
EDGE 1.26 README.1ST
====================

Welcome to EDGE, the Enhanced Doom Gaming Engine.

Archive listing:
  * edge              - Linux Executable, software rendering
  * gledge            - Linux Executable, OpenGL rendering
  * musserv           - Linux music server 
  * edge.cfg          - Default Configuration File
  * edge.wad          - EDGE WAD Information
  * edge-ddf-3.7.zip  - EDGE DDF files (not required to play)
  * readme.1st        - Guess what you reading?

System Requirements:
  - Either a DOOM, DOOM II, TNT or PLUTONIA WAD file.
  - Computer with an FPU (Intel 486DX or higher).
  - Pentium 133 MHz CPU (233 MHz for 640x480 mode or GLEDGE).
  - 32MB RAM (64MB RAM recommended).
  - Hardware accelerated 3D card with OpenGL drivers (GLEDGE only).

  For Win32:
    - Videocard and Soundcard which is compatible DirectX 7.0.
    - DirectX 7.0 or higher.

  For Linux:
    - SDL (Simple DirectMedia Layer) version 1.1.
    - XFree86 4.0 with DRI 3D hardware acceleration (GLEDGE only).
    - Glibc 2.

Useful Parameters:
  * Screen Size: -width [screenwidth] -height [screenheight]
  * Colour depth: -bpp [depth]  (1 for 8-bit, 2 for 16-bit)
  * Pick IWAD file: -iwad [main wad file]
  * Play PWAD file: -file [addon wad file]
  * Jump to level: -warp [mapname]  (in the form of MAP01 or E2M9 etc..) 
  * External DDFs: -ddf [dirname]  (use external DDFs in 'dirname')
  * Show EDGE version: -version
  * Disable sound: -nosound
  * Disable music: -nomusic
  * Turn off warnings: -nowarn  (useful for 1.24 wads like QDOOMTST)

New features since 1.24:
  - Savegames are back.  This is brand new code, which works OK in the
    tests we've made, but may have bugs/issues with it.

  - EDGE now has built-in support for building "GL Nodes", which the
    renderers (software and OpenGL) need to draw levels properly.
    Some wads have the GL Nodes in them already -- for the rest EDGE
    will automatically create a ".GWA" file containing them.  When
    this happens, a screen will pop up showing some progress bars.
    This can take a while (especially for huge wads like ETERNAL) but
    it only has to be done once.

  - Crouching.  Uses the `Move Down' key in the standard controls
    option menu, and must be enabled in the gameplay option menu.

  - Shadows under things.  Can be enabled/disabled in the video option
    menu, or with the -shadows command-line option.

  - Support for playing MP3 music.  For now they must be external
    files, but support for lumps in wads is planned.  NOTE: doesn't
    work in DOS yet.

  - Improved BOOM compatibility: all of the non-generalised linetypes
    are supported, with the exception of line-to-line teleporters
    (which we haven't coded yet) and some scrolling types.  The
    generalised line and sector types are mostly implemented too,
    though some don't work correctly yet.
    
    Since the BOOM generalised types can interfere with TCs, they can
    be enabled/disabled in the gameplay option menu.

  - Mipmapping in the software and GL renderers, which can be
    enabled/disabled in the video options menu, and also the -mipmap
    commandline option.

  - Dynamic lighting, only in the OpenGL for now.  It can be
    enabled/disabled in the video option menu (disabling will give
    higher framerates and also saves memory).

  - Many DDF and RTS enhancements, too many to list in this readme,
    but include: more ammo types, improved tips, thin sliding doors,
    and better damage control.
 
Known Issues:
  - Multiplayer (networking) does not work.  We don't have the time to
    work on this at the moment, unfortunately.

  - Joysticks do not work.  We haven't done any work in that area.

  - Sky in GLEDGE can be wobble/twisted or ripple, most noticeable in
    maps with a lot of sky, e.g. MAP12.  Selected a higher "Detail
    Level" in the video option menu can help.
 
  - There are some visual problems/glitches with the screen,
    especially when the view window is shrunk down.  Also the fonts
    can look "chunky" in low resolutions (320x200).
 
  - EDGE is still somewhat slow.  Overall this is because we had
    little time to spend on optimising the code.  For software mode,
    part of the reason is that the old hand-crafted assembly routines
    are no longer used (they need re-writing).  GL mode also has its
    own speed issues.

  - Levels and TCs designed for EDGE 1.24 (or earlier) can produce a
    bucket-load of warnings when starting up.  These warnings are
    mostly about DDF features that have been removed or changed.
    Hence some older stuff may not work 100%.  Use the -nowarn option
    to turn off these warnings.
 
Troubleshooting:
  - If EDGE crashes, or otherwise misbehaves, please help us by
    reporting the problem.  To do this check out the EDGE website at
    http://edge.sourceforge.net.  We appreciate input because if you
    don't tell us about a bug, we can't deal with it.

  - The debug file can show some useful information (especially for us 
    when trying to track down a problem).  Create it like this:

      edge32 [normal parameters...] -debugfile debug.txt

  For Windows:
    - Ensure you are running with virtual memory ENABLED.  This will
      cause some real problems if it disabled.

    - You can check the DirectX version by running the DirectX
      diagnostic tool.  Click the Start button, then Run..., and 
      type: dxdiag and press ENTER.  If that doesn't work, try looking
      for DXDIAG.EXE in the following directories:

         C:\windows\system
         C:\program files\directx\setup\
         C:\winnt\system32
 
    - For GLEDGE to work, you need a 3D card *plus* OpenGL drivers
      for it on your computer.  A really low framerate usually
      indicates that the *software* GL driver is being used (not what
      we want, of course ;).  Go to the website of your card's
      manufacture and look for a recent 3D driver.  Another place to
      look is on Microsoft's site.  Basically, if Quake 3 (or some
      other OpenGL game) works, then GLEDGE should work too.
   
  For Linux:
    - SDL 1.1 can be found at http://www.libsdl.org/.
    
    - 3D support under linux is still a developing thang, e.g. there
      is no support for DRI (Direct Rendering Infrastructure) in
      some distributions yet (notably Debian 2.2), as it requires
      XFree86 4.0.
      
      Also required is a recent kernel (> 2.2.18 or > 2.4.0).  A good
      guide to whether accelerated 3D is working is to run `glxinfo'
      in an xterm, and see if it says "direct rendering: Yes".

Contact points:
  * For the latest news and developments visit the EDGE Website
    at http://edge.sourceforge.net.

  * For Forums, Engine Reports and CVS Access visit the EDGE Project
    site at http://sourceforge.net/projects/edge.

  * Contact the EDGE Team at edge-public@lists.sourceforge.net or via
    one of the team members (see the team page on the main website).

  * For more information on "GL Nodes", see the glBSP homepage at
    http://glbsp.sourceforge.net.
 
Compiling EDGE:

  Quick guide:
  
  First you need to build the GLBSP plugin.  Cd into glbsp/plugin
  directory and type `make' (or make -f makefile.bcc for windows).

  If doing Linux, now cd into the xingmp3 directory and type `make'.

  To make EDGE itself, cd into the platform specific directory
  (`linux', `win32' or `djgpp'), that's where the Makefile is.  Edit
  the Makefile, there are some useful parameters you can change at the
  top.  Then type `make' (or for windows, `make -f Makefile.bcc').


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