ZDaemon

ZDaemon is a modified Doom source port based on ZDoom for both Windows and Linux/Unix (server only at this time), purposely-built for playing multiplayer games over the Internet. Formerly open source, the port has been changed to closed source due to cheating incidents and security issues. The current version is 1.08.01 (December 31, 2005). However, there is a newer server version, 1.08.02 (April 6, 2006), which fixes a critical security vulnerability.



ZDaemon
ZDaemon itself is based on ZDoom 1.23, which was one of the last major versions of ZDoom before moving to its current 2.xx codebase. It features some of the features available from ZDoom such as the majority of line types, sloped lines, and deep water, but it lacks some of the more advanced functions of later versions of ZDoom, such as an uncapped frame rate, advanced ACS scripting support, DECORATE, flat and texture mixing, and other similar features.

However, ZDaemon itself features vastly improved netcode over ZDoom, stats/experience collection, teamplay support and Capture the Flag support. In version 1.07.01, unlagging support was added.

As with most networked games, ZDaemon is plagued by a heavy flood of immature behavior. This is accepted to be an issue with all online gaming, but the concentration, possibly matched by its age, seems to be much greater than some of the younger releases of multiplayer games. 'Dirty tactics' are contested by some as something that should be impossible, with an exception of certain tactics being implemented with the use the 'BFG9000', although this isn't recognized as cheating in the formal sense, but generates some disdain to those that employ a heavy use of it amongst some players. Still, debate remains regarding players possibly using programs known as aimbots; programming/hacking methods, that if wielded by a user, results in perfect hits without the need for actually aiming. Unfortunately, this is something that regularly finds its way into the multi-play gaming arena quite often. Another well-known, but as yet, unaddressed long-used cheating tactic, particular to ZDaemon, is exploited from the use of the console (an interface between the game engine and the user for entering commands, messages or setting game variables, brought up by a pre-defined key press) which, when flooded with messages results in the end-game multiplay bodycount to remain balanced amongst certain players.

ZLauncher
ZLauncher is a specialized launcher made specifically for ZDaemon. It provides an official list of currently available servers for people to play on. It also features a buddy list, GETWAD (automatic wad downloading), a quick link to ZSL (the server launcher) from the menu, a WAD file setup utility, demo recording, playback utilities, a built in chat lobby (based on IRC), and embedded forum access. It is maintained by team member Kilgore.

ZSL
ZSL, or ZDaemon Server Launcher is a program for invoking the ZDaemon server program with a specific configuration instead of having to edit the server configuration files by hand and start zserv manually. It is maintained by team member Doom2pro.

Other Utilities
GETWAD This is a modular utility created by team member Kilgore that looks on many major file repositories for map files, which it then downloads and extracts to a users specified map directory automatically.

ZRC This is a modular IRC client created by team member Kilgore that is simply that - an IRC client. However, when used in tandem with ZLauncher, it automatically joins a specialized IRC server. Since everyone who uses ZLauncher is logged in to this chat server, you can chat with everyone who is logged in to ZDaemon and has ZLauncher open. The ZDaemon IRC server can also be accessed through zrc.exe (without using it in ZLauncher), however the client is required to have logged in to the master server at some point on the same day.

Cheating
The nature with which ZDaemon staffers have dealt with cheaters has been a controversial one. For the most part, cheating had been kept relatively under control. As incidences began to escalate, the source code was no longer released with binaries, and culminated in the 'ZDHook' cheat. ZDHook was a combination package containing several cheating mechanisms, including an aimbot, a primitive wallhack, and the use of modified WADs. It became prevalent enough in the community that the official tournaments were closed until security updates could be made.

The cheating policy is a point of contention within the ZDaemon community. Public accusations of cheating (whether legitimate or not) are frowned upon as unnecessary public disturbance, with Raider once declaring it as a form of harassment. This has led to conflicts in the community, including many by long-standing members who feel there are a small number of cheaters who evade the scrutiny of the administration, which they feel is either ignorant of the matter or simply turning a blind eye. The administrators maintain that they ban only when given clear evidence and stand by their policy, although this same policy seems to be based under color of authority.

