Edit: Adam has made an additional update to WDC, bringing us some fixes:
- Fixed: GAMEMAPS now must be compiled when closing Project Information after setting it to 32-bit lengths.
- Fixed: Can now change the number of planes when using 32-bit GAMEMAPS lengths.
- Fixed: Exporting UWMF maps should be faster than before.
WDC is one of the most robust and feature-complete Editing Suites for Wolf3D. Today in a surprise update, Adam Biser has released a new version of the program, adding the ability to edit maps of sizes all the way up to 512×512.
That’s a billion* times times the size of regular maps! For reference, you could put all 60 levels from the original Wolfenstein inside of a single map, and still have room for more maps!
You cannot zoom out far enough to see the entire map-size. It’s big.
The only caveat to the feature is that WDC must modify the GAMEMAPS file to use “32-bit lengths”, which is a process that cannot be reversed. So you can’t change your mind (Or you can, you’ll just be starting from scratch).
WDC can be downloaded from itch.io. If you find it useful you can use the “pay what you want” feature to pay Adam for developing and continuing the app over all these years. Adam has also started a Patreon for his music. His first project is creating an album remaking the music from his impressive Wolf3D TC Orb of Dilaaria. If you’re interested, check out his page!
It has been a while since a major release of ECWolf. In that absense, linuxwolf has studied the engine and started building his own fork of ECWolf, adding new features to expand modding potential.
Thus far this new fork of ECWolf enables the use of “damage types”, allowing for “damage resistant” enemies, and separate death animations depending on the damage type assigned. Parallaxing skies (As seen in DOOM) are currently implemented but still being tweaked.
Crispy.
Expanding the capabilities of ECWolf is important, and hopefully we’ll see some amazing new mods come out in the near future using this new fork.
In the meantime, you can get a taste of the new features in AstroCreep’s example mod built in this new variation of ECWolf. The mod plays on the original maps, but randomizes enemy types (Adding multiple enemy variations), has neat destructible objects (Shoot the table. SHOOT THE TABLE!) and adds three new weapons with their own damage types and death animations!
linuxwolf is a member of Team Raycast and the developer of the in-engine Map Editor EisenEdit. It is great to see someone dedicating time to creating tools specifically to help the community at large. If you agree, take a moment to look at linuxwolf’s Patreon page and consider pledging a dollar to fund their development efforts.
As the title suggests, AstroCreep’s latest experimental release is a mod that compresses almost the entire of the first three episodes of the original game into one map each.
Keys and elevators are replaced with switches for progression. The original designs remain mostly intact, with a couple of maps omitted to fit everything, and the mod provides an interesting spin on gameplay due to the way enemies “hear” you in the game.
Today, Vincent has released a new version of his modding tools, bringing support for multiple games (Blake Stone, Corridor 7 and most importantly, Operation Body Count) as well as a couple of other changes.
If you use VSWolfTools 2 be sure to pass feedback, suggestions, or compliments onto Vincent to help shape the program’s development!
Update 7 Patch Notes, as transcribed from Vincent's Homepage
General
New: Support for Blake Stone, Operation bodycount, and the needed extra features.
Individual classes files in VSMAPED for certain mods.
VSMAPED
New: New and more logical format for description files, but don’t panick: older files will be converted automatically.
Individual classes files for certain mods, now of the inf type, situated together with descriptions (txt type).
A faulty or missing mapheadfile can be restored.
Floors and Doors can appear anywhere in the lists.
Support for more mods which imply:
Blake Stone:
2-plane maps. You can edit but not run a new version.
Operation bodycount and Corridor 7:
Single images for walls/doors, ‘single’ in the description.
2 images now possible for floorcodes (for the 3D window).
Partly transparent walls/doors (for the 3D window).
An object can be made invisible to VSMAPED by using a certain symbol.
I haved named the items in haste, You can undoubtedly find more fitting names for them.
VSVGAED
New: Insert a palette in a picture and use the palette tool like in VSWAPED.
Dunkelschwamm has released a fun twist on Wolf3D, where just about everything in the game is replaced with a dog.
The enemies are all dogs. The tables are dogs. The lights are dogs. The dogs are dogs.
The only things unchanged are ammo (You need as much as you can get) and keys. Despite the dogs being the weakest enemy in the game, being swarmed by so many of them at once provides a unique (and cute) challenge.
The mod requires ECWolf, and will work with both Wolfenstein 3D and Spear of Destiny (Though good luck if you attempt the latter).
It’s May 5th, the day Wolfenstein 3D was released all the way back in 1992.
Thanks to everyone in the above Credit Screen, we’ve had 27 years of fun and expression, not to mention the plethora of games it paved the way for, including DOOM.
In lieu of a long wall of nostalgic text, here are some things you could do to celebrate:
AstroCreep’s Spicy Wolf3D Challenge is a 10 level mod that utilizes ECWolf features to add new weapons and enemies, and most interestingly a series of hazards into the game.
There are spear traps, falling columns, automatic pushwalls and more to keep you on your toes. and make you rethink strategies of blindly running forward.
The game also includes cool music from a range of sources, and utilizes AstroCreep’s EC_WL6 Map Resource Pack as a base to build off of.
Colonel Bill has returned with a new game, titled in the game’s ReadMe as “Spear of Destiny Demo (tm id) Fusion Patch”.
Spear Fusion is Colonel Bill’s first mod in over 15 years (!!!), and started life as a 2 level mod for the demo of Spear of Destiny. As plans changed, the game was extended with extra levels and features. The end result is an 11-level game full of different environments and interesting level design.
Spear Fusion is a standalone download, and comes packed with the source code for anyone interested in using the game as a base for their own projects.
AstroCreep‘s new mod Nitemare: Hugo’s Revenge is a total conversion of Wolfenstein that attempts to recreate the atmosphere of Nitemare 3D, a popular retro first person shooter by David P. Gray.
The 10 level mod uses the latest version of ECWolf and includes modified sprites, as well as music from the original game, and a whole slew of advanced features. AstroCreep also provides an optional file you can run alongside the mod, featuring remixes of Nitemare 3D’s music he created.
Update 2019/04/10: Mod has been updated with fixed sounds.
AstroCreep has released a gameplay mod for ECWolf that adds a slew of features and visuals inspired by Rise of the Triad: Dark War.
WolfROTT works with most “vanilla style” mappacks, and features animated sprites (With super smooth collectible animations!), new weapons, as well as ROTT music.
