it also was quite mesmerizing and fascinating to build a level using tools. Back then I didn't have an internet connection but I used to buy PC magazines, and some of them included CDs with excellent software. One of those disks I got in early 1996 included a Doom level editor. I tried DEU, iirc. but maybe it was another one.
The issue with those CDs and not having an internet connection is that you were stuck with not having updates. I remember using the maps of the first episode of Doom 1 as a reference, and adding new rooms, monsters and lots of cool stuff and then testing the results but I couldn't replicate all the cool effects the original maps had using the editor. Level editing greatly enhanced the popularity of Doom that's for sure.
That being said, I haven't been active editing Doom levels since then. Back in the day I knew very little english, the documentation wasn't sufficient -there were no manuals on how to use the program included with the CDs of those magazines-, I couldn't update to a new version of the editor and also the editor had some limitations compared to the level design of the original levels.
I.e. maybe I was missing something but I remember I couldn't replicate the condition of using a switch only with a key of certain colour, nor opening a wall with a shot to uncover a secret, creating walls you could get through, etc etc. I knew where those things were placed and checking in the editor there was nothing special about that, even reading the properties of a switch, a door, etc, some options seemed to be missing so you couldn't have the full experience of the original Doom editor.
Tbh, I didn't know what was the best Doom editor, but I had mastered the one included in the CD and I'd swear some things weren't possible using that version of the editor.
Those CDs also included lots of wads from other people with their corresponding readme.txt, and they seemed to use another editor. Maybe it was DEU what they used, but I think I used either DEU or some other editor and they managed to achieve things that weren't possible using the editor I had. Still fun to use though, and very intuitive.
I am glad they included things like the Master Levels of Doom selected by the Id from many of the maps made by the community in the 90s.
yeah, that's why maybe some Doom 2 maps aren't as polished as others, or even in the original Doom that might explain why some maps are so bad in the 2nd and 3rd episode, but the initial episode was a masterpiece regarding overall level design, imho.
Also I am currently watching a video on Doom 2 levels, and Sandy Peterson had to develop a lot of maps for Doom 2 in 9 months, which was the time between the release of Doom 1 and Doom 2.
While some Doom 2 levels aren't good, some others are fun, but most importantly they added the new shotgun and a great set of enemies in those 9 months, which is brilliant, the Revenant and the Arch Vile being my favourite.