Valiant is a 2015, 32-map mega WAD made entirely by skillsaw. It was worked on for around 3 years, and was started after his two WADs Lunatic and Vanguard. Those two WADs combined with skillsaw’s other earlier contributions to WADs like Back to Saturn X tell the tale for what Valiant was going to end up being. This time, skillsaw actually succeeded in creating a full mega WAD, and modeled the creation process after classic mega WADs of the time. Namely, Speed of Doom and Scythe 2. Both influenced skillsaw in many ways, but structurally, this has Scythe 2 written all over it. Multiple aesthetically distinct episodes with death exits span the 32 maps. Attempts were also apparently made to initially follow Speed of Doom’s speed of mapping, but as you’ll see, things took a much more ambitious turn.
Valiant’s level and combat design is something that I feel every aspiring mapper should study. This is where skillsaw really honed his craft and solidified himself as a household name in the Doom community. Valiant’s levels are explosive, perfectly paced, gorgeous, and scored beautifully. Like Scythe 2, Valiant is also a crash course in respecting the player’s time through smart level design.
Sidenote: This won’t really change how Valiant is played, but we’re doing the play through with the newly updated Valiant for the new DOOM + DOOM II steam re-release. It makes some nice quality-of-life changes that are cool to have, but not necessary.
I really hope you guys enjoy these runs. It was really fun to play Valiant again!
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IWAD: Doom 2
Port: DSDA-doom 28.3
Compatibility: MBF21 (comp level 21)
Mapper(s): skillsaw
MIDI: stewboy - River
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Valiant (MBF21 edition): www.doomworld.com/profile/8877-skillsaw/?status=1747176&type=status
DSDA-doom: github.com/kraflab/dsda-doom
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I haven’t mentioned it too much yet, but Valiant is incredibly gorgeous. Not only does skillsaw excel at crafting supremely engaging combat, but he pairs it with breathtaking visuals that make the player fully appreciate the experience of playing Valiant. Moonlit Stroll is the first map in Valiant that truly looks and plays immaculately. I think the MIDI is what really seals the deal for me. Stewboy’s MIDI is catchy, aggressive, and matches the energy of the map perfectly.
Skillsaw’s combat style shines in this beautifully lit, interconnected cave. He has something for you around every corner, and the more shit you stir up, the more fun you’re bound to have! This is one of those maps that I love sprinting around at top speed in. It allows me to play like a maniac while enhancing that play style through interconnectivity and fun monster composition.
Also, something that I can’t get enough of about Valiant is the shortness of the maps. It follows Scythe 1 and 2 in that way, and I love it. You don’t always need a long map to provide an unforgettable and action-packed experience.