The "What the hell is this supposed to be?" game

Post an image from the game, be it a screenshot or isolated sprite, and ask about it. Most of Doom's content is pretty straightforward, but after playing it for 22 years, there are a couple of things I still haven't figured out, visually.


Obviously this is a demonic anomaly, but...what the heck is it? Are we to assume this is a solid thing, like made of flesh or something? Some kind of ghostly apparition?

Looks like some sort of holographic projection, if you ask me.

GoatLord said:

what the heck is it?

A ghostly apparition... and it represents the evil version of the all-seeying eye.

I always figured that was an evil eye symbol.... Other than that I never paid it much attention. haha

GoatLord said:

Post an image from the game, be it a screenshot or isolated sprite, and ask about it. Most of Doom's content is pretty straightforward, but after playing it for 22 years, there are a couple of things I still haven't figured out, visually.

http://i.imgur.com/0ygBCDv.png
Obviously this is a demonic anomaly, but...what the heck is it? Are we to assume this is a solid thing, like made of flesh or something? Some kind of ghostly apparition?

A demonic surveillance camera (at least in my opinion) that also acts like a sentry/security guard and when provoked would attack you (see Realm667 for a WAD of this attacking you).

^ I didn't know technology in Hell would be that creepy. :P

The idea of it being a hologram is interesting because you have that candle under it, I never thought about that...

Azuruish said:

http://phonepics.ru/uploads/pictures/big_images/illuminati.jpg

But the Eye of Providence is supposed to be the eye of god while the evil eye in Doom looks like a demons eye.

GoatLord said:

The idea of it being a hologram is interesting because you have that candle under it, I never thought about that...

Perhaps the candle is actually a hologram projector, but it's disguised as a candle.

After all we are talking about Hell here.

I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if the demons are EXTREMELY advanced.

Heaven and Hell (at least in my opinion) are probably light-years ahead of human technology, so it's no surprise that the demons would have holograms, plasma, zero-point energy, teleportation technology, etc.etc.etc.

HavoX said:

^ I didn't know technology in Hell would be that creepy. :P

Well it is Hell LOL. I mean of course the technology in Hell would be that creepy. =P

If you interpret Doom the way you think is logical, then eventually everything in Doom becomes creepy. =3

Especially if you play PSX Doom.

I like to play PSX Doom with custom monsters added in by the way. =) Keeps things interesting and creepy. =)

There's a map where those Evil Eyes are used to mark sectors you CANNOT shoot from -otherwise all the hidden archviles of the map are released instantly.

In Doom 2?

DoomzRules said:

Perhaps the candle is actually a hologram projector, but it's disguised as a candle.

After all we are talking about Hell here.

I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if the demons are EXTREMELY advanced.

Heaven and Hell (at least in my opinion) are probably light-years ahead of human technology, so it's no surprise that the demons would have holograms, plasma, zero-point energy, teleportation technology, etc.etc.etc.

And yet at the same time, at least judging by Doom 3 and Doom 16's depictions of hell, it seems to be crude and ancient.

It is probably just developed in a different way, with some aspects being on a primitive human level, some nonexistent, and some far beyond us. I believe that hell has flesh-based technology, with all the flesh walls and so on being manifestations of the Baphomet or however you call their laeder, being maintained by intelligent hellish biotechnicians, with mechanisms wired with circruitry made out of nerves and so on.

It's kind of a muddy thing, I think it's basically a metal cover's interpretation of the Evil Eye. Essentially, a form of curse given through looking at someone with foul intent or just in a bad way, supposed to have been prevented through the wearing of an eye-shaped charm. Either that, or it's a spookified version of the all-seeing eye.

It's esselfortium, keeping a keen eye on his flock, of course.

GoatLord said:

And yet at the same time, at least judging by Doom 3 and Doom 16's depictions of hell, it seems to be crude and ancient.

To us it may appear crude and ancient, but perhaps it's all a guise for a technologically advanced civilization far beyond our mortal understanding.

For all we know, there could be a more sci-fi Hellish looking area of Hell that we haven't seen yet.

Or maybe a Hell that's an unholy fusion of flesh and technology.

