How much programming do I need?

[Thelokk]

Total newbie at mapping, starting to get a grip on the basics but now my tutorials start dabbling in SLADE and I have a big, game-breaking question:

How much programming do I *actually* need to know in order to map decently (let's say, Plutonia to Sunder level of shenanigans)? is there a point

where it becomes necessary, or can I squeak by as long as I don't deHACK and such? Thanks!

[TheLippyServer]

You really shouldn't need any programming experience or knowledge at all unless you're planning on doing ACS scripting stuff. Just standard maps require no coding at all.

[Chipper35]

Admittedly: ACS scripting will open up some fun doors. 

[Thelokk]

6 hours ago, Chipper35 said:

Admittedly: ACS scripting will open up some fun doors. 

 

I imagine. Some good, beginner friendly tutorial I can bookmark?

[TheLippyServer]

4 minutes ago, Thelokk said:

 

I imagine. Some good, beginner friendly tutorial I can bookmark?

The Zdoom Wiki is as good a place to start as any. It's got a page for the really basic getting started stuff, and serves as a good reference point for all the different actions and what not.

https://zdoom.org/wiki/ACS

 

The Youtube channel Chubzdoomer has a playlist on scripting tutorials as well. It's been a while since I've watched them, and I had some prior coding experience when I first watched them so it's hard for me to say how useful they'd be to a complete beginner, but they're definitely worth looking at.

 

[SMG_Man]

On 1/8/2022 at 1:41 AM, Thelokk said:

How much programming do I *actually* need to know in order to map decently (let's say, Plutonia to Sunder level of shenanigans)? is there a point

where it becomes necessary, or can I squeak by as long as I don't deHACK and such? Thanks!

 

Everything you see done in-game in the many levels of Doom, Doom 2, Final Doom, and the Master Levels is accomplished without any programming required through the level editor. Certain effects are hard-coded to specific levels (for example, MAP07 of Doom 2 having special actions when all Mancubi and Arachnotrons are dead), but even that doesn't require any programming on your part to make use of.

 

If you get into mapping for Hexen or advanced sourceports like (G)ZDoom, ACS and potentially DECORATE/ZSCRIPT will become available, but they're not "required" by any means.

[NoOne]

My advice to make killer maps that don't need programming knowledge, map in UDMF format. It opens up a massive box of tricks compared to vanilla mapping. Monsters spawning monsters where ya want, or keys etc. Only your imagination will hold you back :) Plenty of info here and on the wiki's to help you, and of course, us !

 

tl;dr You don't need any programming knowledge to make good maps.

[Thelokk]

5 hours ago, NoOne said:

My advice to make killer maps that don't need programming knowledge, map in UDMF format. It opens up a massive box of tricks compared to vanilla mapping. Monsters spawning monsters where ya want, or keys etc. Only your imagination will hold you back :) Plenty of info here and on the wiki's to help you, and of course, us !

 

tl;dr You don't need any programming knowledge to make good maps.

 

Definitely great advice, just had to complete a speedmapping thingy for a project in non-UDMF and I was like 'where's all my stuff?' Thanks!

[Borg]

You will get all kinds of advice being new at mapping. You can do a shitload in vanilla and is a good idea. Trying to include all the wizardry at first can get you stalled out on details quickly. At some point, you might want to start assembling a wad. That would be the time to learn how to use Slade3. It's not difficult and really does not require any programming. For example you might want to name your levels or add your own midi or textures. You will need Slade3 for that. MAPINFO is your friend.

 

There is a thread for beginning mappers or at least there was. I can't find it now. It was a bit salty but contained some good stuff. There are others too. You just have to look.

[Thelokk]

16 minutes ago, Borg said:

You will get all kinds of advice being new at mapping. You can do a shitload in vanilla and is a good idea. Trying to include all the wizardry at first can get you stalled out on details quickly. At some point, you might want to start assembling a wad. That would be the time to learn how to use Slade3. It's not difficult and really does not require any programming. For example you might want to name your levels or add your own midi or textures. You will need Slade3 for that. MAPINFO is your friend.

 

There is a thread for beginning mappers or at least there was. I can't find it now. It was a bit salty but contained some good stuff. There are others too. You just have to look.

Thanks for the advice. I used SLADE for some custom texture and MIDI but nothing more than that.

 Basically I'm just very tight on free time and wanted to make sure I wasn't going down a rabbit hole too deep to handle. I'll dig through the forums to see if I can find that thread  

Edited January 11, 2022 by Thelokk

[DarkIceCyclone]

I use Ultimate doom builder in UDMF format, learning slade for some MAPINFO shenanigans (youtube MapInfo by Doomkid for basic guide), but other than that, UDMF serves most of my creative (or uncreative) purposes. The irony is, the more limitations you have, the more creative you start getting over time. But creative blocks are common, so make sure to play something else or hell, even create something else every now and then.

You using slade for custom texture are already way ahead of me in learning curve. 

Total beginner here, remaking my second map still lol