MAP08: The Cubes of Pink (Dreamblood)

Dreamblood maps
Episode 1 MAP01: Electric Moon MAP02: Mechanical Mutations MAP03: Martian Embers MAP04: 64 City MAP05: Where the Water Flows MAP06: North Pollution MAP07: Accursed Sunset MAP08: The Cubes of Pink
Episode 2 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

This level occupies the map slot MAP08. For other maps which occupy this slot, see Category:MAP08.

MAP08: The Cubes of Pink is the eighth map of Dreamblood. It was designed by HeadshotTAS and uses the music track "Courtyard of Despair" by Proxy-MIDI. This level consists of five arena fights, with the map gradually changing in structure as you progress through them.

Walkthrough

Map of The Cubes of Pink

Letters in italics refer to marked spots on the map. Sector, thing, and linedef numbers in boldface are secrets which count toward the end-of-level tally.

Essentials

You start in a small room outside the main arena. If you have found any of the Demon Keys, you can use them here to access some bonus items: the orange key lowers a BFG9000, the cyan key lowers an Unmaker, and the purple key lowers a megasphere. Leave through the narrow corridor, picking up the berserk powerup as you do. Take the lift up to the central platform and grab all the ammunition you can.

Press the switch in the center to start the first wave. Demons (and nightmare variants) will spawn from teleporters on both ends of the arena, nightmare imps will appear on the four central cubes, and Hell knights will appear on two ledges surrounding the arena. The waves of demons will be the main challenge, as you must fight them off quickly to avoid being overwhelmed. A good strategy is using the rocket launcher for as long as you can, then switching to the plasma gun when they get too close. Both ledges with Hell knights will have a supercharge on them; use the jump pads to reach them.

Once all monsters have been killed, the central switch will reappear along with more ammunition. It is wise to pick up everything you can before proceeding to the next wave, including the supercharges if necessary. Press the switch, and the second wave will start. Arachnotrons will appear from the teleporters that previously spawned demons, and more Hell knights will appear on the ledges. As with the first wave, you must fight quickly to avoid being overwhelmed: prioritize fully clearing one side of arachnotrons so you will not be attacked by two sides at once. The rocket launcher is recommended.

When the second wave is cleared, the four central cubes lower into the ground and more ammunition will spawn. Press the switch found in the alcove behind the teleporter, and then press the switch in the center to start the third wave. The areas around the teleporters will be blocked, reducing the space in which to move. In the center of the map, a horde of Hell knights will spawn, after which a cyberdemon will appear in their midst. Kill the monsters as quickly as you can: if they corner you on one side of the platform, drop down into the nukage, and take the lift up to the other side. It is helpful to let the cyberdemon damage the Hell knights with its rockets if you can manage it, though they are prevented from actively infighting.

Once the cyberdemon is dead, press the switch to raise up the central platform and spawn a megasphere; grab it to start the fourth wave. Walls will rise around you, trapping you in a cross-shaped arena. Many Hell knights will spawn on the pink cubes directly surrounding you, several mancubi will appear on the ledges outside the arena, and a few cacodemons will spawn and slowly approach you through the air.

Kill all the monsters, and the structure of the level will change one last time. The arena will rise up alongside the pits surrounding it, forming a single large area. On the outskirts is a set of bars; a megasphere and a switch are located in front of it. Press the switch to start the fifth and final wave. Pain elementals spawn in the center, Hell knights spawn on pillars throughout the arena, and mancubi and arachnotrons spawn on the outer walls. Focus on killing the pain elementals first, as they can easily overwhelm you with the lost souls they spawn. Kill all the enemies to lower the bars, then follow the passage behind it to find a portal. Go through the portal to exit the level and end the first episode.

Secrets

There are no official secrets on this map.

Areas / screenshots

• 

  A cyberdemon in the central arena.

Speedrunning

Current records

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

Run	Time	Player	Date	File	Notes
UV speed
NM speed
UV max
NM 100S
UV -fast
UV -respawn
UV Tyson
UV pacifist

Miscellaneous demos

Run	Time	Player	Date	File	Notes

Statistics

Map data

Things	215
Vertices	4668*
Linedefs	2347
Sidedefs	4363
Sectors	335

* The vertex count without the effect of node building is 1882.

Things

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

Single-player
Monsters	1-2	3	4-5
Nightmare imp	8
Demon	28	32	32
Cacodemon	6	4	4
Pain elemental	3	4	5
Hell knight	4	24	32
Arachnotron	8	12	12
Mancubus	4	6	12
Cyberdemon	1
Weapons	1-2	3	4-5
Super shotgun	1
Chaingun	1
Rocket launcher	1
Plasma gun	1
BFG9000	1
Unmaker	1
Ammunition	1-2	3	4-5
Box of bullets	4
Box of shotgun shells	6
Box of rockets	14
Energy cell	6
Energy cell pack	2
Health & Armor	1-2	3	4-5
Medikit	6
Items	1-2	3	4-5
Supercharge	2
Megasphere	3
Berserk	1
Radiation shielding suit	1
Miscellaneous	1-2	3	4-5
Barrel	16	4	4
Teleport landing	10

Inspiration and development

The author decided to make heavy use of the color pink in this level because it is not normally seen in Doom 64 maps. The map's title is a reference to the album The Lemon of Pink by the band The Books.