Toolkit for DOOM/DOOMTOOL.ISO/text/sgidoomf.txt

Text File | 1994-08-05 | 11KB | 300 lines

SGI DOOM FAQ
************

Version 1.0
August 5, 1994

Information for SGI people
==========================

 1. What is DOOM?
 2. Where can I get DOOM for the SGI?
 3. It doesn't work!
    1. It crashes with a broken pipe!
    2. It gives an error about incompatible architecture!
    3. It gives an X error in X_CreateWindow!
    4. It runs for a while and just stops!
 4. The window is too small!
 5. Why is there no music?
 6. How do I get the other levels?
 7. How do I register?
 8. When will the DOS registered version of 1.6 be out?
 9. I need to ask id Software a question.
 10. Where is DOOM information on the net?
 11. Are there DOOM utilities for unix?

Information for PC people
=========================

 1. What is an SGI?
 2. Wow, it must scream then, huh?
 3. Does it look really cool?
 4. Any other differences?

About this FAQ
==============



Information for SGI people
==========================

 1. What is DOOM?

   Basically, Doom is an 3D arcade game where you run around in a
   maze and kill things with shotguns and chainsaws. There is a slim
   plot, if you care about those things. After you get tired of killing
   things, you can run it over the net and kill things together with
   your friends. After you get tired of that, you can kill your friends.

 2. Where can I get DOOM for the SGI?

   From the README.sgi

          SGI will be releasing a prettier version of this (icons, standard
          Indizone install style, etc) on the next Indizone CD they master.


   Until then, you can get the SGI version via anonymous ftp from

          ftp://infant2.sphs.indiana.edu/pub/doom/id/sgixdoom.tar.gz
          ftp://ftp.uwp.edu/pub/games/id/sgixdoom.tar.Z


   Unpack it in it's own directory. Read the README.sgi. There
   are two programs, sgixdoom and sndserver. doom1.wad
   is the data for the first level.

 3. It doesn't work!
    1. It crashes with a broken pipe!

      You probably don't have sound on your system. (A
      $180,000 computer with no sound? Go figure.) Move the
      sndserver somewhere out of your path and it'll work
      fine, just with no sound.

    2. It gives an error about incompatible architecture!

      The original version id Software released was compiled
      with the -mips2 flag, which meant that only R4000
      machines could play it. A new version has been released
      that will work with R3000's; go get a new version off one
      of the ftp sites.

    3. It gives an X error in X_CreateWindow!

      Your Xserver is probably running in TrueColor mode. It
      should be running in PseudoColor mode. Check
      /var/X11/xdm/Xserver or use the command
      xdpyinfo to see. If it is, restart your Xserver in
      PseudoColor mode.

      Is there any way to temporarily switch modes so that you
      can play the game? If you know, please tell me and I'll
      include it here

    4. It runs for a while and just stops!

      Yeah, mine too. Anybody know why?

 4. The window is too small!

   Read the README.sgi file. Start the game with the -2, -3, or
   -4 flag set. Reports are that low-end Indys can handle up to -3,
   most everything else can use -4 (pixel quadrupuling: full screen).

 5. Why is there no music?

   Dunno. I assume the music is inside the wad file, so presumably
   some enterprising hacker could get it out. In the meantime,
   download a stereo audio MPEG player and go visit the Internet
   Underground Music Archive for songs to DOOM by.

 6. How do I get the other levels?

   This is alluded to in the README.sgi, but not spelled out. You
   obviously need a registered version. Buy the DOS version of the
   DOOM (see below). You'll need version 1.6, which should be out
   sometime in August. If you have a PC, you can get the current
   version (1.3) and use a forthcoming patch to upgrade to 1.6
   instead.

   The registration magic is inside the new doom.wad file you'll
   get. The file is 10 Megs. You should be able to just transfer it
   over from your PC to your SGI and start playing. (If you ftp,
   remember to use binary mode.) Having the registered wad also
   enables things like the -file argument to load in homemade
   patched wad (PWAD) files.

   Nobody's done this yet, so stay tuned to see if it'll actually work.

 7. How do I register?

   It costs $40 to register DOOM. From the README

          To register the entire DOOM trilogy call 1-800-IDGAMES.
          If you live outside of the USA, or if you wish to purchase
          DOOM with a check or money order please refer to the text
          file, (ORDER.FRM) located in your DOOM directory.


   I don't have an ORDER.FRM, so go download a DOS shareware
   version to get one.

 8. When will the DOS registered version of 1.6 be out?

   The beta of the shareware version is out now. The registered
   version should be out in a few weeks (sometime in August), so
   they say. finger [e-mail] for more info.

 9. I need to ask id Software a question.

   Their email address is [e-mail]. Don't mail
   ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
   them bug reports or ask for help about the SGI verison. From
   the README.sgi,

          I did this for fun.  It doesn't generate revenue.  Please don't
          call or write us with bug reports.  They cost us money.  Thanks.
          Besides, the Indy has to go back, so the bugs can't be fixed.


   That's why I made this FAQ. If the answer to your question is not
   here, post to comp.sys.sgi.apps or alt.games.doom .
   Then email me the answer so I can include it in this file. You can
   safely assume that no bugs will get fixed in the SGI version.

