[DavidTheDuke NukemDude]

I've been trying to play a total conversion mod called The Return, but nothing I've done works. I followed the instructions provided in the Return.txt file, but every time I try running the mod it kicks me back to the end game screen (what you see after quitting Duke Nukem 3D in DOSBox) with the message "Map INVALID.map not found!" and just doesn't work. If someone could provide well-detailed, specific step-by-step instructions to install The Return in DOSBox (using the mod's original files), I'd appreciate it a lot!

[Hank]

I may sound rough, but good luck playing this.
The bat files tries to open up kextract, kgroup etc. to rename .art files and once it is all set up, it opens the duke exe file. This .bat would need to be rewritten considering dosbox, unless your computer runs on XP or older.

There are simpler methods for publishing a TC.
If you have patience, I can set up the TC by Monday (1 Feb 2016) for Duke 3D, for DosBox. It takes less time doing it, than explaining all the steps. But I need to know where to upload the file. I have no duke site anymore.

[FistMarine]

edit

[DavidTheDuke NukemDude]

I got The Return to install using DOSBox (so now I have access to the post-install mod files), but it still doesn't work using that program. I created a directory called "return" in my EDuke32 folder which had all of the files that were in the post-install "return" directory (the "return" directory with these files was originally in my DUKE3D directory that I ran using DOSBox). I edited the Return.bat file to have the following instructions when trying to get it working with EDuke32 (I deleted all of the text in the Return.bat file except the "duke3d /xrgame.con /greturn.grp" instructions and replaced that line with this):

eduke32.exe /xrgame.con /greturn.grp


I saved the modified Return.bat file and put it in my EDuke32 folder, then double clicked Return.bat with the "custom game content directory" set to use the "return" folder, but it didn't work, instead giving me a "CON File Compilation Error" screen with the message "Error(s) found in file 'rgame.con'. Do you want to use the INTERNAL DEFAULTS?"


I checked the Message Log and it had the following written in it:


EDuke32 2.0.0devel r3888
Compiled Jun 15 2013 05:56:10
Application parameters: /xrgame.con /greturn.grp
Using CON file "rgame.con".
Using C:/Users/Downloads/eduke32return/ for game data
Windows 8 (build 6.2.9200)
Initialized nedmalloc
Initializing DirectDraw...
Searching for game data...
Using C:/Users/Downloads/eduke32return/return/ for game data
Using "DUKE3D.GRP" as main game data file.
Using group file "return/DUKE3D.GRP".
Using group file "return/EXCESS.GRP".
Using group file "return/RETURN.GRP".
Using file "return.grp" as game data.
warning: case mismatch: passed "rgame.con", real "Rgame"
Compiling: rgame.con (167181 bytes)
warning: case mismatch: passed "RDEFS.CON", real "Rdefs"
Including: RDEFS.CON (36084 bytes)
warning: case mismatch: passed "RUSER.CON", real "Ruser"
Including: RUSER.CON (45958 bytes)
RUSER.CON: At top level:
RUSER.CON:1: error: expected a keyword but found `'.
rgame.con: In actor `SPACESHUTTLE':
rgame.con:128: error: parameter `TOUGH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `SATELLITE':
rgame.con:134: error: parameter `TOUGH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In state `jib_sounds':
rgame.con:140: error: parameter `SWEARFREQUENCY' is undefined.
rgame.con: In state `genericshrunkcode':
rgame.con:244: error: parameter `SQUISHABLEDISTANCE' is undefined.
rgame.con:249: error: parameter `MINXSTRETCH' is undefined.
rgame.con:249: error: parameter `MINYSTRETCH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In state `genericgrowcode':
rgame.con:275: error: parameter `MAXXSTRETCH' is undefined.
rgame.con:275: error: parameter `MAXYSTRETCH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `SHARK':
rgame.con:294: error: parameter `SHARKSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con:297: error: parameter `SHRUNKDONECOUNT' is undefined.
rgame.con:299: error: parameter `SHRUNKCOUNT' is undefined.
rgame.con:308: error: parameter `SHRUNKDONECOUNT' is undefined.
rgame.con:311: error: parameter `SHRUNKCOUNT' is undefined.
rgame.con:322: error: parameter `FROZENQUICKKICKDIST' is undefined.
rgame.con:325: error: parameter `THAWTIME' is undefined.
rgame.con:332: error: parameter `FROZENDRIPTIME' is undefined.
rgame.con:389: error: parameter `SHARKBITESTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `BLIMP':
rgame.con:488: error: parameter `BLIMPRESPAWNTIME' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `RUBBERCAN':
rgame.con:532: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In state `breakobject':
rgame.con:798: error: parameter `WEAKEST' is undefined.
rgame.con:798: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con:798: error: parameter `MEDIUMSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con:798: error: parameter `TOUGH' is undefined.
rgame.con:917: error: parameter `TOUGH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `DUKEBURGER':
rgame.con:969: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `MOP':
rgame.con:971: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `BROOM':
rgame.con:973: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `WETFLOOR':
rgame.con:975: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `DESKLAMP':
rgame.con:977: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `HATRACK':
rgame.con:981: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `GUNPOWDERBARREL':
rgame.con:983: error: parameter `TOUGH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `COFFEEMACHINE':
rgame.con:985: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `TEDDYBEAR':
rgame.con:987: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `TOPSECRET':
rgame.con:989: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `ROBOTMOUSE':
rgame.con:991: error: parameter `ROBOTMOUSESTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `MAN':
rgame.con:993: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `MAN2':
rgame.con:995: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `WOMAN':
rgame.con:997: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `PIRATE1A':
rgame.con:999: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `PIRATE2A':
rgame.con:1001: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `PIRATE3A':
rgame.con:1003: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `PIRATE4A':
rgame.con:1005: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `PIRATE5A':
rgame.con:1007: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `PIRATE6A':
rgame.con:1009: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `ROBOTPIRATE':
rgame.con:1011: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `PIRATEHALF':
rgame.con:1013: error: parameter `TOUGH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `CHESTOFGOLD':
rgame.con:1015: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `ROBOTDOG':
rgame.con:1017: error: parameter `PIRATEGALSTRENGTH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `ROBOTDOG2':
rgame.con:1019: error: parameter `TOUGH' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT1':
rgame.con:1023: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT2':
rgame.con:1025: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT3':
rgame.con:1027: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT4':
rgame.con:1029: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT5':
rgame.con:1031: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT6':
rgame.con:1033: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT7':
rgame.con:1035: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT8':
rgame.con:1037: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT9':
rgame.con:1039: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT10':
rgame.con:1041: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT11':
rgame.con:1043: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT12':
rgame.con:1045: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT13':
rgame.con:1047: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
rgame.con: In actor `FOODOBJECT14':
rgame.con:1049: error: parameter `WEAK' is undefined.
fatal error: too many errors: Aborted
Found 0 warning(s), 64 error(s).


