How To Make Yourself Want to Make Levels

1) Think of a fun new feature that would only work on one level and wouldn't be missing if it never got put in
2) Try to code this in ACS
3) Try again to code this in ACS
4) Search the zdoom wiki for how to code this
5) Copy and paste the code straight from the page
6) Get errors
7) Search the forum
8) Find nothing
9) Keep struggling for three hours
10) Throw your hands up and say "Screw this, I'd rather make a level."
11) Profit*

*You can't actually profit off the zdoom engine; that's just an expression

Progress!

It's the week before finals week. In some schools, this is often called 'dead week', and I find this oddly true: I feel like I'm dying from schoolwork, I can't focus on homework, and I almost had a mini-heart attack when I got a text informing me that I almost missed my final group presentation for my microbiology class. I ran and showed up with three minutes to spare.

Turns out I'm usually a day late and a dollar short IRL, too. Huh.

But, as I am wont to do, I got distracted doing other things instead of studying. My newest thing? Learning more ACS scripting for the final scene in the game.

Unfortunately, as it's the final scene, I can't share because spoilers. But I can share that I'm now finished with E3M7, leaving just one map in that episode. I can also share that there's no way to fit everything I wanted to fit in the one map left, so I'm going to end up making a fourth episode. I suppose I could also share that I think my maps are a little bland and there's no real change in difficulty based on level, and so I'm going to try and change that... eventually.

I also really want to redo the player sprites, but I just haven't ever felt the drive. I'd also like to have a detailed death animation (currently there isn't one; I kindof hope no one has tried multiplayer yet) and turn on the deathcam and make it say WASTED but that would be silly. Amusing, but silly.

So yeah. Game's still going, slowly but steadily. Vote for Twilicane altfire if you haven't.

Incidentally, it's the six month anniversary of Open Beta 2 (and still no equestriagaming post). Now I feel old.

If you have a pony for thanksgiving dinner...

...be sure you provide plenty of hay or oats for her to eat; because if you try and have that pony for thanksgiving dinner, well... you'll probably get an epic fireball spell to the face.

Couldn't figure out what to work on for the game, and somehow this came out instead. can you tell I hate backgrounds?

New poll is up; if you voted for the Twilicane all those months ago, speak up again.

Trick or Treat!

Once again, I'm a day late; but this counts as a treat, right?

This guy look familiar?

Guess who's back?

Oh, it's good to be home again. It's also good to be heading out for college in a few days. Nothing like working interrupted on projects that have wasted away for too long, like this one.

I'm fairly behind again. I still have to quash some bugs people have pointed out, I haven't started a new level in what feels like ages, and someone submitted two levels for me to try way the heck back in June and I haven't had a chance to play those yet.

But I'm going to be back and working on it. I fired raridoom up for the first time in months and I remembered why I started it. Because it was fun. So what if I keep forgetting to define some sounds and can't ever get my sprites to scale? It's a fun project, and I'll continue.

But since I've been gone for so long, I figure I should do something special to celebrate my return. What would you all like to see? A playthrough of a hardish map from Open Beta 2? Failing playing a submitted map that didn't quite make the cut? Original Chex Quest levels? Video of me building a map? (Actually, hopefully not the last one; I get easily distracted while mapbuilding.)

If I don't get many answers, I'll just assume you want me to keep working. Which might not be a bad thing. See, I've been getting a few levels and at this rate, I might need four episodes to get all the things in I want...

Bad News and Good News

The bad news is that I've done almost nothing on the game in a month. Summer is here, and I'm home from college. My parents don't know I'm a brony, and I'm not exactly keen on telling them. Also, I've got to study for the MCAT and I have to work, and that means that Rarity vs the Changelings is going to go on hiatus for the summer.

The good news (for you) is that I'm sick and tired of feeling like I'm letting people down and being a slacker OP who never gets around to delivering, so I'm releasing Open Beta 2. Yep. Download it here. Everything you need is self-contained the .zip file; rarimusic is an additional wad with music in .mp3 format that I think add a lot to the game but also add a crapton of size to the file, so I split it. Just drag and drop rarity.wad to zdoom.exe and you'll be playing in no time (but don't forget to change your settings in-game; the default ones don't even allow mouselook).


