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The next version of the video game Doom is to be released within the next day (roughly)!
I'm sure I know at least a few PFers will likely be playing it.
(@Drakkith for one)
By the way, Drakkith's avatar is the protagonist from Doom. Not a power ranger, transformer or robot, but rather a human marine. He's just a human (albeit a bad-ass human) wearing a helmet (safety first!). The protagonist doesn't have a name, but is often referred to as "Doom marine," or "Space marine" or just "Doom guy."
When the original Doom was released back in 1993, it took computer gaming by storm (on the MS DOS platform). As a matter of fact, anybody who was lucky enough to have a 386 based computer or more powerful, or have access to one, was probably playing it. Before end of 1995, it was assessed that the game was installed on more computers around the world than the newly released Microsoft’s operating system Windows 95.
If you are unfamilar with the game, here is the original backstory taken from the original shareware README.TXT file (the game was originally released as a free shareware program that contained perhaps a whole quarter of the entire game. If you liked it, and wanted to play more, you could purchase the full game):
The Doom series (more on Doom 2 in a moment), together with its predecessor, Castle Wolfenstein 3D, defined and laid the groundwork for first person shooters (FPSs). They were known for fast paced, shoot everything that moves, and run around like mad gameplay.
Doom 2: Hell On Earth, released in 1994, was also incredibly popular (although the development studio, id Software, abandoned the shareware model for this game). The game engine was essentially the same engine as the original Doom (some minor improvements); the game's additions were new monsters, a new gun, and incredibly fantastic level design.
And with a downloadable patch (downloaded from a bulletin board service [BBS] back in those days) you could play Doom and/or Doom 2 in multiplayer mode! Although technically not the first to introduce first-person, multiplayer play over a network or modem, the Doom series was without question the first to firmly popularize it.
After that there were many new titles and games, including id's own Quake, that gave gamers a large choice of competing titles. Doom's graphics became quite antiquated pretty quickly thereafter. Sure, Doom's influence of course was always recognizable, but technological advancements and competition in the market abounded faster than even Doom's gameplay.
Doom 3 was released in 2004. It was not a continuation of the series, but rather a "reboot" of the original. Graphics were greatly improved and the storyline enhanced (it was more than just shoot everything that moves [and it gives a handwaving explanation as to why chainsaws are on Mars]), but the gameplay was notably different. Doom 3 was a very dark, cramped and spooky corridor shooter. The player relies on his flashlight for much of the game (switching between the flashlight and guns) and moved around much slower. Gone were the days of the Doom and Doom 2 open spaces with guns blazing, strafing back and forth to avoid enemy projectiles. You could strafe in Doom 3, but only very slowly, and it felt like hands and legs were constrained, comparatively speaking. Doom 3 consisted of mainly of slowly sneaking around, finding cover when possible, and quickly switching from you flashlight to the appropriate gun when necessary. It wasn't a bad game in my opinion. I rather liked it. But one thing everybody agreed on is that it was different. It wasn't the Doom or Doom 2 that everybody fell in love with, even ignoring the vastly better graphics.
It should be noted that about this time, the entire FPS genre was changing. "Aiming down the sights," with penalties for not doing so, had become the norm. Finding and hiding behind cover had become essential for survival. Only a limited number of weapons could be carried at any given time. Sure, these new features in FPS games might make them more "realistic" (and there's nothing wrong with that in-and-of-itself), but they also left of vacuum among single player oriented video games where the player runs around like a freaker, shooting anything and everything, as was the case with Doom and Doom 2.
Oh, the good ol' days.
At long last it appears that the brand new Doom (2016) -- the one that is to be released tomorrow (roughly) -- will fill that void. The developers, after working on the project for years, then scrapping everything and starting over from scratch (presumably to avoid making just another Call of Duty clone), claim to have created a Doom game that maintains the open spaces, fast paced action, weaving and strafing all over like a crazed puppy with a gun, like the originals. That, of course, together with state of the art sound and graphics of a modern shooter.
I for one am looking forward to playing. In preparation, I've played through Doom, Doom 2 and Doom 3 from beginning to end over the last couple of weeks. I'm ready to compare the new one.
For those fans of the previous games (like me), the designers have offered many easter eggs commemorating the originals.
******** Spoiler Alert *********** Don't watch this video if you don't want any spoilers whatsoever:
I'm sure I know at least a few PFers will likely be playing it.
(@Drakkith for one)
By the way, Drakkith's avatar is the protagonist from Doom. Not a power ranger, transformer or robot, but rather a human marine. He's just a human (albeit a bad-ass human) wearing a helmet (safety first!). The protagonist doesn't have a name, but is often referred to as "Doom marine," or "Space marine" or just "Doom guy."
When the original Doom was released back in 1993, it took computer gaming by storm (on the MS DOS platform). As a matter of fact, anybody who was lucky enough to have a 386 based computer or more powerful, or have access to one, was probably playing it. Before end of 1995, it was assessed that the game was installed on more computers around the world than the newly released Microsoft’s operating system Windows 95.
If you are unfamilar with the game, here is the original backstory taken from the original shareware README.TXT file (the game was originally released as a free shareware program that contained perhaps a whole quarter of the entire game. If you liked it, and wanted to play more, you could purchase the full game):
Code:
------------------------------------------------------------
THE STORY SO FAR
------------------------------------------------------------
You're a marine, one of Earth's toughest, hardened in
combat and trained for action. Three years ago you assaulted
a superior officer for ordering his soldiers to fire upon
civilians. He and his body cast were shipped to Pearl
Harbor, while you were transferred to Mars, home of the
Union Aerospace Corporation.
The UAC is a multi-planetary conglomerate with radioactive
waste facilities on Mars and its two moons, Phobos and
Deimos. With no action for fifty million miles, your day
consisted of suckin' dust and watchin' restricted flicks in
the rec room.
For the last four years the military, UAC's biggest
supplier, has used the remote facilities on Phobos and
Deimos to conduct various secret projects, including
research on inter-dimensional space travel. So far they have
been able to open gateways between Phobos and Deimos,
throwing a few gadgets into one and watching them come out
the other. Recently however, the Gateways have grown
dangerously unstable. Military "volunteers" entering them
have either disappeared or been stricken with a strange form
of insanity--babbling vulgarities, bludgeoning anything that
breathes, and finally suffering an untimely death of full-
body explosion. Matching heads with torsos to send home to
the folks became a full-time job. Latest military reports
state that the research is suffering a small set-back, but
everything is under control.
A few hours ago, Mars received a garbled message from
Phobos. "We require immediate military support. Something
fraggin' evil is coming out of the Gateways! Computer
systems have gone berserk!" The rest was incoherent. Soon
afterwards, Deimos simply vanished from the sky. Since then,
attempts to establish contact with either moon have been
unsuccessful.
You and your buddies, the only combat troop for fifty
million miles were sent up pronto to Phobos. You were
ordered to secure the perimeter of the base while the rest
of the team went inside. For several hours, your radio
picked up the sounds of combat: guns firing, men yelling
orders, screams, bones cracking, then finally, silence.
Seems your buddies are dead.
It's Up To You
Things aren't looking too good. You'll never navigate off
the planet on your own. Plus, all the heavy weapons have
been taken by the assault team leaving you with only a
pistol. If only you could get your hands around a plasma
rifle or even a shotgun you could take a few down on your
way out. Whatever killed your buddies deserves a couple of
pellets in the forehead. Securing your helmet, you exit the
landing pod. Hopefully you can find more substantial
firepower somewhere within the station.
As you walk through the main entrance of the base, you hear
animal-like growls echoing throughout the distant corridors.
They know you're here. There's no turning back now.The Doom series (more on Doom 2 in a moment), together with its predecessor, Castle Wolfenstein 3D, defined and laid the groundwork for first person shooters (FPSs). They were known for fast paced, shoot everything that moves, and run around like mad gameplay.
Doom 2: Hell On Earth, released in 1994, was also incredibly popular (although the development studio, id Software, abandoned the shareware model for this game). The game engine was essentially the same engine as the original Doom (some minor improvements); the game's additions were new monsters, a new gun, and incredibly fantastic level design.
And with a downloadable patch (downloaded from a bulletin board service [BBS] back in those days) you could play Doom and/or Doom 2 in multiplayer mode! Although technically not the first to introduce first-person, multiplayer play over a network or modem, the Doom series was without question the first to firmly popularize it.
After that there were many new titles and games, including id's own Quake, that gave gamers a large choice of competing titles. Doom's graphics became quite antiquated pretty quickly thereafter. Sure, Doom's influence of course was always recognizable, but technological advancements and competition in the market abounded faster than even Doom's gameplay.
Doom 3 was released in 2004. It was not a continuation of the series, but rather a "reboot" of the original. Graphics were greatly improved and the storyline enhanced (it was more than just shoot everything that moves [and it gives a handwaving explanation as to why chainsaws are on Mars]), but the gameplay was notably different. Doom 3 was a very dark, cramped and spooky corridor shooter. The player relies on his flashlight for much of the game (switching between the flashlight and guns) and moved around much slower. Gone were the days of the Doom and Doom 2 open spaces with guns blazing, strafing back and forth to avoid enemy projectiles. You could strafe in Doom 3, but only very slowly, and it felt like hands and legs were constrained, comparatively speaking. Doom 3 consisted of mainly of slowly sneaking around, finding cover when possible, and quickly switching from you flashlight to the appropriate gun when necessary. It wasn't a bad game in my opinion. I rather liked it. But one thing everybody agreed on is that it was different. It wasn't the Doom or Doom 2 that everybody fell in love with, even ignoring the vastly better graphics.
It should be noted that about this time, the entire FPS genre was changing. "Aiming down the sights," with penalties for not doing so, had become the norm. Finding and hiding behind cover had become essential for survival. Only a limited number of weapons could be carried at any given time. Sure, these new features in FPS games might make them more "realistic" (and there's nothing wrong with that in-and-of-itself), but they also left of vacuum among single player oriented video games where the player runs around like a freaker, shooting anything and everything, as was the case with Doom and Doom 2.
Oh, the good ol' days.
At long last it appears that the brand new Doom (2016) -- the one that is to be released tomorrow (roughly) -- will fill that void. The developers, after working on the project for years, then scrapping everything and starting over from scratch (presumably to avoid making just another Call of Duty clone), claim to have created a Doom game that maintains the open spaces, fast paced action, weaving and strafing all over like a crazed puppy with a gun, like the originals. That, of course, together with state of the art sound and graphics of a modern shooter.
I for one am looking forward to playing. In preparation, I've played through Doom, Doom 2 and Doom 3 from beginning to end over the last couple of weeks. I'm ready to compare the new one.
For those fans of the previous games (like me), the designers have offered many easter eggs commemorating the originals.
******** Spoiler Alert *********** Don't watch this video if you don't want any spoilers whatsoever:
