[Carl Winslow]

NightFright, on 21 April 2021 - 01:50 AM, said:

And @Carl Winslow:
I see you are using the Plutonium Pak groupfile. That's very rare and might cause problems. Most likely that's why you don't see most of the addon entries. It is strongly recommended upgrading to Atomic Edition. For your convenience, I have attached a bsdiff/bspatch converter I quickly slapped together which you can execute in a Windows environment. Unzip the files of this archive anywhere and place your duke3d.grp from PP (CRC32: F514A6AC) in the same directory. Then execute ppatomic.bat. (I have also added a World Tour to Atomic converter from my Raze script. Use wtatomic.bat in that case.) You will end up with two files, duke3dpp.grp (which is a backup of your old file) and duke3d.grp (which is the Atomic upgrade, CRC32: FD3DCFF1).

Huh. I didn't even realize I had a plutonium pak grp file, I thought it was atomic edition all this time. Using the converter seems to have done the trick now, as everything is showing up in the list correctly. Thanks a ton!

[NightFright]

Great that this helped you with fixing your issue! Even with World Tour out there, Atomic is still the default groupfile to use. I would like to support both CRCs at the same time, but for now you need separate grpinfos for that. Duke3D v1.3D or PP shouldn't really be used by anybody these days any more, they don't give you any advantage over the other versions (1.3D even has the fourth episode missing).

[NightFright]

Updates:
- addons_hints.txt: Corrected and enhanced hints for "Secrets of the Acropolis"
- DaikariN: Typo fix for one display panel (tile #3674)
- Secrets of the Acropolis: Position/size fix for lever (tile #140)

Update now:
1) Get the new base pack (12 MB)
2) Download updated "acropolis.grp" and "daikarin.grp" from the repository

[NightFright]

Late redemption for another classic that I butchered needlessly for reasons I don't remember any more. JJ Duke Nukem 3D got its missing (XXX) art back! This does not only restore the look of the original, but also solves the problem with some missing art, e.g. in JJ309 (ep.3 secret level).

Updates:
- addons_hints.txt: Added info about "JJ Duke Nukem 3D" secret level access
- JJ Duke Nukem 3D: Missing art added

Update now:
1) Get the new base pack (12 MB)
2) Download updated "jjduke3d.grp" from the repository

BTW: I am having second thoughts about the ROR effect I applied in some maps, most importantly in "Lost Highway". I checked LOSTHW03 from EAC v4.0 Beta (ROR) in Raze and you get stuck in the underwater turbine. The older version of the same map (EAC v3.14) works fine. Is ROR even supported in Polymost? If it's not, maybe it'd be better to use the other map instead and include the ROR variant rather as some kind of bonus, not as part of the episode.

[NightFright]

And two more mistakes corrected. It's amazing what you still find after all these years...

Updates:
- addons_hints.txt: Corrected info about secret level access in "Metropolitan Mayhem"
- Lost Highway: Reverted to older fix for LOSTHW03 from EAC v3.x (ROR map available as LOSTHW03_ROR, but not part of the episode), some level names adjusted

Update now:
1) Get the new base pack (12 MB)
2) Download updated "losthighway.grp" from the repository

[Captain Peacock]

For ages I've had the original EDuke Add-on Compilation installed in my main Duke3D folder (with Polymer HRP as well) on Windows 10 Pro (20H2) and it's worked fine with all the other 'offiical' add-on packs (Nuclear Winter, Duke Caribbean etc.) but how do I update the Ediuke32 Add-on Compilation pack with new add-ons for it as every attempt to add extra .grp files results in all the add-on files bar the payware add-ons disappearing from the EDuke startup screen.

Here's what I found by experimenting:

Adding the EAC40 add-on update removes all the Compilation Pack add-ons from Eduke menu.

I then performed a 'clean' Duke3D, Eduke32 and Add-on Compilation Pack install and all worked fine. Installing the EAC40 update removed all the Compilation files from Eduke32 menu. By deleting the EAC40 update version of the addons.grpinfo file and the EDuke32.cfg files and renaming the original addons.grpinfo file back from oldaddons.grpinfo, all the add-ons reappeared.in EDuke.

So my question is, how do I add the extra add-on .grp files that have been added to the EDuke32 Add-on Compilation Pack since the original 375mB .7Z file was released way back when?

Eduke32.log does not show anything different from when all is OK and I have the -jaddons option added in the EDuke32 shortcut AND the addons folder selected in the Custom Game Content folder.

I'm confused!

[NightFright]

EAC 3.x and 4.x cannot coexist. If I understand correctly, you want to mix the new addons from 4.x into 3.x. It's not supported, as simple as that. You have to erase or at least rename the "addons" folder for a fresh install. I am using a completely different system now, zipfiles instead of .grp (they are named .grp, but only for convenience - maybe it will be changed to avoid confusions). This isn't meant as an upgrade of any kind, it's a replacement.

Just so that we are in the clear: A 3.x to 4.x upgrade isn't going to happen, like ever, since it doesn't make sense. Every single addon has been changed completely. Not a single file is the same.

And you don't select the "addons" folder in custom games. That's not how this works. -jaddons already adds the folder and searches for the .grpinfo with all its associated files there.

[NightFright]

A new entry for the compilation! Mostly because it's rare to happen to have new episodes these days and Aleks gave his kind permission. The only change I applied was to convert all the MIDIs to OGG with the Arachno soundfont to have consistent music quality.

Updates:
- addons_hints.txt: Additional hints for "Last Reaction", "Vacation Cove" and "WGSpace"
- "Back in Business": Episode added

Update now:
1) Get the new base pack (13.6 MB)
2) Download "business.grp" from the repository

[Lunick]

NightFright, on 03 May 2021 - 02:48 AM, said:

The only change I applied was to convert all the MIDIs to OGG with the Arachno soundfont to have consistent music quality.

Isn't that unnecessarily making the filesize bigger of the compilation?

[Phredreeke]

I can see why but I'd suggest making that a separate download

[NightFright]

You don't know which soundfont a user has installed. If it's a low-quality one, the difference will be noticable. Actually, the original groupfile with its uncompressed content has almost the exact same size as my compressed zip with the oggs, so there is no extra size added by this measure.

Anyway, if it really HAS to be 100% like the original these days, I can revert the change. Just mentioning the author was OK with this since I had informed him before uploading.

[Captain Peacock]

NightFright, on 01 May 2021 - 03:26 PM, said:

EAC 3.x and 4.x cannot coexist. If I understand correctly, you want to mix the new addons from 4.x into 3.x. It's not supported, as simple as that. You have to erase or at least rename the "addons" folder for a fresh install. I am using a completely different system now, zipfiles instead of .grp (they are named .grp, but only for convenience - maybe it will be changed to avoid confusions). This isn't meant as an upgrade of any kind, it's a replacement.

Just so that we are in the clear: A 3.x to 4.x upgrade isn't going to happen, like ever, since it doesn't make sense. Every single addon has been changed completely. Not a single file is the same.

And you don't select the "addons" folder in custom games. That's not how this works. -jaddons already adds the folder and searches for the .grpinfo with all its associated files there.

Thanks for the info NightFright, but still no joy. Here's what I tried:

I copied my existing Duke3D folder with all my payware addons (Duke it out in DC Caribbean & Polymer HRP pack etc) to a temporary folder and amended the shortcut to reflect the change of folder e.g. C:\TMP\eduke32.exe -jaddons instead of C:\Games\Duke3dHRP\Eduke32.exe -jaddons and the 'Start In' line to read C:\Tmp\Duke3dHRP.

Renamed the existing addons folder to EAC3addons
Unzipped the EAC40base.zip file into C:\Tmp\Duke3DHRP folder which then contained the new addons folder.
Ran the Eduke32 shortcut and all I can see is the Duke 3D Atomic Edition in the available add-ons window.

I then tried the same with a vanilla install of Duke 3D after installing Eduke32 (64 bit version) and got exactly the same result.

Also, when new .grp files come along, do I have to edit the addons.grpfile each time as there does not appear to be an updated addons.grpfile in the Mega repository.

However, I've just discovered something in EDuke32.log that MAY provide a clue:

Eduke32.log:-

EDuke32 r9321-7225643e3
Built Apr 4 2021 12:56:30, GCC 10.0.0, 64-bit
Using C:/Program Files (x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Duke Nukem 3D Twentieth Anniversary World Tour/ for game data
Application parameters: -jaddons
Using C:/Tmp/DN3D/ for game data
Using addons/ for game data
Running on Windows 10 (build 10.0.19042)
Initialized 1ms system timer
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-6700 CPU @ 3.40GHz
Initializing SDL 2.0.13
Searching for game data...

Is the line "Using c:/Program Files(x86)/Steam/..." (etc.) line the problem? Should it read something like "Using c:/Tmp/DN3D/ for game data"?

But if so, which file do I edit to change it?

Much thanks in anticipation

[NightFright]

Necessary steps:

1) You need a folder which holds duke3d.grp and eduke32.exe (unless you are using a World Tour installation, then you only need eduke32.exe).
2) You extract the base pack into that folder.
3) Then you copy any addon you want into the "addons" folder after downloading it from the repository. This is important since the base pack does NOT contain any addons by default!
4) If you are using World Tour, use addons_wt.bat to launch, if you use Atomic, use addons.bat.

In case you are trying to use EAC 3.x addons with EAC 4.x base pack - don't try, it won't work.

[Captain Peacock]

Much thanks Nightfright,

I followed your vanilla install instructions which worked fine and I now have the full 138 addon .grp files visible in Eduke.

Which raises two questions:

1) WHAT ON EARTH was stopping them from appearing in the original EDuke setup - even though I renamed the addons folder and created a new one?

2) How do I easily add any future addon .grp files to the 138 that already exist?

Much thanks for sorting this puzzling one one.

CP

[NightFright]

1) No clue. It could be for so many reasons.
2) Doubtful I'll add any more. Surely nothing old any more, only if there are new vanilla-style addons, which are rare. I release updated base packs then and you download the new addon. Or you wait for the final release, but that can still take a long time.

[NightFright]

Another one for the list.
- DukeVR: Showstopper in Red mission 2 (pipebombs cannot be stacked)

We should figure out the last EDuke32 build that works with this. My suspicion is it's around r7432+ since Red4 also started having issues with pipebombs physics after that.

[ETPC]

i did a quick test and 7470 works with pipebomb stacking. also hello! i'm still slugging through oblivion

[NightFright]

Good, then it would be good to find out the first version that breaks it.

[ETPC]

are there any video walkthroughs of oblivion tc? im constantly getting lost (i know, no surprise there) as i go further and further in.

[NightFright]

Not sure if anyone even ever made it through the entire thing besides Zaxtor himself. He used to be a master of obscure level design.

In the meantime, I have added Will's "WG Abyss".

Update now:
1) Get the new base pack (13.6 MB)
2) Download "wgabyss.grp" from the repository

Current testing progress overview:

Tested OK

Spoiler

- ADG Episode
- Alien Extermination
- Alien vs Predator
- Army of Death
- Battlefield 3
- Borg Nukem
- C&C TC
- Chimera
- Christmas Project
- Crucial Conflict
- DaikariN
- Dark Places
- Duke Is 007
- Duke is Ten
- Fbsp Series
- Industrial Complex
- JJ Duke Nukem 3D
- Jungle Tour Trilogy
- Last Reaction & Water Bases
- Merc 2
- Mic Episode
- Quest for Al-Qaeda
- Roch Series
- Starship Troopers TC
- Spiegul Contest
- The Final Confrontation
- Total Meltdown
- Turok Nukem
- Zombie Crisis

Problems

Spoiler

- 1999 TC: Invisible bullet-proof objects in "The Wash"
- A.Dream Trilogy (ladders not working)
- Castle Dukenstein: Dogs are hard to kill
- Critical Mass (DNCM2: two elevators not working, r7470+)
- Grins of Divinity (ladders not working after r7432)
- Layre (chaptr1: beatable?)
- Lost Highway (sky issue in losthw03 "Toxic Gas")
- Quest for Hussein (elevator transition issue with first/last map)
- Savior of Alien Era (foreverp: unable to climb ladder? / blink1: potential softlock)
- The Gate (GATE306: shooting sprite platform not working/teleporter to SOS room not working)
- WGSpace (WGS4X: Broken elevator)

Showstoppers

Spoiler

- Community Build Project: Blue keycard lock not working in CBP3
- DukeVR (Pipebombs cannot be stacked in RED2, still works in r7470)
- Red Series (RED4: pipebombs won't fit through hole, r7470-7615/getting stuck in black room, r8659-8700)

[FistMarine]

ETPC, on 24 May 2021 - 04:09 PM, said:

are there any video walkthroughs of oblivion tc? im constantly getting lost (i know, no surprise there) as i go further and further in.

The only walkthrough I found was the one by Zaxtor for final level of Oblivion TC:
https://www.youtube....E7503E038BCFDBD
He used to have a walkthrough on his site but his site is long gone and I don't think much of it was archived, at least last year when I went to check on Wayback Machine and very little was archived. I wish I had saved all the useful stuff when I could, since I visited his site once or twice in past few years. I think there was a more updated 2014-2015 version of Oblivion TC on his site (compared to the common final 2009 release) because I remember testing it once years ago when the Muddlelizer wasn't working in the compilation version (and even helped fixing the bug). I think the compilation version is based on the latest with further fixes...

I'm curious on which level you are? I played through Oblivion TC since last year in JFDuke3D on CGS skill and I finished first episode twice (first version and second version) and I'm currently on second level of second episode, I admit most levels are pretty confusing and annoying to navigate but they aren't too bad if you save often and use multiple save slots, it saves a lot of frustration. I also load the GRP in mapster and look at the secrets, as I like to get 100% in each level. Will take a while before I get through all episodes and versions, I just want to play through all of them. I will test the compilation version at a later time. If anyone is interested, I can write a walkthrough when I replay through first episode at a later time, since I am mostly familiar with first episode, then the second, third and so on.

Also NightFright, I'm happy to see William Gee's new Abyss episode getting added into the compilation. But now I wonder if you can add Plunder & Pillage into the compilation as well? It is 3 levels only and I requested months ago (last year?) for it to be added but you declined. I'm not asking much and the upcoming 4.0 release looks promising anyway but I just find it weird to not include it, since both Quests are included and P&P is the "prequel" to them. I will also get back into testing Fusion TC & Grins TC to see if they are broken in latest eduke32 build and I will also try to find the eduke32 build that breaks the pipebomb behavior.

[NightFright]

Right now I am only including new maps that have just been released and therefore work with latest EDuke32 snapshots. We have so many issues popping up with old entries at the moment that it's getting harder and harder to keep track of everything. I want to focus on getting those fixed for now.

I still haven't received any word from the EDuke32 team regarding my requests to enable the pending user maps compilations, let alone fixes for all those port-related things that broke in the last two years. Normally I would consider including an older build with the compilation, but I actually need functions that haven't even been implemented yet, so there's actually only one option left.

Regarding user maps compilations, Hendricks mentioned in an older PM newgamechoices might be a solution, but I am not familiar with that feature at all. Has anybody ever used this and can possibly provide some insights about it? What I managed to do with it was to create a new episode that jumps directly to the user maps menu, which is already something, but I would need it to enter a custom maps folder as well to avoid showing regular Duke3D maps.

[ETPC]

i'm having a ton of trouble with e1l9 (the sea temple) and trying to open the third door in the main area. i can't tell if this is a progress blocker due to eduke32 or if i'm missing something. i ran through both of the other areas again and could not find a way to open it.

[FistMarine]

ETPC, could you please post a screenshot of the exact place where you are stuck, so I can identify the problem and give it a quick test myself? All I can say is good luck in trying to beat that level, it is one of the hardest in the episode and it has a very difficult boss fight at the end of the level where you fight a yellow sphere boss which has a lot of health and is difficult to hit and at some point it will unleash a bunch of black spheres that are quite overpowered and difficult to outrun, if one hits you, you lose about 150-200 health and if 2-3 hit you at same time, it is more likely an instant death. I recommend you to save and use multiple save slots, with a backup save at end of each level, while in this boss battle use at least 3 save slots that you rotate occasionally when dealing damage to the boss. Then when you reach that point with those spheres, try making them explode around corners (like you would do with Sentry Drones in the original game), so you will not take any damage. As far as I know they are impossible to hit/kill with your weapons and you can only get rid by letting them blow up in your face or in a wall or something. After firing a lot with your shotgun/chaingun at that yellow sphere, you should destroy it. Just don't stand too close to it when it explodes.

Alternatively, to deal damage faster to the boss, place the bomb (tripmine replacement) and hope it runs into it. Just make sure you don't run into your own trap or you lose large amounts of health or even die. It's a very frustrating boss fight and once done, you will probably be low on health or at least around 100 health points (out of the 255 which is player's max health in the mod) and the next level has very little health in it, at least until you reach later parts of the level. Good luck, you will need it!

[ETPC]

this is where i'm stuck

Attached thumbnail(s)

• 

[FistMarine]

I see. To clarify once again (after reading your previous post), have you went through the other two doors (left and right) before this one? One of them should lead through many deadly platforming sequences, puzzles and mazes, before eventually arriving to a room with two enforcers and a circular teleporter that should send you back to where you are. If you went through those deadly mazes (one that contained several black spheres and you needed to activate two switches, a maze that contained many enforcers while you needed to press switches, a maze where you had to quickly run through the poisonous maze and so on) and got teleported back to where you are and that door didn't open at all, then you most likely got a showstopper bug. So if I understood correctly, that door simply doesn't open, right? If yes, then it's most likely a showstopper and I must test soon and confirm. Most likely another case of an EDuke32 glitch that broke a map.

