Tricks of the DOOM Programming Gurus

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Text File | 1995-03-15 | 28.3 KB | 926 lines

@ME.FORMAT R *MotifEdit Motifs Motifs ------ A Motif is a set of defaults that DCK uses to decorate new areas that you create on the map. Each motif contains data for information like Wall textures, Floor and Ceiling textures and light levels. When you create a new area, DCK uses the Current Motif to decorate it with the settings you've entered for the floor and wall textures, etc. You can create as many motifs as you like using the Motif Editor (Alt+M, or select it from the Edit menu.) You also use the Editor to select a motif to be used with the new areas. > The current Motif is displayed on the Main status bar next to the current zoom size. DCK maintains a separate list of Motifs for each game that you work with. You can import a list of Motifs from one game into another, but make sure that the textures in the motifs are available in the game you import them to. *GRID Grid Commands Using the grid -------------- The map grid helps you design symmetrical maps easily. There are two different settings that affect the grid: Grid Display, and Snap to Grid. > You can change the size of the grid with the [ and ] keys. When the grid display is on, DCK draws each grid line in blue under the map. Grid display does not affect the "snap to grid" mode. > Press 'G' to toggle the grid display. When Snap to Grid is on, new objects (such as new lines and new things) are moved to the nearest grid point. > Press 'P' to change the snap mode. There are three snap to grid modes: None, Grid, and Vertices. "None" performs no snapping at all, "Grid" means snap only to grid points, and "Vertices" means snap to the closest grid point or vertex. *RECTPOLY Rectangle and Polygon tools Using the Rectangle and Polygon tools ------------------------------------- Press 'R' to access the rectangle tool, and 'N' to access the polygon tool. Alternately, use the right button-toolbox and select either the rectangle or the polygon icons. Rectangles: To create a rectangle, click the left mouse button and drag the mouse to draw the outline of the rectangle. Release the left mouse button when you want to finish the rectangle, or press ESC to abort it. Polygons: To create a polygon, click the left mouse button and drag the mouse to draw the outline of the polygon. Polygons are automatically centered on the starting position. Release the left mouse button to finish drawing the polygon, or press ESC to abort it. You can change the number of sides in the polygon using the 'Q' and 'W' keys. Using either tool, hold down the right mouse button to drag the shape around, and release it to continue drawing using the new position. *WADMANAGER WAD Management Utilities |F8┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ |F8│ The WAD manager │ |F8└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ WAD files are used by id games as a tidy method of storing collections of data used by the games. A WAD is much like a directory on your computer: it contains data (like files), and a list of entries that describe that data (like file NAMES.) Each entry in the WAD file has a name, like "MAP03" - which, for example, is the data used in the third map in DOOM 2. Along with the name are two numbers, one that says where the data starts in the WAD file, and one that says how long (that is, how many bytes) the data is. Each of the games looks for entries with certain names and uses the data from the entry for a specific purpose - for example, DOOM uses the data named "BOSSA1" for animating the Baron of Hell - BOSSA1 is one of the pictures of the Baron walking around. Note: A complete list of what each of the entries is used for in DOOM can be found in "The Unofficial DOOM Specs", Written by Matthew S. Fell (msfell@aol.com). |90Here's how it works: With the manager, you create a list of data objects to go in a WAD you're working with - data objects can be files from your disk, or entries from existing .WAD files. The list is called the "destination list", because all the objects in it can be saved to disk in a WADfile. - You can also rename entries in the destination list, so creating a series of maps, for example, from a bunch of PWADs with individual maps in them is very easy. - You can load existing WADfiles into the destination by pressing Alt+L. The destination list will be cleared and updated with all the entries from the wad you load. - Nothing is saved to disk until you tell the manager to do so, either by pressing Alt+S or by exiting the manager when, if you've made any changes, it'll ask you if you'd like to save them. - The manager can work with patch wads (PWADs) or the initial wad (IWAD), such as DOOM.WAD. |90Using the manager: The WAD manager is a dialog box with two lists; the source and the destination list. The source list is a list of files in the current directory, or a list of entries in a .WAD file. The