[GEC] Master Edition PSX Doom for the PlayStation. Beta 4 Released [11/16/2022]

[Uroboros87]

That map looks great @Dark Pulse, I can't wait to try it out!

42 minutes ago, Job said:

That version of Dis is a big improvement over the original, and that's even with the PSX limitations. 

I think that because the PSX limitations, you are forced to get creative with how you approach porting the maps. That's probably why I like the exclusive playstation maps so much.

[riderr3]

The central platform with spiderdemon looking evil indeed. I've miss small house with goodies, but the current changes more appropriate.

Also one more fun fact: E3 hell sky didn't used in PSX Doom at all, they just changed it to fire sky on those maps. Only two Final Doom maps used E3 hell sky: Lunar Mining Project and Quarry.

[Dark Pulse]

I'm glad everyone seems to like the new center. I honestly kept trying to think of ways to pretty it up, but in the end, I just went with what worked.

 

I tried scaling the center room of the original map up more to accommodate the Spider Mastermind, but since it was just big enough to fit through the doors, it wouldn't go through them. Scaling it up even further (so it could actually get out) meant that the center was starting to eat ridiculous amounts of space, too.

 

I thought about how to have it in the center without the central room, and from there, the idea to have it on a platform was born. That idea then morphed into the current result you guys now see.

 

4 hours ago, riderr3 said:

I've miss small house with goodies, but the current changes more appropriate.

Don't worry, the goodies are still there. They're just moved to the edge of the Spider's platform. I might be making the map harder, but I'm not a complete sadist. I wouldn't have put it out there in this form unless I could beat it from Pistol Start on Ultra-Violence.

 

 

As I said, my rework on the map (besides the atmospheric stuff) was all about actually making the Spider into more than a throwaway challenge. Unless Team GEC eventually releases a version of the game where the cut maps are re-inserted into their proper places alongside the official maps, you're a lot less likely to have a BFG to rely on, so that along with this change will make it much more of a challenge. :)

 

Gonna have to be pretty nimble, eat a lot of damage, or rely on infighting to grab that precious Mega Armor and Plasma Rifle safely...

Edited October 24, 2018 by Dark Pulse

[Job]

4 hours ago, riderr3 said:

Also one more fun fact: E3 hell sky didn't used in PSX Doom at all, they just changed it to fire sky on those maps. Only two Final Doom maps used E3 hell sky: Lunar Mining Project and Quarry.

When playing PSX Final Doom, I always thought the E3 Hell sky was a perfect fit for those levels. With the colored lighting, it was superb. I hope to see more of that sky in this version of things. TBH, I'm getting tired of seeing that "poop brown" Doom 2 sky.

[Dark Pulse]

Does anyone know if it's possible to use the light blinks randomly sector special (Special 1), but with a light that is mostly OFF but blinks on randomly, instead of the normal type which seems to be mostly ON but blinks off randomly?

 

It'd greatly help the atmosphere of TNT MAP05 - Hanger. I tried setting it so that the light value was lower than a neighboring sector (thinking that the "blink" really just pulls the next nearest sector's light value and uses it to blink between them), but that just resulted in a steadily-lit sector that didn't blink at all.

 

I know there's the 1/2 Hz "Light Blinks" specials but that's way too regular for depicting something that's derelict and barely-functional.

[riderr3]

You can play with joining sectors with other sectors which are outside of map (dummy sectors which will control the light level).

Edit:
I see, random blinks are not supposed go to brighter sector, only to darker.
Why not just leave like it was in original map?

Edited October 27, 2018 by riderr3

[Dark Pulse]

Not sure how you'd do that. I mean, I understand the concept of Dummy Sectors, but linking two sectors in that way will mean that they'll all have the same light level and be considered the same sector. Meaning that wouldn't solve anything, right? Applying the blinking special and light level to the dummy sector just means the sectors I want dark and to flicker on intermittently would just be the same as the dummy sector. Meaning the normal light flicker special would only work for making them darker (mostly on, intermittently off) instead of brighter (mostly off, intermittently on).

 

Or am I missing something here?

Edited October 26, 2018 by Dark Pulse

[Dark Pulse]

On 10/26/2018 at 1:17 PM, riderr3 said:

Why not just leave like it was in original map?

That's part of the atmosphere overhaul.

