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cycloid

SDA navigation

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how on earth are you supposed to find anything in the SDA? when you finally find a wad page the demos are listed per time but not linked to THEN theres another list at the bottom of links that bear no resemblance to the time table and all the links take you to the same place (the 3d downloads route) with no clue as to the filename you're supposed to be looking for

?

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You may find it convenient to download the entire archive using whatever FTP program you prefer. I did that in February 2003, and in total it was about 90 megs, so presumably it won't be more than 110 megs now.

Note that if you go the 3ddownloads route, you browse the same directory tree as at the ftp site. I believe there are some extra files at the 3ddownloads site, such as wads.

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the files are all alphabetically sorted on 3ddownloads.

cabal-cr
Chris Ratcliff
MAP02: 4:10 (derelict.wad)
MAP03: 7:16 (flood.wad)
MAP04: 5:23 (watchtwr.wad)
MAP05: 22:45 (todeath.wad)
MAP06: 9:53 (arena.wad)
MAP09: 9:51 (storm.wad)
MAP30: 21:59 (the_evil.wad)
rating - 3/5/5
seperate demos

The first entry ('cabal-cr' in this case) is always the name of the zip file you are looking for on 3ddownloads.
sorry, but I don't have the time to fix all the links after they changed.
all the more complex tables for wads are usually tagged if not obvious.
for example: if you want to see Prosser's Hell Revealed Map24 -fast demo, you scroll down and look for the filename that applies to that run from the table (hf24-359 Cameron Prosser -- Map24 -fast -- TAS demo. rating - 5/5/5 - MBF only.) then browse through 3ddownloads for "hf24-359".
I know it could use a vast amount of improvement, but I have no experience coding a database or php.
on a side note, try to find another site on the net that has 300+ pages that aren't auto-generated...
I really should learn to use a real HTML editor instead of doing it all by hand.
sorry.

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You can get to the SDA archive on Doom2.net through HTML as well as FTP. I find HTTP faster and more reliable for (small) individual files.

What I usually do is visit the DSDA, open the wad specific page and the archive on the appropiate letter range to download the files I want to watch (or the main archive directory list and from there I open the specific alphabetical sections I need according to the zip names.) Pretty much like Donce said. I try to avoid 3DDownloads unless it's necessary because of the long-ass queue.

When looking for a specific demo listed on a wad page at the DSDA proper just get the zip files belonging to the author of the demo (from the Doom2.net archive); sometimes there's only one, sometimes it's obviously in a certain zip, and sometimes it's not clear but it's always relatively small files anyway. And as long as you use 3DDownloads only when necessary, you'll get them quickly.

Also, keep in mind you can always use the /idgames Database search or DoomSearch if the link to the wad doesn't work, leads to a directory, or is too slow.

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DEMOn said:
sorry, but I don't have the time to fix all the links after they changed.


There's nothing to be sorry for.

I really should learn to use a real HTML editor instead of doing it all by hand.
sorry.


Again: there's nothing to be sorry for. You've done a monster job keeping track of all these demos. And you've done it of your own free will without any (formal) compensation. The amount of work, effort and dedication you put into the SDA is astounding.

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Kristian Ronge said:

There's nothing to be sorry for.


I'm not sure I agree... but thanks.

Kristian Ronge said:

Again: there's nothing to be sorry for. You've done a monster job keeping track of all these demos. And you've done it of your own free will without any (formal) compensation. The amount of work, effort and dedication your put into the SDA is astounding.


Wow, that was unexpected and more than kind. It's a shame I don't have any web design skills (and when I say none, I mean none), but the content is always the most important thing to any website, and I have some of the best content on the net. ;)
Thanks, Sir Ronge!

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well i'm truly awed by the fact that you have the commitment to maintain such a beast! i'm an expert in server side javascript with database hooking in ness (i'm not going to go so far as to say i'm a SQL expert though) i used to work at an ISP once upon a time. the main problem with all that is that to use it you need a windows NT server. and obviously they suck, not to mention the cost in £££. i know a thing or three about perl, i've been known to write at least one full shopping cart site using it, but it's evil eviiiiiil. so i probably cant help you there either. dohhh.

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DEMOn said:
Wow, that was unexpected and more than kind.


Unexpected? Man, people need to shower you with praise more often! ;-D

Thanks, Sir Ronge!


Hang on - when did I become a British nobleman?

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Sire, methinks that perchance his grace Douglas has been viewing an excessive sufficiency of mock2 map36 demonstrations.

I agree that it can't be said often enough: DSDA is fantastic; without such a focus, the Doom pwad demos community might well disintegrate. Anyone with an interest in demos knows that as long as they download each compet-n and DSDA update zip, they won't be missing much, if anything.

I never find it difficult to find individual demos that I'm looking for. You're given the filename, and then it's just a case of locating the right directory.

It must have been soul-destroying when 3ddownloads changed their system, breaking all the links Doug had put in by hand. I can't imagine anyone would want to relink them all, given that they could all be broken again at the drop of a hat.

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thanks, Grazza, it is nice to hear such kind words.
I just can't think of a way to improve the SDA that is feasable. It's always been on my mind, so we'll see...

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