How to compile single level wads into 1 megawad?

Hi. I like to play doom on my TV using an HDMI cable and i was wondering how i can compile a bunch of single level wads into a megawad so i dont need to keep reopening the game. Thanks a bunch.

You have 2 possible ways: Via a mapping editor, and via a wad content editor.

1) Download a mapping editor - I recommend GZDoomBuilder. Open the first map with the editor. Go to "Edit -> Map Options", and set the map name to "MAP01". Then use "File -> Save Map Into" (NOT "Save Map As"!). Save the map into a new wad named for example "mymegawad.wad". Then close the map, and open another map which you want to be MAP02. Again, go to "Edit -> Map Options", and set the map name to "MAP02" this time. Then use "File -> Save Map Into" to save it into "mymegawad.wad". Continue the same way with all maps you have, up to 30, + 2 secret levels, + possibly more if you use an advanced source port like ZDoom.

2) Download a wad content editor - I recommend SLADE3 (make sure you have "Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Runtime" with it). Open the editor and create a new wad, call it for example "mymegawad.wad". Then, in a separate tab of the same instance of SLADE3, open the wad that contains MAP01. Copy-paste its contents into "mymegawad.wad" (block select -> Ctrl+C -> go to the other tab -> Ctrl+V). Make sure the map marker says "MAP01". Then close the wad with MAP01 and open the wad with MAP02. Again, copy-paste contents of this wad into "mymegawad.wad", either completely above or completely below the MAP01-related lumps, just not in the middle of them. Change the map marker to "MAP02". Repeat with all maps you have, up to 30, + 2 secret levels, + possibly more if you use an advanced source port like ZDoom.

Things would get more complicated if each wad contained not only a map, but also its own music, textures, etc. For now, I've assumed that they didn't. But feel free to ask if you ran into that problem.

Back in the DOS days there were a number of launchers that let you pick a bunch of PWADs and sequence them into a single play session, it just generated a temp megawad, merged the PWADs and renamed the MAPXX lumps. It worked great for 90% of PWADs, obviously not all of them. I'm surprised modern launchers don't offer this kind of feature.

Another thing you could do is use a port that supports loading PWADs from a console. If there are any such things.

scifista42 said:

You have 2 possible ways: Via a mapping editor, and via a wad content editor.

1) Download a mapping editor - I recommend GZDoomBuilder. Open the first map with the editor. Go to "Edit -> Map Options", and set the map name to "MAP01". Then use "File -> Save Map Into" (NOT "Save Map As"!). Save the map into a new wad named for example "mymegawad.wad". Then close the map, and open another map which you want to be MAP02. Again, go to "Edit -> Map Options", and set the map name to "MAP02" this time. Then use "File -> Save Map Into" to save it into "mymegawad.wad". Continue the same way with all maps you have, up to 30, + 2 secret levels, + possibly more if you use an advanced source port like ZDoom.

2) Download a wad content editor - I recommend SLADE3 (make sure you have "Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Runtime" with it). Open the editor and create a new wad, call it for example "mymegawad.wad". Then, in a separate tab of the same instance of SLADE3, open the wad that contains MAP01. Copy-paste its contents into "mymegawad.wad" (block select -> Ctrl+C -> go to the other tab -> Ctrl+V). Make sure the map marker says "MAP01". Then close the wad with MAP01 and open the wad with MAP02. Again, copy-paste contents of this wad into "mymegawad.wad", either completely above or completely below the MAP01-related lumps, just not in the middle of them. Change the map marker to "MAP02". Repeat with all maps you have, up to 30, + 2 secret levels, + possibly more if you use an advanced source port like ZDoom.

Things would get more complicated if each wad contained not only a map, but also its own music, textures, etc. For now, I've assumed that they didn't. But feel free to ask if you ran into that problem.

Thanks for the help! I'll try them both when i get time.

scifista42 said:

Things would get more complicated if each wad contained not only a map, but also its own music, textures, etc. For now, I've assumed that they didn't. But feel free to ask if you ran into that problem.

I just ran into that problem. I made a megawad of wads from the ninties and it worked great but with modern ones i get texture errors

First, try using this automatic utility to merge wads: https://github.com/jewalky/wadstomp I've never used it, but it might be able to solve all your problems easily.

Anyway, here is a hint to make it manually, just in case:

This time, both music and texture compiling will require you to use a wad content editor -> SLADE3.

Music is relatively easy. Music track names for each level are hardcoded, for example MAP01 music track is "D_RUNNIN", MAP02 music track is "D_STALKS"... The full list can be viewed here: http://doomwiki.org/wiki/Doom_2_music So, just rename the music for each map to the respective map slot's music track name.

Textures might be problematique. The thing is, TEXTURE definitions in a wad apply for an entire wad. Advanced source ports make this easier by allowing multiple TEXTURE1 entries loaded together, but classic ports don't allow it. In addition, in case of texture name conflicts, or even each map being made for a different IWAD, that's a serious problem.

You must try to create a single TEXTURE1/PNAMES combo for the entire megawad, containing all textures used by any of the maps. I'm not going to write about it right now, because I know only roughly what I'd do, but I've actually never been doing it in a great extent, and can't give you an immediate correct method.

Okay thanks for your help. Ignore my message then. Id assumed this thread had been burried. I will tell you if i get it to work.