DOOMSERV AND ZDOOM FAQ - ISSUES SIMPLIFIED

Vesion: FAQ VER 2.00, 5/9/99
Author: Falconer
Email: falc@technologist.com
Suggestions: If used, I'll credit your name with them in this FAQ.

CONTENTS

INSTALLING DOOMSERV AND ZDOOM SO THEY WORK WELL (Back Up To Contents)

  1. Both DOOMSERV and ZDOOM should be installed in directories of their own. They can be installed anywhere on your hard drive.

  2. Do not install DOOMSERV or ZDOOM in a directory where other files already exist.

    ZDOOM NEEDS ONLY ONE FILE FROM DOOM2. The file name is DOOM2.WAD. It must be version 1.9. You can check the version number by simply running the DOOM2 game. You may need to upgrade your version. This is done by running a "patch" program that upgrades it. Patch programs can be found on our Downloads and Galleries page.

  3. Once you have DOOM2.WAD version 1.9, copy it into the ZDOOM directory.

  4. Copy ANY WAD FILES OTHER THAN DOOM2.WAD into the DOOMSERV/WADS directory.

  5. Fire up DOOMSERV, and configure it.

INSTALLATION OF RAILGUN.BEX (Back Up To Contents)

  1. Copy RAILGUN.BEX to the DOOMSERV directory.

  2. Open DOOMSERV, and click the DM FLAGS tab.

  3. Click the checkbox beside "Use Railegun."

  4. In the game, the PLASMA RIFLE acts as a RAILGUN.

TO COMPRESS OR NOT TO COMPRESS, THAT IS THE QUESTION (Back Up To Contents)

There are two types of compression you can use - modem compression and software compression. I have always set software compression on.

According to IDSOFTWARE and DWANGO, DOOM2 runs best without modem compression (up to 20% faster). However, during really laggy 'net games, I have reduced ping by 100 units after I and my opponent (Biff) turned it back on. So, I leave the decision to you. In the future, I will probably just set modem compression on all the time.

To set software compression in WIN95/98, do the following:

  1. Open MY COMPUTER, then open DIAL-UP NETWORKING.

  2. Right-click on whichever connection you use to dial up your ISP.

  3. Click PROPERTIES.

  4. Click SERVER TYPES tab.

  5. When the ENABLE SOFTWARE COMPRESSION box is checked, software compression is on.

  6. Click OK.

To set modem compression in WIN95/98, do the following:

  1. Open MY COMPUTER, then open DIAL-UP NETWORKING.

  2. Right-click on whichever connection you use to dial up your ISP.

  3. Click PROPERTIES.

  4. Click CONFIGURE button.

  5. Click CONNECTION tab.

  6. Click ADVANCED button.

  7. All these items should contain a check:

    USE ERROR CONTROL
    USE FLOW CONTROL
    HARDWARE (RTS/CTS)

  8. When the COMPRESS DATA box is checked, modem compression is on.

    You should leave the EXTRA SETTINGS field blank. For advanced users, any commands put in here, are sent to the modem AFTER all the Windows settings are sent. For WIN98 users, click the VIEW LOG button to get an idea of what Windows sent to your modem the last time you logged on. For WIN95 users, there is no VIEW LOG button; and, no, I don't know where this file is on your hard drive.

  9. Close all the dialogue boxes using the OK button.

LAG - HOW TO VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE IT (Back Up To Contents)

There are several things I have done that almost ensure me a virtually lagless game.

  1. Make your decision about modem compression (see above), set it, and then logon.
  2. Check the ping about 5 times and make sure it is consistently below 400. Reading it once may give you a false impression, since sometimes the ping will be all over the map. While you may choose to play with those over a 400 ping, I will not. Even the high 300s work way better than the low 400s for me.
  3. Set Frame Skip (FS) to 3. DWANGO called this "ticdup."
  4. Set Turbo to 110.
  5. In the game, set your mouse sensitivity WAY down, since the FS and Turbo settings impact the mouse.
  6. If your opponent has a faster connection, let him host. While you will have a very smooth game, he may experience a slower, and occaisionally laggy, game (but not one that could be complained about).

Also, remember, that DOOM used to put extra processing burden on whoever is green. The host usually turned out to be green. With ZDoom, the same is true. The host usually has an extra processing burden.

SCREEN SHOTS - HOW TO MAKE THEM  (Back Up To Contents)

In order to make screen shots, one must make an "alias" (nickname) for the screen shot command, and then bind it to a key on the keyboard.

For example, say someone would like to use the word "shot" as the alias for the screen shot command.  He also decides that, after he makes the alias, he will bind it to the key "s" on the keyboard.  Here are the steps he would take:

  1. Run Zdoom.  This can be done solo from the DOOMSERV software.

  2. Pull down the console.

  3. Type: alias shot screenshot

    The screen shot command is now nicknamed "shot."

  4. Type: bind s shot

    The nickname "shot" is now bound to the "s" key on the keyboard.
  5. Exit the console.

Press the "s" key to see if it works.  If it works, the word "SCREENSHOT" will appear in the upper left. The screenshot will be saved to the directory the game was run from with a name of the form doom????.pcx.

MUSIC HAS NO AFFECT ON GAME SAYS ZDOOM AUTHOR (Back Up To Contents)

Randy Heit, author of ZDoom was asked whether music has anything to do with game play. He said no. 'Nuf said.

SKINS (Back Up To Contents)

Skins are cool. However, both players must have the same skins in their DOOMSERV\SKINS directory (just like the requirements for WAD files).

If someone does not have the skin you wish to use, click the ? beside the SKINS field, and then click NO SKINS. I've never been able to download a skin from someone else yet.

SET ICQ TO OCCUPIED INSTEAD OF TURNING IT OFF (Back Up To Contents)

If you are like me, you use ICQ to know when your buds are online. However, some Doomers are resorting to turning it off, thinking it makes games run faster and prevents interruptions. I prefer to leave it on with the following considerations:

  1. The contact list changes only when a buddy logs on or off. This takes negligible bandwidth, and will not be noticable in a game.

  2. Set ICQ to OCCUPIED to make sure that games are not interrupted by people sending ICQ messages to you. Of course, if you have set up a buddy to be able to message you while occupied, that would interrupt a game. HOWEVER, this is not really a problem, since ALT-TAB allows one to switch right back into the game.

  3. If ICQ is checking mail, this could use some bandwidth, but still, I think it is negligible. Set it to check every ten minutes, thus minimizing any impact on a game.

FILL IN PROFILE (Back Up To Contents)

Many people ignore the PROFILE screen in DOOMSERV. However, filling in your city, state, homepage and, optionally, your email helps the DOOM community network better during this fledgling period of bringing DOOM2 to the 'net (thanks Randy Heit). As a courtesy to the cause, please consider filling some information in.

BTW, I use the comments field for listing the wads I like to use most. When others read my profile, they will know what I have. I also list the nicks of those who I get under 400 ping with.

IMPORTANT: Up through version 1.17b, a comma anywhere in the comments field immediately truncates any text beyond that point.

END OF FAQ

HITS SINCE 2/22/99