Suggested Doom editing tools?

[pyrix]

Hello, this is pretty much my first post on here; despite having an account for a while I never really did anything with it, prefering to be a lurker to download maps and keep up to date on the news.

Anyway, I've been wondering what are some key tools that are necessary for the map making process? Such as node builders, and what not. I already have Doom Builder 2, but I was wondering if there were any other programs you'd suggest I use along side it. I have dabbled in map making in the past but I could never get myself anywhere with it. Now that I'm a few years older I'm hoping that extra maturity will see me through. Also, if you could point me in the right direction to these other programs, as well as some helpful resources on proper mapping and planning out your wads, that'd be appreciated as well. Cheers.

[esselfortium]

Doom Builder 2 comes with several different nodebuilders and is configured to automatically build nodes when saving a map. In most cases you should be able to just leave the default settings as-is and just let Doom Builder take care of running the nodebuilder for you.

Slade 3 is a powerful and up-to-date lump-editing tool (that is to say, it's for managing the stuff inside wad files and other archives), which can be used to easily copy maps from one wad to another, edit text lumps, import custom textures and other resources, etc. That's about the only other tool I can think of that you're likely to really need, at least to get started out.

[pyrix]

esselfortium said:

Doom Builder 2 comes with several different nodebuilders and is configured to automatically build nodes when saving a map. In most cases you should be able to just leave the default settings as-is and just let Doom Builder take care of running the nodebuilder for you.

Slade 3 is a powerful and up-to-date lump-editing tool (that is to say, it's for managing the stuff inside wad files and other archives), which can be used to easily copy maps from one wad to another, edit text lumps, import custom textures and other resources, etc. That's about the only other tool I can think of that you're likely to really need, at least to get started out.

Basically, it's what XWE does? (I've found that XWE seems to be discontinued now.) Is Slade 3 better? Or are they not quite the same?

[Sigvatr]

XWE has a number of features that Slade doesn't have. I recommend you keep a copy of both of them. Eventually you'll realize what one does better than the other.

But for most purposes Slade should do the trick.

Some people like XWE more because it's older and familiar, it has a simpler interface than Slade and the texture editor is debatably easier to use.

[Bishop]

Slade always crashes on me the second I try and open the texture/pnames editors after adding new patch lumps (between P_START and P_END) I would have to close my wad and re-open it to avoid that. Wonder what that could be... Don't know if it does that to everyone else, but be carefull of that.

[hervoheebo]

And then there's WinTex for lump editing, too, if you're too impatient and/or stubborn to learn to use the other programs, like I am.

[Csonicgo]

hervoheebo said:

And then there's WinTex for lump editing, too, if you're too impatient and/or stubborn to learn to use the other programs, like I am.

Isn't Wintex 16-bit? This may present a problem.

[Gez]

Bishop said:

Slade always crashes on me the second I try and open the texture/pnames editors after adding new patch lumps (between P_START and P_END) I would have to close my wad and re-open it to avoid that. Wonder what that could be... Don't know if it does that to everyone else, but be carefull of that.

I wonder why such a problem is neither on the bug reports forum nor on the bug reports wiki page.

Also, I couldn't replicate the bug with r802.

[Graf Zahl]

Csonicgo said:

Isn't Wintex 16-bit? This may present a problem.

Not only that. Wintex also has the bad habit of being restricted to stuff the vanilla EXE could do. For any advanced lump management there couldn't be a worse tool.

[hervoheebo]

Yeah, if you're just starting, you're better off learning a better program right away.

[pyrix]

So Doom Builder 2 and XWE are ones I should keep, any other programs? Also what about guides and references for good inspiration for mapping?

[Gez]

pyrix said:

So Doom Builder 2 and XWE are ones I should keep, any other programs?

Slade 3. :p

[Xtroose]

pyrix said:

So Doom Builder 2 and XWE are ones I should keep, any other programs?

You definitely should give Slade 3 a try. It is the best lump editor around. The only time I really need to use XWE, is when I am making recolors or playing with the palette.

If you experience any problems with SLADE 3, just check if it is resolved in an updated SVN build (do not forget to grab the corresponding PDB file). If you still have issues, report them (see Gez's post for links).

Also what about guides and references for good inspiration for mapping?

I can give you some tips. First you should play some wads, find out which ones you like and figure out what you like about them. Then try to apply those things in your mapping.

But if you desperately need a guide, then the only mapping guides I can recommend are this, this and the Deus Vult II's Random thoughts on mapping in DVII-1i.txt.

[Clonehunter]

pyrix said:

So Doom Builder 2 and XWE are ones I should keep, any other programs?

Noone has mentioned SlumpEd yet, so.... SlumpEd. Good program methinks.

[Gez]

Slade 3 == SLumpEd 2.

[Kappes Buur]

pyrix said:

So Doom Builder 2 and XWE are ones I should keep, any other programs?

Although SLADE3 has an interface which one has to get used to, it does have one feature among other excellent features, in that one can have several maps open at the same time, all in their own tab. Then one can copy/paste any lumps from one map into another quite easily. Other features are:

the music player, which plays just about any music format,
the text editor, with context highlighting

and, of course, planned features.

Another good utility is Deepsea, which is a map editor and lump editor combined.
For some the distracting thing is that it is shareware for maps larger than ca. 900 vertices, although the lump editing aspects are free.

pyrix said:

Also what about guides and references for good inspiration for mapping?

Have a look on REALM667 or an Rex's website.