Doom Builder has just been released!

While I was looking at the Xode Multimedia site, I noticed that Gherkin has released an alpha of his Map Editor, Doom Builder! Huzzah!

Oooo this should be good. Although a quick look shows that it doesn't seem to support zdoom yet :(

Edit: But it does seem to have nice GUI. I like the way vertex, line and sector manipulation works. And that offset grabber tool looks to be a pretty cool feature.

how do I draw lines?

I first thought it might work like DEU by joining vertices, but that doesn't seem to work (or I don't know how it works). Press 'L' (for linedef mode surprisingly) and then 'insert'. The left click and move the mouse around to draw your lines. If you click on the first vertex it makes a sector and takes you straight to the sector properties box.

Ai, I didnt want to post it up here, cuz I know you would all be whining about zdoom (hexen map format) support. You're right tho, it needs that, and it will definitely get that later on. First to make it stable, make all features complete and working and to make the 3D mode editing, which is currently giving a couple bumps in the road.

Dont send me any fucking emails about this version!
I know its bugs and I know theres features missing. Its just some sort of sneak preview. Heres a few tips to get anything done with this version:

- When you have installed the software and run it, press F5 and configure your file locations.
- Linedefs and other required information is only provided for Doom 2, so please dont bother editing for any other game.
- To draw, make sure you are in Lines or Sectors mode (press L or S) and press Insert. Draw always clockwise. Always end where you started if you are making a new sector. Dont cross any lines (but you can overlap existing lines to melt your new sector to another).

Nice, can't wait to see future versions *thumbs-up*

Why line draw clockwise, is something wrong drawing counter clock-wise?

Will DB be patched the way Doom Connector is when updates are avail? I'll just assume so :-)

Hmmm...I built a test wad and Zennode crashes when it tries building the nodes, after I close the error box it says in a popup box "Error 70 while saving map: Permission denied". Even trying to build outside DB, zennode crashes after building the blockmap. Hitting F7 and trying to build the nodes from the quick button gives me the Error 70, but as a runtime error which closes DB after the "OK" button is pressed.

I got some positive feedback about the editor, even though it's a preview/alpha version: I like the joining of lines when a vertex is deleted between them, the texture browser is a nice feature too. Very nice so far, can't wait to see future versions so I can build my own maps. =)

Why line draw clockwise, is something wrong drawing counter clock-wise?

Stupid question if you're a mapper, hehe ;) But heres why;
A new sector will often have impassable linedefs that define the end of the map. They get only a sidedef at the front side, so to ensure the front side is inside your map, you draw clockwise.

Will DB be patched the way Doom Connector is when updates are avail? I'll just assume so :-)

Hell no. Doom Connector is an online services that you need an internet connection for, so I make use of that requirement by letting it download updates automatically. Beside that, the updates are often required in order for the client to work with the server (if the server got updated as well).
Doom Builder on the other end does not need an internet connection and is not required to be up-to-date to be able to function correctly. Full installation setup and patches of newer versions will be available from the website.

Cool, your one hell of a programmer too ;-)

Keep up the good work

Gherkin said:

Draw always clockwise.

I could never understand that. Couldn't you make it so that whenever you're finished drawing a sector that the first sides always point inside no matter which direction you drew in?

Nice editor tho. :)

Couldn't you make it so that whenever you're finished drawing a sector that the first sides always point inside no matter which direction you drew in?

Ive been thinking about that too, it should be possible. Maybe ill give that a shot and put it in.

Draw always clockwise.

What if I want to make a pillar in the middle of my room? :p

Rellik said:

What if I want to make a pillar in the middle of my room? :p

If you want to draw the pillar as a void area, then draw the linedefs counterclockwise,
so that the 1st sidedefs are pointing into the room, and the linedefs are 1-sided.

If you want to draw the pillar as a separate sector, then it makes no difference in
which direction you draw the linedefs, as they will be 2-sided. With the appropriate
sidedef bound to the sector it faces.

omg yes!!! i lubyoo gherkin! and i haven't even finished downloading yet =P but if it has vertex drawing i'm sure to love it :D

EDIT: ok, i have it. my first question is is there a way to bind building the mouse instead of using insert? other than that it looks fricking awesome :D exactly how i would design an editor if i made one myself (and quite a lot like doomcad too)! sorry if i sound too excited, i've been using doomcad since '96 and this is the first new editor i've liked in all that time. awesome interface :D

Mmmmmmm... that editor is really really nice! As soon as it gets ZDoom support I'm changing over to it :) great work gherkin!

You can draw either way in DCK, and in any new sector, the linedefs point inward towards the sector, whether it's adding a new sector connected to another one or a whole new sector by itself.

How do you move the vertixs and lines in the editor?. I tried using the mode, but it wasn't working. :/

Torn said:

How do you move the vertixs and lines in the editor?. I tried using the mode, but it wasn't working. :/

Right click. Hold and drag - this seems to work with vertices, lines and sectors.

The Flange Peddler said:

Right click. Hold and drag - this seems to work with vertices, lines and sectors.

Oh, thanks. :)

Btw, very nice editor, I just find the sector prob. Window(s) too confusing, but maybe that is cause I use wad author. I dunno.

I just tested it and really like it so far Gherkin! I like the texture browser and the way the editor handles lines and sectors. :)

Does anyone else have problems building nodes and getting "Error 70: permission denied" after zennode crashes?

Kappes Buur said:

If you want to draw the pillar as a void area, then draw the linedefs counterclockwise,
so that the 1st sidedefs are pointing into the room, and the linedefs are 1-sided.

If you want to draw the pillar as a separate sector, then it makes no difference in
which direction you draw the linedefs, as they will be 2-sided. With the appropriate
sidedef bound to the sector it faces.

Meh... you never have to worry about that stuff in WadAuthor.

Hey, it sounds a nice editor, but I never did understand line-draw editors. At any rate, I appear to be missing "dx8vb.dll."

I appear to be missing "dx8vb.dll."

Hmm, the program has references to DirectX for the 3D mode, but I deactivated that part in the alpha. Try installing the latest version of directx.

Heh it doesn't display the last flat.

I was being sarcastic when I asked how to draw a pillar, thus the tongue. :)

I'm waiting for a more stable release to test it out, but it sounds good from what I've read in this post.

Can you add a texture/resource wad yet?

i was doing very well making a map with it, until i loaded up my map with it this morning and saw this.
btw those lines only seem to have one vertex O_o not sure what that mess is about but i guess there's still some nasty bugs remaining.

sorry if all these feature requests are getting annoying, but here's three more things i desperately need:
a) "edit selected sectors linedefs", which is something doomcad had and was immensely useful.. i don't even know how to edit an old sector on an editor like this.
b) an option to make vertices stay when you delete a linedef. this is useful for people like me who are used to a vertice base.
c) split a linedef. because it saves time and because ocasionally when i'm adding in a new vertex it ends up stiching a linedef and it gets rather annoying typing ctrl-z over and over to undo the stitch.

well, i could probably name another 10 good ideas for it but i figure i've been annoying enough already =P i just can't wait for the next release :D

AgentSpork said:

Can you add a texture/resource wad yet?

you can insert the names of flats and wall textures, and that's good enough for now.

Well it seems that I get a shitload of errors and a lockup whenever I try to start a new wad.

ravage said:

Well it seems that I get a shitload of errors and a lockup whenever I try to start a new wad.

did you hit configuration -> files and set up your wads yet?

Yeah, I got the same error, even with the wads specified. It worked fine when I opened an existing one though.