Welcome to GAMEWORLD's second on-line conference. This time, the topic is
DOOM, the wildly popular and addictive 3D game from ID Software.
The conference lasts from August 1 through August 5 and we're pleased to
announce that our guests will be ID Software's American McGee, on-line
support, tester, and DOOM level creator, and Shwan Green, on-line support and
tester. They'll be happy to answer all your questions about DOOM and perhaps
give us a preview of things to come in DOOM II. Other folks from ID may stop
by as well. So get your questions ready--whatever you wanted to know about
DOOM--now's the time to ask.
For those of you who have not received the July issue of Computer Gaming World
with its cover story about DOOM II, we have the full-text file (DOM120.TXT)
here in GAMEWORLD, plus some screen shots for you to download. In addition, we
have a wide range of DOOM-related utilities and files to allow you to create
your own DOOM levels as well as play some others have created. You'll
especially want to grab Stephen Baldwin's PARKDO.ZIP--a rendering of
Ziff-Davis Publications HQ in New York City.
The conference will be held here in section 17, from August 1 through August
5. We are pleased to announce that ID Software's American McGee, on-line
support, tester, and designer of some DOOM levels, and Shawn Green, on-line
support and tester, will be our guests during DOOM Week. They, and perhaps
some other folks from ID, will be here to answer all your questions about DOOM
and perhaps give us a hint about DOOM II.
We have moved a considerable number of DOOM files--utilities and levels--into
this forum to give you an idea of the wide world of DOOM. Of special note are
utilities that allow you to create your own DOOM levels, add music, and add
graphics, plus a number of DOOM levels (especially the highly recommended
PARKDO.ZIP) for your enjoyment. If you haven't seen the July issue of Computer
Gaming World, you'll definitely want to download the full-text article
(DOM120.TXT) which tells of DOOM II. We've also arranged for the screen shots
of the new DOOM II monsters (as seen in the magazine) to be placed in our
library as well.
So join me, CGW editors, ID Software, and other DOOM enthusiasts for a
rip-roaring descent into the world of DOOM here on GAMEWORLD.
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
To start things off with the DOOM conference, I'm posting a few questions
of my own, each under their own subject. American and Shawn
Welcome, id Software!
On behalf of ZiffNet and its members, I'd like to welcome our honored guests
from ID Software. We are quite pleased to have you for our DOOM Conference,
although I post this a little ahead of time.
I wonder if we can start off with a little bit of info about yourselves.
Please, introduce yourselves, and tell us a little about what you do at ID,
and perhaps a little background into your input into the original DOOM.
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
:On behalf of ZiffNet and its members, I'd like to welcome our honored guests
:from ID Software. We are quite pleased to have you for our DOOM Conference,
:although I post this a little ahead of time.
Thanks. Glad to be here. :)
:Please, introduce yourselves, and tell us a little about what you do at ID,
:and perhaps a little background into your input into the original DOOM.
Name: Shawn Green
Position: Software Support/Software Testing/Level design/A little
programming/and pretty much anything else.
Mainly I give on-line support and test software all day. I do a little of
everything else when I have time....
Name: American McGee
Position: Level designer, tech support, lizard care-taker, and just about
anything else that I happen to be doing that day.
There's four difficulty levels in the shareware version, plus a Nightmare
version in the upgrade. I can see there are fewer mutants and monsters
about, but is there any sort of "aggressiveness" factor involved when
changing difficulty levels?
Maybe a more general question would be, How do the difficulty levels work?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
:There's four difficulty levels in the shareware version, plus a Nightmare
:version in the upgrade. I can see there are fewer mutants and monsters
:about, but is there any sort of "aggressiveness" factor involved when
:changing difficulty levels?
Yes. The demons will attack faster, recover faster from shots and shots will
do less damage.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
I noticed in Lombardi's article (in Computer Gaming World) that DOOM II will have higher system requirements. Now that you are closer to release on DOOM II than 3 months ago, what kind of requirements will DOOM II need?
And I guess I should ask, is DOOM II still slated for a mid-October release?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
486 will be a must. 486 w/8MB recommended.
Yes.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
~
Now the burning question. We know what kind of car Carmack drives, but what
kind do you, Shawn, and American, drive?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
Do we have to say? I drive a 1983 Camaro Z28.
