Chex Quest 3: Vanilla Edition Dev Thread (Release candidate up for download!)

Started by Melodic Spaceship, December 23, 2023, 10:19:51 PM

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Melodic Spaceship

This is a project I've already brought up in other corners of the internet, but I figured it would only be fair to properly announce it to the actual Chex Quest community. Here's a screenshot of it:


Basically, this is an attempt to backport the official Chex Quest 3 over to vanilla. This is not actually a mod of the original Chex Quest, but rather of Ultimate Doom using a trick involving secret exits to shorten episode lengths and with a special DeHackEd patch applied which is mostly a recreation of Chex 3's DECORATE stuff. It can also run as standalone in some ports.

I released a trailer for it a few months ago on YouTube, which can be found here (the description and pinned comment also contain a bit more info about the mod):


So far, the entirety of the first and second episodes have been converted to vanilla (though a few levels may still need to be touched up a little) as well as the first three all of the levels of the third episode. For the first episode, since I couldn't cut down that episode's length to any lower than 7 levels I also added small levels before and after the "real" 5 levels which serve as rough representations of the intro/ending cinematics. I'm hoping they can eventually also have MIDI versions of the intro/ending cutscene's background music but I'm not that good at music transcription despite my other music skills. I made a MIDI version of the intro and ending music for that myself.

I'll try to post updates about this project to this thread whenever further developments happen.

Release candidate trailer:


Downloads:

RC2.1 (latest): https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=15-Q_opuzVXffuzG1Hni3N8bscAR8uTaX
RC2: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1y9F8xnL6u-d666M-BG7mv-h3NBZBQo2_
RC1.1: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1105T2jQWd-dM0d0Civu0DHcIJHlP-ehb
RC1: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1Y7f0Z-OuNAibHoOJHwrdFh_OrkO8mG03

Richie

This is awesome!  Just let me know if you need a sub-forum.

Melodic Spaceship

I just began work on Provincial Park. So far it's just the "raw" conversion plus the preparation of the needed textures.

One thing I would like to mention is that in order to get the "raw" conversions that I then clean up and edit down for vanilla compatibility, I programmed a special converter script to convert Hexen format maps (which is what CQ3 uses) to the original Doom format. Initially, the maps were converted by opening a map in chex3.wad, selecting everything and copying it, and then pasting it into a Doom format map. This didn't work as well since SLADE (which is what I actually use for mapping as well as WAD management) doesn't properly re-adjust values like line specials to work the same way in the Doom format. My own converter script handles this properly by mapping certain combinations of Hexen format specials, arguments and activations to specific Doom format specials.

I might consider releasing the conversion script I made too sometime, but do note that it's written in the Ruby programming language which is hard to set up outside of Unix-based operating systems (though not impossible).

Melodic Spaceship

#3
And Provincial Park is done! This level was a bit of a doozy, considering it was the first time I had any problems with the vanilla sprite limit. (Vanilla Doom can only show a certain amount of sprites on-screen at once.) To get around this, I had to remove a bunch of the trees (and other decorations) in the problematic areas.

PSA time: Vanilla limitations cuts down hundreds of trees each year for its own benefits. Boycott vanilla limitations today.

I think I might start on Meteor Spaceship almost immediately now.

Boingo the Clown

If you really need to you could use transparent textures for some of the trees ...

... but beware of the dreaded visplane limit.

Melodic Spaceship

That's an interesting suggestion, but it might feel too inconsistent when they're in the same level as sprite trees.

Anyways, Meteor Spaceship is already done, unless I missed something! This level was so much easier to do compared to the previous one. The only two areas that had any problems were the flemoid power strand room and the Snotfolus boss room, which both had VPOs but both could be fixed by removing a bit of mostly cosmetic detail in some places.

