MAP32: Grosse (Doom II)

MAP32: "Grosse" (MAP34 in GBA) is the second secret map of Doom II and can be accessed from MAP31: Wolfenstein. It was designed by Sandy Petersen and uses the music track "The Ultimate Challenge". Like "Wolfenstein", "Grosse" is a remake of a level from id Software's earlier release, Wolfenstein 3D, namely the level of the same name from the end of that game's first episode. Also like "Wolfenstein", "Grosse" features the secret level-exclusive Wolfenstein SS enemy, though the boss that appears in the original map, Hans Grosse, has been replaced with a Cyberdemon, and to fit the Cyberdemon, the room's ceiling has been made twice as high as in the original Wolfenstein. Additionally, the exit area, which is different from that of the original level, features cameos from id's even earlier game, Commander Keen, in the form of four versions of that game's titular protagonist who must be shot and killed by the player in order to reveal the level's exit switch.

Despite previous claims that id would not be modifying the versions of Doom or Doom II included with Doom 3: BFG Edition, the secret levels have been heavily censored; all Nazi imagery, including swastikas and portraits of Adolf Hitler, have been removed, and most disappointingly, all Wolfenstein SS enemies have been replaced with standard former humans. Additionally, because of this removal of the references to the original game, the level has been renamed "Keen", as the cameo appearance of that character has not been removed. Also, on the BFG Edition, the music track "The Ultimate Challenge", has been switched out with the track "DOOM".



Walkthrough
Go through the door in front of you to enter a large room with pillars and candles (A), as well as Wolfenstein SS enemies on Hurt Me Plenty, Ultra-Violence, and NIGHTMARE! skill levels. Travel to the opposite side of this room. Once you get close to the door, a Cyberdemon will open the door and attack (B). Once you have destroyed the Cyberdemon (or escaped from him), enter the room it was in and go through the door on the opposite side (C). Kill all four hanging Commander Keens and the panel behind them will raise (D), revealing the exit switch. Jump across the gap with the sky floor and hit the switch to exit.

Secrets

 * 1) The southwestern pillar in the main room opens, revealing three chainguns (E).
 * 2) The southeastern pillar in the main room opens, revealing a megasphere (F).
 * 3) The northwestern pillar in the main room opens, revealing a BFG9000 (G).
 * 4) The northeastern pillar in the main room opens, revealing a super shotgun and two boxes of shells (H).
 * 5) The center swastika on the western wall of the main area opens, revealing a cache of medikits, plasma cells and a plasma rifle (I).
 * 6) The center swastika on the eastern wall of the main area opens, revealing an invulnerability artifact (J).

Note that only the 5th secret replicates one from the original Wolfenstein 3D. Also, the original Wolfenstein 3D map features a secret to the right of Hans Grosse that is NOT replicated in this map (if it was, the secret would be to the right of the Cyberdemon).

Bugs

 * 1) This map cannot normally be finished when using the -nomonsters parameter because the hanged Commander Keens are missing. See Kill percentage flag used for -nomonsters and respawning for more details.
 * 2) In versions 1.666 through 1.8, even if all secrets revealed it still counts as 0% in the end of the level

Trivia

 * 1) This level is named after Hans Grösse, the boss of the corresponding Wolfenstein 3D level.
 * 2) "Grösse", technically written "Größe", is German for "size", referring to the immense size of the character compared to others seen in Wolfenstein 3D. Amusingly, given that this is also used as the name of the level, this is the smallest level in the Doom II WAD file.
 * 3) This level was going to have horizontally sliding doors like the Wolfenstein 3D. The code is still present but commented out.
 * 4) This level is modeled after the Wolfenstein 3D level E1M9, the boss level of the first episode. However the layout has been modified some - five new secrets were added, one was removed, the door to the Cyberdemon opens automatically instead of manually, the door beyond the Cyberdemon does not require a key, and the final hallway where BJ makes a victory dash in the original is now the Commander Keen room with the exit switch.
 * 5) The Music track is called "The Ultimate Challenge" from both Wolfenstein 3D and its sequel Spear of Destiny. This track played on levels E3M9 and E6M9 (notably when you battled Hitler). It was also played on all of the normal boss levels in SoD.
 * 6) In the intermission leading to this map, you'll see the statement, "You'd better blaze through this one!". While the word 'blaze' may be traditionally taken as playing the level at a fast pace (especially because it is very suitable for how the level actually plays), it is actually a reference to Commander Keen, whose main character is named Billy Blaze.
 * 7) The cameo of Keen in this level was greatly expanded in the secret levels of the fan made wad Doom II the way ID Did, in which all Wolfenstein references are scrapped and both secret levels are based on the two shareware Keen episodes (1 and 4).
 * 8) Tom Hall notes that Keen's grandson killed four of his grandfathers. According to him, in his story, that was okay.

Records
The Compet-N records for the map are:

Essorg
For a Compet-N contest held in February 2001, a mirrored upside-down version of Grosse called Essorg was created. "Essorg" is "Grosse" written backwards.