Doom: Evil Unleashed -- Continued by hfc2x

[Xaser]

...it will probably be released stand alone and force that resolution anyway. (that, 35fps, and OPL synth)

I don't think that's a good idea. Forced configurations are never a good thing, as all it will do is annoy people. Best you can do is put some 'recommended settings' in the textfile -- not all will honor it, but those are the same people who will avoid using the custom executable anyway.

I, for one, would probably try and play it like that anyway... for kicks, you know.

[wildweasel]

force that resolution anyway. (that, 35fps, and OPL synth)

Terrible idea. My laptop actually does not allow resolutions below 640x480, so this would actually render your game unplayable on it.

[NeuralStunner]

Best you can do is put some 'recommended settings' in the textfile -- not all will honor it

Hehehe. 1280x800

[InsanityBringer]

You could compensate (I think) for the lack of low-res modes by setting the resolution to 640x400 or 640x480 or something and then adding -2 (or was it -2x? -x2?) to the command line, but the idea still isn't great.

I considered doing a standalone bible project, which would use Chocolate Doom as the base. Chocolate doom is oldschool resolution wise but since it has high res modes (which are just scaled), it would work a little better.

[Gez]

@Captain awesome
Unless you're being sarcastic, thanks. Otherwise, it's the resolution I was playing in, and it will probably be released stand alone and force that resolution anyway. (that, 35fps, and OPL synth)

Doom was not designed for OPL synth. Never ever. It supported them because soundcards with them were very popular, but the soundtrack was designed on and for a Roland SoundCanvas. Trying to force OPL out of a desire to create the "nostalgic feel" is terribly, terribly misguided.

You could compensate (I think) for the lack of low-res modes by setting the resolution to 640x400 or 640x480 or something and then adding -2 (or was it -2x? -x2?) to the command line, but the idea still isn't great.

I considered doing a standalone bible project, which would use Chocolate Doom as the base. Chocolate doom is oldschool resolution wise but since it has high res modes (which are just scaled), it would work a little better.

This, too, is a misguided idea. You do know, I hope, that Doom-as-it-was-released diverges a lot from the Doom Bible? And you do know, I hope, that the reason it does so is because 75% of the features needed for making Doom-as-it-was-planned-in-the-Doom-bible were not implemented? Making a Doom bible project on ChocoDoom is silly. If you want to make such a project, you need a port with advanced modding features.

[Xaser]

Despite the 'forcing' aspect, I have to disagree with that to some extent. Sure, the OPL synth is not what Prince composed Doom's music on or for, but that's the way most old-school Doomers first heard them. If you were to seat someone who played the original shareware in 1993 at a station playing the Doom tunes via SoundCanvas and then at one playing them via OPL, the latter is much more likely to provoke an "Oooh, that brings back memories"-type response. Nostalgia here lies in the ear of the beholder, not the composer.

Additionally, I think it's important to note that as Doom fans, our view of the original game is always and forever will be skewed by the way it was. Sure, the game we know turned out much different from the Doom Bible's original spec, but that doesn't mean that one who wants to experience it 'old school' by, say, turning down the resolution is 'misguided' at all. If that's how they view "the way it would've been" in their mind, then so be it. Not that all of us would care about that, mind you, but the ones who do will most likely see it that way.

[Gez]

Despite the 'forcing' aspect, I have to disagree with that to some extent. Sure, the OPL synth is not what Prince composed Doom's music on or for, but that's the way most old-school Doomers first heard them. If you were to seat someone who played the original shareware in 1993 at a station playing the Doom tunes via SoundCanvas and then at one playing them via OPL, the latter is much more likely to provoke an "Oooh, that brings back memories"-type response. Nostalgia here lies in the ear of the beholder, not the composer.

Most != all. In your scenario, you'd need to play them with an MT-32 knock-off to elicit nostalgia in me.

And for some, you'd need this:

[InsanityBringer]

This, too, is a misguided idea. You do know, I hope, that Doom-as-it-was-released diverges a lot from the Doom Bible? And you do know, I hope, that the reason it does so is because 75% of the features needed for making Doom-as-it-was-planned-in-the-Doom-bible were not implemented? Making a Doom bible project on ChocoDoom is silly. If you want to make such a project, you need a port with advanced modding features.

The source was to be modified to fit my needs, but I think one of the reasons why this never happened is because other ports do add practically all of the features I need in some fashion.

[Sodaholic]

What I meant with the forced resolution, is that it would be scaled like chocolate doom, but you can't have it look hires.
As for the OPL synth, I will make it optional, but default.
Anyone still up for a custom engine? (it would really only be 'flavoring' changes, not anything major. Most advanced change would probably be the alpha view bobbing)

EDIT: Actually, I revert this. Doom was originally going to have a hires mode anyway, but it was cut. Besides, it's not my choice who uses what resolution.

[wildweasel]

If you're going so far as to make a custom engine just to alter the view bobbing, you might as well just try implementing this feature and releasing it as a diff patch so it can be added to regular zdoom.

[Sodaholic]

Well, there would be a few other changes too. The menus would be modified to be like the original, and the configuration would be in a seperate utility like chocolate doom. (going for the same dos feel)
Also, just to keep size down, it would be stripped down. I'm not too worried about it now though, so could we keep discussion on the doom bible and this project?

[wildweasel]

Discussion is still on the project and why it's a really bad idea for you to go the route you're going.

[Sodaholic]

@ww

Ok, but I've retracted the forced settings, as said previously. Does anyone still object to the custom exe/being a standalone project? (will allow for hi-res, non-opl music, and uncapped framerate)

[Sodaholic]

And needless double-post:
Here's a video showing E1M1

[Xaser]

Well, it certainly has the alpha feel going on -- Rifle looks sharp and the HUD works great. Not bad at all, though I do have a few thoughts:

- The Alpha Demon animations need to go. They look very unfinished (mostly because of the fact that they are) and don't fit at all -- I think this is one of the things it's safe to say id would've 'fixed' even if they'd went in a direction closer to what the alphas show.

- Ditto on the music. I know it's an old 'unused' Doom tune from Prince, but it's too obvious a cover (STP's "Sex Type Thing", just to prove I know it ) and doesn't fit at all. Really, it seems to be in the same vein as the aforementioned demon animations: The 'unused' music is just another set of Alpha resources that had not yet been finalized but would've gotten 'done' regardless of what direction the game took. I say the original tunes would probably fit best here -- for now, at least. If you want different but Doom-y music, there's sure to be at least one talented MIDI composer out there who might be interested in lending a hand.

Having said that, and realizing that everything shown is unfinished so far, I do like how this is shaping up otherwise.