[RonLivingston]

As I might say, I want dockside to take place in inferno, because inferno is underrated in the ps1 doom, plus the sky is messed up and most of the textures I had to remove, were the ones that were getting all glitchy. which has me making the textures brick metal and shawn instead, and I might have to fix the glitch for the sky too, only chaingunners, imps, demons, cacodemons, and hell knights are allowed in this map since it has more then 1000 sidedefs and 800 linedefs

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by RonLivingston

[Dexiaz]

I have a question:

 

We've added an invisible texture for making fake "I won't chase you right now" effect for monsters. Is this texture uploaded in new texture archive in OP? I just want to use it but I don't know the name of this texture.

[Dark Pulse]

2 hours ago, Đeⓧiaz said:

I have a question:

 

We've added an invisible texture for making fake "I won't chase you right now" effect for monsters. Is this texture uploaded in new texture archive in OP? I just want to use it but I don't know the name of this texture.

According to the OP...

Quote

Added 2 new textures W_BLANK and F_BLANK.

...so my guess is it's probably W_BLANK you're looking for?

[mr-around]

4 hours ago, Dark Pulse said:

Added 2 new textures W_BLANK and F_BLANK.

Yeah, and these ones according to my investigations reside on VRAM. F_BLANK, being the flat, is the 64x64 pixels. Not sure about W_BLANK's dimensions.

[riderr3]

W_BLANK is 16x128. Though it's also shown as black texture in VRAM viewer.

[Erick194]

On the day of arrival the Psx Doom Master Edition Beta 2 is available in the OP, with the Doom set containing 22 levels, the Final Doom Part 1 set containing 18 "Master-TNT" levels and the Final Doom Part 2 set containing Exclusively "Plutonia" with 21 levels.

 

Data of the beta, the missing animation of doom "GLOW01" was repaired, the switch "SW1SKUL2" of final doom was also repaired, in addition the nightmare difficulty was added, and the lost cheat "Vram Viewer" was reincorporated.

The EXE of the PAL versions of "PSX DOOM / FINAL" have also been added.

 

By the way the entry menu is added mouse support, but only to access Final Doom, since Doom does not have mouse support, I hope to at least try to expand Final Doom to support the 59 Doom levels, so that get to have mouse support.

I hope you like this beta, my brothers and I are enjoying the new built-in levels.

without more to say Thank you all. =)

[DynamiteKaitorn]

I will be testing the PAL versions of the beta.

[Job]

That's one heck of a Halloween treat, @Erick194! 

[Kroc]

PSP Beta 2: https://www.mediafire.com/file/oswf1mr64434mct/GEC_PSXDOOM_MASTERED_BETA2.zip/file

(can run on Vita, via PSP-mode)

[riderr3]

Thanks! And I've already have to say.

In Beta 2 passwords seems are different because of NM skill added, so the old password from official Doom/Final Doom will not work (play the game to get new passwords).

Final Doom maps after MAP01 works only on ePSXe. On Xebra and PSP the game are frozen when you end MAP01 or just using the warp cheat. This means it's possible to freeze on real console.
Doom maps is working everywhere, so it's possible something with Final Doom maps compilation.

Also I realized MAP04 slot in Final Doom is somewhat brokes sounds (not the map itself). When you warp on it, can be heard some steamy-like noise and revenants lose their sounds. It was my conversion previously and there is no problems when I run it stand-alone.


Edit:
Interesting, I can warp Final Doom maps by use cheat engine code 800783E4 (always start on map##) at least on PSP. This allows to start a specific level right from the main menu.

But going back to main menu freeze happens anyway. At least a partial workaround.
 

Edited October 31, 2018 by riderr3

[DynamiteKaitorn]

To be fair I haven't done a major run through yet, only a quick dart about but I can confirm most maps (if not all) are looking good.

 

Though two points I need to make:

 

MAP err..... *insert MAP number here* aka Sewers (not to be confused with THE sewers from Plutonia)

 

 

Not sure if you guys can see anything here but to me this is just full on black. Maybe it's just my monitor (which is a TV) but this room is so dark I can't see anything at all to the point I got attacked by a lost soul.

 

 

TOMB OF MALEVOLENCE:

A little cock-up I made. If you try to run to the exit, SAVE BEFORE HAND!!!! If you fall off you are trapped! for whatever reason, one of the lifts randomly lowers and never raises. It works fine when you use it normally but when you open up a wall just before the end (see fig: a) it also lowers a lift permanently.

 

This lift functions fine normally and will always re-lower.

 

However, once you lower this wall down, that lift retracts into the floor and becomes unusable.

