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This is a mod that automates the process of pistol starting in Doom and several other IWADs. It makes no other changes to gameplay in the IWADs or other mods that the included "pistol starters" are compatible with. Usage is simple: Load only one pistol starter, and load it after whatever WADs you want to use. Autosaves should be enabled, and the game should be played as in normal continuous play. The process of pistol starting will be performed for you automatically via ACS scripting. At the start of each level a script will run. It will remove from all players all weapons, armor, ammo, etc. and give them the default weapons and ammo and reset their health to 100. If autosaving is enabled the game will then save your progress as it would otherwise. You will be able to play the entire game with no need for cheats or further configuration. These pistol starters should only be used with IWADs, megawads and other mods that include multiple levels and are "pistol start friendly", such as Ancient Aliens, Sunlust or Valiant. For Freedoom use the pistol starters for Doom or Brutal Doom. Chex Quest 3, Hacx, and Heretic have been given pistol starters because of the similarity of their structure and gameplay to Doom. Other IWADs such as Hexen and Strife were not, due to their unsuitability for pistol starts. If any other mod or IWAD is hub-based or otherwise dependent on continuous gameplay, it may be "broken" by these scripts. If a WAD only includes one map these scripts would be pointless. If a WAD includes custom weapons it will not work as intended unless the pistol starter is compatible. Pistol starters for several mods have been included: Beautiful Doom v6.1.0.2 Brutal Doom v20b Elf Gets Pissed v1.1 PerK's Smoother Weapon Animations Enhanced Strange Aeons v5.4 Valiant The pistol starter for Brutal Doom v20b includes a patch for the error that prevents Brutal Doom from working with recent versions of GZDoom, which is the reason why this pistol starter is in ".pk3" format instead of ".wad". It will also "remember" whether the initial "crack knuckles and load rifle" and shotgun-pump animations have played and skip them in future maps as they would be skipped normally. As for the pistol starter for Elf Gets Pissed: It will remember whether or not the Lightbringer was found, and will give it back to the player on pistol start, along with the amount of ammo that would have been given on pickup. (120 on skills 0 and 4, 80 otherwise) For Strange Aeons: It will remember the Yithian Lightning Gun, giving it back after pistol start if it was found, along with the ammo given on pickup. (80 on skills 0 and 4, 40 otherwise) This is a list of the included pistol starters: (IWAD) Doom and Freedoom: pstlstrt.wad (Mod) Brutal Doom v20b: btlpstrt.pk3 (Mod) Beautiful Doom v6.1.0.2: bdpsstrt.wad (Mod) Elf Gets Pissed v1.1: egpsstrt.wad (IWAD) Heretic: evwdstrt.wad (IWAD) Hacx: hxpsstrt.wad (IWAD) Chex Quest 3: mzchstrt.wad (Mod) PerK's SWAE: pkpsstrt.wad (Mod) Strange Aeons: sassstrt.wad (Mod) Valiant: vlpsstrt.wad The pistol starter for Brutal Doom is compatible with Freedoom if used with Brutal Doom v20b. It is not intended for use with mods based on Brutal Doom, such as Project Brutality. (It may work correctly, it but probably won't.) The pistol starter for PerK's Smoother Weapon Animations Enhanced can be used with either the brown or black gloves editions, and is also fully compatible with Smooth Doom. The Valiant pistol starter is intended for use with skillsaw's "Valiant.wad" and "sawdust.wad". For Valiant: Vaccinated Edition use either the Doom pistol starter, or the one intended for whatever mod you want to use with it. The original ACS script source files have been left inside each pistol starter WAD, and are commented for reference. The source files could be used to make more pistol starters for other mods and IWADS.