DOOM to Heretic conversion pack and resource pack [V 1.25]
Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2020 6:52 pm
A project I have been working on here and there for a little over a year. I wanted to create an addon mod that would allow me to preform "fire-n-forget" style conversions of maps made for vanilla DOOM/DOOM2 to Heretic.
Despite being often considered to be just "Fantasy DOOM" convert maps between the game isn't such a clean process. Heretic has considerably less textures and most of the two series's AI doesn't have a true equivalent between them. So I've been creating a mod file that contains a bunch of new Heretic type textures and enemy AIs to bridge the gap. So far I've been using the ancient DMConv tool with a custom conversion script to handle the actual convert of maps.
I have also reclassified this mod as also being a resource package for Heretic. I've come to realize there is nothing preventing modders from developing new stages from scratch using all the new textures/monsters/objects I created for this conversion kit. If you wish to do that, please do. I'd love to see it.
VERSION 1.25 RELEASED! AS OF 1.2 THE TOPLOADER METHOD CAN NOW RUN STAGES FROM DOOM/DOOM2 IWADS! MAKE SURE TO LIST THE DOOM WAD YOU USE BEFORE THE MOD FILES. YOU STILL MUST RUN THE GAME AS HERETIC.
GENERAL LIST OF CHANGES:
- Fantasy themed replacements for all of vanilla DOOM's textures, designed to try to be a fitting replacement for the original textures as much as possible while also retooling the style to a fantasy landscape.
- New monsters and items that more closely fit DOOM monsters that had no true equivalent in Heretic. All new monsters are coded in ZScript and most are designed be similar but not carbon copy AI of the DOOM monster they replace.
- A "smart" randomizer that introduces more enemy types than in DOOM. A consistent RNG seed is generated based on object positioning and enemies are randomized by species rather than individual. For example a converted map may feature one of three possible replacements for pinky demons rather than just always saberclaws.
PROGRESS SO FAR:
- Released
Here's a video showing how my conversion mod handled MAP14 from the original DOOM2. For obvious copyright reasons I will not be releasing any official converted maps with any public release of my mod. I only used them in my videos as a proof of concept to show how the conversion works on maps DOOM veterans should be very familiar with:
Several more videos, one showcasing the conversion of vanilla stages:
EDIT: More DOOM2 map examples added:
- While the conversions are pretty good occasionally something just doesn't match up right, due to sizing/theme/etc. Unavoidable unfortunately.
- For some reason the pit with the invulnerablity relic in DOOM2's Map24 (The Chasm) is buggy. The floor lifting effect refuses to work correctly and for now I am unsure why. For now I recommend either avoiding collecting that item or be prepared to use a noclip cheat to escape. Its really bizarre, especially with the Toploader wad being it is programmed to completely overwrite Heretic's linedef/sector special data with DOOM's version wholesale, thus all linedef specials should behave identical to DOOM/DOOM2. All but the linedef triggers in that one specific pit apparently
- MAP29 has a similar bug on one of the rising platforms in the lava pits. Save before entering them, or expect the possibility you might have to perform the noclip cheat. Still no idea why this happens. In theory the toploader version of my mod is using DOOM's linedef/sector type data, with the Heretic version not being used at all.
- For now FREEDOOM and FINAL DOOM maps still use their vanilla textures, just converted to Heretic's palette. Don't know when, if ever, I'll go through the process of replacing them all. It will take a VERY long time to do, very tedious. If anyone else is interested in taking up the task or even just partially replacing the textures let me know. The textures/flats are all store in their own subfolders for ease of locating (textures/unconverted, flats/unconverted).
DOWNLOAD LINK, VERSION 1.25:
https://www.moddb.com/games/heretic/dow ... ersion-115
HOW TO USE:
Method1 - Toploader method:
- I'll fill in the details once I have more time. For now one piece of info for those familiar enough with DosBox and command prompts to try winging a manaul conversion: do not use HereticMTOToploader.wad with manually converted stages. You will get errors. Only use HereticMTOBase.pk3.
