Frequently Asked Questions


Last updated: 7 May 2007

Table of Contents

Introduction

Welcome to the Doomworld forums. This FAQ answers the most common questions about the forums, and educates you about its rules. On Doomworld, we discuss Doom and its spawn, such as Heretic, Hexen, and Strife. We also discuss Doom 3, and we have forums for other topics of conversation, as well as places to write stories and post artwork.

New users sometimes have a tough time when joining a new forum due to their lack of knowledge regarding the rules that are laid out. This document is made available to you to provide you with the proper knowledge beforehand so that your entrance into these forums is an enjoyable one. The rules stated here are very important. Not following these rules can result in being banned from the forums. We hope you enjoy these forums as much as we do!

-- The Staff

Important Things to Remember

  • Please try to use the appropriate forums when you create a new thread in order to save the moderators the trouble of moving it.
  • Before you post a new thread asking a question, think to yourself, "Could this have been answered before?" Check previous threads, use the forum search function, or even try Google to get an answer to your question. Remember, if you think it's a stupid question, it probably is.
  • This forum has a strict policy against warez and copyright infringement. Do not link to or request full or leaked versions of games or content, magazine scans, ROMs, or copyrighted media such as music or movies.
  • Please do not post a thread saying you are new here. While you might think it's a great idea, the best way to participate on these forums is to put your two cents in on threads that are already created. Posting an "I'm new here" thread only brings negative attention on yourself.
  • If no one is responding to your post or thread, don't post again. They see it; double posting is a crime punishable by flagellation.
  • Please do not bump threads older than a month or two. If you do, you may feel the wrath of the moderators.
  • If you're going to make a large post, please have the decency to break it down into paragraphs. If it's one humongous block of text, no one will bother reading it.
  • Please do not quote someone else's replies unnecessarily. Don't quote the entire first post of a thread, or the post directly above yours, if you are responding to it generally. Don't quote an entire post if you are only responding to one point; cut out irrelevant parts. And for God's sake, don't quote someone else's post and not add any of your own thoughts below it. Such repetition is absolutely unnecessary (not to mention it looks dumb).
  • Please do not post in a thread just to say you don't care about the subject or discussion at hand; doing so creates utterly pointless flamebait. Posts like these will likely be deleted or looked harshly upon. Voice your dislike by not participating in the thread at all.
  • Spamming so that your username shows up as the last poster on the first page of any forum or all the forums is a big no-no.
  • Please do not make useless one-word replies such as "heh", "rofl", "lol", and the like. Such posts are usually interpreted as spam, and will be deleted.
  • Please do not be a jerk. If you go around flaming everyone and generally being a prick, you're likely to get in trouble. Remember, respect permeates outward. If you want to be treated well, then treat others well. In other words, "Fuck you" will not create a good first impression.
  • Please do NOT create new threads addressing a specific person in order to communicate with them. Use private messaging, e-mail, IRC, AIM, ICQ, MSN or Yahoo! instead.
  • Please try to spell properly, and do not post in ghetto talk, h4><0r lingo, ALLCAPS, or CrAZy CApS. Doing so makes your posts unnecessarily hard to read, and it is inconsiderate toward the users who do not speak English as their first language, so it may confuse them as well. It also makes you look like a moron.
  • Please do not troll or spam other forums to promote Doomworld - it gives us a bad reputation.
  • Please ensure your signature contains nothing deemed unacceptable by the forums rules regarding post content. Also, make sure your signature isn't excessively long (more than 6 lines), as it clogs up the forums if you choose to always use it.
  • Please do not exploit any forum bugs you may come across, but feel free to report them to the staff.
  • The Doomworld Links Page contains many links for Doom, Doom 3 and Heretic/Hexen/Strife. If you're looking for a site, you might find it there. You can also submit sites for review to be put up.
  • If you have some Doom news, read this forum thread.