Looking back, I'm pretty sure I promised it in June of last year, so, as usual, I'm a figurative day late and a dollar short; but hey, OP finally delivered. There's another couple of enemies I haven't sprited yet that will have to wait until episode three, I've used a couple of placeholder sprites (especially on the final boss), some of the levels are too light for my liking, I'm sure I'm missing a texture here and there, and I have a few other minor things (cough Twilicane cough) that I haven't implemented yet; but it's more than ready for another beta test. Open Beta 2 will have the full episode 1, the full episode 2, and scattered parts of episode 3 (complete with two guest maps that are much better--and harder--than mine).

Also looking back, it's kindof cool to see how far I've come. I've got old files from October 2012 and even further back. It's been a fun ride... and I'm just getting started.

I want your first impressions; I want to know what you think of the game. I've been lurking zdoom forums and it seems like pony stuff isn't exactly welcomed with open arms, but there are some people who believe it could work. Also, as far as I know, this is the first ever TC wad and not just pre-alpha version wads or sprite replacement MSPaint-a-hoof-over-doomguy's-hands stuff, so I guess we'll see.

tl;dr download open beta 2 here.

I have done nothing productive all week...

...and I likely won't do anything this week, either.

But this time I have a good excuse: I'll be working out-of-state and away from my home computer.

Vanilla Oat Swirl Ice Cream

I hate it when new canon stuff comes up and I have no idea how to implement it.

My least favorite part about this whole modding thing...

...is getting something done I've been wanting to get programmed for a long time, realizing it's working perfectly, and then realizing I can't share because I don't want to spoil the end of my game. As in, it's something in episode three spoiling.

So yeah. Game's not dead.

The Arch-Vile!

After some deep contemplation (that means I was sitting in class while ignoring my teacher talking about due dates), I realized something. Pretty much all of the fandom loves changelings, but there's a few other sections I haven't reached out to. Really, if I want this game to be as popular as possible, I have to reach out to everypony in the fandom, find something that everyone likes. I even have to reach out to those who like things that kindof squick me out, like those who like a bit of bondage. Loving and tolerating and all that stuff, you know; so without further ado, I present the new arch-vile design!

First of all, it's a little different than any other monster. Obviously, each sprite technically involves two ponies. Out of all the Doom II monsters, though, the Arch-vile has been the most loved and hated for being so strong, so of course it would need to look different. Legions of playthroughs have been ruined by these guys, either by their devastating fire attack or their ability to resurrect the hordes of enemies you've already killed. Simply put, no Doom clone should be without this terror.



(a day late and a dollar short, as usual... it's still April 1st somewhere, right? next year I'm going with the fake C&D instead grumble murmur complain)

Today's episode was oddly fitting...

...because just now my sister showed up and in an effort to bring my computer downstairs I accidentally pulled out my flash drive--while the completed E3M1 was saving.

It lost the whole level and corrupted the entire file. Luckily, I have some backup .wad files, so I didn't lose much else besides that level, but still. That was moderately frustrating.

But it's ok.

Because it's my sister and it wasn't her fault and there was today's episode and I wouldn't really want Luna to come yell at me in my dream.

As long as I'm typing this, I might as well give an update. I've got all but three enemies sprited and as soon as they are, I'm done with Open Beta 2.

When I'm on, I'm on!

And today I got all of the sprites done for one enemy. One down, two more to go!

And after that, Open Beta 2 will be complete and ready for release.

Cross your fingers I can stay focused...

Still not dead!

In fact, I just playtested seven levels (of eight) of episode two. Realized that I needed to add some ammo, and... yeah. It's going really well so far, not going to lie. I'm pretty excited to see how this gets received.

Now if only I could get the last three enemies sprited...

But I have four tests this week so maybe not until Saturday.

The Only Thing Worse Than Not Doing Anything on Raridoom...

...is working on something that is really cool but you don't want to share because spoilers. Let's just say that while this next level is going to take a great and powerful effort to make (and beat), it will be well worth it.

Oh, and 502 errors on fimfiction.net. That's annoying, too.