ZDL


ZDL is a simple and user-friendly Doom launcher originally written by BioHazard that is feature-rich and can be really handy to use advanced Doom ports, with or without its mods.

This cross-platform open source utility that can be used with any advanced Doom engine, which means it can work with any game that was built upon the same id Tech of the classic FPS, such as Heretic, Hexen, Chex Quest, Hacx, Freedoom etc.
ZDL has a wide range of features that can be set on its window, such as source port, game IWAD, PWADs and Patches, Warp and Skill, Multiplayer (game type, hosting options, DMFlags and frag limits) and other stuff. Added to that, it features an "Extra command line arguments" field where you can add more parameters like would would do on a DOS shell or something like that.

Video

In the above video, I show how to use ZDL in a very newbie way. Don't forget to enable English subtitles if you can't read Portuguese.

Other features

There are even more stuff that ZDL can do to make our lives easier:
  • Saving/loading configurations: once you set up ZDL the way you like it, you can save to configuration to a .ZDL file. These files can be loaded back into ZDL by way of the loading dialog or by associating them with ZDL and running them from explorer. If the option to launch from ZDL files is selected, you can use .ZDL files in a similar way to batch files. For mod authors, you may want to package a .ZDL file with your ZDoom mods to help the end user play your mod with the optimum settings automatically!
  • Shell integration: you can associate .ZDL, .WAD, .DEH and .BEX files with ZDL to load configurations and insert wads and patches into the PWAD list easily, you may also drop several wads onto the ZDL executable. Use this with Doom Builder to add extra customizing capabilities to your test sessions.
Down below, there's a screenshot of ZDL ready to load D4D 3.x:

ZDL versions or forks

There are also several versions. I use ZDL 3.2.2.3 (May 16th, 2014), but you can find newer forks or editions:
  • Lcferrum's updated Qt version ZDL 3-1.1;
  • QBasicer's Qt version ZDL 3.2.2.2;
  • WildGoose's update ZDL 3.1a (dead link, mirrors: 1, 2);
  • Bio's original.

Attention

Even though ZDL makes everything easier and simple, it doesn't make anything on its own. You'll need some advanced Doom port, such as GZDoom, Zandronum, LZDoom or ZDoom, besides the IWADs (DOOM.WAD, DOOM2.WAD, HERETIC.WAD, etc.) from the games and the mods' files (.WAD, .PK3 or PK7) that you want to play.

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