Common Classic Doom Questions

  1. Where can I get Doom or one of the Doom engine games?

    You can get the Doom Collectors Edition from here. The Ultimate Doom, Doom 2, Final Doom, Heretic, and Hexen can be found in The id Software site's id store. You can get Strife from Amazon.com Marketplace and you can get HacX for free LEGALLY from here.

  2. But I don't want to pay for it, so...where can I get it?

    We can't tell you that. Quit being a cheapskate and buy the games! You can get the shareware copies of the games from here. Ask in the main forums and expect a warning or a ban.

  3. Where can I get tips on PC or console versions of Doom?

    ClassicDoom.com is a good repository of information. You might also try Game FAQs or Game Winners.

  4. The copy I have is old. Where can I get the patches?

    You can get the patches from Doomworld's Patches Section.

  5. Where can I get some cool levels?

    Linguica created a comprehensive /idgames database which allows you to search, browse, and download from the /idgames Archive, a public repository of WAD files.

  6. How do I upload to /newstuff?

    The /newstuff FAQ is in the WADs and Mods forum.

  7. I want to make my own levels. Where do I start?

    Start with some editing tutorials. Then check out some editors and utilities.

  8. I'm having problems with Doom. Where can I get some information on how to fix this?

    For "official" technical support, look here. Plus, there are many FAQs that deal with Doom and its spawn, which can be found here and here.

  9. I like the music from Doom. Where can I download it?

    The Doom Depot has the tracks from all the Doom games you can imagine! Also try visiting Doomworld's Music page, which includes a listing of Doom music remixes.

  10. Why have I heard several sound effects from Doom used somewhere else?

    Many of the sounds in Doom were not created by Bobby Prince; instead, they came from a sound library. Sound libraries are often used in industries that use sound effects, including film, television, advertising, and video games. So if you heard the Imp death sound in Lawrence of Arabia, or the boss cube firing sound in every single action movie trailer ever, don't feel like you have to make a new forum thread to point it out. The sound effects in question have not been stolen from Doom without permission; content creators have full rights to use the sound effects in the sound libraries they purchase, and the same sounds are often used in many different libraries.

  11. Why isn't Doom working with Windows XP?

    Look at this forum thread. Windows XP has limited DOS support, so doom(2).exe may or may not work if you are using this operating system. Disabling sound FX and/or music may solve the problem. Instead, we recommend you use one of the following source ports (in alphabetical order): Boom, Chocolate Doom, EDGE, Eternity, GZDoom, jDoom, Legacy, prBoom, Skull Tag, Vavoom, ZDoom and, finally, ZDooMGL.

  12. I want to play Doom online. How do I get started?

    Read the Multiplayer FAQ.

Doom 3 Questions

Most any common question you might ask about Doom 3 can be found in our Doom 3 Forum's FAQ, which can be found here. Please read this before posting anything in the Doom 3 forum!

Doomworld Questions

  1. My site rules, but Geocities sucks. How can I get hosted by Doomworld?

    Read the Hosting Information Page.

  2. How do I submit news to Doomworld?

    Read this forum thread to learn how to submit news directly, or just send an e-mail to news@doomworld.com. DO NOT send attachments. Read the Contact Info page for more information.

  3. Hey you jerks, did the front page of Doomworld just give me spyware? SpyBot/Ad-Aware/HijackThis/etc. shows all sorts of stuff!

    As of now, this is unlikely. We used to get various reports of popups from the front page giving people spyware, but nothing definitive or verifiable.

    Spyware and related things are easily preventable. There are many decent web pages that give tips on how to avoid getting a spyware infection when using Internet Explorer and Windows. Setting IE's security settings to High, keeping Windows up-to-date with the latest patches, and using a firewall are the most basic steps. Additionally, SpywareBlaster is a useful free program that will block most known harmful sites and IE exploits.

    Alternately, you can download and use an alternative browser. They're usually slower loading, but they are generally much more secure (not being tied into the OS helps), as well as offering many more features, as well as various useful extensions. The most popular are FireFox, a free Mozilla-based browser, and Opera, which is free as well.