Source code controversy
In the ZDaemon 1.07 era, the development team stopped releasing the source code to ZDaemon due to numerous attacks and cheating incidents. The development team claims that since ZDaemon came from a mixed number of conflicting licenses, including the GPL, it was thus only subject to one of them: The Doom Public License. This license technically allows for the source to be closed, and the development team felt, much to their benefit, this to be an appropriate license to abide by.

This action caused a number of people to leave the community until the ZDaemon source is released again. The move has been criticised as a form of security through obscurity, making development of some cheats more difficult but not addressing the causes. The move also makes development of alternate ZDaemon clients and servers impossible and is uncommon in the Doom community where most source ports have their source code publicly available. However, ZDaemon's main competitor, Skulltag, is also closed source.

The developers have agreed that anyone wanting to develop a new feature or bugfix can do so using the older ZDaemon 1.06 codebase and submit it to the core development team for inclusion.

Bans
The ZDaemon master server will only advertise servers that enforce a ban list controlled by the ZDaemon staff. Servers that do not enforce this ban list are not shown to users. The effective result of this is that the ZDaemon staff have the ability to ban anyone they choose from all ZDaemon servers advertised on the master. No ban list (or other) restrictions apply to servers not advertised on the master. While this allows the removal of cheaters, the mechanism used can occasionally block innocent players as well due to matching dynamic IP ranges.

Relatedly, ban appeals, especially those of bystanders caught in the range bans of others, often end up as over-dramatized forum posts. For this reason, it is usually requested that such appeals be relegated to a private dialog with a member of the staff.

GetWAD controversy
Doom source ports require a Doom IWAD file which contains the graphics, levels and other media that are used in the game. These IWAD files are still copyrighted. This means that although source ports can be freely downloaded, users must still buy a copy of Doom in order to play. The GetWAD system included in ZDaemon allows any WAD files to be automatically located and downloaded, including IWAD files. There are no restrictions placed on this. Although this practice is not officially condoned by the ZDaemon staff, people think they encourage software piracy through failing to prevent automatic downloading of the Doom IWAD files. Luckily this is not the case, seeing as when the utility is used to actually look for the IWAD files a free alternate version is downloaded known as FreeDoom.

Trojan
ZDaemon staff member Doom2pro released a trojan program purporting to be a ZDaemon cheat. When run, the program would inform the ZDaemon staff and delete several files from the user's computer. Although Doom2pro acted independently of the rest of the ZDaemon staff, ZDaemon has nonetheless been criticised for his methods.

Linux
Following the moving of the forums to a different server, Linux machines are now able to access the forums. This was not possible for a portion of linux users beforehand. Until the arrival of a Linux client, many users play using emulation software such as WINE or Cedega. Playing using this software is allowed.

The ZDaemon community
The ZDaemon community itself, while not part of the ZDaemon program in a strict sense, plays a huge role in experience of playing ZDaemon online. It features many methods of discussion, many ways to 'get involved', and the ZDaemon team themselves would host many things that normally would get relegated to other outside organizations or websites.

The community's discussion and gaming services include:

The ZDaemon Forums ZDaemon Chat / #zdplayers on ZDirc #zdaemon on irc.freenode.net (defunct) ZDaemon Tournaments ZDReview

Clan activity
ZDaemon features a highly active clan scene. However, there are several major clans of note within ZDaemon.


 * Dwango United (DUI)
 * Created by former users of the DWANGO online gaming service of the mid 90s, it boasts a large number of active participants. http://www.dwangounited.org/


 * Red Fucking Army (RFA)
 * Founded in early 2005, RFA was one of the first powerful ZDaemon clans and it has taken part in many clan wars. RFA hosts many servers in Chicago and Dallas areas. Site: www[dot]redfuckingarmy[dot]com


 * Oldschoolers (OS)
 * One of the very first clans to appear on ZDaemon, founded by #zdaemon founder KNorton, along with UrHaSh and fyrestorm, which recruits oldschool players. They are almost immediately recognizable by the community with their ^OS/[OS] tag. http://clanos.slipgate.org


 * UniDoom (UD)
 * One of the oldest existing clans, they are famous for using "UD on top!" as their slogan. Their active and inactive roster encompasses more than 30 players, mappers and coders, however disputes between the clan and the ZDaemon developers and community have resulted in the exodus of a good portion of them from the community. http://www.unidoom.org/


 * Bad Taste (BT)
 * Founded by ATG (Sleepless) and 206, its current roster mostly consists of staff members and a few mappers. They are hard to spot at times, since they sometimes play without the Bad Taste clan tag. http://bt.keystone.gr/


 * ButtChaps (BC)
 * An offshoot of the UniDoom clan founded by aca and Doomraider in April of 2005. Members of BC are infamous in the ZDaemon community for various pranks and cracks, including attacks on #zdaemon.


