Deathday Collection/dday.bin/utils/mde/mde.txt

Text File | 1994-02-12 | 10KB | 267 lines

                  M.D.E. - "My DOOM Editor"
                    by Patrick J. Steele

Copyright (c) 1994, Patrick J. Steele
[BETA] v0.8b

NOTE:  This *is* a beta version.  The reason I call it beta
is because I don't think it's "polished" or user-friendly
enough to be a final product.  It will not change your WAD
file unless you tell it to (explained later).  Also, this
beta version will only work on Episode 1 of DOOM - Knee Deep
In The Dead.  The full version will work on all three
episodes, but only on the registered version.

Beta or not, PLEASE MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR WAD FILE BEFORE
USING ANY DOOM EDITOR.

FASTGRAPH/LIGHT
---------------

The program is using FastGraph/Light, a powerful graphics
library for C/C++, BASIC, PASCAL and FORTRAN.  I highly
recommend it to all of you programmers looking for a fast
graphics library that supports a *lot* of video cards/modes.
Contact:

                     Ted Gruber Software
                        PO Box 13408
                     Las Vegas, NV 89112
                 Orders/Info [phone]
                     FAX [phone]
                     BBS [phone]

The one drawback is the external driver needed to run
FG/Light applications.  It's included with MDE and it must
be loaded before running MDE.  It takes about 120k of
conventional memory.  The full blown version of FastGraph
does not require this driver (and it has a lot more
features), but it was $150 more than FG/Light ($49).  So, I
hope you have enough memory to run MDE.  I still need to do
more testing to determine the minimum amount needed to run.

BUGS
----

There is one problem that I know about and I'm looking into,
although it may be out of my control.  I have a Microsoft
mouse and the mouse driver that came with it is ver. 9.1.
For some reason, that mouse driver (when running MDE) moves
along at 2 pixels horizontally instead of 1, so I only
receive values of 0,2,4,6,8,etc... from the mouse.  If an
object is in placed in an odd pixel (1,3,5,7,etc...) you
will not be able to select it.  Older Microsoft mouse
drivers do not have this problem.  I found a ver 8.2
Microsoft mouse driver, and when using that one, MDE works
fine.  I'm going to see if I change the mouse speed or
something to see if I can get it to move along every pixel
horizontally.  If you have ver 9.1 of the Microsoft mouse
driver I'm sorry - I'm trying to remedy the situation.  See
if you can get an older version (8.2 works).

QUICK INSTRUCTIONS
------------------

For those who want to jump in a explore, this should get you
going quickly.  To run MDE, you'll first need to load the
FastGraph/Light driver.  This is included with MDE.  After
extracting MDE, enter:

     FGDRIVER

This will load the FastGraph/Light driver (when you are done
with MDE, you may unload the FG/Light driver with "FGDRIVER
/u").  To run MDE, enter:

     MDE [WAD file] [ExMy]

Where,

[WAD file] - is the name of the .wad file you want to modify
[ExMx] - where x is the episode# and y is the level

EXAMPLE: To modify the final level of Episode #1, enter:

     MDE DOOM.WAD E1M8

This will use DOOM.WAD as the wad file and edit level 8 of
episode 1 (level 9 is the secret level).

You will be given an overhead view of the map.  The light
blue dots are objects, the green points are vertexes.  Move
the mouse to the edges of the screen and the map will
automatically scroll.

Press the left mouse button while pointing to an object
(light blue dot) or a vector (green dot) to bring up
detailed information.

FOR OBJECTS:

     You may change what the object is, the angle it faces,
     what skill levels it will appear on and whether it will
     show up only in network play.

FOR VERTEXES:

     Selecting a vertex will bring up a box asking you to
     view sidedef1 (explained later)  or sidedef2 (if
     available).  Selecting sidedef one or two will bring up
     wall texture information for that sidedef and an "Edit
     Sector" button.

     Clicking on the "Edit Sector" button will bring up
     detailed info about the sector this sidedef surrounds
     (defines).  You may change a sectors' floor/ceiling
     height, the amount of light in the sector, and set up
     special flags for the sector (radioactive damage,
     flickering lights, pulsating lights, etc...)

     Click the right mouse button to back out of these
     menus.

To move an object, select it with the right mouse button.
While holding down the right mouse button, drag the object
where you want it and release the mouse button.