Who knows to be honest? I feel as if the Doom 64 Hell is the most creepiest one at the present moment. Well, to be fair I haven't seen the new Doom's Hell yet.... (except for the E3 gameplay).

In my opinion, I feel as if the demons from Hell would be like aliens. They would have advanced technology, and they have spaceships. That may seem a bit far-fetched, but that's just my imagination I guess.

Doom 3's Hell was pretty generic though. It wasn't as imaginative or creepy as Classic Doom or Doom 64 (except those weird shadow spirit things that kept rising out of the abyss... that was kinda creepy to be honest.)

Slightly related: I wish the standalone candle animated like that one.

It's a sure sign that things have gone south!

IMO

That is a demonic candle made to intimadate any survivors. That eye looking back and forth, and looking at anyone would be creepy. Its Hell's way of saying "you can run, but you can't hide".

Voros inspired me: It's some sort of mystical "survilliance camera" from Hell, the icon of sin watching your every move, what that thing sees the icon of sin can see.

The icon of sin doesn't need to add more plot holes to an already pot-shotted story :P. That thing had a LOT of maps to see\anticipate doomguy and ambush him perfectly at the start of map30 (well any map really). Doomguy has more plot armor than tv\anime characters combined ;P.

Pegg said:

The icon of sin doesn't need to add more plot holes to an already pot-shotted story :P. That thing had a LOT of maps to see\anticipate doomguy and ambush him perfectly at the start of map30 (well any map really). Doomguy has more plot armor than tv\anime characters combined ;P.

I remember this thing was pointing at a secret in the suburbs, it could be some sort of benevolent spirit. I can't really remember any other memorable part of the game when I came across this thing.

And it's interesting you talk about ambushes, because there's something that could seem like an ambush in the suburbs, when you pick up the blue key and a lot of demons start to spawn around you.

They are connected to the spider mastermEYEnd who overSAW the invasion

Xerge said:

I remember this thing was pointing at a secret in the suburbs, it could be some sort of benevolent spirit. I can't really remember any other memorable part of the game when I came across this thing.

And it's interesting you talk about ambushes, because there's something that could seem like an ambush in the suburbs, when you pick up the blue key and a lot of demons start to spawn around you.

There are still 13 maps after suburbs. Some maps could have more ambushes yes but map30 would be waaaay harder if the ios prepared a few monsters beforehand.

Edit : Maybe they did that because it got called way too difficult by some people who played it with stuff already spawned.

Xerge said:

I remember this thing was pointing at a secret in the suburbs, it could be some sort of benevolent spirit. I can't really remember any other memorable part of the game when I came across this thing.

It's also used in the Monster Condo. In the start room, you have two aisles divided by a bookcase. Walking up to the eye on one side of the bookcase gives you a small ambush and some useful items. The skull rock on the other side floods you with monsters. In this case, the two paths might represent the choice between good and evil.

Both Suburbs and Monster Condo were designed by Sandy Petersen. I've read that he's a Mormon, so the use of the Eye of Providence in his levels might be a case of him channeling his faith.

Xerge said:

Voros inspired me: It's some sort of mystical "survilliance camera" from Hell, the icon of sin watching your every move, what that thing sees the icon of sin can see.

My thoughts exactly.

Who is this guy? He was once the commander of hell before the IoS? Or he still pulling the strings from somewhere else? It's a shame we never get to remove that evil smile off his face with the SSG.

Why are there boobs on the bfg? Top center in the middle...

Boobs? Wha... I tried to translate that word in different translators like a Bing, Google Translator, Yandex translator and it shows: "Tits". Do i understand that word right? Maybe it means protuberance or bump?
Oh... Anyway boobs contains milk. That means that BFG contains cells.

Winged_Warrior said:

Who is this guy? He was once the commander of hell before the IoS? Or he still pulling the strings from somewhere else? It's a shame we never get to remove that evil smile off his face with the SSG.

It would've been pretty cool to see that face as some monster that you could fight. It probably would've looked like a Hell Knight or Baron of Hell, only stronger and more sinister with those red eyes too.