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XDOOM - a portable Doom engine based on id Software's public sources
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This archive includes a Doom(tm) and Doom][(tm) compatible game engine
and a GUI launcher for those, who don't like to use all the command
line options.

This software is programmed and tested on various UNIX systems, no work
was done so far, to make it working on DOS, MS Windows, OS/2, Mac-OS or
an Apple][. Chances aren't great that it ever will be ported to a ZX80,
but you never know...

The name XDOOM was chosen for some reasons:

- It's an UNIX (X) application.
- X also could stand for cross-platform support, portability
is an issue here.
- And finally it's eXtended some, from what was released originally.

Features of the game engine:

* Many bug fixes from the sources id Software released,
this is a pretty solid, commercial quality like software,
similar to the products sold by id for DOS and Windows.
- no TFE
- no Medusa
- no bullet and missile eating walls
For PWAD compatibility tests the game engine still can be
compiled with this bugs/features of the original game.

* Plays the huge PWAD files which crash original Doom 2.
Visplanes and other data structures are allocated dynamic
instead of using fixed sized arrays, so they can't overflow.
No 2s line HOM bug anymore, because the drawsegs are dynamic
allocated and the engine cannot run out of drawsegs.

* Does merge sprites and flats from PWAD's correctly with the
IWAD, no external tools necessary for merging a PWAD before
playing it.

* Enhanced version can play WAD files in extended Hexen format,
a Hexen compatible P code interpreter is builtin. This doesn't
mean that XDoom can play Hexen WAD files, this means that Doom
WAD files can be created, which take advantage of features from
the Hexen engine. An example PWAD is included.
The script language ACS invented by Raven Software for Hexen
is used to write the scripts, the acc compiler needed for this
is included in xwadtools.

* Portable, is known to work on:
Linux x86 1.2.x, 2.0.x, 2.1.x, 2.2.x
Linux PPC
Linux Dec Alpha 2.2.x (*)
FreeBSD 3.x
OpenServer 5.0.x
Unixware 2.1.x
Unixware 7
Solaris SPARC 2.5.1, 2.6 & 2.7
Solaris x86
AIX 4.2
Irix 6.5

(*) Not fully tested, might not work properly, see release notes
for details. Any feedback welcome.

Can be ported to any UNIX with X11 without too much efford.
Depending on the OS full screen direct frame buffer usage is
supported too, as an example under Linux x86 it runs on [S]VGA
and Voodoo 3DFX cards, on FreeBSD and SCO OS's it runs on [S]VGA
cards on the system console.

* Works on various X visuals (auto detected):
8bpp Pseudo Color
16bpp True Color
24bpp True Color
32bpp True Color
If game engine and X server run on different hosts with
opposite byte order this works too for 8, 24 and 32bpp,
not yet for 16bpp, colors will be wrong.

* Has a new cooperative multiplayer mode, boy, you really need
to cooperate with each other to get anywhere. Might be a new
challenge for WAD authors.

* Can spawn different things dependent on game mode, single player,
deathmatch, cooperative. This is Boom compatible, example PWAD
included.

* Perfect game play with mouse under X11 and full screen.

* Joystick support under Linux x86, prepared to write new joystick
support modules for other OS's, if a device driver is available.

* Sound and music support for all OS's with a 4Front OSS sound driver,
supports 8 and 16 bit sound cards and Creative AWE cards.

* CD audio support with an OS independent support layer,
which allows to make it working with any OS.

* Chaingun can have it's own sound without an impact on the
pistol sound. Example included to make it sound like a big bad
gun and not like a rapid firing pistol ;-)

* Translucent objects supported with a translucency table
in PWAD's. Some explosions are rendered translucent too.
Tool to build translucency tables for PWAD's is included in
xwadtools.

* Translucent wall textures and functional laser beam
barriers and force fields, even translucent doors and
translucent scrolling walls can be done. Example PWAD's
included.

* Horizontally sliding doors, example PWAD included.

* User customizable switches and texture/flat animations,
compatible to Boom and ZDoom. The included example PWAD's
make use of this, a tool to build the tables for inclusion
into PWAD's is included in xwadtools.

* UAC communication gadget (PDA) for extended interaction with the
environment. The included example PWAD's make use of the device.

* Supports new linedefs defined for Boom by TeamTNT, like scrolling
floors and ceilings. That includes carrying objects on scrolling
floors. So it's possible to build conveyor belts, escalators...
There is more Boom support than this, like silent teleporters,
tagged local doors, but it is too much to mention it all here and
I might keep adding features. So, example PWAD included to show
some of the implemented features, the PWAD is compatible between
XDoom and Boom. Also some Boom levels work OK under XDoom, some
levels known to fully work are listed inside in the documentation.

* Displays the end text from IWAD's and PWAD's.

* If levels have no secrets, 100% secrets is displayed in the
status.

* Some assembler optimization for low end x86 systems.

* Always Run key and 180 degree turn key.

New with this release:

Lots more of the Boom extended linedefs implemented.

**************************************************************
* Saved game files are not compatible anymore because of the *
* new Boom Elevators! Game version number is increased to *
* v1.14 to prevent loading of old incompatible files. Keep *
* a copy of a previous release to finish saved games. *
**************************************************************

Linux PPC is working now under X, full screen console
graphics still needs work.

Ported to SGI Irix 6.5.

Documentation work.

Features of the GUI launcher:

* Easy to use and very portable (written in Tcl/Tk).
* Supports all options essential for game players, including
network games.
* Allows multiple selection of PWAD's.
* Saves the current settings into a .rc file.

New with this release:

Overworked the source, better maintenable and customizable,
no functional modifications.

Add-Ons:

Did you know that you can create your own virtual world based on the
Doom engine, completely under UNIX too? For this you want xwadtools
from: ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/doom/source/xwadtools*. The tools include
a GUI level map editor, BSP node builders, tools to extract and import
data like graphics and sound into WAD files and much more. The tools
collection is maintained by the same author than XDoom, with the help of
other net citizens of course, and the tools are freeware and come with
all sources.

________________________________________________________________
This archive includes free sources for id Software's Doom game
distributed under the GNU Public License. Only the sources are
free, the commercial IWAD's (data files with level maps, graphic
and sound resources) are _NOT_!
This Doom engine run's with the shareware IWAD, which is freely
available at:

http://www.idsoftware.com/archives/doomarc.html

Use that if you don't wish to purchase commercial IWAD's, but
please notice that gameplay is very limited with the shareware
IWAD. No IWAD is included in this archive, you need to download
the shareware IWAD or use one of the commercial ones purchased
from id.
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Oh, by the way, all the software in this archive won't be supported
by id Software and it comes without any warranty. If you manage
to blow up your $3 million Cray UNIX server somehow with this software,
it's your own fault and no one can be held responsible for this. The
software is provided with all sources on AS IS basis and free of fees,
just for the fun of it. Use the Source Luke, RTFS ;-)

Enjoy,
Udo Munk ([email protected])