 * Renegades (R)
 * Founded by Beast and Caboose in early 2007. http://www.takeforum.com/clanr/, http://zeus.timfluhr.org/


 * D-Generation X (DX)
 * Founded in October of 2006 after a joke clan got serious and ditched their original clan tags for the joke clan tag. This was supposedly the idea of cha0tix and Joshsmith, but DX boasts that they are ran by Steve Hogan. http://www.ggdood.com/


 * Epidemic Virus (eV)
 * Founded by Czar and _rade in mid 2006, this is was once the most active clan in Oceania. Presently it only comprises 5 members from Australia and New Zealand. The Clan is lead by Rygrass. http://www.eVdoom.co.nr/ http://www.eVdoom.co.nr/


 * Medjays of Anubis (MOA)
 * Oceania-based clan, led by Robbbbb and Jstb4udie, both Zdaemon Staff. Other members include Darketiger and andymun. This clan was formed after the dissolution of Clan CFH.

A more extensive list of clans can be found at the ZDaemon Home Page.

The ZDaemon Team
Raider Project Leader

Doom2pro Development

Danni ''Development

Kilgore Development and Support

Lyfe Development and Launcher Admin

Da_maniaC ZDaemon administration mail and tech support, Beta tester and former forum moderator/channel operator.

Former staffers
These people are no longer involved with ZDaemon and many of them are now actually banned. This section exists purely for historical reasons.

NightFang Founder and Developer of ZDaemon Retired.

Slayer Website hoster, master server hoster and doom2.org administrator Retired.

KNorton Founder of #zdaemon The IRC channel #zdaemon on freenode was originally unrelated to ZDaemon itself, instead being simply a chat room by and for players of the game. When KNorton disappeared for a brief period of time, Raider petitioned a global administrator to grant him ownership of the channel—freenode's policy supported projects adopting their own channels. When KNorton returned from his absence, he discovered his former position taken, and did not attempt to re-enter the community.

Ralphis ''Community moderator and beta tester. Also responsible for the name ZDaemon.'' One of the original ZDaemon team members, Ralphis was responsible for the name "ZDaemon". The ZDaemon team has claimed that Ralphis was removed for being too oppressive to the community. Ralphis claims otherwise however, claiming that he left due to ideological differences relating to the project. Ralphis was permanently banned from ZDaemon in the fall of 2006 after contacting ID Software over ZDaemon's GETWAD utility and its illegal function of downloading various IWADs. Kilgore took this personally and has stated that if Ralphis is ever unbanned, he will resign from the ZDaemon team.

deathz0r Beta tester and Forum Moderator Some level of confusion surrounds the cause of deathz0r's ban, although his condemnation was ruled certain as a result his presence in an IRC channel supported a DDOS attack against the ZDaemon master server in late 2005.

Russell Channel operator and Forum Moderator Banned for defending himself against an individual in the community who was considered higher than him by the project leader.

List of games that ZDaemon is compatible with

 * Doom and Doom shareware
 * Doom II
 * The Ultimate Doom
 * Heretic
 * Hexen
 * FreeDoom

Some games listed are not fully supported by the ZDaemon engine because it is based on the old ZDoom base code, version 1.23. In particular, Heretic is known to display a number of bugs (the most severe of which is a bug in monster support that makes it impossible to join a server once a monster has been killed; introduced in 1.08) and very few Hexen-exclusive effects and objects are supported, making gameplay impossible under most circumstances. This is expected to change with the release of newer versions and updates as the ZDaemon development team improves support.

Game adaptations
The voices used for announcements of most CTF/Deathmatch/Team Deathmatch games were taken from Quake III Arena and Unreal Tournament. They were compiled together by the creator of the WADs zvox.wad and zvox2.wad, and are subject to change with time. There is also some custom soundpacks which are made and maintained by individual authors and are subject to change anytime according to the author.