[Feature] Inter-Doom: Extended autoload support

[NightFright2k19]

Consequently, after issue #104 has been granted:

Inter-Doom should also support certain official pwads in autoload, namely:

• Chex Quest 2 (chex2.wad) which works only in combination with chex.wad --> This one is kind of a no-brainer, actually
• No Rest for the Living (nerve.wad) --> By Nerve Software, so I would say it's official enough

It might also be considered to add the Master Levels to this exception, even though it might become a bit excessive. In that case, following subdirs would be concerned:
attack.wad, blacktwr.wad, bloodsea.wad, canyon.wad, catwalk.wad, combine.wad, fistula.wad, garrison.wad, geryon.wad, manor.wad, mephisto.wad, minos.wad, nessus.wad, paradox.wad, subspace.wad, subterra.wad, teeth.wad, ttrap.wad, vesperas.wad, virgil.wad

Masterlevels.wad would require dedicated support and I dunno if you want to go that far. Currently it only works in ports with some sort of MAPINFO/UMAPINFO support. Woof! supports it, which I think might be close enough to vanilla.

As there are no more official pwads (Sigil 1+2 are not from id or its affiliates), this should cover everything. I understand if you don't want to go overboard with this feature, so I won't ask for more. :)

[Meerschweinmann]

It is one of those where to start, where to end topics. The both Sigil for example are not official,
but from one person who made the official DOOM. So it is not the same unofficial as when i would release a map.
The other side is, with Slade3 i could integrate everything i wanted in pwads all those years.

But i would appreciate it too when the most popular wads get autoload status, when there is content that can be autoloaded.

[NightFright2k19]

I mean, with a decent launcher like DoomRunner it is not a problem to load stuff like widescreen assets on demand.
Regarding the Master Levels, I made some custom fixes for myself which automatically add level names etc via DEHACKED, so autoload support like in Crispy for those would be handy.

I understand and totally accept if Julia doesn't want to completely adopt the Crispy scheme, but since we opened the door with Hexen DK, I think it's only logical to take this step. Actually, I was rather surprised Chex 2 didn't work.

The Sigils (and the upcoming Hellion) I would categorize as edge cases. Many consider them official since they are made by Romero, but technically they are PWADs like any other made by the community. I mean, I wouldn't mind if they were supported as well. Widescreen assets for them have been made, too. And one could autoload the commercial music wads, too.

[Meerschweinmann]

Doomrunner is an option, sure.

For those who have a shortcut with Inter-DOOM.exe the autoload option is fine. Pwads can be loaded per drag&drop onto that shortcut.

I am using Inter-Heretic and Inter-Hexen like that. Hexen in widescreen without widescreen assets looks really weird, because of the cut weapon-sprites and HUD. The Hexdd autoload was the cherry on top to use the correct titlepic.

And yeah, SIGIL music could be autoloaded too. But i can integrate the music in the wad, too, what i have done. But Not everybody knows how to handle Slade3 or wants to use Doomrunner.

In the end Julia has to decide and i agree, that not every wad should generate a folder, because after some time and many wads this could be a really mess in the autoload folder.

[NightFright2k19]

I'd say Chex Quest 2 and NRFTL are realistic requests. The rest is up to Miss International. ;)

[Meerschweinmann]

Miss International will enlighten us and we will follow 😀

[Meerschweinmann]

Heyhey,

even Strife is priority now and in the foreseeable future in Inter-style software rendered truecolor smoothest lightning beauty playable,
i had today an idea that could eventually close this issue while i was working with my 32:9 assets pack.

I am absolutely fine that only selected base wads are generated automatically.

I am not a fan too when i am testing several WADs out and every of those WADs i never play again makes a folder and spams my autoload.

But could it be allowed , please lovely Julia :), that folders i create manually in the autoload folder work with equal named WADs?
For those WADs i play again i have my autoload backup that i have to copy only in the Inter-port autoload.
So it would be great when the Inter-ports could load those manually created folders.

[JNechaevsky]

Strife is not really in priority, it's just the only thing remaining. I'm trying to don't rush, especially after "crunch mode" in last weeks at day job.

Well, I think it will be fair to leave a choice for user to use or don't use autoload per PWADs. Probably worth to keep it disabled by default to avoid spamming of folder creation. But it leads to exactly one question - where to add needed "Allow autoload per PWAD: ON/OFF" line? It should not be hidden in depths of config file. 😉

[Meerschweinmann]

One question, when leaving the option at off is it then possible that manually copied folders in autoload loading with same named WADs?

