E2M8: The Portals of Chaos (Heretic + Hexen)
From DoomWiki.org
| Heretic re-release maps |
|---|
| The City of the Damned |
| The Dome of D'Sparil |
| The Ossuary |
| The Stagnant Demesne |
| Fate's Path (deathmatch only levels) |
| This level has an original version |
E2M8: The Portals of Chaos is the eighth and final map of the Hell's Maw episode in the enhanced Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders re-release, included with Heretic + Hexen. It uses the music track "Arpo" by Kevin Schilder.
Contents
Walkthrough[edit]
_E2M8_map.png)
Essentials[edit]
You begin in a hole at the north end of the map. Press the switch in front of you to be carried up to an open area with fire gargoyles, take any items you need here then head east through a gap in the wall and push past some nitrogolems to the graveyard on the east side of the map. Deal with some waiting weredragons then go up the steps by the west wall to find more fire gargoyles protecting a mystic urn (on bringest them oneth (BTO) skill level or lower) and Gauntlets of the Necromancer. When you are ready for the boss fight, go down another set of steps to reach the portal area in the center of the map.
When you cross the bridge to the portals it will drop into the lava below, and the maulotaurs will rise from the pit in the middle. The number of maulotaurs varies with skill level—one on yellowbellies-r-us or lower, two on BTO, and three smite-meister or higher. Keep your distance from the maulotaurs to avoid being hit by their charge attacks, and keep strafing to avoid their fireballs and floor-hugging lines of fire. Once all the maulotaurs are killed, the maulotaur murals blocking the four corner portals will lower, and you can enter any of them to finish the episode.
Other points of interest[edit]
The north, east, south and west portals in the center of the map have a phoenix rod, a Morph Ovum, a hellstaff and a Tome of Power inside them respectively. Entering these portals will send you to the opposite side of the map.
Secrets[edit]
Official[edit]
- On the west side of the map is a brown rock with an ethereal crossbow. Take the crossbow then go inside the iron tower in the south-west corner to find that a chamber has opened containing a mystic urn, an enchanted shield, and a Wings of Wrath. (sector 34) On BTO or lower, the chamber will also contain two flame orbs.
- On the south side of the map is a pit with a dragon claw. Take the weapon then go to the east side of the map and look for another iron tower in the north-east corner where a doorway has opened. Go through and run east through some crushers to reach a Chaos Device, a shadowsphere, and a Bag of Holding (plus a Wings of Wrath on BTO or lower). (sector 61) If you open the east wall you will find one or more disciples of D'Sparil guarding a teleporter that will put you back before the crushers.
Non-official[edit]
- Go behind the north portal to find two switches. Press either switch to lower the column in the middle of the arena holding a Ring of Invincibility.
Bugs[edit]
The player 1 start (thing 0) has no flags set for any of the three difficulty classes, but because of special handling in the engine, it functions normally in the level.
An unknown texture, TEETH9, is used on the archways in the corners of the map. There is no texture with that name in the WAD, although there is a TEETH9A, so it never appears.
Demo files[edit]
Comparison of versions[edit]
Room design[edit]
- The playable area is now surrounded by lava, which also surrounds the portal area.
- Steps were added on the north side of the map leading up to the silver shield.
- Graves were added on the east side of the map.
- Secret #2 faces east instead of north.
- The maulotaurs now rise from the floor when the portal area is entered.
Texture changes[edit]
- Almost every texture in the level has been changed, including textures not found in the original release of Heretic.
Thing placement[edit]
- The pile of mace spheres in secret #1 was removed without being replaced, while the two mace spheres were changed to flame orbs. As this level has no firemaces, the spheres would be useless when playing from a wand start.
- Comparison of maps
E2M8 (original)
E2M8 (Heretic + Hexen)
Areas / screenshots[edit]
Speedrunning[edit]
Routes and tricks[edit]
Current records[edit]
The records for the map at the Doom Speed Demo Archive are:
| Run | Time | Player | Date | File | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SM speed | |||||
| SM max | |||||
| BP speed | |||||
| BP max | |||||
| NM speed | |||||
| NM 100S | |||||
| Tyson | |||||
| Pacifist |
The (absence of) data was last verified in its entirety on August 10, 2025.
Deathmatch[edit]
Player spawns[edit]
This level contains four spawn points:
- facing south. (thing 235)
- facing east. (thing 236)
- facing west. (thing 237)
- facing north-east. (thing 238)
Statistics[edit]
Map data[edit]
| Things | 309 |
| Vertices | 1860* |
| Linedefs | 1908 |
| Sidedefs | 2959 |
| Sectors | 208 |
Things[edit]
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level:
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