How do you launch your favorite source port?

[Nixx]

Hi all

 

I don't know the habits of the players concerning the way to launch their favorite source port (script? launcher? magic ritual? terminal?).

 

Personally, I made myself a very quick and user friendly script to launch any source port and allowing me to choose a wad quickly (in a folder where they are all stored).

Some time ago I put it on a GitHub repository adding comments to make it easy to understand, just change the parameters, the one posted is a PrBoom+/DSDA compatible version :

>>> SCRIPT HERE <<<

 

I have a hard time with launchers, unless if I make one myself

I wouldn't teach anyone anything, but I think it's a cool idea to share your habits about it.

[IcarusOfDaggers]

simple "open with" feature on windows. this goes for pk3 files as well. I have all sourceports bookmarked there, but since I mainly use GZDoom, well, there's that

[Pseudonaut]

I just click and drag the wad into the .exe for casual play. For demo recording, I double click a pre-written .bat file, but I edit it first if I want to change wad/map/category.

[TheMagicMushroomMan]

Drag and drop, never used a launcher.

[CyberDreams]

I just use ZDL . It's a fantastic and simple to use launcher. It works with a ton of source ports. I just found out that the version that I've been using is outdated so if you want to try it out definitely check out the newer versions as I'm sure those are more feature rich.

[Doomy__Doom]

Batch files. I keep a generic structure with wads, sourceports and launch scripts in separate folders. So adding a new wad is copypasting and slightly editing a batch script, usually with correct port/complevel already in there from whatever recognizable wad's script I happened to copy. Scripts are roughly sorted to 3 folders - single-level, short- and megawads (~10 levels being the cutoff, but ultimately however I feel like).

 

Could never see myself using drag and drop - too many wads, separate place from ports, but most importantly - complevel isn't going to specify itself.

Similarly, I'm not in a habit of heavily tagging/categorizing stuff, so alphanumeric sort and OS search bar is enough on that front.

[Nixx]

3 hours ago, Doomy__Doom said:

Batch files. I keep a generic structure with wads, sourceports and launch scripts in separate folders. So adding a new wad is copypasting and slightly editing a batch script, usually with correct port/complevel already in there from whatever recognizable wad's script I happened to copy. Scripts are roughly sorted to 3 folders - single-level, short- and megawads (~10 levels being the cutoff, but ultimately however I feel like).

 

Could never see myself using drag and drop - too many wads, separate place from ports, but most importantly - complevel isn't going to specify itself.

Similarly, I'm not in a habit of heavily tagging/categorizing stuff, so alphanumeric sort and OS search bar is enough on that front.

 

Yup, like me. Did you post your script somewhere?

The only constraint of mine is that I have to modify it to change wad (and complevel) or change the type of launch: Play / Warp / playdemo / record / viddump (for DSDA)

I think that one day I will modify this script to never have to open it : just launch it and select everything in a GUI, it doesn't seem complicated, just a little time to do it

 

16 hours ago, IcarusOfDaggers said:

simple "open with" feature on windows. this goes for pk3 files as well. I have all sourceports bookmarked there, but since I mainly use GZDoom, well, there's that

 

In case of multiple loading, isn't there a risk that they are loaded in the wrong order? The order is sometimes important, especially when there are many (The joys of server configuration on zandronum when I was playing it)

[xX_Lol6_Xx]

The terminal. Never fails.

[Doomy__Doom]

15 minutes ago, Nixx said:

Yup, like me. Did you post your script somewhere?

I mean, my scripts contain nothing but a typical one-liner like "..\dsda-doom\dsda-doom.exe -iwad ..\wads\DOOM2.WAD -file ..\wads\sd20x7.wad -complevel 9".

And then it just sits in the folder for years, ready to run 20x7 a double click away for me whenever I feel like it. If I need another wad, port, demo or whatever - copy, rename, edit and tackle extra stuff on.

[TheHambourgeois]

my method is probably terrifying. here's what my general doom engine folder looks like:

and here's what a source port folder looks like:

yes, i launch every wad from a batch file

[CFWMagic]

Same as CyberDreams, I use ZDL. Started using it originally because I had quite a bunch of PWADs I needed to run at the same time and the command line would get very long, but then it just stuck. About the only exception to this is when I'm using DSDA-Doom for some reason (I don't post demos so DSDA-D is only useful for weird shenanigans for me).

[Doomkid]

I just use Doom Explorer.

 

Compatible with all ports, wads, pk3s, etc - just select the port you’re in the mood for, select iwad, add wads and DEHs if necessary, and launch. There’s also switches for gameplay options like no monsters/fast monsters, and an area to add arguments like -warp, -turbo, and all that fun stuff.

