The IWad Map Patch Project (v0.1)

[NeuralStunner]

Goal of this Project
This is simply a collection of fixes to vanilla maps. In many cases, there are still issues with these old games that will not be officially fixed. This project aims to fix those issues.

Note that I've had to make several judgement calls of my own, particularly about the intent of the original mappers. But the end result is something that I find works out.

Very Important Stuff

• These patch files are only intended for use with the IWad for which they are made. This can be a touchy legal matter, so I'm being very specific.
  (Note that I have received wildweasel's OK to post this here.)
• The patches are vanilla compatible, including rebuilt nodes where required. If needed, replace the "IWMPP_" in each filename with a letter P. This makes them 8.3 for the original DOS executables.
• Demo desyncronization will almost certainly occur on the patched maps. There is nothing I can do about this.

What the Patch Fixes
Here is the quick list of what is fixed for each game.
(More details can be found in the Technical.txt file included in this download.)

• The Ultimate DOOM
  E1M1: Flagged the lines for the DeathMatch shortcuts as "secret" on the AutoMap.
• DOOM II: Hell on Earth
  MAP02: Moved the stuck Shotgun Guy away from the wall, and fixed several barrel positions.
  MAP30: Fixed up linedefs and offset issues for the Icon of Sin.
  MAP31: Removed an errant Demon that was stuck inside another, fixed misaligned wall decorations.
• Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders
  E3M1: Ethereal Crossbow was flagged Multiplayer, now appears in SP as it apparently should.
  E3M6: One Quartz Flask was inside the wall, now moved into the alcove to the south.
  E4M8: The end arena can now be accessed in multiplayer. See Technical.txt for more explanation.
• Hexen: Beyond Heretic
  MAP06: The window leading into the pedestal room can no longer be repeatedly "re-broken".
  MAP23: The Bishops will now be released when the Chaos Serpents are killed.

Download

• v0.1 - MediaFire

Other mirrors to come.

Credit-like Things

Contributors:

• DavidPH
  DH-wad Utility
• Ghastly_dragon
  Map Testing, Consultation
• NeuralStunner
  What the hell did he even do?

Thanks to:

• Randy Heit
  for ZDoom Forums
• R. A. Coward
  for DeScript (Hexen Script Decompiler)

Help Wanted!
Know of more issues? Let me know! I would also be interested in bugs from Hexen: DeathKings, TNT: Evolution, and The Plutonia Experiment. Strife is only a "maybe" for now (as I haven't done much with its odd map type).

Just in Case:
I am not interested in posting this to ModDB. Don't ask.


Happy Gregorian New Year, everyone!

[SerbianDoomer]

This is great, must-have material. Nothing more to say, except I will be on the look-out for bugs in the original maps. Thanks for your effort.

[ETTiNGRiNDER]

Some years ago, I attempted to make a better high-res texture pack for Hexen than what's currently out there, but quickly gave up because high-res textures just highlighted how horribly bad the texture alignments in a lot of the Hexen maps are.

Any plans to address things like this ("proper" angles for decorations to work with model replacements, too), or is it strictly bug fixes to what you'd encounter in vanilla?

[Captain Ventris]

Why... WHY HAS NO ONE DONE THIS BEFORE!?

Fantastic project idea, Neural. I feel I'm going to like this a lot.

[NeuralStunner]

Thanks, guys.

Some years ago, I attempted to make a better high-res texture pack for Hexen than what's currently out there, but quickly gave up because high-res textures just highlighted how horribly bad the texture alignments in a lot of the Hexen maps are.

Any plans to address things like this ("proper" angles for decorations to work with model replacements, too), or is it strictly bug fixes to what you'd encounter in vanilla?

I really do want to do this at some point, but it's a huge project so it won't be starting very soon.

Granted, if it gets to that point I'll basically have every single IWad map available in external files, which makes me uncomfortable. I do use an automated patcher to generate the PWads, but it's not particularly error-proofed or cross-platform. (It's all Windows batch and DavidPH's wad utility.) But I'll see what I can do.

[Enjay]

For info, there is a well known bug in TNT map31. IIRC, Team TNT provided their own fix on their website but, as I reported on Doomworld, one official version of the IWAD also has a fix.

http://www.doomworld.com/vb/doom-genera ... -versions/

IIRC, the Doom Wiki lists known bugs in the various maps for all the IWADs. That might be a good place to look.

[Endless123]

Very good idea

Thanks for your efforts:)

[Serpent rider]

There is a some kind of a bug in map 30 of doom2 .When i warp to map 30 on console it displays a message "line 55´s right edge is unconnected".It does not affect the game, but it would be good to fix that too.

[revo794]

You've almost stolen the idea from my head
There's a load of reported map bugs on DoomWikia, surely is a place for a good start.

[Gez]

DoomWikia

What is this abomination?

DoomWiki or bust.
http://doomwiki.org/wiki/Entryway

[doomjoshuaboy]

Thanks for the patch mate its annoying when a shotgun guy got stuck on walls

[NeuralStunner]

I'll definitely be working from the Wiki as the patch gets more extensive, 0.1 was me trying to get something released for new year's Day.

Current unofficial roadmap (for what it's worth),

• 0.2: Go through Doom 2 and fix any missing textures reported by GZDB. (It ignores the sky hack kind, fortunately.)
• 0.x: Do the same for the other IWads. Fix any further Wiki-sourced bugs along the way.
• 1.x: Get cross-platform patching working, and switch over from wads to that.
• 2.x: Complete texture alignment overhaul.

[Salahmander]

This is an excellent idea. I have two questions, what happens to items that are in, but never have any difficulty flags? And secondly, will this be done with PWADS?

[NeuralStunner]

what happens to items that are in, but never have any difficulty flags?

It entirely depends on the situation. At the least I'd flag them for skills 1-3, and consider UV/NM based on what it adds to and takes from the map's gameplay.

And secondly, will this be done with PWADS?

Doubtful. If something is sizable and significant enough but no longer maintained by developer, I may consider it, but the project is (as the name suggests) for IWads.

[Cire]

Yeah, what the other said, great Project. Looking forward for next release!