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    Features, mapping information, resources...

    This section of the site deals with the features that are currently implemented into "Against the Clock", as well as with others that are planned to. Here are also discussed an apparent storyline, information about the "Worlds", the resources used to make them and finally, the details on making your own maps for "Against the Clock".

    Info section Index:

   Currently implemented features.

   Future and planned to implement features.

   About "Against the Clock" storyline.

   About "Against the Clock" worlds.

   Mapping for "Against the Clock".

   Resources.

    Currently implemented features.

    "Against the Clock", at the moment of writing, supports some features to enhance the regular´s Doom gameplay. These features are:

  • A fully working time counter shown in the upper right part of the screen. The clock is always racing so don´t stop to gaze at the architecture or to look for hidden secrets unless you have enough time left!. Different times are given for each level depending on the difficulty level you choose. In later difficulty levels you will have to develop tactics to finish the levels such as leaving determinated monsters alive, ignoring powerups or even take shorcuts to the goal.

  • A "Tourist" mode, wich will allow you to play any of the levels with no time limit, equivalent to "I´m too young to die" setting in Doom.
  • New pick-up powerups... You will find useful powerups that will help you to find secrets, shorcuts or just will give you second chances to survive in the levels.  So far six of them have been implemented (namely, the Translocator, the Restarter, the Superjump and three different hourglasses that will add seconds to the time counter.

  • The ability to shape time... In fact, there are some statues there depicting the "Guardian of Time". If you can reach them he can paralize the time counter or even run backwards adding seconds to your time left. Beware though!!!, if you pick up an hourglass while time runs back it will actually substract seconds from your precious reserve!!!.

  • Different gameplay patterns blended in the levels. From the classical Doom action to platform jumping and puzzling around... Also you will find moving platforms, different kinds of traps, dangerous jumps... Performing determinate tasks, like completing a riddle will grant you with some extra seconds.

  • A score system with an up to 9.999.999 points counter. Score is granted by picking up items, performing tasks such as finding secrets and, when codepointer support is added, killing monsters. 
  • A new scripted "Intermission" screen where you will get more points for spare time, ammo, health, weapons...

  • Levels themselves, with usage of scripting, 3d floors, Legacy special effects... They´re heavily loaded with danger and playing them once and again to find out a way to reach the goal is mandatory. To balance gameplay, levels are not really long (between four and eight minutes in gameplay) so it´s not that frustrating to start over time and again.

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    Future and planned to implement features.

    There´s also a lot of things that I´d like to add. I don´t know if all of the following will make it to the final release (be for scripting problems with the future Legacy v2.0, be for not considering them neccesary anymore) but the list goes as follows:

  • Demon Hearts that are needed to activate the "Guardian of Time" statues. The time the powers of the "Guardian of Time" will last depends on the amount of them you have... To get them you must kill monsters but bear in mind that the appearance of Demon Hearts is completely random!.

  • Secret levels with special themes, at least one per world and with a secret entry well hidden. You will have to use all your logic and wits  to find them!!!.

  • Treasure pick ups... Just for the sake of it and to increase the score there will be several of them scattered around the maps. Are you willing to get an hi-score?. Do not miss them then!!!.

  • More powers for the "Guardian of Time", like having your guns loaded with deadlier ammunition to wreak havoc amindst monsters for a limited period of time.
  • Different endings for different difficulty settings.

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    About "Against The Clock" storyline.

    There´s no full storyline to "Against the Clock"... At least for now. The only thing that is certain is that you will travel through unknown realities following an UAC dimensional gate... Each of the worlds has a different feel, reality and uses and in these realities you will witness strange phenomena and become aware of the very different, yet familiar laws that rule there. Time reigns supreme in these realities and time is, in fact, the most important difference you could notice... Even if your eyes perceive something that can´t be real, the sense of time and it´s endless march will make it real for you.   

    More than a storyline, each world has some sort of story that won´t be explictly revealed while playing. Each of them may belong to different time frames, you may find them in ruins, in full glory and brigth, completely wild or just weird, depending on the World´s concept. 

    Maybe at the end of each World you will find information about it but until then, you can have a look at the descriptions below.

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    About "Against the Clock" worlds.

    The "World" concept in "Against the Clock" is pretty much the same that you could find in old plataform games like the Monty Mole saga, Super Mario Bros, Sonic... They are blocks comprised of a certain number of levels which share a common leitmotif (for example, the "Snow" world in most games, the unforgettable "Scrap brain" in Sonic...). That said you can guess that "Against the Clock" tries to deal the same with Doom than with these kind of games: levels are somehow unconectted, diverse, non-real, hard... In fact, they are quite hard to finish in a first run!!!. It could have been different but I wanted it to be that way to get a little glimpse of the "Old School" arcade feel.

    "Against the Clock" will feature at least one world. World 1 is a strange place called "The Quiet Place". It starts out as a beautiful cliff with caverns, rivers and old buildings. At a first glance you can see some UAC constructs and equipment here and there, but no one to welcome you there... What happened or happens there is a complete mistery and it will get bigger the more you are into the world.

    Depending on the degree of satisfaction I get with World 1 I will make more worlds...  Planning these levels is easy at first but I must try to make them look good and also original. It´s not an easy task and I´m not sure about how am I performing it... Besides, levels must be challenging but remain playable so it takes some time to plan, model, balance and test a level.

    What I want to say with this is that if someone is waiting for this, please, be patient. I also have a life and things to care about and this is only a form of entertainment and stress relieving.

    Concepts for other worlds vary from an endless ocean to an strange medieval environment.

    Also I find something interesting in the concept: since there´s always a timer running you can´t stop to gaze at things and well, if you see something strange or something odd goes on you´ll have just to leave it like that or play in "Tourist" mode. It can cause a certain impression, express something, if you know what I mean.

    So far, there are some ideas for other worlds such as an egiptian world, sumerian themes, a spaceship, a high mountain-like world... When and in what order will they be done is something uncertain.

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    Mapping for "Against the Clock".

    One of the concerns I had when I thought about the concept of "Against the Clock" was it´s flexibility to create these kinds of levels as easily as regular Doom levels are made. A test file was released in www.newdoom.com forums a while ago with an early version of the "Master Script" (you can get this file in the "Downloads" section)... In the post that came with it, I encouraged authors to make their own levels using and modifying that code.

    Well, the script wasn´t exacly clear on it´s working (it´s clearer to me now) and that would surely make level editing hard. Since the project started I´ve done all that´s been possible for me to clarify the script and to make level editing easier, not only for other authors, but also for my own sake!. 

    All that you need is an idea, a way to integrate scripts into your map and you´re started into it. Yes, that´s true: when "World 1" of "Against the Clock" is out, I will make some "Level making" template scripts and upload the Master script. You´ll only have to fill the blanks, put the scripts in your map and have a nice time... It will be a while until that happens but you can experiment with the file mentioned earlier meanwhile if you wish.

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    Resources.

    "Against the Clock" is using several resources. Some of them are specially made for this project, some others are available for everyone. You will surely have access to the original resource file once "World 1" is released.

    Resources include:

  • Nightmare texture pack 1, by Nick Baker.
  • Some textures made by me.
  • Textures made by Psyren.
  • Hexen and Heretic texture and sprite conversions.
  • Doom based textures.
  • Original music.
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