ZDoom or not ZDoom?

[purist]

For my last project I made the mistake of assuming most people use ZDoom but it turns out a lot of you would rather not use it unless the PWAD had worthwhile ZDoom features. The early versions of Canary Squadron didn't - it just had certain errors that would hang other ports.

With this in mind I'm trying to decide before I start work proper on my new project whether it's worth my while making it ZDoom only or not.

The only ZDoom specifics I had in mind was DECORATE things (including new monsters). Everything else (barring VPOs) would be Vanilla compatible (ie no scripts, slopes etc).

Let me know what you think...

[Snarboo]

There are other ports, such as EDGE, which offer similar editing features as decorate, like DDF or Eternity's EDF system. There is even dehacked if you don't plan on adding too many monsters or don't want to use all the original monsters along with newer ones. So no, I don't think this project should be strictly for ZDoom unless that's what you absolutely want. It is always your choice. :)

[kristus]

Eternity got EDF.
Zdoom got Decorate.
EDGE got DDF.
Doomsday got something else.
Vavoom got VavoomC++ or something.

Hmm, what else is there?

[Tormentor667]

ZDoom should be your favorite, GZDoom to be more precisely because it has the most amount of features concerning editing!

[pritch]

My only stipulation would be that it WORKS in zdoom. Zdoom features per se I am not so fussed with, but it is what I use to play doom nowadays.

[Xtife]

gzdoom completly pwns all other ports for editing hands down

i personaly use it because its compatible with mostly everything. not sure why anyone would use any other port :) maybe jdoom which has nice eyecandy, or chocolate doom if im feeling especially nostalgic

[Quasar]

I mean, really, come on.

[Pure Hellspawn]

Xtife said:

gzdoom completly pwns all other ports for editing hands down

i personaly use it because its compatible with mostly everything. not sure why anyone would use any other port :) maybe jdoom which has nice eyecandy, or chocolate doom if im feeling especially nostalgic

some people don't have OpenGl. I do, but it's really lousy (I have a ATI Radeon x200 128MB)

[Hobbs]

Tormentor667 said:

ZDoom should be your favorite, GZDoom to be more precisely because it has the most amount of features concerning editing!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

purist: Take a look at what Kristus said. And in a case such as yours I would sooner jump for Eternity than ZDoom

EDIT: And if you arent putting much in the way of NEW monsters, weapons, and such, just replacing ones already there, make it for Vanilla or Boom and use DeHackEd.

[Xtife]

Pure Hellspawn said:

some people don't have OpenGl. I do, but it's really lousy (I have a ATI Radeon x200 128MB)

gzdoom has software fyi :) just some gl specific stuff wont work

[myk]

I don't see the point in using an engine without some of its features (except maybe a few if they suck; like I wouldn't use texture or sprite scaling unless it were applied rather uniformly to everything.) Your mid-water choice will likely raise questions once the wad is released.

But also, how are people to judge if they don't know what you'll be adding with this DECORATE stuff? Maybe you're into the new "Maulotaurs in UAC-bases" fad!

The choice is yours and sums up to what kind of player you're making the wad for... not what people want (you can't verify that with a forum thread, and people won't agree anyway.)

[Killionaire]

Haven't bothered to read the replies here, so I may be echoing someone, but regardless

Making a PWAD directly for ZDoom would definitely limit the playerbase (if that's your concern, I'd just use whatever features I want and screw those that don't like the port), but I'd still say it's the more popular source port out there (im ignoring GZDoom right now). Specializing in any other port would most likely limit the playerbase more than going with ZDoom.

Personally I'd recommend sticking with ZDoom, but the only other alternative I would see worthwhile is to make it compatible with all of the ports.

[Ismaele]

When I review a .WAD, I expect specific ZDoom features, if it is designed for ZDoom! If it contains none or just few ZDoom characteristics, but it works just with it (don't know why it should work only with it!), then I lower gameplay assessment!

[kristus]

I don't really care what port people use as long as it's for a good reason. I use any port. Only thing I am intrested in is if the wad is worth my time. And I think it is if it shows originality. So I play very few wads.

I do have a favorit port though. That being Eternity, I only wish more people would work on it. Now as it comes, two major wads use it, both being marathon endeavors however. I don't expect to see either of them very soon. But I hope to play them both eventually.

[Xtife]

kristus said:

I Only thing I am intrested in is if the wad is worth my time. And I think it is if it shows originality. So I play very few wads.

is that so? im interested inw hat wads you think are "worth your time" :)

[kristus]

You'd be the first one.

[Veddge]

I think you need to think really hard about exactly WHAT you are attempting to accomplish with your project. Making a project for ZDoom is not a bad choice... but if you chose to do so, take advantage of what it offers otherwise what is the point? If you only use zdoom to put in a few slopes or some particle fountains, I would suggest just making it boom compatible. I'll bet most people in this community don't care what port someone uses, so long as the end result uses the port to its potential.

[RjY]

If you do most of your play-testing with ZDoom, you might as well just cut your losses, and say your project is for ZDoom.

[purist]

Thanks for all the feedback so far, even if a lot of it is contradictory (I should've expected so!)

I think the most sensible thing to do would be to try make it compatible with as many ports as possible by using DeHacked. However, if that's not possible (I'm not keen on replacing too many THINGS) I'll resort to DECORATE as it seems ZDoom has the widest appeal.

I'm going to have to gen up on ports, particularly compatibility, as I'm only (mildly) familiar with ZDoom.