I took a look in Mapster32 and it appears that the door is opened upon touching the teleporting sector. If you have a backup save before teleporting, when you killed the enforcers and saved, please try walking around that room several times (and touching the teleporter from multiple angles or even while jumping or crouching) and see if you can activate the door in one of these attempts. If not, then it's a bug (which will require DNCLIP to get past that point) and NightFright will be informed about that. BTW, if you wonder, that door leads to the boss room, so you are close to the end of the level. Good luck once again! The yellow sphere boss is a pain in the ass.

[Aleks]

FistMarine, on 28 May 2021 - 04:12 AM, said:

I see. To clarify once again (after reading your previous post), have you went through the other two doors (left and right) before this one? One of them should lead through many deadly platforming sequences, puzzles and mazes, before eventually arriving to a room with two enforcers and a circular teleporter that should send you back to where you are. If you went through those deadly mazes (one that contained several black spheres and you needed to activate two switches, a maze that contained many enforcers while you needed to press switches, a maze where you had to quickly run through the poisonous maze and so on) and got teleported back to where you are and that door didn't open at all, then you most likely got a showstopper bug. So if I understood correctly, that door simply doesn't open, right? If yes, then it's most likely a showstopper and I must test soon and confirm. Most likely another case of an EDuke32 glitch that broke a map.

I took a look in Mapster32 and it appears that the door is opened upon touching the teleporting sector. If you have a backup save before teleporting, when you killed the enforcers and saved, please try walking around that room several times (and touching the teleporter from multiple angles or even while jumping or crouching) and see if you can activate the door in one of these attempts. If not, then it's a bug (which will require DNCLIP to get past that point) and NightFright will be informed about that. BTW, if you wonder, that door leads to the boss room, so you are close to the end of the level. Good luck once again! The yellow sphere boss is a pain in the ass.

If the Touchplate that activates the door is located in the teleporter sector (with SE7), then it won't activate in current EDuke - I've had a similar problem sometime ago in LEM II. The reason for this might be touchplates activating only upon touching the floor (angle up) or being anywhere above the sector floor (angle down), which is a very useful addition. If this is confirmed to be the reason of a showstopper, probably an easy fix would be to simply rotate the touchplate sprite(s) 180 degree around so they point downward.

[ETPC]

FistMarine, on 28 May 2021 - 04:12 AM, said:

I see. To clarify once again (after reading your previous post), have you went through the other two doors (left and right) before this one? One of them should lead through many deadly platforming sequences, puzzles and mazes, before eventually arriving to a room with two enforcers and a circular teleporter that should send you back to where you are. If you went through those deadly mazes (one that contained several black spheres and you needed to activate two switches, a maze that contained many enforcers while you needed to press switches, a maze where you had to quickly run through the poisonous maze and so on) and got teleported back to where you are and that door didn't open at all, then you most likely got a showstopper bug. So if I understood correctly, that door simply doesn't open, right? If yes, then it's most likely a showstopper and I must test soon and confirm. Most likely another case of an EDuke32 glitch that broke a map.

I took a look in Mapster32 and it appears that the door is opened upon touching the teleporting sector. If you have a backup save before teleporting, when you killed the enforcers and saved, please try walking around that room several times (and touching the teleporter from multiple angles or even while jumping or crouching) and see if you can activate the door in one of these attempts. If not, then it's a bug (which will require DNCLIP to get past that point) and NightFright will be informed about that. BTW, if you wonder, that door leads to the boss room, so you are close to the end of the level. Good luck once again! The yellow sphere boss is a pain in the ass.

yeah, i went through both the left and right areas and went through the teleporter at the end of left area.

[NightFright]

A new era for obtaining EAC content has started!

From now on, I will be using a Wget-based script to download and update EAC content. You will never need to update any base pack again - you just get this script package ONCE and then it's doing everything for you whenever you execute it!

EAC Downloader Script (zip, 2.1 MB)

How to use:
Unzip eac_downloader.zip into your EDuke32 root dir (e.g. E:\EDuke32) and execute eac_install.bat. It's as simple as that.

For the time being, the only option is to download the entire repository, but more options can be added easily later on (like highlights only etc). Once everything is downloaded, it will only update changed/updated assets whenever you run the script. I haven't figured out yet how to set up recursive downloading (dunno if it's even possible from the Duke4.net servers), so it's probably more complicated than it would have to be. Anyway, with good connection speed, I am able to download the entire repository in less than a minute.

I am celebrating the occasion with a slightly updated version of "Downtown Journey" which now uses the music tracks suggested by Ninety-Six.

[Ax 34noff]

NightFright, on 02 June 2021 - 01:14 AM, said:

eac_install.bat

Some people use MacOS and Linux (or even FreeBSD) here. Will there be official way for them to manually download addons?