MAP01: Staging Area (Doom 64)

MAP01: STAGING AREA is the first map of Doom 64. It was designed by Randy Estrella.

Walkthrough
When you begin the level, you may have to deal with troopers in the cages to the left and right if you're playing on I own Doom! or Watch me die!. Afterwards, you can turn around and pick open the wall (A) to open a larger area with a berserk. You may want to save this for later. Drop down and grab the shotgun. In the hallway, you'll encounter sergeants. Head down the hallway killing them, but be wary as you reach the halfway point. The wall at (B) will open, revealing two medikits and a demon on higher skill levels. Enter the door on the left side of the hallway after. Kill the troopers in here. Head up the steps to the conveyor belt (watch out for the panel in the opposite wall; it opens revealing more troopers). Hit the switch at (C) and run back across to the newly opened door, where you can pick up a chainsaw. Take the elevator at (D) to reach a maze of sorts. As the elevator heads up, prepare to be attacked from all sides from troopers if you're playing on higher difficulty levels. Switch (E) opens the door to room (E), though it's timed and you'll have to be quick. Inside is a blue key. On low difficulty levels, the key is sitting out in the open, next to the switch.

Head back down and open the blue door at (F). Kill the troopers in this room, and head up the stairs, killing more sergeants. Switch (G) at the end of the hall opens the room behind you, and Demons pour out. Kill them (chainsaw works well here) and hit the switch in the back of this room to open up the wall at (H). Head from here into room (I), kill the demons, open the door to room (J), kill the imp, and exit the level.

Enemies

 * The main enemies you may miss are the ones that spawn at the start point, once you teleport there. Across from the blue door (F) is a small blood spot on the wall. Open the wall here and jump in the teleporter to end up back on the starting platform. Moments later, one or two sergeants will spawn in the area below.
 * In room C, when you head up to the conveyor belt via the stairs, a panel will open on the other side of the room with one or two troopers behind it. It's possible to miss this if you're in a hurry.
 * In large room (I), check behind the wall on the west side of the room on higher difficulty levels, since there are sergeants that hide behind it.

Items

 * There are two armor bonuses on the starting platform.
 * Head through door (A) and there's a berserk on the other side.
 * If you are playing on the BG or BIO difficulty levels, hit the switch at (E) and run to door (E) for a berserk (this doesn't appear on higher difficulty levels).
 * Head through the blue door (F) and head to the left towards the caged troopers. A single armor bonus sits in the corner.
 * See secret #3. This leads to a soulsphere.
 * Next to switch (G) is another lone armor bonus. As you turn around and head back towards wall (H), you'll see yet another single armor bonus in the corner.
 * Head through (H), and enter the small room on your left with a yellow outline. The floor drops and you can pick up ten health bonuses.
 * In room (I), check behind the wall on the west side. There are eight armor bonuses here.

Secrets
Once you've destroyed the last barrel, quickly open the wall at (A) and run to the left to enter the teleporter. This is the entrance to MAP32: Hectic.
 * 1) In room (C) use the step to get up to the ledge with the boxes of bullets. Run across the small gap to the metal panel, which you can open for green armor.
 * 2) Up in the maze (near switch (E)), there's a hidden panel on the south side of the room that opens up to room (K). Inside is a blue armor.
 * 3) Head through the blue door (F). Climb up the stairs so you can run across to the switch at (L). This lowers a pillar in the corner of the room. Run to it and jump in the hole before it rises again and you'll be lifted up to a soulsphere.
 * 4) This overly-complex secret spans the entire map. There are ten explosive barrels scattered around the map, and blowing up all ten causes a teleporter to open for a brief period of time, leading to a secret level. The teleporter in question is through door (A), in the room with the berserk pack. Therefore, you need to save the very first barrel for last. Here is a list of all the map's barrels:
 * In the lower half of the starting area
 * In room (C)
 * In the maze (take the elevator at D and turn around when you reach the top)
 * In secret area (K) (see secret #2)
 * In room (L)
 * In secret area (L) (see secret #3; after getting the soulsphere, hit the switch behind it to drop to a lower room with the barrel)
 * In the room you open with switch (G)
 * After opening the wall at (H), head through and take a left into the yellow outlined room; the floor drops, and you'll see the barrel here
 * In exit room (J)
 * On the upper half of the starting area; use the teleport behind the sixth barrel on this list to make it back up here

Note: Due to the fact that you get a small bit of storyline instead of the completion screen, you won't be able to see that you've gotten 100% of the secrets for this level.