Prefabs in Doom Builder -- Your thoughts?

[RonnieJamesDiner]

For years I've noticed the Prefab tab in both Doom Builder & GZDoom Builder. It seems like a neat function, but I've never run into a situation where I felt I ever needed to use it. I was just wondering if anyone out there has used this before? And how, where, when, or why they used it?

 

 

I found a few threads related to this topic, such as this and this, but none seem to gain much attention; there wasn't much to be learned.

 

I am also aware of the idgames Prefab directory, which is an interesting collection, but seems mostly dedicated to small, environmental-detail-oriented pieces, rather than fully-fledged rooms.

 

Part of me always enjoyed the thought of a community Prefab resource pack; some kind of a collection of well-designed, yet multi-functional sectors of varying shape, size, and utility -- like a classic Doom version of DOOM(2016) SnapMap's Module library -- put together by some of the communities most highly skilled and veteran mapping wizards. I'm not sure if such a pack would garner much interest, or be regarded as particularly useful, I've just always enjoyed the idea of it. 

 

[Nine Inch Heels]

The prefab function is a greatly underrated tool. I use it all the time when making boom format maps. Timers, conveyor-scripts, teleport closets, even logic gates, I have all that as prefabs to make sure I can focus on building the actual map, rather than having to rebuild something I've already built dozens of times.

 

The prefab tool is fucking useless for "fully-fledged-rooms", because nobody wants to see the very same room with just a few swapped textures, or a few added linedefs in every other map. Never mind that pre-made rooms, or parts of rooms can vary so much in shape and size that a "mix and match" would either take much longer than actually doing the mapping yourself, or would simply be impossible due to "incompatible pieces" (in which case you might as well build from scratch, too). For "behind the scenes" parts of maps it is invaluable.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Nine Inch Heels

[RonnieJamesDiner]

25 minutes ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

The prefab function is a greatly underrated tool. I use it all the time when making boom format maps. Timers, conveyor-scripts, teleport closets, even logic gates, I have all that as prefabs to make sure I can focus on building the actual map, rather than having to rebuild something I've already built dozens of times.

 

Cool, I never considered using it for behind-the-scenes stuff. That's kinda brilliant! Thanks for sharing :D

 

27 minutes ago, Nine Inch Heels said:

The prefab tool is fucking useless for "fully-fledged-rooms", because nobody wants to see the very same room with just a few swapped textures, or a few added linedefs in every other map. Never mind that pre-made rooms, or parts of rooms can vary so much in shape and size that a "mix and match" would either take much longer than actually doing the mapping yourself, or would simply be impossible due to "incomaptible pieces" (in which case you might as well build from scratch, too). For "behind the scenes" parts of maps it is invaluable.

 

I sort of figured as much. Repetition can be the bane of Doom maps in general. I guess I'm just a dreamer :P 

[PasokonDeacon]

Prefabs are great largely for conveyors, control sectors, and other hidden sectors you need. But I also like them for sector furniture, special-effects machinery, and various Doom-cute stuff when appropriate. When used right (in moderation), non-obtrusive prefabs can add that last touch of consistency or theme-ing to a map(set). I made a complex "cutaway" ore crate, for example, which has varying spatial and thematic function across the map. Rather than remake the sectors every time, setting it as a prefab handled the work for me and let me focus on properly mapping/testing the map.

 

Would I use prefabs for anything larger in scale/relevance to map progression? Very unlikely, though it's not the worst idea for a mapping challenge. I care more about practically using prefabs case-by-case than making it essential to my creation style.

[RonnieJamesDiner]

19 hours ago, PasokonDeacon said:

Prefabs are great largely for conveyors, control sectors, and other hidden sectors you need. But I also like them for sector furniture, special-effects machinery, and various Doom-cute stuff when appropriate. When used right (in moderation), non-obtrusive prefabs can add that last touch of consistency or theme-ing to a map(set). I made a complex "cutaway" ore crate, for example, which has varying spatial and thematic function across the map. Rather than remake the sectors every time, setting it as a prefab handled the work for me and let me focus on properly mapping/testing the map.

 

That's another great use of prefabs I never considered, especially with the idea of a thematically linked mapset. Thanks!

 

20 hours ago, PasokonDeacon said:

Very unlikely, though it's not the worst idea for a mapping challenge.

 

Could be a fun little idea there.