How do Levels and Packages go together?

RemiliaScarlet

It looks like Packages are the preferred way to package things going forward, but the manual only mentions asset types for thing/weapon models and some texture types. How do .wad files for levels fit into packages? Or should levels be packaged using the older PK3 format specification instead?

skyjake

".pack" packages are a high-level container format. Your levels still need to be inside a WAD file, deconstructed inside a PK3, or in a WAD file inside a PK3.

The big advantage of packages is that their metadata is scriptable using Doomsday Script.

RemiliaScarlet

So let's say I have three maps that I normally would place in a PK3, along with some XG and DED stuff:

1. /data/jdoom/auto/e1m1.wad
2. /data/jdoom/auto/e1m2.wad
3. /data/jdoom/auto/e1m3.wad
4. /defs/jdoom/auto/xg.ded
5. /defs/jdoom/auto/mapinfo.ded

Would I put the entire pk3 inside the root .pack? Or do I put the .wad files in a specific directory in the .pack, then package the DED inside the .pack in a directory pointed to by the "defsPath" metadata? That's what I'm not understanding. Sorry ^_^;

skyjake

You can put the entire PK3 inside the .pack, and then set this in the package info.dei file:

dataFiles <filename.pk3>

That would load "filename.pk3" from the package root. All data files listed in the "dataFiles" list are loaded at startup, if it package is marked for loading.

There are no built-in special directories inside packages, so you can use your layout.

"defsPath" is for conveniently loading a larger number of DED files. "dataFiles" is for loading individual files. The files listed in "dataFiles" are relative to the package root and can reside in subdirectories for organization, for example:

dataFiles <levels/e1m1.wad, levels/e1m2.wad>

You can also put DED files in"dataFiles", so using "defsPath" is optional.

RemiliaScarlet

Perfect, thank you!