    Of course, there are various popular programs that contain spyware. These include P2P programs like Kazaa and Morpheus, and even the official AIM client contains spyware. To get rid of spyware, using Ad-aware and Spybot Search and Destroy both in conjuction is highly recommended. Be sure to update the definitions using the automatic updating built into both programs before you do a scan as well.

Doomworld Forums Basic Questions

  1. What are each of the forums for?

    There are four sections of the Classic Doom area:

    • Doom General is for Doom discussion, such as a cool site you found, or other discussion about Doom that does not fit into any of the other Classic Doom forums.
    • Doom Editing is for your editing questions or tips.
    • WADs & Mods is the forum where you can discuss your projects or your favorite levels and add-ons. You can also post polls here.
    • Source Ports is for questions or comments regarding the vast array of engines available to play Doom with.

    There is only one forum in the Doom 3 area:

    There are the Miscellaneous forums:

    • Everything Else is the place to bitch and moan about everything (except your personal life; see Blogs below). You can also post polls here.
    • Doomworld News is the forum where you can comment on news items found on the main page of Doomworld. This forum is considered part of the main site, and thus thread "bumping" is more tolerated.
    • News Submissions is a place to submit Doom-related news. Your news might just end up on the front page of Doomworld. Read this thread to learn how to submit news.
    • Blogs is the place to make "blog" posts. It is NOT on the main forum listing because it would interfere with the "view new posts" option. This forum has its own set of rules, which you should read, here.

    There is also the Special Interest section, which contains project-related, hosted site, and other forums:

    • Doom Speed Demos is the place to discuss anything and everything related to recording and watching demos for Doom-engine games.
    • Fan Fics / Fan Pics is the place to post your Doom stories or your Doom artwork you have created.
    • Community Chest 3, the sequel to a sequel of the collaborative community map project for ZDoom.
    • Doom Builder is where you can discuss CodeImp's editor, report bugs, or suggest new features. General editing questions should go in the Classic Doom Editing forum.
    • Eternity is all about the source port Eternity. You can ask questions about the Eternity Engine, report bugs, or suggest features.
    • Freedoom, the project to replace everything in the Doom 2 IWAD, has its own forum as well. You can ask questions about this project or offer your services.
    • XWE, the lump manager for Windows, hosted at Doomworld, has its own forum, where you can easily get support from or suggest ideas to the maintainer Csabo and other users.

    Finally, there is the Morons section:

    • Losers is the forum where trolls and troublemakers are banished to. This forum is not viewable until you are banished to it, and at that point, no other forums will be viewable.
    • Post Hell is the forum where bad posts go to die. You cannot post in Post Hell, obviously. Reading the threads there will give you a good idea of what not to do on these forums.

  2. Somebody did something against the rules. What can I do?

    Use the "Report to mod" button to report posts, but make sure this is a MAJOR INFRACTION you are reporting.

  3. How do I post attachments?

    Attachments are only allowed in the Demos Forum. The option to attach a file to a post is located below the standard posting options on the "Post New Thread" / "Post Reply" page. Valid attachments are ZIP files. The maximum attachment size is 64K. Abuse of this feature will result in an immediate ban.

  4. Why didn't my attachment show up?

    Attachments are not immediately available once posted with their respective post - they must be approved by a moderator or administrator before they are available for download. In other words, if you post an attachment, your post will show up immediately and the attachment will show up once approved. Attachments are typically approved within 12 hours or less.

  5. What must I do to become a moderator?

    Worship the admins, what else? Seriously, you should try to stand out in a positive way as best you can: being nice to people, helping people out, respecting the rules, stuff like that. It is a bad idea to ask outright if you can become a moderator.

  6. Who are the forum leaders, and what do they do?

    • Staffers:

      A staffer is a member who maintains the actual site, but is not active in forum moderation of any kind.

