How do you open wads?

[DuckReconMajor]

Yes, from the title this looks like a noob question, but I couldn't figure out how to word it otherwise.

What I mean to ask is, when you download a wad to try out, how do you open it? Do you get the browser to open it with your favorite source port? Do you save it to a temporary folder so you can delete it if you don't like it? Or do you just throw it in the source port directory?

The only disadvantage to the first one is that it's really hard to do multiple files for those that require it. Yes, I know there are launchers but you still have to set it to your temp directory and that can be a pain. The only problem with the second one is that I'm still not sure how to do -file when the wad is in another folder (unless there are launchers for ports like Chocolate Doom, are there?) The third one's nice until your folder gets so cluttered it takes 5 minutes just to find something.

Does anyone know a quicker way to open wads, or am I just being lazy?

[Jodwin]

I use C#4rp Doom Launcher which, in its latest version, has a nifty Delete-button that deletes the selected wads. So technically any folder is a temp folder because if the wad is crap, I can just press that button after playing, click "yes" in the confirmation dialogs and go to sleep happy.

Did I also mention that with CDL I don't need to extract the wads out of the zips no matter what port I'm using, because the launcher extracts the files out of the zip to a temp directory on its own (which is cleaned after the port is closed)?

;)

[DaniJ]

I throw them all into one folder, start up the Doomsday frontend and then just pick the ones I want to play from there. It indexes them and organises them for me and it can present me with more information about them before I play them (e.g., how many maps they include or whether they feature custom textures). Once I've chosen the ones I want; I click Play.

[DuckReconMajor]

Jodwin said:

shameless self promotion

Where do I get C#4rp? Your link doesn't seem to be working.

[fraggle]

I type

chocolate-doom -file filename.wad

If it's a WAD I definitely want to keep, I extract it to ~/doom/wads, otherwise it goes in /tmp.

[printz]

Low HD space? I like keeping wads, because it shows how many I've played.

[DuckReconMajor]

Wait, you can do -file [folder name]\[wad name].wad?

That makes things a lot easier.

printz said:

Low HD space? I like keeping wads, because it shows how many I've played.

I don't mind keeping them, I just don't want to have to sort through 500 wad names to find one I want to play. I'd like to keep those separate.

[Jodwin]

DuckReconMajor said:

Where do I get C#4rp? Your link doesn't seem to be working.

http://www.akinomori.com/stuff/programs/CDL.zip

And sure it was shameless self promotion, but it was also true. :) It's an other thing whether other people besides me actually find the features useful.

[DuckReconMajor]

Jodwin said:

And sure it was shameless self promotion, but it was also true. :) It's an other thing whether other people besides me actually find the features useful.

I know. It's just funny how you pretend you weren't the one who made it.

[Maes]

There's also ZDL 3.1, if for some reason you can't use CDL.

Well, at this point someone should write a complete and objective guide to launching WADs with source ports, citing all possible options and their pros/cons, and said guide should be stickied, if the mods agree of course.

BTW "objective" means no super-pimping a particular launcher, nor dismissing launchers as "noobish", nor preaching the virtues of the command line uber alles. Just a guide with all the possible options where newcomers will be swiftly directed to. As of now, it's just a mish-mash of threads with too much polarization, extremes, and patronizing.

As to who should write it, I volunteer first of all, unless someone else feels he can do a better job.

[DuckReconMajor]

Hmm.. I wasn't aware ZDL could be used with non-ZDoom ports. I feel dumb now :P

[punnyone]

I have the collectors edition, but I always use a source port (zdoom usually unless the wad requires something else). I just drag everything needed to play onto the zdoom icon

[Butts]

What kind of wads am I opening? When I open wads of paper, I tend to start by peeling the outer layers off slowly and unravel the gnarled mess back into their former shapes. Wads of gum, however, are different. I just stick those in my mouth instead of opening them. Wads of feces, I tend to open with my tongue. Doom WADS, I just save into my prboomplus folder and double-click on my prboomplus.exe application and choose which WAD I want to play on the WAD selector.

[myk]

How do you open WADs, you say? With XWE!

DuckReconMajor said:
The third one's nice until your folder gets so cluttered it takes 5 minutes just to find something.

Assuming icons are arranged alphabetically, you can find a file easily by quickly typing the first two characters (or even three or more if you're ultra-quick) of the name of that file while you're anywhere above the file you're looking for.

printz said:
I like keeping wads, because it shows how many I've played.

Ah, I see, you keep them to accumulate a greater "wadcount" and not just because they are worth keeping. Then you can show your girlfriend how many WADs you've played and she'll swoon in admiration. You can even cheat a bit and download some you'll never play... what she doesn't know can't hurt her!

[scorpion]

It depends on my mood (and on the source port).

Sometimes, I make a shortcut (or .BAT file) with someport.exe -file somewad.wad. Sometimes, I use a launcher. And sometimes, I just drag the .WAD and drop it on the executable.

But in general, my pwads are stored in a separate folder. I keep those I feel have replay value.

[GreyGhost]

DuckReconMajor said:

unless there are launchers for ports like Chocolate Doom, are there?

Most launchers can be configured to work with most ports. Chocolate Doom's no problem but there are a few ports - Vavoom and Delphi Doom spring to mind - that don't like working with third-party launchers.

[Reevys]

I open ZDoom OS X, click "Show WAD Options", click the "Add" button, and from here I choose the WAD I want to load. Then I just hit "Launch".

Takes seconds.