[riderr3]

1 hour ago, DynamiteKaitorn said:

MAP err..... *insert MAP number here* aka Sewers (not to be confused with THE sewers from Plutonia)

To avoid confusion E1M10:Sewers needs to get new name on manner like Lost Levels one (Lost Sewers). May be Forgotten Sewers or something like that? It's up to GEC.

Also can you reduce a the number of steps of the first stair of Tomb of Malevolence? By the PSX Doom standards the quantity of steps in one place was creates a noticeable slowdown here.

And it seems you are forgot to add chaingun to Storage Facility, cause Chaingunners are removed from this map. This weapon is very necessary here. Other mappers also should bear in mind when removing shotgunners or chaingunners from maps, don't forget to put their respective weapons. Or pistol starters will be unhappy.

Myself, I've plan to change GLOW flat in Spirit World and also Industrial Zone needs to change this flat frame to 01. I understand they are fixed and animated now.

Edit:

I've also waiting PAL version of beta2, then I can try it on PS2 hardware.

Edited October 31, 2018 by riderr3

[Gerardo194]

Final Doom will be fixed when @Erick194 is back home. Sorry for the issues. We didn't noticed this. 

 

Of course we can change that "Sewers" name to a new one, this will also happen with Hell Keep levels.

 

And yes, that sector is too dark, even inspire fear.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Gerardo194

[DynamiteKaitorn]

Wait I thought Storage facility has the chaingun OwO

[Dark Pulse]

Now that I've got at least one map in this thing done, time to put up my little technical notes/commentary/changelog for Dis. Be warned, this does reveal some little secrets of the map, so if you want to play this blind, you probably shouldn't click the spoiler button.

 

Eventually the music will be changed; I'm definitely not intending this song for that map (I actually always kind of thought that "Breath of Horror" was one of the more silly-sounding songs as opposed to scary). If you want to play this map "as intended" and have access to the PS1 Soundtrack (or find it on Youtube and have it looping on there), go find "A Calm Panic Rises" and have that loop. Sooner or later Team GEC will change it, I'm sure.

 

Anyway, without further ado, the changelog and notes!

 

Spoiler

MAJOR CHANGES

• Spider Mastermind moved from Southeast Quadrant to the map to direct, dead center of the map, on an elevating platform (which raises by a line trigger). To accommodate this change, the former central structure in the map was removed.
  • This way the Spider Mastermind can't be blindsided and is automatically active at the start of the level - you can't leave the start area without it seeing you, with the rising floor serving to give you a precious few seconds to get out there into the arena before it can start shooting at you.
  • Increases difficulty of the fight by decreasing safe spaces where the Mastermind can't aim at you by letting it control the center of the map, as well as by not letting you bum-rush the Spider and begin braining it immediately with BFG shots without opening yourself up to the other enemies beginning to attack you.
  • Makes grabbing the Mega Armor and Plasma Rifle much more tricky and less safe as the Spider is likely to control the area around them, requiring either eating a lot of damage or luring it via infighting into ignoring you.
• Since PS1 Doom has no "end level on Monster Death" trigger, a new area of the map drops down upon death of the Spider Mastermind.
  • Basically just a slightly-altered mirror of the start area, nothing too fancy.

MINOR CHANGES

• Extra Baron of Hell added on all difficulty levels, where the Spider Mastermind originally was. The original Baron (in the northwestern quadrant) still only appears on Hurt Me Plenty/Ultra-Violence.
• Replaced Cacodemons with Pain Elementals on Ultra-Violence, for that authentic "Doom II in Doom" feel that PS1 Doom has on Ultra-Violence.
  • This makes combat on that difficulty much more about moving as well, due to belched Lost Souls. The Lost Souls aside, the Pain Elementals have the same HP as Cacodemons (400), keeping combat fairer.
  • Helps ensure the player can't just focus on braining the Spider Mastermind when combined with the Spider Mastermind being in the center of the map, making it more likely the player will get hit.
  • Unfortunately a plan to retain the Cacos on the easier difficulties caused the engine to bomb out due to being starved of RAM - I thought the game would only load monsters as needed for the current difficulty, and apparently it must load them whether the difficulty calls for them or not if they're placed on the map. The Baron(s) alone will have to keep you (and the Spider) company on I Am A Wimp/Not Too Rough/Hurt Me Plenty. This is a change from the original map, where the Cacos are always present, and the Baron only got added on Hurt Me Plenty/Ultra-Violence.
• Added one extra deathmatch spawn in the southeastern catwalk of the map (mirroring the one on the southwestern catwalk), and rearranged where they aim to focus towards the center of the map on respawn.
• Fixed the "orphaned" sector line in the northeastern catwalk of the map by properly merging it with the sector it's intended to be, properly fixing the catwalk. (This is a well-known bug in the original map, although it visually caused no harm.)
• Added some scattered bodies, viscera, etc. here and there to make it seem more like a proper arena, especially with the new pillars that have "failed" attempts to kill the Spider hung up for all their misery.

