Blood

Edit history:

andwan0: 2015-12-13 08:35:06 am

andwan0: 2015-12-13 08:17:46 am

2015-12-12 08:34:47 pm

I like the idea of individual-level runs of Doom 1/2, Duke Nukem 3D, etc. There's a comprehensive list of all the recorded demos that we can playback.

I have now seen that Blood has been speedrun at AGDQ 2015 Charity Marathon Event which was done live.

I remember one rule for SDA is that we are not allowed to use emulation.
This is fine.
I think it's about time that Blood gets rightfully inserted into SDA DB officially.
I have found a way to record Blood individual-level as recorded demo files, like Doom / Duke3D demo files.

We just need to use parameter:

Code:

blood -record bloodX0Y.dem

where X is episode #, Y is map #
(Blood has a bug in that it will only playback demos named in this naming convention)
Once the game starts, pick episode and difficulty level.
Catch is: Blood will only record one level. So if we complete the level, the demo file ends.
So how do we record demos for following levels in easiest difficulty setting?
Easy, just edit the blood.ini file.

So if I want to start recording e1m2 (episode 1, map 2), edit blood.ini file to be like:

Code:

[Episode1]
Map1    = e1m2
Map2    = e1m1

Once I done recording this level, I pick another level, etc. e2m3. Edit blood.ini file to be like:

Code:

[Episode2]
Map1    = e2m3
Map2    = e2m2
Map3    = e2m1

and start the episode 2 campaign, and easiest difficulty (or whatever difficulty).
This just tricks blood in loading e2m3 as the first map.

Now SDA can take these demo files and playback on a PC running native MS-DOS to verify.
To play back the demos, you must revert the blood.ini file back to original (so keep a backup copy or just edit it back (it's just 1 line changes). Then use Blood Demo Fixer to fix the record demos.
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=DCE8BB1248CAAFFF!46133&authkey=!AA_U-bx6dnS7pSY&ithint=file%2c7z

History
in the past we could use the SPIELBERG cheat to warp to a level and it would automatically record a demo. But this defaulted in medium difficulty, and if you finish the level, you get the "YOU CHEATED" message. Also, this command only worked in blood version 1.11 or earlier. This was disabled in version 1.21. (and as SDA rules, we need to use latest version of the game).

I like the idea of individual-level runs of Doom 1/2, Duke Nukem 3D, etc. There's a comprehensive list of all the recorded demos that we can playback.

I have now seen that Blood has been speedrun at AGDQ 2015 Charity Marathon Event which was done live.

I remember one rule for SDA is that we are not allowed to use emulation.
This is fine.
I think it's about time that Blood gets rightfully inserted into SDA DB officially.
I have found a way to record Blood individual-level as recorded demo files, like Doom / Duke3D demo files.

We just need to use parameter:

[code]blood -record bloodX0Y.dem[/code]

where X is episode #, Y is map #
(Blood has a bug in that it will only playback demos named in this naming convention)
Once the game starts, pick episode and difficulty level.
Catch is: Blood will only record one level. So if we complete the level, the demo file ends.
So how do we record demos for following levels in easiest difficulty setting?
Easy, just edit the blood.ini file.

So if I want to start recording e1m2 (episode 1, map 2), edit blood.ini file to be like:

[code][Episode1]
Map1    = e1m2
Map2    = e1m1[/code]

Once I done recording this level, I pick another level, etc. e2m3. Edit blood.ini file to be like:

[code][Episode2]
Map1    = e2m3
Map2    = e2m2
Map3    = e2m1[/code]

and start the episode 2 campaign, and easiest difficulty (or whatever difficulty).
This just tricks blood in loading e2m3 as the first map.

Now SDA can take these demo files and playback on a PC running native MS-DOS to verify.
To play back the demos, you must revert the blood.ini file back to original (so keep a backup copy or just edit it back (it's just 1 line changes). Then use Blood Demo Fixer to fix the record demos.
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=DCE8BB1248CAAFFF!46133&authkey=!AA_U-bx6dnS7pSY&ithint=file%2c7z

[b]History[/b]
in the past we could use the SPIELBERG cheat to warp to a level and it would automatically record a demo. But this defaulted in medium difficulty, and if you finish the level, you get the "YOU CHEATED" message. Also, this command only worked in blood version 1.11 or earlier. This was disabled in version 1.21. (and as SDA rules, we need to use latest version of the game).

