[eniojr]

I liked Duke Nukem Legacy Edition mod so much that I'm starting to make an entire episode to be played using this mod. The maps will be a fusion of several maps from the game, using the maps from this mod's version as a base. The idea is to make large maps made of merged levels and extra parts and try to make them more similar to the maps from the unreleased beta versions (like the Red Light District). I warn that this is not a new mod, but maps to be used with the Legacy Mod. If making maps similar to the beta versions and Lameduke is fun, it will be even more fun playing with the Legacy mod.

For now, the plan is:

Level 1: The level starts on a rooftop (with an alien ship seen in the distance), but this time there will be some action before entering the main street, through an alley. There will be more places to explore on the roof. Basically there will be a combination of Hollywood Holocaust and Red Light District, but including several parts related to the different game levels that take place in the game's city, such as Raw Meat, LA Rumble, Movie Set, Hotel Hell, Stadium, Duke-Burguer, Shop-N-Bag, Babe Land, and XXX-Stacy. What will be there will be a little bit of each of these levels in different parts of the map.

Level 2: I still don't have a clear idea of what this level will be like, but it could be a more distant part of Los Angeles, where there will be a sewage plant, similar to the Sweeney, Sewer, Toxic Dump maps, some streets with certain locations like Bank Roll, Flood Zone, Rabid Transit, Fahrenheit, Freeway, Pigsty and Going Postal, as well as an area where you have to destroy a huge reactor, which will probably be a nuclear power plant (which would be like Critical Mass). And perhaps in this part you will have to face one or more Mini Bosses. In other words, this level will be on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

Level 3: This stage will take place in a huge prison (like Death Row and perhaps something similar to a Lameduke level), which you will have to escape from and retrieve weapons as you progress through the map. There may be parts similar to It's Impossible. This level, just like in Death Row, can end in a submarine, where you will escape. Think of this level as a Death Row where the aliens will do anything to stop you from escaping. Additionally, there may be a secret exit that will take you to a secret level, which would be in a secret base (similar to Area 51 and an alian part, like The Queen).

Level 4: After escaping in the submarine, it is attacked and you will have to venture under the sea until you reach a submarine base, like in a Lameduke level. In the second part you will have to venture inside a ship (similar to Derelict), where at the end of the level you will find yourself in front of a temple in the California desert. This level will be challenging for anyone with thalassophobia.

Level 5: You will start the level at the entrance of a temple, with Derelict's ship on the horizon. The first part will be a huge temple with a lava field. The second part will be a station similar to the Launching Facility. In the third part you will enter a parked alien ship that is blocking the rocket launch systems. After a battle with a mini-boss, or if you dodge one, you will end the level inside the rocket, which will take you to the next level. This level will have similar elements to The Abyss and Launching Facility.

Level 6: This level will take you to space. The level will take place in a large space station belonging to the Earth Defense Forces. It will include elements from Spaceport, Incubator, Warp Factor and Occupied Territory. There may be parts where you will have to fly from one part to another using the jetpack and space suit.

Level 7: Here you will find yourself inside a gigantic alien spaceship, which will have elements from Faces of Death, Fusion Station, Overlord and The Queen. It's like the previous level, but with more challenges and inside a ship with a threatening and dark environment. There may also be something like Spin Cycle, Lunatic Fringe and Tier Drops.

Level 8: You are now on an Earth Defense Forces lunar base, with elements of Tiberius Station, Lunar Reactor and Dark Side. This level will be huge, as I will make the most of the concept of a huge lunar base, including caves and possibly a subway station similar to some Lameduke maps, as well as a cafeteria, dormitory, laboratory, among other things.

Level 9: After being teleported to the aliens' original planet through a monolith on the Moon, you will have to venture into an immense alien city, with both a terrestrial and aquatic part. You will be alone among hundreds or thousands of aliens. Your luck is that the aliens confiscated several items and weapons useful for your survival.

Level 10: The episode ends in a big alien skyscraper, where you will have to confront the Cycloid Emperor on the roof. This may occur in a large area, surrounded by enemies, to increase the challenge. But before the battle, you'll have to explore several rooms and areas to fight mini-bosses. The episode ends with the defeat of the Cycloid Emperor.

Level 11 (secret): As mentioned, it will take place in a secret base in the California desert, similar to the Area 51 map. The secret base may have a part that takes you to a small alien ship in space, which will be more similar to Faces of Death but in a larger size. The level will end back at the military base, after having passed through the alien environment, which could be either on Earth or in space, I still have to decide.

If it's possible to add more maps in an episode, then maybe I'll add some more levels and change a bit the context of the levels.

The level names might be:

Level 1: LA Meltdown

Level 2: Shutdown at Ground Zero

Level 3: The Infested Prison

Level 4: Oceanic Mining Station

Level 5: Magical Desert Temple

Level 6: Earth Defense Forces Station

Level 7: The Alien Spaceship

Level 8: Tiberius Lunar Station

Level 9: Alien Home Planet

Level 10: Cycloid's Castle

Level 11: Secret Research Station

Overall, this episode I plan to create will take Duke Nukem from Los Angeles to the Moon. For me, the game should have taken a similar path, gradually taking the player from Earth to space. I mean, the first 4 episodes, including here World Tour should have all been on Earth, with the last one (Lunar Apocalypse) having been in space. This episode I plan to create will be a summary of what I believe in how the game should have been done more or less, but without the World Tour. It will be a single episode, but full of content and different contexts. It will also have big maps, to make the game more enjoyable. Maybe a bigger and more complete version of E1L6 of Lameduke should have been on the final game, as the first level.

