those elusive executables...

Configuration, files, setup.
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Rivers
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those elusive executables...

Post by Rivers »

I've done a comprehensive search of the technical section, and it looks like i'll need some executables that aren't included in the Collector's Edition in order to view certain demos properly.
Opulent
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Re: those elusive executables...

Post by Opulent »

There isn't a single demo on this site that prboom2.2.6 cannot play correctly.
There are only a few demos ever recorded with the real game that it cannot play.
Some FinalDOOM demos require -wad plutonia or -wad tnt with the doom2 Iwad.
If you can name a demo that desyncs, we can be of better assistance.
Kristian Ronge
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Re: those elusive executables...

Post by Kristian Ronge »

Op: The demos recorded on HR map 18 always desynch, don't they? And demos on Requiem map 21 would also desynch unless you used the "fixed" supplemental WAD.
But as said, 99% of all demos (at least) should play back correctly with PrBoom 2.2.6. I can think of two reasons why you experience desynchs:

1. If you're watching a demo recorded for Plutonia/TNT, try to alternate between e.g. "prboom -file plutonia.wad -playdemo bleh.lmp" and "prboom -iwad plutonia.wad -playdemo bleh.lmp".

2. You may have done something to the IWADs (such as a node rebuild). This would certainly make the demos go out of synch.

About the lack of updates: You can view all the uploads since the last update here ->
ftp://competn.doom2.net:8002/pub/compet-n/incoming/
Last edited by Kristian Ronge on 03.03.2006 18:39, edited 1 time in total.
"One should never confuse the unlikely with the impossible."
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Rivers
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Re: those elusive executables...

Post by Rivers »

Alright, well i've tried watching the 30PLMAX movie, and it desyncs a ways into the first map.
Kristian Ronge
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Re: those elusive executables...

Post by Kristian Ronge »

Okay, we'll take it step by step. First, read this excellent guide, written by Grazza. (It's the last post in the thread, scroll down a bit). It doesn't cover the basics of the command line, though, which I'll explain now.

Click "start", then click "Run...", and in the dialogue, type "cmd" followed by Enter or just click "OK". A window should appear, this is  the Windows command line interface (I suspect you're running some kind of Windows OS, if not, let us know, because you can watch demos on other OS's too). It lets you jump between directories and run executables by typing rather than clicking. The command "cd" is used to change directory. For example, if you have the prboom executable and the WAD files in the directory c:\\doom , then you jump to that directory by typing "cd c:\\doom" followed by Enter.

Once you're in this directory, and you're sure you have the prboom executables, the WADs needed (or example doom2.wad, plutonia.wad, hr.wad etc.) and the demo .lmp files in the same directory you can follow Grazza's instructions (e.g. to play a demo, type "prboom -file whatever.wad -playdemo whatever").
I just use "whatever" as a placeholder for the real names.

There are two types of WADs, IWADs and PWADs. The IWADs used at COMPET-N are doom.wad, doom2.wad, plutonia.wad and tnt.wad. These contain, apart from the levels, all the data necessary to play the Doom games. The PWADs generally contain new levels, some new graphics, and new music.

PWADs are specified in PrBoom through typing "-file whatever.wad". For example, a demo for Memento Mori (mm.wad) can be watched by typing "prboom -file mm.wad -playdemo whatever".

IWADs are specified in PrBoom through typing "-iwad whatever.wad". For example, if you want to watch a demo of "Knee Deep In the Dead" for the Ultimate Doom, you'd type "prboom -iwad doom.wad -playdemo whatever".

Again, make sure you have the prboom executable, the necessary IWADs and the demo .lmp files in the same directory, and that you have jumped to this directory through the command line using the "cd" command.

To play demos for TNT:Evilution and Plutonia, you sometimes may have to alternate between typing e.g. "prboom -file tnt.wad -playdemo whatever" and "prboom -iwad tnt.wad -playdemo whatever". Sometimes, using one of the commands makes the demo desynch. Switching to the other should then work instead. I could go into greater detail why this is so, but it will  probably not make it easier for you to play the demos correctly. :-)

Now, as for the IWADs, if they have been altered by you or by the source you got the from, the demos you want to watch will most likely desynch. This is because structural information about the levels used by the game engine isn't the same on your machine as that everyone else uses. These are the correct file sizes and dates for the COMPET-N IWADs:
(Title, file name, size in bytes, timestamp, CRC)

Doom II v1.9 DOOM2.WAD 14604584 01-02-95 ec8725db
Final Doom - Evilution TNT.WAD 18195736 06-06-96 903dcc27
Final Doom - Plutonia PLUTONIA.WAD 17420824 06-06-96 48d1453c
Doom v1.9u - Ultimate Doom DOOM.WAD 12408292 12-06-96 bf0eaac0

If you keep getting desynching demos, I suggest you examine your WAD files and check that they have the correct timestamps, file sizes etc.

Hope this helps. If you need more help, don't hesitate to call on us again. ;-)
Last edited by Kristian Ronge on 09.03.2006 23:12, edited 1 time in total.
"One should never confuse the unlikely with the impossible."
-- John Dickson Carr
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shallow
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Re: those elusive executables...

Post by shallow »

I would like to say that I am in the same exact situation as Rivers. I have the Collector's Edition (which usually desynchs with most demos) and my knowledge about this stuff is very, very limited.

That last post by Kristian was very helpful, but I have another question. What if your wadfile does NOT match the file size? Mine doesn't, and I'm guessing that's why it won't properly play the 30plmax movie. That's the wad that came with the Collector's Edition, and that's the only disc I have.

Being that this is the case, what am I supposed to do? Please remember that I'm not knowledgable about this stuff, so please keep the content easy to understand...as you did with your last post. Thanks a lot.
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