Faithless: Trilogy - BETA 1a released!

[Manhs]

Im at the end of episode 2 and it's really impressive! Thanks for giving us such a cool wad! :D
Even with the new stuff (monsters/weapons) it still feel like the style of Heretic 
Awesome mazes and level design!

[TheWolfman00001]

I just found out about this and I am going to give it a shot since this looks right up my alley! I also hope that you are still working on this project jimmy since it's still in beta :D

[ReaperAA]

@Jimmy BTW I have a small request/suggestion. Most of the textures (Heretic and Shadow Caster) are paletted, but Hexen textures are PNG which means that custom palettes (like my HeresyPal) are not compatible with it.

 

So can you use the Hexen textures that are palettized to Heretic's palette? (I remember you already made a "Hexen textures to Heretic" pack one some time ago).

EDIT: This one

[Lightningoof]

can't download it for some reason :\

[Jimmy]

If you're using the Powerhouse mirror in the first post, try using this one on Dropbox instead:

 

faith_tri_b1a.zip

 

 

For those wondering: yes this needs a proper release but there's a huge amount left to do to bring it up to final. Won't be abandoning this, though.

[Hanomamoru]

Does this wad needs to be fired up ONLY on gzdoom 4.4.0? Bcs for some reason when im open this wad on gzdoom on 4.7.1 it doesnt work, it only showing up a starting screen and empty main menu *sadface*

[Gez]

8 minutes ago, Hanomamoru said:

Does this wad needs to be fired up ONLY on gzdoom 4.4.0? Bcs for some reason when im open this wad on gzdoom on 4.7.1 it doesnt work, it only showing up a starting screen and empty main menu *sadface*

I accidentally replicated your result by going a bit too fast on the IWAD selector and launching Faithless with Doom.

 

However, when launching it with Heretic, as intended, then everything works just fine.

[Hanomamoru]

1 hour ago, Gez said:

I accidentally replicated your result by going a bit too fast on the IWAD selector and launching Faithless with Doom.

 

However, when launching it with Heretic, as intended, then everything works just fine.

 OMG, lol, im so stupid, i was thinking that wad was for Hexen not for Heretic so i was using Hexen wad, thank you very much for helping =D

[rzh]

I was hesitant to try this, for three reasons:

1) I generally prefer vanilla or limit-removing WADs, and try to avoid GZDoom ones unless they provide something unique, high-quality that simply does not work on a less advanced engine

2) I don't usually enjoy "crossover" WADs (even if it's the same universe, Heretic and Hexen have really different styles)

3) Even though I love and use all of Jimmy's music packs, I wasn't that impressed by Deathless (it was OK, but I don't remember much of it, apart from the rocket-launching yourself into that one fireblu secret and the Cyberdemon circle of death

 

However, this is so, so good. The environments are gorgeous, the MIDIs are great (when I heard the Lands of Lore music in the Kingdom of Roots, I remembered I still have to finish that game and played it afterwards), the balance and layouts of the maps are both A+.

If anything, this makes me sad that vanilla Heretic isn't more like it, since the hub structure fits like a glove.

Top 3 GZDoom projects for me, only topped by Ashes 2063 and about on par with Dynamite Duchess, which I also enjoyed very much (let's not derail the thread with the controversy around it though).

Witchless for Hexen when?

[Matthias]

I just beat Faithless and I want to share my feelings... This was totally awesome megawad, very epic. I love how it has strong Heretic and Hexen athmosphere. It works pretty well together. Many maps were great and visually totally beautiful. I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for this.

 

If there is anything I can complain about, the map with willows (E2M4) is very slow in Gzdoom (FPS drops to 20), but works well in Lzdoom. Overall it was stringe how Episode 1 and 3 are short, but Episode 2 is extremely huuuuge. Episode 2 was probably the best, but also there was not enough ammo on many places... Many times I had only the gauntlets, looking despretaly for ammo, asking "is there an ammo behind the corner?" - nope, just more enemies. I even had to fight couple of bosses with the gantlets only :( It was the reason why I played Episode 3 on easist difficulty (which was ok, no problem with ammo, unlike episode 2).

