18 Sep 99 
Third time lucky?
I got it wrong again. Randy emailed me yesterday to correct me
and that Zdoom does not include any dosdoom code, and the legacy code
has been recently removed. Sorry again.
Also in the email he sent me was the following:
There is nothing from SMMU either, as I see no
reason to use anything from it. Nor will there ever be anything from
SMMU in it, so you can relax now.
I just want to say right now that I have absolutely NO problem
with people using my code. I don't want Randy or anyone else to be put
off from using my code because they think I'm suddenly going to start
slagging them off for it. In fact, the original posting I put up
which caused all of the trouble was meant to express how pleased I was
that my code was considered worthy enough to be used in other ports.
The only problem I had was that I thought my code had been used without
proper credit, which I'm sure anyone can understand.
Someone once coined the phrase "imitation is the highest form of
flattery", well I find other people using my code the highest form
of flattery.
Downloading extravaganza
On a lighter note, here are some new downloads:
16 Sep 99
Zdoom
Ok, I read Randy's update today, and I'm sorry about what I said. The
Zdoom code for the swirly flats is all of his own doing. I meant to
mention it in the previous update but I forgot. However, I don't think
that it's unreasonable to assume that some of my code might have been
used in Zdoom as a lot of the zdoom code is taken from other ports and
games (hexen, dosdoom, legacy, even some quake) and I wouldn't have
been suprised if it was my code. All I'm interested in is getting
proper credit for the work I've done, I'm not doing this as an attack
on Zdoom or on Randy.
8 Sep 99
I'm Back
I got back from Portugal at the weekend, quite nice they had a bowling
alley and a very deep pool. Anyway, it's back to school now, though
at least I'm in the Upper Sixth which is the most senior year of the
school. FraggleScript is coming along rather nicely, I've now added
the foundations for local and global variables. In fact I think its
probably time to start integrating it into SMMU. I was messing around
with linux a few days ago even and managed to quickly port
(FraggleScript) to linux.
I'm not gonna release this publicly but if you want a copy then email
me for one.
I get the feeling I'm going to find FraggleScript quite useful in the
future for other things as well as doom. I even rewrote first.bas, the
first program I ever wrote, in it!
Zdoom?
They say you know when you're there when
Zdoom starts stealing your
code. heh. Anyway it seems that the latest version of Zdoom supports
"liquid texture warping" which is no doubt from SMMU. I've also heard
that I haven't been credited for this so I'm going to download the
Zdoom source code and confirm it is my code first, then I'll have
a bitch at Randy to mention me in the credits.
Holiday?
I'm going on holiday next week for 2 weeks, so you won't see me
around. I thought I'd release this
FraggleScript beta tho, for you to play with while I'm gone =)
11 Aug 99
Zooming
Just a quick note to give a SMMU update. I ought to be doing loads of
work because it's the holiday, but you know how it is, the one time
you want to do the most work is during the exam period when you should
be revising ;). Anyway, I have added a few things, the first three are
really just 'knick-knacks':
- Zooming - kinda like the Quake zoom-in thing, you know you press
one of the F-keys and it zooms in (except its not bound
to a key, just a console command). Anyway you can zoom
in on things in the distance.
- Cooldemo - For playing back demos, suprisingly. You are shown views
from different players in turn, with views from the
players, from the chasecam and (if you're playing a
suitably-equipped level) from intermission cameras.
- Credits screen - lists everyone working for the port, with a
swirling background
- Work on the console - I've been doing some quite major work on the
console - breaking up the main command list. Suffice
to say it's very dull and boring.
- FraggleScript - Yep, I'm still hard at work on FraggleScript:
I have functions working now, and I'm currently working
on a preprocessor which I finally realised was probably
neccesary =). Anyway, I am currently redesigning some of
the nesting code to allow developers to have a delay()
function, so it's going to be kinda essential.
