DooM open beta weekend

[Trynant]

Doom 4 is a better Doom than Doom 3.

As far as "is the game trying to be realistic?" HELL NO. Everything is cartoony as fuck, even if the game looks fantastically HD its HD Doom monsters are rendered in more of a "cgi-cartoon" style than something trying to get the grittiest realism. The glory kills fit perfectly with this stuff. The whole intro part, if anything, is a bit of a joke on silent-protagonist FPS stories. That the "DOOM" logo starts up after Doomguy punches a voice in a box telling him what to do sets the whole mood of the game. Delicious camp.

Yes, it isn't as fast as the first two Dooms. It's faster than Doom 3, and Doomguy pretty much "walks" at a speed that most FPS's want you holding a sprint key for. Every thing that I thought would be a compromise to modern game trends either was utterly harmless or did something that actively helped the game play like it was straight out of a WAD file rather than an on-the-rails military snoozefest.

I will say though, that this is a game that isn't just trying to be the first Doom again. The way health and ammo restore works in this is a little too different, though surprisingly not as independent from the level design as I was worried it'd be. But what surprises me is that a 2016 big-budget FPS could even come this close to the feeling DOOM evokes.

The biggest shock, to be honest, is that the game doesn't rely on only orange and blue lights for every scene. My god, this game has interesting color palettes!

 

[Carbon]

Why hate on it? Heck, this is a move back towards the goodness of the past! If this indicates a new direction for shooters then great...keep it up! Fast, smooth movement, some interesting new game mechanics, great weapons, amazing battles, very cool locations and it looks freakin' awesome. Sure the story is cheese, but it's Doom and it clearly doesn't take itself too seriously. Fist-bumping the Doomguy doll was hilarious. Yes, you need a decent rig to run it well, but that's no reason to dislike it; heck most modern games need some horsepower, but so did Unreal when it was released. Progress folks....it's unending.

Let's face it, we as older gamers are pretty jaded and not easily impressed. Honestly, this is a very good game and I, like you, have been gaming since my VIC-20. Is it perfect? I don't even know what that might mean; its such a subjective thing but for me, sure, its a great game and I am having an absolute blast playing through it and will a second time before I even get into Snapmap.

A very good write-up over at RPS; I think he does a great job of analyzing the game.

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/05/16/doom-review-pc/

Did you find the "arrow in the knee" easter egg?

 

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

I saw that arrow in the knee thing in a video but didn't realize the connection. I mean I wasn't big into Skyrim but now I realize it. I wonder, how did that guy have arrow in his knee? Is it a medieval knight that ended up fighting the hordes of demons once and died there due to some space/time-warp? That must have been tough unless they played farily with him and he got a deserving fight....

But no of course that's not the explanation, it's the skyrim easter egg.

EDIT:
But really, I said what I think of the game and my mixed feelings. The whole feeling of this would be like a big contribution/megawad tribute. But to count it as a real doom game? No, and come to think of it, if they changed the demon names and stuff it would still be the same game but not called doom and perhaps that would have been better. I mean it obviously has a blue-flame quad damage which is from quake, what is that doing there? Or some unrealtournament-gimmicks. As I said it's a mishmash and more reminescent of some doom megawads or the plutonia experiment than the original doom or anything like that. The original wasn't all about moving down monsters, people forgot it had atmosphere and backstory and that despite the restraint in technology all the places made sense and there was attention for detail which in the modern times is easy to overlook because as someone used to something more detailed, you just won't take notice.

You won't take notice what was meant to be a power generator or a podium or computer panels/whatever easily unless you take a look at automap and the shape and examine stuff closely. Back then it was more of a given but I bet you just overlook that stuff these days.

EDIT2: You know what I realize? When this game pulls some lame jokes and references and ridicules the state of things in gaming as you say....it gets away with it...

Then why didn't Daikatana get away with it at the time and why nobody got there were such things in there? Perhaps it's really just the target demographic and the way the "joke" has been pulled, in my case I didn't laugh at all.

Out of daikatana, unrealpsx/whatever else this one pulled it the worst imo. To the point that it's like "ugh" and "thump".

 

[Trynant]

So Doom 3 isn't a Doom game right.

 

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

So Doom 3 isn't a Doom game right.

Some have this opinion, yes. However I do see it as a slower, more serious/different take on Doom. (though some of it is cringeworthy)

Besides there were still some people who were involved with the original Doom. (at least Carmack was still there, despite his attitude and all)

But get it, at least it got the basics right and it was something unique of the era. There weren't flashy items popping up out of enemies bodies. And Doom, when you take a look at the beginnings and doom bible, was meant to be more serious game.

Never it was planned that you would be able to double-jump around like mad like some ut2kx clone or whatever. That's not Doom, even though it does give movement freedom, it's not Doom.

They can just change the demon names and have a completely original game right there! Someone might notice Doom inspiration but that would be ok. In many senses it's more like Quake in the core than Doom, including having quad damage there and similar...

Why not have another Quake-like game out of it instead raping the Doom name? Call it a "Hell" or whatever, or some original title.

Just like Quake's idea was derived from Doom ultimately(if you forget the quake fight for justice origins that is)...

This would have too. And nobody would have problem with this game. It would be a new title and to modify what was done into some other title would have been way easieier enough than some other projects! Think about it, it's all there. It would be a good game on its own...

But callin it just Doom and not Doom 4? Why? Similar stuff happened in the new UT4 but at least there's some clearer separation and it's a free game. I just can't swallow it in a commercial game like this.

EDIT: Even the question of a powerup like Quad Damage....They changed its look, but not the effects or the name...why? Even in the context of a Doom game they could have gotten it right! But they didn't! Why not a Power Flame or Flame of Strength, given that it looks like a flame now?

 

[Carbon]

Leo, just asking here, but have you actually played the new Doom or the new UT?

 

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

I played the new UT already last year and checked out various updates. I won't be able to play the new doom or beta or demo of it however. But I've seen enough footage of it and all. And I have watched multiple people play it/express their opinions. Some of them make it really boring but the ones similar to me seemed to make it fun, however what I'm talking about has nothing to do with that.

 

[Mister_Prophet]

I'm playing it. And I like it. It's fast, which is what Doom should be. It "feels" better than Doom 3 and keeps you moving, shooting, killing. Not stopping to listen to PDAs and all the slow stuff from Doom 3. I didn't want it to be Doom 2, but I did want it to be better than Doom 3, And so far I think it's doing that. Haven't played the multiplayer and really don't expect to.

Here's me playing the game up until my first death (which was a Terminator 2 reference I wasn't expecting. This game doesn't take itself too seriously, thank god). Probably plenty of let's plays you can watch on it already. But whatever. I haven't gotten tired of all the melee take downs. Kinda like I never got tired of VATS in Fallout. In defense of this whole "looks boring" thing, I will say that watching and playing are two very different things. I was more or less saying the same before it was me controlling Doom Guy.

 

[Carbon]

I will say that watching and playing are two very different things.

This is too true. Nice vid Prophet!

 

[NeoNite]

Thanks for the footage Mister Prophet; That was one cool ride. It's also interesting to see that you spent some time outside. Which was a major letdown in the previous game. At least this time there's a proper fight suit, and apparently no falling damage...extra points in my book. Fast paced and adrenaline pumping.

Also, here's an e1m1 remake ...

More dynamic...

 

[Balton]

Just got back from groceries shopping, bought Doom too.

 

[ddraigcymraeg]

Will definitely be grabbing this to play when I get some time. Was disappointed that there was no co-op campaign support. Though snapmap I gather can create co-op levels. Though did Id use snapmap to create the campaign is my question? i.e. can that be converted into co-op via snapmap, or some close enough though stripped down version? The area lockdowns do sound similar to Painkiller, which I was not a huge fan of. But this sounds like it is something to do with engine limitations ironically. In original Doom the freedom to use all explored and unexplored areas with potentially all the enemies in the map chasing you and infighting gave it replayability due to tactical options. Also, the Brutal Doom touches to the new Doom look like fun. I might as well pimp my Doom mod while I'm here as well: http://www.scoredoom.com

EDIT: Also downloaded Doom3, Quake, Quak4, Half-life 2 and other monster packs from here: http://unreal.shaungoeppinger.com/ a few months ago to play UT2004 Invasion and Vehicle Invasion, and had a blast. Iniquituous did a great job converting these. So if the new Doom is more fun than playing against Doom 3 monsters in UT2004 Invasion, I will be happy

 

[Al]

We seriously need more co-op campaign games.

 

[ddraigcymraeg]

Just found this RPS review on Dooms Snapmap: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/05/20/doom-snapmap-review/
which answered my questions.
"There’s also no option to make campaigns or import any external assets whatsoever, which is a knee in the balls of Doom 1’s beautiful, ongoing mod heritage. No difficulty options as such either, but you can manually ramp up the health and damage of any enemy if you want to do the legwork."
"It would be be beyond lovely if a later patch expanded the available options for solo-only maps, which appears to be mostly what people are making – or indeed co-op ones, as DOOM tragically does not include such a mode. But SnapMap does allow it, and already there are a ton of early but effective maps made with that in mind."
Looks like it is MP focused, and many assests from SP not included. Im sure that like the original Doom, there will be PC hacked mods that will allow for this in snapmap.

 

[NeoNite]

How are you people running this game? At which resolutions and how much detail, what type of processor/gpu etc.

 

[ddraigcymraeg]

How are you people running this game? At which resolutions and how much detail, what type of processor/gpu etc.

Just installed it on steam and played for a few minutes. Wow. Feels good, playing with the xbox360 controller feels good as well. Looks amazing. My older LCD TV only goes up to 1360x780 res. and most settings are on medium like shadows, some are on ultra. Runs extremely fast.

I have an overclocked quad 4 i7 920 processor from 2010: running at 3884MHZ (from 2.67MHz), 24 G of DDR3 RAM and a 4G GTX 970 video card. Think I will enjoy playing through this for a few hours on hurt me plenty.

 

[Carbon]

How are you people running this game? At which resolutions and how much detail, what type of processor/gpu etc.

4770K @ 4.2, 8GB @ 1866, 280x 3GB @ 1200/1650, 850EVO SSD, 1440x2560 @ 96Hz, frame rate unlocked (not that it matters much with my card), Crimson 16.5.2.1 (Doom hotfix driver and it did help)

Everything on Ultra except shadows (medium), particles (high), no DOF, no motion blur, FXAA, 16x AF, no 'lens dirt', no 'film grain'. Lowest FPS 41, highest 73, pretty good for the card and the resolution/details. I could lower these settings and likely get a consistent 60, but I like the candy. Waiting for the GTX 1080 or Polaris from AMD.

 

[Balton]

How are you people running this game? At which resolutions and how much detail, what type of processor/gpu etc.

Xbawks, only could play the game on one night. Made it through 4 Levels scrounging everywhere for secrets. Love it so far.

 

[Jackal]

How are you people running this game? At which resolutions and how much detail, what type of processor/gpu etc.

4k using nVidia DSR. Completely maxed out, including nightmare qualities. The engine is capped to 200fps, but I average around 80 if I'm not in battle. During heavy battle with loads of demons, it's around 50-60 fps.

computer specs are:
i7-5820K @ 4.2Ghz
16GB DDR4 Ram @ 2.4Ghz
nVidia 980Ti

When you use DSR, you don't have to have AA on which is nice.

 

[Leo(T.C.K.)]

Looks like it is MP focused, and many assests from SP not included. Im sure that like the original Doom, there will be PC hacked mods that will allow for this in snapmap.

That's a very naieve view. The Doom tech back then was vastly different and id started soon releasing at least some tools, even though not map editors themselves.
With this it's kinda the other way. You get map editor but nothing else or substantial. This is an opposite twist.