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jp's DOOM (PC)
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| [September 3, 2023 03:28:58 PM]
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I definitely played Doom back in the day. I definitely played Doom II. But, I don't think I ever played the whole thing. Most likely I only played Episode 1 (the shareware version) and, most likely, I did have access to a pirated version of the whole thing but never got around to it because Doom II came out.
So, it's been fun to "go back" and play this for class - especially with an eye to see what's changed, what hasn't, what's distinctive. What follows are basically my notes from playing and they're in no particular order, though they do reflect some sense of thinking about the game as a whole:
(a) The music is really great, and really sets the tone and the mood. I don't remember the music from back in the day so perhaps I never heard it? Or, I was playing with the music down, SFX up and with little speakers. I don't remember having a headset back then - so the experience now (with headset) really makes the game shine. You can hear monsters hiding in closets - but weirdly, it feels a bit "dated" because - I think - the sound volume is pretty even across distances. So, a monster in a closet within range sounds the same as one really close. I could be wrong on this though...
(b) I had forgotten how fast the game was in terms of moving around - strafing, dodging and shooting are essential AND because you're aiming is "fixed" (no mouselook) you have to move your character to be able to aim at a target either by turning around or by sidestepping. Nowadays you swing the aim reticule around and your character can stay in place - but not so back then! It really changes the dynamic play environment in ways I don't think I had fully appreciated. (to be fair, the remake is really true to this part of the game - even as you can stand still and aim and fire)
(c) I had forgotten how dynamic the levels where - as in, the layout of stuff changes as doors open, walls retract, pillars descend, or ascend, and so on. It gives the levels a really interesting feel to them because - as you often backtrack a lot - there is excitement in seeing what's changed or having to adjust to a new situation (enemies attacking from above, etc.) You can see how iD was really going for "these levels are NOT possible in Wolfenstein 3D" where they were much more rectangular and "straight" feeling.
(d) I remembered secrets being a thing - I'd forgotten how many and often there would be secret areas in the game. I remember the (back in the day, from Wolfenstein) importance to understand that there might even be secret rooms within secreto rooms!
(e) The game has several weapons, and to my surprise - while fun, the game is less about choosing the right weapon for the job and more about the shooting and ammo. I mean, the weapons ARE different, but their difference didn't seem to be different enough from each other gameplay-wise. It was fun to find the chainsaw though - in a secret area, of course.
(f) The game has health and armor - but, unlike later games that treat armor as a sort of extra health bar (sometimes auto-replenishing, ala Halo), here armor just reduces damage, but you still take damage. I think it's a dynamic that's important and often under discussed? I might be alone here in feeling that it's an important part of Dooms feeling - I don't remember if it carried on to Quake or not either.
(g) There was more "wandering around trying to find the key" than I remembered - that might be a "it was better understood back then by players in the day"? Maybe I've just forgotten? Sort of like players (today) being unable to play Ultima IV or other games with no signposting and very little handholding.
(h) Apparently you could play co-op out of the box. I have no recollection of this at all. Huh.
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jp's DOOM (PC)
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Current Status: Stopped playing - Something better came along
GameLog started on: Sunday 27 August, 2023
GameLog closed on: Sunday 17 September, 2023 |
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