MAP01: Drop Zone (Threshold of Pain)

MAP01: Drop Zone is the first level of Threshold of Pain. It was designed by John Gourley (scalliano) and uses the music track "Sanity's Edge," composed by Aubrey Hodges for the Sony PlayStation port of Doom. The par time defined in MAPINFO is 5:00.

Essentials
Follow the path past zombiemen and imps, plus shotgun guys on Ultra-Violence (UV) or Nightmare (NM) skill levels. You will drop into an open area in front of a metal building which is guarded by several monsters - jump on to the rock in the middle of this area and take the shotgun and two stacks of 4 shotgun shells.

From this point you can go west to find the blue keycard, or east to find the red keycard. They can be obtained in either order, but both will be required to get into the metal building.

Blue keycard
Head west and follow the path between two floor lamps, then turn left and kill the monsters guarding the other side of the bridge before crossing it. Go through the door next to the UAC sign to enter a small building, kill any shotgun guys inside and take the blue key they were guarding.

Red keycard
Head east down some large steps and pass through a narrow opening in the wall, then turn right and kill the zombies ahead. Go through the door in the metal building behind them and kill the shotgun guys waiting behind it, then press the switch in the west wall to open some bars behind you. Go through the bars and take the red key behind them.

Yellow keycard and exit
With both the blue and red keys, return to the large metal building you found earlier and approach the large gray door. Either side of the door are silver panels with blue and red door markings - open both panels and press the switches behind them to open the large door. Step through and kill any waiting monsters, then leave the room through the east door.

Head through the next room and pass through another door, then turn left and head down two flights of stairs to yet another door. Open it to find a room with a fenced ledge running around the perimeter - kill one or two chaingunners waiting behind the door, then one or two cacodemons which appear from behind the bars in the middle of the room. Lower the lift in the south-west corner of the room and ride it up to the fenced area, then follow the ledge round past several imps to a switch. Press the switch to lower the bars, then return to ground level and throw the switch on the small pillar that was behind the bars.

Return to the room with the yellow keycard, watching out for imps and demons that have teleported in on the way. Go through the west door which has now opened and cross the room to its west side, then climb the steps and press the switch in front of you, watching out for imps trying to ambush you from either side. Go back to the yellow key room to find that the pillar holding the key has lowered, allowing you to take it. Go through the yellow door in the north wall and kill the monsters on the staircase ahead, then head down the steps to the exit door and kill the imp waiting behind it. Turn right and press the switch in front of you to finish the level.

Other points of interest
Before entering the building containing the blue key, head east into a narrow tunnel that connects with the pit east of the bridge. Several armor bonuses can be found on the steps in this tunnel.

Armor can be found behind the barred switch in the eastern-most room, between two tall floor lamps.

Secrets

 * 1) Just after starting the level you will reach a stream, flowing into a low opening in the wall on your left. Crouch down and enter this opening to find an armor pickup and two clips. (sector 6)
 * 2) After crossing the bridge to the blue key building, turn round and look down at the pit on your left. You will see a small ledge under the north wall of this pit; jump to or drop on to the ledge and follow it into a small tunnel. (sector 102) Follow the tunnel to find a backpack, 4 shotgun shells and nine health bonuses.
 * 3) After entering the room containing the yellow key, go through the east door to a room with computer screens. Open the south wall between two small screens to reveal a berserk pack guarded by a lost soul. (sector 187)

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 February 21, 2022.

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