 10. Where is DOOM information on the net?
    o WWW sites
       o Original Unofficial Doom Site (VHhold's DOOM
         Web Node)
       o Pherion's DOOM Web Node
       o Sven's DOOM Web Node
       o Tim's DOOM Web Node
       o Piotr's Doom Web Node
       o DOOM Home Page
    o finger [e-mail] for the latest on
      DOOM releases
    o alt.games.doom, alt.games.doom.newplayers,
      alt.games.doom.announce, alt.binaries.doom
    o anonymous ftp. The main ftp site is
      ftp://infant2.sphs.indiana.edu/pub/doom (also fsp, port
      21); infant2 is mirrored at ftp.uwp.edu, ftp.orst.edu,
      ftp.uni-erlangen.de, and aurora.bld189.jccbi.gov; other
      sites are ftp.uwp.edu/pub/games/id,
      ftp.uml.edu/msdos/Games/ID, and
      wuarchive.wustl.edu/pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS/games/doomstuff
    o A huge FAQ is available. (here is HTML form of version
      5.7) Excerpted from the FAQ:

         The "Official" DOOM FAQ can still be requested from me, however.  My
      Internet E-mail address is "[e-mail]."  Please make the
      subject of your E-mail "DOOM FAQ Request."
         The "Official" DOOM FAQ is posted every two weeks (or earlier
      if a new version is released) on the following Usenet groups.
              (1) comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action
              (2) comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.announce
              (3) comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.misc
              (4) alt.games.doom
         The "Subject:" line of the post will be "'Official' DOOM FAQ v??.??"
      where "??.??" is the version number of the FAQ.
         New releases of the "Official" DOOM FAQ are uploaded to the
      following Internet FTP sites.
              (1) ftp.uwp.edu              IN /pub/incoming/id
                                           IN /pub/msdos/games/id/home-brew/doom
              (2) infant2.sphs.indiana.edu IN /pub/doom/incoming
                                           IN /pub/doom/text
              (3) wuarchive.wustl.edu      IN /pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS/games/doomstuff
         The file name of the upload will be "doom??.faq" where "??" is the
      version number of the FAQ.

 11. Are there DOOM utilities for unix?

   Obviously, you can't use any patches for DOS on your SGI
   executable. You can use people's homemade wad files once you
   are registered. Since a linux port of DOOM is coming, many of
   the wad editors, etc., may be ported soon. Look around the ftp
   sites; some of the utilities may come with code; port them
   yourself and then announce them!

   [e-mail] (Jan Eriksson) says:

          If anyone is interested I have made a UNIX port of id's BSP
          node builder. Actually it's a port of Ron Rossbach's port to DOS.
          It's available via anonymous ftp from ftp.isy.liu.se in
          /pub/colour/doom/bsp_unix.tar.Z
          In the same directory there's also wadgc.zip which contains
          some other UNIX programs for editing DOOM .WAD files (Made by
          a friend of mine).


Information for PC people
=========================

 1. What is an SGI?

   Silicon Graphics, Incorporated. If you don't know, you can't
   afford one :-). High-end 3D graphics unix workstations.
   Indvidual models called things like Indigo, Indy, Crimson, Onyx,
   etc.

 2. Wow, it must scream then, huh?

   It does ok. But DOOM is mainly doing a lot of pixmap blitting to
   the screen. It doesn't take advantage of SGI's special graphics
   hardware of the SGI, which are used to do very fast 3D
   transformations, since DOOM isn't doing "real" 3D.

   Of course, this means the SGI version of QUEST is going to be
   wicked fast!

 3. Does it look really cool?

   It's an exact port. All the bitmaps, sounds, etc. are exactly the
   same. Even though you can play with quadrupled pixmaps on a
   1280 x 1024 screen, the images look good and move fast. I don't
   have a PC, so I can't compare. From the README

          The design philosophy of this port was to get something working
            which was fun.  It ain't no opus just because it runs on an SGI
            so don't get your hopes up.


 4. Any other differences?

   No music. No mouse support.

About this FAQ
==============

This is a frequently-asked questions file for the SGI version of the game
DOOM from id Software. I am putting this together as a service since id
is offering no technical support on this port.

This is hastily thrown together from net sources. No guarantees on any
of the information. I will update it as I become aware of changes, but
please mail me, since I don't spend every minute fingering id software
and reading alt.games.doom. Nor do I plan to get heavily into making
.wad files and the like, so I'm not going to be up on the latest poop. If
you would like to take over responsibility for this SGI DOOM FAQ, just
ask.

All this information is from the net. Unfortunately I didn't save people's
names. If you feel you should be credited for some piece of information,
or would like to be listed here in the acknowledgements, just email me
and I'll add you.

This FAQ will be posted once or twice to alt.games.doom and
comp.sys.sgi.apps. Please feel free to put it on any ftp sites, etc. It is also
available via the World Wide Web at
http://cornelius.ucsf.edu/~troyer/sgidoomfaq.html.

You can mail me, John Troyer, at [e-mail]. Corrections and
suggestions appreciated.

john <[e-mail]>
(Fri Aug 5 22:21:07 1994)