As I said, these maps must be played using the Legacy Edition mod, due to the quality of the mod's content and because I intend to add some elements not included in the mod in relation to certain parts of maps from beta versions not released to the public. It won't be 100% equal to the original levels, but I will make some effort.

For now, all of this is just a plan. But I'm starting to make the first map already.

[eniojr]

The only problem in making such maps is the wall number limit. In level 1, as I said, you will start on a roof, but it's not a single roof, but many roofs. You'll have to escape an attack made by turrets on the alien ship floating in the sky. You'll have to hide from the attacks behind boxes, as well as killing assault troopers on the roofs. Only after all this you'll go down to the main street through an alley. When you reach the street, there will be an earthquake with a car accident, and that street will have blown cars with blood spread in walls. In such street there is already a hotel, similar to that os E3L8, but with some differences. There will have many bedrooms to explore and one of them will have a card that will allow to enter another building I'm making right now.

With time I will update the progress with some screenshots.

[Aleks]

I'd definitely recommend you to check out ck3d's approach on squeezing his re-interpretations of whole original episodes into single maps:

LA Meltdown 2047
Lunar Apocalypse 3072: A Space Oprah
Shrapnel City 2096: Trapped In The Future!

[ck3D]

^ That's only if they wish to be reassured that the wall limit isn't so much of a problem for large maps (and Blast Radius probably showcases that even more). Otherwise I hope they follow their own direction which does sound pretty neat. Sounds like the design approach that would best serve it would be average sized but open levels with layout work done first and only then about half the resources per map dedicated to props/effects, if the person isn't trying to make a titanic episode that would sound the most reasonable, but of course I'm always pleased to be surprised by unique personal formulas and style needs to naturally develop over time, also in the workflow and process and that will dictate everything anyway.

Thread is relatively silent for now because this is a quite direct community and most people mostly take shown/done work seriously but I hope OP comes through, it's great seeing so much motivation. I'll be following the updates. One piece of advice I'd give is, don't spill all your beans about your project before it's even been started, or you're already spoiling it before it happens. Going to be extra work to surprise us now but very surely you can still do that too. Either way, it's cool you have a plan. Good luck!

[eniojr]

Quote

I'd definitely recommend you to check out ck3d's approach on squeezing his re-interpretations of whole original episodes into single maps:

LA Meltdown 2047
Lunar Apocalypse 3072: A Space Oprah
Shrapnel City 2096: Trapped In The Future!

In the case of my long-term project, the idea is to do an entire episode. This episode aims to sort of summarize the entire game in a single episode. As this is an episode, in this case there will be more places to explore in relation to the aforementioned maps already made.For example, in the first level there are elements from both the first and third episodes of the original game. In a while I intend to post some images of this level, which is already in an intermediate stage of development, after I start developing the second level.

Remember that the episode is to be played using the Legacy Mod.

Imagine an episode that reinterprets the game by mixing elements from all the original episodes and this added with the presence of elements from the beta versions not distributed through a mod.

Quote

Thread is relatively silent for now because this is a quite direct community and most people mostly take shown/done work seriously but I hope OP comes through, it's great seeing so much motivation. I'll be following the updates. One piece of advice I'd give is, don't spill all your beans about your project before it's even been started, or you're already spoiling it before it happens. Going to be extra work to surprise us now but very surely you can still do that too. Either way, it's cool you have a plan. Good luck!

That's ok, because I will only post images of the maps eventually, as I finish them.

[eniojr]

I discovered a hub system in Eduke32 and downloaded the hub maps. I`ll have to modify EDUKE.CON to make the hub effect (similar to that of Half-Life) to work in my custom set of maps (episode). If this works, then I will be able to make huge levels without the worry of wall, sector or sprite limit. I`m starting to test that now.

[eniojr]

I'm still making the first map, because it's a huge level (maybe not in size but because it has many places to go), so it will take time to finish.

The level already has: Roof complex > A small neighborhood made of (for now) 4 avenues with streets connected to it (and maybe smaller streets connecting parts of a block) > Motel (connected to a car parking) > Cinema (it might be bigger, with more rooms and an extra bathroom) > Arcade (separated from the cinema and bigger) > Porn shop (with more cabins and a modified bathroom) > A much bigger XXX Stacy's > Duke Burger with that clandestine canine society > 3D Realms studio with it's own car parking (yes, I tried to make a replica of that studio, based on an image with that Duke logo on the floor) > Some apartments > Supermarket as a maze (with it's own car parking) > Hotel (from Hotel Hell) with it's car parking > Nightclub (a mixture of Raw Meat with that bar from E1L2 but more similar to the images of those unreleased betas, not that rough bar from the final version). Aside from all this, it also has until now 3 sewer areas (hotel, burguer and supermarket) and there will have some big monitors in the street area (similar to L.A. Rumble). The streets also will have many lamp posts on the sidewalks and trees in the middle of those avenues, also with traffic lights, cars and more. It will be a stylish and beautiful level, although somewhat dark.

I'll try to avoid empty rooms and streets, I promise!

I'm planning to put more things as possible. If there's enough wall and sprite limit remaining, I will put a modified E3L5 (Movie Set) in it.

Also, I'm planning to put something that resembles that neon towers from Lameduke, maybe next to the final part (that will be another avenue, with elements similar to some images of unregistered E1L2 version, those images with an assault commander riding a flying vehicle and big monitor). I still don't know what to do with those neon towers, though. The final part of the level might be the entrance of a metro, such as that of E3L5. Because I'm planning the second level to start in the metro, similar to E1L6 but way bigger, connecting important parts of the level, I mean, different streets. But the focus now is to end the first level.