It's very strange because one of the people who made the mod (the person's YouTube account name is Darkflamewolf) was actually able to get The Return to work with EDuke32 (the first video in his playthrough of it was uploaded on June 26th, 2010; look up "Darkflamewolf The Return" on YouTube and you'll find it)! I asked Darkflamewolf about how to get The Return to work with EDuke32 but never got a response. When the console screen came up in the first video, it had the text "EDUKE32 2. 0. 0DEVEL 20100311" in the lower-right corner.

How do I contact the person (or people) who runs the dukertcm.com website? If I can get the mod to work with EDuke32, that'll be even better!

[FistMarine]

edit

[DavidTheDuke NukemDude]

FistMarine, on 30 January 2016 - 03:13 AM, said:

What version of Duke Nukem 3D you have installed? If you have 1.3D, then the mod won't work as it requires Atomic Edition. Other than that, I'm not sure what the cause could be but I downloaded the mod to take a look at the files.

I'm using Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition (version 1.5). It is the standalone Atomic Edition release on the original CD, not a digital download re-release.

[FistMarine]

edit

[Hank]

DavidTheDuke NukemDude, on 29 January 2016 - 08:57 AM, said:

I checked the Message Log and it had the following written in it:


EDuke32 2.0.0devel r3888
Compiled Jun 15 2013 05:56:10
Application parameters: /xrgame.con /greturn.grp
Using CON file "rgame.con".
Using C:/Users/Downloads/eduke32return/ for game data
Windows 8 (build 6.2.9200)
Initialized nedmalloc
Initializing DirectDraw...
Searching for game data...
Using C:/Users/Downloads/eduke32return/return/ for game data
Using "DUKE3D.GRP" as main game data file.
Using group file "return/DUKE3D.GRP".
Using group file "return/EXCESS.GRP".
Using group file "return/RETURN.GRP".
Using file "return.grp" as game data.
warning: case mismatch: passed "rgame.con", real "Rgame"
Compiling: rgame.con (167181 bytes)
warning: case mismatch: passed "RDEFS.CON", real "Rdefs"
Including: RDEFS.CON (36084 bytes)
warning: case mismatch: passed "RUSER.CON", real "Ruser"
Including: RUSER.CON (45958 bytes)
RUSER.CON: At top level:
RUSER.CON:1: error: expected a keyword but found `'.
etc.

How do I contact the person (or people) who runs the dukertcm.com website? If I can get the mod to work with EDuke32, that'll be even better!

For your setup to work, all .con files should be merged in one game.con file. This is why you get the errors.
[added] the the RUSER.CON started with +/* instead of just /* , made it unreadable to the engine.

The main contact for RTCM is Corvin, he is a member here too, just contact him through this forum.

As promised I repackaged the TC, so it works even in EDuke, except the splash screen does not want to be loaded, and I am too lazy to figure out what else needs to be done.

Since I had nothing to do with this TC, I need an upload link, so there are no hard feeling, when someone downloads it.

[Corvin]

I'm not sure why makers of the Return TC combined the grp file with the duke grp file...I just can't remember why they compiled the registered game data and their stuff into a new grp file, it just seems like alot of work.

But thats not where the problem is, I found that the DosBox Emu has a problem with the rename command that the Group Creator Batchfile and Return.bat uses. (So the ART work and DMO files are not in its proper place.) For the likes of me I can't remember how I got around this in the past. I think something to with copy and delete etc...

Anyhow for now once you put the RETURN.GRP and the rest of the files in your Duke Atomic Game dir you simple have to manually delete the commercial DMO files and rename the Returns demo files to match.
Then the game loads up as normal, but the ART will be messed up. Avoid the extra files in the archive apparently they belong to the terra map included.

I'll eventually put a fixed version of the tc up on RTCM when I get a chance.


EDIT:
It's going to take some re writing of the two batch files to get it to work.
Basically the Return ART and DMO files need to be in a separate folder named exactly as there suppose to be renamed to(The same as the registered game files)
Then the registered files need to be deleted then replaced(copied) from the Returns folder etc etc....



EDIT2:
The problem is that DosBox 0.74 doesn't work with rename, and its present in the Group Make Batch and in the Run the TC Batch. So your going to get missing demos/maps and Artwork is going to be messed up.
They must not have known about the 2nd group file that can be loaded, separately from the duke3d.grp, they did know about the extra con setting.
Anyhow running it in DOSBox and manually doing things I was able to get this tc working with loose files.
I didn't go the route of using its own grp file... which I think the EDuke32 engine requires with a separate con file on the exterior, and a bat file to load it, should be easy enough for someone trying to run it on EDuke32.

[NightFright]

This addon uses more or less ripped maps and tiles from "The Gate". It's much less sophisticated than the original and you are better off playing that one. IMHO, not worth the time making it work.

[Avenger]

Corvin, on 08 February 2016 - 12:06 PM, said:

I'm not sure why makers of the Return TC combined the grp file with the duke grp file...I just can't remember why they compiled the registered game data and their stuff into a new grp file, it just seems like alot of work.

But thats not where the problem is, I found that the DosBox Emu has a problem with the rename command that the Group Creator Batchfile and Return.bat uses. (So the ART work and DMO files are not in its proper place.) For the likes of me I can't remember how I got around this in the past. I think something to with copy and delete etc...

Anyhow for now once you put the RETURN.GRP and the rest of the files in your Duke Atomic Game dir you simple have to manually delete the commercial DMO files and rename the Returns demo files to match.
Then the game loads up as normal, but the ART will be messed up. Avoid the extra files in the archive apparently they belong to the terra map included.

I'll eventually put a fixed version of the tc up on RTCM when I get a chance.


EDIT:
It's going to take some re writing of the two batch files to get it to work.
Basically the Return ART and DMO files need to be in a separate folder named exactly as there suppose to be renamed to(The same as the registered game files)
Then the registered files need to be deleted then replaced(copied) from the Returns folder etc etc....



EDIT2:
The problem is that DosBox 0.74 doesn't work with rename, and its present in the Group Make Batch and in the Run the TC Batch. So your going to get missing demos/maps and Artwork is going to be messed up.
They must not have known about the 2nd group file that can be loaded, separately from the duke3d.grp, they did know about the extra con setting.
Anyhow running it in DOSBox and manually doing things I was able to get this tc working with loose files.
I didn't go the route of using its own grp file... which I think the EDuke32 engine requires with a separate con file on the exterior, and a bat file to load it, should be easy enough for someone trying to run it on EDuke32.

Hello,

Was this addon ever uploaded to RTCM?

I checked and couldn't find it...

I have the base files but am having the same issue running it with EDuke32 as described previously in the thread and was hoping to find your updated version to do so.

Thanks.

[Forge]

it was uploaded to r.t.c.m.

but i can't say whether or not it's been "fixed"

http://www.r-t-c-m.c...ns/TheReturn.7z

[Avenger]

Forge, on 03 April 2021 - 06:11 AM, said:

it was uploaded to r.t.c.m.

but i can't say whether or not it's been "fixed"

http://www.r-t-c-m.c...ns/TheReturn.7z

Thanks but is this the version Hank made reference to previously in this thread?

He had mentioned to having it working "except for the slash screen" by merging all the the CON files into a single "game.con" and that doesn't seem to be the case looking at the files in the download you linked to although the files are different compared to the version I previously downloaded.

I guess I'll try it later today and report back on my results.

Cheers.

[Avenger]

So I tried the files provided loading all 4 CON files with the "-x" command line parameter. I was able to get the addon to load but there is no fourth episode and when you manually load the first map via "user map" the level loads but Duke is dead and the only option is to restart with the exact same sequence occuring.

I read through the notes provided along with the batch script that appears to do nothing trying to make sense of the issue but I can't figure it out.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Hank]

You can try asking Corvin at his website, the file is his revision.
http://forums.r-t-c-m.com/index.php

I'm out of this.

[Avenger]

Hank, on 05 April 2021 - 07:27 PM, said:

You can try asking Corvin at his website, the file is his revision.
http://forums.r-t-c-m.com/index.php

I'm out of this.

Alright. I will try there.

Thanks.