destination list is the list of data to save to the final .WAD file. Moving around the two lists is easy: Use the up and down arrow keys, Page Up and Page Down, and Home and End to move the highlight bar. The following keys work in both lists: [X] : Extracts the highlighted item to a raw file (that is, just dumps its data into a plain file - not a WADfile.) [Alt+L] : Loads an existing WADfile into the destination list. If you've made any changes to the WAD you're working with, the manager asks you if you'd like to save them before loading the new WAD. [Alt+S] : Saves the destination list to a WADfile. The following keys work in the SOURCE LIST: [Enter] : If the highlighted item is a drive or directory, the manager changes to the new location and displays the files there. If the highlighted item is a WAD file, the manager displays all the entries in the .WAD. If the highlighted item is a file or an entry in a WADfile, [Enter] views the item. Maps are automatically viewed in a preview window. Other types of data can be viewed as game pictures, or a hexadecimal dump (for advanced uses.) [P] : Puts the highlighted item in the destination list. The following keys work in the DESTINATION LIST: [Enter] : Views the highlighted item. [E] : Edits the highlighted item - so you can rename it. [Del] : Removes the highlighted item from the list. *DESIGNING Designing Tips |F8┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ |F8│ Designing with DCK │ |F8└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ There are two main methods involved in designing a map with DCK: Adding to the map, and modifying the existing parts of it. DCK allows you to do both very quickly. Note: Unlike other editors, DCK does not use vertices as a basis for drawing maps. All drawing is done from line mode, where you can create new sectors with a few clicks of the mouse buttons. |F8┌───────────────────┐ |F8│ Adding to the map │ |F8└───────────────────┘ There are two ways you can create a new area in DCK: by adding on to an existing sector, or by creating an entirely new sector (a Third, "Splitting a Sector", is discussed in the next section.) It all depends on where you start drawing; If you start on an existing line, DCK will assume you want to create an extension of that line's sector. If you start drawing in a clear area (including areas within, but not touching, existing sectors), DCK will assume you want to create a new sector. Usage: - To start drawing anywhere, double-click the left mouse button. - To finish the current line and start a new one, press the left mouse button once. - To complete an _independent_ sector, click the right mouse button after drawing at least two lines. The third line will automatically be connected to the first. - To complete an _extension_ off an existing sector, click the right mouse button once on the line you started on (but in a different position from the starting point.) |F8 ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐ |F8 │ Method 1: Creating an independent new sector │ |F8 └──────────────────────────────────────────────┘ 1. Start drawing here (double-left click) / + - - - - - - + <- 2. single left click | 5. Single | Right -> | Click | | + - - - - - - + <- 3. single left click \ 4. single left click After the right mouse button is pressed in step (5), DCK will complete the new sector by: If the new sector was created INSIDE an existing sector (the parent sector): - Setting the new sector with the same attributes as its parent sector. - Making all the drawn lines "two-sided" and "passable", so the player may enter the new area. Otherwise: - Setting the new sector with the default attributes. - Making all the drawn lines single-sided and "impassable". |F8 ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ |F8 │ Method 2: Creating an extension off an existing sector │ |F8 └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Example: 1. Start drawing here (double-left click) / +-------------+ - - - - - + <- 2. single left click | | | | | (the dashed lines represent | Sector A |<- Line 1 drawn lines.) | | | | | +-------------+ - - - - - + <- 3. single left click \ 4. End drawing here (right click) After the right mouse button is pressed in step (4), DCK will complete the new sector by: - Creating a new sector with the same attributes as Sector A. - Making line 1 two-sided and "passable", so the player can cross through to the other sector. NOTE: Although this example uses existing vertices as the start- and end-points for the new region, this is no longer necessary in v2.0. |F8┌───────────────────┐ |F8│ Modifying the map │ |F8└───────────────────┘ This section deals primarily with modifying existing parts of your map. |F8 ┌───────────────┐ |F8 │ Drag and drop │ |F8 └───────────────┘ DCK features a powerful "drag-and-drop" facility, which allows you to pick up any number of objects and drag them to a different location. In THING edit mode, a variation on drag and drop allows you to