What can I do to make my wads compatible with every program?

[Retro Dino]

I just let someone test my wad and they said textures were missing, they would hit the hanging stuff on the ceiling, and they couldn't walk across a 3D bridge I made. I use Ultimate Doom Builder in Hexen format and I test my wads/play wads using GZDoom. This is the first time i've encountered this problem, but i've also had problems with other programs. Like with lifts, i have to create a sector to make a lift work otherwise it won't. In GZDoom it runs fine even without the sector. (The sector has to be set to the same number as the switch). I'm just wondering if there's a way I can make my wads more compatible with every program so people don't run into these problems in the future. Thanks!

[snapshot]

• Switch to Doom map format
• Test your map on Chocolate Doom or PrBoom+

If it works fine there it should work fine on other ports, but you'll lose some mapping features that are exclusive to Hexen format, it's up to you. You can always tell players what port/program you tested it on instead, if you want to keep mapping in current format.

Edited February 1, 2021 by sluggard

[ReX]

2 hours ago, Retro Dino said:

I'm just wondering if there's a way I can make my wads more compatible with every program so people don't run into these problems in the future.

As @sluggard said, the only way to ensure your wad is compatible with "every program" is to make it 100% compatible with "vanilla" DooM. This means that you will have to discard some of the features you've used in Unholy Cathedral. In addition, mapping for vanilla DooM means you'll be restricted by various limits, such as the number of visible planes (visplanes) and visible things. Therefore, large rooms with plenty of sectors (such as the "cathedral" room) might exceed the visplane limits.

[Stupid Bunny]

The missing textures problem is probably because you're using flats as wall textures, if I had to guess (this isn't possible in Doom-format maps, nor is using textures as flats).  If you map using Doom 2 (Doom in Doom format) then it will work in anything limit-removing (i.e. still not Chocolate Doom).  Otherwise, like @sluggard says you also have the option of keeping it in Hexen format and telling people to play it in GZDoom--there's nothing wrong or unusual about that, unless you explicitly want your maps to play in any sourceport then you can just keep it as is.

[zokum]

Even ff your map runs fine in Chocolate Doom and doom2.exe that does not mean it will run fine in other ports. I've seen GZDoom, PRBoom+, Zdaemon screw up the handling of maps that run fine in Choco.

Compatibility is fine for very basic stuff, but once you go off the beaten path and do stuff not found in the IWADs you can quickly run into problems. Sometimes optimizations and bug fixes changes behaviour, breaking map effects.

Your best bet would be to tell people to test it with the port/engine(s) you used for development and testing.

Edited February 1, 2021 by zokum
speling errar

[Retro Dino]

Just now, zokum said:

Even ff your map runs fine in Chocolate Doom and doom2.exe that does not mean it will run fine in other ports. I've seen GZDoom, PRBoom+, Zdaemon screw up the handling of maps that run fine in Choco.

Compability is fine for very basic stuff, but once you go off the beaten path and do stuff not found in the IWADs you can quickly run into problems. Sometimes optimizations and bug fixes changes behaviour, breaking map effects.

Your best bet would be to tell people to test it with the port/engine(s) you used for development and testing.

That's what I started doing, thanks! :) 

[Kappes Buur]

1 hour ago, zokum said:

Your best bet would be to tell people to test it with the port/engine(s) you used for development and testing.

 

Even then, some will disregard your instructions and start complaining.

To keep everyone happy, you need to create a version of your map for every port.  Which, of course, is completely unreasonable.

 

Just map for the port/format you are comfortable with. If someone is not on board with that, then so be it, it's their loss.

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by Kappes Buur

[Retro Dino]

5 minutes ago, Kappes Buur said:

 

Even then, some will disregard your instructions and start complaining.

To keep everyone happy, you need to create a version of your map for every port.  Which, of course, is completely unreasonable.

 

Just map for the port/format you are comfortable with. If someone is not on board with that, then so be it, it's their loss.

 

Well, fuck em then lol.