BIG LIST OF CREDITS:
Despite being often considered to be just "Fantasy DOOM" convert maps between the game isn't such a clean process. Heretic has considerably less textures and most of the two series's AI doesn't have a true equivalent between them. So I've been creating a mod file that contains a bunch of new Heretic type textures and enemy AIs to bridge the gap. So far I've been using the ancient DMConv tool with a custom conversion script to handle the actual convert of maps.
I have also reclassified this mod as also being a resource package for Heretic. I've come to realize there is nothing preventing modders from developing new stages from scratch using all the new textures/monsters/objects I created for this conversion kit. If you wish to do that, please do. I'd love to see it.
VERSION 1.25 RELEASED! AS OF 1.2 THE TOPLOADER METHOD CAN NOW RUN STAGES FROM DOOM/DOOM2 IWADS! MAKE SURE TO LIST THE DOOM WAD YOU USE BEFORE THE MOD FILES. YOU STILL MUST RUN THE GAME AS HERETIC.
GENERAL LIST OF CHANGES:
Spoiler:FEATURES:
- Fantasy themed replacements for all of vanilla DOOM's textures, designed to try to be a fitting replacement for the original textures as much as possible while also retooling the style to a fantasy landscape.
- New monsters and items that more closely fit DOOM monsters that had no true equivalent in Heretic. All new monsters are coded in ZScript and most are designed be similar but not carbon copy AI of the DOOM monster they replace.
- A "smart" randomizer that introduces more enemy types than in DOOM. A consistent RNG seed is generated based on object positioning and enemies are randomized by species rather than individual. For example a converted map may feature one of three possible replacements for pinky demons rather than just always saberclaws.
PROGRESS SO FAR:
- Released
Here's a video showing how my conversion mod handled MAP14 from the original DOOM2. For obvious copyright reasons I will not be releasing any official converted maps with any public release of my mod. I only used them in my videos as a proof of concept to show how the conversion works on maps DOOM veterans should be very familiar with:
Several more videos, one showcasing the conversion of vanilla stages:
EDIT: More DOOM2 map examples added:
Spoiler:KNOWN ISSUES:
- While the conversions are pretty good occasionally something just doesn't match up right, due to sizing/theme/etc. Unavoidable unfortunately.
- For some reason the pit with the invulnerablity relic in DOOM2's Map24 (The Chasm) is buggy. The floor lifting effect refuses to work correctly and for now I am unsure why. For now I recommend either avoiding collecting that item or be prepared to use a noclip cheat to escape. Its really bizarre, especially with the Toploader wad being it is programmed to completely overwrite Heretic's linedef/sector special data with DOOM's version wholesale, thus all linedef specials should behave identical to DOOM/DOOM2. All but the linedef triggers in that one specific pit apparently
- MAP29 has a similar bug on one of the rising platforms in the lava pits. Save before entering them, or expect the possibility you might have to perform the noclip cheat. Still no idea why this happens. In theory the toploader version of my mod is using DOOM's linedef/sector type data, with the Heretic version not being used at all.
- For now FREEDOOM and FINAL DOOM maps still use their vanilla textures, just converted to Heretic's palette. Don't know when, if ever, I'll go through the process of replacing them all. It will take a VERY long time to do, very tedious. If anyone else is interested in taking up the task or even just partially replacing the textures let me know. The textures/flats are all store in their own subfolders for ease of locating (textures/unconverted, flats/unconverted).
DOWNLOAD LINK, VERSION 1.25:
https://www.moddb.com/games/heretic/dow ... ersion-115
HOW TO USE:
Method1 - Toploader method:
Spoiler:Method2 - Manual conversion using DM2Conv:
- I'll fill in the details once I have more time. For now one piece of info for those familiar enough with DosBox and command prompts to try winging a manaul conversion: do not use HereticMTOToploader.wad with manually converted stages. You will get errors. Only use HereticMTOBase.pk3.
BIG LIST OF CREDITS:
Spoiler:
