Why Go Around the Monsters When You Can Go Through Them?

Alternatively: I Just Like to Kill The Monsters

        I mentioned already that Doom speed running has numerous categories. Most interesting to me is the UV-Max category. Think of this category as the "100%" category. UV is short for Ultra-Violence, the 4th difficulty of Doom and Doom 2 and the one that is the "pure" or "intended" difficulty. In a UV-Max speed run, the goal is to exit the map as fast as possible while also getting all the secrets and killing all the monsters, excluding lost souls and monsters resurrected by Arch-Viles (thank god). This is my favorite category because I just like to kill the monsters. Also, skills such as good movement and speed run tricks aren't as important. That being said, UV-Max is in no way an easy category. I've spent most of the year trying to get better and am still just a fledgling Maxer.

        UV-Max really boils down to one thing: the route. When first looking at a map for maxing, there are a ton of things you have to consider. It's daunting. Generally, there's a lot that needs to be done in a Max, the number one problem being the monsters. Sometimes this is easier said than done:

        Some of the hardest maps to Max are deemed "slaughter" maps. They usually feature a monster count in the high hundreds and sometimes even thousands. Finding the best route to take through the map is hard. Usually it involves rushing to the most powerful weapons and then cleaning up all the monsters. Easier said than done, really. Needless to say, maxing a slaughter map will take time and skill. Only the most practiced doomers attempt maxes of intense slaughter maps.

        This is not my idea of a good time. Slaughter maps are fun, but only if you're super good. I'm not. I probably won't ever be attempting maxes of maps like the above. Mainly because if you die you have to start all over, and, well, no thanks. Here's the kind of map I enjoy maxing:

        This is footage I recorded of myself. This kind of map is smaller, with a lower monster count. When looking at maxing a map like this, the first step is learning the progression of the map. Usually, the fastest Max method is to progress through the map (i.e. getting keys, opening doors, etc.) and then wiping up the rest of the monsters after that, and getting the secrets when its most convenient. In this case, the most important secret was the one containing the Big Fucking Gun. There's plenty of ammo once I picked it up to go and wipe up the rest of the monsters. Doing the map in this fashion will give the monsters a chance to fight among themselves, making my work easier. Yep, the demons of hell hate everyone, including their fellow demons. In some maps, getting infighting is key to a good time. This can be sort of random though, unfortunately.

        Because of all the random elements present in Doom, UV-Max is one of the most hotly contested categories. This can be both good and bad. If you aren't a fan of RNG in speed games, you may want to stick to a different category. UV-Max you have to contend with weapon damage, monster damage, infighting, and monster movement. Nothing is worse than getting to the end of the level and realizing a monster evaded the hot death you were spewing everywhere. 

        This leads me to another point of contention: the advanced HUD. PrBoom+ is a port of the Doom sourcecode, allowing the game to be played outside of DOS. PrBoom+ also has an advanced HUD that shows, among other things, how many monsters you've killed compared to how many monsters are on the map total. For a category like UV-Max, this is incredibly useful and maybe slightly cheaty. Honestly, though, I need all the help I can get, so you can bet I turn that HUD on. It's a little different for other speed run categories, but that's a story for another day.

        It might be obvious, but UV-Max is my preferred speed run category. The one thing id Software got perfectly right with Doom is the oomph of its guns and the satisfaction of slaying demons. It is fantastic that there is a speed run that caters to people who just enjoy putting bullets in ugly monsters. It's more happy coincidence that its one of the more popular speed run categories, meaning there's always going to be someone willing to come in and steal a record out from under your nose.