OnyxStar

Hi, It has been over 10 years since my last post! I have an edited version of PRBoomPlus that I'm hoping you guys will like. (If you don't remember, I previously made a walk-cam mod and a not so great TAS demo of HR2) I think making/watching TAS demos is really fun, however there is definitely a high barrier for entry, and it takes a lot of patience to make a reasonably good demo. My goal was to make it easier to create TAS demos. Binaries: http://www.mediafire.com/download/oo8yqmfdh83fszt/PrBoomPlus_DemoBuilder.zip Source: http://www.mediafire.com/download/3h5aq1v332eq994/PrBoomPlus_DemoBuilderSource.zip So what does it actually do? As you are playing the game, quicksaves will automatically be happening. When you press the new navigate key (defaults to N), the game will pause and you can jump back and forth between saved frames. Pressing the navigate key again will continue from your currently position. Even better, if you are recording a demo, it will automatically fix the demo anytime you use navigate. As an example, say you are playing through a map, but you make a mistake and die. Press navigate and go backwards to before you died, press navigate again, and keep playing. The recorded demo will look like you never died at all. Finally, your 'frame history' is saved along with your demo. Using the new record continue option, you will start paused at the last save frame with all the demo information loaded. Navigate to where you want, and continue on. No more waiting for the demo to play all the way to where you left it! Here are the new command line options you need to use: -framesave : Need to actually save frames. You can use this even without demo recording to navigate between frames as you play. Pair with -record or -recordcontinue to build a demo. -recordcontinue <demoname> : Loads the demo you were recording previously. You need to have been recording with -framesave or there won't be a file needed to read the saved frames. Here are some example uses: glboom-plus -framesave -record test_demo glboom-plus -framesave -recordcontinue test_demo --- I've only tested this with doom2 1.9 demo compatibility in PRBoomPlus. As you might expect, I make no guarantee that everything will work perfectly. If you run into any troubles I'd be curious to hear what they are. Extra details: You can edit the navigate key in the key bindings menu. (I like using Q since I can quickly press it) You can also edit the frequency of saving frames. It defaults to every 50 frames. If you go much lower than that it becomes a pretty big memory hog, but that's probably not too bad on more modern PCs. The keys to navigate frames are tied to your movement keys. The strafe left and strafe right keys will move back/forward in the frame history, one save at a time. So, if you are saving every 50 frames, it will move back/forward 50 frames. If you press the move forward or move back keys, you will navigate 50 histories back/forward. (So, 50 times 50) I use W,A,S,D to move, so my A and D keys move me back and forward respectively. S and W move back and forward in the bigger amounts. When you use -recordcontinue you'll notice a weird graphical glitch where you seem to be at the beginning of level 1. Just start navigating and it will correct itself. I was too lazy to figure it out, but it really doesn't impact demo creation. This may be confusing, so let me know if you have any questions. Also, I'm definitely interested to hear if people enjoy using it!

I haven't tested a huge range of maps, but so far it has stayed in sync. I was messing around with Doom2 map11. I would start a demo, intentionally 'screw up', navigate back, etc. Then I'd exit the game, use the -recordcontinue feature to continue from where I was, and do this whole thing several times. (So I'd quit the game several times) When I play the demo back it's still in sync. I'm definitely hoping to get more test cases by having people use it. I've been mostly proving the concept out to myself each step of the way. Maybe it has some flaws related to questions/thoughts in previous posts, but surprisingly I haven't seen it fail yet.

It does a full quicksave every 50 tics (by default). The saves are held in memory and also written to disk if you are recording a demo. Navigating loads a quicksave each time you choose to move back and forth in the history. They are stored in order so you can jump back and forth between them.