Softman25

2015-12-12 10:39:46 pm

Alternatively you can just use DOSBOX - which has been SDA approved and is used by (almost) all of the Blood speedrunners (that I know of).

This is definitely a cool little trick though, something I can't deny!

pogokeen

Edit history:

pogokeen: 2015-12-13 02:07:45 am

pogokeen: 2015-12-13 01:22:47 am

2015-12-13 01:18:20 am

(aside: This thread should probably be merged with this one: https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/blood4_26.html )

I think more Blood ILs would be great! Smiley

Currently, there's been a bit of a push for ILs that you can see at http://www.speedrun.com/Blood/individual_levels

Getting a table completed and submitted to SDA would be really cool! Smiley

Sadly, I have tested the dmo recording, and in my experience, on the latest GOG version of Blood, demos desync very very easily. I gave up a while back as most of the tricks would not record & playback properly on dmo. If you have a fix for this, please let me know!

Also, there is a way to skip to a map without re-organizing the .ini file -- if you specify the map on the command-line using -mape#m# (for example, e1m3 for Episode 1, Map 3).

Edit:

Quote from andwan0:

(Blood has a bug in that it will only playback demos named in this naming convention)

That's interesting... does it just not play it in the main loop otherwise? Alternatively, I think you can also use the -playback option to specify a demo, but my demos almost always desynced, so I wonder if you mean there is only a specific set of options to make it work perfectly?

(aside: This thread should probably be merged with this one: https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/blood4_26.html )

I think more Blood ILs would be great! :)  Currently, there's been a bit of a push for ILs that you can see at http://www.speedrun.com/Blood/individual_levels

Getting a table completed and submitted to SDA would be really cool! :)

Sadly, I have tested the dmo recording, and in my experience, on the latest GOG version of Blood, demos desync very very easily.  I gave up a while back as most of the tricks would not record & playback properly on dmo.  If you have a fix for this, please let me know!

Also, there is a way to skip to a map without re-organizing the .ini file -- if you specify the map on the command-line using -mape#m# (for example, e1m3 for Episode 1, Map 3).

Edit:
[quote="andwan0"](Blood has a bug in that it will only playback demos named in this naming convention)
[/quote]

That's interesting... does it just not play it in the main loop otherwise?  Alternatively, I think you can also use the -playback option to specify a demo, but my demos almost always desynced, so I wonder if you mean there is only a specific set of options to make it work perfectly?

andwan0

2015-12-13 08:13:08 am

Quote from Softman25:

Alternatively you can just use DOSBOX - which has been SDA approved and is used by (almost) all of the Blood speedrunners (that I know of).

This is definitely a cool little trick though, something I can't deny!

WTF? When did this happen? Dammit. All those years ago SDA strictly said NO EMULATORS. DOSBox is an emulator.

andwan0

2015-12-13 08:14:07 am

Quote from andwan0:

Quote from Softman25:

Alternatively you can just use DOSBOX - which has been SDA approved and is used by (almost) all of the Blood speedrunners (that I know of).

This is definitely a cool little trick though, something I can't deny!

WTF? When did this happen? Dammit. All those years ago SDA strictly said NO EMULATORS. DOSBox is an emulator.

Anyway, yes, we can record the demo files while playing via DOSBox.... and the demo files will play on native MS-DOS anyway. That's the point, the prove that it's legit on native MS-DOS environment...

andwan0

2015-12-13 08:16:12 am

Quote from pogokeen:

(aside: This thread should probably be merged with this one: https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/blood4_26.html )

I think more Blood ILs would be great! Smiley

Currently, there's been a bit of a push for ILs that you can see at http://www.speedrun.com/Blood/individual_levels

Getting a table completed and submitted to SDA would be really cool! Smiley

Sadly, I have tested the dmo recording, and in my experience, on the latest GOG version of Blood, demos desync very very easily. I gave up a while back as most of the tricks would not record & playback properly on dmo. If you have a fix for this, please let me know!

Also, there is a way to skip to a map without re-organizing the .ini file -- if you specify the map on the command-line using -mape#m# (for example, e1m3 for Episode 1, Map 3).

