"Wheel of Time Doom 3"

wotd3.zip

Author(s):

RavenCM

Year of release:

1996

Map(s):

03 - 07

Engine:

Doom2

Date of review:

06/17/2005

Overall rating:

-unrated-

First some "organizational" remarks:
I downloaded this wad 2 years ago, but don't know from which site. When I tried to get the download link from Doomworld, I noticed, that this wad is not in the archives and I really wondered why. After searching on Google, it seems that the wad and the author have mysteriously disappeared from the scene.
So, I decided to host the wad on my site and you should take the opportunity and download it. Originally, the wad came in two packages, named wotd3a.zip and wotd3b.zip, one contained the map wad (wt_main.wad), the other all other files, and it took me some time to find out how to use them. I bundled them to one zip-file now.
Another technical remark:
The file contains a Dehacked patch and the author insisted that players should run the "install.bat" to setup the game properly. However, when I do so, I usually experience sound problems. Nowadays there are better engines and programs than Doom2, that allow you to load the Dehacked patch seperately, without changing the doom2.exe itself. However, I experienced some strange changes. The most obvious was moving with highspeed. I'm not sure if this was originally intended by the author or if it's due to my setup.

Now on to the wad itself:
THIS WAD IS A NIGHTMARE! The Dehacked patch changes the game in a radical way and really strange things happen: some monsters keep respawning and seem to change their weapons; there are monsters that don't count to the score; there are even other players fighting against you. The sounds have been changed, the keys and the weapons, too. The chaingun is now a super-chaingun, the BFG has become a mighty sword. There are totally new monsters (some are inspired by or even taken from Hexen). Strange sounds are surrounding you (like a laughing voice, for example). The music is awesome. Map 03 even has a wonderful thunder ambience.
All these changes add to a really, really creepy, atmospheric game, a surreal experience and a real nightmare. Map 04, for example, totally bewildered me. I had the impression that the map kept changing itself all the time and I never had an orientation in it. It's like you are trapped in your worst dreams...
It's astonishing all the more if you consider, that this wad is from '96, when all the Zdoom extras were yet to come. This author anticipated all future features, like the DECORATE or the SNDINFO lumps.
Unfortunately, as to gameplay, this wad has a high frustration factor, even on Skill 3. Often you'll find yourself in situations like this: You're entering an area, full of monsters and while you're trying to kill them, the monsters you already had killed keep and keep and keep resurrecting and attacking you from behind, and you can't make out the reason why they resurrect. Too often, you're surrounded inescapably and this is really a pain in the ass. Several times I tried to continue the game from a savegame and tried half an hour, and killed hordes of monsters but made no millimeter of progress at all. I then quit the game again and after several trials I finally gave up. It would have been a shame to give up this atmospheric masterpiece, so I then tried it on skill 2, but it was easier only marginally. I would consider Map 05 unplayable because of this. Same for Map 06
So we have a wad, that I would rate 10/10 concerning atmosphere and 0/10 concerning gameplay. It's a shame!
According to the text-file, the maps (starting with Map 03, btw) follow a fantasy story, that I personally don't know (Robert Jordan). The only other wad I know, to which this one is possibly comparable, is the Osiris TC.
After all, I strongly recommend this wad. But prepare for a veritable nightmarish trip!
I won't rate it, because I don't know if the wad is really meant like this or if it's only my setup.