As autoload stuff could be anything, i would paste it instinctively into gameplay or in no sub menu, because it is a stand alone option that does not really fit anywhere. So it could be placed in the root folder where you can select the Video, Sound, gameplay... menus.

[NightFright2k19]

At this point, due to the Kex release, autoload coverage should definitely include nerve.wad, masterlevels.wad and id1.wad. Those are official addons now and even received updates to integrate them better into the consolidated release. In return, we can forget about supporting each of the Master Levels individually since I guess at this point, people will prefer to play them as a bundle.

Also to be considered at this point: Sigil, since it's part of the Kex selection as well. Not Sigil II, weirdly enough.

[Meerschweinmann]

Sounds like a good compromise. Automatic autoloading of all official WADs that came with the Kex release, Heretic, Hexen and HexDD when "allow PWAD loading" is off.
And if someone like me wants to load to include other WADs i can turn "allow PWAD loading" on or Copy folders equal named as the WAD i want to load in the autoload folder.
Btw, does id1.wad even work with Inter-DOOM? I never came up with the Idea to load it with inter, because till now i am believing it is an ID24 standard WAD.

[NightFright2k19]

It actually shouldn't since it's ID24/MBF21. Then ofc autoload is for the garbage, unless Julia has second thoughts about the port being vanilla and raised limits only.

[JNechaevsky]

@NightFright2k19, I have to be honest. Question about supporting for "rereleased" content is difficult, because...

This means that I can go f... for some rest and wait until situation gets better. This is not a question to KEX development crew, this is question to Bethesda, that's I've already asked. But thanks to Steam's policy, I was able to get D1+D2 and can get updates normally. Unfortunately, this doesn't apply to Google Play, where I bought both D1 and D2 somewhere in 2017 and now can't download them again. I don't want to follow the suite and dip the project into political crap, my one and only choice has been made few years ago. But "no" from their side means "okay, then no from mine". The most I'd like to do, at least for now, is to support D1+D2 by auto-detecting their IWADs, which was already done in Crispy Doom.

@Meerschweinmann, how about... We still have some verticality in main Options menu, so "Autoload" or "Miscellaneous" will fit. But menu with just one item is bad, so maybe something like this?

• Autoload wad files (on/off)
• Autoload per pwad (on = create folders, off = don't create... and don't load anything from created ones?)
• Autoload dehacked patches (on/off)

As about id1.wad - sorry, no idea. I really have zero interest about it, not because of reasons from above, but mostly because of my Doom 1 was released in 1993 and my Doom 2 was released in 1994. Both of them have blue square with yellow "id" logo on it. Mostly same applies to ID24 standard, there is still no simple Boom support, and I'm afraid it won't ever happen.

[Meerschweinmann]

@JNechaevsky

When i can load whatever i put in the autoload folder that should be loaded with the PWAD i am using, i am happy. Happy with Smiley 😃
When i have to turn on the PWAD loading option i am totally fine.

And your Idea with an option to disable autoload is a good one too, because there are cases i do not want to load what is in the autoload when i am testing around.

As about id1.wad - sorry, no idea.

That question was meant more to Nightfright as he mentioned it for autoloading. So i thought i had missed that id1.wad is playable in some way with limit removing source ports. Without new weapons and enemies for example or so.

[NightFright2k19]

Well, if the port doesn't support the wad in the first place, autoload won't make sense, either, ofc. And it's OK if Inter-Doom won't support LoR - there are more than enough other ports out there which do.

[JNechaevsky]

Yeah, and all of them are friendly ones. 🙂

@Meerschweinmann suggested slightly different idea, regarding PWads, not exactly official addons. Back in day I have started Inter-Heretic 7.0, I made a dozen of maps for render stress-testing with hilarious names. And when I've seen that all of them have appeared in autoload folder, I was like... "I never asked to create this folder, what the hell?!". However, turns out it is reasonable to have an option for this, as some ports using autoload per-pwad, and it will be fair provide an optional and don't be a "over my dead body!" person.

Sorry, still haven't started it, but it shouldn't be too complicated to add extra sub-menu and add few variable conditions to autoload code. I'm not very active on the code last days, even Strife going a bit slow. But please know, such pwad autoload option is planned already, it's no longer about "no".