I have searched for an answer to this question everywhere without finding a solution. So, I have decided to try posting the question here. Perhaps someone knows how to do this?
Question: Is it possible to open a network (LAN) game of Duke3D using the Windows port and have the game use a custom created map file? If so, how should I do this?
I tried the following with no success:
Host PC Command:
"C:\Program Files\Duke3D\duke3d.exe" /net /n1 192.168.0.152 -map _ZOO.MAP
Client PC Command:
"C:\Program Files\Duke3D\duke3d.exe" /net 192.168.0.1 /n1 -map _ZOO.MAP
Basically, when I do this, the game evidentally ignores the "-map" string completely. Therefore, I am forced to use the in-game levels.
I tried "cheating" my way around it by renaming my custom map to "E1L1.MAP" and placing it in the Duke3D folder. Then, when the multiplayer screen came up, I simply selected "Hollywood Holocaust" as the level, and my map DID load ... but there were some interesting side effects.
The first side effect was that I got the music score from the Hollywood Holocaust level in the game.
The second side effect was that the game became extemely unstable, and frequently crashes or goes out of sync.
If I play one of the actual in-game levels, the game works perfectly. I had a two-player network game running using the Stadium level for about 2 hours. The game was very stable and I think it only went out of sync once.
The custom level I'm trying to use was created with the DOS Build engine on another PC that I built exclusively for DOS. I only used native Duke3D components ... no mods, or imported ART or anything like that. The level works fine under single-player on both the native DOS and Windows Ported versions of Duke3D ... just not under multiplayer.
Of course, both computers had a copy of the level in the Duke3D folders. Both computers are running XP Professional Service Pack 2. Both computers are also running the same versions of Duke3D with the same settings across the board. (I tried to eliminate all the "idiot" solutions first.) Anyone with a suggestion, please drop a reply.
TX at
The -map parameter needs to come before the -net parameter as everything after -net is ignored by the game.
Devan at
You can select any level and start the game. Then, open your console and write "map _ZOO". And now, you can play this level :)
Retodon8 at
Unless this port changed things significantly, that last suggestion won't work for multiplayer games.