Short Project: DOOM for beginners pack CD

[D_GARG]

I dont know if this already exists but ...

I just had this idea, and it will happen

I burn some doom stuffs on my CD, and it is basicly all the things you might want to have (exept IWADs) when you start to really interact with DOOM

this seem kinda useless, but the fact that some things take one large load of lurking to actually find or even get to know about.

so therefore, a CD like this could someone also host as a zip/rar file



what this should/could contain:

-Doom Builder1/2
-ZDoom
-GZDoom
-Doom95
-Doom Bible
-Slade/XWE(?)
-a nice version of a GIMP installer
-some nice Sound Editor
-some really good single/multi/deathmatch PWADS
-FreeDoom
-ZDaemon/skulltag
-Doom TCs for example PSXDoom TC / DOOM64 TC


this would be usefull to get some one straigth into DOOM, so a newbie for DOOM could save lots of time exploring DOOM, and get some goodies at once to actually see how wide this community is and also learn to enjoy this wonderfull game really quick

please give suggestions and lets develop this wonder CD :)

[Dragonsbrethren]

Definitely needs PrBoom-plus.

[Gez]

D_GARG said:

-Doom95

Why? Put GLBoom+ instead.

You can then round up the port selection with Eternity and Chocolate Doom.

Then maybe Risen3D for people who like model packs and high-res textures. I'd say Doomsday too, but you'd rather wait for 1.9.8 so it's more generally usable for simple players.

And finally, add Odamex and Skulltag for multiplayer. Bundled with Doomseeker.

I mean, it's a CD. You've got a lot of room. You could put all the ports in it, maybe sorted in different broad categories: online play, eye candy, purism, mod support, historical interest...

D_GARG said:

-Slade/XWE(?)

Not XWE. Too many hoops to jump through on XP/Vista/7 systems, and it has many stability issues.

Now, you said "no IWADs" but there are some IWADs that you can freely distribute. The Doom, Heretic, Hexen and Strife demos, for one. They should definitely be there.

Also, you can put Chex Quest 3, Harmony, Hacx and Urban Brawl; it'll be good to have a few complete, if short, games.

As for mod selection; I'd say to start with the "Top 100" and Cacowards. Sort them by IWAD and required port.

Add some other cool stuff that has been overlooked. In the TC category, look at something like Star Wars Chibi Rebellion.

Put Reelism, too.

[Kira]

D_GARG said:

-ZDaemon/skulltag

You could add Odamex.

[Krispy]

And a readme file explaining some Doom facts, history, all about Doomworld, etc. Nice idea. I wish I had had that cd.

[GreyGhost]

Give the CD a HTML front-end (which IMHO will be easier to navigate and read than a bunch of readme files) and include Web links for ports and projects that are still actively maintained so the user can grab updates.

[purist]

Cool idea: a community starter pack new Doomworld members could be directed to. When they ask the usual best port, WAD etc questions they could be linked to the pack to find out for themselves.

The most important thing for me is how it is structured so that it's easy to navigate and you're not overwhelming anyone with a huge amount of files. I would also add Doom Launcher, Oblige and Brutal Doom to your list.

I was thinking of making such a pack for a friend so it will be useful for me if it gets made.

I've actually found an email I once sent someone who wanted to get back into Doom 2. It was more of a list of info so is just essentials but here it in case it's of help for your project:

Source Ports

These are extentions to the original Doom.exe that introduce features and removes limitations to enchance the game, add new gameplay elements, allow for new features in mods or simply allow the game to run as intended in a newer OS. You can find and download Windows compatible ports here: http://www.doomworld.com/classicdoom/ports/index.php?platform=2 Everyone seems to have their own preferences and the best advice is to keep trying until you find your perfect fit but to get you started I'll give you info on three prominent ports:

Chocolate Doom 1.2.0
The purpose of this port is to recreate the original Doom game as closely as possible while still working as originally intended in newer versions of Windows etc. I recommend this for a nostalgic hit but be aware that you will be restricted to mods and custom levels (known as PWADs) that work within the (suprisingly narrow) limits of the original game.

PRBoom-plus 2.5.0.6
This port was designed to add additional features while allowing demos recorded in the original game to be compatible. To be honest if you only want to download one then I would recommend this. It a configurable port with a user friendly interface that lets you run the game as originally intended or with extra features. It's somewhat halfway between the purism of Chocolate Doom and progressive GZDoom.

GZDoom 1.5.3
This port's objective is to push the original Doom engine to it's limits and some of the mods and PWADs made for the port are technical marvels it's worth downloading just to experience. The playoff is that the game behaviour even in the original game differs from the original experience.

