TASDoom Help

[fpsfan]

Hello, I'm new here. I've been playing Doom since it was released in 1993, but I am not very familiar with the source ports. I am interested in recording demos, so I recorded TASDoom. I downloaded the zip file into the same folder as the original executable. Then I extracted the executable into the same folder. When I double-click to launch it, a DOS prompt window pops up for a split second. It contains an error message, but since it is only up for a limited amount of time, I cannot read it. I was wondering if anyone could help me get past the disappearing window problem, and allow me to enable the file.

Thanks in advance to anyone who answers.

[Opulent]

TASdoom is a modification of DosDoom. It is a dos program; in short, it works very similarly to the real game. If you can get the real game to play, I'm almost certain TASdoom will work too.
Also, it is for experienced recorders. It is a special modification that allows slow-motion and savegame recordings.
If you are trying to record normally, I recommend the real game... or PrBoom instead of TASDoom.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/prboom/
lastly, the only thing you need to play these ports is the original Iwad (patched to version 1.9). good luck, and happy recording!

[Grazza]

Actually, I find it harder to get some of the DOS ports to work under XP than it is to get Doom2.exe to work (which works easily enough, albeit only with crappy sound options). I haven't put much effort into solving these problems, since if I need to use those exes, I still have a couple of Win98 machines.

Anyway, if you try to run Tasdoom from a Command Prompt, then you get time to see the error message. The one I see, at least, is "Failed trying to allocate DOS near pointers".

But like Opulent says, unless you have a very specific need to use Tasdoom, you're better off with one of the Windows ports - which one(s) depends on your priorities and preferences. Prboom does provide some TAS-like options, but I can't recall anyone making use of them, apart from Andrey Budko (see 11/09/03 news), though he used a modified version.

[fpsfan]

I would like to record demos with TASDoom so I could make those optimum demos. prboom does work, but I don't know how to get it to record TASDoom-like demos.

[Kristian Ronge]

It may be uncomfortable to use PrBoom to record TAS demos, unless you alter the source for PrBoom, which requires some skill! (This is what Andrey Budko did in his assisted 30uv run). I would suggest TASDoom or TASMBF (? Is that still around?) instead, given that you can get it to work.

[Grazza]

Kristian Ronge said:

TASMBF (? Is that still around?)

The links on the TAS Tools page are broken, and it's not in sda/tools either. I'll dig around for it...

...yes, it's at 3ddownloads. So, enable javascript/pop-ups and cookies and be prepared to wait a few minutes.

[Kristian Ronge]

Ugh. Thanks, but you didn't have to go through all that trouble. It was (sort of) a rhetorical question.

[Searcher]

Thanks Grazza -

I am going to at least put tasmbf in my archives. I like MBF so might be nice to have it sometime.

[fpsfan]

I am able to download TASDoom, but when I extract the necessary files, and I click on the executable, I get that "cannot find pointers message". Could a computer savvy person please help me get past this?

[Grazza]

If you have a pre-XP machine (e.g. Win95, Win98 or earlier), use that. (I don't know what chance you have with Win2k; maybe it's not much better.) Otherwise, I'm not at all sure there is any way around the problem.

Anyway, as Opulent said above, there is no point trying to make TAS demos until you are an experienced (non-assisted) demo recorder.

[Kristian Ronge]

Weeeeell... It's unfair saying it's "no point".. It might be fun just to keep something for yourself.. Say, a demo where you do something you've never been able to do unassisted (but many of the COMPET-N regulars can do blindfolded)... For instance, I'm thinking for my next built project to do a NM run of Doom 2 map 7, which certainly many people can do un-assisted.

[Grazza]

OK, "no point" was too strong, but surely it makes sense to accumulate a good deal of standard speedrunning knowledge/experience before making TAS runs.

Are you thinking of NM "Max" or NM Speed (with the RJ)?

[myk]

Grazza said:
Anyway, as Opulent said above, there is no point trying to make TAS demos until you are an experienced (non-assisted) demo recorder.

I second that. TAS demos are very interesting and productive as guidelines and preparations for actual runs; just like when you practice with -nomonsters, iddqd, idkfa, or whatever. But in the end, if anything, TAS demos are really good only if you can see actual flesh and blood skill and knowledge behind the tools.

[Kristian Ronge]

Yes yes, I agree, that in order for most people to find your TAS demos interesting you'd have to be a somewhat skilled speedrunner unassisted. I'm just saying you can still have fun and record TAS demos doing stuff that earlier was "impossible" for you.

Grazza said:
Are you thinking of NM "Max" or NM Speed (with the RJ)?

Max. Which is a bit tricky because all the mancubuses and, later, all the arachnotrons have to be dead simultaneously. OTOH you get plenty of ammo.