Page 1 of 2

The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 7:31 am
by Jimmy
Image
---We need your help!---

[wiki=Blocks_of_Doom_II]Blocks of Doom II[/wiki] is unfortunately caught in development hell after little more than a year of gestation. Very little has been done with the project as of late, but I've been very busy* to do very much with it. (*Really, I have! Stronghold, and in fact a little something me and Xaser are working on ( ;) ), have been my main concerns for the last few weeks, and Ωmega's progress has in fact slowed due to my dedication to Stronghold.)

I would like to extend my fullest gratitude to my amazing scripter, Carlcyber, and my three incredibly patient and dedicated mappers, Dreadopp, Starscream and Lord_Z, for sticking through this project's development for as long as they have. Thanks, you four, you guys totally rock. :D

All that said, I'm not dropping this project. I never will, ever. All that's needed is a little, let's say, assistance from a few more people, in order for it to reach its goals. For those of you now curious as to what this project actually is (if you don't know already), check out the [wiki=Blocks_of_Doom_II]wiki article[/wiki] for the full lowdown.

Basically, it's like Chip's Challenge in the Doom universe.
  • Each map consists of a 16x16 grid of blocks that form a "level".
  • Every "level" of a world takes place on the same map. There are 4 worlds (plus a secret one) planned for the initial release (the Main Episode), so there'll be 5 maps, and each world has 20 levels of increasing difficulty.
  • There is also a User Episode planned, which will feature another 4 worlds with 15 levels each.
However, the project is going to need a bigger team of levelmakers, since development has come to a standstill. And no real surprise, with so many levels planned. I've considered shrinking the total number of levels down (at the moment it's a massive 144! :o), but I can't really see a way of doing that without moving/removing many of the already-planned/completed levels. So, we're going to need as much help as we can get! Even if we don't reach 144, I want to get the initial release done and out the door before 2012. (There's no specific reason behind this deadline, but we're virtually half done with the main episode, so I don't really expect this project to take more than another year.)

So, you want to contribute? Here's what you'll need to do.
  • Go here and grab the latest alpha of the project.
  • Download the latest version of the unique level editor for the project, programmed by Carlcyber - which I have taken to calling "Blocks Builder". :P
  • Play the latest alpha so you get a feel for how different the gameplay is to your usual Doom modification.
  • Post in this thread if you're interested in making some levels yourself.
  • Visit the development forum, making sure to check out the Level Roster for free slots you'd like to claim.
One final note: If you do make a level for this project, it is guaranteed a position in the roster! My dedication to this project, which will no doubt be my finest release to date (and the first project which I've actually spearheaded), is such that I will accept any level at all which is thrown in my direction. I will provide feedback for all the levels that get submitted, and, on discussion, I may also edit the levels in question to meet the standards I've set, but not before I have obtained permission from the original author(s) and shared my edits with them. If your level is good enough to start with, however, it won't need my intervention. :P

For further discussion on developing levels, I'm keeping the forum open (and also for reference), but the whole reason I made this thread in the first place was to grab interest on this forum as well. Let's go, people! Get Blocking!™ :P

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:04 pm
by ZDG
Can you explain me how to add imps and spheres? I'm doing a egypt level, but i just don't know how to add them.

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:13 pm
by lukas
Hi :),
I'd like to help; maybe make a map or 2, so add me to your mapper list. If you need to see examples of my previous work other than that Hexen thing I'm working on, take a look at this http://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=26837.

I won't be able to start work right away cause I'm busy with my HPack map, but I'm sure I'll finish before 2012 :wink:

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:32 pm
by Jimmy
ZDG: You can't do it in the editor, I'm afraid. Carlcyber said implementing that would be a bit too much trouble.

Do you know a fair amount of ACS? You place the imps and spheres in a map by editing the ACS lump for the map you're working on. A template map is provided in the Editing Package to get you started.

lukas: Cool! Be sure to note how different this project is from your usual Doom mod - you need more experience in ACS than you do map-making, if you wish to make levels for this project. Check out the Level Editor program and see what you can make of it. ;)

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 1:37 pm
by ZDG
jimmy91 wrote:ZDG: You can't do it in the editor, I'm afraid. Carlcyber said implementing that would be a bit too much trouble.