[Master O]

8 minutes ago, LiquidDoom said:

I just beat Faithless and I want to share my feelings... This was totally awesome megawad, very epic. I love how it has strong Heretic and Hexen athmosphere. It works pretty well together. Many maps were great and visually totally beautiful. I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks for this.

 

If there is anything I can complain about, the map with willows (E2M4) is very slow in Gzdoom (FPS drops to 20), but works well in Lzdoom. Overall it was stringe how Episode 1 and 3 are short, but Episode 2 is extremely huuuuge. Episode 2 was probably the best, but also there was not enough ammo on many places... Many times I had only the gauntlets, looking despretaly for ammo, asking "is there an ammo behind the corner?" - nope, just more enemies. I even had to fight couple of bosses with the gantlets only :( It was the reason why I played Episode 3 on easist difficulty (which was ok, no problem with ammo, unlike episode 2).

 

If you're having issues with frame rates, you may find this command useful:

 

Quote

vid_maxfps (integer)

 

Default: 200
 

(200 means "200 frames per second")

 

If non-zero, this variable limits the frame rate to some arbitrary rate between 35 and 1000 FPS. Note that vid_maxfps 35 is not the same as cl_capfps 1: cl_capfps caps the frame rate by tying the video update directly to the game timer. With vid_maxfps 35, the video update and game timer are running on separate timers, and results will not be as good as with cl_capfps 1, which uses only one timer. You can use this in conjunction with vid_vsync to control whether or not the maximum frame rate is restricted to your monitor's refresh rate.

 

1) Open GZdoom and bring up the console by press the ` key (to the left of the Tab key)

 

2) Type vid_maxfps 60 and press enter.

 

[Matthias]

5 minutes ago, Master O said:

 

If you're having issues with frame rates, you may find this command useful:

 

 

1) Open GZdoom and bring up the console by press the ` key (to the left of the Tab key)

 

2) Type vid_maxfps 60 and press enter.

 

 

Strange, now it works normally for me (even without your command), not sure what is different now :)

 

But next time I will have the issue, I try the command... thanks :)

[Master O]

2 minutes ago, LiquidDoom said:

 

Strange, now it works normally for me (even without your command), not sure what is different now :)

 

But next time I will have the issue, I try the command... thanks :)

 

No problem.

 

On a similar note:

 

cl_capfps true (console command) can be helpful as well.  See below for the description of what this command does:

 

Quote

cl_capfps (boolean)

    Default: false
    When true, the game is limited to 35 FPS, as it was originally in Doom. When false, the game frame rate will be as high as your machine is capable of (within the limits of vid_maxfps, if set). You can use this in conjunction with vid_vsync to control whether or not the maximum frame rate is restricted to your monitor's refresh rate.

 

[Matthias]

Hey, I just recall I found a little bug or something... When I rang the gong repeatedly, the game sometimes crashed. (yeah, I am talking about the monastery map).

 

And the door nearby the gong... I have never found a way to open them, but people on Youtube had them opened... not sure what they did differently, but eventually it probably wasn't a mandatory place, as Episode 2 was beateable without it.

[Red Recluse]

Like playing this glory idea.

[Matthias]

Not sure if someone tested it in LZdoom, but it seems to be working, except when you try to open the chest, it crashes :)

[theleo_ua]

Hi Jimmy, could you please check this run at 3:24:58: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLqleBb4rh0&t=3h24m58s#t=3h24m58s

 

Very low fps on this map (and high fps on other maps). Is this intended?

[eqagunn]

Am I right in saying there is a zero percent chance of properly positioning sprites to make them compatible with voxel mods? :D

 

EDIT: Why do monsters sometimes have wrong names? For example:

 

The mapset is absolutely amazing btw!

Edited September 11, 2022 by eqagunn

[theleo_ua]

13 hours ago, eqagunn said:

Am I right in saying there is a zero percent chance of properly positioning sprites to make them compatible with voxel mods? :D

 

 

The mapset is absolutely amazing btw!

