[Resolved] ZDoom Problems

[Anonymous]

I just recently downloaded and started using ZDoom v2.0.47 on a couple computers and am having troubles getting it to run properly on one machine. The machine is an older Compaq Presario, AMD 400MHz I believe and plenty of HDD space and at least 128MB memory, running Windows 2000 Pro SP-4.

Basically ZDoom will run "The Ultimate Doom" and "Doom 2". Both games will run by themselves (outside of using ZDoom) but when I put the .WAD files within the ZDoom directory as I did on the other machines, and run ZDoom it allows me to pick which version of Doom I wish to play, and when I pick either one it will attempt to open the proper game and I believe it is picking the correct game (judging by the sound differences) but the video display is all messed up. Instead of displaying the proper graphics and everything, as it does when I open the games directly (outside of ZDoom), it displays messed up images (lines going over the screen in different colors, etc), but the Doom sound is playing in the background properly. I simply just close out.

Any ideas how to fix this?



-BrianAG

[Biff]

For starters, delete the zdoom.ini file, then try again. How do you "close out"? Can you see the menu enough to do that (by hitting ESC)?

[HotWax]

Sounds like it could be an issue with your video card. Make sure you have the latest version of DirectX and the latest card drivers, then run dxdiag and see if it reports any errors.

[Anonymous]

Biff-

I'll try deleting the zdoom.ini file and give that a shot. I "close out" by basically remembering the keyboard combinations to exit; press ESC, arrow UP, press ENTER, press Y. No, I cannot see the menu enough to make out anything. This is true for either The Ultimate Doom, or Doom II when ran from within ZDoom on this particular machine.

HotWax-

I believe I have the most up-to-date video card drivers for that machine but I will look into this possibility. This machine doesn't have any special 3D card or anything, and I will get back to you with what it does have sooner or later. How do you run dxdiag within Windows 2000 Pro?

Thanks for all the help thus far.

-BrianAG

[Anonymous]

Deleting the zdoom.ini file seemed to have fixed the problem.

How does one go about setting up a multiplayer game with ZDoom? Is there anything similar to Legacy Doom, where it's more built-in? Any help with this is also greatly appreciated.

-BrianAG

[Anonymous]

I found help, or at least for an older version of ZDoom which seems to work. There is some type of "consistency failure 0" and "consistancy failure 1" on the tops of the machines when playing in multiplayer mode, though. How do I fix this?

This is the URL where I found some instructions for multiplayer, is there a batter method?

http://www.greensting.addr.com/howto.htm

-BrianAG

[HotWax]

How does one go about setting up a multiplayer game with ZDoom? Is there anything similar to Legacy Doom, where it's more built-in?

The multiplayer is not built-in, although it is a little more robust than vanilla Doom's handling. You can either find a launcher to setup the command-line stuff for you, or enter the commands manually.

The command to begin a multiplayer game as host is:

zdoom -host X

where X is the total number of players who will be participating (including yourself). In addition to the host command, the server needs to add any other parameters you want to play the game with. e.g:

Begin a 4-player cooperative game starting at MAP01 at skill 4 with turbo-speed monsters:

zdoom -host 4 -warp 01 -skill 4 -fastmonsters

Begin an 8-player deathmatch game on level 20 of FUNDM.WAD, using skill 3 and disabling monsters:

zdoom -host 8 -file FUNDM.WAD -warp 20 -skill 3 -nomonsters -altdeath

(Note that clients will also need to include the "-file FUNDM.WAD" command, but the others may be omitted.)

The clients all need to enter this command:

zdoom -join X

where X is the IP address or identifier of the host machine. The clients also need to specify any files being loaded (WAD/DEH/BEX) in the same order as the host, and all files need to be the same, or there may be errors while playing.

So, assuming the first hosted game above (coop mode) is at IP 202.183.94.7, the other 3 players would only need to type this:

zdoom -join 202.183.94.7

To join the second, the other 7 players would need to type this (assuming the host computer was on the local network under the name "Bob"):

zdoom -join Bob -file FUNDM.WAD

Once everyone has entered the command and started ZDoom, the host computer will synch everyone up and the game will begin.

[HotWax]

The consistancy failures are a known issue in the current release of ZDoom (2.0.47). They are being worked on and should be fixed for the next release.

[Biff]

Zdoom 47i is more forgiving, or more immune to consistency failures. Most people have it and you can get it here: http://home.earthlink.net/~mjblakely/data/47i.cab

You will need the zdoom.wad and fmod.dll which comes with 47.cab, see downloads on this web site.

Additional startup command line arguments which work with 47i and are increasingly important as the number of players grows beyond two are -netmode 1 and -extratic. The netmode 1 argument alters the data communication to go beteen each client and the host, as opposed to the original peer-to-peer which needed all machines to talk to all other machines. -extratic simply sends backup network data.

If some players are on modem, it's likely that the argument -dup3 or -dup 3 will be needed to improve the speed of the game.

Only other note is that most deathmatch players prefer, and most wads are designed for, the -deathmatch argument (weapons stay) rather than -altdeath (weapons disappear, then respawn later). Whatever suits you.

[Anonymous]

Alright, thanks for all the updated info!

I'll keep an eye out for the next versions. To tell you the truth, I'm kind of amazed so much work is still going on involving these older games from private parties. Good stuff.

Thanks for all the help.



-BrianAG