DOOM Turns 30, John Romero Releases SIGIL II

[btarunr]

The game that jump-started FPS as a popular game genre, DOOM, is now 30 years old! Released in 1993 by id Software, DOOM's shareware first mission is the most widely distributed PC game in history, and its paid full version continues to sell to this day, on Steam; with Bethesda having designed a modern game executable. DOOM is also one of the most popular game franchises, with close to a dozen titles across platforms. With Bethesda's acquisition of Zenimax, the franchise got a fresh breath of live through the 2010s, first DOOM (2016), and then the smash hit DOOM Eternal.

The original team that designed DOOM, ace designers John Romero and Tom Hall; and artist Adrian Carmack, congratulated gamers for making DOOM the indispensable piece of video gaming history that it is. DOOM is among the games that turned the PC into a serious gaming platform, as games on PCs were seen mostly as a novelty software for what was predominantly a machine for work. To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of DOOM, John Romero announced the release of SIGIL II, the unofficial sixth episode of the original DOOM. Due to commercial restrictions, the WAD (where's all the data?) files for SIGIL and SIGIL II are free, but you can support Romero's work by buying its unique soundtrack that's been developed by Buckethead and THOR; collectible boxes, and other merchandise.



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[ymdhis]

"close to a dozen titles across platforms" wouldn't even make a game special in the 1980s. Doom runs on a lot more than that. Dozens upon dozens of platforms if not hundreds.

 

[TheDeeGee]

Only played DOOM and DOOM 2 for the first time this year.

Hated the level design in DOOM 2 but the Total Conversions for that game are SO good.

 

[bug]

The game that jump-started FPS as a popular game genre...

*cough*Wolfenstein*cough*

 

[Chomiq]

*cough*Wolfenstein*cough*

Wolf wasn't as big as Doom.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Wolf wasn't as big as Doom.

Irrelevant IMO. It was the true gateway drug to Doom and everything else.

 

[Chomiq]

Irrelevant IMO. It was the true gateway drug to Doom and everything else.

Relevant, FPS's were called "Doom clones", "Doom like" etc.

 

[bug]

Relevant, FPS's were called "Doom clones", "Doom like" etc.

There were Wolfenstein clones, too. E.g. Blake Stone.

 

[AusWolf]

DOOM's shareware first mission is the most widely distributed PC game in history, and its paid full version continues to sell to this day, on Steam; with Bethesda having designed a modern game executable.

This is why PC gaming will always be better than consoles.

Awesome news, by the way. Does anybody know where I can get Sigil II?

 

[Easo]

This is why PC gaming will always be better than consoles.

Awesome news, by the way. Does anybody know where I can get Sigil II?

SIGIL — Romero

Romero's DOOM Free Megawad

romero.com

 

[AusWolf]

SIGIL — Romero

Romero's DOOM Free Megawad

romero.com

Thank you!

 

[ymdhis]

Irrelevant IMO. It was the true gateway drug to Doom and everything else.

It's relevant, Wolf3D was a flat catacomb at all times. Doom was capable of crafting elaborate cities even with the no room-above-room limitation. It was hailed as virtual reality when it came out.

 

[bug]

It's relevant, Wolf3D was a flat catacomb at all times. Doom was capable of crafting elaborate cities even with the no room-above-room limitation. It was hailed as virtual reality when it came out.

Well, every ID title back then took action shooters to a new level. But they started with Wolfenstein.
Wolfenstein - first to simulate 3D gfx using a 2D model.
Doom - first to go 3D
Quake - first to use hw accelerated 3D (or maybe second, can't recall whether Tomb Raider came first)
Doom3 and Rage also brought new firsts, even though by then ID forgot to add good gameplay to the mix.

 

[stinger608]

This is frigging awesome that John Romero did this.

For sure downloading SIGIL II and adding it to my Doom.

 

[mashie]

Well, every ID title back then took action shooters to a new level. But they started with Wolfenstein.
Wolfenstein - first to simulate 3D gfx using a 2D model.
Doom - first to go 3D
Quake - first to use hw accelerated 3D (or maybe second, can't recall whether Tomb Raider came first)
Doom3 and Rage also brought new firsts, even though by then ID forgot to add good gameplay to the mix.

Doom was more 2.5D, you couldn't walk under a bridge that you crossed for example. Star Wars Dark Forces was one of the earliest real 3D FPS out there, I remember the nice feeling running up a spiral staircase the first time.

 

[TxGrin]

Will be playing the wad.

Doom Reborn is available free here if you don’t know about it.

Doom Reborn mod

Doom Reborn is a total conversion of the original Doom Series. Our goal is to recreate the original Doom & Doom 2 in the idTech4 engine with new textures and new models of the original weapons and monsters with the maps redone and retextured. We also...

www.moddb.com

 

[QuietBob]

With some graphical improvements Doom can look impressive even today, and the gameplay holds up really well:

Happy 30th Doom!

 

[NoiseBox]

Only played DOOM and DOOM 2 for the first time this year.

Hated the level design in DOOM 2 but the Total Conversions for that game are SO good.

Ha, I thought I was the only one who didn't like Doom 2's level design. I understand what they were going for, but I frequently got lost.

 

[Prima.Vera]

With some graphical improvements Doom can look impressive even today, and the gameplay holds up really well:

View attachment 325087View attachment 325088View attachment 325089View attachment 325090

Happy 30th Doom!

Where can we download this? Also, does this work with Sigil I and II ??
Thank you in advance.

 

[trsttte]

With Bethesda's acquisition of Zenimax

Isn't it the other way around?

Dozens upon dozens of platforms if not hundreds

The only true crossplatform title

 

[QuietBob]

Where can we download this? Also, does this work with Sigil I and II ??
Thank you in advance.

It's actually a painstakingly matched selection of mods based on GZDoom. It took quite a lot of effort to get it running, but it's well worth it! Drop me a PM and I'll send you a link to the whole package
It should be compatible with Sigil 1/2 since they use the original Doom 1 texture set, but I haven't tested these yet.

 

[Noci]

30 years already, damn I'm getting old and still stuck on level 1

 

[bug]

30 years already, damn I'm getting old and still stuck on level 1

Damned thing required an 80386 while I only had an 80286. Had to play at a friend's...
I had an 80486 by the time DoomII came out, I played that thing till I could finish it without saving.

 

[AusWolf]

30 years already, damn I'm getting old and still stuck on level 1

I only played the game from start to finish once, but man it was hard! Not as hard as Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast (I've never been a fan of labyrinths), but still.

 

[bug]

I only played the game from start to finish once, but man it was hard! Not as hard as Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast (I've never been a fan of labyrinths), but still.

It depends on how you played it. The first pass would be brutal, yes, but once you learned where the secret areas were (that was part of the gameplay), you would get resources that made playthroughs much easier. And if you got bored, you could always try to see how far you can go using just the fists/chainsaw.