Bugs
What? No, not the TV series, I mean bugs in SMMU. I have received quite
a few bug reports on SMMU, including from the infamous BOOM/MBF beta
tester Rez. These are the bugs I know about (and have fixed):
- some console variables are not saved (eg. sv_bfgtype)
- autorun key in console won't type (toggles autorun instead)
- sound too quiet (some people mistook it for no sound at all)
- walkcam doesn't work when game paused
- startup in graphics mode not toggl-able
- no option for secrets/items/kills display on new hud
- messages toggle doesn't work
- extra \ in smmu.wad load line
- vertical sensitivity too high at the 2nd-lowest setting
29 Jul 99
<citrus> yummy
Well, my SMMU beta release seems to have been quite a success. I've
received some encouraging support as well as some minor bug reports and
interesting ideas for new features. Anyway, lots of people have said
that it's a really cool port and all, I thought I'd list what the
major doom news sites said:
- Doomworld:
I've tried it, and this port is pretty damn cool...
- Doomnation:
You can read all the
details over on Fraggle Rock. Or, if you can't wait that long, you
can download it here. Enjoy!
- frad.org:
it's one of the few mods that is actually done right, adding
features instead of gloss, adding power instead of candy to sell
his idea. and plus he built of MBF which is the best mod currently
anyway.
A lot of people have been saying that SMMU loads faster, which I find
strange because it doesn't load any faster on my PC =). The only
explanation that I have come up with so far is that my changes to the
wad code to allow dynamic wad loading caused this, but I really am at
a loss to explain it. weird.
I've also heard that SMMU may be used as the port for the
Ninja Doom TC. Cool.
I'm feeling smug, ok? shut up.
Note to developers
As you may (or may not) have noticed, the beta release does not actually
include FraggleScript, .. I haven't got round to incorporating the
FraggleScript code into SMMU yet, basically because it isn't finished.
I can appreciate that there may be quite a few developers out there
wanting to create their own SMMU levels, but I'd quite like you to hold
off for a while just until I get FraggleScript finished. This is
basically because I'm just going to ditch the current scripting code
when I've finished FraggleScript, and if you go making levels now
then they won't work later on. The current scripting support is only
really for showing off what SMMU can do. Until then, you'll have to
make MBF levels or something, or make levels without scripts.
25 Jul 99
SMMU beta release
Ok, I've decided to release it. This is a public beta
however. If you find any bug or error or crash, please
let me know. The last time I released SMMU, i heard that some people
had problems with video modes, but they never sent me anything. Please,
I want to know about any problem whatsoever.
Sooo, get the binaries or the
sources
Birthday
Yup, it's my 17th today. I had a great party with all my friends
yesterday, and I'm enjoying my new TI-83.
21 Jul 99
(Adore track 16)
I'm 17 on Sunday. And after seeing Mystican's amazing TI-83 calculator,
I want one too, and that's what i'm going to get (hopefully). Those
things are amazing.. I mean Mario .. on a calculator?
SMMU
So, back to SMMU. Apparently, Satori has got quite far in the graphics
department (60% done I think he said.. may be different). I sent
Afterglow a copy of the latest version of SMMU a few days ago, which
was useful as he pointed out several bugs and annoying things which I
quickly fixed (I ought to do more beta testing =).
One thing I'm considering is releasing the latest version as a beta
on Sunday as a kind of 'birthday beta'.
The only thing I'll need to do is finish the new fullscreen heads up
(I think) which I am currently busy rewriting. Anyway, we'll see..
10 Jul 99
Ended yet? =)
Well, guess the world didn't end. Apparently its actually going to be in
August, with something to do with Peter Mandelson. That's what I heard anyway.
Anyway, I fixed the dumb-ass link below that pointed to 'downloads/' rather than
'download/' so you can all enjoy the "amazing" FraggleScript.
Inevitability
That's right, it's the inevitable SMMU update. Anyway, some amazing things in it
now:
- 'Walk-cam' : a camera view that lets you walk around levels! Although
this sounds a bit stupid at first (you can already walk around) the
actual purpose is so that you can walk around inside demos as
they are playing. That is, without disturbing demo sync or
anything. It's actually rather cool.
- Doom I support. While you can already load Doom I levels using the Doom
I iwad, the new system allows you to load Doom I levels and play them
under Doom II by converting the Doom I textures to Doom II. In fact,
the other day I downloaded a level and played on it, not noticing until
I exited the level that it was actually a Doom I wad!