 

In my HD mods (I using 3d models, but logic is the same) I created a script to autorotate those sprites, and using this script for example for Masters of Chaos mappack. The problem that code was written years ago with ACS (and without zscript), so there are a lot of strings of code to implement simple features

 

Here is how it looks like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeOVLXa8uaA&list=PL5QwAqOy7WACZbw4OKosShl_Jzyeq_FMv&index=193&t=2h31m25s#t=2h31m25s

 

Timings:

2:31:25
1:25:25
2:51:09

3:31:12
3:32:11

3:27:14

3:28:05

[eqagunn]

On 11/6/2020 at 3:48 PM, Jimmy said:

I remember fixing a performance issue with the weather that cropped up with Faithless E1's original release - the weather system would kick in again and again on repeat visits to maps that had it, resulting in the map getting rainier and rainier as the episode went on. I at least fixed the weather particles spawning over and over but I think performance is still taking a hit. It's @Gutawer's code so I'm not entirely sure what I can do to optimise it much further.

It's still the case for both the Belltower and Willowwood. Had 60 fps at the start, and it went all the way down to 10 fps later on. As if weather still keeps on kicking in for every visit. Is there a way to reset the weather via console for the moment?

 

This one claims it "doesn't create a ton of weather spawning Actors meaning your maps remain efficient".

Edited September 11, 2022 by eqagunn

[boris]

16 minutes ago, eqagunn said:

Is there a way to reset the weather via console for the moment?

 

Check out this post: https://www.doomworld.com/forum/post/2226802

[ReaperAA]

Really wish Jimmy would get back to making another patch for this. It's still the best megawad made for Heretic.

[Kyka]

Wat no E4 and E5?

 

0/10 do nt rcommend.

 

:D

 

On a serious note, I do not know how I missed this for so long. I really like heretic, and would love to see heretic get more love like this.

Jimmy ur sheer output is amazing. Thanks so much.

[hereticfan]

This is a real good mod. It's sad that it didn't get out of beta.

[Shepardus]

Even if it's technically a beta, it's still perfectly playable and very polished, at least what I've played of it so far (i.e. the first hub).

 

I played the first hub a few weeks ago (in tandem with Veil of Darkness for Hexen) and really liked it. It was fun to roam around the areas like it was Hexen, but with Heretic's combat instead of Hexen's lackluster combat. The inclusion of both Heretic and Hexen monsters is cool too, since each game on their own suffers from a lack of enemy variety. Stalkers are annoying, especially since I don't seem to be able to stunlock them as easily as in Hexen, but at least they're not centaurs (yet?). That there's still two more hubs to go is a real treat to me!

 

I started the second hub today and it's quite promising. Enjoying the additions that I've seen so far. Seems like the challenge is ramping up, too, so we'll see whether I regret playing on Smite-Meister skill level.

 

I had framerate issues with the belltower (last couple trips through it were done at around 20 FPS), but it looks like there's already a workaround shared in the thread. Will be keeping that command handy in case I run into that again.

[plums]

@hereticfan @Shepardus

 

I'm not sure why it didn't get posted here but it looks like this did get an idgames release that, at a glance, appears to fix the weather issue. Unsure what else was changed.

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/heretic/Ports/faithless

 

Nevermind, that's only the first episode.

Edited January 12 by plums

[Andromeda]

@plums That's just the first episode I think.

[plums]

7 minutes ago, Andromeda said:

@plums That's just the first episode I think.

Oh, that makes sense, thanks. It's odd that the weather bug looks like it's fixed in that version though.

[Nate42]

I wouldn't worry too much about the "beta" aspect. It was good enough to win a Cacoward after all. I don't remember any major issues on my playthrough. One of the best (if not THE best) Heretic/Hexen experiences you can have. I particularly like how it combines some of the best aspects of both. If Raven had released this as a Heretic sequel back in the day people would have been blown away.  

[Shepardus]

Finished playing this a little while ago, was a lot of fun! Don't have much to add that I haven't already said, except that like ReaperAA I had trouble finding D'Sparil's robes, and only found it after I read that comment. I had even revisited that area before, thinking it was suspicious that I hadn't found anything there, but I still missed the robes. I guess it looked like just another enemy corpse to me and I never thought to investigate it.