Running mods

[ALIEN SEAGULL]

Is there any way to launch mods without using the mod browser? Seems like it's only good for map packs. But what if I want to play with a small QoL improvement, like sprite fixes, gameplay mods or Smooth Doom? I uploaded separate sprite fixes for D1 and D2. It works fine with D1, but whenever I try to load a mod while D2 is running -- it switches me back to D1.

Maybe running it through ZDL would help?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Loggahead]

I found that using the -iwad and -file options under the Launcher options in steam works to default load a particular WAD file:

example:
-iwad doom.wad -file sigil.wad

But I found that .pk3 files are not working that way. I too want to load smooth weapons (I love those buttery animations) and tried using -file [...].pk3 and it doesn't work. Game launches but the mod isn't working.

I did find that one or two peeps released Mods for the Doom 1 campaign that have smooth weapons included. Hoping there's a way we can just run a pk3 though.

[Loggahead]

Oh and just a sidenote. I tried using my trick above to load automatically into Sigil and then "played" the smooth weapons mod and it kept me in Sigil and worked with the mod active.

I didn't try it with Doom 2 yet.

Edit - Just tried loading with the doom2.wad and it crashes every time when you load the smooth weps mod. Looks like it only works with WADs for Doom1

[biomseed]

Originally posted by Loggahead:

I found that using the -iwad and -file options under the Launcher options in steam works to default load a particular WAD file:

example:
-iwad doom.wad -file sigil.wad

But I found that .pk3 files are not working that way. I too want to load smooth weapons (I love those buttery animations) and tried using -file [...].pk3 and it doesn't work. Game launches but the mod isn't working.

I did find that one or two peeps released Mods for the Doom 1 campaign that have smooth weapons included. Hoping there's a way we can just run a pk3 though.

I'm pretty sure this version of DOOM doesn't support pk3s. That was a quake thing, and it's just a zip with a renamed file format. Newer source ports used the pk3 format because it's already associated with Id.

[NormireX]

They really should implement Workshop support to make it easier to load up mods like Doom Infinite etc.

[snackerfork]

PK3 files and mods made for non-vanilla source ports that make extensive changes to the engine or introduce their own scripting languages (both of which apply to GZDoom) aren't going to be compatible with this port.

This port supports Boom, Dehacked, and MBF21 modifications that are now fairly standard in Boom-based source ports like Woof and DSDA-Doom. That means it will theoretically be compatible with mods like Doom 4 Vanilla or Smooth Doom MBF21 that are based in Dehacked or MBF21, but it won't ever be compatible with mods that are made specifically for GZDoom like Brutal Doom or Corruption Cards.

This is extremely unlikely to change because GZDoom is drastically different under the hood from source ports forked from vanilla and Boom, and because GZDoom changes too frequently and too extensively to make maintaining compatibility with it feasible (or desirable.)

[NormireX]

Originally posted by snackerfork:

PK3 files and mods made for non-vanilla source ports that make extensive changes to the engine or introduce their own scripting languages (both of which apply to GZDoom) aren't going to be compatible with this port.

This port supports Boom, Dehacked, and MBF21 modifications that are now fairly standard in Boom-based source ports like Woof and DSDA-Doom. That means it will theoretically be compatible with mods like Doom 4 Vanilla or Smooth Doom MBF21 that are based in Dehacked or MBF21, but it won't ever be compatible with mods that are made specifically for GZDoom like Brutal Doom or Corruption Cards.

This is extremely unlikely to change because GZDoom is drastically different under the hood from source ports forked from vanilla and Boom, and because GZDoom changes too frequently and too extensively to make maintaining compatibility with it feasible (or desirable.)

Then ID needs to allow GZDoom on Steam with Workshop support. I really hate having to mess with a bunch of files to play a mod. Or allow Mods to be released as a stand alone DLC/package curated by ID.

[ALIEN SEAGULL]

Originally posted by Loggahead:

I found that using the -iwad and -file options under the Launcher options in steam works to default load a particular WAD file:

example:
-iwad doom.wad -file sigil.wad

Hey, I think that actually worked. Thank you!
I put the WAD that I needed into the game folder and it loaded it up after I set the launcher options!

[snackerfork]

Originally posted by NormireX:

Originally posted by snackerfork:

PK3 files and mods made for non-vanilla source ports that make extensive changes to the engine or introduce their own scripting languages (both of which apply to GZDoom) aren't going to be compatible with this port.

This port supports Boom, Dehacked, and MBF21 modifications that are now fairly standard in Boom-based source ports like Woof and DSDA-Doom. That means it will theoretically be compatible with mods like Doom 4 Vanilla or Smooth Doom MBF21 that are based in Dehacked or MBF21, but it won't ever be compatible with mods that are made specifically for GZDoom like Brutal Doom or Corruption Cards.

This is extremely unlikely to change because GZDoom is drastically different under the hood from source ports forked from vanilla and Boom, and because GZDoom changes too frequently and too extensively to make maintaining compatibility with it feasible (or desirable.)

Then ID needs to allow GZDoom on Steam with Workshop support. I really hate having to mess with a bunch of files to play a mod. Or allow Mods to be released as a stand alone DLC/package curated by ID.

Ideally, yes, but it's not desirable for a corporation to allow a third party to have a release using the IP and branding they "own" and definitely not desirable to have to use company resources to "curate" mods for it.

Even Valve doesn't actually make many exceptions for this - that's why Black Mesa is named Black Mesa and not Half-Life: Black Mesa, because otherwise Black Mesa would have been able to be confused for an officially supported and released Valve product and not an elaborate professionally produced fangame/mod.

The idea of official support on consoles for something like Brutal Doom is also extremely unlikely because of organizations like the ESRB and the very real risk of controversy (Brutal Doom is already controversial in itself). And if this is a PC only proposition, there's not enough justification for all of this effort, because frankly speaking, it's really not difficult for users to download an exe and "mess with a bunch of files" like they've done for the last 30 years.

[shopping mall intercom]

Don't forget the fact that GZDoom's code is under the GPL license, which is a major issue for porting it to consoles.

GPL requires any code that interacts with it to also be open-source and GPL'ed, and console manufacturers don't like the idea of their console-exclusive code being out in the world for all to use. This was previously a problem with Nightdive's remaster of Blade Runner, the original source code was lost and the only available code that ran Blade Runner was the ScummVM code, which was GPL'ed. That's why that remaster turned out so bad, they had to redo all of the reverse-engineering of code from scratch.

[Loggahead]

I tried the Smooth Doom MBF21 and it sadly doesn't work. Crashes when I try to load it with any of the main WADs. Give's a sprite error and crashes.

Ah well, guess I'll just have to wait and see what the modders come up with at some point. Will be excellent to be able to run smooth doom with all of the WADs.

[NormireX]

Originally posted by snackerfork:

Originally posted by NormireX:

Then ID needs to allow GZDoom on Steam with Workshop support. I really hate having to mess with a bunch of files to play a mod. Or allow Mods to be released as a stand alone DLC/package curated by ID.

Ideally, yes, but it's not desirable for a corporation to allow a third party to have a release using the IP and branding they "own" and definitely not desirable to have to use company resources to "curate" mods for it.

Even Valve doesn't actually make many exceptions for this - that's why Black Mesa is named Black Mesa and not Half-Life: Black Mesa, because otherwise Black Mesa would have been able to be confused for an officially supported and released Valve product and not an elaborate professionally produced fangame/mod.

The idea of official support on consoles for something like Brutal Doom is also extremely unlikely because of organizations like the ESRB and the very real risk of controversy (Brutal Doom is already controversial in itself). And if this is a PC only proposition, there's zero purpose to it, because it's not difficult for users to download an exe and "mess with a bunch of files" like they've done for the last 30 years.

You clearly didn't read what I posted. I said it would all go through ID so there wouldn't be any issues. And you don't have to have an ESRB rating to put a game up on Steam, there are thousands and thousands without one.

And of course it would mainly be PC, but no reason ID couldn't get it to other platforms if they wanted to.

I've modded a lot of games but these days I just want to sit down and launch something and play not mess with files, particularly if I want to swap mods.

You are one of those people that like to be negative and think your answer is correct very clearly. Your statements are not based on reality only your own opinion. What I'm purposing is completely possible particularly if ID is supporting it.

I really don't get people like you shooting down ideas all the time. Particularly ideas that would benefit the franchise.

[snackerfork]

You're really underestimating the complexity of code licenses, copyright, the console software pipeline, game development... I literally said it would be "ideal" for iD to allow it because I'm against copyright hoarding and support open source software, but I'm saying that it is unrealistic.

To add on to what I'm saying, look at Jupiter Rising. That's a completely original game and an original IP, but Bethesda told them to take down any mentions of DoomRL (which the Jupiter Hell team also created) because "Doom" is part of their copyright. That's how messy things like this are.

[Loggahead]

Hey so a quick update here. I found a dehacked version of smooth weapons that works with the release using the launcher options.

launcher options example:
-iwad doom2.wad -file vsmooth.wad

Here's a link to the version of smooth weapons: https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/102462-vanilla-doom-smooth-weapons/

In fact if you just add "-file vsmooth.wad" you can then just select what game you are playing from the menu and smooth weapons is applied.

Also just confirmed that loading the mod this way does not disable achievments.

[Moderator Abuse]

if you want to load assets with this launch options

-file this.wad that.pk3 other.wad

You only need this once -file

What i've tested so far
Vanilla compatible maps work.
Sound replacements work map name related in either wad file or zip/pk3
use vorbis files or convert files to .ogg vorbis unless you can convert to doom music format

some people are confused about pk3 it's just an archive add https://doomwiki.org/wiki/PK3