Doom Speed Demo Archive
https://dsdarchive.com/

Iwad:      DOOM2.WAD
Pwad:      SKULLTIVERSE.wad
Map:       MAP28
Skill:     4
Category:  UV Max
Exe:       dsda-doom 0.29.3 -complevel 9

Time:      16:45.63

Author:    yrriban

Comments:
so i had it in mind to play this wad for a little bit, and part of that was
this wad was included in the doomed index.  why not, right?  i now regret to
inform you: this map was no fun at all.  it basically boils down to 3 big
encounters, each of which is just absolutely chock full of monsters to the
point that attempting to strategize seems pointless.  there's some amount of
tactics in play, but it's so many monster in so small a space that you're more
or less just holding down the fire button and hoping.

however!  i made a discovery while demoing this map... which has a nonzero
chance of getting this map demoted from the index.  in my opinion the first big
encounter is the hardest - tons of monsters in an awkward space, including
cacos flying down, and you only have a rocket launcher.  it's a recipe for
getting stuck or shooting yourself in the face repeatedly.  but there's a small
flaw in this encounter - the linedef to activate the bars to exit is *before*
the linedef to activate the encounter.  with careful positioning you can start
the bars lowering and grab the red key and completely skip the encounter.  so
that's what we do.

the other two encounters have some ways to handle them but it's a lot of
holding down the fire button and trying not to take too much damage.  the first
one fills up the room with an absolutely absurd number of imps while archviles
on each side get alternating turns to take potshots at you.  here the wall with
the lift is shaped slightly differently and allows you to get just about the
best cover that you can - better than the pillars, that's for sure.  and for
the finale, there are a handful of cyberdemons and way, way too many cacos and
pain elementals.  you do need to stand your ground some as most of the ammo is
where the encounter starts, but i eventually retreat back to the space where
the previous encounter is and the monsters trickle around at a low rate (and
there are still some cells there).

from there all you have to do is tag that last encounter and let them and a
couple cyberdemons fight it out as you leave through a now-lowered barrier.  oh
and don't forget to tag the secrets - you can get both items without actually
tagging the sector.  and somehow one cyberdemon got stuck in the center?
honestly don't know how that happened - boom physics?  but the plasma rifle was
able to deal with it.  one more lap around the level because i forgot the blue
key and i was on my way.

i don't know that it portends good things for moving up the index if i went
this out of the way to cheese a level in the second lowest tier.  not that i
feel bad about it or anything.  there are plenty more maps to get to though and
i'd rather not spend any more time on this one.