quickly make a copy of the objects. To drag a series of objects, first mark all the objects you want to move (or copy, in thing mode) by clicking the left mouse button once on each object. When you're done marking the objects, highlight any one of them and hold down the left mouse button. Drag the objects to the new location and release the left mouse button to drop them there. Tip: While you're dragging the objects, all the basic features of DCK can still be used, such as zooming and repositioning the map, turning on and off the grid and snap to grid, and so on. Tip: In THING mode, you can "drag-and-copy" the marked objects (or a single object) simply by double-clicking and dragging; that is: Click the left mouse button down, up, and down in rapid succession, and while the button is still down, moving the cursor. When you release the left button, a copy of the objects will be made at the new location. |F8 ┌────────────────────┐ |F8 │ Splitting a Sector │ |F8 └────────────────────┘ This is one of the most often-used features in creating a map, but is NOT done from Sector Mode - it's done from Line Mode. Splitting a Sector is simply that: Using a single line that you draw, DCK will split the sector that you drew it in by creating a new sector and setting the lines on one side of the split-line to reference that new sector, while leaving the other lines alone. You must draw only a single line to split a sector, and that line's end-points must reside on lines that reference the sector you want to split. Consider the following example: i. The Original Sector +-------------+ | | | | | Sector A | | | | | +-------------+ ii. The Split Sectors (A and B) +-------------+ 1. double | | left | Sector A | click -> + - - - - - - + <- 2. single right click | Sector B | | | +-------------+ *FPAINTER Format Painter The format painter allows you to copy an object's attributes to all the marked objects. For example, suppose you wanted to make a series of sectors look the same as a sector that exists somewhere on your map. With the format painter, it's easy : 1. Mark all the sectors that you want to change. 2. Press Ctrl+P to start the format painter. 3. Highlight the sector that you want to copy from and click the left mouse button once. DCK will then present you with the following menu: |90 Copy What? |90 --------------- |90 Appearance only |90 Floor height |90 Ceiling height |90 Both heights Select one of the options and press ENTER; DCK will then update all the marked sectors with the appropriate information from the sector you just clicked on. The format painter is available in all three major edit modes (Thing, Line, and Sector.) Tip: You can press F1 in the "Copy What?" menu for detailed information on exactly what is copied. *MN_FPAINT_LINE Format Painter - Line Copy The menu you see on your screen is the set of choices that tell DCK which parts of the "source" line you want to copy: |90 Attributes only: Copies the line's attributes (ie: the settings for "Blocks Monsters", "Blocks Sound", etc.) Note that the following attributes are NOT copied: - Impassable - Two-Sided |90 Textures only: Where both lines (one of the marked lines and the source line) require a certain texture position, the source line's texture will be copied to the marked line's. |90 Sector tag and line type: Copies the source line's sector tag and line type. |90 Sector tag only: Copies the source line's sector tag. *MN_FPAINT_SECTOR Format Painter - Sector Copy The menu you see on your screen is the set of choices that tell DCK which parts of the "source" sector you want to copy: |90 Appearance only: Copies the following parts of the source sector to all the marked sectors: - its Floor and Ceiling textures - its Light Level - its Type (Secret, Blinks, etc) |90 Floor height: Copies the source sector's floor height. |90 Ceiling height: Copies the source sector's ceiling height. |90 Both heights: Guess! Note: If you select one of the last three options, DCK will ask you if you'd like to "fix" the textures where it's required. If, by changing some of the heights, different textures are required on the lines that "belong" to the sectors, DCK will add the textures automatically. *MN_FPAINT_THING Format Painter - Thing Copy The menu you see on your screen is the set of choices that tell DCK which parts of the "source" thing you want to copy: |90 Everything: Copies everything (type, attributes, angle, etc) from the source object to the marked objects. |90 Attributes only: Copies the source thing's attributes: When it appears, its "Deaf" setting, and its "Netgame" setting. |90 Angle only: Copies the source thing's angle. *MN_ONELINE Create Sector Split or Double-Sided Line? Since you've drawn just one line, you have the option of creating a sector split or simply a double-sided line. A sector split uses the line you've drawn to "split" the sector that you drew it in into two sectors. This is useful for cutting out parts off an existing sector to make areas