Master Levels for DOOM II

Master Levels for DOOM II

124 ratings
How to run Master Levels with a source port the best way?
By KUBA18i
This guide will tell you how to run the Master Levels with most source ports! Don't worry, it's not as complicated as it looks!
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Preparations
First, you must download these two programs if you don't have them:
Winrar[www.win-rar.com]
Slade[slade.mancubus.net]
After downloading, install them!

Now download only one of the source ports, the ones recommended are:
GZDoom[www.osnanet.de]-click version number to download.
Zandronum[zandronum.com]-click on your preferred version to download.

The last thing to download is the "Master Levels Menu". To get it, click here[www.doomworld.com] and click one of the mirrors on the right, preferably the one that's both the closest to you and supported.

Once you downloaded the two archives, cut them. Hold the" Windows Logo" key on your keyboard and press the "R" key. In the window that opens, paste this:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Master Levels of Doom.

You'll be taken to a very important folder. Paste the archives there.
Patching the game folders
Now delete everything except:
  • The archives you pasted there earlier
  • Folder named "doom2"
  • Folder named "master"
So the only files left are:
After doing so, extract the archives to where they are.
If using the Zandronum installer, select "Portable Installation" and choose to install in the folder the installer is, better by pasting that path from earlier in this guide.
After the extraction, delete all archives. Rename the EXE file to "dosbox.exe".
Now go to the "doom2" folder and cut "DOOM2.WAD". Return to the folder you were before and paste that file, afterwards delete the "doom2" folder. Open "ZDLMENU.PK3" with Winrar and keep it open for the next step.
Editing the WADs
Go to the "master" folder, then go to the "wads". Delete all the TXT files. Make a copy of the "TEETH.WAD" file and name it "TEETH2.WAD". Now open SLADE3. Drag and drop "TEETH.WAD" in there. Select the selected files on the image:
Press "Delete" on your keyboard, then hold "Ctrl" and press "S". Click on the "X" next to "TEETH.WAD".
After that, drag and drop "TEETH2.WAD" onto the program. Select the selected files on the image:
Press "Delete" on your keyboard, then hold "Ctrl" and press "S".
Close SLADE3. Delete the BAK files SLADE3 has made. You still have the "ZDMLMENU.PK3" archive open. Go to the "maps" folder in it. Now drag and drop the WAD files to that folder, just like in the picture.
Save and close. You may now just delete the "master" folder if you want.
Final thing to do
Open Master Levels' properties in your library, the click "Launching parameters". In the window that opens, paste this:
-file ZDMLMENU.PK3
Save and close. Once you boot the game through Steam, select Doom 2 and click "Don't show this again". Now you'll have a nice working level select, better loading times, improved audiovisual presenation, controls customizable to whatever you wish and multiplayer depending on what source port you are using.



That's all, wish you a good day! :-)
36 Comments
Zeroxel 8 Aug, 2024 @ 10:51am 
Is there any way to use you guide with the latest version of GZDOOM? Unfortunately it doesn't work for me. I had to rely on an older version of GZDOOM.
-Chris- 8 Dec, 2022 @ 4:07pm 
Any way to get this working with the launch option under "Doom2" entry in steam?

Tried when using GZDoom
Copy the contents from steamapps\common\Master Levels of Doom in to
steamapps\common\Doom 2\finaldoombase
steamapps\common\Doom 2\masterbase
adding -file ZDMLMENU.PK3 to launch option for doom2 properties (does nothing)

When trying the master levels, GZDoom launches but any options that show (IWAD's) as far as I can tell don't trigger the ZDL Menu or level section screen.

Alternatively, is there a way to combine the master levels into there own wad file that can be detected by GZDoom & launched that way?
Memix idk 7 Aug, 2022 @ 7:13pm 
nashe
Shockwaves 7 Oct, 2021 @ 6:48am 
Most of these links are broken. Working links below:

Slade: http://slade.mancubus.net/
GZ/ZDoom: https://zdoom.org/downloads
Master Levels Menu: https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/utils/frontends/zdmlmenu
Vuldora 29 Jun, 2021 @ 7:43am 
GZDoom and Zandronum are garbage though
Be Rеtагdеd, I'm Patient🥚 12 May, 2021 @ 1:57pm 
Edit: This guide was from 2014 (BEFORE THE MAJOR UPDATE OF JANUARY). My bad. Should have checked.
Be Rеtагdеd, I'm Patient🥚 12 May, 2021 @ 1:56pm 
Just run master levels on the actual DOOM II.
Hyda 13 Jul, 2020 @ 3:27pm 
HEYYY DUDES YOU GOTTA DO THIS COMPLEX STU-FF
xXF33DBACK3RXx 17 Feb, 2020 @ 1:00am 
you and a youtube video helped me a lot with this. At first the guide didn't make sense then the youtube guy started to now make sense then it all came together pretty well
MagicMaster667 4 Oct, 2019 @ 5:38am 
I set up all of this long ago.
This year I re-downloading my steam games to a new PC. I'd completely forgotten how to do all this Doom stuff.
Good bless Steam's 'favorite'-ing feature, so I could find this guide again. :-)