Creating Doom Wads


Shirohagen

Brutal Deluxe
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Hi guys

I just read a thread in the Wishlist forum about an Aliens WAD, which I thought was a great idea! I'd love to get my hands dirty and have a go at making a Doom WAD, does anyone have any advice or useful links etc for someone who wants to know more and have a go?

I'm not a great coder, but if making WADs is more like skinning an existing thing and designing the levels then it might be my way in to GP32 participation!

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You'll need the Doom Editing Utilities (not written by me - just a namesake). Mind you the last time my brother used them (I never bothered) was back in the days of 486s using his 286 (I was away from home at uni with the 486!).
 
Hmm... I'll have a look with Google for this stuff later, but in the meantime (and don't flame me) are there any resources for the Mac? I run OSX but can use Windows with Virtual PC if I have to...

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You can get an updated Aliens WAD from my site @

My Webpage

Please note that some of the later levels suffer from "blocking" (where objects are "stuck" in the background) and I will sort out after my weekend break to Amsterdam.

For WAD Editing you need

Wintex 5
XWE (for editing the main Doom WAD)
Zennode - to ensure the integrity of the WAD you're producing (e.g. blocking / reject areas)

Editing is straight forward, swapping grpahics for your own. However with flats (floor tiles) and sprites you need to "add all from iwad" in order to customise them fully.

Hope this helps you.

Also there is an Aliens Versus Predator wad out for Doom2, you can get that from the Doom WAD Station (type this into Google to get to it). This hasnt been converted for GP32 <yet>.
 
Cheers Lizard.

I dug about a bit on Google and for Mac Users I found a thing called Hellmaker to create WADs on Mac. Not sure where to download it though...

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This hasnt been converted for GP32

In what way does a conventional Doom WAD differ from a GP32 WAD?

I have a tool for making WADs on the Mac, so I may dabble. what would I need to do to the WAD to get it running on the GP32?

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ok.. some WADS will work fine for GP32 since all the graphics are in the WAD itself and there's no fudging of the Doom.exe file with some hacked program (this was used inthe past to extend the abilities of background interactions, sprites capabilities etc..).

However some WADS will play but the graphics will be completely messed up and replaced by that of the main Doom game. A case in point is the Alien Doom WAD where the "straight" file will have all Doom - only textures and all of the object graphics from Doom. This is because when its on a GP32 its missing "links" to the main Doom file through those .DEH and .STR files you sometime might see. An example of this is the sheer amount of candlesticks that are stuck in the corridors of the game (making it unplayable). Whereas in the "fixed" version (on my site) these are replaced with the overhanging lighting graphic. Some of the blocking remains (ie unpassable areas that should be passable) on later levels but will be sorted out in time.

As a general rule, WADS that dont have the annoying DEH or STR files with them will be fine on GP32 as proven with the "Osiris" WAD (from Doom WAD Station), but this is where most "Total Conversions" fall - since they end up rewriting parts of the original game (making objects pass throughable, behaviour of sprites change etc..) and have those ever annoying DEH and STR files.

Pretty much all WADS will run on a GP32, its working out where in the game that the graphics mess up, and then going into the WAD and changing the reference for a new graphic. (and in doing so it will reference itself rather than the main Doom game or IWAD and therefore not require its links with those pesky .DEH and .STR files)

Hope this helps you, and for what its worth Im just a Photoshop/PSPer too!
 
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