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Title                   : Hall of The Mountain King (HALLMONT.WAD)
Author                  : 'Spooky' John Bye
Email Address           : jb54@le.ac.uk

Misc Author Info        : Underworked physics student

Description             : A huge level with some impressive bits and
                        pieces.  Full description below, but basically
                        it's a big underground medieval-style setup.

Additional Credits to   : All the usuals, plus the makers of DCK and BSP

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* Play Information *

Episode and Level #     : E1M1
Single Player           : Yes
Cooperative 2-4 Player  : No
Deathmatch 2-4 Player   : No
Difficulty Settings     : Yes
New Sounds              : None
New Graphics            : None
Demos Replaced          : None

* Construction *

Base                    : New level from scratch
Build Time              : About 12-24 hours over a few days.
Editor(s) used          : DCK2.2, DEEP shareware beta, BSP 1.2x
Known Bugs              : Some of the rooms are just too big and
                        detailed.  Sometimes when you go into a room
                        there's a kinda HOM type thing in the corners,
                        kinda like a brownish grey mist...  Using version
                        1.9 of Doom kills this problem.
                          Also the huge long candle-lit corridor was
                        TOO long.  I had to add the doors in the middle
                        because when you looked down the length of the
                        whole corridor the game crashed!  The only way this
                        could happen now is if you opened both doors and then
                        ran backwards down the corridor, reaching the end
                        before either door shuts.  This isn't likely to be a
                        great problem in real play situations, but watch out
                        for it if that's your kind of playing style!


* Copyright / Permissions *

Authors may NOT use this level as a base to build additional
levels, but feel free to distribute it, provided you include this file,
with no modifications.  You may distribute this file in any electronic
format (BBS, Diskette, CD, etc) as long as you include this file
intact.

* Where to get this WAD *

Probably where you found this text file.  Otherwise e-mail me.

* Detailed Description *

   This level started as 'an experiment in light and shadow' (apologies for
being pretentious) inspired by some other people's limited usage of shadows.
This WAD takes that to the limit, with detailed lighting levels around lamps
and fires and stuff and all sorts of complicated shading that made the level
much bigger and harder to do than it would otherwise have been.  It also means
that the level might be too big for some computers.  It worked fine on mine,
but I've got an 8MB Pentium90.  If it doesn't work on yours, upgrade, or else
e-mail me and I'll make a simpler version of the level.

   In the end the level became rather inspired by JRR Tolkein's 'The Hobbit'.
This level is loosely based on the goblin's underground fortress that Bilbo
and co. get dragged into in the mountains before reaching the beastman's house
and Mirkwood.  (Chapters 'Over Hill and Under Hill' and 'Riddles in the Dark')
   Of course Bilbo only had a dagger, not a chainsaw and shotgun!

   In the spirit of things, you come around in the larder after being captured
at the entrance to the stronghold.  Escaping, you have to fight your way
through the level, kill the Mountain King and use the switch behind his throne
to escape.  After climbing the spiral staircases for seemingly ages, you meet
Gollum (or at least an invisible demon) which you must slay to steal the ring
(an invisibility thing) with which you can escape through the back door.

   The level consists of several rooms and areas:

        The Larder
           This is where you start, along with all the other meat!

        The Kitchen
           A bloody mess, and rather unhygenic!  The cook's not very friendly
         either.  Several corpses awaiting carving...

        The Dining Hall
           Inspired by my previous WAD, JJTOWN, this features a table and rows
         of stools on either side, as well as a big chair at the head of the
         table and a fireplace.

        The Art Gallery
           The artistic merit of these works is rather dubious, and the
         artists responsible need psychological attention.  The art critics
         studying the works aren't very friendly either.

        The Hallway
           A relatively short hallway with alcoves along either side.  Leads
         to the well room (if you can get to it...)

        The Great Hall
           One of the biggest indoor rooms to grace a DOOM wad ever, this room
         is made more remarkable by the intricate lighting.

        The Guard Room
           At the far end of the Great Hall is a small room where the guards
         rest up between alerts, complete with it's own little fireplace.

        The Great Corridor
           A long corridor linking the King's Hall with the rest of the
         complex.  Due to game limitations it had to be cut in half to stop
         the computer crashing whenever you looked along it.  Lit by dozens of
         candles along the length of it...

        King's Hall
           At one end of the Great Corridor, this is where the King (Baron?)
         hangs out with his bodyguard.  A nice big throne and banner behind
         it.  In fact the wall below the marble face is a switch which opens
         the door to the exit...

        Double Helix
           A pair of nifty spiral staircases at the other end of the Great
         Corridor which leads to the exit.  In fact this is a double double
         helix...  You go round both spiral staircases twice to get to the
         exit, the stairs rise to a higher level while you're walking round
         the back to get back to the first staircase.  I've never seen anyone
         use this trick before.  I was trying to have the stairs rise behind
         you as you walked, but I couldn't get it to work, so I went for this
         system instead.  Watch for further developments.  I think I can get
         the initial plan to work.  This would produce a real spiral staircase
         that you can climb until you reach the ceiling, instead of being
         limited to a 360 degree sweep.

        The Exit
           You can see the outside through the open gates, just past the rows
         of guards...  Lucky you're invisible.  You can either kick ass, or do
         a runner for the exit before they spot you.

        The Well
           A deep well in a secret room.  Try finding the switch that opens
         the doors at the end of the Hallway...  (You might get a bit singed!).

        The Slaughter House
           There is one other secret room to be found.  This is where you can
         get a chainsaw.  Half-finished products of this room can be found
         amongst the blood that covers the floor of this little place.  Also
         where the guard's pet is kept amused...


   I think this is one of the best looking WADs around.  But then, I wrote it!
If you have any comments, e-mail me.  Also watch out for future versions of
this level, which I hope to bring out soon.  They might include HR Geiger
pictures in the art gallery and some new music for the level...


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