40oz
diRTbAg
Posts: 6,107
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Post by 40oz on Jan 16, 2021 23:32:45 GMT -5
DBP Players:
When you look at the list of DBPs' many iterations, do you see it having gone through distinguishable evolutionary stages? What kinds of things do you notice different? Does the project do anything to set itself apart from other types of non-dbp doom group projects? And do said things make it better, neutral, or just different in a glaring way?
I can't really define any particular part of the timeline as being noticeably distinct from another aside from the gradual change of them just being better in general. I do think they have gotten considerably better over time. The gameplay especially has just been noticeably better over the course of the projects lifespan. Im often surprised with the new and innovative ways the mappers here highlight all the mostly untapped potential of straight vanilla/limit removing rules, conditions, linedef actions, etc. I think in a way the project is on our own zigzaggy path of discovery about what is so fun about Doom and kinda putting that path on display. I do feel that there is a little uniqueness about DBP in that way.
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joe-ilya
Hey, Ron! Can we say 'fuck' in the game?
a simple word, a simple turd
Posts: 3,072
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Post by joe-ilya on Jan 17, 2021 9:15:29 GMT -5
DBP1-9 : No Dehacked
DBP2-15 : Hardcore Joemaps
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matador
You're trying to say you like DOS better than me, right?
I feel asleep.
Posts: 1,190 
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Post by matador on Oct 2, 2021 15:51:05 GMT -5
DBP01-06: The Classical Era
Small texture-based sets with very few custom elements (outside of the new textures) and much broader themes than the other eras (for example, compare DBP02's general icy theme to DBP35's more specific icy Quake techbase theme). Also, there's no credits maps. I think there's a minor difference in feel between the earlier and later halves of this era because by then the series established a cast of regular mappers with their own styles that give those projects a different feel from the earlier ones. My favorite DBPs from this era are probably 2 & 3.
DBP07-13 (+ Fall of Society): The Experimental Era
I think the series was kind of trying to figure out what it was in this era with the rotating project leads leading to a lot of idiosyncratic projects. I think the various project leads all had different ideas about what they wanted to do so there's plenty of experimentation with the format here. In my opinion, each of the various project leads has their own style of projects which were all established here. There's a certain consistency to the projects despite the leadership changes due to this era having a relatively stable cast of regular mappers. The stretch from 9-11 is probably my favorite of this era.
DBP14-22: The DBK Era
Some of the more custom elements experimented with in the previous era seem to be pretty much codified at this point with virtually all of these sets having some sort of custom monsters and DeHacked work, with many having an almost TC-ish feel. Generally, I feel there's an overall spike in difficulty during this era (DBP14 & 15 are particularly hard compared to the past ones) and a level of indulgence to some of the maps not present in the previous eras. There's a new group of regular mappers that pops up during this era giving the sets a different flavor than the prior eras. DBPs 16, 18 & 21 are my favorites from this era.
DBP23-32: The 40's Back Era
A varied era with more idiosyncratic DBPs due in part to these projects having more varied mapper compositions. The DBK guys eventually ended up mostly sticking to DBK lead DBPs, giving the ones they didn't lead a feel that's different from the previous era. DBK-lead stuff like 24, 31 and 32 feel like it belongs to the previous era. DBP23 feels like a throwback to the first era. DBPs 25 & 28 conjure up the experimental vibe of the second era. DBP29 feels more like something from our present era. 26, 27 & 30 are all fairly unique due to some weird mapper composition. 26 is basically a DBK project with 40oz. 27 feels like it comes from our current era, but with the DBK guys. Also, difficulty feels more moderate than the previous era to me, perhaps due to 40oz's return or perhaps being due to VigilantDoomer's playtesting or perhaps a bit of both? I quite like the stretch of DBPs from 25-30, with 27 being my all-time favorite DBP.
DBP33-present
Not sure what to call this era since we're in it, but I think this is a transition era somewhat mirroring the experimental era where I think we're kind of figuring out what DBP is again since the DBK split. The change in mapper composition makes this era feel different from the DBK stuff, at least in my opinion. It sort of harkens back to that earliest era since the sets are texture-based again but I think the theming is more distinct and there's been more willingness to incorporate and experiment with more custom elements (like the sound design of DBPs 37-39). We have a new set of regular mappers but also a lot of one-time DBP mappers too. I feel like we're on the verge of a new era but these things are hard to tell when you're in the moment.
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xeepeep
Banned
Forever
Posts: 2,338 
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Post by xeepeep on Oct 2, 2021 16:23:09 GMT -5
Matador nails it imo.
There was the classic 40oz era (01-06), then the kind of "dark ages" that lasted until the one DBP with the really cool texture set (white lilith was it?), after that Glen and Billy and the guys figured it out. Somewhere around this point DBP becomes a bit more than a mapping gym.
Since 40 came back it's been kind of alternating, some projects are simple "just make a techbase map dude" while some are "WE MADE HACX 2.0 IN A MONTH OURSELVES BECAUSE WE COULDN'T WAIT LOL". The DBK crew leaving definitely ended an era though. Especially the absence of big ol billy's creative mind can be felt.
The real new era will come when I start mapping again tho. 8-)
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