Record demos using PrBoom+?

[IncognitoMode]

How do I record demos using PrBoom+? Does it also work for GlBoom+?

[SleepyVelvet]

Layman Granny instructions for Windows 10:

 

Open a command prompt to the folder with your wad: if you have a folder open in the usual windows browser, you can press Alt-D and type in 

powershell which opens a command prompt window to the folder you are in.

Then, type out^*

    prboom-plus.exe -file mywad.wad -record demoformywad.lmp

and you can add other optional arguments at the end if you want to deviate from default settings (iwad, complevel, warp, skill, etc).  If you don't enter these, it will default to whatever settings are in your prboom-plus.cfg file, which is usually fine, but just be aware.

After you hit Enter, then it will just record until you quit the program, and your demo will be automatically saved. 

To play back the demo just use the -playdemo flag instead of -record in your command line.

^*Btw, if you don't set anything up, you will have to enter the full path to prboom-plus.exe instead of just 'prboom-plus.exe'.  To make it so you don't have to do this, you have to add your prboom-plus folder to your system's Path variable.  The Path variable is just the list of folders that are checked by default for command line stuff.

Open your Search Windows bar, the one in the bottom left of your screen probably.  Start typing 'Edit environment variables for your account' and click on it, and it will bring you to a menu with a few settings for your Windows user.  Simply click on 'Path' and edit it.  It gives a list of all the folders currently in there, so we just need to add our prboom folder:  Click 'New' and then click 'Browse...', and then simply navigate to your source port folder and hit OK a few times until you are out.  You can also do this for your main WADs folder or texture packs (some wads use external texture packs) so you don't have to type a billion letters into you command prompt everytime.

Bam, now the command prompt for above will work fine, and this is my setup for recording demos and stuff.

 

I tried to be thorough and complete at risk of providing too much info.  I hope it helps a little.

[Edward850]

1 hour ago, NoisyVelvet said:

^*Btw, if you don't set anything up, you will have to enter the full path to prboom-plus.exe instead of just 'prboom-plus.exe'.  To make it so you don't have to do this, you have to add your prboom-plus folder to your system's Path variable.  The Path variable is just the list of folders that are checked by default for command line stuff.

This is a terrible way of doing things. Navigate the command prompt properly, and go to the prboom+ folder folder using cd, or just open powershell in the folder location by using shift+right click. You do not need the full path if you navigate to the correct location in the first place.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Edward850

[Shadow Hog]

Personally I just go to the folder I want, click the address bar and type in "cmd", but that's me

[SleepyVelvet]

@Edward850 Because prboom-plus is a program I use a lot, it is worthwhile for me to add it to the system Path variable.  I do a lot of FDAs right in Downloads folder immediately after downloading it from Wads n Mods, and it's easiest for me to navigate to the Downloads folder straight from Chrome.  Once you open the shell there, all it takes is to type 'pr' and hit tab, and it autocompletes 'prboom-plus.exe'.  All it takes is a few strokes.

 

I didn't know about shift-right click though, thanks for the tip.

 

w.r.t @IncognitoMode's question: if you aren't do a whole lot of recording, the simplest instructions would probably be to just paste the wad you wanna play into prboom folder and do the command line there.  My setup might be too bloated for someone who just wants to record a demo once without worrying about future efficiency or organization.

[Killer5]

I find making a folder with batch files works the best for me. Just open a txt editor of your choice (I like notepad++) and add the following line into your new file and save the file as a .bat.

 

The following command will record a demo called 'altitude.lmp' for map01 of altitude.wad on ultra violence using complevel 2 and place the .lmp file into the folder where you batch file is saved.

 

C:\Doom\SourcePorts\prboom+\prboom-plus-2.5.1.5_fix\prboom-plus.exe -iwad C:\Doom\WADs\IWADs\DOOM2.WAD -file C:\Doom\WADs\Altitude\altitude.wad -warp 01 -skill 4 -complevel 2 -record altitude

 

 

The following command will playback a demo called su05-1510 starting at the 5 minute mark in the demo (remove -skipsec command to start demo from beginning, i find this command useful for validating my max runs so I am including it).

 

C:\Doom\SourcePorts\prboom+\prboom-plus-2.5.1.4_demoplayback\prboom-plus.exe -iwad C:\Doom\WADs\IWADs\DOOM2.WAD -file C:\Doom\WADs\Sunder\sunder.wad -playdemo D:\Dropbox\Doom\Demos\Sunder\su05-1510\su05-1510.lmp -complevel 9 -skipsec 5:00

 

 

Important: notice the path to my wads and demos aren't the same as the paths to my sourceports. So I need to specify each file's location. You can make this easy in windows by using 'shift + right click' on the file you want then selecting 'copy as path' from the menu that appears. Then just paste the path into your batch file.

 

Good luck!

[Misty]

I use ZDL for recording demos, so required files and ports are setuped already. In that program's command line I choose skill, level, complevel and if I need, put "record" parameter and launch them. It saves time for me.

[Havoc Crow]

Personally I use Total Commander, a convenient file manager which has a command line right there in the main window, so it allows me to run Doom with parameters without problems.

[IncognitoMode]

Awesome, I did it! It was a lot easier than it sounded.

 

Could this also work for other source ports like ZDoom, GZDoom, Zandronum, and ZDaemon? (The other ones I use)

Edited November 25, 2017 by IncognitoMode

[rehelekretep]

yes g/zdoom you can do exactly the same, obviously substitute the glboom for gzdoom/zdoom. also you can do .pk3 if its a wad in that format :)

[IncognitoMode]

4 hours ago, rehelekretep said:

yes g/zdoom you can do exactly the same, obviously substitute the glboom for gzdoom/zdoom. also you can do .pk3 if its a wad in that format :)

Thanks!