Press 'E' to export the placement of the objects for this
level.  A file will be created called DMAPExMy.DAT where x
is the episode# and y is the level.

Press 'I' to import object placement data from the
corresponding .DAT file as explained above.

Before you exit, press 'W' to write your changes to the WAD
file.  If you don't press 'W' your changes will not be
saved!  Press [ESC] to exit the program.

INSTRUCTIONS
------------

Here's some more detailed info about MDE.  The moving and
changing of objects is pretty straightforward.  What I'll
explain here is the options you have with the vertexes.  If
you want to understand more of what's here, please D/L
DMSPCS10.ZIP (The Unofficial DOOM Specs).  That's what made
this editor possible (thank you [e-mail]!!) and it
may explain better what I'm about to describe.

All of those green dots on the map represent a vertex.  Two
vertexes define a line.  There is a "from" vertex and a "to"
vertex.  For each line, it will have at least one side
defined, called a "sidedef", or possibly two.  A line will
only have one sidedef if the DOOM player will never see the
other side.  For example, on the first level of episode one,
the DOOM player can turn around 180 degrees and see a door.
There is no way (except with cheat codes) for the player to
be on the other side of that door, so that line only has one
sidedef.

An example of a line with two sidedefs is also on the first
level of episode one.  If you look out the window to the
right, there's the familiar pool of acid with the combat
(blue) armor.  The lines defining that pool of acid have two
sidedefs, the side that faces "in" the pool of acid, and the
side that faces "out" of the pool.

As noted above, each line has at least one sidedef.  A
collection of sidedefs forms (or "defines/surrounds") a
sector.  A sector is where the floor/ceiling altitude is
defined and where the lighting and special flags (for acid
damage, etc...) are defined.  You may edit the altitude of
the floor and the ceiling, set the light level, and set
special flags for the sector.

When you select a sidedef to view, texture information for
that sidedef will be displayed.

     T-above shows the name of the texture used to define
     the area of a wall "above" where there is an adjacent
     sector of a different height.

     T-norml is the name of the normal (eye-level) texture
     used to define the wall image.

     T-below is the name of the texture used to define the
     area of a wall "below" where there is an adjacent
     sector of a different height.

The texture properties will help you pick which sector to
modify when there are two sidedefs since I cannot tell from
the vertex you select which sector you want to edit.

SECTOR INFORMATION
------------------

Ok, here's what you can do in a sector:

Change floor/ceiling altitude - ranges are from -264 to
+264.  A difference of 28 or more between two sectors will
prevent the player from crossing the sectors.

Light - ranges from 0 (very dark!) to 255 (full light)

Special - set special flags for this sector.  A few that
have been found are:

     0 - Normal sector
     1 - light level blinks randomly
     2 - light quickly blinks
     3 - lights blink
     4 - lights pulsate and 10% health loss
     5 - 5% health loss
     6 - DO NOT USE! Exits to DOS with "unknown sector flag"
     7 - 2% health loss (typical green acid)
     8 - lights pulsate
     9 - secret sector (increments the # of secrets found)
     10 - unknown
     11 - 10% health loss
     12 - blink (down to very dark)
     13 - quick pulsate
     14 - unknown
     15 - unknown
     16 - 20% health loss

Beyond that, use at your own risk!

Hold the [Ctrl] key down while pressing on any of the +/-
buttons to change the values by 10 instead of 1.

THE END?
--------

Ok, now I need to know what you think.  I need all feedback
- good/bad/wants/needs.  Please leave feedback to me on:

     Software Creations: [phone]
              User name: Patrick Steele

     Internet: [e-mail]
     (I've been having a real hard time getting on to AOL,
     so you may also try my internet address at Software
     Creations: [e-mail])

COMING UP
---------

What I'd like to see in the future (besides map editing!) is
the ability to change the wall textures that are displayed
for a sidedef and the floor/ceiling textures in a sector.
The choices would be limited to the available ones, but it
would be neat.

I plan on setting the mouse to a sort of "bulls-eye" to make
object/vertex selection easier.

I'm going to change the export to export the object
placement data for an entire episode (not just on level as
it is now).  I may also add exporting the sector data that
is changed.

I'd like to be able to add objects to a level.  This is
rather easy process in memory, but on disk, I'll need to
recreate the entire .wad file!  (Got a spare 10megs for the
new wad file!?).  As for deleting objects, just move them
off the map.