Adding monsters?

[Abalieno]

At this site there are various modified monsters and other add-ons.

They come with their own wad but the real question is: how can I make a map using them?

I've looked in Doom Builder but it doesn't seem to have any import feature. I think I can load textures into it, but how can I add support for new entities like monsters?

Also, new monsters don't require .exe modifications? Are they really possible just through wads? Or maybe it's new technology/features supported in ZDoom?

[DuckReconMajor]

You'll need a wad editor. Most people use either XWE or SLumpEd. I suggest XWE if you're just starting out. Whichever one you download, if you're on Windows Vista, make sure you always Run as Administrator.

The most common way people what you're talking about is:

open Doom Builder
create New Map
save the map and remember what you named it
Close Doom Builder (a wad can't be open in DB and XWE at the same time)
go to XWE (I'm not exactly sure how to do this with SLumpEd, I'm guessing the Import function)
open the wad you just created
Go to File->Merge and select the monster wad.
The lumps can be above or below your map, just make sure it's not in between the map lump parts (use Ctrl+U or Ctrl+D to move).
Now close XWE and open this wad in Doom Builder
In your Things menu there should be a section called DECORATE. Your DECORATE objects should be in there (there won't be a picture for them so don't worry, put it in your map anyway)

[Gez]

Abalieno said:

Also, new monsters don't require .exe modifications? Are they really possible just through wads? Or maybe it's new technology/features supported in ZDoom?

A few advanced source ports (EDGE, Eternity, Vavoom, ZDoom and derived) allows to define new actors.

The method used in ZDoom is called DECORATE because, initially, all it could do was define decoration items (you know, like lamps and pillars and such), but it has been slowly expanded to manage monsters and weapons and more. Now every actor from every supported game (Doom 1&2, Heretic, Hexen, Strife, Chex Quest) are actually out of the executable and defined in the DECORATE lumps in zdoom.pk3.

DECORATE is also supported by GZDoom, Skulltag and Vavoom.

To place DECORATE objects on a map, there's just one thing you need to know: its doom editor number. If you look at the content of the DECORATE lump, you'll see that each actor declaration starts this way:

ACTOR <Name> [: <ParentName>] [replaces <ReplacedName>] [Doom editor number]

(Square brackets are for optional paramaters, meaning they might be there or they might not be.) Here's an example:

ACTOR ChainsawZombie 3204

The doom editor number is 3204.

Doom Builder allows you to change any map object's editor number, so place a new object and change its number to 3204. It'll work!



For merging a monster wad in your map wad (which will allow Doom Builder to parse the DECORATE lump automatically, so the actor will be available in the decorate category), the easiest way is with SlumpEd. Open both the monster wad and your map wad in slumped, select all lumps from the monster wad, right-click on one and select "copy", go to your map wad's tab, select the last lump, right-click and select "paste". Then save your map wad and reopen it in Doom Builder.

[Abalieno]

DuckReconMajor said:

You'll need a wad editor. Most people use either XWE or SLumpEd. I suggest XWE if you're just starting out. Whichever one you download, if you're on Windows Vista, make sure you always Run as Administrator.

The most common way people what you're talking about is:

open Doom Builder
create New Map
save the map and remember what you named it
Close Doom Builder (a wad can't be open in DB and XWE at the same time)
go to XWE (I'm not exactly sure how to do this with SLumpEd, I'm guessing the Import function)
open the wad you just created
Go to File->Merge and select the monster wad.
The lumps can be above or below your map, just make sure it's not in between the map lump parts (use Ctrl+U or Ctrl+D to move).
Now close XWE and open this wad in Doom Builder
In your Things menu there should be a section called DECORATE. Your DECORATE objects should be in there (there won't be a picture for them so don't worry, put it in your map anyway)

This method worked rather well. The monster wad contains both graphic and code and it shows up in Doom Builder as a decoration.

That was what I wanted to know :)

[maggot202]

Hello
In the same page, i noticed that there are new weapons as well, but the method explained by DuckReconMajor didn't seemed to work. How can i add new weapons to my wad?

[Moshman]

Hello,

In Doom Builder, you will need to add the resource WADs, which is your monsters/weapons. Once they are loaded, Doom Builder will automatically recognize the entities by pulling the id number associated with the entity directly from the DECORATE file. For example:

actor plasmapistol : weapon 9000

You will be able to go into thing mode and add the said entity just like any other monster/weapon.

[DuckReconMajor]

You'll need to make a KEYCONF lump.

[maggot202]

I've found out what was wrong. The weapon i downloaded (SMG) didn't had a thing number. Now the thing is working like a charm. I even learned how to use the KEYCONF lump! :)

[Batory]

NOW TELL ME, WHAT I MUST DO TO PLAY THAT MONSTERS ON MONSTERPLAYERS.WAD??

[Gez]

YOU NEED TO READ THE WIKI AND DO SOME COMPLICATED CODING!!