[Aleks]

 eniojr, on 04 May 2024 - 03:27 PM, said:

I'm still making the first map, because it's a huge level (maybe not in size but because it has many places to go), so it will take time to finish.

The level already has: Roof complex > A small neighborhood made of (for now) 4 avenues with streets connected to it (and maybe smaller streets connecting parts of a block) > Motel (connected to a car parking) > Cinema (it might be bigger, with more rooms and an extra bathroom) > Arcade (separated from the cinema and bigger) > Porn shop (with more cabins and a modified bathroom) > A much bigger XXX Stacy's > Duke Burger with that clandestine canine society > 3D Realms studio with it's own car parking (yes, I tried to make a replica of that studio, based on an image with that Duke logo on the floor) > Some apartments > Supermarket as a maze (with it's own car parking) > Hotel (from Hotel Hell) with it's car parking > Nightclub (a mixture of Raw Meat with that bar from E1L2 but more similar to the images of those unreleased betas, not that rough bar from the final version). Aside from all this, it also has until now 3 sewer areas (hotel, burguer and supermarket) and there will have some big monitors in the street area (similar to L.A. Rumble). The streets also will have many lamp posts on the sidewalks and trees in the middle of those avenues, also with traffic lights, cars and more. It will be a stylish and beautiful level, although somewhat dark.

I'll try to avoid empty rooms and streets, I promise!

I'm planning to put more things as possible. If there's enough wall and sprite limit remaining, I will put a modified E3L5 (Movie Set) in it.

Also, I'm planning to put something that resembles that neon towers from Lameduke, maybe next to the final part (that will be another avenue, with elements similar to some images of unregistered E1L2 version, those images with an assault commander riding a flying vehicle and big monitor). I still don't know what to do with those neon towers, though. The final part of the level might be the entrance of a metro, such as that of E3L5. Because I'm planning the second level to start in the metro, similar to E1L6 but way bigger, connecting important parts of the level, I mean, different streets. But the focus now is to end the first level.

One picture says more than a thousand words, so we would appreciate seeing some screenshots rather than just reading about the level

Also, considering the scope of this project you are planning, I would advise you to release the first level (or few things levels) as a "demo" version first, this would both allow you to get more attention/hype for potential players but also give you an important feedback for the next levels.

[eniojr]

Yes, I'll post some pictures. But first I need to at least finish some parts of the level. Currently I'm finishing the street part. The problem is with the supermarket. Maybe it'll be in the second level, because the map is near it's limits.

[eniojr]

Ok, I decided to publish at least the first part of the level and what is done until now. Here are some images:


Here it's where you start. The alien ship attacked your ship and now you have to run away from the lasers.


Right after the start there's another roof with a swimming pool, trees and tables. A "pleasant" place for your situation!


Obviously, the water was invaded by eggs. Not even here you will have peace! At least here you can listen to the distorted bar music from the radio above the pool.


Next part is a another roof with a series of boxes that you will have to climb to reach the final roof.


The final roof where you traditionally start, but this time with respawned enemies and a water tank for you to dive!


Here's a secret roof where you can go through a teleporer somewhere in the level.


Here's the secret room below that traditional roof via the water tank with eggs and organic turrets.


Even in the secret room you can still dive into that infested pool.


Here is where you fall into the city. This is part of the motel garage.


This part is somewhat similar to that of the unreleased version of Hollywood Holocaust but with a car accident effect, similar to Pigsty.


One of the motel rooms.


The drunken and pervert security man of the motel.


Two of the avenues. Not finished yet, but you can see the effort I'm putting into it, to make it beautiful and believable.
I want to make a good contrast between bright lights and dark environment.


The new entrace for the cinema. Maybe it should have a bigger door... I don't know.


I'm really putting effort to make a believable avenue. Note that the sidewalks are full with those lamp posts with light sprites.
The trees are only in the middle of those avenues.


The arcade establishment until now. I'm planning to make a bigger video game station, separated from the cinema.


New entrace for the porn shop, similar to that of the not published beta version.


This porn shop has many more cabins.


A bigger porn bathroom, to be finished.


That upper part of the porn shop, connected to...


...a big corridor of the XXX Stacy's.


The first sewer, right below the avenue, only acessible through a secret room in XXX Stacy's.


A bigger and more interesting XXX studio.


The XXX Stacy's entrace... or exit.


A big bar and comedy club connected to Duke Burguer.


Duke Burguer entrace.


A more believable fridge, with adequate fog (palette 26).


That infamous canine dissection room with a canine prison and access to the second sewer.


The second sewer.


The S.P.C.H. entrace where it should have been... in a more discreet location, because it's clandestine!

[eniojr]

3D Realms studio main entrace. Duke Nukem born here from a computer programming code.


Inside the entrace hall.


The main hall, similar to that picture of the 3D Realms studio hall.
3D Realms were infested by aliens, but the developers are hidden and safe elsewhere, maybe in a secret room waiting for the aliens to be killed.


The other part of the hall, with a snooker. Duke Nukem will have to save his developers while they are hiding.
I'll try to make a dark room where you could view them partially, their heads (based on E1L7).


