Hey Kris...

So you asked what's the best way to play Doom with the keyboard, huh? Well, that's evolved a lot over the last eight or so years.

The original default configuration had you using the arrow keys and they controlled walking forwards, backwards and turning left and right. Running was controlled by holding down an additional key, usually shift.

Naturally this is a slow and cumbersome method of locomotion in a fast paced game like Doom.

Nowadays most games ship with a completely different configuration and it works great with Doom too. Here's how it works.

Assign the following keyboard keys to the respective function:
W = Walk forward
S = Walk backward (backpedal)
A = Strafe left
D = Strafe right
Spacebar = Open (or jump, depending on the game)
Left Shift = Run (or crouch, depending again)

Make sure that A and D are assigned to strafing, not turning.

Now, before you do anything, place your left hand there. Put your middle finger on the W. Thumb on the spacebar, first finger on the D, ring finger on the A and pinky on the Left Shift.

Comfortable isn't it? A helluva lot better than using the arrow keys.

I know what you're thinking, though, how do you turn? Simple. That's what the mouse is for. Put your right hand on the mouse (assign the buttons any way you like, you don't get very many options in Doom). Use it for turning basically.

Now, Doom isn't very friendly with mice... the sensitivity (if you crank it up as far as it will go in the game) just often isn't enough. You want to be able to jam the mouse and do a quick 180 degree turn in a split second yet still retain the ability to do precise aiming. Then again, you don't want to move the mouse an inch and spin around forty times either.

If you just can't get the sensitivity high enough in the game you can edit the original CFG file, default.cfg (its just plain text ascii, Notepad will do it) and manually change the sensitivity yourself. I have a Logitech USB one and I have to set the sens to 35 to get good speed.

Of course, if you're using Doom95 (ugh), Legacy, or ZDoom (Yay!) you can adjust it as high as you will need it to go, that's one of the first things they fixed. =)

There is another handy trick you can do to the default.cfg file. Open it up in Notepad and change the line "joyb_speed" value from it's small number to 31. Yeah, thirty one. Now, in Doom, you'll be auto-running like Quake or Duke. It saves you from having to hold down shift with your pinky all the time. =)

Okay, so now that you have that configuration going and you seem to be able to play like that, practice. This should become a natural configuration for you. In the newer games you can tap R to reload and that's easily reached with your first finger. In Undying I even have Q and E set up as handy functions too.

In Unreal Tournament R (although not listed in the config screen) is the shortcut for the Translocator... which is very handy in a heated Domination battle.

There are a lot of benefits to playing a FPS game like this. In the newer, fully 3D games the mouse also has you look up and down... giving you a really good immersion factor and also allowing you to aim anywhere quickly. The newer Doom ports have mouse freelooking too, although the autoaiming still works fine.

If you want me to make a demo for you to show you just how effective this is lemme know and I'll do it. I'll even use (ugh) Doom95 if I have too and I'll include instructions on how to run the demo (for the port of your choice) in the email.

Have a nice day, kiddo. I know I will be... I'll be asleep for the next twelve or so hours. Ahhh...

i still use the original doom keyboard layout.

Well aren't you special. =)

i never said i was.

I distinctly remember you did.

Recently I began using this combination with source ports and it works really well. It's kinda like what deadnail said, except you don't use space, and you use E to go forward, so you have your index finger for up and down, your middle for strafe right, and your ring for strafe left. I use the mousewheel to switch weapons, mouse1 is fire, mouse 2 is right now a backup strafe on, but I think I'll change it to mouseaim on, and mouse3 is use.

deadnail: it was just a statement. i ain't trying to brag or anything.

deadnail: it was just a statement. i ain't trying to brag or anything.

Oh yeah? Well then, you bastard, I'm positive you never did! So there!

I found asxz to be better, if you tilt the left edge of keyboard nearer to you, your fingers fit neatly into asx and z for backwards is more directly beneath s rather than off-set as in the asdw format where w is not exactly ahead of s and can lead to you hitting wrong key in times of stress :)

o_O

0_-

i use the same keyboard config for every fps i play: arrows forward/backward/strafing, mouse to look around. i've never had problems with the mouse in doom for looking around...

Jeez, what computer are you running? I run Zdoom at 800x600 with every option i can find turned on (rocket trails, transparency etc) and I get a comfortable 35 fps constantly.

Naturally this is a slow and cumbersome method of locomotion in a fast paced game like Doom.

/me shrugs
I can get around in DOOM like that just fine. Sometimes I can even deathmatch fairly decently.

However I mostly use this config for deathmatch:

W: walk forward
S: walk backward
D: strafe (like ALT)
spacebar: open doors
E: jump
Mouse1: fire

Well aren't you special. =)

I sure as hell am biatch.
/me also uses the original keyboard config and 0wn5 j00!!!11

Forward: E
Backward: D
Strafe left: W
Strafe right: R
Turning: Mouse

when fine movements are needed, I turn by using the arrow keys in map view

I still use the old setup too and kick ass with it!