Edit:

Quote from andwan0:

(Blood has a bug in that it will only playback demos named in this naming convention)

That's interesting... does it just not play it in the main loop otherwise? Alternatively, I think you can also use the -playback option to specify a demo, but my demos almost always desynced, so I wonder if you mean there is only a specific set of options to make it work perfectly?

Yes, we can use the -map parameter, but this will default to skill level 3 (medium). If we want to easy speedrun on easy setting 1, then we must use the in-game menus.

[quote="pogokeen"](aside: This thread should probably be merged with this one: https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/blood4_26.html )

I think more Blood ILs would be great! :)  Currently, there's been a bit of a push for ILs that you can see at http://www.speedrun.com/Blood/individual_levels

Getting a table completed and submitted to SDA would be really cool! :)

Sadly, I have tested the dmo recording, and in my experience, on the latest GOG version of Blood, demos desync very very easily.  I gave up a while back as most of the tricks would not record & playback properly on dmo.  If you have a fix for this, please let me know!

Also, there is a way to skip to a map without re-organizing the .ini file -- if you specify the map on the command-line using -mape#m# (for example, e1m3 for Episode 1, Map 3).

Edit:
[quote="andwan0"](Blood has a bug in that it will only playback demos named in this naming convention)
[/quote]

That's interesting... does it just not play it in the main loop otherwise?  Alternatively, I think you can also use the -playback option to specify a demo, but my demos almost always desynced, so I wonder if you mean there is only a specific set of options to make it work perfectly?[/quote]

Yes, we can use the -map parameter, but this will default to skill level 3 (medium). If we want to easy speedrun on easy setting 1, then we must use the in-game menus.

pogokeen

2015-12-13 08:22:46 am

Ah! I see, I hadn't thought about that -- that makes sense. Off the top of my head, I don't recall any other way around that. Very cool, the ini trick would be really useful for that! Smiley

andwan0

2015-12-13 08:34:26 am

I've written a guide here:

http://www.speedrun.com/Blood/guide/jsfbq

andwan0

Edit history:

andwan0: 2015-12-13 08:46:25 am

2015-12-13 08:35:41 am

I've written up a guide on how to record blood demos on any map, on any skill setting you want here:

http://www.speedrun.com/Blood/guide/jsfbq

(sorry for starting another thread here: https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/blood7_9.html#blood7_10-
didn't know this one existed)

pogokeen

2015-12-13 08:37:55 am

Awesome, thanks very much! I'll have to retry doing demo recordings using this method and see if I have better luck. The Blood Demo Fixer definitely looks like a good utility to have! Smiley

andwan0

2015-12-13 08:44:32 am

Reading the RULES again:
http://speeddemosarchive.com/lang/rules_en.html
Official SDA still states that DOSBox is an emulator and emulators are still not allowed.
But yes, www.speedrun.com is not SDA and hence allows DOSBox. But we want Blood on SDA.
Anyway, good luck with your runs and let me know how it goes.
I am curious about the de-sync problems. Maybe it's okay on skill 1 coz of less monsters... but experiement.

pogokeen

2015-12-13 09:00:26 am

Sorry, I'm not sure that rules page is up to date with the latest SDA rules -- there was a consensus a while back to first allow official emulators and ports, and then a follow up consensus to allow DOSBox in general. You can find a good breakdown of these specific rule updates here: https://forum.speeddemosarchive.com/post/virtualization_software_and_dosbox_allowed_for_old_games.html

And thanks! Smiley

I'll definitely experiment with some runs and hopefully I'll have some good news to share soon Smiley

LotBlind

2015-12-13 01:41:50 pm

Told someone to merge... in the future you can try contacting a greenshirt but that doesn't currently work very well Smiley

pogokeen

Edit history:

pogokeen: 2015-12-13 11:15:50 pm

pogokeen: 2015-12-13 11:15:05 pm

2015-12-13 09:57:44 pm

Thanks very much LotBlind (& anonymous someone)! Cheesy

(I will definitely do that next time! Smiley

)

andwan0

2015-12-14 05:25:21 am

Thanks LotBlind for the merge^^

Good thing with recorded demos is that you can later video capture it on highest setting, etc, without affecting your gameplay Wink

And then later test try it out on native MS-DOS Wink

- I would be very interested to see!!!

PS: any modern PC can boot in native MS-DOS... just use bootable USB/CD.... the only thing you might not get it Sound Blaster Pro compatible drivers...