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

[mr-around]

Allow me also make a little bug reporting

 

MAP05: They Will Repent

 

Spoiler

 

The marble wall in the berserk secret appears stretchily inverted. Reset the alignment or replace it with a metallic texture like SUPPORT2 or METAL01.

 

 

Not totally a bug but I suppose the lamp and the door should luminate with the same color that's adjacent to the neighboring sector. Nevertheless the entirety of map is composed of that greenish lighting (likely to adjust the overall light in this PSX's brighter mode). Sure, the green marble all over the map must deserve that color index but I consider this be too much of that.

 

 

MAP10: Industial Zone

 

Spoiler

 

Issues:

1) The reverberation is too much bizzare to hear everywhere, even in the outside. Don't hesitate to mark the check box titled "Reverb Off" for the open areas at least.

2) Seen on the shot - that auxiliary sector has sky as its ceiling flat which creates this unpleasant feel of the plains. A good solution would be roughly returning the original northern area.

 

[riderr3]

6 hours ago, mr-around said:

The marble wall in the berserk secret appears stretchily inverted. Reset the alignment or replace it with a metallic texture like SUPPORT2 or METAL01.

I see. It's happening only when this door closed again after you open it. Map editor not recognized any errors, so I will address this to GEC.

@Erick194 i realize that PSX DoomBuilder still not able to find some cases in which walls are stretched and inverted (PSX error checks), for example:

-the place on They Will Repent above on screenshot.
-walls with clip mid-texture flag if they have scrolling and translucency are inverted.
-walls that are marked lower unpeggled, and have a positive y-offset are stretched.
-negative y-offsetted walls after nearby floors goes down are inverted.

It's because the "PSX error checks" feature will not work properly with multiple flags and actions, and events which lead to a change the height of the floors and ceilings. So there is small chance that some maps potentially can contain this errors.

Regarding to colored sectors with lamps on They Will Repent, I change it to match the surroundings for this map. Still, techbase maps of PSX Doom have color index of 6 to 15 for the sectors with those lamps.

P.S. It's possible that some people can forgot to turn off reverb in outdoor areas (and even some nearby areas). Re-check your maps. Such a trifle is easy to miss but it will later affect the quality.

Edited November 5, 2018 by riderr3

[Erick194]

Ok, I'll take into account the "Reverb Off", and the PSX DoomBuilder.

[Dark Pulse]

Question: After this project is completed, are you going to release all the tools needed to build a full replacement CD, @Erick194?

 

Like, let's say I wanted to make a conversion of a PWAD, complete with custom textures (and maybe even custom songs, I dunno). Is that going to be possible with the "full" tools, or is what we have now as good as we will ever get?

 

Music would be the trickiest part, but I know you guys have figured out how to reverse them into standard MIDI files and create a soundfont, so in theory that should be doable to create new songs as well. At that point, there's not much that wouldn't be able to be replaced, short of enemies/weapons and core game logic (like code pointers, etc.).

[Job]

Would it be possible to get a build that has all the completed beta levels so far, or does beta 2 include those? 

[riderr3]

46 minutes ago, Job said:

Would it be possible to get a build that has all the completed beta levels so far, or does beta 2 include those? 

As I know maps with icon of sin is not available now because to not spoil that. Maybe they should be improved also.
 

[DynamiteKaitorn]

Is GLOW01 an animated flat? If so, that probably explains why I kept having issues with Mill and why I ended up limiting it's textures so much.

[Erick194]

On 11/8/2018 at 4:17 PM, Dark Pulse said:

Question: After this project is completed, are you going to release all the tools needed to build a full replacement CD, @Erick194?

Of course, more programs will be released, to create complete CDs and also something similar to dehacked, to modify the exes.

 

1 hour ago, Job said:

Would it be possible to get a build that has all the completed beta levels so far, or does beta 2 include those? 

Beta 2 includes all the levels of the first beta, they are only updated.

 

14 minutes ago, DynamiteKaitorn said:

Is GLOW01 an animated flat? If so, that probably explains why I kept having issues with Mill and why I ended up limiting it's textures so much.

Mill is one of the maps that have not had problems in psx console.

 

By the way, they have tested with PAL versions, I only have NTSC console.

[DynamiteKaitorn]

31 minutes ago, Erick194 said:

Mill is one of the maps that have not had problems in psx console.

 

Yeah because like 80% of the map is METAL01. :P

 

I personally have found a couple areas where I could sacrifice 1 texture and get 1-2 new ones. so far, I managed to squeeze in 3 new textures. PLAT01 was just too large and wasn't used enough and I removed WALL20 and added SUPPORT4 and METAL03. The map is now looking way prettier and I love it (though the SUPPORT4 does look weird in some spots. porbaly need to post pics before I set it as final texture).

 

 

EDIT:

JESUS! I just made Mill not only look 200% better but also "accidentally" found a way to reduce lag in the "fire" room. XD

 

As you can see, METAL03 makes a good chunk of the map look much cleaner.

