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andrewj

OBLIGE 3.43 Released

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I'm happy to announce that Oblige v3.43 has been released. Oblige is a random level generator for DOOM 1 & 2 (with other games in development). Not a huge amount has changed since v3.39, mostly code improvements under the hood.

LINK: http://oblige.sourceforge.net/

Main Changes in version 3.43:

+ too much ammo problem is fixed
+ better level name generator
+ working module system

+ new 'Crazy' choice for Monsters
+ new just-for-kicks 'Psychedelic' theme
+ boss arenas for E1M8 and E2M8

(a more detailed list can be found in the package)

Thanks to:

  • JohnnyRancid (a.k.a 40oz) for improving the name generator and additional sky colors.
  • Mr Chris for the E1M8 and E2M8 boss maps, and the Skulltag Monsters module.
  • Enhas for the Stealth Monsters module and the ZDoom Marines module.

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Awesome, but I found a bug.

-- Game Settings --
seed = 67450
game = doom2
mode = sp
engine = nolimit
length = few

-- Level Architecture --
theme = psycho
size = prog
outdoors = mixed
detail = normal
light = mixed

-- Playing Style --
mons = crazy
traps = mixed
powers = normal
health = normal
ammo = normal

-- Custom Modules --
zdoom_stealth.self = false
zdoom_marines.self = false
edge_stealth.self = false
sky_gen_doom.self = false
sktag_mons.self = false
imm_conduct.self = false




Missing textures on Level 2.

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Awesome.

EDIT: Custom modules aside from the Sky Generator aren't showing up for me in the menu. Any idea why this would be happening?

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jute said:

Awesome.

EDIT: Custom modules aside from the Sky Generator aren't showing up for me in the menu. Any idea why this would be happening?


Are you sure you extracted the subdirectories and not all the files into one directory?

Downloaded and modded this right away. :D

I'm yet to try the psycadelic theme, looks like fun.

I can see a lot of good coming to this program in the coming months..

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jute said:

Custom modules aside from the Sky Generator aren't showing up for me in the menu. Any idea why this would be happening?

Just select a different engine (e.g. ZDoom or EDGE).

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Thanks. I have no idea how I missed that...

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I just tried out a level I made with this and it's awesome. For the next release could you maybe implement a "progressive" setting for the number of monsters too and an option for determining the strength of monsters on a created map?

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Yes the next version will have two buttons for monsters, one for quantity and one for strength.

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Maybe I'm just retarded, in fact I'd make a strong case for that. But all I see is 'lua' files inside folders and text files and 1 html file. No exe or anything like that.


EDIT: I figured out the problem (I think). I did get the right download file, but stupid windows blocks exe files unless you go to control panel/internet options/security/(change to default level before you unzip). So problem solved.

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gggmork said:

But all I see is 'lua' files inside folders and text files and 1 html file. No exe or anything like that.

Perhaps you downloaded the source package? (oblige-343-src.zip)

The windows package is called oblige-343-win.zip.

Scuba Steve said
I can't believe that an automated map generator can produce levels of this quality

Heh thanks man, but I honestly believe much much better levels can be achieved, both architecture and gameplay.


@Chrome Bolt: the missing texture is COMPUTE1, which is a Doom 1 texture but was wrongly used in the DOOM2_MATERIALS table.

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I have expanded the texture themes for the TECH section, Andrew..it's not a lot but it makes use of additional techbase textures (STAR* series, BRONZE* series, several outdoor themes using ASHWALL* and ZIMMER* textures, etc)

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Mr. Chris said:

I have expanded the texture themes for the TECH section,

Ok, send me the zipped up files and I'll take a look.

But I recommend not doing much work on themes/combos just yet, because I don't know yet exactly how the theming system is going to work. The old "combo" system may well get scrapped in favor of a simpler system.

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I'm not sure exactly what you have in mind, but it may be helpful to assign themes more by color than whether they are tech or not.

Like BIGBRIK2 with SLIME14;
BRONZE1 with FLOOR5_1;
BROWNGRN with FLOOR7_2;
STARGR1 with FLOOR0_3.

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Maybe, but not everyone wants colour-coded maps. The techbase theme uses several different coloured textures and it looks good nonetheless, because evokes an architectural theme, rather than a colour theme.

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Sent.

