Q1 SP views and articles: May/June 2000:

Ideas about converting DM levels to SP.

Note: This article is for information / inspiration only. Do not even think of attempting to convert another author's map without their explicit written permission, as that is both illegal (via copyright) and immoral (for obvious reasons).

An idea:
An idea I came up with a while back after seeing some impressive custom Q1 DM levels: Would it be possible to convert some of the more complex levels to single player, to give players more SP maps with minimum effort, and show them some of the excellent, original styles that Q1 DM maps display?? Maybe... I don't know how many DM levels could possibly be converted into high quality SP levels, I don't know if any DM authors would be prepared to try converting their levels....but it's interesting to speculate. The idea is simple enough: take a high quality, good looking Q1 DM level, tweak the layout to make it suitable for SP, and carefully add monsters to give good SP gameplay. If this makes a high quality SP level, re-release it as one.

Conditions and suggestions:
Obviously a conversion would have to be done by the original author or with their permission. But there would be a few other requirements for a quality level:
1. Layout: The layouts of most levels would have to be severely restricted to provide the sustained semi-linear progression an SP level requires. With most DM levels, the "get anywhere quickly" design (Warfare3 is an exception of course =)) would make SP quite pointless, so connections between sections would have to be sealed off, barred, or otherwise restricted to ensure the player had to progress around most if not all the map to exit.
2. Gameplay: Gameplay would have to be very high quality, with clever monster usage, to compensate for a smaller level and generally simpler architecture. This might be quite difficult for some DM mappers to focus on, but it would be important to give the map definite worth as a single player experience and to avoid the "bung random monsters in" technique that would make it a pointless exercise.
3. Combinations: One way to make larger and more complex SP levels out of DM conversions would be to combine two identically styled levels to produce a larger level. Although I don't know the mapping difficulties involved, I think this could be the most successful way to produce worthwhile conversions. However there would be some restrictions: the levels to be combined would have to be extremely similar in style, the way the levels are joined would have to make sense, skies would have to match, and presumably they would both have to be by the same author.

Maps that might be worth converting:
This is an old list of maps, many of these maps would probably not be worth reviewing by todays standards if converted. But some of them might, particularly the newer maps or map combinations. And of course there will be some worthwhile maps I've forgotten...
A2+Daydream - Pingu, ,Area52 - Will "Boomer" Pendleton, Androm9 - Slayer, Aztech - Tony "browndog" Brown, B2S+P3A - Pingu, Baldm1+Baldm3 - Bal, Bmtemple - Lari "CryptR" Muuriaisniemi, Casdm1 - Mike Cassaday, Damaul2 - Damaul, Debello - Escher, Dock5 - Tigger_oN, Efdm4 - Frib, Efdm9+Efdm11 - Frib, Efdm12 - Frib, Gencldm1 - GeN, Gencldm2 - GeN, Gencldm4 - GeN, Gencldm5 - Gonzo, Gencldm7 - GeN, Gencldm8 - Gonzo, Jndm6 - Jaan-Madis Uusvali, Lavabass - Joshua "NiOXiN" Beardsley, Mcmdm01 - MCM, Pn5beta - ???, Ranbase - Alex "[R2]Hobbit" Manilov, Summer - Borsato, Swendm - Swen Klemund , Teeth - Borsato, Ukpak maps - Various artists, Vendetta - Borsato, Warfare3 - Gonzo, Warhaus - Tigger_oN.

Conversions and more ideas:
Worth mentioning are two conversion completed so far: Mcm01 (from Mcmdm01) and TSPE (from Teeth) (both reviewed). Again I'm not sure how worthwhile these are by today's standards, but at the time it was good to see some DM levels used as a basis for fun SP levels. To go with those levels, I'm revealing for the first time the ideas I sent to the authors of the DM levels (MCM and Borsato), and a couple of other suggestions sent out to authors, again these are quite old ideas and might be done differently now. Links to the original levels where available and conversion ideas:
» Mcmdm01: SP conversion ideas
» Teeth: SP conversion ideas
» Vendetta: SP conversion ideas
» A2 + Daydream: SP conversion ideas and diagram showing SP route
Update: A2 and Daydream have been successfully combined and converted by Mike Woodham to make the great A2D2 (reviewed).