NoobieWad Help

I recently hafd the chance to finally get DooM for my PC with the collectors edition. I have played DooM before but only on console systems.

I was looking into wads for the game and downloaded a few but can't seem to get them to run. I am using Windows XP and don't have the issues with XP that I have seen reported. Can anyone help me with this?

If you're using the Doom95 launcher, you need to choose the pwad (that's the term for a user-made add-on wad) via the "Custom WAD file" window. You'll need to have extracted it from the zip first.

If you're using the original DOS exes, then you need to add "-file YOURWAD.wad" to the command line (replace "YOURWAD" with the actual name of the wad. This method also works with most ports (just replace Doom2 with the name of the port).

The majority of people use a port. Many modern ports support dragging and dropping of pwads onto the exe (or an icon or shortcut for it). This is probably the simplest way to launch a pwad, and is suitable for most purposes (there are some things you can't do in this way though, and for which you need a command line - that's mostly more advanced stuff though).

For some ports, you need to use the port's own launcher. You'll need to check the port's documentation in that case, if it isn't immediately obvious what you need to do.

juliangrimm said:

I am using Windows XP and don't have the issues with XP that I have seen reported. Can anyone help me with this?

The big problem with Doom95 in Windows XP is that the mouse drivers aren't supported. The sound problems (which are presumably the ones you've heard about) afflict the original DOS exes (but the mouse works fine).

Ok, I downladed ZDOOM but can only get the original wads to work and not the customs. The program doesn't even recognise them. Do I need another port or do I load them through the console?

In Doom95 all you have to do to load a wad is select the stuff on the right of the launcher: the game wad your add-on needs (there are 4 if you have the collectors edition, though add-ons are for DOOM II or for DOOM), the custom wad (it should be in the Doom95 directory), the skill level (from easiest to hardest), and the episode/level (add-ons often replace only one level, usually the first one, but some replace more... try the first level unless the text file of the add-on says otherwise.)

Some add-ons require certain engines; if so, it should say so at the top of the text file for it (most likely), or somewhere within it. For general play using add-ons that don't specify the engine to use I'd recommend PrBoom (or Eternity, and why not Doom95), as other engines (such as ZDoom, Doom Legacy, or JDoom) are more likely to have issues or change stuff in a way not predicted by the guy who made the map, especially if you're not familiar with specific settings that may adapt to these problems, particularly when it comes to older wads. Though most wads will work pretty much okay with anything.

juliangrimm said:

Ok, I downladed ZDOOM but can only get the original wads to work and not the customs. The program doesn't even recognise them. Do I need another port or do I load them through the console?

ZDoom's start-up menu only shows the original wads - this is so that, when loading a custom wad (say, with ZDL 3) you can select which game to play it in.

I highly recommend using ZDL 3.

If you just click on the exe, then it won't load any pwads - just the basic game.

To load a pwad you need to use either:

• the command line (using -file, as I described above)
  
• drag and drop (if supported)
  or
  
• a launcher

Ok I got them to work. I guess I wasn't using teh launcher right and I like the feel of ZDL BTW!!!