3D Realms games but here related to Duke Nukem only. I'm planning to add more textures using BAFE, but I don't know if it will work with Legacy mod.
If I can add textures, I'll add first LameDuke art, and then covers of other 3D Realms/Apogee games.
I'm still not experienced with adding or making game art. I still don't know much about Tilesxxx.art files and rules.


Inside that dark room with models of Duke Nukem enemies. Maybe for testing games?


An imagined studio where the games are actually made.


A small room where the developers can relax a bit.


3D Realms garage, with the developers futuristic GEV cars.


And another sewer connected to the 3D Realms garage.


Yesssss... that secret room from E1L1. Maybe I will turn it in an entire apartment.


Hotel entrace.


Entrace hall of the hotel, with an elevator.


Hotel bathrooms.


That infamous hotel image recreated based on an unpublished beta version.


The hotel bar remade, also based on a beta image.


An extra room with a television and small library.


The swimming pool remade.


The ATM corridor.


A more infested swimming pool.


Yes, that secret is included too, but a bit different.


Hotel garage entrace.


The big hotel garage with many flying futuristic GEV cars.


The hotel sewer entrace.


The hotel sewer.


The drunken and pervert security of the hotel.


The corridor with 12 bedrooms with bathroom and a secret to find.


Perverted room...


and a perverted alien too!


The infested scary room.

[eniojr]

The supermarket garage.


The supermarket main entrace.


A perverted commander in the porn shop of the supermarket.


The supermarket main hall with many cash boxes (ignore the inverted numbers, I will correct that).


Hortifruti sector.


One of the main hall corridors.


A big fridge with alien body parts.

As for the supermarket, it is mostly incomplete and maybe, depending on the Build limits, may be in this level or in the next level.

The idea for the supermarket is to make a big but not so complex maze, with a dark and a bit eerie and hideous environment.

What is misisng for now are some fixes, more things in the streets, nightclub, movie set, neon tower, a tunnel and the final street similar to an E1L2 unreleased beta version.

[eniojr]

There's something I want but I don`t know how...

That is to add new cards to the game. I mean... green, grey and brown access cards. The game has only 3 color cards and this limit the possibilities in a big level. I think you can make new codes or files to make this happen using Eduke32, but I don't know any of them. I also want to add Lameduke graphics to my maps, but preserving the main game and mod graphics.

[eniojr]

Some streets have these fences and boxes. The idea of this is to make you have to go through the establishments to get to the other side of some streets. This adds an extra challenge. Because being able to walk around the neighborhood freely is too easy and a bit bland. The only ones who will be able to cross such fences freely are flying Pigcops and other enemies that can fly. Jetpacks will only be available towards the end of the level, after the obstacles have been passed. The jetpacks could be useful for the neon towers I'm planning on putting in the level.

[eniojr]

The last image I will post for now:


It's the map of the first level until now.

You can see the map is still unfinished. But at least you can have an idea of the immensity of this level.
The biggest part is the streets section. The second big is the hotel. You can also have an idea of the size of the roof area.
The map, despite being large, occupies only 1/4 of the entire Build engine area.

[eniojr]

I managed to include all of the Lameduke into the classic Duke Nukem and Legacy textures, without affecting the existing textures. I learned a bit about BAFE and used texture numbers from 10000 to above. These high numbers for textures are safer, because such spaces are normally not used in mods. The game including the Legacy mod use Tiles0xx.ART from 0 to 22. The only thing I needed to do was to use higher numbers and empty slots to textures. Now I have to learn to create or import a texture from the internet to include in the game. But maybe I will have to use Photoshop to scale the original texture to a size compatible with used in Duke Nukem textures. But all of the Lameduke files I managed to include are the original ones, not an upscaled version. To make upscale images, I will have to use some software. If I can upcale the images, maybe they might be compatible with the Legacy mod. I want to make a mini-mod inside another, if possible.

[ck3D]

Wow so many screenshots. Level does look pretty cool, you have style and ideas and I can tell the passion you're putting into this, I don't doubt you'll get it done.

In case you wouldn't have done it yet/wouldn't know, you can expand max Build/Mapster space in the corresponding .cfg and changing the value for editorgridextent to 524288.

[eniojr]

Does the contrast between darkness and bright lights in the streets look good? About the city streets, I made that way, as large streets, because that's what I imagine a city looking map. Those classical levels of Duke Nukem look more like alleys than realistic streets. I will add traffic lights to the streets and some other things, maybe parked cars too. The only problem with large streets is that they tend to be more emptier.

[Forge]

ck3D, on 05 May 2024 - 09:22 PM, said:

Wow so many screenshots. Level does look pretty cool, you have style and ideas and I can tell the passion you're putting into this, I don't doubt you'll get it done.

I did a ton of modifications to d.c. & vaca episodes for AA. It's way more time consuming than you'd think; especially when trying to blend in with the original ambiance.

[eniojr]

The art modification will be minimal, because I just managed to include many Lameduke art with animations, but I still didn't add the new art to my map. I don't even know if any of these will be in my maps. Maybe.

But if I use any new textures, you will have to add new art files to the Legacy mod folder that I will include in this situation with the map or episode.

I won't add more enemies or weapons to use with Legacy mod. What I just really want is to add some more textures and keycard palette colors (green, gray and brown) to use in my maps, and maybe some effects from other mods, such as Naferia (like the ladder climbing effect).

Anyone here knows how to add new usable keycard palettes, I mean, the codes necessary to it, in a .CON file?

[eniojr]

I extracted Shadow Warrior textures from Tilesxxx.art to make some new Tilesxxx.art for Duke Nukem, but the palette is different. Is there a way to convert the Shadow Warrior textures to use in Duke Nukem maps, in a way the textures appear normal?

