GZDoom Starter Pack

[m8f]

I propose creating GZDoom Starter Pack, a single package that would contain:

1. GZDoom, obviously;
2. Freedoom as IWAD;
3. some map packs in addition to Freedoom (make them available as episodes);
4. new weapons that don't change gameplay, like Eriguns 1;
5. selected quality-of-life mods like NC HUD, Damage Direction Overlay, etc;
6. minor graphical improvements like proper blood colors, njsplash, mirrored deaths, Tilt++, and so on;
7. maybe tweaked default configuration.

Some of these things would require permissions to redistribute them, of course. Parts of the package need to be selected or tweaked to work together and out-of-the-box.

Why do I think that such thing should exist?

- Today, to comfortably play Doom, player must find, download and install at least two pieces from different places: some IWAD and a source port. This is not convenient.
- With an Doom/Doom2/Freedoom IWAD, player gets only basic 1993-1994 gaming experience. While this is perfectly fine to some people, many modern players want more quality content (that's why Doom modding community exists). So player needs to find more pieces.
- Setting up mods may be very confusing for people outside the Doom community, especially to non-English speakers.

So, with a single package that is easy to set up and start playing, more people would be able to enjoy Doom.

What do you think?

[wildweasel]

I'd disagree with the inclusion of all the extra mods - personal tastes vary greatly, and it seems like an inconvenience to make new users download things that they don't necessarily want, if they Just Want To Play.

[Rachael]

1, 2, 3, and 7. I'll go with that.

[Matt]

1-3 plus Brutal Doom

[Nash]

[Dynamo]

- Today, to comfortably play Doom, player must find, download and install at least two pieces from different places: some IWAD and a source port. This is not convenient.

With all due respect, there's nothing I could possibly dislike more than this attitude. The reason Doom, or many other PC games out there that are just as moddable, got as far as it did was precisely because a bunch of people sat together, in their free time, and started creating resources, tools, editors, guides, compilations, reviews. None of it required rocket science and the fact that doom modding is accessible to the average joe is quite indicative of this, but to suggest that merely GRABBING two files off the internet is somehow too much effort is frankly astonishing. Making two google or steam searches is too much effort?

Sorry, but it isn't. We are not a bunch of illiterates so we should stop pretending to be such. If someone does not want to put the effort required to do a simple google search then we're in dire straits indeed.

[m8f]

(image)

Clearly written minimal system requirements will prevent this.

but to suggest that merely GRABBING two files off the internet is somehow too much effort is frankly astonishing. Making two google or steam searches is too much effort?

No, making two searches isn't too much. It's just one search more than other games need. There is a reason why app stores and linux repositories exist: they all make installing programs easier.

Sorry, but it isn't. We are not a bunch of illiterates so we should stop pretending to be such. If someone does not want to put the effort required to do a simple google search then we're in dire straits indeed.

We are not illiterates, but remember that many people are (regarding computers). And many people are just lazy. The reason to create a starter pack is to ease initial setup, to lower the barrier to entry.

There are many reasons why some people prefer other games over Doom. Starter pack would eliminate one of those reasons.

[Dynamo]

If people prefer other games besides Doom, then maybe that's the ones they should be playing instead?

[m8f]

We shouldn't decide what someone should play. I would give players one more option and let them decide themselves.

[Rachael]

Dynamo I get where you're coming from - I really do - but this isn't the answer. In the end the problem you're hoping to solve is already "solved" with no effect. People see GZDoom in a Youtube video and think "oh, that's cool, I wanna play that" only to find out that extra setup is involved just to even make it look and play right.

To be honest with you, I'd rather distribute an IWAD actually made for G/ZDoom like Square over Freedoom, but that's just me.

And then there's crap like this - where, disregarding the stupidly demanding and pushy behavior, the dude actually has a point. A lot of people come into GZDoom expecting WASD controls. I still staunchly hold to the view that GZDoom should *NOT* change its default controls - but offering a Starter Pack is a perfect option for those people who don't want to set up bindings.

[Graf Zahl]

I said it before and I'll repeat it: The best way to deal with key bindings is to provide a list of presets the user can choose from.

The engine already defines a format for it (defbinds.txt) so where's the content to choose from? If there were multiple presets available this could be properly integrated.

[Rachael]

This is interesting, I had no idea even of the existence of this file.

[neoworm]

Getting GZDooM to run is really not hard and to get the best out of it, you will have to get more involved anyway. And no starter pack can fix this. It will only add one more step between player and the game - do I get the starter pack or just GZDooM and DooM from GoG? What's the difference? Having FreeDooM as default is also detracting in my opinion. You come expecting DooM and you get brand knockoff. People who want to play GZDooM as they see it on youtube just have to swallow the bitter pill of getting their hands dirty. Let them get used to it, it will only help them in the long run.

[Dynamo]

Fully agreed with neworm here, although I'd like to state that I am fully in favor of making the actual controls and presets in GZDoom more user friendly or more customizable from the get go. I do feel that's an argument outside of the starter pack idea, though.

[Apeirogon]

some map packs in addition to Freedoom (make them available as episodes);
new weapons that don't change gameplay, like Eriguns 1;
selected quality-of-life mods like NC HUD, Damage Direction Overlay, etc;
minor graphical improvements like proper blood colors, njsplash, mirrored deaths, Tilt++, and so on;

You sure that it all dont end like this one?
Before anyone download this, there are M-M-M-MAXIMUM concentration of bad taste in mod choise.

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Also, since you from russia, look at the uploader name. Yes, it means exactly what you think.

https://www.moddb.com/games/doom/addons ... oly-mod-v2