A Simple way to change the Map Titles, Text Pages and pictures

[eye.lid]

Hello,

I am working on a Doom 2 Megawad and I am looking for an easy way to change the map level names. I have Slade. I am also looking for an easy way to replace the pictures and the text in the intermission screens throughout the wad. Is this all done with a MapInfo file?

Thanks

[Jimmy]

MAPINFO is definitely the way to go about it if you're mapping for GZDoom or Eternity.

https://zdoom.org/wiki/MAPINFO/Map_definition <- for defining new map entries

https://zdoom.org/wiki/MAPINFO/Cluster_definition <- for defining new story texts

http://eternity.youfailit.net/wiki/MapInfo

 

Now, for Vanilla or Boom sets:

 

You'll need to actually change in-game graphics. It's fairly easily done, though.

 

The generator I most highly recommend is eevee's Doom Text Generator. Generate your text (make sure to set the Scale bar to 1×!), right-click the resulting image and select "Save As", then import the image into your WAD file with SLADE. You'll then need to name it properly so it replaces the correct in-game graphic.

 

Doom 2 level name graphics need to be named "CWILV00" for MAP01, "CWILV01" for MAP02, etc. They also need to be Doom format graphics if you're going with Vanilla or Boom, so use SLADE's "Convert To" tool for those.

 

In terms of story texts, keep in mind that Vanilla/Chocolate Doom do not have means to replace them, but Boom and above do allow this.

 

The story text strings need to be changed in a DEHACKED lump that should look something like this:
 

[STRINGS]
C1TEXT = this is a story text.\n1 2 3 4 5

 

"C1TEXT" is the internal name of the string you're replacing. This string is the one used upon entering MAP07 of Doom 2.

 

"\n" is used for line breaks.

 

More info on DEHACKED string replacing here.

https://zdoom.org/wiki/Strings

[Gradius]

If you're working with a map for Z/GZDoom, MAPINFO can do it easily, see: https://zdoom.org/wiki/MAPINFO/Map_definition

If you're looking at another port like Crispy/Chocolate or PrBoom you'll need to use a DeHacked Patch: https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DeHackEd

 

The latter isn't too complicated once you get into it, but looks a little more intimidating. In both cases it boils down to having the right text file embedded into the WAD (easily done via SLADE).

 

A minor addition is that the level name graphics on the intermission screens are generally just images, so you'll need to replace those images (CWILV00 and up) to update the text. But updating the internal text screen will change the text on, say, zdoom's console.