I have a question about the Readmes...you know A thru D, that talk about command-line fucntions, enemies, weapons, DooM tech, etc. I was wondering how to use the command-line functions? There is one called 'devparm' or something or other, and to use it, it said to type in 'devparm' in the command line. I have two MS-DOS prompts, the ordinary MS-DOS prompt that you can go to from the Start Bar, and the Command line you have to go to the C:/ Drive to start up.
I went to the C:/ Drive, then to the Command line, and typed in devparm, which supposedly lets you go in to developers' mode. I'd really like to see developers mode.
Could anybody help me out here?
What about the other command line thingies?
How do you get them to work?

That's easy. At the dos prompt change directory to your doom folder, type "doom", "doom2" or whatever, and then type -"insert parameter here" after the game command.

That's easy. At the dos prompt change directory to your doom folder, type "doom", "doom2" or whatever, and then type -"insert parameter here" after the game command.

Missing something, aintcha Liam?

Man, you don't know DOS either? Wow.

Well... when you load up a command prompt in Windows and end up with:
C:\Windows>_
That's your prompt. It's prompting you to do something.

CD is the change directory command.
cd .. = go up one directory
cd \ = go to the root of the directory

So, probably, you'd have to do this:

cd ..
cd doom

...or...

cd \doom

To display what's in the directory simply type dir:

dir

That'll show you all the files in there.

When running programs from a command line you have to use switches. Fun stuff. To make Doom load in an external level it would be:

doom -file ########.wad

To get the developer mode:

doom -devparm

To be on crystal meth:

doom -turbo 255

To play a demo you downloaded (poop.lmp):

doom -playdemo poop

Yeah, playdemo is the only switch that doesn't use the extension when you provide a filename. Actually type the dot lmp and it won't work. :/

Most DOS programs have lots of switches. Even dir does.

dir -p = shows files one page at a time if there's a lot
dir -w = shows files without details, fills the screen
dir *.lmp = shows all files that end in .lmp

Anyway, I hope this is enough to get you started.

That's easy. At the dos prompt change directory to your doom folder, type "doom", "doom2" or whatever, and then type -"insert parameter here" after the game command.

Missing something, aintcha Liam?

What am I missing? I didn't explain in detail, i assumed he knew all the DOS commands.

Pentium 1, eh? I have a Pentium 3 450 Mhz. Not exactly top-of-the-line, but it gets the job done.

dir -p = shows files one page at a time if there's a lot
dir -w = shows files without details, fills the screen

It's actually dir /w and dir /p.

dir -p = shows files one page at a time if there's a lot
dir -w = shows files without details, fills the screen

It's actually dir /w and dir /p.

HAHA, WHO'S BRAIN DEAD NOW?!?

Um, well, I've been playing Doom for the past three hours solid. I made it past E1M8! I killed the big mean-looking goat-guys, then I found the teleporter thingy and stepped in. All of a sudden I was surrounded by bad guys and they kept shooting and biting me, till my energy ran out, but then when it hit 0%, it shot back up to 14%. That doesn't make any sense. And another thing, how come you come of the portal alive onto Deimos if all those demons nearly killed you? You should start off with 45% health or lower to show that you were actually in a big fight. Right about now, Doom is kicking major buttness.

That last portal with the enemies surrounding you have a more "mystical" sense than anything else, it's like "resurrecting" in Hell.

HAHA, WHO'S BRAIN DEAD NOW?!?

Oh Christ leave me the hell alone.

/ -

Sometimes both work sometimes only one will, its up to the fucking programmer. All I fucking know is I should be asleep but I'm not 'cuz I have to go on 2nd shift. Yeah, where all the sun is at. BTW, it's 110 today, so I'm not very fucking thrilled about seeing more of that gigantic glowing ball of death.

Goddamn Lake Michigan, I wish someone would just drop in a few million bags of qwik-dry cement.

Um, well, I've been playing Doom for the past three hours solid. I made it past E1M8!

Nice job.

I killed the big mean-looking goat-guys

Barons of Hell. Anunciate young rookie.

then I found the teleporter thingy and stepped in. All of a sudden I was surrounded by bad guys and they kept shooting and biting me, till my energy ran out, but then when it hit 0%, it shot back up to 14%.

I don't believe it ever gets to 0%. It just gets really close.

That doesn't make any sense. And another thing, how come you come of the portal alive onto Deimos if all those demons nearly killed you? You should start off with 45% health or lower to show that you were actually in a big fight.

Erm, maybe id needed to get the public hooked on the shareware release so they'd come back for epidodes two and three?

Right about now, Doom is kicking major buttness.

It has been for years and years.

then I found the teleporter thingy and stepped in. All of a sudden I was surrounded by bad guys and they kept shooting and biting me, till my energy ran out, but then when it hit 0%, it shot back up to 14%.

I don't believe it ever gets to 0%. It just gets really close.

Actually, it does get to 0%, but you just don't see it because that's the instant it ends the level.

I use this for ALL fps:

W - Forwards
S - Backwards
A - Strafe left
D - Strafe Right
E - Open / Use
Space - Jump
Left Click - Fire
Right Click - Either secondary fire or... nothing
Mousewheel - Change weapons
Ctrl - Crouch

And, if possible:

End - Center view
Tab - Automap

I stopped using space for open/use as soon as I played Half life the whole way through ...twice.