Hi everyone. I've always been a big fan of TAS movies, from the 1441 of Doom 2, to the awesome HR run. I really want to see a HR2 movie, but I suspect that won't be happening for awhile. So, I thought I could try my own version of it. This was made using a modified version of prboom 2.2.4. The changes were made by me, and they include the following tools that help to build the demo: -Press a key to take control of the player as a demo is running. (Obviously used to continue demos, and fix screw-ups) -Warp to a certain level in the demo (Someone else made prboom do this too, and it's really useful) -Skip a certain amount of time in a level (Same as above) -Warp to the end of a level (I like to start at the intermission screen) You can download the start of this demo from the following link: http://www.geocities.com/hammer81z/hr2-tas.zip You might have to copy and paste that into your browser for it to work right. This demo only goes through map 7, and it takes 9:57. I am posting the beginning of it, because I want to know if anyone is interested in seeing it completed. It's nowhere near the quality of the super runs I mentioned above, but I think it's somewhat entertaining. The upcoming levels get long and tough, so let me know if I should stop now. It's a lot of work if no one cares to see it. Note: I have only watched it in prboom 2.2.4. I have no idea if doom2.exe will work. I suspect it will, but you never know. (It was recorded at comp level 1) -------------------- Edit: The demo is now complete! http://www.geocities.com/hammer81z/hr2_tasfinal.zip I am really happy with how this whole demo went. I think it's really exciting to watch, and I hope you enjoy it too. Make sure you read the text file included, as it has some special information in it. The most important being, you have to use the version of prboom I included to watch it. I know that may be annoying to some people, but the text file explains why. If someone wants to put the file where they think more people might see it, go ahead. I'd also like to hear what everyone thinks of it. Thanks for watching!

I hope this won't turn into a little battle, but I must point a few things out. Nowhere *near* as optimized huh? I will grant you that map 2 isn't that great. I was still learning the ins and outs of TAS demo recording at that point. This isn't a 'professional' TAS demo where I shave off every last nanosecond. It's just supposed to be fun to watch, and still have the levels completed quickly, which they clearly are. As for map 1, I think it's pretty well optimized, considering I don't use Strafe 50 at any time in the demo, and I also now realize that I was using forward 49 tics since prboom was programmed with them, instead of forward 50. Onto the turning aspect. I agree with you to a point. It is a little annoying at first, but I find you get used to it. Every other TAS demo I have seen has this too, and it's just what's going to happen when you record at half speed. Based on what you've said, I think it's safe to assume you've seen other TAS demos too, and I don't recall you whining about the turning in those. If you have, that's my mistake. Finally, the fact that you only watched 2 maps, and have these complaints, while others have enjoyed the whole thing, is very interesting to me. Oh, and yes, I am glad I aksed. :)

Wow, a lot of replies in this thread, but I was hoping for some more feedback from viewers, either positive or negative. There are some things I would like to address though, namely: Before I break this down, I of course realize that I could never, ever perform on my own as good as this demo illustrates. But, to say that there was no luck or skill is something I completely disagree with. Luck: I can't count the number of times I relied on luck to complete this. I don't control the monsters in any way, and rely heavily on luck when running between several enemies that could take me down with one hit. Skill: I suppose the player just stumbled onto the correct routes through the level. I don't assume to be the leading example for the fastest way through each level, but I came up with all of this on my own, and am rather proud of several ideas I had. Of course I am not going to die anywhere in the demo, that would miss the point completely. Although, I suppose if you were to get technical, you might watch the end of level 30 again... I must say though, I died many, many times while creating this. Just as anyone making a real speed demo does, and they restart and go at it again. All that being said, I completely agree that all good, clean, non-cheated demos take much more skill than this. I get to start recording wherever I want. Of course, I must perform correctly to get to where I want first. What I love about TAS demos is that you never have time to breath. I just watched the new run through episode 4 of the ultimate doom, and I noticed at some points that my heart started beating faster, trying to keep pace with the mind bending speed. Is it real? No. Is it fun to watch? Yes. I've seen a good amount of TAS demos, and I decided to contribute, instead of just sitting back and hoping others do it for me. My demo is nowhere near the perfection of other TAS demos, but I will pat myself on the back for the fact that it is fun for even me, the recorder, to watch. If anyone else has some comments on the demo, I would love to read them! Thanks.

The demo is complete! Check the original post for the link. This reply is just meant to bump the thread.

