The Unofficial WAD Designers' Handbook, Release 2.1 by Ron Allen & Bill McClendon, Copyright 1996, 1998. All rights reserved Example WADs created by Bill McClendon for Release 2.0 of the Handbook. If using Notepad, turn word wrap on. WLKTHRUx.TXT ------------ WLKTHRU1.WAD is for Doom I, E1M1. WLKTHRU2.WAD is for Doom II, Map01. These files are otherwise identical. Since these .WAD files are completely interchangeable in all respects except the game used to run them, they will be referred to as if only a single file existed in this text. The purpose of the WLKTHRUx.WAD file is to show you examples of certain structures and effects described within the Handbook. It is strongly suggested that you look at the .WAD in the game and examine it closely in your editor to gain the most benefit from it. Here are some notes on what to look for. You may want to print this readme file out and follow along while viewing the example level in the game. Room 1 ------ This room contains nine non-functioning teleport pads. Notice that all the flats used are aligned to the 64x64 grid, and therefore display correctly (not cut off). The primary focus of this room, though, is the sector lighting types. As you face north ("X" marks the players position): ---door--- 1 2 3 X 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 is blink random 2 is pulse 3 is flicker like fire 4 is non-sync .5 sec blink 5 is .5 sec sync blink\_________ to show how it syncs 6 is .5 sec sync blink/ 7 is non-sync 1 sec blink 8 is 1 sec sync blink\__________ to show how it syncs 9 is 1 sec sync blink/ Also note that the door recess side texture is y-offset -64, not unpegged. In addition, the floor flat of the door sector is the same as the first room, but the flat on the floor beyond is different. This is to show how an abrupt flat change, with no elevation change or transition flat, looks bad. Room 2 ------ Three separate types of light sourcing: In the NW corner is a corner/against the wall Thing-based light source. In the SE corner is a free-standing Thing-based light source. In the middle of the room is a Flat-based light source. The small door is framed with texture-based side lighting. Note how this calls attention to recessed doors. Also note that under the small door, the floor flat is a transition flat. This makes a real difference! Compare to the way the floor flats looked at the last door. Room 3 ------ More texture-based light sourcing. Notice how distinct pools of light are thrown and shadows created by recessed directional lighting sources. Stairs (between Rooms 3 and 4) ------------------------------ Three sets of stairs. The west-most set is 16 tall, the middle set is 8 tall, and the east-most set is very mountain-like 24 tall. This shows how different step heights look in the game, and how taller steps are less realistic looking. Also, no STEPx texture is more than 16 tall, so normal lower-unpegged textures must be substituted on stair risers greater than 16. Also note how an abrupt texture change, as between Room 3 and the west-most staircase, looks bad. The other stairways have a transition texture and look much better. Room 4 ------ This room demostrates texture offsetting. The NW computer has COMPTALL applied all the way around, but has no offset at all on the front (north side) and proper offsetting on the back (south side). The NE computer is the same, but using COMPSTA1. The SW computer has the same texture, COMPTALL, applied on both north and south sides, but the south side has the proper offsets. The box in the SE corner demonstrates how using x- and y-offset can be used to simulate "new" textures by strategically placing portions of an existing texture on surfaces that are smaller than the texture. The texture used on all sides of this box is COMPTALL, yet all four sides are different and the patterns do not appear to match any other texture. In addition, notice the recessed flat-based lighting source over the SE box. The outer non-light texture is still bright, but matches the surrounding ceiling instead of being a light itself.