    • Moderators:

      A moderator is a member who looks after a specific forum, or more than one forum at Doomworld. Their job is to make sure the rules of the forums aren't breached, and to act if they are. For instance, if a member posts an offensive or pointless thread, the moderator can choose to delete it. If a member posts a thread which should ideally be in a different forum, the moderator can move it there. If a moderator encounters a trouble-making user in his/her forum, they can refer to them in the admin forum for inspection by the executive staff who can take further action. Moderators can choose their own custom titles, post attachments, delete their own posts, and view the profiles of other users. Some of them can ban members.

    • Super Moderators:

      A super moderator is a member who looks after the whole of the forums in general at Doomworld. Their job is basically the same as the moderators, except they moderate in all forums. They have all the powers of moderators, plus executive powers, meaning that if a user persistently breaks the rules, they can ban the user from the forums.

    • Administrators:

      An administrator is a member who oversees the management of the forums and forum staff. They have all the abilities of the moderators and super moderators, plus complete executive powers. They can appoint and remove staff from the staff list. They can add new forums and close forums. They can ban users by IP addresses. They can implement new features and generally change the site as they see fit. They also have the final decision in any debate over a member's future on Doomworld.

  7. I see people using cool stuff in their posts, like URLs to sites and bold text. How do I do this?

    CLICK ME and find out!

  8. This guy has something under his nickname that nobody else has. How do I get one?

    These are called custom titles. They can be earned by doing something good or something incredibly stupid. Sometimes you can get one by asking a forum administrator nicely, but don't bet on it.

  9. How can I see my postcount?

    Check your profile or highlight under your avatar.

  10. What is an avatar?

    The picture that is used for your posts, like this one:

  11. Where are the smilies?

    They're disabled for Great Justice™.

  12. What else is disabled?

    Posting file attachments in any forum other than Demos, using colored text, changing the size of your text, using HTML in posts, and sending e-mails to users via the forum software.

  13. What is Private Messaging?

    Private Messaging is sending a message to a user and to that user only. Private Messages are preferred over posting a message to that user on the forums, which we do not allow.

  14. How do I see images?

    You must enable this in your user options in the User Control Panel. There are rules for posting images, which you must abide by. They were decreed by Linguica back in the days:

    Here are the rules regarding image usage. Failure to abide by these rules can result in being banned.

    MAXIMUM image dimensions are 640x480. This means that image can be no more than 640 pixels wide AND the image can be no more than 480 pixels high.

    MAXIMUM filesize is 80 kilobytes. If you link images larger than this you may fear the wrath of the mods.

    Please use discretion when linking images that are not hosted on your own personal webspace. I do not want to get complaints from someone about how an image that was linked in a DW post has used up all their bandwidth.

    No images that you would not want your grandmother to see. This includes pornography, "tasteful nudity," images of ultraviolence, seizure-inducing animated GIFs, etc etc. If you break this rule you WILL be banned IMMEDIATELY.

    Follow these rules when posting images and you'll get along fine. By the way, do NOT quote images. This is incredibly irritating to the majority of members. Feel free to change the quoted image into a hyperlink, though.

  15. Can I delete my own posts?

    No. If you double-posted by accident, edit one of the posts saying so. A moderator will come along eventually and delete the extraneous post.

  16. What are people saying when they say BTW, IIRC and so on?

    A comprehensive listing of common Internet acronyms can be found here.

  17. All the avatars suck. I have my own kickass one. How do I use it?

    When you reach 250 posts, you will be able to upload your own custom avatar, either from your hard drive or from a website. It must be smaller than 25 kilobytes in size, and less than 48 pixels in each dimension.

  18. I want to talk to some Doomers on IRC. Where do I go?

    Get an IRC client, then connect to irc.freenode.net. There are many channels you can join, but some popular ones are:

    • #zdoom (which has now moved to irc.oftc.net)
    • #doom (the Freedoom development channel)
    • #zdaemon (the official ZDaemon channel)

  19. HELP I CAN ONLY POST IN THIS FORUM CALLED LOSERS, WHAT DO I DO?

    Losers is the forum where idiots go. You did something stupid. You never know, maybe you will get unlosered. If you do, try harder next time.