Since I have all the levels done, I might release a public beta soon. I still would like MIDI renditions of the CQ1 intro and ending cutscene's background music.

uni

Looks awesome! Would love to be able to use this in DSDA-Doom, using GZDoom feels weird to me... >w<
Are you using CRL to vanilla bug-test this? :Р

Melodic Spaceship

I was using the original ChocoRenderLimits, because I couldn't get CRL working on my system. I'm probably gonna have to switch to it once I can get it working, though.

Melodic Spaceship

#8
Well, I went ahead and recreated the intro cutscene soundtrack myself to the best of my ability. You can download the MIDI here if you want to listen to it: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1T2Ach5YiFdFaW18Mj4aFguoBLLN_-lBA

I'll likely also edit this post if I finish the ending cutscene soundtrack before anyone replies.

Oh, and I forgot to say this in my last post, but welcome to the forums!

Edit: I did the ending cutscene music! You can get it here: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=17t4Ymqtx-T239TRljHjgsLJV38zd1Rro

Melodic Spaceship

#9
Sorry to triple-post, but...

THE FIRST RELEASE CANDIDATE IS NOW UP FOR DOWNLOAD!

Download it here: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1Y7f0Z-OuNAibHoOJHwrdFh_OrkO8mG03

Edit: Sorry, I forgot to make the link publicly viewable. It should be fixed now.

uni

Oh uhh, Melodic Spaceship: Andrew Benon did indeed make the intro and ending cutscene music. Replying to this in the MIDI metadata. :Р
<COPYRIGHT> | Original likely by Andrew Benson, MIDI version by Melodic Spaceship
QuoteHey Enzo,

Yes — thanks for updating that. The official names are "Intro Soundtrack" and "Outro Soundtrack".

Cheers,

Andrew

+++++

Andrew Benon
stewardofpop@gmail.com


Melodic Spaceship

Quote from: uni on March 13, 2024, 05:38:35 PMOh uhh, Melodic Spaceship: Andrew Benon did indeed make the intro and ending cutscene music. Replying to this in the MIDI metadata. :Р

Thank you for obtaining that information! I'll be sure to update the MIDI metadata in the next release candidate.

Melodic Spaceship

#12
RC2 has been released! Download here: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1y9F8xnL6u-d666M-BG7mv-h3NBZBQo2_

Here is a list of changes in this version:

  • Removed the offsets in the WIURH0, WIURH1 and WISPLAT lumps to fix a crash in Nugget Doom.
  • Added replacement Super Slimey confirmation string in the external DEH and internal BEX.
  • Crushed enemies/players are now invisible instead of turning into beakers.
  • Added the "Chex Quest 3: Vanilla Edition" startup string to the BEX file.
  • Added replacement sprites for the MBF helper dog (a yellow recolor of the larva).
  • Added an EDFROOT file to make sure the title music plays in full in Eternity, and also to change the Eternity credits background.
  • Added a changelog.
  • Added a mention of the Doomworld thread and some other ports supporting widescreen to the readme.
  • Removed the ZMAPINFO and PFUB1 lumps from the widescreen pack and renamed PFUB1B to PFUB1, as the GZDoom-compatible PFUB1 works with other ports too.
  • Added unmarked exits to E4M1 and all the dummy levels, in order to allow full level completion in DSDA-Doom.
  • Shifted player starts in CQ1M3 to prevent illegal reads in DOS when novert is used.
  • Removed Boom-specific thing flags from all levels.
  • Added a DM-only teleporter in CQ1M5 to make the Flembrane area exitable in DM.
  • Made it so that leaving the DM-only room in CQ3M5 opens the door back to the key door hub area.
  • Added extra checks to the ZDoom-only ACS script to make absolutely sure E3M1 is Central Command and not a custom level before applying any effects.
  • Added a self-referencing sector near the balcony in the boss room in CQ3M5 to emulate the everything-blocking line in the original ZDoom version.
  • Removed a possible drawseg overflow in CQ3M2 by simplifying the windows in the subway.

Edit: Had to make a quick RC2.1 release due to an oversight preventing 100% secrets in CQ1M5. Download it here: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=15-Q_opuzVXffuzG1Hni3N8bscAR8uTaX