The Golden Episodes SDL Released

Hi Tyler!

I had wished Ariel would have made E5L1 more fair but I understand he probably just asked MCS to have it converted and then he tested things. Good to see another classic in SDL, regardless.

Though if you're still converting, MCS, may I ask where my End of Destiny is?

I'm actually interested in having a list of what Arielus has released on his own and what he's collaborated/contributed on:

Primary or only author of:
-Shareware Wolf3D game using Xmas graphics as a base (forget name)
-Arielus' Wolfenstein 3D
-" " Spear of Destiny
-The Golden Episodes

Contributed:
-Two BMSE original levels, one anniversary edition level
-First episode of Melee
-Somewhere around 4-6 levels in Deadly Sleep
-Map of the Month levels in 2007 (not sure all the months but definitely had a map in July, August, and September)
-E5L1, 2, 4, and 8 of DHW SDL Wolf3D mapset
-A few (possibly just one) levels to the DHW TC
-Something else important that I can't publicly disclose!

EDIT: Misses (thanks ack)
-E6L1, E6L10 of Op: Letzterschutz
-Level 5 of Operation: Mutant Strike 2

Any more misses feel free to point to them!

Have I missed anything?

WolfForever wrote:I had wished Ariel would have made E5L1 more fair but I understand he probably just asked MCS to have it converted and then he tested things.

Actually, it was me who beta tested The Golden Episodes (bar Episode 5). I had a blast. Hadn't played it in years, and it renewed my respect and admiration for Ariel's mapping approach. Everything seems so meticulously planned, it's amazing.

Very nice surprise! Glad this one got the 4SDL treatment.

Off the top of my head...

- Operation: Mutant Strike II - level 5
- Operation: Letztershutz - Opening and secret level in the final episode
- All the odd numbered levels from 1-19 in Alliance of Powers. I dug through some old IRC files last night and found one where he gave his permission to be unmasked as Stormbringer.

I know this is off-topic, but he is also one of the best testers in our community. Who else could be trusted to test SR, EoD, and Orb? Ariel has tested practically everything I have released and has seen many of the projects I scrapped or only released privately. The guy rocks - pure and simple

Oops...OMS2 and Letzterschutz where shameful misses. For some reason I miss contribution to Majik Monkee games commonly.

And yes, I agree he has far more value than just the levels he makes/contributes...it just wasn't directly pertinent to what I was trying to list. Doesn't mean it's not just as noteworthy.

I did check Map of the Month thoroughly and have verified I didn't miss any months. One for each month July through September 2007. Smoothness, Pas Fantastique, and Line of Thought (monthly winner!).

Appropriate timing overall though; I think August and September are probably when the overall competition hit peak. Started to slow in October and November took four months to get though what did come out was very good...but I also like the exe best from August and September. No stamina bar!

Anyways back to TGE it's probably pretty easily the best of his own works. The Wolf3D one is very good, but a bit less consistent. SoD I frankly found too cartoonish and far from the original feel to be as good; shame since mapping wasn't all solid. I just don't think I'm a big fan of overly cartoonish stuff. TGE picks a much better set of new graphics/sprites that do IMO work in a very solid combination that give a partially unique and partially classic Wolf3D feel. The shareware one...I think that's his first work ever and it's not bad for a first work but certainly not his best although since it used Xmas Wolf as a base it is one of only a handful or so of Christmas-themed Wolf3D games that are at least decent (though with each year that number has tended to grow just a bit)..

Whoo! somebody stepped up and actually made this happen. So unhappy to have lost the code to the mod and never got to finish the port.