Neon Deathmatch

Neon Deathmatch
Authors	The Mechanix Union
Port	Zandronum
IWAD	Doom II
Year	2019
Link	Doomworld forums thread
	This mod received one of the 2019 Cacowards on Doomworld in the Multiplayer category!

NeonDM is a PK3 file for the deathmatch game mode released on April 29, 2019 for Zandronum. It is the Mechanix Union's most ambitious DM project, being the most complex in layout design, implementing the most new features, extensive palette changes requiring many new texture recolours for software compatibility, both random and dedicated game play mod support, and some of the most detailed work done to date by the group. The maps use advanced port features such as 3D floors, ACS scripts, and the PK3 structure instead of the WAD format.

Despite being the most ambitious project, NeonDM's production struggled. The project started in pursuit of an additional 32 maps, but quickly lost steam, attempting to appeal to new mappers and failing, losing mappers and interest for quite some time, ending up at 15 maps. Unlike MXU's previous mapsets Don't Be A Bitch Remastered, Aeon Deathmatch, and Progressive Duel 2, Neon features far less map theme variance, being a more cohesive and comprehensive set in theming, detail, and map size.

Razgriz led this project with some co-leading by Decay, but a bulk of the work on the maps was done by Razgriz, despite the seemingly large number of contributors.

The WAD received one of the multiplayer awards at the 2019 Cacowards.

Content

Custom Skill Levels

NeonDM features different item sets based on the skill level and introduces a custom skill level for a new game mode. The naming convention was based on chronological order of MXU's previous mapsets.

• Beginnings in Rage (I'm Too Young to Die) features pure BFG game play.
• Don't Be A Bitch (Hey, Not Too Rough) features specific item placement for the mod "Death Foretold."
• Vanishing Aeons (Hurt Me Plenty) features specific item placement for the mod "Quake Champions: Doom Edition."
• The Progressive Era (Ultra Violence) is vanilla items only, ensuring multiple game play mod compatibility.
• Lost in Neon (Nightmare!) uses Eon Weapons.
• Bourgeois Realized (new skill level) features a new game mode, Neon Hunter.

Neon Hunter Mode

Neon Hunter is loosely based on an idea from a tournament Boris Klimeš (dew) discussed with the team during the final stages of testing. This tournament was called the "Predator" Tournament, based on the popular movie franchise, where maps would have a respawning invisibility sphere in a 1-on-1 scenario. In Neon Hunter mode, Neon's maps use the vanilla item placement found in skill 3, The Progressive Era (Ultra Violence), but adds an Invisibility Sphere. This sphere buffs player speed, gives armor, an additional 100 HP, removes all vanilla weapons, and gives the special Eon Weapons (Grenade Launcher, Lightning Gun, Railgun) plus the Eon Chainsaw. This creates the Neon "Hunter," who is stronger than the average player and has access to special weaponry.

People

Levels, graphics, sounds, music, logistics for the WAD were made or handled by:

• Argentum
• Combinebobnt
• Decay
• Dranzer
• Dragonfly
• HeavenWraith
• Killerkouhai
• Jdagenet
• Michaelis
• Razgriz

Levels

Map name	Author(s)
NEON01: Activation	Razgriz
NEON02: Magnum	Jdagenet, Killerkouhai
NEON03: SpaceComp1	Razgriz
NEON04: Hidden Dominion	Argentum
NEON05: Submerged Memory	Dranzer, Decay, HeavenWraith
NEON06: Krigstempel	Argentum
NEON07: Project Dark-lite	Decay, Killerkouhai
NEON08: Agent Orange	Combinebobnt, Razgriz
NEON09: Sub-Nautical	Combinebobnt, Decay, Dragonfly, Razgriz
NEON10: Enter Quetzalcoatl	Combinebobnt, HeavenWraith
NEON11: Tokyo Rooftops	Razgriz
NEON12: Linear Light	Razgriz
NEON13: Toulene	Combinebobnt, Razgriz, Jdagenet
NEON14: Digitality	Dragonfly
NEON15: Future Retrospect	Decay

External links

• Release thread