Do you know a fair amount of ACS? You place the imps and spheres in a map by editing the ACS lump for the map you're working on. A template map is provided in the Editing Package to get you started.

lukas: Cool! Be sure to note how different this project is from your usual Doom mod - you need more experience in ACS than you do map-making, if you wish to make levels for this project. Check out the Level Editor program and see what you can make of it. ;)
Well, i'm not as good in acs than i am in Decorate. So yeah...
I'll see that tomorrow.. it's already 10 P.M in france... Got to sleep.
Anyway, is there a way to convert the level files created by the editor into WADS?

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:01 pm
by Jimmy
The Level Editor generates value ranges which are used by the ACS library. These ranges tell the game which blocks to generate where.

You copy and paste the generated ranges into the Local_LevelBlockInfo array, compile the script, then run the map. You can also edit things like the level's name, hint, and timelimit in the Local_LevelInfo array.

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:23 pm
by lukas
lukas: Cool! Be sure to note how different this project is from your usual Doom mod - you need more experience in ACS than you do map-making, if you wish to make levels for this project. Check out the Level Editor program and see what you can make of it. ;)
Yea I know a bit of ACS. And Blocks of Doom maps have to be built in a special editor?
it's already 10 P.M in france... Got to sleep.
You go to sleep in 10 PM :shock: Isn't that a bit early? I usually stay up till at least half past eleven.

Edit : Posted in your Level Roster - this is my post
Hi smile.gif,
I'd like a spot in Egypt world, Castle world and Hell world.

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:33 pm
by Salad Viking
jimmy91 wrote:
  • Go here and grab the latest alpha of the project.
What files am I supposed to download, exactly? There are quite a few there.

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 3:09 pm
by Jimmy
Oh, sorry. xP BoD2V.3_4.zip is the latest official alpha. ;)
lukas wrote:Yea I know a bit of ACS. And Blocks of Doom maps have to be built in a special editor?
Yes, because the "levels" are generated on a huge grid of blocks which are controlled by brain-achingly massive arrays in the ACS file. :P Editing these values manually would be totally counter-intuitive, but luckily the Editor makes things a truckload easier. ;)

EDIT:

I just realized that the Editing Package which should contain a handy template map for level designers to use as a base for their new levels isn't included in the latest version. This file is an updated version of that map which heavily comments the base scripts and highlights all the important functions.

http://jimmy.phenomer.net/wad-files/j-b ... mplate.wad

Run this with the latest version of the main Blocks 2 wad and warp to MAP06 to see it in action.

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 2:54 am
by ZDG
lukas wrote:[
it's already 10 P.M in france... Got to sleep.
You go to sleep in 10 PM :shock: Isn't that a bit early? I usually stay up till at least half past eleven.
Remember i'm only a kid :wink:
@ Jimmy
So i go in Slumped, copy my ranges from BlockEd, go in the SCRIPTS lump of MAP02 and copy it at the end?
Here are the Ranges
Spoiler:

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:05 am
by Jimmy
MAP02 is the official map for the Egypt tileset. Unless you're using some of Egypt's specific tiles (and it looks like you are), this isn't recommended unless you know what you're doing. But yes, that's (essentially) what you should do.

I will get to work on a template map today for the Egypt, Castle and Hell tilesets to make it easier for mappers who want to make use of the new tiles.

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:46 am
by ZDG
Yep i was making that map for egypt. Thanks.

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 5:37 am
by lukas
Remember i'm only a kid :wink:
I'm 13 too ;)

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 5:59 am
by ZDG
lukas wrote:
Remember i'm only a kid :wink:
I'm 13 too ;)
:shock:
I tought you were 15 or such.
But, i will be 14 in a few weeks :wink:

Re: The Blocks of Doom II community project!!

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 6:06 am
by lukas
:shock:
I tought you were 15 or such.
But, i will be 14 in a few weeks :wink:
Me too in 15th September