  20. This FAQ didn't answer my question. What now?

    Feel free to contact any Moderator, Super Moderator, Administrator, or any one of the persons who maintains this FAQ with your question.

Doomworld Forums Posting Guidelines

  1. ME ME ME! First off, blogs info for the uninformed.

    The Doomworld Forums Blogs are personal web logs that use a hidden postcount-disabled forum as the vessel through which users make blog entries and comments. They exist so that the worthless highlights of everyone's personal life and flamebait soapbox rants stay out of the main forums. Thank Linguica for them. Learn how to use them by reading their section of this FAQ, and learn what is and isn't blog-appropriate by reading the Blogs Forum Rules.

  2. I'M LEAVING AND NEVER COMING BACK! Well, thanks for the dramatics. Enjoy your life.

    Please, nobody cares. If you make a retarded post about how much you hate Doomworld and its members and the mods and your parents made you switch rooms with your sister and everyone hates you and you're leaving for good, then do us all a favor and just leave and don't come back. Nobody cares about the stupid drama you've created in your demented little brain. Also, history shows that 90% of the people who say they're leaving and never coming back do, in fact, come back, so spare us. You're not going to make a bunch of people on the Internet say "Hey, you know what, we really are dicks. We'd better clean up our acts!" That said, if you make one of these stupid and oh so dramatic posts, you'll be banned, because hey, you're leaving and never coming back anyway, right?

  3. Hurrr time to paint this thread red and yellow! Cool kids aren't backseat mods.

    While the staff appreciates your thorough understanding of the forum rules, posting in a thread just to call for its fiery death or swift relocation to a more appropriate forum neither speeds a moderator's arrival nor does it influence their decision as to the offending thread's fate.

  4. [DUMB] Yay!
    ..."Yay" what? New Game released? Cure for cancer found? Britney Spears touring in your hometown? Make thread titles informative.

    Are half of the posts on the Doomworld Forums that "dumb"? Yes, but let's pretend otherwise and make better use of the thread tags.

  5. MY COUNTERSTRIKE DOESN'T WORK! There are forums on the net better suited for your tech-help inquiries.

    The Doomworld Forums have a decently sized user base of people with a variety of interests and hobbies. If you're having hardware or software issues, there's a good chance that someone on the forums may be able to help you.

    That said, there's an even better chance of you finding help elsewhere.

    Hardware issues? Head on over to http://www.hardforum.com/ or http://forum.anandtech.com/
    Problems with a specific game? Try http://www.forumplanet.com/, where one Gamespy ID will let you access all the boards. If there is no forum dedicated to your game (or if you have a knee-jerk negative reaction to Gamespy), you can try Googling.
    A nasty Spyware/Virus infestation or PC security concerns? Go to http://www.computercops.biz/forums.html

    Often, the regulars at these forums have already covered your question, and a simple search of their forums will reveal an answer. You can also Google for your question. As a general rule, post tech help threads in Everything Else only when the rest of the Internet has failed you.

  6. Will an admin change my username? I don't want to reregister and lose my registration date from three months ago. Keep avatar/username/title change requests off the forums.

    If you wish to have a new avatar, username, or title, do not post your request on the forums. Instead, look at the forum leaders list. Now, choose which of the eight administrators you are most friendly with and contact them privately, either with a private message, e-mail, or any other contact info found in their profile.

  7. [DUMB] Freak plays piano with his five erect penises (vid)! Before you show us any hilarious websites/movies/flash animations, please take precautions to not get "timelined".

    So you were rummaging around in some ass-backwards corner of the World Wide Web and found something so funny or so strange you feel that you must share it with your Doomer buddies at the forums? Ok, but keep a few things in mind:

    Firstly, we've all been to Something Awful, Fark, Ebaum's World, ytmnd.com and all the most popular Internet humor sites around. If it's featured on one of those sites, chances are most of everyone who cares has already seen it.

