Jayextee

Ahem.

Well, what I _meant_ to say is this;

Can someone test my levels (Maps 1 and 2 of my newly-started (Like, two days ago) MEGAWAD that I'm doing)?

I'd just like to know whether the difficulty is OK (It is for me, but... I'm not normal ;) and what I'm doing right or wrong.

http:\\www.geocities.com/jayextee/index.htm

Thanks in advance for your time (Yeh, I know, this is gonna be one of them posts NOBODY reads! :D )

boris said:

IMO it does not really look like somebody's first level.

It's not the first one I've EVER done, but the first one that I've posted on the net.

I'd say it was about my fifteenth map ever, but many have been.. poor. Like you'd expect from a newbie, such as I -- I've only been doing this for a couple of months, now.

Heh, if you want to see what a newbie level looks like...

No, seriously, I've uploaded a total of ONE map - but I now have something on the net!

www.geocities.com/jayextee/index.htm

Basically, for anyone that may be interested in asking me to design maps for them, anyone that may want to help a newbie out (If you've seen my previous posts, you'll know - I know absolutley NOTHING! Nearly...) or if you're just curious -- check it out. It'll take, what? Five minutes. Maybe.

Please note that I spent more time than I think is necessary on the level detail, as it seems like the only way to get a level noticed nowadays. Shame.

Oh, I nearly forgot - it has tommorrow's date on it. Mainly because originally I wasn't intending to upload it till then. Guess I got bored ;)

Uh, I'll get straight to the point.

I want to include some small Q3A-esque (Well, the smaller ones) DM levels for people like me that prefer to DM in small spaces, because long levels (Like I want to include in my WAD project)

Should I;
a) Include them AFTER the 32 existing maps, so they are *completely* seperate (Access via -warp 33 etc.)?

or

b) Make say, level 10 skip to lv 31 (Ie the secret level) as it`s regular exit. This will then mean the player exits lv 31 to lv 16. This effectively misses out 5 levels, which I can use for the DM maps I`m doing..?

The thing is, I prefer to use method (a) but for example, Doom2 itself does not like this. A cold, hard boot back into DOS isn`t the preffered end to a DM session.

What shall I do?

I ask as a newbie to the experienced

Yeah, but don`t pigeonhole people with that outlook.

I, for instance had never HEARD of nine inch nails until We`re in this together. And they`re my favourite band. Why? Maybe some people hear something new and great and check out the older stuff.

BTW For the record, My personal favourite NIN CDs are Pretty Hate Machine and The Downward Spiral. Not too bad for a bandwagoner? And,I love the prodigy. Jilted Generation=best!!!

NiGHTMARE said:

Thanks a lot.

It seems I get the wrong defention when comments like ' you could wouk on your level detail ' are used.

Of all the things you mentioned there`s only the texture alignment that I don`t quite `get`.

And I definitely see your point about teleporters. And they are a pain in the posterior with some editors (WADED) because you have to move them around to get the FLAT aligned correctly.

As for lighting, again around 144-160-ish is best. I`ve seen far TOO MANY levels that look so damned light, all atmosphere that could have been is non existent.

I originally posted out of worry really, being new to editing, I thought that my somewhat plain (To me) levels just wouldn`t make the grade.

I was a little too nervy to even upload them anywhere! (Pointless, I know, but the No.1 reason for me both playing and editing Doom2 is my OWN enjoyment. Which is already sorted)

Maybe I should ask some people here to try them. At worst, I`ll get labelled in some `hall of shame`. At best, some dude could ask me to design for their TC/Mod!!!

Maybe someone has already mentioned this (If so, please don`t flame me. Only God can be everywhere. Did I say God? I meant John Carmack ;) but it would be cool if Doom3 actually supports Doom2 WADs, but renders them like Doom3 levels.

IE, all the THINGS would be polygon models, either monsters or stuff like candles, etc. would be, like predetermined brushes, etc.

And those old crappy textures? Well, Doom3 would Bump-map them instead, meaning that a lifeless computer wall now has a bit of shape.

Of course, maybe not - Custom wads would be problematic, maybe - and at any costs I won`t be able to play it :(

Unless I sell my sister or something.... (heh heh... mental note - plan b, sell sister for an Athlon or something...)

I just thought it would be cool, so we wouldn`t all be *completely* wasting our time.

I see completely where you`re coming from.

If Doom3 is HUGE, then the worst thing that can happen is for "the aformentioned people" to come here and spout how we`re all losers for liking old, alledgedly `retarded` games. - And if this happens, it will happen TOO much.

