Changing Map Level Names and Par Times

[Grimm]

How would I go about changing the level names that appear under the automap? Also, is there any way to change the par times? Finally, how would I create a batch file that would do all this, then delete the .EXE file when the recipient finishes playing the level? Thank you for your help. (After I do this, I'll FINALLY be done with COMPLEX.WAD.)

[myk]

You can use DeHackEd to modify the level names (by using F7 and modifying the appropiate entries). The par times aren't normally editable, but you may be able to change them with a hex editor. But if so you would have to distribute your WAD along with the EXE.

Note that I am supposing you are talking about the normal doom or doom2 engines, because you aren't specifying if your WAD requires a specific EXE. Otherwise mbf, prboom and eternity allow you to change the par times. Not sure about other engines, though.

Also, a few engines (some older ones, edge and, I think, jdoom) do not support DeHackEd patches, though the last two have other ways of setting the map names.

What EXE do you want deleted? The engine with the modified level names and par times? Why? Or dehacked.exe? Just read DeHackEd's help file for how to add a patch through the command-line (to make a batch file.) Many people will probably use a source-based engine with the -deh parameter instead, though.

[Spike]

Source ports are your best bet, i'm thinking. Jdoom in particular allows you to edit map names/sky textures via DED files.

[Kaiser]

if you want to release the wad for a certain source port, then you can modify the par time in Zdoom, Legacy/Eternity, and Jdoom.

[The Ultimate DooMer]

RTDscout said:

Finally, how would I create a batch file that would do all this, then delete the .EXE file when the recipient finishes playing the level?

If you're using doom2.exe, create your patch and then create a bat file like this:

copy doom2.exe doom2hak.exe
dehacked -load complex.deh
doom2hak -file complex.wad
del doom2hak.exe

(the dehacked.ini file should have doom2hak.exe as the 'Doom2 exe file to hack' as the default setting, so there should be no need to change the ini file)

[Grimm]

Thank you for your help, but now I have one more question. If the par times can't be edited, is there any way to make the par time simply not show up? I've seen this done in Invasion 1.9 (or whatever it was called), but I don't know how it was done.