E2M9: Blackout (ConC.E.R.Ned)

E2M9: Blackout is the ninth and secret map in the Parallel World episode of ConC.E.R.Ned. It was designed by Matt Powell (cannonball) and uses the music track from Vile Flesh's MAP13 and MAP27, created by Gwyn Williams.

Essentials
As its name suggests, nearly all of this level is set in darkness. Take the shotgun and chaingun either side of you then head north through some flickering archways - as you step through the fourth arch some alcoves will open on either side releasing imps, lost souls and zombiemen (or shotgun guys on Ultra-Violence (UV) and Nightmare (NM) skill levels). Look inside the right-hand alcove between the last two arches to find a button that will open the north door and reveal one or two cacodemons (or a baron of Hell on UV and NM), then go through the door and head north-west towards a red firestick; watch out for imps and demons that teleport in behind you.

Continue north-west to a gargoyle switch and open it to confront a demon (or cacodemon on UV and NM), then go forward to a cavern with a blood pool before heading south to another gargoyle door which leads to an arena made of nine square chambers. Head to the west chamber and fight your way past some small enemies that teleport in, then go up some marble steps to a T-junction and turn left to reach a switch guarded by imps (plus a baron on Hurt Me Plenty (HMP) or higher). Flip the switch then go back to the blood pool and use the silver lift that has risen on the west side to get to a skull switch, which you can press to reveal a cacodemon (or baron on HMP or higher) guarding a teleporter; after stepping on this teleporter, press the gargoyle switch in front of you to find yourself back in the starting room. Kill the shotgun guys ahead then head north into the large cavern again and fight off more enemies that have teleported in, then go to the east wall to find that a barrier has lowered letting you climb some steps to the red skull key.

Drop to the ground and look right to see a lit gargoyle switch behind two floor lamps; this switch is a door requiring the red key, and leads to a room with imps and demons along with some shotgun guys on an overhead ledge. Open the gargoyle door in the west wall to find a curved staircase guarded by zombies, imps, spectres and one or two barons; instead of going down the steps, follow the ledges on either side to reach armor and a supercharge. Press the vine-covered button behind the barons then go back to the previous room and pass through the east doorway before turning left to dispose of some zombies and lost souls. Head east up some steps to find a baron guarding a gargoyle switch that you can press to lower the blue skull key.

Take the key then go back down the steps and ride the silver lift in front of you up to the ledge that held the shotgun guys; kill the cacodemons that have been released here then open the blue key door on your right and go round the corner to confront three to six barons (two of them will teleport behind you). Open the wooden door behind the barons and press the skull switch ahead to finish the level.

Other points of interest
From the blood pool on the west side of the level, head north up some steps to a gargoyle door and open it to enter a tan room then go up the west staircase to find a vine-covered button. Press this button to lower a set of bars in the south-east corner of the room, letting you follow a tan ledge to a door with a rocket launcher behind it.

After entering the arena with nine chambers in the south-west area of the level, go up the east staircase and follow the path round to a switch guarded by imps and a shotgun guy. Pressing it will lower some bars in the south chamber, letting you reach a plasma gun.

Secrets

 * 1) Enter the first hall with the flickering arches; when the side doors open, enter the south-east alcove and use the back wall to find a hidden switch. This lowers a wall to the right of the start concealing a megaarmor. (sector 58)
 * 2) After passing through the red door, enter the staircase room to the west and go on the ledge to the left of the steps. Open the first demon wall (with the blinking light) to find a switch, then return to the previous room and head east into an octagonal chamber; the east alcove has opened to reveal an energy cell pack. (sector 399)
 * 3) Go to where the blue key is and use the gargoyle switch on its ledge (if you have already lowered it, you can still use the switch by standing in front of the blue key and pressing use in that direction). Leave this area and head back to the chamber where secret #2 was located; the south alcove has opened to reveal another energy cell pack. (sector 394)

Demo files

 * The first built-in demo for this WAD takes place in this level. It was recorded on Ultra-Violence and lasts for 1:32.29.

Current records
The records for the map at the Doom Speed Demo Archive are:

The (absence of) data was last verified in its entirety on December 20, 2021.

Things
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level: