Making maps on GNU/Linux

[Attila]

Anyone done mapping for Doom (or Heretic, Hexen, etc.) on GNU/Linux? What tools did/do you use to produce maps, and were there any hoops you had to jump through in order to get software running?

[TimeOfDeath]

I haven't, so I don't know how complicated it is to get these working, but apparently the tools designed for linux are:

Eureka eureka-editor.sourceforge.net/
SLADE3 slade.mancubus.net/

[gehenna]

you can get ultimate doom builder to run on mono, can't vouch for how often it crashes tho

[Bob Page]

I have been using Linux since 2016. I've made most of my best projects using SLADE3. I can safely say it's a more than capable level editor.  SLADE3 has a Linux native version, so you can literally install it in the Software Center and start mapping within 30 seconds.  Be aware that in order to make your map playable though, you'll likely need to set up a node builder, but those are easy to install through the Software Center as well.  Just look up BSP or ZDBSP or whatever node builder you prefer.

[Attila]

Bob Page, thanks, will look into mapping with SLADE3. I've already got it, just didn't notice it has a map editor before your post.

I will also look into suggestions from others, especially Eureka, to see which would be most comfortable for me. UDB going by user reports on Zdoom forums is not really stable on Mono because of incomplete implementation of Win.Forms (as .NET original implementation is mostly a thin wrapper over WinAPI), and its installation requires enabling a third-party repo. Given the trouble to setup and the trouble to use it on GNU/Linux, I think I will pass UDB, as much as I liked GZDoomBuilder-BugFix when I had Windows.

[Bob Page]

Once you get used to SLADE3, it's really fantastic. I went into the options and customized the control scheme, reassigning some of the keyboard commands to get closer to Doom Builder, which was my first level editor. Other than that and installing the nodebuilder, which is easy, you're basically good to go. The cool thing about SLADE3 is that you can add in lots of stuff right from the wad archive screen, and just create lumps at will. Plus you can edit textures and sprites and re-color stuff. There's a lot more that I haven't figured out or messed with that I'm surely leaving out.

[Attila]

While I haven't tinkered much with it yet, I actually start to dig its 3D mode, just not accustomed to a more bare (as it seems to me atm) 2D mode. Fortunately, I don't remember much Doombuilder keyboard shortcuts so I can just memorize what SLADE3 uses, with no need to change defaults. Only defaults that mess with my memory is using WASD instead of ESDF in 3D mode, may be a bit more, but I certainly did not go as far as changing light levels or shifting offsets by N amount in Doombuilder while in 3D mode, whereas in SLADE3 it seems the way to go (although it does support doing the same in 2D mode, but I now think it may be much better to immediately see what is being achieved). The way SLADE3 forces one to learn keyboard shortcuts may actually be beneficial for productivity, in DoomBuilder family of editors visual interface achieved too much and so one could be lazy instead of learning more efficient ways to edit stuff. After going through its shortcut list on the home site, have no doubts one can be fairly efficient with mapping in SLADE3, and that it would be down more to mapping experience than tools how fast and good one is.

Lack of vertical auto-alignment (that is, by Y offset rather than by X offset) in SLADE3 did come as the surprise, though. I guess it is less often needed than horizontal auto-alignment which IS implemented in SLADE3, and shortcuts to shift Y offset by +8 / -8 (+1/-1) in 3D mode are typically more than enough to compensate for lack of automatic one. Good thing my keyboard does have Numpad.

SPOILER: Click to show

While I don't have mapping skills to participate, say, in DBP, I am not totally unfamiliar with Doom modding/mapping, and am already familiar with SLADE3 lump editing capacity. I've considered participating in Doom's community months ago, and so (re)installed SLADE3 already on my machine, but was then put down by 40oz coming back to doomer boards and the entire state of affairs there (members wanting to ban other members, the place seems beyond repairs however it have arrived to that condition). Being inherently social because being human, I doubted whether I shall keep playing Doom because it seemed all communities around Doom are "progressive" or seized by people whose personal ideal is "progressive". When this place got established it made me reconsider, but the delay meant I have not practiced mapping in meanwhile, so if I actually git gud or at least good enough at mapping, won't be soon. Lots of catching up to do. I did play Irkalla (I know you were the mapper behind quite a few levels, including the penultimate one), though, that's the aesthetic I like. Of the maps that require GzDoom, Cheogsh 2 by Russian doomer Shadowman has the kind of atmosphere that "Doom" name implies. Played many others, but these would be the most relevant in terms of what I wish to implement.

I am not banned anywhere in Doom spaces, but many spaces I simply don't want to go in. I prefer Internet of pre-"social network" and pre-woke era.

[Bob Page]

Jul 19, 2024 8:28:34 GMT -5 Attila said:

While I haven't tinkered much with it yet, I actually start to dig its 3D mode, just not accustomed to a more bare (as it seems to me atm) 2D mode. Fortunately, I don't remember much Doombuilder keyboard shortcuts so I can just memorize what SLADE3 uses, with no need to change defaults. Only defaults that mess with my memory is using WASD instead of ESDF in 3D mode, may be a bit more, but I certainly did not go as far as changing light levels or shifting offsets by N amount in Doombuilder while in 3D mode, whereas in SLADE3 it seems the way to go (although it does support doing the same in 2D mode, but I now think it may be much better to immediately see what is being achieved). The way SLADE3 forces one to learn keyboard shortcuts may actually be beneficial for productivity, in DoomBuilder family of editors visual interface achieved too much and so one could be lazy instead of learning more efficient ways to edit stuff. After going through its shortcut list on the home site, have no doubts one can be fairly efficient with mapping in SLADE3, and that it would be down more to mapping experience than tools how fast and good one is.

Lack of vertical auto-alignment (that is, by Y offset rather than by X offset) in SLADE3 did come as the surprise, though. I guess it is less often needed than horizontal auto-alignment which IS implemented in SLADE3, and shortcuts to shift Y offset by +8 / -8 (+1/-1) in 3D mode are typically more than enough to compensate for lack of automatic one. Good thing my keyboard does have Numpad.

SPOILER: Click to show

While I don't have mapping skills to participate, say, in DBP, I am not totally unfamiliar with Doom modding/mapping, and am already familiar with SLADE3 lump editing capacity. I've considered participating in Doom's community months ago, and so (re)installed SLADE3 already on my machine, but was then put down by 40oz coming back to doomer boards and the entire state of affairs there (members wanting to ban other members, the place seems beyond repairs however it have arrived to that condition). Being inherently social because being human, I doubted whether I shall keep playing Doom because it seemed all communities around Doom are "progressive" or seized by people whose personal ideal is "progressive". When this place got established it made me reconsider, but the delay meant I have not practiced mapping in meanwhile, so if I actually git gud or at least good enough at mapping, won't be soon. Lots of catching up to do. I did play Irkalla (I know you were the mapper behind quite a few levels, including the penultimate one), though, that's the aesthetic I like. Of the maps that require GzDoom, Cheogsh 2 by Russian doomer Shadowman has the kind of atmosphere that "Doom" name implies. Played many others, but these would be the most relevant in terms of what I wish to implement.

I am not banned anywhere in Doom spaces, but many spaces I simply don't want to go in. I prefer Internet of pre-"social network" and pre-woke era.

I really appreciate you playing Irkalla!  I'm always honored when someone takes time from their day to play something that I made.

As for your other points about the way that DooM forums/spaces have become, I completely agree.  I became very discouraged myself for much the same reason.  The project that I am working on now is with a friend that I made through mapping, and honestly I'm satisfied with just working with him to create something that we both enjoy and can be proud of.  No doubt a few people will play it also, but I'm mostly getting the most satisfaction from just expressing myself creatively and seeing how we can push each other to make something better than we could alone.

[TimeOfDeath]

Irkalla, does that mean you're Vordakk? I remember him being banned from doomworld but I can't remember why.