Changing the message text

I need your opinions on this. Recently I created a "green key" thing (I don't know what to call it; it's not a level) for Doom 2. I've already merged it with the IWAD, mostly because I needed to since it contained new sprites. It basically replaces the yellow keys, key icons, and door images (the line of skulls and so on) with ones that I tinted green myself. I did it because of color prefrence...

I mentioned it at the GameFAQs board for Doom 2, and one of the people who replied suggested I change the game messages from "yellow key" to "green key." They suggested I use a program called DeHackEd. I've never used it, and I'm afraid it may mess up my IWAD. I'd rather not do that anymore than I have to (like merging my green key wad with the IWAD...). I wish you could do this kind of thing in Wintex, but I saw no entry for game messages like that.

The reason I'd rather not do anything too complex is because Doom 2 for Windows 95 has its limitations (I would know better than almost anyone), and I don't want to end up with something with a complex installation or having to run multiple PWADs at a time, because the program can't do that. I've downloaded many cool-sounding levels only to find that the installations fail or that Doom exits because the install didn't work right, all because my program is different. I've already done more than I wanted to by merging it. So basically, what I'm asking is, is there any way to change the game messages without doing anything complicated? In other words, can I do it in Wintex? If not, I'm not going to bother with it...

Dehacked edits the .exe. I suggest looking through the old news archives for a program called Whacked, which is a user friendly Windows version of Dehacked. It will output a .deh file which can be used by source ports.

Dehacked can output a dehacked patch, a .deh file, without modifying the game .exe. You'd make a dehacked patch which does a text replacement, that's all. Here's an example of what goes in the dehacked patch, it's just a text file. You can then load that patch along with your pwad, or can install it in the pwad with Wintex as a data lump named dehacked and Zdoom will use it. Copy and paste the below text with Notepad, save as yel2grn.deh or some other name. Then try loading it like
zdoom -file mywad.wad -deh yel2grn.deh

This might get you started.
-------------------------------



Patch File for DeHackEd v3.0

# Note: Use the pound sign ('#') to start comment lines.

Doom version = 19
Patch format = 6


Text 45 44
You need a yellow key to activate this objectYou need a green key to activate this object

Text 39 38
You need a yellow key to open this doorYou need a green key to open this door

Text 27 26
Picked up a yellow keycard.Picked up a green keycard.

Text 29 28
Picked up a yellow skull key.Picked up a green skull key.

I did this in my last wad, and all you need is dehacked and Wintex(and DeuSF if you're using doom2.exe). Don't use Whacked - it doesn't have text editing yet.

btw, if you use ZDoom, you don't have to merge the sprites into the iwad - just stick them in the pwad. (with the proper names)

Ooh. I should have seen that coming: those stupid patches are Doom 95's worst enemy. I've downloaded so many wads with dehacked patches and they failed to install right.

Forget I said anything.

Do yourself a big favor, get zdoom.notgod.com/lars/34.cab

Nope. Source ports don't work either.

Use the -deh command.
Go to the MSDOS prompt and type: <Doom dir goes here> -deh <dehname.deh)
For instance:
start c:\games\doom.exe -deh dehname.deh

Er. Dehacked is a simple program that works by looking up data by the exact bit positions. So, you need to use Dehacked on your vanilla doom2.exe, and you can only modify vanilla Doom2.exe with a Dehacked patch. Read: it doesn't work with Doom95, because that is a different exe file.

Most modern source ports (so, NOT Doom95) support Dehacked -patches-, by loading those -patches- with an extra parameter on the commandprompt ("boom.exe -deh yourpatch.deh"). But you still need to create those patches with the vanilla Doom2.exe. You can find this original doom2.exe on your Doom95 CD somewhere. Read the Dehacked textfile for more information.

Dehacked does not alter your IWAD, and it uses a copy of your Doom2.exe called doomhack.exe when modifying the engine with a patch. Of course, you can always make your own backup.

netnomad312 said:

Nope. Source ports don't work either.

Do what DoomBoy says. Did you understand what I told you above, and try pasting that into a text file and saving as somename.deh? This is fairly simple and certainly does work with zdoom, has for years.

No... you don't understand. I can't use source ports with Doom 95. I can't use them. I can't use .deh files either. It's "plain vanilla" Doom 2 and it always will be...

The dos version of DooM 2 should be on your DooM 95 cd, in one of the subfolders - install that and you can use source ports and dehacked.

netnomad312 said:

No... you don't understand. I can't use source ports with Doom 95. I can't use them. I can't use .deh files either. It's "plain vanilla" Doom 2 and it always will be...

Apparently you don't even understand what a source port is. You do not use them with Doom95.exe. Don't use Doom95. A source port will replace doom95 and will replace doom2.exe. They are newer executables which do all that doom95 or doom2.exe will do, and more, much more. You can set source ports like zdoom to look and act just like doom2.exe or doom95.exe, or can enable extra features like higher resolutions, mouse look, jumping, crosshair, multiple music formats, support for dehacked patches etc.

If your intent was to use the doom2.wad from doom95, then maybe I missed your point. UltimateDooMer has told you what to do in that case.

The files you need for zdoom are in zdoom.notgod.com/lars, get the 35.cab file. It contains zdoom.exe, zdoom.wad and fmod.dll. All that's needed in addition to those three are an iwad like doom.wad, doom2.wad, heretic.wad, tnt.wad, hexen.wad...etc. If you have more than one of those iwads in the folder with zdoom, zdoom will display a menu allowing you to choose. The only file you execute is zdoom.exe. Double click on it or make a shortcut or launch from a command prompt.