An odd project with an odder history, No End in Sight is a collaboration between Emil "NaturalTvventy" Brundage (of end1.wad fame) and myself that spawned serendipitously (that's a word now) during a lull in Doom the Way id Did. A few interesting e-mail exchanges led to us split off from DTWID and do our own thing, though amusingly a couple of maps ended up in both projects once DTWID picked back up again. The rest is relatively-recent history.
The basic gist of the project once we got started was "Try to make DTWID maps and then blatantly not care when all the rules are inevitably broken." The end result is a good ol' vanilla romp through four episodes that put a new spin on the classic episodes' themes. Along the way, you'll enter parallel worlds, explore derelict spaceships still floating in the sky, and return to some eerily familiar locales on the far side of Phobos.
Cheesy as it may sound, NEIS is our love letter to The Ultimate Doom, and we sincerely hope the intended "if you like Doom then you'll like this" sentiment holds true. If not, we just might curse your name forever.
I'm actually not sure whether or not I'm kidding about that last part any more. Hmm...
.the xasermaps.
E1M7
.biosphere.
An abandoned terrarium complex from the late 90's (back when space travel was first starting to become a thing), this dilapidated ruin was once used to produce food, oxygen, and other life-sustaining amenities to the initial colonists to Phobos... or at least those with a fat enough wallet.
Huge thanks to 40oz for inspiring the original look of the map in the old DTWID dev thread, and to John Romero for posting the idea of this map in the first place. I figured it was a shame that Romero's concept never got done, so I copied 40oz's work (with eventual permission ;) for the first built area (the invis ledge shown in the first screenie) and kept building from there. Got a bit out of hand, but what Xasermap doesn't?
E2M1
.receiving station.
Welcoming station for visitors to Deimos, including a nice spiffy lounge, fireplace, and scrolling bank of TVs for maximum news multitasking.
This one's a DTWID repeat, but for two good reasons: the first is E2M9, and the second is that this is the original, more "Deimos Anomaly Clone" version with STONE2 abound that I'm still rather fond of. It's totally justifiable! Probably!
E2M3
.contagion engine.
Bizarre toxic waste recycling facility designed by a group of puzzle addicts and card game fanatics. If the demons don't get you, the overflowing nukage will. Or maybe the central security system blocking the exit will. Or you'll trip down a staircase and bang your head. Could be any number of things, really.
As for the crazy tile floors? They totally scream "Angry Scientist Laboratory," eh?
E2M4
.derelict vessel.
As the subtitle suggests, this map was the product of a semi-successful attempt to summon Tom Hall in an ancient Xaserian ritual. The end result is an eerie floating spaceship that hopefully evokes a couple of Doom Alpha nostalgia pangs.
The layout is somewhat-intentionally confusing, with all sorts of unorthodox wrap-arounds, but there are multiple "correct" ways to progress and enough strictly-optional areas to hopefully please both the explorative player and the speedrunner.
Oh, who am I kidding. Both are gonna curse my name for this one. I'm somehow okay with this.
E2M9
.castle of illusions.
Deja Vuvuzela.
Warrens Done Right.
'Nuff Said.
E3M3
.the grinder.
Leave it to a demon to design a decadent castle only to place a giant-ass squishy-thing-maker right in the center of it. This one's cramped, evil, and requires the player to have a dual degree in Lava Walking and Crusher Avoidance Management.
Also, contains Dave. Just a warning.
E3M4
.fortuna bridge.
One part Golden Gate, another part Mt. Erebus. Explore the local flogger's market and trek across the titular bridge for some fresh air. Just don't be surprised if the entire thing collapses on you like a simile I can't bother coming up with at the moment.
E4M3
.square zero.
int map = square[0];
Semi-speedmap written in the theme of "Ultimate Urban Doom." Come for the pizza, stay because you're dead. Welcome to Chico.
This map is self-notable for not only having a layout I'm really happy with in retrospect, but also having one of the shortest times from conception to completion -including- thing placement. That's the Xaserious equivalent of spilling a glass of water and catching all the loose liquid before it hits the floor.
E4M7
.vacuum consortium.
This map may or may not exist. This page may or may not be real and you may or may not be dreaming right now. Just for the record, you probably are.
