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RanDOOM (1) DOOM Operating System RanDOOM (1)
NAME
RanDOOM - A smart object placement randomization utility for
DOOM.
SYNOPSIS
RanDOOM [ReferenceWADfile] [-C<seed>] [-M<n>] [-W<filename>]
[-G] [-LE<j>M<k>] [-I<infile>] [-O<outfile>]
DESCRIPTION
RanDOOM is a utility which will randomize the placement of
objects in the DOOM playfield. Additionally, RanDOOM has
some smarts about the manner in which it will randomize
things - it's designed to never leave you with a pillar
blocking the exit, or a keycard on the opposite side of the
door from where you start, or to erase all the DEATHMATCH
warp-in spots with other objects (preventing DEATHMATCH
network play), or to replace the endgame bosses with other
objects (thus preventing the completion of an episode). In
short, RanDOOM will always leave you with a playable level.
RanDOOM is also user configurable - it allows you to specify
the proportion of total objects a given object will comprise
via a customizable object weighting scheme. This allows you
to tailor RanDOOM's randomizing to your personal taste
(and/or masochism ;-).
RanDOOM does not make any changes to your WAD files;
instead, it creates a separate Patch WAD file containing the
information for the modified levels. To run a RanDOOMized
game, simply invoke DOOM with the -file command line switch,
e.g. DOOM -file randoom.wad.
At the end of each run, RanDOOM will append to a file called
RANDOOM.LOG in the current directory information from that
run. Currently the seed value used for the random number
generator is saved for future reference.
OPTIONS
Reference_WAD_file_name - Use this path to the REFERENCE WAD
file. The reference WAD file is that which accompanies your
registered copy of DOOM, normally DOOM.WAD. If no filename
is specified, DOOM.WAD in the current directory is used.
-I<filename> - Specifies the name of a file where RanDOOM
should look for its input THINGS data. If no input file is
specified, input is taken from the reference WAD file by
default.
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RanDOOM (1) DOOM Operating System RanDOOM (1)
-O<filename> - Specifies the name of a file where RanDOOM
should place its output. If no output file is specified, the
filename RANDOOM.WAD is used by default.
-C<seed> - Use a single ASCII character as the seed value
for the pseudorandom number generator. The character is
case-sensitive, so 'K' and 'k' yield different seed values.
Alternatively, -C accepts a positive integer number
[0..65535] as the seed value. If no -C parameter is
specified, a seed value is taken based on the current system
time.
-G - Produce a graphic display of the item randomization
process on the screen (VGA required). This switch was added
to aid in debugging the selection algorithms. You may find
it interesting to watch.
-M<n> - Use randomization mode n, where n is a single digit
[0-9]. Currently only three randomization modes (0, 1 and 2)
are supported. If no -M parameter is specified, mode 0 is
used by default.
-LE<j>M<k> - Process Episode j, Map k only, where 1 <= j <=
3, 1 <= k <= 9. Multiple -L switches may be specified on a
single command line. If no level is specified, all levels
are processed by default.
All randomization modes attempt to avoid potential problems
which would arise if a completely random replacement of
objects were made. Such problems include immovable objects,
such as a pillar or tree root, blocking a switch or doorway;
monsters becoming "stuck in the wall" (or tangled up in each
other!) and unable to move or fight; the replacement of
player warp-in spots with other objects, preventing one or
both forms of network play; the movement of keycards or
skulls to new locations which then become inaccessible; etc.
To achieve this, RanDOOM maintains lots of data about the
objects and the DOOM level maps, such as the locations of
objects, their relative sizes in three dimensions, their
types, whether the player can move them, kill them, or pick
them up, the locations of walls, the amount of "headroom" in
a given area, and so forth. From this information, RanDOOM
is able, in most cases, to calculate whether or not a given
object will "fit" into a given location in the map without
conflicts.
Randomization mode 0 takes the objects currently placed on
each level and rearranges them. No objects are added,
subtracted, or replaced - if a given level contains 2 Barons
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RanDOOM (1) DOOM Operating System RanDOOM (1)
of Hell, 12 Imps, 32 blue health vials, and a chainsaw, then
the modified level will also contain 2 Barons of Hell, 12
Imps, 32 blue health vials, and one chainsaw, rearranged in
random order.
Randomization mode 1 replaces "nonessential" objects with
other randomly selected objects from the entire range of
available objects. This randomization mode may place objects
into a level which would not normally appear there, e.g. M1
may place Cacodemons in the Hangar level. Those items which
are needed to complete the level, such as keycards or level
bosses, remain in their original locations.
Randomization mode 2 does the same things as mode 1 with the
addition of weight factors for replaceable objects. These
weights are user adjustable (via the weight file specified
using the -W switch) to allow a relative increase or
decrease in the number of a given item inserted in the game.
Thus, items with higher weights have a higher probability of
being selected. NOTE: If the -M2 switch is specified, the -W
switch (see below) must also be specified.
