Frequently Asked Questions

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wildweasel
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Frequently Asked Questions

Post by wildweasel »

Q: What is the deal with this site?
A: I notice that there are surprisingly few websites on the net dealing with weapon mods for Doom. I imagine some people are sick of Doom's stock weapons by now, and are looking for some good ones. This site is designed to help filter the crap from the real gold.

Q: Why weapon mods? Nobody but newbs play Doom with weapon mods!
A: If you'd actually play some of these mods (like CT-Alpha or WW-Ana) you'd realize that mods aren't always about making the game easier. The two mods I just mentioned actually make the game much harder than before (especially in the case of CT-Alpha - I hope you've brushed up on your Pacifist skills).
A2: This isn't just for the mods that you can play out of the box. The Doom Armory is also a good resource for the budding mapper that doesn't just want to have the standard weapons in their maps. Many of the authors whose mods are available on this site have graciously allowed others to use their work as a base for whatever purpose - so if you played a certain weapon mod and absolutely loved it, you can feel free to take resources and such from it (or even design a whole level around a certain mod). Just be sure to read the text file of the mod in question first - the author might not allow you to take their resources (most usually do, though).

Q: Why start this site when there are other sites like Doom Wad Station and the /newstuff Chronicles?
A: Because this site does not deal in maps, it deals in weapons mods.

Q: Why don't you start reviewing maps?
A: I'd rather not deviate from the original purpose of the Armory - to provide the Doom Community with fresh new weapons. If you want level reviews that bad, look at the /newstuff Chronicles or the multitude of WAD review sites out there.

Q: Why didn't you give my weapon mod a good score?
A: Obviously there was something about the mod I didn't like - whether it be the graphics (what good is a butt-kicking minigun if it looks like a two-year-old drew it?), the sounds (perhaps they're overly annoying or are totally out of place), or the gameplay and hacking (not very well balanced or incredibly buggy). Take what I've put in the review, and learn from it. That's the only way you can improve. If you really have a problem with what somebody wrote in the review, then you can post a comment on it here in the forums.

Q: How do I play these mods?
A: There are several ways to do this, many of them dependant on what Doom port you use. I've only had experience with the Windows versions of these ports, so the instructions may vary for those of you running DOS, Linux, or Mac systems. Please note that in any instance where you are loading more than one WAD file (for example, your favorite mod with a megawad to go with it), always place the weapon mod LAST so that all of its changes take effect.

DRAG 'N' DROP
Among the more popular methods of executing a Doom port is by dragging the WAD file on top of the executable (or a desktop shortcut). This is not recommended if you are dealing with multiple WADs or DEHs. It currently only works with ZDoom and EDGE, since they have the special handling needed to work with this action.

COMMAND LINE
Either use the Command Prompt (Windows XP users, Start -> Run -> cmd.exe) to go to the ZDoom directory, or open the run box and find your ZDoom EXE, then type the following:
<your zdoom exe here> -file <wadname>.wad -deh <dehname>

LAUNCHERS
There are many good launchers available that are usually dependant on specific ports, but also work on other ports if you don't have any extravagant command line options. The Doomsday engine and Risen3D both come with their own launchers, while for ZDoom you may be interested in checking out ZDL (by Bio-Hazard, it's hosted by the DRD Team forum), and for EDGE you'll probably want to look at EDGE Shell Launcher (ESL). Check my Links page for the locations of these programs.

Q: I can't play this WAD! Help!
A: If you've followed the instructions above, you shouldn't have problems. However, it's usually best to read the readme file for the WAD you're trying to play before reporting problems. Any problems you have running your source-port should be reported to the person in charge of the source-port. If it only happens with that particular WAD, contact the author. If you're trying the wrong port, then I don't know what's wrong with you. Also keep in mind that most (if not all) WAD's linked on this site will NOT run with Doom2.EXE (and certainly not Doom95, unless you're using a weapon skin wad).

Q: No, I mean this WAD is too hard!
A: I am not your personal strategy guide.

Q: I have a WAD I'd like you to review. How can I contact you?
A: Check out the Contacting WildWeasel page for info on how to get in touch. Keep in mind that I am currently not taking requests for reviews at this time.

Q: I want to start making my own weapon mods. How do I do this exactly?
A: You can always look in the Armory's Tutorials section for good tutorials, but we can't cover everything - we're still a work in progress. If you look around, you can find good tutorials for whatever programs you're using - but also keep in mind that most of the programs include help files or are otherwise self-explanatory. And when all else fails, look at another WAD file to find out how it's laid out.

Q: How do I upload my new mod to the Newstuff directory?
A: Bloodshedder of Doomworld wrote a very comprehensive Newstuff FAQ. You ought to check it out.

Q: I have a review/article/tutorial to submit to you, but I can't post new topics in the respective forum. How do I post new articles?
A: Contact me and send it to me. I'll format it for the forum and post it ASAP.

Q: Wow, this is a nice new page - who made it?
A: Grubber of DRD Team was friendly enough to not only provide the hosting for the website and forum, but he also hacked up the whole thing into PHP to make it even easier for me to update. The design was originally by Whompy of Open Source Web Designs.

Q: Why do you use RAR files? What makes them better than ZIPs?
A: I use them because it's convenient for me and it saves space in the long run. If you have any hostility or dislike towards RAR files, deal with it - I'm not going to upload ZIP versions of the files just because some people don't like the format I've uploaded them in. It's not like programs such as 7-Zip cost money - it can handle RAR files just fine and it's completely free.

Q: Can I have an alpha/beta/demo version of your mod in progress?
A: Short answer: no. To elaborate, however, I don't believe that any of my mods really requires beta testing, being that it's actually much easier to test weapon mods than it is to test almost anything else. On the flip side, however, experimental coding (like ww-cash's purchase system) might possibly need people other than me to test it. If I need beta testers, I'll post a notice on the front page.

Q: Can you help me make graphics/sounds/code?
A: I really don't have the time to individually tutor everybody. I also don't have as much free time as I did when I started the Armory, so I probably won't have the strength to commit to another project team.

Q: How do I ask a question that's not on this page?
A: Send me an e-mail and I'll get back to you.
Last edited by wildweasel on Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:45, edited 3 times in total.
User avatar
wildweasel
DRD Team Admin (Inactive)
Posts: 2132
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2005 22:00
Location: the Admincave!
Contact:

Post by wildweasel »

I've added a few questions to the list. Please make sure your questions are not already answered before you contact me. Thank you.
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