Also regarding the "Progressive" level size, Oblige seems to make the largest level the first level of the next "episode" in Doom 2 (IE MAP12 being massive instead of very small)

The episodes are:

1 - Techbase/semi-urban: MAP01-MAP11
2 - City/urban surroundings: MAP12-MAP20
3 - Hell: MAP21-MAP30

Secret levels are also massive it seems. For a last minute change, TECH_ZIM1 and TECH_ZIM2 should use GRASS1 and GRASS2 as floor flats. :3

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This is awesome and the gameplay is a big improvement over the previous version I tried. The fun factor (with 'crazy') is approaching obhack, maybe even at or surpassed it (in my opinion), but havn't played enough maps to make up my mind yet.
The gameplay seems quite different from obhack which is interesting. Main difference is probably this version seems to mostly deal with quite large rooms and obhack has more sight-blocking clutter (like jutting walls around the perimeter of smaller rooms, or height variance) which has a big effect on gameplay due to maneuverability and infighting. Though I did find an occasional more confined hallway in this oblige version. And everything seems pretty fun/challenge balanced here despite doing it differently. At first I was thinking it might be better if all the maps were pretty much scaled to 50% size or something, but not sure now and the design seems to work pretty good as is. I'm not in a position to test potential changes like that anyway since I suck at programming (its beyond me how anyone can NOT suck at programming).
Also it seems you tend to get a weapon right at the start of these maps, even a powerful one like a rocket launcher or bfg, then that tends to be the dominant weapon used throughout the entire map (though sometimes you find another gun too.. maybe I just died early too much find out :) ) with ammo being mostly for that gun, whereas obhack started w/ no or weak weapons forcing you to steal one from a shotgunner/chaingunner or find a better gun later. Both approaches are fun though and in these maps I've had interesting/fun/challenging battles with all the starting guns. Even a map with a bfg at the start was fun/challenging instead of being easy.
These generated levels (oblige/obhack) are probably my single favorite doom related creation, feels a tad like playing rogue (havn't played nethack much). You must be pretty damn smart to somehow wade through cryptic programming languages and actually code this. I like how the cybers/masterminds are used on 'crazy'.

What do these mean specifically?:
size: meaning square 'footage' of entire level, or tended size of individual rooms?
detail: meaning visual aesthetics only, or amount of confining/sight blocking clutter inside the rooms?
traps: hmm.. not sure, does it mean switch activated doors?

But 'clutter' or 'height variance' (both block sight, thus reduce infighting) might be good parameters, not sure (I liked 'steep' obhack maps though). Increasing clutter/confinement usually increases difficulty too. Or maybe it could be mixed up so a level has an occasional enormous room but also some cluttery/confined sections (and its probably ok to even put a cyber in a cluttery area occasionally, not necessarily needing a large room). Maybe berzerks could be slightly more common replacing 4 medkits, not sure. Or probably a better suggestion is just make it however you want and ignore my input :).

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Hmm.. I guess customizability is key here then, as people clearly don't all have the same opinions as me on an ideal map. I agree with the "clutter" parameter, even though there's probably a better word for it.

But things like extra floor and ceiling height variation, crates, pillars, and smaller rooms can greatly reduce the number of monsters that see you as soon as you enter a room. I'd prefer the maps that way anyway, often times i walk into a giant room and all the demons and spectres see me, then im basically shooting everything through the doorway, and then collect ammo and health in the giant room after everything is dead.

AFAIK the traps and detail parameters don't do anything (yet). And size refers to the number of rooms between the start and exit. I think size needs to be scaled down a little though, because even small maps can take 5 or more minutes to complete.

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I can't wait to see traps implemented..

Also with the previous version, when I added too much to the texture themes, Oblige would barf out an "Assertion failed" error while trying to make the levels, thus reverting some edits. I also never had this problem with the old version, so I don't know why it caused that.

Note to Andrew: Move TECH_ASHY*, TECH_BRONZE* and TECH_ZIM* themes to DOOM2_COMBOS section in that file I sent. I had it in COMMON_COMBOS.

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oh my cunting lord! cool!
would it be possible to make some random cave/rock architecture? i guess that's probably already been suggested.
also, would it be possible to set which weapons appear in the map instead of it being random?

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TimeOfDeath: The LUA files doom.lua and dm_tex.lua can be altered with a text editor.

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mega cool, thanks. Is there a way to change the number of monsters using an lua file (instead of using the playing style/monsters menu)? I searched in the doom.lua file but couldn't figure it out, maybe I'm just dumb.

EDIT: I tried changing all the "prob" numbers for all monsters to 100, but it gave me an "assertion failed" error with fight.lua:126:

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The only problem I see is that it kinda makes some really ugly texturings, especially with the gray and startan textures. maybe choose more textures and flats that look good no matter how windows, pillars etc are inserted, e.g. brick10, brownhug, flat10, flat14, floor0_3. Also, i think the liteX textures should actually illuminate the sector? Maybe also randomly put sector lighting effects (mostly 1 and 8) on such illuminated sectors.

Othervise, great stuff.

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Wow i'm loving the layouts of some of the maps it produces. I've encountered a huge tall room chock full of barrels.

It'd be interesting if it were to support the generation of symmetric CTF levels, i.e. integrated layout or classic isolated colored bases.

Or even liquid stream creation that makes a stream of lava, blood, slime, or water through the level.

A hidden 'nuts maker' feature, which is an easter egg that generates maps of at least 10000 delightfully sorted monsters.

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