FAQ

What are the objectives of this project?

To provide some tutorial documents on Heretic hacking.

To provide various bits of source code and tools to download and help other Heretic hackers.

To produce a DOS version of the original game with improved visuals and enhanced features.

To produce a version of Heretic running on the Tao intent media platform (this will also work with the new Amiga).

To get a version of DOS Hexen running properly on my machine. I had to sneak this one in because the current demo version downloaded from Raven Software causes a stack overflow and the sound doesn't work!

Why the hell do you want to have anything to do with DOS?

Good question! I personally like to keep things as low level as possible and as portable as possible. It sounds contradictory doesn't it? The trouble with writing Win32 code is that you need to make a fair numbers of changes to get it working on anything else (just ask the guys at Hyperion)! Win32 has its advantages. I've been very impressed by the work done over at the wHeretic, Hexen32and jHeretic projects. Writing in DOS allows me to port my code over to other systems more easily. I'm also hoping to get some speed and code size advantages too.

What features will the eHeretic engine have?

Here's an initial wish list:

• Small, fast ideal for lower spec PCs.
• Console and launcher.
• Enhanced graphics effects.
• Extra gameplay features.
• Working sound and music.
• Improved Network play.

Hopefully I will add to this list as time goes on.

Haven't all these things been done before?

Not by me they haven't! This is a learning experience :)

Didn't you do a DJGPP version of Heretic?

Yep. I still have it lying around somewhere. It was just meant to be an initial exploratory port and after a few problems I got the basic game code running, with a few bugs and broken things though. I then had to go off and do other things that I actually got paid for, so on returning to this project Iwanted to start from scratch and do something better.