Other WADs : Realms of Pain DM (rlmspain.wad) Gothic DM 2 Paradox TC Twice Risen TC How I got involved : In July 1997, I was e-mailed by M. Scott Harlan, who congratulated me on my newly released Realms of Pain DM episode, and said that he knew a couple of guys who were looking for people to help out a single player project. He offered to put me in touch with them, and I accepted. I agreed to do two levels - Map 06 and Map 07, and a few textures drawn with my (then) limited artistic talents. Inspired by the awesome artwork available in many Doom2 WADs, I've now created hundreds of high quality textures, some of which you'll find in the Darkening episode 1, with more to come in future episodes. Misc. author info : I'm English, and most people here have just moved from Quake to Quake 2 ;) Editors used : Deep '97 v9.30, Wintex 4.3 Doom Greetings : Sir Alien, Rick Clark, Anthony Czerwonka, Matt Dixon, Paul F, M. Scott Harlan, Ingo Kirsch, Mark Klem, Gaston Lahaut, Chris Martin, Michal Mesko, Lisa Moore, Rich Nagel, Mike Nigel, Mike Reid, Malcom Sailor, Anthony Soto, Dan Twomey Non-Doom Greetings : Dan Baker, Matt Buzzard, Adam Durly, Chris Getliffe, Oli Newton, Nick Phillips, John Shanks ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name : Jan Van der Veken Nickname : BhadTrip E-mail : jan.van.der.veken@village.uunet.be Homepage : http://gallery.uunet.be/jan.van.der.veken Work done on TNP : Level design, moderating, site maintaining, a few textures and flats. Other WADs : Dawn of the Dead (Dodead.wad) = a cool episode 1 replacement for Doom I How I got involved : Somewhere in the spring of 1997 I read an article in rgcd.editing from a guy called Travers Dunne who eagerly wanted everyone to check out his levels. I did and I liked them. He liked my dodead too, which I had just released at that time. So he decided we should work on a project together. Well here we are =) Misc. author info : I live in Belgium. The land of serial killers, great beer and lousy weather. I graduated as an industrial engineer earlier in 1997 and I now work as IT manager in a small company. Editors used : WinDEU, Yade, DeuTex, Wintex 4.3 Doom Greetings : + Andre Majorel, my personal wad tester and author of Yade. + Lee Killough, for fixing some bugs in BSP that I ran into. + Matt Dixon and all the Gothic guys. + David Shaw for allowing us to use his music. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name : Travers Dunne Nickname : Hobbes E-mail : tjdun2@mugc.cc.monash.edu.au Homepage : http://www-mugc.cc.monash.edu.au/~tjdun2 Work done on TNP : Maps 03 and 10, a few textures, converted some of Nick's and Ola's textures to flats Other WADs : ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/idgames/levels ../doom2/deathmatch/a-c/afterlfe.zip <--- good ../doom2/deathmatch/s-u/techcntr.zip <--- good ../doom/s-u/t_dunn01.zip <--- good in parts ../doom2/s-u/t_dunn02.zip <--- tad dodgey ../heretic/s-u/t_dunn03.zip <--- great How I got involved : Me and Jan got together shortly after he released Dawn of the Dead and decided on making a "hellish" set of levels. Well after we put that on hold =) Jan drew up the first level for The Darkening which then defined the theme/style for the rest... Slowly the boat got laiden down in sailors and we were off! Misc. author info : 19yr old Australian uni student having a blast with the uni's network Editors used : DCK v2.2-f, Wintex 4.3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name : Ola Bjorling Nickname : citrus on IRC, otherwise none E-mail : ola@techno.org Homepage : I'm a web designer, but I dont have one actually :) Work done on TNP : No maps, but a bunch textures. Browse the wad with some nice WAD tool, such as NWT or wintex to see which ones are mine - all beginning with an O are, and the statbar, intermission graphics, titlescreen, credits, ENDOOM acsii art and The Darkening homepage. Will have loads more textures in episode 2. Other WADs : None containing any graphics previously released, but I have done these: + Tantrum - single player, 1 map + Talosian Incident - did map 8 with John Bye + Did some graphics for Gothic DM 2 (not out when writing this) + Doing some graphics for Mordeth episode 2 (as above) How I got involved : Honestly, I have no idea :) Misc. author info : 18 years old when writing this, studying computer graphics, journalism and sound engineering. From Sweden. Editors used : Adobe Photoshop 3.0.5, Metatools KPT Bryce 2, Wintex 4.3, NWTpro Doom Greetings : The rest of the crew, Gothic DM 2 crew, id, Gaston Lahaut, all at EFNet #DOOM2, all who I forgot. Non-Doom Greetings : Julia ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name : John Bye Nickname : Gestalt666 E-mail : gestalt666@easynet.co.uk Homepage : Gestalt666 Resource - http://www.geocities.com/~gestalt666 Work done on TNP : Level design Other WADs : CyberDoom II Cygnus IV Gardens of Delight story, music and levels for The Talosian Incident others I'd rather forget! How I got involved : Which project is this again? The Darkening? Oh, right... Misc. author info : Another British designer - 20 years old, Doom fanatic, maintainer of the world's biggest Deathmatch Database, and president of the computer games company, The Coven... Editors used : DCK 2.2 and DCK3.61 Doom Greetings : John "Doc Sleep" Anderson, Rich Brennan, Travers Dunne, Ty Halderman, Lee Killough, Patrick Martin, Malcolm Sailor, Jan "The Man" Van der Veken and others too numerous to mention (well, you did want to download this text file today didn't you???) Non-Doom Greetings : Lianna for keeping me insane, everyone else for leaving me alone long enough to get on with it ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Name : Adam Windsor E-mail : s339890@student.uq.edu.au Homepage : Nope Work done on TNP : Map 11 Other WADs : Memento Mori II (MAP15) Requiem (MAPS 11, 20, 25, 26, 30, 32) TBEAST.WAD Editors used : DETH 3.87 Misc. author Info : 24 yo who still prefers Doom2 to any other 3d shooter. Babylon 5 and Red Dwarf Fan. Part time student, full time Mortgagee. ============================ LEGAL STUFF ============================= Authors may NOT use these levels as a base to build additional levels or the textures/flats/other graphics for your own levels without written permission. You MAY distribute this WAD, provided you include this file, with no modifications. You may distribute this file in any electronic format (BBS, Diskette, CD, etc) as long as you include this file intact. It may NOT be included with any other software product. NO fee or payment may be charged or accepted for this episode. Basically: don't rip us off, or you'll go to hell. ========================== TRANSMISSION ENDS==========================