Gotcha il report back about any hitches if any.
you should be very pleased with the first 2 EP! they are fantastic, i will attempt to get throu EP3-5 very soon, and make it 1 long video each.
i fully agree, after EP2 anything that peps get lost in is up to the player, as long as core gameplay loops arnt effected, i.e Exit sign being missing, or power cores needing to be destroyed each map. like i said in my video, with E2M3, fantastic map, but as there was no exit sign around like most of the previous maps, i was confused and lost, so just very simple things like that really, and just satisfying arrangement of triggers and actions.
as to content lock, i fully think that is a the best way to go, bear in mind all my excitement of suggestions with things like wave modes and things are purely just my own excitement and enjoyment of your crafted experience, not obligations or expectations, to my fault i get over exited at possibility's, but in no way shape or form is it a expectation, more just a excitement of future possibility's, i think any changes made should be to what is already there, i.e E2 boss fight or subtle lvl design tweaks for things like the door change on E1M1, and missing exit sign on E2M3, or the conveyor belt fire being a timed obstacle for the player to know there is a way forward and to set them up for the timed crushers (which should definitely kill/hurt you crouched or standing) , and anything else up your shelve in terms of that caliber. i think you are 100% correct in having that as a focus. as your core features are pretty darn perfect in my eyes, i do feel like there needs to be swap in terms of the grenade launcher being a secondary fire vs as a primary fire, but that is probably just me, but defo the SMG zoom function blinded to scroll wheel zoom or staged x2 x4 x8 zooms with right click, vs W and S as a zoom function, as it does not allow the player free movement forwards and backwards when using the scope.
dont ever feel pressured by the terrible games as a service trend, id argue people are so agienst it now days and relish in a game that is a hand crafted experience.
lastly as features are fully locked in, going forward if i speak of anything as such in the videos, know its purely my imaginative mind going to work with excitement, but features that are already in game such as consumables like the under water gear and hazard boots, i think they grate additions, but just need a small icon indication like the key cards for example that they are in your possession.
(replying from the email, if you do remove night vision, which i think is wise based on what you said about the flash light being a function already for light, do keep them in the editor for custom maps :D)
lastly with the enemy counter, its not necessary at all, and you make a solid point honestly, about it being more of a experience then a "i must complete and kill everything in a lvl" i really like that honestly, so you make a soild point and i think your fully right. the secret counter is grate though, but monster count yeah that makes more sense, saying that, it would be cool on higher difficulty's that do add more enemies placements. i am trying to rember if time splitters 2 had a kill count, as it was the same with higher difficulty there having different or more mobs in the level, but even then i still agree, its not a 100% the game for enemy's killed, and i really like that. i like hearing your design choices and why :D and that for sure is good stuff and makes total sense.
I will try to get to EP3 today or tomorrow, and if there is anything i can do to help more with, let me know anytime
make sure to take it easy and dont over work the brain or else you wont have a brain left for the brain sucker to eat :D
Keep Killing it Space Man