Just to give you a little update, I am now through map 15 with a time of 27:57. I'd post the new demo, but I think I'll wait for it to be completed, so that way you wont have to watch the beginning over and over to see the new maps I've done. I'm happy a couple (and probably more) of you have enjoyed it so far. I just watched the trick jump in map 7, and its a neat move. However, I'm trying to see what routes I can come up with on my own for this. (Also, its too late to add that now, since I am through 15) Before each map, I check it out in a map editor, and see what I think will work fastest. Some maps, like 13, are just not designed for speed running, but they are very exciting to watch in this demo. Finally, Opulent, you probably wouldnt remember me, since the only time I've spoken on these forums is when I released my prboom demo walkcam. This is the first demo I've made with the intent to release it for others to watch. Maybe you'll see more of me if I try my skills at some of the demopack projects going on...

Hi everyone, I've been paying close attention to the HR2 demopack thread. While reading through it, something caught my attention. There was a discussion about whether some monsters had survived in a few demos, and how that could be checked out. Someone suggested using the Eternity engine with the demo walkcam. I had never heard of it before, and I've been watching these demos for a few months now. (Yes, I'm pretty new to the doom demo scene here...) I thought it would be sweet to run around while the demo was playing. So, I headed over to the eternity website, and of course the link for the engine isn't working. I know a thing or two about programming, so I figured I could try and add it into one of the other ports out there. The obvious choice was prboom, because of its demo compatability. I had never touched any doom source code before, so I was quite lost for a while. Then, I noticed that the prboom team must have thought about working on a demo walkcam, because there is already some code in there for it. Jumping ahead, I have added the walkcam myself. The code isnt very pretty, since I know so little about what's really going on in the engine, but it does work. Here are the main features, many of which just happened to work. (The sign of a well put together engine) -Movement is almost identical to player movement. However, there is no "fine touch" to it. When you let off the controls, you stop. The player would stop fast, but with a little slide. Also, if you fall off a cliff, you are placed immediately on the ground. -It is always in a non clipping state. So, you can run around through everything. (Walls, monsters, etc.) -If you lose the player, you can press the attack button to find him. It puts you exactly where he is, looking the same way. If you hold attack, you will follow his movements exactly. -You can move while the demo is paused. For some reason, it seems to really cut the framerate. (Not too bad though) Probably some internal thing I don't yet know about. -You can use the map, and enter the 'iddt' cheats. I thought for sure this wasn't going to work, but it does. I'm pretty sure you have to be in 'map mode' to enter the codes though. ---------------- That's about it. I was having a good time watching the hr2 demos while wandering around. I'd pause on occasion to see a rocket suspended in mid-air, or to see a bunch of enemies getting fried by the BFG. Ok, here's where you would expect to find a link, but I have a question before I post it. PRBoom isn't my creation at all. Can I just edit the code and post a new exe? This probably sounds dumb to some of you, but I have no idea. PRBoom is an excellent tool, and I don't want to go against the wishes of its creators. I'm sure some of you would like to watch demos like this, so any advice here would be great.

Well, I spent the last few hours adding a few things to the walkcam. The readme file explains it all in detail, but here is a short summary. You can press 'use' to look directly at the player. Could be helpful sometimes, but it's basically just neat. (Circle strafe around him, etc.) There are console variables that will allow you to change the speed of the camera's movement and turning. They will save to your config file, so you wont have to constantly adjust them. Finally, you no longer have a slowdown when pausing the demo. It runs at the same framerate. http://www.geocities.com/hammer81z/walk_prboom2.zip I hope that helps some of you out. I noticed some complaints about the speed, which is fine. I had wanted to make that adjustable anyway. Just had to learn how. =)

Ok, I've read through all the GNU stuff, and have decided to post the new exe. As near as I can tell, I just have to post the source as well, which I will do with a separate zip file. Make sure you take a look at the readme file, it has everything you need to know. The exe can be downloaded from: http://www.geocities.com/hammer81z/walk_prboom.zip The source link is: http://www.geocities.com/hammer81z/walk_prsrc.zip Hmmm, just tested these in a preview post, and they don't work. But, if you copy and paste the links into the address bar, they work. If that doesn't work, let me know and maybe someone in these forums can host it. Please let me know how it runs. I've only been able to test it on my computer. I can't see where any problems would arise, but I'd like this to work for everyone, so let me know. Oh, and keep those awesome demos coming! =)