[eniojr]

Let's talk about modding now:

The idea behind adding new textures to an existing mod (to be used as addon to specific maps) is because the overall textures of Duke Nukem are limited to some specific contexts. I mean, the game should have more textures, more variation, like the new weapons and enemies added in Legacy mod. If I add many more textures from various games and other mods, it'll allow me to compensate those limitations and the maps will be more believable and interesting too. I finally maganed to solve the palette problem of Shadow Warrior textures, so one less problem. I'm still learning to deal with Build engine art.

As I said, I managed to preserve the existing textures of Duke Nukem and Legacy mod by using higher slot numbers for textures, from 10000 to higher values. Most mods normally don't use such high values, except maybe for Naferia, because it's a ludicrouss mod. I'm using Build Art Files Editor to deal with textures. Using high slot numbers for new textures is a strategy to avoid conflict with textures from future Legacy mod releases. I'm also thinking to upscale the textures, to increase their resolution and put inside Tilesxxx.art files, without having to make upscale texture folders. For this I will have to use some of those AI softwares to increase the image resolution and quality. I found a software but it's not working. Any suggestions into increasing texture resolution and quality?

The extra textures in which I created new Tilesxxx.art are from: Duke Nukem Anniversary Edition, Lameduke, Shadow Warrior, Redneck Rampage and Memories mod. I'm deciding now if I will also add Naferia mod textures or not, but it has some interesting textures that could be useful. Not all of those textures will be added to the maps (because I still don't know what textures I will even use), but I'm already starting to add those new textures to my level. Not only that, but the program I'm using (Build ART Files Editor) allowed me to also make some texture animations. I'm anxious to test those textures in my map. But it's not enough. There are textures of buttons and objects that I want to add an effect. The problem is that I'm new into modding, so I still don't understand much about programming or making codes and functions for new textures and items. For example, there are textures of destructible items, but I don't know how to transform these textures into destructible objects. The same with buttons, I want to make some textures to act as buttons.

There are also some textures of women that you can interact, like those of Shadow Warrior. I want to make them interactive, as in Shadow Warrior. Also aside from this I want to make at least one character. Not an actual enemy or protagonist, but it's interesting if I could make scary women and men running through the streets and rooms. If there are strippers still alive, the same should apply to common people not captured by aliens. I know this will be much more complex to make, but it will add some realism into the game. It would be interesting too if I added some animals, like those of Redneck Rampage and Shadow Warrior or maybe create new ones, to add a bit more immersion.

I also want to add new sounds for buttons, objects and actors (for those scary men and women and animals), as well as ambient sounds, but I also don't know how to include new audio and make them work with buttons, objects or actors. If possible, I want to add new usable colors for cards (green, gray and brown) and that is much needed. I also want to add some effects, like climbing ladders and maybe that vacuum effect of Lameduke with airlocks closing when glass is broken.

I don't want to make an entire mod (because I'm new into modding), but to add more things into an existing mod as an addon for specific maps.

I want to put my vision of what Duke Nukem levels should have been inside Legacy mod (because it's one of the best mods), but with extra textures, sounds, buttons, objects, effects and killable non enemy actors as an addon).

Does Marcolino uses this forum? He could give me some advices about what I said here and my project, and to help me make the changes compatible with his mod.

Observation: Sorry for my english, I'm from Brazil and my english skills are not 100%. Sorry for that inconvenience.

[eniojr]

I managed to create 2 new custom items, based on the existing Sixpak. One restores 100% HP and makes Duke Nukem burp high loud, using a custom new sound. The other restores 50% HP and makes Duke Nukem have a lot of diarrhea using another custom sound. COCACOLA texture was taken from Lameduke, while the other from Redneck Rampage. At least I made a little progress in coding. And I did this without CHATGPT help.

actor COCACOLA
  fall
  ifmove RESPAWN_ACTOR_FLAG
    state respawnit
  else
    ifp pshrunk nullop
    else
      ifp palive
        ifpdistl RETRIEVEDISTANCE
          ifcount 6
            ifphealthl MAXPLAYERHEALTH
              ifcanseetarget
      {
		addphealth 100
		quote 1000
		sound 425
		
        ifspawnedby COCACOLA
          state getcode
        else
          state quikget
      }
enda

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

actor NFCOWPIE
  fall
  ifmove RESPAWN_ACTOR_FLAG
    state respawnit
  else
    ifp pshrunk nullop
    else
      ifp palive
        ifpdistl RETRIEVEDISTANCE
          ifcount 6
            ifphealthl MAXPLAYERHEALTH
              ifcanseetarget
      {
		addphealth 50
		quote 1001
		sound 426
		
        ifspawnedby NFCOWPIE
          state getcode
        else
          state quikget
      }
enda

I almost finished making new items, because it's not the focus of my project. I only made this to add something funny. The only thing left is how to restore health but at the same time use Steroid effect. It's not an inventory item, because it's similar to Sixpak in function. You consume when you touch it.

The next step in coding will be to make new switches, breakable objects and wall textures. I have the textures for that. I only need to know how to make it happen.

I tried everything using CHATGPT (except about the code showed here), but it seems it lacks the knowledge of codes or on how to build a sequence of codes for something new used in Eduke32, or the modified Eduke used in Legacy mod. The fact that it is limited until 2021 makes things even more difficult. I even asked it to be based on the content on the website https://wiki.eduke32.com/wiki/, but it still failed to get me to add new things to the game. These things I'm going to add are mostly simple things that should follow the same logic as what already exists in the game, such as new buttons, breakable objects and wall textures that can be broken. It seems that coding in Duke Nukem is very cryptic, you have to be a developer of some kind to make new things happen in the game, with some exceptions such as the code I showed here.

