🚀 go-pugleaf

On 4 Oct 1995, Michael K. Neylon wrote:

> a basic poly structure to optimize space.  Now in Marathon,
> the map is based off the connections between polys: each poly stores
> its own floor and ceiling heights.  Because of this, that's its not
> based on an array but on polys, this allows Marathon maps to 
> do the 5D space thing.  There are several subtle difference that 
> I won't go into.

	Do you really know DF levels structure? Every sector in DF has its
own ceiling/floor height as well. To make it clear - what you call polygon
I call sector. Even more - same goes to DOOM. But in DOOM sectors share
vertices/lines. In DF every sector has its own lines and vertices.  And
the map is build by connecting (adjoining walls of) sectors, so you can
place one sector over another. And on the same place as another. There's
even a mechanism to get from one of these sectors to another without
changing your your x/y/z coordinates! It that what you call 5D? 

 > 
> >And that's it! Other stuff is
> >limitations. No more than 8 points per polygon! 
> 
> Limited to save on space and speed of drawing.

	Isn't Dark Forces fast enough for you? Its limit is only memory 
(or at least limits are very high>.
 
> >Is that a joke? You're
> >DOOMed to lurk in narrow corridors. 
> 
> Wrong.  You're probably assuming that there are walls at 
> the edges of every polygon.  In fact, if two polys with the 
> same floor/height are attached at a common line, it'll look like
> one big room, instead of two smaller polys.  Use of multiple polys
> can be used to create interesting rooms.

	I edited both DOOM and DF. How come I wouldn't know about it? Sure
I do. Just I'm sure there's a limit on number of connection between
"polygons" - in DF it's 50 (you can connect more, but if you see them all
at once HOM appears). In first version of DOOM it was 16. In latest
versions I made 100 and more of them visible and had no HOM, but it slowed
down. I just chose the wrong word when I said "narrow corridors". I
should've said "simple architecture". Not too simple actually, but not as 
complex as in DF.

	Frankly, I'm not much bothered with 3D engine capabilities. The
most annoying thing in all 1pp games after DF is absence of decent
mechanism of controlling the moving stuff of the level.  It's primitive in
DOOM/Heretic. And not much better in all others. That's what DF charmed me
with - INF language. You really can control what event causes what! You
can make sector move in any direction in any speed and program when it's
gonna move. In addition, you can make whatever sound you want, induce 3D 
objects movement, readjoin (!) sectors during game. No wonder DF levels 
are so complex and exciting. Especially for the developer. No 3D game even 
approached this. 

	I was told that Marathon capabilities are all like DF but without
3D objects. I just see it's not nearly true.

Alex.