Vrack 2

Vrack 2 is a single level PWAD by Fredrik Johansson for Doom II. It has been released in two versions; initially on March 24, 2001, and in a version "B" on December 14, 2001, with bug fixes and a REJECT map that makes it run slightly faster on low-end computers. Vrack 2 requires a Boom compatible source port.

Vrack 2 is the sequel to Vrack and was followed by Vrack 3. All three are in the same theme: gray-colored tech bases floating in outer space. Vrack 2 initially became somewhat famous for its size, level of detail, and number of monsters (over 700 on Ultra-Violence), and has been used frequently as a benchmark to test the performance of source ports and editors.

Secrets
Open the diagonal wall in the northeast. This reveals a small alcove with a radiation shielding suit (sector 916), which will come in handy for the yellow skull key room.
 * 1) From the southern square room, head east and then south down the corridor. Open the door to come to an overlook with a set of steps in the east heading down to a blue keycard locked door.
 * 1) At the overlook with the switch panel south of the isolated red keycard platform, stand at the segment of railing running east-west that is further from the switch, then look west. You will see a switch on a wall in the distance. Shoot it to cause a pillar at the red keycard platform to lower, revealing a plasma gun. When you teleport to the red keycard platform, collect the plasma gun to tag this secret. (sector 1039)
 * 2) After collecting the red keycard, quickly move to the southeast of the platform and look east. You will see a switch on a wall in the distance. Shoot it to cause two pillars on the red keycard platform to lower. The northern one reveals a blur artifact, while the southern one reveals a soulsphere. Both pillars count as one secret. (sector 1045)
 * 3) From the "main hangar" in the center of the map, take the easternmost unlocked door in the south. Follow the corridor around until it reaches a doorway leading to a raised walkway in a room with two raising and lowering pillars. Opposite this doorway is a stretch of wall between two pairs of metal strips. Open it to find a darkened room with a megaarmor, a backpack and a bulk cell, but be wary of the spectres inside. (sector 1140)
 * 4) In the southern square room, open the western hexagonal panel on the south wall. This leads to a concealed tunnel (sector 1192), hidden by a fake wall from the outside. From this tunnel, you can jump to the invulnerability on a nearby crate. After flipping the switch at the overlook south of the isolated red keycard platform, an arch-vile is released from a concealed alcove in the east of this secret area - knowing this secret will help you eliminate it. The concealed alcove counts as part of the same secret, but also contains an energy cell and a box of shells.
 * 5) In the northwest of the map, you will cross a bridge into an area with flickering lights and a long conveyor belt. From the raised area, drop down to the south, then go east past the pair of flickering light strips. Head south to the end of a narrow L-shaped corridor. Backtrack to the raised area and use the platform in its southeast to get back up. Align yourself with the northwest of this raised area and carefully drop down. This takes you to a ledge with a doorway. Go through this doorway (sector 1414) to access the outdoor area surrounding the blue skull key conveyor belt. Going all the way to the west part of this area nets you a soulsphere.
 * 6) Back in the same area with flickering lights as the previous secret, from the raised area, drop down to the south, then go east past the pair of flickering light strips. Cling to the edge of the conveyor belt machine and head north. This allows you to walk north along a narrow ledge to a secret alcove containing some goodies, including a light amplification visor that will come in handy in this room. (sector 1419)
 * 7) In the southwest of the map, there is a room with a large metal panel on the floor with four blue circles on it. This is supposed to teleport you to the "slime and revenant" area in the southeast of the map. Open the southeast computer bank for a hidden room with an invulnerability (sector 1491). From here, you can lower a wall to the west, ride it up to a door and collect the BFG9000 from its alcove in the courtyard in the south.

Bugs
The entirety of the surprise ending sequence is supposed to be hidden from the automap, but six linedefs (11145, 12447, 12448, 12451, 12452, 12454) in the area have been flagged as "shown as 1-sided on automap" instead of "not shown on automap". This must be presumed to be a mistake.

Speedrunning
Vrack 2 demos from the Doomed Speed Demos Archive:

UV max
 * 24:09 by Adam Hegyi
 * 28:22 by Adam Williamson
 * 32:04 by Chris Ratcliff

UV -fast
 * 53:07 by Chris Ratcliff

Current records
The records for the map at the Doomed Speed Demos Archive are:

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

Technical information
Surprise ending utilising Boom's extended teleporters

When the player presses what appears to be the exit switch, he suddenly appears in the real ending stretch of the level. This is is achieved through the use of Boom's extended teleporters.

In classic Doom, all teleporters are walkover actions with fog and sound. Boom, however, extends this to include switches that teleport the player and silent teleporters with neither fog nor sound, capable of conserving angle and momentum. The fake exit switch has action 210 (SR Teleport, silent, also monsters, same angle). Thus, when the player flips the switch, he is immediately teleported into the real final stretch of the level, maximising the element of surprise.

Reviews

 * Sir Robin (5/5)
 * Metabolist (93%)
 * Metabolist (93%)
 * Metabolist (93%)