American drives 1990 CRX.
-Shawn green
-- id Software 74250,2566
It would be great to get a WAD of that Camero! (g)...
-- Steve Baldwin 72241,733
I used to own a 78 Camaro 3spd 6. Not a Z, but ran decently and had a T
roof. After 90,000 miles, got "sensible" and bought a 85 Nissan Stanza
puddlejumper. Still my main car at 232,000+ miles.
So, if you guys race Carmack, do you limit him to first gear? :)
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
OK, I'll bite...
Where do you go for a drive in a 700+HP Ferrari?
And does Carmack really have a bumper sticker that says "My other car is a
Ferrari, too"
:Where do you go for a drive in a 700+HP Ferrari?
If you're unlucky, the hospital. :)
Actually, Carmack hasn't got the TR w/700HP out of the shop yet, they are
still mapping it's performance.
:And does Carmack really have a bumper sticker that says "My other car is a
:Ferrari, too"
No. Bumper stickers and Ferraris don't mix.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
I saw a licence plate frame here on a Rolls that said "My other car is a
piece of s**t too!" You have to like guys with a sense of humour.
Are you going to make the area of effect weapons (Rocket Launcher, BFG-9000)
TRUE area of effect weapons? It annoys me a bit when I lob a rocket (or six!)
through a door and only get one guy.
-- Bruce Hawick 70714,3403
Do you work a level up from a map, or just a rough sketch? Or just out of your
imagination?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
We don't do any preliminary planning for the levels. We just load up DOOMED
and
go at it. From the imagination....
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
Hear that, Mr. Baldwin? From scratch.... :)
(having seen Steve wandering around the corridors of Ziff-Davis HQ, map in
hand, making notes. Of course, the end result is one heckuva accurate
rendering of the 11th floor!)
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
When you see him wandering around with a shotgun, I guess that'll pretty much
answer most of the questions in the "DOOM & Violence" thread :)
-- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067
DOUBLE CHUCKLE! wandering around with a shotgun...chuckle chuckle!
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
:After a long, hard day slaving away at DOOM II level creation, what do you
:do to relax? Somehow, I don't think you create multidimensional financial
:spreadsheets :), but what?
Play our levels. Go for rides in 700+HP Ferarris :). Carmack and American go
jogging....
-Shawn Green
Looking back on the original shareware version of DOOM,
what do you believe is the single most interesting aspect of the game?
and what do you believe is the single worst aspect of the game?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
:Looking back on the original shareware version of DOOM,
:what do you believe is the single most interesting aspect of the game?
Deathmatch.
:and what do you believe is the single worst aspect of the game?
The time consumption during deathmatch. We've had to ban it so we can
get work done. :)
-Shawn green
-- id Software 74250,2566
-->>>>> And now for a variety of information about the upcoming DOOM II.
How do I get DOOM II? I will be at Computer showcase in Pomona, CA on Aug 6th
but if they don't have it where is it. I now have Registered version(all three
Episodes) of DOOM?.
-- MICK J. JOHNSON 74563,23
DOOM II is not yet released. Official release date is October 10th.
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
DOOMsday is October 10th. Searching before that day is not likely to be
fruitful. We're all waiting... going mad... waiting...
-- \/arzil the Good 72241,50
[DOOM II System requirements will increase to a 486 system with 8MB of RAM.]
That's not too bad, since just about everything sold now is a 486 and up.
Looks like a memory shortage will be looming after DOOM II is released as
folks upgrade like crazy from 4MB to 8MB.
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
My response to the young man who said 486's are common, yes they are. But for
fellas like myself who have a 386 40 with only 4 megs.. The requirements keep
getting larger and larger.. When do programmers ever have enough!!
-- MILTON ROBERSON 72410,3134
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint) with computers
enough is never enough.
-- Ken Hipple [ZiffNet] 72241,65
Since DOOM II is Hell on Earth, are you going to model any of the levels
after real places?
Are we going to see the last level as a Mesquite level, or id Software's HQ?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
One of the city levels has the big black id building. The inside is nothing
like id, but the outside is....
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
In DOOM II Hell On Earth - are all the villians still mutant and murderous
aliens? Or are there regular human folks? I can justify the level of violence
since these are fantasy characters. I even let my 8 yr old play the lowest
level. Thanks -Jeff
-- Jeff Kasavan 76424,1125
Nope. Murderous demons from Hell.......
: Or are there regular human folks?
Well, there are FORMER humans....
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
<There are FORMER HUMANS>
Don't tell me that DOOM II is set at Colombia Law School! Aargggh!
(g,r & d)
-- Steve Baldwin 72241,733
What would be nice to see in Doom2 is damage detail on the monsters, kind of
like the detail on the players face on the satus bar. When you shot them a
couple of time you actually see the bullet holes, etc... Also I was wondering
why do the dead monsters contently continue to face your player head on when ever you look at them. Will this so called problem be fix in the upcoming Doom?
Thank you
-- Daniel 74273,1057
What would you do in the secret level of episode 2, where there are
about 8 hell barons and maybe 24 cacodemons all in your area? I mean, how
would you display their damage detail?? I like the idea, I just can't see how
you'd implement it.
RE the dead monsters, look closely and you'll see that *anything*
inanimate - weapons, ammo, etc. - has only one side. Walk around it and it
always faces you.
-- \/arzil the Good 72241,50
I have dozens of DOOM II GIFs, and there's one rumoured "new monster" I
don't see in them. They have the new Sarge with the chaingun, and the new
cacodemon that shoots flaming skulls instead of merely fireballs, and the one
that everyone seems to call "heavyweight hellion" (is that his NAME?). But
some articles mention a skeleton-type monster. I ain't seen him in no GIFs.
Was he just an evil roomer?
-- \/arzil the Good 72241,50
We've uploaded a number of GIFs in this forum, taken from DOOM II (the ones
that you see in the article in the July issue of Computer Gaming World. We
even uploaded a photo of Carmack and his Ferrari.
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
I heard a rumor that once DOOM II comes out, you're going to release
original DOOM code as freeware. Is it true?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
No.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
Are you going to make the area of effect weapons (Rocket Launcher, BFG-9000)
TRUE area of effect weapons? It annoys me a bit when I lob a rocket (or
six!) through a door and only get one guy.
-- Bruce Hawick 70714,3403
The Rocket launcher is a true "area affect" when you launch into a room of
demons, the one that gets hit absorbs most of the damage. The BFG is more
of a sight damage. Basically everything in your line of vision (providing you
can still see the bfg shot) gets damaged.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
--->>>>> And now on to DOOM on CD-ROM...
Dear all,
thanks for the best game of the year - however, as always, we gamers are
always after more !!!
You managed to fit in over 30 or so areas in about 10Meg with this release, I
can only think how many could fit onto a 650Mb CDROM.
Any plans to produce a huge DOOM CD ???
-- Nigel Hodgson 100101,2662
To: ID Software
I would also be seriously interested in a CD version. The potential is mind
boggling, the carnage endless <g>
Utterly Awesome Game Dudes
-- Paul White 100113,1744
Will ID Software come out with a CD-ROM version of DOOM?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
Yes. DOOM ][ will be available on CD-ROM for machines with at least 8MB. No
new data will be included.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
A CDROM could contain more sounds and background art.
-- Craig Kerwien 72241,224
#: 3117 S17/* Doom Conference
03-Aug-94 17:42:17
Sb: #Running off CD ROM
To: Russ Lockwood 72241,567 (X)
I have heard that DOOM ][ will not be able to be run off the CD ROM. I sure
hope this is *NOT* true. Since the minimum system requirements have been
raised up I would hope that this new DOOM would be playable from the CD ROM.
Some of us have triple and quad speed players and lots of ram (but not much
harddrive space). PLEASE tell me this rumor ain't true.
-- Starship 72772,505
--->>>>> The levels are the heart and soul of DOOM. No matter how great the graphics, no matter how impressive the weapon, if the level doesn't work, thegame doesn't work. So, for all your level-headed people out there, a discussion of DOOM levels...
I know you've done some of the level design work--where do you get the
inspiration? Movies, books? CAD conferences?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
None of the above. Everyone here who designs levels pretty much just thinks
about a room that would look really cool, and designs it! Other secrets, cool
traps, etc. can be added at any time if needed.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
Although I risk the answer "every one of them,' do you guys have a favorite
level?
For player vs. computer?
For Deathmatch?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
:Although I risk the answer "every one of them,' do you guys have a favorite
:level?
E1M5
:For player vs. computer?
Not that that I can think of....
:For Deathmatch?
E1M5
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
I've noticed the proliferation of user levels available to plug into DOOM
(the registered version only). Some of them are quite challenging, others,
well, are, well, levels. What do you think of these user-created levels?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
We think user designed levels are great, it extends the life of the game,
and lets the user get an idea of some of the creative processes that go
into a game like DOOM.
:Is it something that ID the company detests (in the vein of users corrupting
:the design), doesn't care about, or encourages (as long as it needs the
:registered version)?
We do not detest it at all. Actually, at one point, we released code for
correctly compiling DOOM maps. John Romero and American McGee
also suscribe and frequently post to an internet mailing list about
the creating on DOOM levels.
:Considering the democratic heirarchy of ID (according to Chris Lombardi's
:article in July issue), how did folks split on this one?
Our general opinion is user created levels are good for users and the game
as well. The only objection we have is the use of the levels with the
shareware version and the selling of levels.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
That's a great outlook on your product--and probably a contributing factor
in why it's been a hit. I certainly applaud you for making a sort of
aftermarket to "extend the life of the game" as you said.
To grasp a point, what do you mean by an objection to "selling of levels?"
Does that mean the original designer of the level can't charge for them?
What about a shareware company bundling a disk full of these levels together
(I've heard shareware DOOM pops up on shareware CD-ROM collections)? What
about someone like CompuServe/ZiffNet, where it may cost 20 cents worth of
time to download a level?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
:To grasp a point, what do you mean by an objection to "selling of levels?"
:Does that mean the original designer of the level can't charge for them?
Exactly.
:What about a shareware company bundling a disk full of these levels together
:(I've heard shareware DOOM pops up on shareware CD-ROM collections)?
We're stopping that. :)
What about someone like CompuServe/ZiffNet, where it may cost 20 cents worth
of time to download a level?
That's more like charging for a service.
A good example of what we do not like is the Laura Beyer levels. This person
has created an example of her level design and charges for more levels. This
person uses our art, and our engine to make money. We don't like that! Besides
it's against the law.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
Are you pursuing legal action against this Laura Beyer? If not, then aren't
you acknowledging that it's OK to charge for creative time?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
No to both questions.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
I downloaded the Laura Beyer episode and was really bothered by the fact that
it installed its own textures over id's, replacing an unnamed sound card
vendor's advertising messages over many of the basic DOOM textures.
-- Steve Baldwin 72241,733
Does Laura work for said soundcard maker?
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
Greetings, Steve
>> I downloaded the Laura Beyer episode and was really bothered by the
>> fact that it installed its own textures over id's, replacing an
>> unnamed sound card vendor's advertising messages over many of the
>> basic DOOM textures.
Are the textures patched over in the .PWAD file, or did it actually change
them in DOOM.WAD? I have changed many of the textures in my .PWAD, but would
never have a level that changed the sprites or floors in the DOOM.WAD without
asking first...
-- Paul D. Owensby 74212,2614
>> The installations that change the WAD file (e.g. the "silly" sound
>> collection) clearly modify the main WAD directly. But just loading a
>> PWAD with "DOOM -file name.WAD" - how could that change DOOM.WAD?
Whoa, sorry if I wasn't clear, what I meant was I would never have any sort of
file that changed your DOOM.WAD without asking you first, something like a
.BAT file that called the DMGRAPH sprite -s sprite.gif function.... I'm
definitely not the one to ask, but no, I really don't think a .PWAD could do
anything to the main file (unless it was a really big processor screw up :) ).
No, my original question was: Was it just the fact that she changed the
textures that bothered you, or that she put in the sound card "advertisement"?
Paul Darius
-- Paul D. Owensby 74212,2614
Is it even *possible* for a PWAD to change textures in the main WAD
file? My understanding was, no way. The installations that change the WAD
file (e.g. the "silly" sound collection) clearly modify the main WAD directly.
But just loading a PWAD with "DOOM -file name.WAD" - how could that change
DOOM.WAD?
-- \/arzil the Good 72241,50
I can only tell you that 3 people in our office downloaded the Laura Beyer
episodes, and after that, all external PWADs, and even the original DOOM
levels, showed unwanted LB "custom" textures replacing the defaults.
Oh, I didn't even mention this - the level changed some of the sprites too!
We all wound up having to re-install DOOM...
-- Steve Baldwin 72241,733
Good question - I really don't know the answer. I actually really enjoyed
seeing the possibility Beyer illuminated, in terms of using DOOM as an
interactive advertising vehicle. But it's obvious that things will have to be
ironed out more before we'll see DOOM level's with Coca Cola logos all over
the place...
-- Steve Baldwin 72241,733
Steve,
It seems to me that if you plastered your adverts over the walls and
*GAVE AWAY* the levels, Id wouldn't blink. It's the fact that the Beyer
(Breyer?) levels are as-if Shareware, with money requested for further levels,
that puts a burr under their saddle.
How about changing all the "UAC" wall and door textures to "ZiffNet"??
-- \/arzil the Good 72241,50
Yo!
Here's something I didn't realize was possible - I just tried it for
grins. You can stack up multiple PWAD names on the DOOM command line! So
e.g. "DOOM -file FOREST.WAD CLASMUS.WAD STOOGES.WAD" gives me the excellent
"forest valley" levels, with "classical" music background (E2M1 is Bach's
"Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor" - M3 is "Phantom of the Opera"), and three
stooges sounds.
I don't know precisely what happens when more than one WAD redefines
the *same* level, but I imagine you could use one of the utilities that
changes episode/mission number in a WAD and then stack up several of your
favorites.
-- \/arzil the Good 72241,50
#: 3357 S17/* Doom Conference
05-Aug-94 22:35:43
Sb: #3276-Multiple PWADs at once!
To: \/arzil the Good 72241,50
Have you played any of the complete episode wads (eg. wadpak*.wad,
epi*best.wad, etc.)? The halls*.wad series is great. Hallsall.wad repaces e1m1-e1m9. These are strictly deathmatch wads. You haven't done deathmatch 'till you've done these. Great replacement weapon sounds (not that the originals aren't !). Good background music. Step on the wrong teleporter and you wind up in prison; where you can't see out, but other players can
see YOU and claim an easy frag. Great fun!
-- Richard D. Henry 74077,3061
I recently began using additional WAD files for DOOM and in order to
start the game with the new files you should enter it like this:
c:\doom>DOOM -FILE NEWWAD.WAD
Where NEWWAD.WAD is the new WAD file you wish to play. This will also work
when playing over a modem or network on a new WAD file.
HAPPY DOOMing !
-- richard h smith jr 74734,2174
Try "Doom Control Center"
-- Jack Israel 72241,2024
You can get DCC in GAMEWORLD.
-- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567
You can get the Doom Control Center here in GAMEWORLD in lib 17. The file is called DCC.ZIP.
-- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067
I wondered which 'home grown' WADS that you have played seemed among the best
of the bunch - just your favorite top 10 will do!! -Jeff
-- Jeff Kasavan 76424,1125
Actually, there are only two (we haven't played many of them....)
The Star Wars wad (We love Star Wars!) and the UAC_DEAD wad.
-Shawn Green
-- id Software 74250,2566
I understand there are additional levels for DOOM on the Forum. I looked
though the libraries (searched DOOM) but failed to recognize them. Could you
help with the file names?
Thanks, Dale
-- Dale O. Irvine 74224,242
There's only 1 additional level in our libs at this time (PARKDO.ZIP)
in lib 17.
[Note: PCDOOM.ZIP is also available here. Both are modeled on Ziff-Davis HQ bldg at 1 Park Avee, New York. PARKDO.ZIP is the 11th floor, where Computer Shopper and Windows Sources make their home, and PCDOOM.ZIP is the 4th floor, home of PC Magazine and PC Labs. Both are excellent creations of Steve Baldwin, an editor for Computer Shopper. --RL, sysop]
Download with a protocol, and uncompress with pkunzip v. 2.04g or compatable.
If you don't have pkunzip v. 2.04g, it can also be found in lib 17 under the
filename PK204G.EXE (a self extracting executable).