KNOWN ISSUES

• There's some splits/seams in the floor and near the walls. The effect is harmless.
  • This seems to be unavoidable, and is due to either the size of the floor or possibly some kind of precision error in the renderer - perhaps it's bad at long lines at odd angles.

COMMENTARY

The ultimate level from Doom... at least, until Thy Flesh Consumed came out.

 

Part of the problem with making a map like this run on the PS1 isn't really any sort of serious limitations or anything like that - while the Spider Mastermind definitely takes up a lot of RAM, there's so little TO this level that it's kind of trivial to get it running; making a "perfect" conversion is only impossible by virtue of some missing textures.

 

The worst problem is actually something I can't even avoid, and that's rounding/precision errors that cause the floor to slightly glitch out, which is unavoidable without rescaling the map (which would be quite silly). Otherwise, it mostly performs pretty decently, unless you try to look across the whole map, and even then it's around that 12 FPS range only when you have the bulk of the map in view; otherwise, it's quite performant. (Of course, if you're playing on an emulator like Xebra or Mednafen/RetroArch's BeetlePSX core, you can always just overclock the emulated CPU to improve the framerate, but this is important for people playing on actual PS1 hardware.)

 

I did want to make the fight with the Spider Mastermind more like a proper fight. Considering how hard Inferno was for me when I first began to play Doom, years later when I got to this boss it was just... totally a letdown how easily you could end this map, especially since with PC Doom you didn't have to worry even if you bit the dust - if it died in the process, you won. Although to be fair, part of that probably had to do with that I was 10, and that I was saddled with the SNES version of Doom... but I digress. Pandemonium was as far as I ever got on that console, which is ironic as it was only four levels from the end of that version due to a few missing levels of its own. Obviously this is no longer the ultimate map for Doom, even for Doom 1 due to Ultimate Doom... but I felt that this map always deserved better than it got, so hey, here's my opportunity.

 

Not much else to say. Hope you enjoyed it! If you died a couple of times, I did my job. :)

 

FREE FLATS: 12
FREE TEXTURE SPACE: 256x128

 

[Dark Pulse]

Noticed another thing while updating the Wiki page: Somehow, Cyberden and Go 2 It have gone missing from the Plutonia maplist. They're in Beta 1 but not Beta 2 somehow.

[Gerardo194]

Cyberden and Go 2 It are still there in Beta 2, they are hidden, the maps are 20 and 21, access to The Twilight level in order to reach them. Also Wolfenstein and Grosse are hidden in this one, they are maps 21 and 22 in Doom.

[Erick194]

I have updated the PSXDOOM Beta 2 file, the download in the OP, the errors of the Final Doom EXEs files have been repaired.

 

For those who want to play the PAL versions, they just need the real hardware "PAL Version" or change the BIOS in the emulators corresponding to the EUP region.

[Dark Pulse]

4 hours ago, Gerardo194 said:

Cyberden and Go 2 It are still there in Beta 2, they are hidden, the maps are 20 and 21, access to The Twilight level in order to reach them. Also Wolfenstein and Grosse are hidden in this one, they are maps 21 and 22 in Doom.

Ah, okay. I didn't notice, they weren't showing up with the level select cheat.

 

Not sure if you guys intend for that or not.

[Kroc]

PSP Beta 2 release updated with the new fixes; same link as before:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/oswf1mr64434mct/GEC_PSXDOOM_MASTERED_BETA2.zip/file

 

BTW @Erick194 I don't know what you did to the file, but it stopped working in PSX2PSP; not a problem though, because it now works with my automated script to build PSP releases so that's even better.

[DynamiteKaitorn]

Personally I'd like to warp to Cyber Den/Go2It and Wolfenstein/Grosse. I mean, if I am not wrong you CAN warp to Warrens.

[riderr3]

This is the usual practice of PSX Doom when it is not possible to use cheat-warp for secret levels. It should remain so, because it is the SECRET levels which should be hidden normally. Alternatively, you can save the password for secret levels only when you complete the previous level and find the secret exit, because now the password system has changed.

Warrens still not hidden because it has not yet been decided from which level the transition will be.