Setting Default Difficulty in GZDoom

[Karnasis]

Everytime I open up GZDoom, I press ENTER rapidly to get to the game quickly, which makes me always select Hurt Me Plenty Difficulty by accident.

 

I was wondering if there was an option that allowed me to make the default difficulty on GZDoom as Ultra-Violence to save me some trouble. If not, then is there a mod or addon that I can put in the autoload that does what I want?

[RataUnderground]

You have several options. You can specify the difficulty via command line, you can create a batch file with the command line already written, or you can use a launcher with such an option. I recommend Doom Launcher.

[CortexReaver]

Running a game with the "-skill 3" param throws you immediately on to first level, so this is not exactly what he asked. Also it doesn't work sometimes, and the first map still be played on the "skill 2" (tested EXACTLY with the Doom Launcher).
Sign me in, I want such a mod myself. Maybe we can ask this guy to add a difficulty change option into his mod? Or just write straight to the GZDoom issues on github, so the frontend itself can have a "default difficulty" switch in the menu options.

[Shepardus]

Try not pressing Enter rapidly right when you open the game.

 

You could write a MAPINFO with skill definitions, which lets you specify a DefaultSkill, and put that in your autoload. That won't work if the WAD you're playing has its own skill definitions, but in that case the whole question is moot.

[CacoKnight]

Is there a way to set it from autoexec.cfg or even from gzdoom_portable.ini?

[Dark Pulse]

6 hours ago, CacoKnight said:

Is there a way to set it from autoexec.cfg or even from gzdoom_portable.ini?

You could throw the -skill commandline argument. 0-4 in order of increasing difficulty.

[CacoKnight]

42 minutes ago, Dark Pulse said:

You could throw the -skill commandline argument. 0-4 in order of increasing difficulty.

Nothing I tried worked to set UV as default from those 2 files.

[Dark Pulse]

Because it's a commandline argument. You have to launch it from a batch file, launcher, or command prompt, like the old DOS days.

 

A launcher/frontend would probably be the easiest way if the sound of commandlines and command prompt are scary black magic to you.

[CacoKnight]

33 minutes ago, Dark Pulse said:

Because it's a commandline argument. You have to launch it from a batch file, launcher, or command prompt, like the old DOS days.

 

A launcher/frontend would probably be the easiest way if the sound of commandlines and command prompt are scary black magic to you.

DUDE, I know how to do it like that, I was specifically asking if there was a way from those two files.

[Dark Pulse]

22 minutes ago, CacoKnight said:

DUDE, I know how to do it like that, I was specifically asking if there was a way from those two files.

Don't exactly see what the difference is between that and launching with a batchfile since you're still typing it into a file anyway, but hey, whatever. You're the man, apparently.

 

Try the following in autoexec.cfg. No guarantees this works, because again, the commandline arguments are a way fucking better way to do this.

set skill <0-4> (0 = ITYTD, 4 = Nightmare, figure the rest out)
map e1m1 (or map01, whatever is relevant to the IWAD)

There's definitely no way to do it from gzdoom.ini. That stores CVARs and the like, it's not meant for stuff like this. So if this autoexec.cfg way doesn't work, get a launcher or write a batchfile, or do the awfully difficult thing of selecting your difficulty whenever you're loading up a new set of maps.

[CacoKnight]

Thank you, testing right away!

 

edit:

Yeah it's ok it's not meant to work that way I guess, I thought you guys may have some weird trick to make it happen. I keep different .cfg and .ini in different archives and unzip as needed, works better that way for me and this is not a deal breaker at all. Thanks again.

[Shepardus]

Setting the skill cvar isn't going to change the default selection in the menu.

[CacoKnight]

10 hours ago, Shepardus said:

Setting the skill cvar isn't going to change the default selection in the menu.

Not sure why it's not a selectable option, even the most basic source port has that feature but again, not a big deal. I'm not new to computers but I'm new to Doom (tried 30 years ago when it came out but never actually played it, I picked it up again 3-4 months ago) and I'm trying to make the ports I'm using similar for the default basic features.

[TruthInFiction]

The simplest solution is to just not spam the enter key and actually spend the few seconds it takes to choose what difficulty you want.  Just a thought.

[dasho]

1 hour ago, TruthInFiction said:

The simplest solution is to just not spam the enter key and actually spend the few seconds it takes to choose what difficulty you want.  Just a thought.