    Secondly, this sort of thing is not uncommon at the Doomworld Forums. We may have already had a thread about your little gem. Before you post, do a forum search. And even if that turns up negative, ask a few of your Doomworld e-friends if they've seen it using your e-communication e-method of e-choice, as some of the forums are not searchable.

    Now, if you're sure you have something new to most of the regulars, go ahead and post. We could all use a laugh now and then. Just make sure to warn us of anything non-worksafe.

  8. The Amerikkkans are the new Nazis. Same shit different asshole lol. Doomworld debate 101: Conducting yourself in a political or religious shitfest.

    Most threads about touchy or controversial issues quickly turn into an argument between two or more people with differing views. These debates are probably the most stressful use the regulars will ever make of their brains while on the Doomworld Forums. Often, decency, logic, and the forum FAQ are disregarded entirely by enraged members trying to show each other the "right" way to think. Please lessen the headache for everyone and follow a few basic rules:

    • Address fully all relevant points made by another poster. Use the quote function. Do not make your "opponent" as it were think that they are talking to a brick wall.
    • Always state your source when necessary or when asked.
    • Stick to the topic.
    • Avoid stereotypes/generalizations and the rumor mill.
    • Be civil. Someone is not asking for flames when they express an opinion you do not share, no matter how crazy it is. Flaming makes you hard to take seriously, and it speeds the death of the thread. And if you are flamed, you are not required to flame back.

Blog Questions

  1. What is a blog?

    A "blog" is short for "weblog". Blogs are a relatively recent online phenomenon where the author can post their personal experiences, opinions on various issues, and other things that interest them. They are akin to online diaries, except they are open to the public, and often provide mechanisms for readers to comment on entries.

  2. How do I get a blog?

    If you sign up for the Doomworld Forums, you automagically have a blog in your name at http://www.doomworld.com/blog/?user=yournamehere

  3. How do I update my blog?

    Click on the "New Blog" link (next to the "User Profile" and "FAQ" links) on the link bar on the main forum index. Then simply enter your blog post like any other forum post.

  4. How do I edit a blog post?

    Go to your blog page, click on the comment link under the blog post you wish to modify, and simply edit your post. Another solution is to go to the Blogs forum and search for the blog post in the list there.

  5. How do I change the look of my blog?

    The first thing you'll want to do is download the blog.css that determines the style of the blog. This is the Cascading Style Sheet definition of the basic style. If you don't know anything about CSS, this would be a good time to learn, although the format is fairly straightforward. Then, send a private message to user blog, make the subject css, and in the body paste your modified CSS code. This will enable you to change the look of your blog using whatever CSS tomfoolery you wish. The changes will stay as long as the private message stays in your "Sent Items" folder, so if you want to change the style of your blog again, just delete the CSS private message and send a new one to blog.

  6. How do I see a list of recently updated blogs?

    http://www.doomworld.com/blog/ will show you all the recently updated blogs.

  7. What is acceptable material in blogs?

    Here are the official Blogs forum rules. Though a blog is your personal opinions and feelings, the same standards of conduct required in the standard forums apply. Therefore, if it is against the rules in the regular forums, it is against the rules in your blog as well. Blogs is NOT the place for random spam. Expect blatant and useless spam to be deleted or post helled. Please report offensive or rule-breaking blog entries.

Credits

Original Authors

  • BBG
  • Blackfish
  • Fodders
  • Lüt
  • Pritch

Additional Credits

  • Julian who designed the new layout.
  • Liam who wrote the original posting guidelines.
  • Orion who made the original HTML and goatse'd it up.
  • Anyone who reads this thing without a moderator or administrator asking them to do so.

Current Maintainers

  • Bloodshedder - Doomworld newsie and forum administrator
  • Julian - Doomworld webmaster and forum administrator
  • Lüt - Doomworld Forums administrator
  • Naked Snake (formerly BBG) - Tireless poster