Let us hope this doesn`t happen. Or Doomworld has a protected entry mechanism that requires a player to clear THE SUBURBS Doom2 level in under three minutes at UV with 100% kills.

That should sort out the players from the lamers ;)

Throughout this forum, I`ve noticed a few newbie editors, like myself, wanting opinions on how their levels are, but have just been told they`re amateurish. All I can notice is the main real difference is the so-called `Professional` looking WADs usually have a lot of detail.

Is this really an issue? Can we not just concentrate first on the important thing -- the way the level plays?

I mean, what with the source ports not being as limited as Doom in this regard, it IS nice to have the option, but surely a newbie editor can`t be flamed just because his levels lack detail. It can always be added later.

And, a detailed but sucky level will probably always suck. A non-detailed but excellent level can always have more details added, surely?

Thanks for your time.

X-DOOM said:

try something like this MAPINFO lump code

map map01 "mapname"
next map02
cluster 1

clusterdef 1
hub
exittext
"write your text here"

don't forgot to make a switch or a acs code that ends the level. This will open the intermission screen and let the text appear.

Cannot find any MAPINFO lump.

Hmmmm.... Is it because I only have a v1.666 WAD?

I really don`t want to have to resort to Dehacked as I want my levels to be playable by anyone with just Doom2.

destROYer said:

retard

Why the... ah, hell with it, etc. etc. :|

Get Cajunbot, and unzip it into you Doom2 or Legacy folder (Both are fine)

Then in MS-DOS type :

cajun -altdeath -nomonsters -warp 1 -bots hellkeeper rambo killern

Then you`ll be set.

I`m sorry to keep bothering y`all here (You must be getting sick of seeing my name ;) but I got a question.

How do you edit the intermission texts (IE the secret level text) and the level names (As seen on the automap)?

I can`t find any lump in WinTEX that corresponds to these...

I`m actually thinking of all those low-budget PC-owning people out there who are mainly limited to just your regular Doom2 when I edit levels. Like myself.

It`s no use actually getting a source port I maybe can`t run.

I, too have suffered at the wrath of Doom`s limit to visible linedefs. But, I want to know is there a way to find out whether you`re in danger of `overflowing` - *without* finding out the hard way - and then deleting a load of sectors that were no use, but made the thing `look nice`.

Does an editor have this function?

How about some cool rain effects?
This isn`t really a good gameplay idea, but the only thing about `nam I know is from films. And it rained a lot in Forrest Gump when he was there. But it would be cool to see some decent weather effects in a doom mod.

And, that would be a `huey` you`re talking about?
Maybe expanding upon this would be cool, if a little (!) complicated, like different secret areas in missions could be like, enemy communications that you use to radio for backup.

As I said, all I know is from films...

Ummm... this is a bit of a long shot, but I think I had a similar error when I had a floor of about 40 and a ceiling of 10000-ish.

It may be the old Doom2 engine just not liking some ceiling/floor difference. That could be the problem. If you don`t have any large ceilings/low floors then sorry, I`m pretty much a newbie here, but it`s just a suggestion.

Also a long time DOOMer, first time editor.

If you wish to continue using WadEd (It can be hard to adapt to something new) then I found workarounds for the problem. It sounds like you are starting to hit WadEd`s limits. Like, when you have over 900-ish linedefs, you start getting the nodes not built correctly. Use WARM for nodebuilding, straight after saving, before playing.

Secondly, if the MAKE SECTOR screws up, I found the following:

1; A sector is too large - CRASH
Workaround: Make large areas out of smaller sectors, joined together.

2; A sector has too many linedefs on the outside - CRASH
Workaround: Same again

3; Sectors within sectors, like a lake with small islands (example) - Sector isn`t defined properly
Workaround: Do it yourself with SEC DEFINE. The downside to this is it seems to randomly flip the linedefs the wrong way. No problem. Use the `F` key to flip any selected linedef in LINES mode (NOT DRAWING, Lines mode)

Alternatively, try WADAuthor. I haven`t yet, but it`s getting like I can`t move for good press, so I will... ;)

Hope I`ve helped SOMEONE...

Um, hi. I`m, as I say a bit of a newbie to the Doom editing stuff, but been a fan of Doom for ages. Just want to know what most of you do, like do you create levels for mainly ZDoom, EDGE, or like myself, the simple, vanilla, Doom2 engine?

I see most of you are involved in some project or another and I`d love to start one or collaborate with someone, but I was wondering if I`m the only dude that still edits for just Doom2.

BTW, if anyone is interested (Small chance, I know ;) in what I do, I can mail them some simple levels. Created in WadEd, as it`s all I know as yet.

Thanx