As for the codes I put in the final part of GAME.CON, after "useractor enemy NEWBEAST NEWBEASTSTRENGTH". And it worked well.

I think the developers of Duke Nukem were not fond about modding games. Or maybe this concept didn't exist in mid 90's.

Shadow Warrior is even a worse case, it's almost impossible to make changes in the game, everything seems to be too well hidden from the eyes of the public.

It's like the developers didn't want the public to change their games in any way!

[eniojr]

I tried to make a code for adding new dipswitches, but I got an error message. Here's the code I tried.

define LAMEBUTTON 10445

useractor notenemy LAMEBUTTON {
    states {
        spawn {
            sprite 10445    
            lotag 0                 
            cstat 2                 
        }
        active {
            
            sprite 10446     
            lotag 1                 
            cstat 2                 
        }
    }
    action {
        ifpdistl 128, usestate NewDipswitch, active
    }
}

Is there an specific code order to add new dipswitches?

I'm still learning how to build codes in .CON language. I'm not a game developer, so it's still much a long and tedious mistakes and successes process.

I discovered in Eduke32 article on how to create new breakable objects (FINALLY!). It's a shame that the Eduke32 website doesn't have everything I need, how to create new dipswitches. There should be a tutorial showing everything about not just the codes themselves, but on how to build the correct code sequences to everything in this game. Duke Nukem coding is still very enigmatic. A complete tutorial with step by step would be extremely useful and practical for any new modders that are still learning on how to make mods or addons for the game. There are some tutorials in the internet, but they are somewhat hard to find. It's a shame it's not like DOOM! At least I made the next step in learning .CON codes (the breakable objects).

[ck3D]

You're looking at your task the wrong way around. DooM is an exception being so convenient to mod, not the norm and more fundamentally Duke 3D is a completely different game, the engines have nothing to do with one another in terms of functions. The only grounds for comparison between DooM and Duke is they're sprite-based first person shooters but they do not function the same way at all. Again, 'blocks of code' and 'step by step tutorials' do not exist because they can't, besides giving the few examples and basic demos the EDuke Wiki already lists no one else can rewrite things in the game the specific way you'd want because everyone needs to basically invent their own way in accordance to their project details (the whole sum of it), code and assets. That you expected ChatGPT to be of any help at all and then didn't even realize the code you were using wasn't .con is a red flag that you're severely underestimating the work you're going to have to put in to materialize everything you list. With DooM you can be a tourist (you also can be serious), with Duke you have to be willing to learn for real. Build is more powerful but also quirkier in part in that it allows non euclidean space and real-time dynamic sectors but if you're not going to use that specifically then probably should consider porting the project over to DooM if your familiarity is greater, I think sometimes that's a wise choice, for instance the author of Metal Future recently did that and they've been a lot more efficient since, because their vision didn't need Build specifics. Converting all the assets would take time, but that's shorter than the time you're going to spend hacking away at Duke's code... unless you stop thinking on DooM terms, and instead look at the game as what it is, then you'll get results and fast.

How difficult the task is also sounds like a personal issue locating or paying actual attention to the information that's out there because the Infosuite, the EDuke Wiki and various threads on here have all you need and I don't ever see a problem with anyone else who successfully picks up Duke modding and (especially these days with how practical EDuke is) achieves interesting results in mindblowing time (to me as an old timer who spent decades figuring out sometimes the most simple stuff). And none are professional game developers either. I think your ideas are pretty cool so I'm being honest so you can go in with actually realistic expectations if you're going to stick to progress, by distracting yourself with how a different game works you're shooting yourself in the foot whereas if you accept Duke 3D as Duke 3D you'll have a much easier time and realize how you can do the stuff. It's a general thing and not personal, it's regularly baffling to me these days observing the (popular) jump in logic that if a game vaguely resembles another one, then surely enough they must be the same. DooM comparisons actually are increasingly common but I find it really weird that all the differences between the engines (and reasons to use them) have become lost to time when they used to be common knowledge just a few years back. I occasionally see straight up disinformation on YouTube too with lots of people talking about 'the Build engine' for cool points and views but obviously have zero idea what it is/how it works the second they start speaking and thus spread nonsense thousands and thousands of viewers accept and take for granted. And then when they do give Build a shot later they realize (usually the hard way) they had formed a completely wrong idea of it. It's literally the 'it's the same picture' meme just happening for real and this type of ignorance/oversight is destructive to a creative's potential. Problem isn't that Duke isn't Doom, it's that people somehow think it is and then what can you do.