Randomization mode 3 improves on mode 2 by using a "best
fit" algortihm to approximate the item distribution
requested by the user (via the weight file) as closely as
possible. The items to be placed are sorted and placed in
order from largest to smallest. This prevents a fairly large
space which could potentially hold a larger object from
having a smaller object placed into it instead and
consequently allows optimal object placements. Because not
all items will fit into all areas without sticking or other
conflicts, the exact distribution requested may not be
possible. For example, a distribution of 100% Spider demons
would be utterly impossible to provide. As with mode 2, mode
3 requires that a valid weight file be specified on the
command line with the -W switch (described below).
NOTE: With randomization modes 1, 2 and 3 ALL objects will
appear at ALL FOUR skill levels as well as during network
play; there will be no variation in the number or types of
objects between "Hey, Not Too Rough" and "Ultra Violence."
-W<filename> - Use item weight factors from file <filename>
in randomization modes 2 and 3. The weight file is a flat
ASCII text file consisting of a series of <itemname>
<weight> pairs, one pair per line. <itemname> must be one of
the predefined names listed in the sample weight file
(randoom.w), while <weight> must be a floating point value
greater than or equal to 0.0. In general, the larger the
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RanDOOM (1) DOOM Operating System RanDOOM (1)
weight value, the more occurrences of that object RanDOOM
will put into the game. There are some exceptions, most
notably with the larger objects. Because RanDOOM will only
place an item if it will "fit," some hard-to-place items
will have a lower effective weight than that specified in
the weight file. Take the Spider Demon, for example. This
sucker is so large it gets stuck just about anywhere. Out of
the hundreds of available item spots, there may be only one
or two locations where the Spider would be able to function.
Thus, even though it's number may come up via the weighted
selection scheme, its placement may still be prevented. If
an object is chosen which is too large for the available
space, another item is chosen until one is found which can
be safely placed into the current location.
Some comments about speed: Those of you who have used
earlier versions of RanDOOM will notice that 1.52 takes
longer to process the WAD file than did its predecessors.
This is due to the fact that 1.52 does a lot more work than
earlier versions, most of it 2-D geometric calculations
(such as the distances from objects to walls for collision
detection). After trying several different approaches to the
"monster stuck in the wall" problem, the method currently
employed was the best tradeoff in terms of speed and
accuracy I've found so far. Although RanDOOM makes extensive
use of integer and fixed-point math and '386-specific
instructions to speed the many calculations, it still takes
time to run (several minutes on a 20MHz 386SX test-dog
system). Of course, any system capable of running DOOM
adequately will have absolutely no problems with RanDOOM -
it breezes right along on my 486/33.
EXAMPLES
RanDOOM
Display a brief usage synopsis.
RanDOOM -Ck -M1 -Omy.wad
Rearrange levels using randomization mode 1 and random
seed character 'k'. Input comes from DOOM.WAD in the
current directory. Output is saved to MY.WAD in the
current directory.
RanDOOM -M0 -Inewwad.wad
Rearrange items in the PWAD file NEWWAD.WAD using
randomization mode 0 and random seed based on the
system time. Output goes to RANDOOM.WAD.
RanDOOM -M2 -Wc:\doom\randoom.w -C23456 -Onew.wad
Rearrange levels using mode 2 with weights given in the
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RanDOOM (1) DOOM Operating System RanDOOM (1)
file "c:\doom\randoom.w" and using the integer 23456 as
the random number seed value. Results will be written
to file NEW.WAD.
RanDOOM c:\doom\doom.wad -CT -G -LE1M1 -LE2M1
Rearrange levels E1M1 and E2M1 in WAD file
c:\doom\doom.wad using randomization mode 0, seed
character 'T', and display the object placements
graphically. Results will be written to file
RANDOOM.WAD.
NOTICES
DOOM is a registered trademark of id software. RanDOOM is
copyright 1994 ASRE. You are free to use and distribute this
software provided that no modifications are made to nor
derivative works produced from it and that no fees are
charged for its distribution or use. Although RanDOOM has
been thoroughly tested, it is not guaranteed to be
completely free of bugs.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The ASRE would like to acknowledge the kind assistance of
many volunteers who offered their time, effort, and
suggestions. Your input has allowed RanDOOM to continue to
improve and become an even greater benefit to DOOM players
everywhere. Special thanks to: Barry Bloom and Scott Braley
for their hard work in optimizing the size settings for the
monsters; Chris Gregg for his kind assistance in coming up
with additional items to add; and many, many others, whose
names would easily double the size of this document were I
to include them all, for suggesting improvements, new
algorithms, new features, and other enhancements. And, of
course, id Software for creating the BEST GAME EVER to grace
the screens of ISA machines.
BUGS
I welcome your comments, suggestions, and bug reports. id
software, however, does NOT, so make sure you send your bug
reports to me, not them! Input from users like you has made
RanDOOM into the fun and useful utility you see before you
today, so don't please don't hesitate to let your virtual
voice be heard. Please email any bug reports and/or comments
to tmkk@uiuc.edu. For bug reports, please include the
following information in your message:
The version of RanDOOM you're running,
The version of DOOM you're running,
The command line switches you used,
The random number seed value you used,
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RanDOOM (1) DOOM Operating System RanDOOM (1)
And a description of the problem.
The object placement algorithm may still occasionally
misplace objects, allowing them to become stuck either in a
wall or in each other. Occurrences of such sticking are now
extremely rare, especially when compared with earlier
versions of RanDOOM.
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