Favorite Doom port?

Hello fellow doomers! I am doing a poll of what is the best doom port in your opinion? This does NOT include:

-Any playstation port
-Any Xbox port
-Any PC port

Also, if possible, explain why the port is your favorite. As for my opinion, the SNES version is the best I have ever played. Because, the controls are responsive and all the episodes and levels are available. It also has some decent graphics for the SNES.

I was hoping this would be a source-port flamewar thread :P

I don't think I could stomach doom on anything other than a PC, tried a GBA version once but it's nowhere near as fun without keyboard/mouse controls

It's hard to make a case for anything other the PC or PSX version. The GBA version is portable but has many issues including framerate. Console releases are exactly as suspected, but without the mod support of the PC version. Some are worse (JAGUAAAAAAR), but usually it's fine.

Out of the console releases however, the PSN version gets bonus points for having Final Doom and the Master Levels.

Way to rule out the best ones. This reminds me of that favorite weapon thread that left out the BFG, even though a lot of people wouldn't have picked it anyway...

From what little you've left, I'll say I've developed a soft spot for the 32X port. Awful music aside, the game runs at a high framerate compared to the SNES version, which alone makes it much more enjoyable to play. Built in level select beats the hell out of having to play an episode at a time. In all respects the Jaguar version is superior, but there's something I really like about the 32X port. It's a shame all of the hell levels were cut, since only Unholy Cathedral goes over the port's limits.

Infirnex, if you think the Jaguar version is bad (it's not), check out the 3DO version. It's incredible in its badness, especially considering it came out after the PSX version. The only redeeming aspect is the soundtrack.

Favourite or best? Those two can be mutually exclusive.

Given the limitations imposed I'll nominate ADoom as my favourite, that's what I started with even if my Amiga wasn't really up to the task, as for the best - that is yet to be.

Considering my first in-depth experience with Doom was on SNES, I'm going to have to go with that one. There could be some other really good ones that I don't know of, though.

Honourable mention: Although not a 'port' per se, I do love Doom 64.

The Super A'Can port, of course. Followed closely by the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive port. I found the Neo-Geo port to be rather disappointing, though.

And considering the Arcade CD version required you to own a Super-Grafx (of which only 5 are known to exist) to play it on, I've never even seen it, much less played it, so I can't comment there.

SNES port. The gameplay and overall sense is fantastic everytime I play it. Don't know how it manages to walk over the 32x and 3D0 but it does for me; despite not having the most impressive framerate (I don't even think the graphics are bad). The music and available levels is a lot better too (think the Jaguar had no music and many levels were missing in comparison; also, the 3DO music sounds like it was composed by a gay guy). I think the colors are great on the SNES port. Either SNES or PC for me (Chocolate-doom, Zdoom, Eternity).

Might as well have jsut listed the few you DIDNT ban from selection.

I played SNES Doom on an emulator at school once, so that or GBA Doom, or is that one too modern for inclusion?

Holering said:

the 3DO music sounds like it was composed by a gay guy

Huh?

Easily the PC port.

Hard to say because most of the console ports seem pretty terrible to me. The 32X port is a laughable joke, 3DO runs in a postage stamp-sized window, SNES port is probably the best of that bunch but is still blocky and slow. I haven't played the Jaguar port but from the videos on Youtube it looks like it might not have been too bad either. In fairness I think the console hardware of this era was probably just too underpowered to do a decent port.

Later console ports were better but had their own flaws. I hate how the PSX port swapped out the normal sound effects and replaced Doom's awesome soundtrack with ambient bullshit. What were they thinking? I'm not a big fan of Doom 64 either because it uses the same sound effects/music: something about it just completely fails to resonate with me. It makes me want to fall asleep.

I played the GBA ports of Doom and Doom 2 and they weren't too bad given the limitations of the hardware. Decent enough framerate and pretty faithful to the originals.

The best port I can think of is probably Doom RPG (the Java mobile phone game) which was thoroughly well done. Full of humorous references and had the cleverly done turn-based interface that was perfect for a limited device like a mobile phone.

William Blazkowicz said:

Hello fellow doomers! I am doing a poll of what is the best doom port in your opinion? This does NOT include:

-Any playstation port
-Any Xbox port
-Any PC port

With these caveats, then the Nintendo 64 port. It's the only one of those not disallowed who brought something new instead of being nothing more than a dumbed-down port of the original PC game.

Though I guess Fraggle's answer of the Doom RPG also qualifies. Anybody willing to make a PC port of them? ;)

SNES Doom has a few serious flaws, but at least the levels are more or less faithful. I'm sure my perception of Doom would be different if my Hangar was devoid of blue.

As blasphemous as it may sound I actually like Doom 64 most with PSX Doom coming in second.

If he actually isnt restricting Doom 64 (He implies that anything past PSX Doom is off limits) then yeah, Doom 64 for the win. Best Doom game for me, period

Nuxius said:

the Neo-Geo port

The what?

But Doom 64 isn't a port, it's a standalone game in the series. Completely new graphics, completely new levels, completely new everything.

mallo said:

But Doom 64 isn't a port, it's a standalone game in the series. Completely new graphics, completely new levels, completely new everything.

The engine is still mostly the same, though. Not for rendering and stuff, but all the physics, AI, and other worldsim stuff is still there. That's why Kaiser could build Doom64 EX on a preexisting Doom port (Doom3D in that case) instead of having to rewrite everything from scratch/disassembly. Most of the logic hasn't actually been changed that much.

It's much less of a completely new game than, say, Heretic.

plums said:

The what?

Honestly, given Doom's been ported to practically everything ELSE...

PSX port, hands down.

fraggle said:

I hate how the PSX port swapped out the normal sound effects and replaced Doom's awesome soundtrack with ambient bullshit. What were they thinking?