Your English is good so I don't think it's a language barrier if you can't find the stuff, I suspect just a mindset and focus thing. I think a habit that could be useful to you would be just to browse the Wiki regularly just to get familiar with the lingo, not necessarily the language, but all the terms that keep coming back and what they actually mean (even just as a mapper/non coder it helps understand what actually goes on behind the scenes of the map stuff). Given your ambition, it's crucial you look at the lists of which commands do what, and which objects are called what, those are your tools and possibilities, and then you'll realize that even with those there is only so much you can control at the base level because, again, a lot of stuff about the game is hardcoded and so every piece of content is accessible but a lot of behaviors can't be touched by the original .con language. That includes switch types/behavior and is why no one can just write tutorials and solutions without being you and 100% aware of every detail, line of code, map coords, and full intent of the project, so you'll have to figure it out (even if at a later stage; can use the normal dipswitches around the maps in the meantime and still progress). Every feature you see in a Duke mod essentially is an original, artisanal workaround to a unique situation, this is the polar opposite to GameMaker type of logic. For instance I don't think base .con even allows for new dipswitch behavior and so you might have to get into EDuke32 scripting on top of .con to achieve those. Marcos uses that to achieve basically everything Legacy Edition does under the hood; it's all made possible by modern EDuke features otherwise literally couldn't exist. Complaining that someone else didn't already do the work won't magically give them to you, learning will, but you'll have to get there first, and I'm only raising warning flags because you don't seem to realize that stuff actually is relatively advanced. The more you'll want to read, practice and learn, the easier and faster you'll get there, that's just how it works I don't have to make it up, but I believe you can do it, there is no reason that you couldn't but discouragement from impatience.

It's a good first step you learned the breakables, if you can pick up on one new thing (no matter how small) every day just for the sake of it you'll be the first one to surprise yourself with what you can pull off, I can guarantee it. Maybe something that could help you would be, out of all the elements you want, indications of what's accessible via basic .con language edits, what's accessible via EDuke scripting and what's downright unrealistic but that won't be me making it, I am no coding expert enough.

[eniojr]

In fact, I'm not basing it on DOOM coding, because I don't know anything about modding DOOM, I've never tried it and therefore I have no knowledge whatsoever about modding DOOM. Therefore, at no point did I base myself on DOOM for anything. All these codes that I have shown so far were either based on those in GAME.CON or were built by CHATGPT. Many people may think that I'm based on DOOM because of the codes, but it was CHATGPT that put them together for me. For example, the ones related to the items I managed to make are based on those in GAME.CON, related to Sixpak.

CHATGPT knows the meaning of the commands and syntax, but fails when I ask it to build something specific. The ones that people are saying are wrong were the ones made by CHATGPT. I instructed CHATGPT to only consider Eduke32 commands and syntaxes, but it still fails to make it work. As incredible as it may seem, I have already made changes involving USER.CON, DEFS.CON and some GAME.CON, including names.h because of the extra textures I included in the game through BAFed. I don't use Editart because it is difficult for me and requires a DOS environment, which makes it less practical.

Although CHATGPT fails to assemble codes, at least it has helped me understand their meaning, which is a start. That's why I still use it. Sometimes I insist on making CHATPGT assemble code sequences, at least so I can have a basic idea of how to do it. The problem is that the game doesn't accept certain combinations and I've seen that it's something that has to be very specific and in order. In other words, it will take time for me to figure out how to make certain things work.

In the meantime, I'm going to try to see if I can find certain functions in certain mods, to see if I can get to the next steps in my planning.

I have no interest in modding DOOM! At no point am I underestimating the complexity of Build and I had already realized that. I just didn't know it was that complicated... I just think there should be more things in GAME.CON, or more .CON files, like Redneck Rampage did, which also uses the Build engine. Shadow Warrior... forget it, it's even more enigmatic and difficult to access than Duke Nukem!

Many years ago I had managed to make existing enemies in the game, which launch projectiles, such as Pigcop and Octabrain, shoot different projectiles by assigning a different palette color to a given projectile. This was the first time I had managed to change something that worked in GAME.CON, because it was simple to do. I remember making an Octabrain that, with a color value of 19, launched several projectiles at the same time. I remember making a PigCop with color value 21 shoot missiles!

So yes, I have some very basic understanding of coding in DN3D, whereas in DOOM I know absolutely nothing. What I didn't know before was how to create new content in the game, which is what I'm learning now, out of necessity because of my project. If it only had what's in the game it would be very basic. I don't know if I'll be able to add everything I want, but until then I'll try my best.

In addition to being able to make breakable objects, I recently also managed to make Duke Nukem recover HP when interacting with a texture, like he does when he drinks water. At the moment I'm trying to make it so that every time he shoots a texture, he receives 1 HP. I partially succeeded, but I only receive HP once. There's something about looping commands that I still don't know or understand.

I hope I have clarified the situation.

[Reaper_Man]

ChatGPT really does not know nearly as much as you think it does about CON scripting. I'm sorry but you really will not be able to use ChatGPT to effectively write any CON code. It may be able to write whatever bastardization that it's created between CON and DECORATE, but in order to fix what it writes, you'd have to have a firm understanding of CON in the first place. And at that point, you don't really need ChatGPT to write scripts for you.

CON is not particularly complex, but it is very particular with how you interface with the game engine. The best success you will have is with a firm understanding of basic programming concepts, and then understanding how to use the language. As ck3d said, there are not extensive tutorials or copy-and-paste-able code out there, because every effect is very dependent on the context of the project it's being used in.

[ck3D]

 eniojr, on 13 May 2024 - 04:05 PM, said:

I hope I have clarified the situation.

