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Phil1984

How do you perform a glide?

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In the misc demo thread I keep reading about a glide trick and I download the demo and see it occur but can't replicate it! How do you perform it?

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Normally by trying lots and lots of times. There's no magic formula. Having said that, some are easier than others, and once you have practiced a particular glide for a while, there's a tendency to get the "knack" of doing it (so the success rate improves considerably).

Firstly, you need to be sure that it is actually possible (or at least that it isn't definitely impossible). The gap must be no less than 32 units, and be orientated in a direction such that the player can fit through it (remember that the player is really a 32x32 square, with sides always exactly north, south, east and west). If it is a 32-unit gap between two parallel walls, then I think it needs to be fairly short (and the walls must be exactly north-south or east-west).

Secondly, there may well be some engine-specific stuff. I don't know if some ports make some glides impossible, or make them easier. If you simply can't get a known glide to work at all (ever) in the program you're using, try using something with full Doom2.exe compatibility (or with whatever exe you have seen the glide done with).

Beyond that, it's mostly trial and error. Make sure you're exactly lined up with the gap and move exactly towards it. If you get a kind of "wobbling" effect (you're not moving but your view is bobbing, possibly in a jerky way), then it suggests that the glide is close to working. Keep trying, making tiny differences to your angle of approach, speed and also where you actually start off moving from (this means your "footfalls" will be in different places).

I'd suggest a few easy ones to experiment with, but... the problem is that they're all hard until you've got them to work. Maybe the one I do on Darkcvnt.wad map10 is pretty straightforward by the standards of these things (even though there it is three glides in one), and it is very near where you start the map.

In summary, glides are difficult and random things, and I have never seen a detailed account of how exactly they work. That's why you don't tend to see them used routinely. They are mostly used in fairly short demos where the rest of the run is reasonably straightforward*. If the route involves several glides, or a glide and a few other difficult tricks, the chances of success plummet, and on top of that it is unlikely you'll make all the glides cleanly. Even if the time is relatively good compared to what you could get with a non-trick route, a demo where you take ten stabs at a critical glide isn't going to be good to watch. (This kind of consideration applies to some of the ones I have tried on TVR!.wad.)

BTW, you referred to a specific glide trick that you've been trying to duplicate. If you say which one it was, then whoever performed it might be able to give some specific advice.


<small>* OK, so you can ask why there is one in the standard 30nm route (on map19). I believe that's just because the alternative routes are slower and/or more dangerous - the glide can be done in reasonable safety even if it takes several attempts (as it normally does, though Vile seemed to get it down to a fine art in the end), and is a huge shortcut.</small>

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Thanks Grazza for detailed response! Unfortunatley I still can't seem to get this glid to work correctly :( I can get the "wobble" to work without out to many troubles, but moving onto the next step is beyond my reach at the moment. Oh well I guess its more practise for me. The glide I'm trying to emulate is by Kristian Ronge in Ask Questions Later.

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Oh, well, I'll tell you what I know about that particular glide. I always have had it easier to perform glides when *not* strafing (such as the aql glide, and the glide in KS map 32 which Grazza and I discovered). Try to position yourself so that you're facing the centre of the gap (i.e. so that there's an equal amount of gap to the left and to the right of the player), facing it directly, and then just press "forward". When you reach the bar you're trying to pass, you'll either make the glide, start to "wobble" (as Grazza said), or just get stuck without any wobbling. If you start to wobble, try to move the mouse slightly to the left and/or right, while still pushing forward. It's pointless to try for more than a few seconds in my experience. If you don't wobble, then just start over right away. Back up, place yourself like before, and give it another go. It can take a lot of time before you make it, some glides I can't ever seem to make (such as the Doom 2 map 21 glide), and some glides I have to try >50 times to get (Doom 2 map 22 glide). Some are much easier for me, and I can make them almost every time, such as the KS map 5 glide.

As Grazza hinted, it's not an exact science... much depends on luck and perseverance. Especially if you're aiming for a low time. If you want to discuss the aql glide in detail, I can mail you example demos of sessions where I make the glide.

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The map19 candle glide was the only one I could break down to a science and repeat efficiently, but that's primarily because a thing boost is involved. Others like the map16 glide remain luck-based to me, which is why it was planned as a last resort if levels were slower during a 30nm run.

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If the gap is 32 units wide and goes from west to east it could be whatever long and zou can sqeeze into it and walk in it. I am doing it with Strafe50 and exact angle. Good example is placed in Scythe1 map19 - there is a moving floor after blue key door. You can easily get into the gap near this floor and walk there as a 32 units wide body. Try it :-)

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Interesting info - I'll be looking out for those possibilities. (But please don't put too many in KS2 - other types of tricks are more fun.)

Edit: yes, I managed a (fairly) long glide on Equino-X e1m9 (that's one I had tried a while ago, but got nowhere with - the possibility for the long glide occurs just after you teleport out with the red key, the other way from the triple glide that I actually did).

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I'm sure Andrey Budko could shed some more light on this. He did a glide in his 30uv1437 demo in Suburbs and The Catacombs.

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Once we're talking about glides, has anyone seen a glide analogous to MAP10 glide near the exit repeated elsewhere? I tried making a test wad with a similar setup, but couldn't get through. I wonder, why in MAP10 the glide is possible (and even so easily)?

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This case also happen quite often, for example in AV map 25. You just have to have exactly vertical or horizontal fence connected to non-vertical or non-horizontal wall and - there is a glide possibility. I remember that Vince found a few ones while testing some KSutra maps. :)
Grazza: Another possibility of this glide is in KS map17 - eastern exit. (KS2 maps still doesnt have anyone :)

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Donce said:

Once we're talking about glides, has anyone seen a glide analogous to MAP10 glide near the exit repeated elsewhere?

There's also one in map07 of Sedlo's unfinshed Plutonia TASMBF run (15plx723.lmp).

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The doom2 map21 glide is fairly easy actually. It is perfectly aligned with the teleport spot, just find the perfect angle, then run with strafe50 + forward.

Here is a funny demo about this glide, I didnt know it was possible this way too. So this demo show the glide done both ways.

http://www.geocities.com/peroxyd2s/no21gld2.zip

Donce said:

Once we're talking about glides, has anyone seen a glide analogous to MAP10 glide near the exit repeated elsewhere? I tried making a test wad with a similar setup, but couldn't get through. I wonder, why in MAP10 the glide is possible (and even so easily)?


there is one in E1M3 too

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Grazza said:

There's also one in map07 of Sedlo's unfinshed Plutonia TASMBF run (15plx723.lmp).

Ah yes, I remember that.

Vince, however, I don't remember a glide in E1M3. Too lazy now to go search for it. Has it been used in a demo?

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The game Hexen seems to tried it's best to prevent such a trick, but unfortunately they overlooked one possible glide at Heresiarch's Seminary, making it possible to leave the hub on the first visit.

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Donce said:

Vince, however, I don't remember a glide in E1M3. Too lazy now to go search for it. Has it been used in a demo?


It has only been used in nomonsters demos.
It is only usefull for the secret exit route and is located by the 1st door in the start area. Once you have triggered the bridge to the secret exit, you can squeeze through the grate and end up on the bridge. I remember AdamH and Sslasher speaking about it long time ago.

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