First of all, congrats on the first map release, you've certainly been around long enough for me to wonder why it hadn't come out long before I showed up! Demo:

http://www.quaketastic.com/files/demos/shamsp1-lp.zip

This was actually my second attempt. Ironically I played better on my first try (I was squished by a lift--actually the same one I had trouble activating in the demo cause the button is too dark)--I handled the voreballs a lot better, and actually managed to shake one from the vore near the red armor by diving into the water and getting it to hit a submerged zombie. Anyway, getting vores to do my work for me is always good, and using them to gib zombies is even better, so I liked this one. 

Cool map. I like old school design layout, with new school skybox style. Nice mountain ranges too. Tight on ammos near the end so used my axe to choppy choppy.

Here's my sham of a demo:
http://www.quaketastic.com/files/demos/redfield_whatasham.zip 

I struggled with it. It needed to be fast for obvious reasons, but then to not kill the player. I deliberately put a pause in to give the player time, and made sure the buttons went into the wall so there would be minimum snags. And set the lift damage to 0, which Quake conveniently ignores. 

Plats always have a blocked damage of 1 unless in a mod of course. 

And "0" on a field is effectively "ignore this field". 

Is all I have to say on that. It's a bit illogical for a numerical value field like that not to accept 0. Having said that, ignoring the damage field could do no damage to the player. #whatever 

I enjoyed this. The scale and the pace+variety of the situations made it a great bite-sized playthrough... and that along with the level of detail also gave it a nostalgic feel. (That's not some sort of passive-aggressive comment about aesthetics, I think it handled the low-detail look nicely, with some appropriate texture choices.)

One random negative comment: there was at least one secret which seemed to be a HA HA FUCK YOU moment (I think red armor + vores). Maybe I mishandled something there. Anyway I rarely like it when a bonafide secret-marked secret area is a net resource sink for the player.

One random positive comment: I liked the way you used the beginning of the map in a way that forced the player to figure out something that is not too difficult but sort of unusual. If this was later in the map with more options and open routes then it would not work as well (would either be overlooked, or be super frustrating if necessary to advance). 

Nice to see "real" Shambler has made a map! I have not yet had time to try it. 

go map etc 

It's sufficiently well-made for a first map style map. Way too hordey and crammed with monsters for my taste, though. Quite a few monsters aren't used to their potential, placed in or teleported to location where their attacks can't reach the player. Shame about the long line of sight from start to exit - could've used the protuding rock bit in front of the river as vis blocker.
Now, then. Start the next sketch from 20 years ago...

Demo 

Blocky, primitively conceived 

Johnny: Cheers. Yes I struggled with detailing a bit as I hadn't really planned for that - however the focus on the map was on the blue aesthetic and the combination of castle and canyons The RA + Vore secret I'm happy with, most people get away with it with ~150 RA left, if you don't panic and jump off to the castle ledge then you get it free. I agree resource sinks are a matter of taste, sometimes I don't mind them as a player because the fun is in finding the secret. Glad you liked the start, I was happy with that.

Negke: "Hordes" are deliberate and are almost always easy monsters, I wanted a bit of visceral but not too stressful action, and also wanted all areas to be well used (often twice). Some monsters not used to their potential are also deliberate - the fiends at the start are to just panic the player, not to be dangerous. Same with the underwater zombies, they're more for fun (although often seem to be a good way to use of the ROS!).

Tronyn: Yes, that too. 

Congratulations on the release, Shambler. 

Nice little map. I liked the spiky theme going on and the end teleport emerging was cool too. The brushwork on the nature was quite nice.

I think my favourite room was the basement with the underlying machinery and the vore/zombie arena (even if I died there once). As stated earlier, having vores kill off zombies is always a treat. I also liked the crucifixion surfaces the zombies were against.

Some of the secrets almost made my life harder than not picking them up, as discussed earlier here. Although it was a bit annoying, especially the vore/RA secret, it was still more fun than annoying.

The first puzzle took me an embarrassing amount of time to figure out, and my first demo is entirely about trying to figure it out, so consider skipping the first demo. -_-

I think I agree with negke that the level felt a little bit too packed with monsters and thus cramped.

Congratulations on the release. To sum things up, I'm glad to have played it. If I'd rate this in Quaddicted, I'd rate it maybe a 4/5.

Demos here (VkQuake, skill 3, 12:27, 140/155 kills, 3/5 secrets, one death) 

Ww & Lpowell, cheers for the demos, fun to watch. I tried to signpost the grenade launcher in a few ways: having something at the start of the water to encourage players to explore both ends, having the bars and teleporter to draw attention that way, having the GL fairly well lit, and supplying a few shells en route to let players know there is a GL around.

Same with the start of the map too - although yes I should have clipped those rocks off and put a "look around" message on the bars. However the start is a very small area (two box rooms) and once players try to axe the bars, there's only 3 distractions: axing the brick wall, shooting the door lights, and trying to get through the starting hole. After spending 10 seconds doing that lot to no avail, I hoped people would start looking around. The cave entrance is signed with the texture, ground texture sticking out, a faint green light, and a wind sound.

The lift button, I think that was okay visibility-wise, the player has pressed 3 cog buttons by then so hopefully would be looking for cog buttons, the lift has gone down with a bang ("Lift fully operational" is hint that yes that falling platform was a lift), and there is a strong light from above on that area.

Esrael, glad you liked the crucifixion surface on the zombies, that was a bit of last minute detailing to the bland underground bit and I was pleased with the weird techno-gothic hint. The Vore/RA secret can be easy if you drop off and exit into the cave or jump to the castle ledge - BUT will be harder on Nightmare, I didn't test on NM but I'm pretty happy that several monster choices will make it harder than Hard. 

 

Great first demo. Interesting to see someone playing it mostly methodically and cautiously as recommended. I particularly like the GK ambush where you retreat into the Vore as everyone does, keep retreating into more monsters, then think quickly and retreat to the side of the castle which you already cleared out. Also using the ROS to actually explore a bit rather than sitting there shooting zombies that are at the bottom of a moat and can't get out. Good stuff :) 

Fun demo, nice to see someone playing on Skill 1 and it working well. Some neat mini-derps too :). Yes the Shambler on the bridge facing away is deliberate - just ask Poorchop who backed enthusiastically straight out of the final arena. 

http://www.quaketastic.com/files/demos/shamsp01.zip

Map moore! 

Also I did a video walkthrough, partly to explain my gameplay ideas (lots) but also for non-Quaking friends and family, and for plain self-indulgence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvowTA3y6No

I might make further maps, depending on time and opportunity, but I won't be aiming for anything radical and spectacular. Smaller and effective would be ideal. We shall see. 

 

This was a decent map, and a very good first map. You probably put more thought into it than most first time mappers do.

Would be a big shame to not see another Shambler map, since this one turned out so well! 

Best QooC from the video: "there's balls chasing me" 

Usually a welcome scenario for me IRL, less so in Quake ;) 

An exceptional map for your first release, certainly shows potential!

First run demo, hard skill: http://www.quaketastic.com/files/demos/orl_shamsp1.rar