Mods/PWADs

Mods generally refer to files that replace or add either gameplay features or new resources such as music, monsters or weapons. PWADs (despite technically being one and the same) usually refer to files that replace levels though they sometimes also have new resources. Mods and PWADs are port specific so you'll have to read the accompanying text file to ascertain what requires what. The general rule is if it runs in the original game (vanilla compatible) it will run in everything, if it's listed as 'limit removing' it will run in anything other than the original game or Chocolate Doom and anything requiring any other should specify so in the text.

99% of Mods and PWADs can be found on one archive site: http://www.doomworld.com/idgames/ Though it's probably best deciding what you want before searching this archive as there's vast amount dross as you might expect from an upload site that has a completist agenda rather than impose any sort of quality control. A good place to look for classics released between 1994 and 2003 is here: http://www.doomworld.com/10years/bestwads/ Whereas more contemporary releases of acclaim are annually recognised here: http://www.doomworld.com/cacowards/ Obviously these are opinion pieces but they are definitely the best starting points you will get. For the record here are some to get you started:

Vanilla compatible
Scythe (scythe.zip)
Alien Vendetta (av.zip)
Hell Revealed (hr.zip)

Limit removing compatible
Speed of Doom (sodfinal.zip)
Whispers of Satan (wos.zip)
Deus Vult II (dvii-1i.zip)

GZDoom compatible
Unloved (unloved.zip)
Brutal Doom (http://www.4shared.com/file/IpD7JQbD/BrutalGZDoom__V012.html)
Simplicity (sp_simp.zip)

They are all level-sets first and foremost with the exception of Brutal Doom, which is a gameplay enhancement mod.

Utilities

Doom Launcher (http://ww5.cheeseportal.net/modules.php?name=programsindex)
Most utilities will probably only be of use should your interest in Doom extend beyond simply playing the game. This is the exception however it provides a quick and easy way to run pwads, set gameplay parameters etc.


Oblige (http://sourceforge.net/projects/oblige/files/Oblige/0.97/oblige-097-win.zip/download)
This is a random level generator. There's sufficient human made Doom levels in existence to go a lifetime without having to resort to computer generated ones. It is worth downloading and running this utility nethertheless. It's suprising how good the levels are and you can set specs if you want to play a particular type.

Doom Builder (http://www.doombuilder.com/index.php?p=downloads)
This is where I would recommend you start if you decide to start making your own maps. There are other editors - including the updated Doom Builder 2, but the original is easy enough to use and it's what I use so I could help you with this editor if you wanted any.

Web Sites

doomworld.com It's the only community site I've ever used so it must have pretty much everything you'll ever need. Primarily, you'll find it useful if you're making levels and want help, feedback or involvement in a community project but players, deathmatchers and demorunners also use the site so there's something for everyone. If you do join, my username is purist. Check out my work in progress community project Progressive Fiction (http://www.doomworld.com/vb/wads-mods/53034-progressive-fiction-mapper-wanted-post-your-interest/)

http://www.doomwiki.org/ The community-driven wiki for Doom. It's still under construction but you will get pretty much everything you ever needed to know about the game from here.

[D_GARG]

how ever, it has to be compact, and ridiculously easy.

one folder for each thing, so you place wad sob folders and engine folders in the same masterfolder. So you basicly have 4-5 master folders and each one has its own category

so the categories would be:

-Game info and links
-Play Game
-Editors
-Mods
-Community
-Art



keeping it this simple there is no real problem navigating here among the master folders, so what could the subfolders look like?

-Play Game/
_DOOM95
_PRBoom-plus 2.5.0.6
_Chocolate Doom 1.2.0
_GZDoom 1.5.3/
.GZDoom.exe
.etc
.etc
.etc

so subfolders named Multiplayer, Singleplayer, Special etc is unneccesary, since every engine is so different from another it is useless to isolate the engine folders from eachother, and it will take time and nerves to navigate all the way back to the correct folder if you want to drag a mod into an engines folder/exe

it all must be so simple as DOOM really is, if you want something within a certain category, you get the entire category in your hands.
anyone should be able to handle this pack

[Gez]

D_GARG said:

and it will take time and nerves to navigate all the way back to the correct folder if you want to drag a mod into an engines folder/exe

You can solve that issue by putting in ZDL or CDL pre-configurated to know where the ports, IWADs and PWADs are.

[Reisal]

How do you plan to distribute this?

[GreyGhost]

Steam?

[Nomad]

I like GreyGhost's idea for the HTML frontend. it would be simple to make, and easily modified for updated versions of the pack, and practically eliminate the need for making noobs dick around in the files trying to figure out what's what.

[Marnetmar]

You know, I think this is a pretty damn good idea. Perhaps instead of distributing it as something like "Doom for beginners", perhaps it could be distributed with several resource IWADs as something like "So you wanna create your own shooter game".

[fraggle]

purist said:

Chocolate Doom 1.2.0

Something wrong with the latest versions?