
Announcing the release of RanDOOM version 1.65!


Due to the efforts of many dedicated and creative DOOMers, the DOOM<tm>
playing community has been blessed with a virtual flood of new DOOM<tm>
levels to enjoy. Unfortunately, even a custom level eventually suffers from
the same malady as id-created levels, namely after a player has played the
level for a while he learns where all the items are. Clearly it would be
desirable to be able to RanDOOMize the new PWADs as well as the original
DOOM<tm> WAD. Earlier versions of RanDOOM, however, required that certain
elements be present in any source WAD file before it would agree to run,
which prevented RanDOOM from working on the shareware WAD but also meant
RanDOOM would refuse to RanDOOMize PWADs.

The solution embodied in this release of RanDOOM is the "reference WAD"
concept. Basically, you can now specify up to three WAD files on the
RanDOOM command line: an INPUT WAD file (from whence your THINGS data
comes), an OUTPUT WAD file (where the RanDOOMized level data wil be
written), and a REFERENCE WAD file (which is, as always, your registered
DOOM<tm> WAD file). Now you can RanDOOMize *any* valid PWAD.



OTHER RECENT CHANGES
--------------------

For various reasons, including a debilitating bug in the mouse support, many
people are continuing to use DOOM<tm> 1.1 instead of the newer 1.2 release.
These people are unable to use RanDOOM 1.55's restore feature, since the
maps and objects have changed between DOOM<tm> 1.1 and DOOM<tm> 1.2. In
addition to this, when the inevitable DOOM<tm> 1.3 is released, RanDOOM 1.55
may also be incompatible. These facts prompted the creation of RanDOOM
version 1.6.

RanDOOM *NO LONGER MAKES ANY CHANGES TO YOUR WAD FILES*. Instead,
RanDOOM uses your registered DOOM<tm> WAD file as input, and creates a
separate PWAD file as output. What this means is there is no more need
for a RESTORE function within RanDOOM - the WAD file is untouched, so
there's nothing to restore. This has several advantages:

	* It makes RanDOOM version-independent of DOOM<tm>; RanDOOM will
	  now work equally well with any version of DOOM<tm>, including the
	  new DOOM<tm> 1.3 when it is released.

	* It makes RanDOOMized net play easier. Now you can share the
	  (smaller) PWAD file among all players directly, in addition
	  to the existing method of supplying identical command line
	  switches on all machines.

	* Since RanDOOM begins with a "stock" WAd file every time it is
	  run, maintaining synchronization among WADfiles across a
	  network will become easier.

	* There is no chance of RanDOOM corrupting your original WAD,
	  even if it crashes or runs wild.



WHAT THE HELL (pun intended!) IS RanDOOM?
----------------------------------------

RanDOOM is a utility which will randomize the placement of objects in
the DOOM<tm> playfield. Tired of knowing where everything is in each level?
Tired of starting out in the same old places in DEATHMATCH mode? Run
RanDOOM and all that will change.

Not just another DOOM<tm> randomizer, RanDOOM has some smarts about the
manner in which it will scramble things - it's designed to never
leave you with a pillar blocking the exit, or a keycard on the
opposite side of the door from where you start, or to erase all the
DEATHMATCH warp-in spots with other objects (preventing DEATHMATCH
network play), or to replace the endgame bosses with other objects
(thus preventing the completion of an episode). In short, RanDOOM will
always leave you with a playable level.

RanDOOM is user-configurable WRT how many of each object it will add.
RanDOOM can load a set of weight values from a flat ASCII text file
which controls the relative proportion of that object in each level.
Is E1M1 too easy? Just raise the weight factor for the Barons of Hell,
Cacodemons, and Spectres. Not enough ammo? Raise the weight on bullets,
shotgun shells, and energy cells. Too tough? Lower the weights on the
monsters and/or raise the weights on weapons. It's all up to you and
your preferences.

Surgeon General's Warning: At id's request, RanDOOM will only work with
the registered version of DOOM<tm>.


OK, SO HOW DO I GET IT?
-----------------------

	To get your copy of RanDOOM, anonymous ftp to 

ocf.unt.edu

	in directory

/incoming

	under the file name

RDOOM165.ZIP.


RanDOOM is also available via anonymous ftp on

mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu

	in directory

/asre

	as

RDOOM165.ZIP


If you can't ftp, you could get it via mail:

Send a mail message to ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com

In the body of the message, type

reply <your_preferred_email_address>
connect ocf.unt.edu
binary
chdir /incoming
get rdoom165.zip
quit


RanDOOM is freeware, BTW. DOOM is a registered trademark of id software.
If you have problems with RanDOOM, don't bug the people at id - they
can't help you.


So rev up the chainsaw, swallow the invulnerability sphere, charge up
the BFG, and go kick some devilish butt!!! And remember,

"If you don't have RanDOOM, you suck."
	- M. D., Mississippi State University

