================================= This is a beta release Please use it at your own risk ================================= Welcome to DEUH 1.0á (also known as DEU 5.1 hack version 1.0). This new 'Hack' of DEU has many improvements over it's original. See the file WHYAHACK for a story on why I hacked this. I would like to give credit to the following people for their work on DEU 5.1, and BSP. Raphael Quinet & Brendon J. Wyber for DEU 5.1 Colin Reed for BSP. If you haven't guessed, this hack contains code from both of the above. In fact one of the major features is that DEUH contains the node builder in BSP. Translation: Perfect PWADS. Before I go in to quickly explaining the new features in a bit a detail (like how to use them), let me say this. DEUH can ONLY (I repeat ONLY) use the BGI driver SVGA256.BGI! Also, I know of a bug in the video init. code. Please only use the following values for VIDEO in DEUH.INI.... 02 - 640x480x256c 03 - 800x600x256c 04 - 1024x768x256c Also, this is a beta. It's constantly changing, and being redesigned. I know of several bugs. I will include a full list at the end of this file. I will also release the source with the final release, but if you want it sooner, just email me. Ok, on to the show. NEW FEATURE #1: Improved interface.... I have greatly improved the interface used by DEU. A quick list of improvements are... þ Mouse in SVGA modes þ Easier to read displays þ Better ZOOM and Grid handling þ Better mouse support in general. Mouse is SVGA! That's right. I have added a full featured software mouse cursor. Now you can see what your doing without that ANNOYING fake cursor. In fact, don't use the FAKE CURSOR...It's not supported, and I have not removed it yet. Also, the ruler is no longer supported. The LINEDEF display's now show length of the linedef. I have updated all of the displays, and improved either they look (in my opinion) or the amount of information they give. For example, the LINEDEF display tells you the length. The Sectors display show what linedefs effect the sector (and what effect they have on it). The things can now show the actual sprite for the object as well as a easy to read compass rose for direction (this is changing in the next release...) I have improved the ZOOM and Grid handling abilities in DEU. The grid can now be hidden while objects still snap to it. You can quickly switch between ZOOM factors, and even the grid color can be customized. A BIG change, is the grid is hidden while the map scrolls. This GREATLY increases scroll speeds. Let's talk about the new mouse/keyboard support. Here is the new mouse button layout... Left Mouse Button - Like DEU... Mark and UnMark an object Shift+Left Mouse Button - Like DEU... Drag a selection box Alt+Left Mouse Button - Deletes currently selected object. Right Mouse Button - Like DEU drags an object. Shift+Right Mouse Button - Edits the selected object (will be changed to CTRL in next version). Notice when you press and hold the ALT key, the cursor changes color to RED. This is to show the change. When you are editting Vertexes, you can press BACKSPACE to switch from Mark/Unmark mode to AutoLink mode. In AutoLink, when ever you select 2 vertexes, DEUH will automaticly create a linedef between them. When you are editting Things, you can press BACKSPACE to switch to Stamp mode. When in stamp mode, pressing the mouse button will create a new instance of the last things you had selected. Press BACKSPACE to switch back (same for Autolink mode). Notice the little info box at the bottom right hand corner of the screen. It tells you your current location in the map, as well as button modes, etc. When editting LINEDEF's, you have 2 new keys. You can press "F" to flip the linedef (same as Flip LineDef in F8). If you hold SHIFT while pressing "F", will swap the sidedefs, but keep the vertexes where they belong. You can also press "." to split the linedef and add a vertex. Anytime you create a LINEDEF, DEUH will test to see if it splits a sector. If it does, DEUH handles this automaticly. But there is a bug. DEU's (and DEUH's) SplitSector routine fail is there are any sectors inside that are split. I'm working on this... Some other neat keyboard commands are... ALT-1 through ALT-0 and SHIFT-ALT-1 through SHIFT-ALT-0 will quickly change the ZOOM factor to 1:1 through 1:10 and 1:11 through 1:20. It also centeres around where the mouse is pointer to. ALT-G hides the grid, but keeps all objects snaping to it. ALT-[-] (read: Alt minus) and ALT-[+] will scroll through the grid color. I will added a command to the INI to allow you to set it from the start. Oh.. you can also now view all the sprites from inside the editor. When in Things mode, press ALT-I (misc menu) and select view sprites. More changes are coming to the interface (an no, the Make Stairs from Sector option is now finished; It's partly there, but not done yet.) so if you have a suggestion, please email me. NEW FEATURE #2: BSP 1.1x built in. That right, I threw the node builder in DEU 5.1 out (it did not work) and have merged BSP 1.1x in. Let me tell you, it was not easy, and still has a few bug. They are... þ You can't press ESC to abort like you are told. þ If you opt to to rebuild, then DEUH does not save the data correctly. THIS ONLY OCCURES if you get the "You must rebuild" message. You can still change textures, etc and not have to rebuild. þ After building a PWAD, you have to exit. It's not freeing out all of the memory it is using. þ It's limited to building PWADS no larger than 160k. I could build my larget PWAD, but still can't build Episode 2 Mission 7. Working on it through. þ The fill bar at the bottom of the window does not represent amount of time left (or % done). It can flip over any number of time. All it says is "Look at me.. I'm working". But, the good news is, DEUH creates perfect PWADS. Although it's not as fast as BSP (BSP is uses a DOS-Extender and works much faster) it does work. NEW FEATURE #3: Revision Tracking... DEUH will now keep multiple backup copies of your pwad. Anyone know has ever tried to create a pwad should love this feature. Currently, you have to restore them by hand but in the next build, DEUH will have the REVERT command added. These files use the name .. filename.Rxx, where filename is the name of your pwad, and xx is the revision number. You must turn on 2 settings in DEUH.INI: "revisions=TRUE" turns revision tracking on (DO NOT TURN IT OFF IN THIS BETA.. BIG TIME BUG that trashes the WAD) "maxrevisions=xx" tells DEUH the max. # of Rxx file it can create before it should loop around. The revision tracker uses the .Rxx file's time&date stamp to keep track of which is the newest. NEW FEATURE #4: Better memory SWAP support. DEUH will swap more things out to disk, thus allowing you to work on larger maps. EMS support is being designed. COMING SOON: ------------ Here is what I will be working on over the next week or two (besides trying to correct any bugs). þ Finished the Create Stairs from Sectors, and added the Create Hidden stairs from Sectors. þ Allow DEUH to save sectors out to a file, thus creating pre-defined rooms, etc. þ Allow DEUH to build E2M7, and imporve the swap routines (even add EMS). þ Several little interface changes. þ Finished Revision Tracking support þ Add the ALT-T hotkey that will shell DOOM so you can test the wad. þ Who kowns... any suggestions. HOW TO MAKE A COMMENT, REPORT A BUG, ETC. ----------------------------------------- DO NOT CALL ME, or SIMPLY SILLY SOFTWARE. I will not support DEUH over the phone (I have enough trouble supporting DM). If you have a comment, bug, or suggestion, then please E-MAIL me at joewilcox@aol.com HOW TO GET THE SOURCE CODE -------------------------- It's free, just email and ask. I will release the code with the actual release of DEUH. Until then, you need to ask for it. ============================================================================= T H I S I S A B E T A - R E M E M B E R T H A T ============================================================================= btw: These are not the final docs...