with less light, or a higher floor, among other things. A double-sided line is just a line with two sides, both of which reference the sector that you drew the line in. This is useful for making "trigger" lines - lines that activate sectors by walking over the line. *MN_MKDOOR Creating a Door ### *KEYHELP DCK Map Editor Key Help |F8 Display Commands / Toggles + / - Zoom/unzoom map 1 - 9 Fast-zoom presets Z Fast-zoom in/out on cursor position ] / [ Increase/decrease grid scale Arrows Move map around Ctrl+G Center map G Toggle grid on/off ' Toggle fine mode on/off J Toggle auto-join mode on/off P Toggle snap to grid on/off B Toggle clipboard rectangle on/off * Toggle cursor crosshairs on/off , and . Decrease / increase selection leniency |F8 Marking Commands Space Mark/unmark object under cursor Left-Click Mark/unmark object C Clear all marks Alt+F Find and mark objects |F8 Clipboard Commands Ctrl+Ins Copy marked objects to clipboard Ctrl+Del Cut marked objects to clipboard Ins Copy clipboard to map |F8 Texture field commands The following commands work in any dialog box field that requires a wall or floor/ceiling texture. F2 Access texture browser Alt+F Search for a texture / Search again forward \ Search again backward |F8 Edit Commands The following commands are starred with a * if they operate on marked objects as well as the cursor object. L Line tool / edit V Vertex tool R Rectangle tool N Polygon tool T Thing edit S Sector edit Home/End Previous / Next mode Del * Delete objects Alt+BkSp UNDO last map operation (drag/drop, rotate/scale, line, rectangle, polygon.) Ctrl+A * Scale objects Ctrl+O * Rotate objects Ctrl+X * Align objects to cursor (X axis) Ctrl+Y * Align objects to cursor (Y axis) Ctrl+V * Snap objects to grid Ctrl+P * Format painter Alt+C Run Consistency checker Alt+G Go to object number Alt+M Select motif Alt+F Find and mark objects Right Button * Edit object / Activate toolbox or [Enter] |C0 Rectangle / Polygon tool Click-and-Drag starts a new rectangle / polygon. While drawing, use the following commands to change what you've drawn: Hold down the right mouse button to move what you've drawn, and release it to continue resizing. Hold down the CTRL key while drawing a polygon to constrain it to a circle instead of an oval. Release the left mouse button to complete the new object, or press ESC to abort it. The polygon tool also uses the following keys: Q Decrease the number of sides in the polygon W Increase the number of sides in the polygon |C0 Thing Edit Double-Click Create a new thing Double-Click Copy things to a new location and Drag O Place origin at cursor T Toggle graphical display D Adjust thing display mask |C0 Vertex Tool Double-clicking with the vertex tool creates a new vertex on the line close to the cursor. If no line is nearby, no vertex is created. Ctrl+J * Delete vertex and join lines or Del |C0 Line Tool / Edit Ctrl+B Combine lines Ctrl+C * Split line(s) in center Ctrl+E * Apply current motif to line Ctrl+F * Flip lines Ctrl+I * Add required textures Ctrl+J * Delete line and join sectors Ctrl+N * Normalize (removes tags/types) Ctrl+R * Flip sidedefs Ctrl+T * Automatic tag set Ctrl+U * Remove unrequired textures Ctrl+W * Align textures Ctrl+Z Create stairZ Alt+1 * Edit side 1 Alt+2 * Edit side 2 Alt+R * Search and replace textures |C0 Sector Edit Ctrl+D * Create door from sector Ctrl+E * Apply current motif to sector Ctrl+H * Raise / lower sector Ctrl+L * Create lift from sector Ctrl+N * Normalize (removes tags) Ctrl+T * Automatic tag set Ctrl+W * Align textures Alt+O * Apply sector object |F8 File Commands Alt+S Save the current map Alt+E Edit a different map Alt+X Exit DCK Alt+W WAD manager F9 Run map in DOOM Alt+N Configuration |F8 Menu System ESC Activate menu bar Alt+F File Menu Alt+D Edit Menu Alt+B Object Menu Alt+I Miscellaneous Menu Alt+T Texture Menu Alt+H Help Menu |F8 Mouse Control Click and release the left mouse button to mark/unmark the object under the cursor. To drag the object (and all marked objects), hold the button down and move the objects to the desired location before releasing it. You can press ESC at any time to abort the drag operation. To mark a box of objects, click and drag the left button while not on an object. If you click and release the left mouse button when NOT on an object, all the marks will be cleared. |90 Double-left click: Thing : Create a new thing. Vertex: Split line and add vertex, otherwise nothing. Line : Create new region (see documentation.) Sector: No effect. Click and release the right mouse button to edit the marked object(s), or move the mouse to select a feature from the "right button toolbox." *TEXHELP Texture browser keys Up/Dn Scroll through textures Home/End First / last in list Enter Choose this texture ESC Keep original texture Alt+F Begin a new search forward / Search again forward \ Search again backward *CS_L_2SNOSD2 "Line is 2S but has no second sidedef" In order for a line to be two-sided, it must