 

It also has the best multiplayer server browser built right in.. Truly the most well-rounded launcher for Windows, imo.

[ludicrous_peridot]

DoomLauncher when in Windows 10 (except for PSXDoom, which I launch with the launcher powertoy included).
A sophisticated and convoluted system of batch-scripts when in Windows 98 (except for Eternal Doom, which I launch with the launcher powertoy included). 

[Sneezy McGlassFace]

Just the terminal. Nice and simple.

[indigotyrian]

I use Doom Launcher on my home computer and QZDL by way of Luxtorpeda on my Steam Deck.

[banjiepixel]

On Windows I usually just drag and drop and if I need to do something more complicated than that, I just make a simple .bat file.

 

On Linux I just use terminal because it is used so often anyway and I like how launching Doom from terminal feels very retro.

[CatWithAComputer]

1 hour ago, Doomkid said:

I just use Doom Explorer.

 

Compatible with all ports, wads, pk3s, etc - just select the port you’re in the mood for, select iwad, add wads and DEHs if necessary, and launch. There’s also switches for gameplay options like no monsters/fast monsters, and an area to add arguments like -warp, -turbo, and all that fun stuff.

 

It also has the best multiplayer server browser built right in.. Truly the most well-rounded launcher for Windows, imo.

The beeest

[prfunky]

When not using Doomseeker for Zandronum online, I use Hypnotoad90's

Rocket Launcher 2.0 . But still do command line stuff with some frequency,

whether on Windows or Linux. (because I like slash & backslash confusion)

 

[IcarusOfDaggers]

2 hours ago, Nixx said:

 

 

In case of multiple loading, isn't there a risk that they are loaded in the wrong order? The order is sometimes important, especially when there are many (The joys of server configuration on zandronum when I was playing it)

In that case I use drag and drop. I don't know a fart about scripting.

 

When you use drag n drop on desktop, the order it gets loaded is always top to bottom. That can be used for wads that require specific order...one of azertys wads comes to mind.

[Garlichead]

I use doom launcher. I like it because it can download wads from the database and supports command line options as well.

 

I like to switch between engines and midi packs, so having to modify a bat file gets old.

[ducon]

I created a Perl script a long time ago but I suck in Perl.

I will translate it in Python in a while.

[OpenRift]

ZDL, I add all my source ports in there. But if I'm playing in DOS, I use idManager.

[Lippeth]

DoomRunner in most cases, or if the list of files I want to load at once is more than just two or three, and I plan to disable a file but keep it ready in the list.

 

Batch files for when I don't want to physically add iwads to a sourceport's folder and am not using a launcher.

 

In DOS I mostly prefer to just type it all out manually and press tab where applicable. I do enjoy making batch file menus for some things, with different layers, colors and outlines. Like instead of typing novert.com, press a key and toggle it on and off while cycling between two menus either saying it's on or off.

[Contmotore]

 

I absolutely love DoomLauncher, it's so easy to use!

You can directly download wads from Id Games, it manage your files, screenshots, demos and save games and it also keeps track of your total progress.

 

Unfortunately, there's no Linux version, so for Linux I use DoomRunner instead.

[Zaratul]

DoomRunner is my way to go. After years of using ZDL and Doom Executor DoomRunner is my favourite today!

[SilentD00mer]

I use the terminal. I prepare a response file for the most played wads to avoid to type all the arguments for the command line.

[Remilia Scarlet]

The same way I launch most other things: the command line.  I'm far too used to doing most things this way.  I usually do something like...

doomretro -iwad ~/doc/doom/iwads/Doom.wad -file eternity.wad
k8vavoom -iwad ~/doc/doom/iwads/Heretic.wad wmc04.pk3 +map e1m1 +skill 3
gzdoom -iwad ~/doc/doom/iwads/Doom2.wad -file uof.pk3
crdoom --iwad ~/doc/doom/iwads/Doom.wad --warp e4m1
doomsday -game doom1-ultimate

Obviously I keep IWADs in a certain place :-P

Related, I wish more ports had a --help argument.

[SleepyVelvet]

My workflow is usually to download from internet browser, open the Downloads folder from browser into Windows File Explorer, unzip it, type Alt-D and "powershell" to bring up powershell, and then just command line it out from there, using the TAB key for fast filename autocompletes.

 

prboom-plus.exe -file jimboFirstMap_v1.2.2.2.wad -complevel 9 -shorttics -skill 4 -record noisy_doIActuallyWantToRecordThisOrPlayWithSaves.lmp -nomusic

[Thelokk]

Doom Launcher cause it's the first I tried an I am too lazy / technologically illiterate to dig any deeper. it does what I need it to do, good enough for me.

[Decay]