Possibly something along the lines of: "Let's ditch this unfitting, unatmospheric, retarded MIDI soundtrack and replace it with something that sounds infinitely better."

Though I'll concede that some of sound effects left something to be desired.

DoomUK said:

Possibly something along the lines of: "Let's ditch this unfitting, unatmospheric, retarded MIDI soundtrack and replace it with something that sounds infinitely better."

Which is all Prince wanted in the first place

It really doesn't sound infinitely better. De gustibus et coloribus et musicibus* non est disputandum, however. I heard the actual reason was that there was a legal issue about whether or not they had to pay Bobby Prince to use the sounds and music he made to use them, and since they weren't sure, they decided to use in-house talent to replace the whole audio thing.

(* Probably not an actual Latin word.)

SNES Doom is my favorite for sure. It has most of the 3 episodes in their original format and they're nowhere near as simplified as other early ports; it has most of the monsters, including boss ones; great music; some gameplay elements are more true to the original PC version (though a lot is much different, of course). Plus it has something that sort of makes up for lack of saves/passwords: starting the level over lets you keep all your weapons/ammo you had when you first got there. This port's downside, the bad frame rate, is kind of remedied by the fact that it remains very consistent so I can get used to it.

Doom 64, while not a port, would be my alternate choice. I can't compare its ambient music to the original MIDI soundtrack; to me, they both successfully give the game different tones.

SNES Doom doesn't get enough credit IMO. Before the Xbox came out, it was the most accurate Doom port out there. While there were some problems with the gameplay, the fact that it used PC Doom levels and not Jaguar Doom levels put it up a couple notch in my books. It was the only Doom port at the time with Warrens, Slough of Dispair, the correct Hell Keep, the correct Mt. Erebus, Dis, etc.

The Jaguar port, since this is the one I grew up with.

DoomUK said:

Possibly something along the lines of: "Let's ditch this unfitting, unatmospheric, retarded MIDI soundtrack and replace it with something that sounds infinitely better."

I have no idea what you're talking about. Doom's soundtracks is one of the best game soundtracks I've heard. It strikes an almost perfect balance between atmospheric and heavy metal and it's a pretty essential part of what makes Doom Doom. If you want "atmospheric", music tracks like E1M2, E1M3 or E1M5 do a much better job of building atmosphere than some ambient background noises.

It's valid to criticise MIDI when the PSX was capable of a full digital soundtrack, but the whole of Doom's soundtrack was already redone digitally for the 3DO (and very nicely), so they could have just used that.

Though I'll concede that some of sound effects left something to be desired.

The classic sound effects are really well done. I've long thought that sound effects are a really important aspect of FPS game design that many designers probably overlook. Certainly Id's later games without Bobby Prince had worse sounds. For both music and sound effects he really knew what he was doing.

Good weapon sounds are particularly important, as they're the sound effects you're going to hear at least several thousand times as you play through the game. Have you ever noticed how Doom's weapons all have a really satisfying *boom* to them? When Per Kristian redid Doom's sounds in hi-res he discovered that the shotgun sounds, for example, have extra boom/explosion sounds mixed in with them. Small things like this help build the feedback loop between the player and game and help make it a satisfying game that's fun to play.

fraggle said:

I have no idea what you're talking about. Doom's soundtracks is one of the best game soundtracks I've heard. It strikes an almost perfect balance between atmospheric and heavy metal and it's a pretty essential part of what makes Doom Doom. If you want "atmospheric", music tracks like E1M2, E1M3 or E1M5 do a much better job of building atmosphere than some ambient background noises.

It's valid to criticise MIDI when the PSX was capable of a full digital soundtrack, but the whole of Doom's soundtrack was already redone digitally for the 3DO (and very nicely), so they could have just used that.

Maybe I was a little harsh. It's not that I think Prince's music is bad in its own right. I just think that Hodges' music is what makes Doom Doom (and yes, I played the PC game before the PSX version, before anyone argues that I'm biased towards which one I played first).

I guess it might boil down to how you want to FEEL when playing the game; a nigh-indestructible one man army, or some lonely dude who's fighting for his life.

fraggle said:

The classic sound effects are really well done. I've long thought that sound effects are a really important aspect of FPS game design that many designers probably overlook. Certainly Id's later games without Bobby Prince had worse sounds. For both music and sound effects he really knew what he was doing.

Good weapon sounds are particularly important, as they're the sound effects you're going to hear at least several thousand times as you play through the game. Have you ever noticed how Doom's weapons all have a really satisfying *boom* to them? When Per Kristian redid Doom's sounds in hi-res he discovered that the shotgun sounds, for example, have extra boom/explosion sounds mixed in with them. Small things like this help build the feedback loop between the player and game and help make it a satisfying game that's fun to play.

You're preaching to the choir with this. Most if not all of PSX Doom's sound effects were a step backwards.

Da Werecat said:

SNES Doom has a few serious flaws, but at least the levels are more or less faithful. I'm sure my perception of Doom would be different if my Hangar was devoid of blue.

SNES Doom has unresponsive controls. I can't believe people actually put uncut levels above the game playing well. Maybe if they had cut the levels down a bit, it would've run better.

fraggle said:

It's valid to criticise MIDI when the PSX was capable of a full digital soundtrack, but the whole of Doom's soundtrack was already redone digitally for the 3DO (and very nicely), so they could have just used that.

The 3DO version was released after the PSX version.

DoomUK said:

I guess it might boil down to how you want to FEEL when playing the game; a nigh-indestructible one man army, or some lonely dude who's fighting for his life.

Some lonely but nigh-indestructible one-man-army who is fighting for his life with superior firepower and mobility, and having a blast doing it.