30 Jun 99
FraggleScripting?
Yeah, I dunno where that word came from =). 'FraggleScript' is the name
of the language, like 'JavaScript'. It isn't a way of doing scripting,
called 'FraggleScripting'.
Anyway, I thought I ought to release this
beta of FraggleScript so far. It seems mean not to.
The end of the world is nigh
If we're to believe Nostradamus, the world ends next week. Anyway,
bye everyone if the world ends!
24 Jun 99
Exams over!
Thats right, my exams are over. Anyway, I've also been doing some work
on SMMU over the past few weeks. I should probably release a beta at
some point soon.
Also, I ought to mention that two more people have joined me in developing
SMMU:
- Derek MacDonald 'Afterglow' is designing a new start map for SMMU,
I've already seen a version of this and it looks like it's
going to be great.
- Bob Satori 'Mantic' is doing some graphics including a new title
screen, logo and console backdrop. From some of the sketches
he has sent me already, these look set to be great also.
FraggleScript
FraggleScript is up to a quite impressive level already. It already has
the foundations of a proper interpreter. What it does so far:
- Orders of precedence, ie. 4+2*3 means 4+(2*3) not (4+2)*3
- Comments
- Variables
- All Basic C operators: + - / % * & | ==
- Multi-level nested brackets
I am developing this as a seperate program. When I have it sufficiently
'finished' I will incorporate it into SMMU. I don't plan to release
the current program, but if there is sufficient demand I will.
7 Jun 99
Dead?
Yeah, this place has been 'dead' for the last 2-3 months. I've been working
on SMMU, mostly, and have exams coming up. I'm not releasing it yet, though.
I may release a beta version soon to a select few. Right now, here's a list
of 'amazing' things you will be able to do in the new version:
- New scripting commands (spawning monsters etc)
- Working netgame and serial comms.
- Quake-style 'swirly' floor effect (see
Animated Screenshot.
- Full skins support
- Chasecam
- New editing options: Intermission camera, intermission text with
the ability to set background as a 320x200 graphics or
as a tiled flat.
- Coloured lighting! Yes, this is back. I managed to re-implement it
and it is also a lot less dodgy than the previous system.
- VPO Warning indicator for developers of old doom
And in the long term:
- A re-write of the menu system (this should be cool, I have ideas
for a complete redesign of the doom menus, I think the current
menus being used in other ports are pretty much the same as the
original doom ones.
- Inbuilt client-server TCP/IP netgames with the ability to start
games once the game has begun. I have already downloaded a
TCP/IP library, it seems pretty straightforward.
- A brand new C-style scripting language called 'FraggleScript'
which will not require compiling like ACS does (I have already
started on this)
Help wanted apply within
I am also looking for help with this project. If you think you can
help, e-mail me!.
I need:
- Some kickass level makers to make me a decent start map
(I have to admit that the current one is pretty bad)
and a demo level showing SMMU's new editing options etc
- Graphics artists? Anyone good at graphics out there? I
need a logo for SMMU and also a console backdrop. I may
also need some graphics for the new menu system.
BUT if you are going to do anything, please email me first! I
don't want to suddenly receive 20 logos or 30 start maps from people
without warning.
31 Mar 99
SMMU
The ridiculous speed of the xoom ftp site means that I've actually been
unable to upload it here. However, Doomworld have been kind enough
to host the port until xoom get their act together: the binaries are
here. Sources?, not
yet, I will release them and would have done now if it wasn't
for this bloody FTP.
Skins n stuff
I have almost finished implementing skins in smmu (only need to implement
sounds and status bar pic). I have also made a really cool chasecam
which is kind of similar to the
Legacy one, except it doesn't get stuck =). So the next release
should be interesting.
20 Mar 99
Niceday
Ok, I've finished the current version of SMMU, including:
- Built-in Serial Comms
- Console, looking up-down(totally disablable)
- Start map included
- Amazing New editing options
So go get it: Binaries or
Sources
