Message Boards

Well i just want to say nice job on releasing this port and the website. The networking code was a lot better than i thought it would be. However i was have some questions about the source. I was a little disappointed when someone told it was based on zdoom or csdoom. The reason is that i feel like you guys are gonna run into all the pitfalls zdaemon team has already fixed. I was hoping this was gonna be based on a completely different port (prboom for example) so it would be more unique...

So my questions are.
Did you guys think about using a different port besides zdoom?

I see your trying to make it doom2.exe lmp compatible. Does this mean that this port in future releases will be more exactly like doom2.exe than zdaemon?

Since this just released and your using an older source (csdoom). How long do you think it will take you to catch up with zdaemon in terms of fixing holes that are already patched in zdaemon  and possibly making more true to doom2.exe?

I am sure i have more questions but they escape me at the moment. Otherwise i like seeing alternatives taking things in a different direction. good luck with your port.

"The net code is almost entirely different from what we started with and we aim to improve upon it without impairing important aspects of Doom game play."

I found what you said above quite interesting. How does the network code impair the aspects of the game? could you give me an example.

This what i want to know. if we rule out lag and rule out doom2 source port engine differences and we just look at the networking code.

How does using udp packets VS the ipx protocol in doom2 effect the game? assuming you were both using the same doom2 source port and were both on a lan. except one game used udp packets and the other used oldschool ipx what would be different in the gameplay?

-Dred

How does using udp packets VS the ipx protocol in doom2 effect the game? assuming you were both using the same doom2 source port and were both on a lan. except one game used udp packets and the other used oldschool ipx what would be different in the gameplay?

The obvious difference is how lag is handled. In doom2.exe, if you lag everyone else is going to lag with you. This is because in doom2.exe you are peer-to-peer connected; Games you play in it identically synced up. Odamex however uses a client/server design that allows players to jump in and out of the action at will. This means that the server needs to be telling every client what is going on and try to do it at an equal rate to make the game appear to be in sync for everyone else.

If bugs aren't correctly fixed both client and server side, what you see in your client might not actually be happening on the server (which is what matters). Because of this, other players in the server may see an open door for example, but the door will appear closed to you. This impairs doom2.exe gameplay.

Hi, i have one simple question. will odamex support PWO (preffered weapon order)?

No. It will also not support noswitchonpickup. We strive to maintain the balance of the original doom2.exe. Certain maps place weapons as traps (You pick it up and become vulnerable to attack for a few moments). By allowing certain players to overcome this, you are breaking the balance of the original gameplay.

Ralphis,
thank you for bringing Odamex to doom community. I'm glad to hear that this port uses csDooM technology. csDooM was really well balanced port, convenient to most of players. I wonder why it was not so popular. The 0.1 version is quite raw, but it shows great prospects imho. The opponents' images shake of course, but is is much much better than letting port shake your sight.
It's also awesome that you support old school rather than new school. There are little os players left, so it's time to revive them =)
What about some new features? It'd be very great if you include the spectating system that makes a player be a spectator first before joining the game, like it is in Zdaemon.
The most annoying bug is that client cannot join a server correctly. I choose one server and the client connects me to another one, so it makes necessary to connect thru the console. It cannot tell the ports I suppose.

Thank you for great work for DooM community! Just a few more  additions and the DooM community will be pleased to do a great work for you =)

GJ, BW and GL.

- OS player, 1-on-1 fan, SSG user, Bpy6[iddqd]

P.S. Huh Libor, tired of autoswitch, eh? =) It's hardcore and hardcore is always cool! Difficulties should be solved by you, not evaded =)))))

P.P.S. And one more question... Will there be some type of scoreboard, exp points table, like zdaemon has... It there WILL be, please don't make it as stupid as zdaemon has. The exp there doesn't really show skills you know, exp shouldn't be counted only by frags, doublekills etc, it should depend on your opponent exp, so winning experienced opponent gives more exp, than winning n00b =) It's real zdaemon problem.

Thanks for the comments Bpy6. To ansers your questions:

What about some new features? It'd be very great if you include the spectating system that makes a player be a spectator first before joining the game, like it is in Zdaemon.

Spectator support is planned, as well as demo recording. Hang tight.

The most annoying bug is that client cannot join a server correctly. I choose one server and the client connects me to another one, so it makes necessary to connect thru the console. It cannot tell the ports I suppose.

http://odamex.net/russell/odalaunch1.exe

This fixes the problem you described.

P.P.S. And one more question... Will there be some type of scoreboard, exp points table, like zdaemon has... It there WILL be, please don't make it as stupid as zdaemon has. The exp there doesn't really show skills you know, exp shouldn't be counted only by frags, doublekills etc, it should depend on your opponent exp, so winning experienced opponent gives more exp, than winning n00b =) It's real zdaemon problem.

There was talk about this a year ago, but we never came to a decision and I doubt we will anytime soon. It's something that is incredibly low on our priority list.

From reading odawiki and faq I got feeling that odamex is targeted to old school players. Am I right? And somewhere else I read that jumping and freelook will be supported so why not PWO?

Anyway keep up the good work. Here, in czech republic, odamex is very hot topic and all OS players are awaiting it :)

Well, the new SkullTag does not support PWO it only supports "switch on pickup".
And when talking about exp, I think it would be nice to have some kind of stats system eg. kill ratio, weapon usage and such.

Hello everybody! I'm waiting for the completion of a "refined" version. The PWO and noswitchonpickup should be supported, because there will be old-school servers and new-school servers. These options should be toggled by the server masters, so old-schoolers may disable them if they want. But there should be available for new-schoolers.

Also it should be great to record a demo without joining a game, in this way one can play on a server and record a demo on another in the same time. I needed this option in ZDaemon several times, but it's not available.