Yes you did, and I'm glad my post didn't come off as too bitter or discouraging I was particularly tired when I wrote it. I'm really just trying to make sure you understand the nature of what you're trying to do before you run into walls and limitations. You can achieve pretty much anything you want/personally listed in EDuke but some of it is going to take expert levels of work and usually that's the things one would expect to be the most simple or fundamental. Basically the Duke 3D devs did want to make every piece of content of the game editable, but they drew the line at letting you write a different game on top of theirs (which from a commercial standpoint makes some sense). That's more possible than ever now with EDuke scripting capabilities, but you'll still have a lot of barriers to work around of and the exactitude of those will be specific to your project every time. This is why I'm saying modern gaming school of thought/logic (I guess including modern DooM modding) can not apply, back in the era those games came out programming was a lot less procedural than it quickly became after and so modding different games from that time period is like figuring out distinct, unrelated manuscripts. In the case of Duke vs. DooM that means more possibilities (dimensions even) in the mapping, but less freedom the moment you want to touch the most fundamental objects (then it's indeed usually better to just write your own new ones as part of a distinct system, so there can't be unexpected interferences). Another obstacle is studying Duke 3D's existing .con code, you'll quickly realize even that is sketchy and full of strange quirks and even errors that explain most of the bugs in the game, so even that slate isn't 100% clean and that may be extra confusing if you don't know.

Because every aspect takes particular dedication is why you see most people really specialize into one field or another in the Duke community, for some it's mapping (hence why there always were more standalone user maps than TC's), for some it's artwork, for some it's code. But one doesn't exactly have to, and it can be done to learn a little bit of everything, just it's intertwining, but different crafts so takes this much longer. I just assumed you maybe were more familiar with DooM since you brought that game up, it just seems more common in the context of that game to be able to drop in and manipulate about everything you choose on a whim. Duke is a lot more focus on original writing, but I think that's fascinating and you'll soon realize isn't exactly an obstacle, it just looks daunting at first but you just take small bites into it and it quickly diminishes. You have to be hungry though and that's why personally I'm glad Duke isn't DooM (while I do respect DooM and its community of creators, too). There's a barrier for entry, but if you're willing to get close enough you realize it's minimally low and just enough to force you to hop. I believe in turn that drives the quality of the output up and adds unique value to the scene.

Again it's cool you started chipping away at it already and have been getting some satisfying results. If you can maintain that type of focus you'll get anywhere you want without an issue. Just be prepared that some of the stuff you want, you might figure out surprisingly late in the curve, and so just about any progress is progress and you shouldn't get too stuck on specifics (let them hold you back) until the moment where you'll absolutely need to. With how Duke 3D is structured, not fixating on exact, immediate results too much is the only way to get anywhere, instead it needs steady, progressive cooking of the general thing, whereas picking away at raw parts is unwise for digestion.

[eniojr]

Yes, you can see that I can't depend on CHATGPT to assemble the codes. One of the times I asked him to write a code, there was a coding error. Then I decided to see what the error was in Eduke32's log, and then I realized that some syntaxes he added were not part of the valid syntaxes. Furthermore, it had some clearly wrong syntax. So I corrected it based on the little knowledge I have about such things, and it ended up working. There was no compilation error this time, but the effect was still not there. So I made a small change and luckily I was able to do what I wanted. When he puts certain syntaxes in, I'm starting to see what might be right or wrong right away. It means I'm starting to understand the meaning and logic of the syntaxes.

At least in relation to the most basic codes! And I'm about to make one more progress, related to changing new wall textures when fired.

Some commands are simpler to understand, while others are more complex and will require me to have a greater understanding of the logic behind the .CON language. Think of this as a kind of training in game coding. Although I now know that I cannot trust CHATGPT to create codes, at least it allowed me to have a better idea of the meaning and logic of the syntaxes, something that I would have had greater difficulty with if I only read the texts on the Eduke32 website. I want to say that CHATGPT gave me a more intuitive notion about such things, which allowed me to better identify what is right or wrong.

The best I can do for now is take codes from already made mods, like DukePlus or Alien Armageddon, look for codes that relate to certain effects or functions that interest me and put them in the GAME.CON of the mod to which my maps are associated. If the effects are already all defined in separate .CON files (some mods have multiple .CON files), no matter how complex they are, somehow I could make it work in GAME.CON, even if in a more basic or limited way. I've done it with something simple and it worked once.

So far I've managed to do 5 new things using codes!

I sent a message to the creator of the Legacy mod and he showed interest in my project for his next patch. But unfortunately I'm still at the beginning of the project, and now that I'm exploring coding the game to add more things to the gameplay (in a way that doesn't conflict with his mod), it's going to take a little longer. I'm thinking about doing the following... I'll explore a little more and see what else I can do in coding. If I can't get more things into the game, then I'll go back to focusing on the maps and putting new textures, sounds and things related to the new codes that I managed to get working. And then, perhaps, in the next version of my levels, I will add more content.

I want to be able to know at least something about the .CON language, so that when I give my project to the Legacy developer for him to include in a future patch, so he doesn't have to do everything related to it for me, "just" the most complex, like adding more colors to the cards and effects, like climbing stairs and adding new buttons (dipswitches) in the game. Because he has much more experience and understanding of coding than I do. But that will depend on whether he wants to or not. He must certainly know C++ programming, and I don't even know that! I will do the most basic things on my own. But he is the one who will decide what will be included or not, because he is the creator of the mod, not me. I'm just going to offer him certain ideas of what could be added to the mod. Because as far as I know, the mod is not intended to be limited to the context of beta versions, it goes a little beyond that, it seems to be more liberal...

So there might be room to add more interesting things...

Including things related to the beta and Lameduke versions, of course!

[Danukem]

eniojr, on 14 May 2024 - 07:26 PM, said:

The best I can do for now is take codes from already made mods, like DukePlus or Alien Armageddon

This may be hard to believe, but I'm not the only person who writes CON script.

Also, this video is surprisingly relevant to the recent discussion about using chatgpt to write CON: