Review: Classic Doom3/Flaming Sheep Software

Scott Amspoker

Classic Doom3 info/download can be found at http://cdoom.d3files.com.

I was quite unprepared for this.  I remember this project being announced
a year or so ago.  I didn't think much more about it except that it would
be fun to see the original Doom maps moved into the Doom3 world.  (Heck, I
briefly thought about updating my old OPOST21 wad.  Ahh, the good old days
of DEU and the joys of creating a virtual world for the first time.)

Had the Classic Doom3 gang simply translated the original maps to Doom3
with a bit of tweaking and re-texturing here and there, I would have been
satisfied.  I wasn't expecting anything more than a novelty - something to
remind us how far we've come since those early days.  But what we have
here is a magnificent re-interpretation of the original episode 1 -
clearly a labor of love by some very creative and talented folks.  As a
result, I am moved to respond with something more than "great job."  I'm
going to ramble on a bit about this Doom3 mod.

Classic Doom3 contains all nine maps of the "Knee-Deep in the Dead"
episode of Doom.  Many of us remember this as the original shareware
release of the game.  I spent countless hours exploring and memorizing
every nook and cranny of those maps.  After 12 years, I'm surprised how
much I could remember - secret areas, well-placed exploding barrels,
locations of health potions, etc.  Would Classic Doom3 take me back?
Absolutely.

Quite an effort has been expended - beyond just the maps and placement of
objects - to re-create the original Doom play experience.  The weapons
have been re-balanced for old-Doom action and hit damage.  Shooting an imp
in the chest point-blank with the shotgun doesn't kill it like it would
with standard Doom3.  (A head shot works fine, though.)  On the other
hand, I used the pistol much more here than in standard Doom3.  Even some
weapon sound effects have been brought in (rather than relying entirely on
Doom3's standard sounds).

I could be imagining things, but the AI felt somewhat different from
vanilla Doom3.

After an enjoyable prologue cut-scene, I found myself at the start of E1M1
staring at old-Doom-style health vials, armor bonuses, and exploding
barrels.  (I would eventually discover other old-Doom objects
custom-modelled for this mod.)  I heard the familiar music masterfully
redone.  And I was moving around head-spinningly fast.  Yep, this is Doom
in all its retro-glory.  Yet the environment is much richer than before.

The E1M1 map is an excellent start.  The player will instantly recognize
the Doom world while getting a taste of the technical updating in store
for the maps that follow.  Here is a rundown of the various maps:

(WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW)

E1M2
----

Here the player starts to get a fuller sense of the rich re-interpretation
that has taken place in Classic Doom3 maps.  While everything is where it
is supposed to be, Doom3's lighting and effects are put to impressive use.

Of course I remembered the secret button to open the way to the outside
yard, but I was pleasantly surprised by how it played out.

The "maze" area was nicely updated yet still familiar.

As another example of the tender-loving-care that went into this project,
the chain saw is presented in a elaborate over-the-top manner (while I
impatiently kept trying to grab it).

E1M3
----

E1M3 contains the hidden alternate exit to the secret level (E1M9).  I'm
gleefully reminded of the contortions we used to go through to discover
secret areas beyond secret areas - something unthinkable in modern Doom3.

Perhaps my memory is faulty, but there is a slight deviation in the map
from the original.  A hallway that opens up (leading to the area with the
yellow key) has a zig-zag that I don't recall.

E1M9 (secret level)
----

This map is a more straightforward interpretation of the original.  I
liked the built-into-the-ground touches done with it.  And of course
everything was right where it belonged.

Here we are introduced to dreaded Spectre Pinkies.  Don't get backed into
a corner by one of these!  Seeing how well implemented they were, I had to
wonder why id didn't include them in Doom3 to begin with.

(I could have done without the ringing phone embedded in the music.  I
kept muting my stereo and then remembering that my phone doesn't sound
like that.)

E1M4
----

For some reason, the original E1M4 has never been one of my favorites.  It
is certainly made better here but it still leaves me wanting simply to get
through it and move on.  The release notes show that E1M4 went through a
remake late in the project, suggesting that there is something inherently
problematic about the map.  Even still, I like much of what was done with
it.

I noticed that the original quasi-controversial swastika floor pattern was
restored.  (For those who don't remember:  One room in E1M4 had a swastika
design in the original release.  This was altered in a later release amid
rumors that id Software couldn't sell Doom in some places because of it.)

This is the first point in the game where we realize that there are no
radiation suits in Classic Doom3.  It's a minor inconvenience here but it
becomes more crucial in later maps.

E1M5
----

Contrasted to the previous map, the original E1M5 has always been a
favorite of mine, and to my delight, we have a stunning interpretation
here.  Not only are the textures, colors and lighting perfect, the almost
subliminal blending of the hazard alarm with the music creates a moody
atmosphere.

E1M6
----

I always remembered this map by its "criss-cross maze" (from the way that
section appeared on the automap).  This is the area that you had to go
through to get the yellow key.  The creative re-interpretation still has
me remembering the same section - now with much more dramatic lava, flame
and smoke.  Beautiful.  It also was a good opportunity to use the
"oatmeal" imps.

Here we are painfully reminded that Classic Doom3 does not have radiation
suits.  If you're low on health, you simply will not make it through a
certain area.  (That area is optional anyhow.)

The final room is a tough battle and my traditional strategy no longer
works.  There is a short dead-end hall with a button at the end which
opens the doors unleashing the enemy (including several of those damned
nasty spectres).  I used to be able to stand at the end of this narrow
hall and chain saw them one at a time as the came for me.  Well, that
little hall isn't quite so narrow anymore, and spectres don't simply walk
into the chain saw like they used to.

E1M7
----

This map, in general, seems larger scale than the original.  (In other
maps, I've noticed areas here and there that were proportionally larger
than the original.)  No big deal, just an observation.

All in all, I found this map to be a very good re-interpretation of the
original with one caveat.  I found absolutely no way to traverse the
central green-sludge area.  There's no radiation suit and it kills almost
instantly.  Using GOD mode, I discovered there is indeed a place to visit
down there (as in the original).  Perhaps I'm missing something.

I did find a way to get to the blue orb however.  By pushing a barrel up
to the railing of the nearest balcony I was able to jump over the railing
and grab the blue orb before dying.  I'm not sure if this is what the
designer intended.

E1M8
----

This map, as with the original, is short and sweet.  We still get to start
with a room full of pinkies with exploding barrels, and end with a couple
of hell knight "bosses".  Once victorious, you are treated to a cute
epilogue cut-scene.

I did have a few minor "issues" with this release.  The update.txt file
tells me to run the installation EXE.  There is no installation EXE.
Fortunately I was able to second-guess what to do - simply move the
"cdoom" folder under the "doom3" folder.

I also occasionally experienced a small amount of lag in weapon fire -
pressing the "fire" button and not having the gun fire immediately.  This
happened independently of instances of general FPS slowdown.  (It wasn't
ruining the game or anything.)

Finally, the original Doom had mobs of monsters - far more than what we
encounter in standard Doom3.  Monsters in Doom3 are a major source of FPS
degradation.  Fortunately I have a nVidia 6600GT and experienced very few
moments of jerkiness when I was swamped by monsters.  I would imagine that
players with more modest video cards might find this to be a bigger
problem.

As a big fan of the original Doom, this is a keeper for me.  This project
could have turned out any number of ways.  I am struck by how Classic
Doom3 was simultaneously familiar and fresh to me.  The authors knew just
what to preserve and what to update - showing a tremendous respect and
fondness for the source material.  That doesn't happen often in the world
of remakes and adaptions.  Great job.