 

Not fully sure what you guys thought of SUPPORT4. This room for now uses SUPPORT4 as it's walls texture (mostly needing a new wall texture to help spruce up the map one last time). Any other texture suggestions is fine. Just say.

 

This brick texture looks nice as a contrast against the darker browns and also gives the map a much more earthly feel.

 

Simply adding this door here actually helped to reduce the lag in the room quite a bit (It still slows down but it's now manageable! :D)

Edited November 10, 2018 by DynamiteKaitorn : MILL-UK

[riderr3]

Looking better indeed. Except that SUPPORT4 all over the place, it can confuse players a little, because this texture is not used by this method (widely) on other maps, and moreover it's looking too repetitive because of its width. SUPPORT4 made mostly for lifts and the gaps between different textures.
Maybe METAL03 or any dark texture would suit more because in order to distinguish from the wall with lift (SILVER4).

Also interesting fact: in beta 2 this map have more flats than 16, and I realized it's possible because there is no sky and flats will not appears on sky.

Edited November 11, 2018 by riderr3

[Dark Pulse]

Another potential question for @Erick194 - any possibility for there to be a skill mode hack where we can remove all monsters from the level, kind of like -skill 0 in the original DOS game? (The difference being that one removed all Things, not just monsters.)

 

It'd be quite helpful for testing. This way we can test triggers, sectors, and so on without having to actually deal with monsters.

 

Obviously it wouldn't be needed for the actual Beta/Final builds.

[riderr3]

3 hours ago, Dark Pulse said:

Another potential question for @Erick194 - any possibility for there to be a skill mode hack where we can remove all monsters from the level, kind of like -skill 0 in the original DOS game? (The difference being that one removed all Things, not just monsters.)

 

It'd be quite helpful for testing. This way we can test triggers, sectors, and so on without having to actually deal with monsters.

Also teleport spawns are actually things. So it will broke progression on most maps. Would be useful if existed cheat like TNTEM (on PrBoom-Plus) where you can kill all monsters on map. If there are no such hidden features, it is unlikely.

Edit:
Well, I like the idea if there will be available testing/debug cheats hooked on unused combinations for testing build.

Edited November 11, 2018 by riderr3

[Dark Pulse]

2 minutes ago, riderr3 said:

Also teleport spawns are actually things. So it will broke progression on most maps. Would be useful if existed cheat like TNTEM (on PrBoom-Plus) where you can kill all monsters on map.

Cheat code would be an alternate way to do it, yeah, and there's certainly a few "unhooked" cheat combinations that could be used.

 

Not sure how much EXE hacking that'd require though. Both probably will, of course.

[riderr3]

@Erick194 I have a statement.

Currently beta 2 have two sound-relates issues:

1) As example use warp cheat to Omen, open blue door to the right from the starting point and you will hear "click" as if it was a switch, not a regular texture. Interestingly, after you restart the map, this effect is disappeared. Though, it's not disappears when you use password for particular level.

Many other actions and walls are affected, as example in Pharaoh's enter to wooden "barn" in the end and this click also heard. This happened only in Final Doom maps and I have a suspicion that is happened after "big plutonian skull switch" is fixed.

2) You can warp to Betray and some steamy noise will be heard. In beta 1 you can warp to Caged and this noise also played, but it fixed now.
I assume that this is not related to maps itself, perhaps this is a problem with the compilation of maps. Moreover, on the TEETH and The Crypt maps, some of the sounds of arachnotrons and mancubi, respectively, disappear. Such problems also occurred in beta 1, but on other maps. I have a suspicion that this may be a music track that uses more memory than the one that is on the MAP01 in the test build. If this is indeed confirmed, at the end you will need to clarify which music tracks will fit, and inform other mappers.

At least when I tested The Crypt on a test build, everything was fine related with sounds.

Edit:
@DynamiteKaitorn this issue are also not relating to mapping, I suppose it's because GEC make some changes to main game.

Edited November 12, 2018 by riderr3

[DynamiteKaitorn]

Poor Omen Q_Q

[Chris0neilson]

Quote

Gzdoom Builder Custom By GEC V3 -> Fixed the error of 3D visual mode, with full brightness and psx lighting color.

Hi, Erick194. Download Gzdoom Builder Custom By GEC V3.rar is error on server, not working. Try upload again.

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Chris0neilson

[Dark Pulse]

Indeed it's not.

 

I can mirror it if nobody else has it, I've still got the RAR.

[Chris0neilson]

5 minutes ago, Dark Pulse said:

Indeed it's not.

 

I can mirror it if nobody else has it, I've still got the RAR.

 

http://www.mediafire.com/file/tojro62f7iwb6qw/Gzdoom+Builder+Custom+By+GEC+V3.rar not working, please upload other mirror.

 

[Dark Pulse]

Until they get it re-uploaded, this will do then.

 

https://mega.nz/#!c5Rh0SBD!ijSsWSaZSqrmw01mM0KMm45tUSYaHsGqvN63ML5tSn4

[Chris0neilson]

2 minutes ago, Dark Pulse said:

Until they get it re-uploaded, this will do then.

 

https://mega.nz/#!c5Rh0SBD!ijSsWSaZSqrmw01mM0KMm45tUSYaHsGqvN63ML5tSn4

Thank you.

[riderr3]

Yeah, current mediafire link of map editor says "Generating new download key We are generating a new download key for this file.Click the button below to continue.", then looping again.

[Erick194]

Fixed the download link, now the file is in zip. Thanks @Chris0neilson for notifying.

 

@riderr3

Regarding the first point, I think that is the fixes of SW1SKUL1. I will try to find a solution.

 

The second point, you are correct is the selection of music and not the maps themselves, i tried it on the real console, before updating beta 2, "Abattoire and TEETH" were locked and not loaded, in Xebra if they loaded it but before loading it sounded like an overflow of sound, like a "psssss", then I changed the music to Abattoire and TEETH did not do it, I went back to try real console and Abattoire charge without problem and TEETH did not charge, so the music also influences the loading of the map.

[Dark Pulse]

Meaning that we must factor that in as well due to the limited RAM. Bleh.

 

Someday we'll have it running on the N64 engine and not have to worry about any of this, but since the whole point of this is to cope with the PS1 limits, let's make all the maps we need working on this version before we try to shift it to a new version of the engine. :P

[Uroboros87]

I'll tell you what, playing through the beta on nightmare difficulty will put some hair on your chest and I'm already one hairy bastard haha.

[Dark Pulse]

3 hours ago, Uroboros87 said:

I'll tell you what, playing through the beta on nightmare difficulty will put some hair on your chest and I'm already one hairy bastard haha.

God, I could barely manage Dis on Ultra-Violence from pistol start.

 

I shudder thinking of a Nightmare run of it.

 

(Seriously. I think my trial run ended with me at about 3% Health.)

[DynamiteKaitorn]

Try Twilight on Nightmare. Since I can't warp to GO2IT I can't tell if I can even beat it on Nightmare :S

[riderr3]

I've done New Hangar on Nightmare, the invul sphere was essential =)
At least in this version monsters will no respawning so you can think strategically without much rush.

[riderr3]

Here is small changelog for updated maps:

They will repent:
-near the berserk door that was inverted after a full close is fixed
-sectors with wall textures "LITE" now have a color that corresponds to nearby sectors at this map
-at the outdoor area W_BLANK texture is used instead of dummy sector, it can improve performance a little bit

Spirit World:
-fixed pit with a cacodemon, because the player can fall in there permanently (caco replaced by a revenant, which was here originally)

Pharaoh:
-fixed steps near the red key that may not activate floor raising in some cases
-on a pedestal with a red key removed the action for an unused tag 61
-4 torches were restored in the main hall
-"sewer" location is now slightly darker
-reduced slowdown in megasphere room

[Kaiser]

On 11/3/2018 at 2:30 PM, Erick194 said:

Exactly, and I have been working on this, but I have continued, but the possibility exists.

 

Its obvious that its a custom algorithm that Carmack wrote like with his custom LZSS one for JagDoom. This is something that I've been trying to figure out for years but couldn't really pinpoint what its based on (I am still convinced that it COULD BE based off of some form of Huffman). Do keep me in the loop if you plan to continue deciphering it.

[Gez]

On samedi 3 novembre 2018 at 8:27 PM, Dark Pulse said:

I'm admittedly not a programmer, but it's pretty common sense that if you know how to decompress something, recompressing it is basically a matter of reversing the steps needed to decompress it,

No, it's not that simple.

 

Compression requires making choices, while decompression doesn't. With compression, you need to analyze the source data, find repeated patterns, and compress them. With decompression, you just decompress the patterns; so you don't get the entire part of the algorithm that is about analyzing the source data to find patterns in it. And that's probably the most important part because it's where the real performance differences can be found between different compression algorithms.

 

If I take your quote for example, I can reduce size a bit by finding some short patterns like "it", "om", or "ow". Let's call them 1, 2, 3.

 

Quote

I'm adm1tedly not a programmer, but it's pretty c2mon sense that if you kn3 h3 to dec2press something, rec2pressing 1 is basically a matter of reversing the steps needed to decompress 1,

It's shorter alright. But perhaps a longer pattern like "compress" (1) would be better?

Quote

I'm admittedly not a programmer, but it's pretty common sense that if you know how to de1 something, re1ing it is basically a matter of reversing the steps needed to de1 it,

In this example, this gives a better compression despite affecting fewer words. In either case, decompression here requires merely replacing the tokens with their pattern, and you get back the original sentence.

 

This is how utilities like PNGOUT work -- they take a PNG (a compressed image) and then brute-force try several different approach for compression, keeping the one that yielded the smallest size.