have its 2S flag set AND have a second sidedef. If one of these conditions is set without the other, the DOOM engine will behave strangely. Fix: Removes the line's 2S bit, and sets the impassable bit if not already set. *CS_L_NO2SSD2 "Line is NOT 2S but has a second sidedef" This line has a second sidedef but its 2S flag is not set. This means that the line will block projectiles, but will be see-through. Fix: Sets the line's 2S bit. *CS_SD_FTOOHIGH "Sidedef's transparent full tex too high" A sidedef's transparent full texture will "bleed" through the floor if the entire texture is higher than the side's sector. Fix: Removes the full texture *CS_L_VSAME "Line's vertex references are the same" The line in question starts and ends at the same VERTEX. This is a leftover product from other editors. Fix: Deletes the line. *CS_L_NOSD1 "Line has no first sidedef" In order for the DOOM engine to function properly, every line must have a first (or "right") sidedef. Fix: If the line has a second sidedef and is impassable/not 2S, reverses the sidedefs. Otherwise, does nothing. *CS_L_TYPENOTAG "Line has a type but no sector tag" In order for this line's type field to operate properly, it must have a sector tag of greater than 0, and at least one sector must have the same tag. Fix: Sets the line type to "Normal." If this is not desired, press 'G' to go to the object and set the sector tag. *CS_L_TAGNOTYPE "Line has a sector tag but no type" This is just a reminder that a sector tag has been set, but the line's type will not use that tag. Fix: Removes the line's sector tag. *CS_L_TAGNOSEC "Linedef's sector tag is not shared by a sector." The line's sector tag has been set, but there is no sector with the same tag. You may have forgotten to set the desired sector's tag. Fix: Removes the line's sector tag and sets the line's type to Normal. *CS_SD_MISSTEX "Sidedef is missing [...] texture" This sidedef may require the missing texture(s). Fix: Adds the required textures to the sidedef. *CS_S_NOTCLOSED "Sector is not closed." Fatal error. This sector is not closed. For the DOOM engine to display a level correctly, all sectors must start and end on the same vertex, with a series of linedefs and sidedefs that reference the sector along a path. Fix: This error cannot be fixed automatically. *CS_SD_FULLNOTTRANS "Sidedef's full texture is not transparent-able." In order for a two-sided linedef's sidedef to have a full (normal) texture, that texture must be made up of no more than one wall patch (marked as TRANS in the texture browser.) Fix: Removes the full texture. *CS_S_G1000 "Sector's ceil/floor diff is greater than 1000." The DOOM engine can handle a difference of approximately 1000 between a sector's floor and ceiling heights. Fix: Lowers the ceiling height to accommodate this limit. *CS_S_TAGNOLINE "Sector's tag is not shared by a linedef." The sector's tag has been set, but there is no linedef with the same tag. You may have forgotten to set the desired linedef's tag. Fix: Removes the sector's tag. *CS_T_NOSECTOR "Thing is not in a sector." Now, how did it get out there? Fix: Deletes the thing. *CS_T_TOOHIGH "Thing is too high for its sector." The thing is too high for its sector, and will likely be displayed incorrectly and/or not move correctly if it's a monster. Fix: Deletes the thing. *CS_T_COLLIDE "Thing collides with other things." The thing's radius extends into the area of the surrounding things. This will cause the thing to be "stuck" if it's a monster. Please note: Sometimes this error is not serious - for example, when a monster is at the same location as a "gettable" item such as a medkit or soul sphere. The monster will not be stuck, because the item can be passed through. Fix: Deletes the thing. *CS_T_INWALL "Thing is partially inside a wall." The thing's radius extends into a surrounding wall (line.) This will cause the thing to be "stuck" if it's a monster. If it's not a monster, it probably doesn't matter. Fix: Deletes the thing. *CS_M_NOP1 "No player 1 start." Well, you need one of these. *CS_M_NOP234 "Too few player starts." There are fewer than four player starts in this level. The level will not be playable in networked cooperative mode. *CS_M_NODM "Too few DEATHMATCH starts." There are fewer than four deathmatch starts in the level. It will not be playable in networked DEATHMATCH mode. *CS_M_NOEXIT "Missing an exit line." There is no exit line in this level. You should add one. *CS_M_NOTEXIT "Teleporter line has no tele-exit." In order for a teleporter line to work properly, the sector that shares its tag must have a "teleporter exit" THING in it. This line's tagged sector does not. *CS_S_BADTEX "Sector's [floor/ceiling] texture is invalid." DCK couldn't find the sector's floor or ceiling texture. Fix: Sets the bad texture to the current default. *CS_F_VSAME "Object n is at the same point as object n" Two vertices are at the same point. Fix: Replaces one with the other and deletes the remaining.