Advise To Begin With

[Darknessvoid74]

Hi everyone, I'm new here but you probably could had guessed. XD I have a idea for a fan made game built around Doom 2 but it'll require completely custom made sprites, levels, and a way to change various wall symbols (the faces used as switches).

But as I'm new to this would what be the best starting point? I know it'll demand a lot of time and effort, but have to start somewhere! I already have zandronum and a mod added to it, a friend gave me the stuff so we could co-op together.

[Konda]

For editing WADs (or pk3s), use Slade: http://slade.mancubus.net/
For creating levels, use GZDoom Builder: https://forum.zdoom.org/viewtopic.php?t=32392
For making your own enemies/items/weapons, you need to write some Decorate code: https://zdoom.org/wiki/DECORATE
Sometimes for more advanced behavior, but more commonly in maps, you might also need to write ACS code: https://zdoom.org/wiki/ACS
A good resource for all Decorate and ACS things, and for more things, is the ZDoom wiki, which is like the bible for modders: https://zdoom.org/wiki/
You may also need to know things like SNDINFO, SBARINFO, MAPINFO, GAMEINFO, KEYCONF, etc. They're all described on the ZDoom wiki.

It's best to learn by finding tutorials on the zdoom wiki (https://zdoom.org/wiki/Tutorials), here (https://zandronum.com/forum/search.php? ... mit=Search), or on the zdoom forums (https://forum.zdoom.org/viewforum.php?f=39). If you play online and find some mod you like, you can learn how to do certain things from that mod by looking inside it with Slade.
If you need help, you have the Editing Help subforum on these forums, and the IRC channel #zamapping on irc.zandronum.com. Just don't expect from us to do the work for you.

It's probably going to be a bit of a rough beginning as you want to do many things but it seems you're primarily focused on levels so I'd first go learn how to make maps in GZDoom Builder. After that I'd learn some basic ACS because you can wrtie some ACS scripts for your maps to make them more interactive or dynamic. And finally, if I was planning on adding my own enemies, I'd learn Decorate. To write Decorate you'll need Slade, as well as for importing/exporting sprites, sounds, textures, or any other file.

[Darknessvoid74]

@Konda

Thanks. ^^ I do have a basic idea of the game I want to build. Boy it'll take a while, if I run into anything that requires a question or two I'll ask.

Btw sorry if this was in the wrong place. ^^; I know a bit of AC2 so understanding AC won't be too hard. But it'd be safe to save a backup every once in a while..

[Sean]

GZDB is no longer maintained, use GZDB-Bugfix: https://devbuilds.drdteam.org/gzdbbf/

[Darknessvoid74]

Hey guys, sorry I hadn't commented in a while but I've been busy. I actually successfully added custom monsters and weapons! But having a bit of problem with adding custom textures. I have watched and did everything this video showed to a exact perfect T, but the problems I keep getting are:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UV3kbrbuw8

First problem, the texture doesn't show up! It does show if I add it under "FFStart" but it just does not show up otherwise.

Second problem, the texture is black? OK the first texture I added is a see-through door. Basically it's a door with grey pixels to simulate glass and is suppose to be see through. However, the see through part is entirely black.

Third problem, they don't show! Today I added 2 more custom textures, Heretic from what I'm told, and while they do show up perfectly in Doom Builder whenever I play test they are either black bars or just completely disappear. What...am I'm doing wrong here?

I also spent a few days editing the Doomgirl sprites into a custom playable character, and while I can manage to get the sprites to appear in Slade3 correctly (by this I mean I can get the pal to show up as it's suppose too), in Doom Builder (GZDB) the sprites show up as black/grey? I was hoping to hold off commenting until I had something to show, afterall you learn through trail and error.

However these custom textures are confusing me as I did everything that the above video told me to do, they ARE THERE but either show up as black or disappear altoghter when play testing. To show you what I mean, here is a screen shot of the new texture I added today.

And here's the texture that's suppose to be screen through.

P.S I'm posting this here because I don't exactly where else to post texture related questions?

[Catastrophe]

You can fix all of your texture issues by making your project a .PK3 instead and use the ZDoom or Zandronum format for your map. Open up other projects that use pk3's as an example.

[Darknessvoid74]

You can fix all of your texture issues by making your project a .PK3 instead and use the ZDoom or Zandronum format for your map. Open up other projects that use pk3's as an example.

And how would I be able to do that? Also does anybody actually have an idea why these custom textures are either black blocks or just flat out vanish?

[Catastrophe]

You can fix all of your texture issues by making your project a .PK3 instead and use the ZDoom or Zandronum format for your map. Open up other projects that use pk3's as an example.

And how would I be able to do that? Also does abody actually have an idea why these custom textures are either black blocks or just flat out vanish?

https://zdoom.org/wiki/Using_ZIPs_as_WAD_replacement

As soon as you get that working, your texture issues should all be gone as long as the map is in Zdoom or Zandronum format.

[arkore]

In Slade 3, you can click the "Z" button on the toolbar to start a new pk3 archive. Then create a folder called "flats" and put your images in there. Save as .pk3 file. Also create a folder called "textures" for all other textures.

[Darknessvoid74]

@Catastrophe & arkore

It works! Altho their very tiny, eh pretty sure I can fix that. I was worried I'd had to restart the entire map at first but luckly didn't have too.

EDIT: I got them to appear at normal size, just had to place them in the texture folder as well. At least I think that's what fixed it.