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How to Use Hi-Res Textures:
New Editing Clinic Article

Feb 19 2004 - Those of you who play jDOOM, use Doom Builder or XWE - or just like to use new graphics for your levels - will find a world of information in Tolwyn's 10-page tutorial on using high resolution graphics, now in the Textures section of the Editing Clinic. It's jam-packed with step-by-step instructions and screen shots showing you how to construct a graphic PWAD using XWE and PNG textures, plus how to put them in your level with Doom Builder (whose last major update included support for the PNG image format). Tolwyn provides instructions on using them with jDOOM, how to make PK3 files (and how they work), and a lot more. This is a tutorial you'll want to keep handy, so I'm providing it in Word and PDF format for download.

WhackEd2, the superior Windows version of DeHackED, has been updated to version 0.50.668 and is featured in the Downloads section.

Doom Builder Update to v1.53

Feb 7 2004 - I'm always happy to announce updates for terrific DOOM editing utilities, and we have another one already for Doom Builder to version 1.53. A major addition to the editor is support for .PNG textures and flats, something many of those who like to use new or high-detail graphics will appreciate. As always, Doom Builder's real-time, fully-textured and lit 3D editing/ preview mode is my favorite feature of this freeware DOOM level editor. I painfully remember the old days when a desperate imagination and an unholy feel for spatial relationships was required to know what your level would look like until you loaded it up in DOOM. Now you can walk around in your map, select/copy/paste and align textures from within the level. No other DOOM editor has this feature. (Click here to see an unbelievable screenshot from inside the 3D edit mode and compare it to the screenshot of my level on the right.)

I'm proud to say that the Apothecary has always been an advocate for software authors who unselfishly offer the DOOM community the fruit of their hard labor freely and keep it updated often. The Apothecary used to be the home page for DETH. And while I can't presume any such liberties with Doom Builder (since it has its own website), I do keep the Editors page in the Download section updated with the latest versions of Doom Builder. Hats off to author Pascal vd Heiden.

For anyone who is interested, I'm almost finished with a Doom Builder tutorial /help manual. It contains detailed information on the interface, configuration menu options, and editing modes, accompanied by many many screenshots, as well as a step-by-step illustrated walkthrough of building a sample DOOM2 level. It will be available for viewing online, or one can download it in PDF, MS Word, or HTML format (much like the tutorial I did for WinDEU in the Tutorials section).

Speaking of updates, Csabo posted a long-awaited update to his do-it-all XWE: eXtendable WAD Editor. This really is the Swiss Army Knife of DOOM utilities: it's the easiest tool around for importing/exporting entries of any type to your PWAD, and can edit them on the fly. It has a patch editor, texture editor, ENDOOM editor, script editor, level editor, palette editor -- see screenshots and a full list of features on my Updates or Graphics page, or visit the XWE website.

In editing news, I'm finishing up jDOOM versions of some of my levels, and have finally got back to working on LETHE.

 Waters of Lethe is a level I've been working on for about 7 years.  I hope to have it finished "soon." Look for it here. (Click above for a larger image. This screen shot was taken in jDOOM.)

New Home

Jan 27 2004 - It's a real thrill to be hosted by the folks at NewDoom.com, which is certainly the most active DOOM resource site out there. Besides being part of a friendly, personal, and professional net-work, the Apothecary is now in the midst of a wide and active community of devoted gamers. I've already made a lot of new friends since bringing the Apothecary back from its long absence, not to mention hearing from old allies who thought I'd died or joined a monastic order or something. Many thanks to Phoebus for setting me up so quickly, and to Doom_Dude for suggesting the idea in the first place.

For those of you new to the Apothecary, this site is intended as a resource for level designers, old and new, and people who love quality add-on levels. The Downloads section has (I think) one of the biggest online collections of tools and utilities, including the very latest programs and updates. The Editing Clinic offers tips and tricks on various aspects of PWAD manipulation (this month I discuss how to take better advantage of the REJECT table), and Tutorials contains step-by-step guides to level editors, graphic tools, and sections geared toward advanced level design. Levels has my favorite add-on levels (plus my own), and jDOOM is a cheering section for the Doomsday Engine, a great-looking DOOM port.

In other news, I've added a new main page to the Downloads section that will feature news about software updates for DOOM utilities, plus information about the best tools to download (in other words, my personal biases). I'm helping Marc Rousseau beta-test the new ZenNode, which will offer some major new features, plus I've instigated a couple other DOOM tool authors to update some of their programs (like Csabo's terrific do-it-all WAD editing utility, XWE), so some major updates are in the works.

The Apothecary is getting a facelift in a couple of days. I'm converting everything to CSS style sheets (thanks to help from Phoebus) and changing the format a bit to make for easier reading. All of the sections will be the same, just better-looking. Since I'm making a painful transition from FrontPage to Macromedia's Dreamweaver MX 2004 (and because I'm a CSS ignoramus), I've got a bit of a learning curve to tackle; but it'll be worth it.

Also - finally! The jDOOM section is done, except for some screenshots. Please hop over there later tonight to find out why you should be playing the Doomsday Engine - the best-looking DOOM port around. The graphics (if you have a 3D card) are just incredible: lens flares, 3D models, dynamic lights, shadows and fog are only part of it. All you need to play is your WAD file, and it works for DOOM 1, 2, Ultimate, Final, and shareware. Check back after 9pm, tonight, Jan 27.

Fully Functional

Jan 20 2004 - This website is now fully operational. I've just finished a new article for the Editing Clinic: Spice Up Your Level: Optimizing the REJECT Resource and Other Tricks. (And I have a few level designers working on other essays.) There are several new maps on the Levels page, and I'll be adding more over the next couple of days. (Thanks to those who sent their levels to me. I'd still like to see more.) The Downloads section has a lot of new utilities, and Tutorials has a wonderful resource no level designer should be without: the LineDef Action Type Reference by Jim Flynn, which I've converted to HTML.

By the way, you can reach my FTP server at this new address:

drsleep.fw.nu
login: anonymous
pass: anonymous

Note: You may want to try passive mode if you're unable to download. Also, some files I have mirrored here at my FTP server won't download unless you enable folder view for FTP sites in your MSIE Internet Options | Advanced | Browser. (If you're still unable to download something you really want, you can always just login to my site and go to \DoomArchives.)

Still working on my new level, Lethe. I'm also bringing Dante's Gate and Crossing Acheron into the 21st century with uplifts.

Again, please email any suggestions on how to make this site better to me at drsleep@newdoom.com.