master levels for DOOM 2

[hunterage2000]

Hi Im new to the forum and recently come across zdoom. I have played through Doom 1 and 2 and I have found the master levels wad files in *bleep*. Can anyone tell me how I get these to work and if they can be combined into 1 file? Im not the most computer literate so a simple explanation would be great, thanks.

[ReX]

Can anyone tell me how I get these to work and if they can be combined into 1 file?

There are several ways by which you can run user-made levels (known as PWADs):

• 1. Use a "front-end launcher" such as ZDooM Runner.
  2. Use "drag & drop" in Windows Explorer (or whichever file browser you use in your OS) to pull your relevant DooM level into the ZDooM executable file.
  3. Right-click your mouse on the relevant DooM level, then select "Open With", then browse to find ZDooM.exe
  4. Use a batch file (which you probably won't want to do, given your unfamiliarity with "old" computer methods).
  5. Etc.

As for combining them into one file, you can use tools such as Slade, SlumpEd, or XWE to do so.

[Blzut3]

As for combining them into one file, you can use tools such as Slade, SlumpEd, or XWE to do so.

For master levels there are [wiki=Master_Levels_Menu_Interface]dedicated[/wiki] tools to combine them.

[Xaser]

Master Levels Menu Interface is pretty cool. I'd say use that.

For those of us nutballs who insist on combining them in a single wad, though, I hereby turn attention to the obligatory "discuss your chosen order!" topic so I can post the one I use (self-quoted from a now-dead post):

Code: Select all

01: ATTACK
02: CANYON
03: CATWALK
04: FISTULA
05: COMBINE
06: SUBSPACE
07: PARADOX
08: SUBTERRA
09: GARRISON
10: BLACKTWR
11: VIRGIL
12: MINOS
13: NESSUS
14: GERYON
15: VESPERAS
16: MANOR
17: TTRAP
18: TEETH
19: BLOODSEA
20: MEPHISTO
00: BADDREAM (TEETH secret; still a secret map, naturally)

There are probably a few odd choices here, the most obvious of which being Black Tower (most people prefer to put it at the end, though I kinda like it as a mid-game climax of sorts). I don't care much for Mephisto at all but it gets the Map20 spot for its boss brain use. Otherwise, it seems to work well, with most of the easier D2-tech-y levels up front and the tougher, more complex ones later (MANOR, TTRAP, and TEETH provide quite a difficulty ramp-up). At least the maps are *mostly* grouped together by author...

And despite its "official" use on XBox and whatnot, alphabetical ordering is synonymous with "no order", as far as I'm concerned. It presents Dr. Sleep's maps completely out of sequence.

[printz]

It still presents a cool and easy ATTACK opening, followed by a foreboding and memorable epic fight called BLACKTWR. It give a good impression for the mission pack.

[Blzut3]

Actually the playstation version randomly puts virgil.wad as the second level and mixes up the order of combine and catwalk so it's not strictly alphabetical.

[Xaser]

Oh dear. That's even more bizarre.

But yeah, any order that would put the largest map (referring to BLACKTWR, not VIRGIL) as the second level is pretty WTF to me.

[BlueFireZ88]

I could of swore someone made a front end for the Master Levels, cause I have an edited version of that wad on my system which has a DOS style level select interface.

[ReX]

I could of swore someone made a front end for the Master Levels, cause I have an edited version of that wad on my system which has a DOS style level select interface.

It's been a while since I played the Master Levels, but if I recall rightly the CD came with the interface to which you refer.

[EDIT: I just checked the wiki, and it confirms what you mentioned.]

[BlueFireZ88]

ZDoom wiki just keeps finding ways to keep me coming back.

[Xtyfe]

I use a simplified mapinfo for it, alphabetical order with health and inventory resets inbetween

Code: Select all

episode ATTACK
{
	name = "Master Levels"
}

map ATTACK "Attack"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 105
	next = "BLACKTWR"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map BLACKTWR "Black Tower"
{
	music = "D_ADRIAN"
	par = 345
	next = "BLOODSEA"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "RSKY3", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map BLOODSEA "Bloodsea Keep"
{
	music = "D_SHAWN"
	par = 240
	next = "CANYON"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	map07special
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map CANYON "Canyon"
{	
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 105
	next = "CATWALK"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map CATWALK "The Catwalk"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 150
	next = "CATWALK"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map COMBINE "The Combine"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 135
	next = "FISTULA"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "COMBISKY", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map FISTULA "The Fistula"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 120
	next = "GARRISON"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map GARRISON "The Garrison"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 165
	next = "GERYON"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map GERYON "Geryon: 6th Canto of INFERNO"
{
	music = "D_DDTBLU"
	par = 120
	next = "MANOR"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "GERYOSKY", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map MANOR "Titan Manor"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 210
	next = "MEPHISTO"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "MANORSKY", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map MEPHISTO "Mephisto's Maosoleum"
{
	music = "D_SHAWN"
	par = 210
	next = "MINOS"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	map07special
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map MINOS "Minos' Judgement: 4th Canto of INFERNO"
{
	music = "D_DOOM"
	par = 120
	next = "NESSUS"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "MINOSSKY", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map NESSUS "Nessus: 5th Canto of INFERNO"
{
	music = "D_SHAWN"
	par = 45
	next = "PARADOX"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "NESSUSKY", 0.0
	map07special
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map PARADOX "Paradox"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 120
	next = "SUBSPACE"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map SUBSPACE "SUBSPACE"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 105
	next = "SUBTERRA"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map SUBTERRA "SUBTERRA"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 150
	next = "TEETH"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "ORSKY1", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map TEETH "The Express Elevator to Hell"
{
	music = "D_EVIL"
	par = 360
	next = "TTRAP"
	secretnext = "TEETH2"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "RSKY3", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map TEETH2 "Bad Dream"
{
	music = "D_ULTIMA"
	par = 45
	next = "TTRAP"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "RSKY3", 0.0
}

map TTRAP "Trapped on Titan"
{
	music = "D_RUNNIN"
	par = 225
	next = "VESPERAS"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "TTRAPSKY", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map VESPERAS "Vesperas: 7th Canto of INFERNO"
{
	music = "D_IN_CIT"
	par = 150
	next = "VIRGIL"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "VESPESKY", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

map VIRGIL "Virgil's Lead: 3rd Canto of INFERNO"
{
	music = "D_COUNTD"
	par = 105
	next = "EndGameC"
	Cluster = 1
	sky1 = "VIRGISKY", 0.0
	resetinventory
	resethealth
}

clusterdef 1
{
	flat = "RROCK07"
	music = "D_READ_M"
	exittext =
	"YOU HAVE ASSAULTED AND TRIUMPHED OVER THE",
	"MOST VICIOUS REALMS THAT THE DEMENTED MINDS",
	"OF OUR DESIGNERS COULD DEVISE.",
	"",
	"THE HAVOC YOU LEFT BEHIND YOU AS YOU",
	"SMASHED YOUR WAY THROUGH THE MASTER",
	"LEVELS IS MUTE TRIBUTE TO YOUR PROWESS.",
	"",
	"YOU HAVE EARNED THE TITLE OF",
	"MASTER OF DESTRUCTION."
}