DMSP quake mod - Feb 2001
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Author                  : Aardappel (Wouter van Oortmerssen)
Email Address           : aardappel@planetquake.com
Web Page		: http://www.planetquake.com/aardappel
Description             : Quake mod that lets you play an SP
                          game in any DM map.
                          
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INSTALLATION:

Create a new dir under you quake (i.e. "quake/dmsp") and put the
supplied progs.dat in there. Start quake with "-game dmsp" as
argument. Set skill to 0-3 and load up any *DM* map in *SP* mode.

Have fun!

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I had the idea for this mod because I noticed the number of quality DM
maps far outnumbers SP maps, yet there's no fun way to play them (they
hardly ever are on servers, and bot DM gets old fast). So I decided
to make a mod that spawns monsters on DM maps to try to emulate a SP
experience.

The way it works:

As the map starts, you get 10 seconds to grab the items you need,
after that, the "invasion" starts: monsters spawn in on the deathmatch
spawns (1 every second!) and attack you straight away. The amount of
monsters that invades the map is fixed and determined by the "skill"
variable: 40/60/80/100 of them on skills 0 to 3. Different maps play
well with different amounts of monsters, so experiment with this var
for the most fun challenge.

Only the 7 easiest monsters spawn (no shamblers etc.) but make up for
this with numbers. Monsters always spawn at the same place in the
same sequence on a given DM map, so you can compare how you do and
develop strategies.

Since DM maps have no exit, the map ends when you have killed all
monsters.

On maps with not a lot of items, and especially on the higher skill
settings, you will need to develop strategies to make it through.
The best trick is to collect plenty of items, then wait before
attacking until you can take them out in bunches using the quad.

Issues:

- The map you choose is crucial. On some maps this mod is a lot of fun,
  on others plain boring. The main problem here is monster movement, on
  maps where DM spawns are cramped or do not give easily navigatable
  access to the rest of the map, monsters will just stand around near
  the spawn (or worse, telefrag eachother!). Also, big maps don't work
  very well. So what you need is small, vertical, easy navigatable maps.
  Of the id DM maps, DM4 fits this description best, and there are
  plenty of custom maps that do very well (strafin6, bless, quite a few
  of my ish maps etc).

- if you finish all rocket ammo without making sure all zombies are dead,
  you won't be able to finish the map!

- if you think you have killed all but the map won't end, and you hear
  "grr" but see no dog, he's hiding in the lava :)

- Do not play this mod on other than deathmatch 0 mode, also playing
  it on SP map is rather pointless (you'll just get extra monsters and
  no DM weapons!).
  
- if the map has exactly 7 DM spawns, monsters at the spawns will all
  be of the same kind!

- if you blast away large numbers of monsters at once on small open
  maps, be prepared for major "packet overflow".

Changes:

Beside the obvious changes to the quake SP mode to make this possible
(monster spawning etc.), The following other changes have been made:

- monsters are angry as they spawn.
- monsters will even fight their own kind (sorry, I am just a sucker for
  monster infighting).
- ring lasts very short (because ring just causes telefrags).


I would like to hear from people of maps that work exceptionally well,
along with the skill setting they are nicely balanced at. Demos of amazing
runs are welcome too... I can see fun competitions around this mod.


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* Copyright / Permissions *

You now the drill: don't tamper with the archive or anything in it. Cheers.
Distribution in any way is ok. Hey, you could even ask me :)


Wouter van Oortmerssen (aka Aardappel)