Punching Barons - Episode 301 - SAPIDUSB
0Download Link - https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom/s-u/sapidusb
UCA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XZVVMpKjNU&feature=youtu.be
TALPOIDA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCGonWfXhIw
DIOPATRA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXLw4Z3vLOY&list=PLQ070a1s3-mddRP4G7IpI4fVeEXHWKSSB&index=104
6/9/1994
Eddie Nguyen
Editor: DEU 5.1 / BSP 1.0 / REJECT 1.0
Doom Version: 1.2
The fourth and final part of the UCA series, this is essentially a bug fix for SAPIDUS so that you cannot exit the level by dying in the nukage. Due to this being a small and rather minor change, we will not bother with the main version of the level, just touching the bug fix release.
The level starts out pretty good, having a decent number of enemies in each corridor as well as some organic-shaped corridors you tend to not see in 95% of these maps. In fact, one reviewer on Doomworld hit it on the nail, this level feels like it was inspired by STARWAR1 in regards to the ammo supplies and corridor design. There are ammo supply rooms that give you enough to tackle everything in the map, but a certain control that ensures you never end up overpowered. In regards to combat, this map works quite well, feeling heavily superior to the lackluster DIOPATRA.
There is also the matter that the level feels like it has a pretty clear set of goals. You need to find the keycards to reach the reactors, where you can press the buttons to deactivate the power to the guns, which in turn will allow the shuttle to rescue you. There is also a side goal of deactivating the main computers of the base, done en-route to the exit. Many maps I wander around wondering what I am doing, this map makes it perfectly clear how one is supposed to handle their goals.
The biggest problem is that the level is designed to be rather symmetrical, which can come off as repetitive, and the nonlinear nature becomes a lot less so due to the fact that the reactors can only be accessed one time each. This also leads to a lot of paranoia of Secrets, which will become a lot worse when you realize the exit seals you off from the previous areas of the map and yet is the only point you can find a Computer Automap. This level seems very against backtracking, which can make it a bit frustrating, especially if you missed something like the Soul Sphere being released from its cage when the reactors were deactivated.
The other problem here is that Secrets feel even worse than usual due to the large and rather chaotic nature of the map. Good luck finding the three secrets, one of which is hidden inside one of the others and can be easily broken if you click the wrong thing outside of the secret, due to the fact that they are found on straight walls in the middle of long corridors with absolutely no clues as to their location such as misalignment of textures. This is one of those levels where you can easily frustrate yourself over trying to find those Secrets, this level feels entirely unfair in how they were crafted.
Another flaw many will note is that enemies tend to be blind here, a side effect of trying out REJECT 1.0, which seems to be heavily buggy. It seems many in the past were large and chaotic, almost unintentionally, so level designers are starting to add a bit more control. This level, however, took it too far. Plus I actually preferred the uncontrolled nature and risky nature of how it was before, STARWAR1 is a great example of how it could work quite well to make a level feel a lot more action packed than it would otherwise be. As it stands, this level has no traps or real hazards to speak of, just some annoying mechanics regarding the permanent sealing of certain areas combined with absolutely frustrating to find Secrets.
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