MAP08: Grand Ballroom (Stardate 20X7)

MAP08: Grand Ballroom is the eighth map of Stardate 20X7. It was designed by Zachary Stephens (Ribbiks) and uses the music track "Abyss," by DJ Taka, arranged for MIDI by Stephens. The par time defined in the DEHACKED lump is 1:09.

Essentials
Take the weapons and shoot the switch in front of you. The switch will reveal a staircase to the left of the starting point, the first row of imps in front, and a side area to the right containing Hell knights and arachnotrons. The left staircase contains a super shotgun, and a variety of enemies should the player advance further up. Efficient manoeuvring, attention to all monsters, and enough infighting will be required to clear this beginning area.

Yellow Key

Once enough monsters have been killed (often including the revenants, mancubi, and arachnotrons) and enough space is cleared, the player should be able to take a teleporter at the end of the eastern staircase. This will take them to the northern area, an extraordinary void dance hall containing the exit. There is a switch next to the BFG that will teleport the player to the northeastern area. Picking up the armor bonus will reveal some enemies including a baron of Hell in front of a switch. Press this switch and drop down, and kill all the imps along the walkway. Picking up the plasma rifle halfway through will open the walls to the west containing various enemies and the yellow key. There is a switch to the southeast of this area that will open a nearby wall containing a teleporter back to the starting area, telefragging a cyberdemon.

Purple Key

There is a switch west of the starting area that will lower hallways to the left and right, a few steps back. Up north, a switch is guarded by two arch-viles and two chaingunners. This switch will lower a couple pillars along with the nearby revenant platforms. Ride any of the closest two upwards and drop down onto the walkway. Press the switch nearby, and this will gain access to the southern area. Picking up a plasma rifle there will reveal cacodemons, mancubi, a cyberdemon, and pain elementals (on Ultra Violence or higher). To the east there is an alcove containing two switches guarded by arch-viles (and two pain elementals on Hurt Me Plenty and lower). The right switch requires the yellow key, and will open up a shaft to the right. Dropping down this shaft, you will be faced with a lot of Hell knights and barons situated on walkways above. Make your way around the area and press the switch, which will lower a BFG, megasphere, two cyberdemons, and eventually all the Hell knights and barons. With luck and enough cells at hand, an infighting party will occur and the room will eventually be cleared. Having pressed the switch, you can lower a lift to the west of this area, ride back up, run straight across, and collect the purple key.

Exit

Having collected both keys (the black key is a secret, see below), you will need to make your way back to the northernmost area, containing the exit and two cyberdemons. Pressing the switch in front of them will release them, but also teleport in 25 revenants (on HNTR and lower) or more cyberdemons and arch-viles (on HMP or higher). Once this final frantic dance has been completed, you can press a new switch labeled EXIT to the south of this area, and the bars blocking the exit will lower. Walking into the void will end the level.

Secrets

 * 1) Head to the top of the zigzagging staircase with chaingunners. Make a running jump southwest, and if you are lucky, you will go through the wall, collecting a berserk pack and a computer area map. Lower the wall to the north to get a health bonus (Hurt Me Plenty or lower) or a plasma gun (Ultra-Violence or higher). (sector 27)
 * 2) Leave the area in the southeast part of the map via the lift at the west side. At the top, there is a small set of steps to the north that lets you get on the higher ledge, then walk left and then up to the column on the left side. Lower it to find the black key and boxes of rockets. (sector 432)
 * 3) Once you have the black key, go back to the water arena to the south of the starting arena and open the black bar to the southeast. Take the teleporter to a secret arena with revenants and arch-viles, as well as the BFG9000. (sector 54)
 * 4) The switch west of the starting arena lowers the bars to the north and south areas here. Enter the north area and approach the soul sphere to find chaingunners, arch-viles, and a switch. The switch lowers the pillars as well as the revenant platforms nearby. Enter either of the first two platforms, then jump east onto the walkway. Attempt to jump to the other walkway for a block to rise up, allowing you to reach the other side. The next set of blocks will lower allowing you to get a megaarmor and energy cells. (sector 60)

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: