Can anyone here identify these screenshots of unknown PWADs from Shovelware Cover Arts?

[Wadmodder Shalton]

We all remember alot of those old shovelware addon CDs for DOOM around the early to mid 1990s, each of them having alot of awful PWADs & sometimes derivatives of DOOM & DOOM II's levels on the discs. They were, however, useful for a few of us who never had the resource to search for wads online back then.

 

However, this topic involves trying to identify screenshots on unknown PWADs on most of the shovelware addon CDs for DOOM that were floating around in the 1990s. Many of these PWADs aren't know to had been recognized by many, aside from being included in "Episodic Compilation" PWADs such as Heroes.wad, the WADPAK series of PWADs among others.

 

I've excluded at least two of them because those PWAD screenshots have been identified. Here they are:

Anyways, Here are these screenshots of PWADs from old shovelware addon CDs that haven't been identified yet:

 

D!ZONE Series (D!Zone Early Release, D!Zone 2 Early Release & Rare D!Zone 150 Boxed Release:

The DOOM Gurus series of books (Tricks of the DOOM Gurus, More Tricks of the DOOM Gurus, 3D Alchemy & Level Master II):

DeathMatch The Ultimate Game Players Kit (Rare Boxed Release):

 

MegaDoom Series (Rare screenshot version of MegaDoom Adventures & MegaDoom II):

Doom Developers Kit:

Miscellaneous Addon CDs (DOOM Heaven 1 & 2, Doom Add-On Levels, Violence In 3D & Wads of Wads, etc):

There maybe other Shovelware Addon CDs for DOOM that have screenshots of unidentified PWADs, but this would take me hours or days to find them. Sources I used to find these screenshots of these unidentified PWADs include Mobygames, several online shopping results (mostly Ebay or Amazon), Internet Archive & the Doom Wiki article on Shovelware Cover Art. If any of you can identify these PWADs, let me know about it.

 

If your able to test any of these unidentified PWADs, search on Wad-Archive for these wads in the discs section, take a screenshot of that particular location from this PWAD screenshots, & hopefully solve this mystery on unidentified screenshots of many cover arts shovelware addon CDs.

Edited April 7, 2022 by Wadmodder Shalton : Images reposted. A few more cover art found.

[Endless]

This is some real obscure WADs and awesome screenies. I've always loved the 90s marketing for gaming.

 

The only level I can identify is Trinity College (second screenshot, from the top) which is actually a very popular level.

 

I'm pretty sure the last screenshot on the bottom is the Aliens TC. Another very popular WAD :P

[Walter confetti]

Wads of Wads looks like a thing made for the occasion by the disk authors, even if I'm not sure about the stairs building beyond the main scene with the cyberdemon and the chair guy

 

In Violence in 3D there's a picture of E1M1 from Heretic in the 4th shot, in the 1st shot I thought it was from obtic, I recall to have seen that gun sprite from there...

[SilverMiner]

Mmm, Wadauthor *goosebumps*

[Oldschoolgeek32]

I really love how 90s 3rd Party Videogame Boxes Expansions looked like it was the coolest games in the whole universe

 

 

[Capellan]

The screenshot with Whiskey & Beefsteak prices is probably 1995's Boot Hill. A western-themed DM pack.

[Wadmodder Shalton]

Try using reverse image searching or playing heroes.wad, the WADPAK series, Mr. Smiley Heads Safari, or other 1994-1995 level compilation PWADs to get results.

[fufu]

Some of these look like they are from completely different games, exactly how common were TC's at the time?

 

Also why does the "Violence in 3D" one censored Doom and Rise of The Triad?

[Wadmodder Shalton]

A few levels I can guess & identify on the back cover of MegaDoom II is probably Tim Willits Empire & Raven Series for Doom 1 & 2 respectively, while the others like the Heretic screenshots IDK.

[magicsofa]

So much hilarious garbage on these boxes. I love the screenshots of the player firing at nothing. Also "pulverize a politician or blast your boss." 

[mxrgan]

5 hours ago, Wadmodder RiderPùdu said:

A little off topic, but wow is this shit hilarious, same with the one that censors Doom and Rise of the Triad.

[kmxexii]

5 hours ago, Wadmodder RiderPùdu said:

DeathMatch The Ultimate Game Players Kit (Rare Boxed Release):

 

 

 

The Exoskeleton from the Aliens TC is clearly evident in the lower left-hand corner of the first screenshot. It appears to be from E2M8: Sulacco.

 

The building facade to the left of the Boot Hill sign screenshot on the second and third here is probably The Unholy Trinity.

 

I'm 99% sure that all of the Geiger art on the last two graphics comes from Zeus.

 

Jim Flynn's Oracle... can be seen immediately down and to the left of the arch-vile poster in the last graphic (MAP02).

 

The Cyberdemon cutouts in the middle top row graphic on the back of Death Match is from Shrine of the Warriors. I would have bet that the goofy demon panel room to its right is also from there, but can't be bothered to load the PWAD to check and am not too sure when I am looking at the automap.

[Thermal Lance]

This thread is 90s as f-. I love it.

[joepallai]

I believe on the upper right corner of the 3D Alchemy book is Nemesis by Justin Fisher

 

Also the new graphics shown in the lower right corner of the same book are by Justin Fisher

Edited October 16, 2020 by joepallai : added 2nd sentence

[spineapple tea]

Look mom I'm famous.

[Doomkid]

I absolutely love shitty 90's shovelware box art.

 

MegaDoom II has a screenshot from LEDGES.wad, a famous old DM map (the wooden one with the arch vile). The screenshot above that shows what is distinctly the blaster from Dark Forces, or actually I think the sprite itself was made even earlier for Star Wars Doom.. It's weird though because it shows an unchanged Hell Knight in a wooden room.. What's the blaster doing there? That sprite did make it's way into numerous old releases, but it's a hint at least.

 

All the maps on the early D!ZONE covers are at least on the disc, that much I can say. I recognize all of the scenes, especially the big SHAWN2 room with computer panels, boxes of rockets and a tech pillar in the middle, as well as the plain, boring, square map with green marble tile floors all the red and green pedestals everywhere. Screw looking through all that junk just to find specific junk, but they're not lost at least.

 

On the back of the DOOM Gurus book, I can see a winter themed wad that IIRC had 2 maps and was a Christmas village of some sort made by ByteBrothers. idgames isn't working right now (getting a 502) so it makes it a bit hard to search for the exact wad in question, but I'd put money on it.

 

The screenshot with the "Donuts" sprite is also definitely from Simpsons Doom, on the box with the orange colored back.

 

The "Death Match" box has the aforementioned Christmas wad, plus seemingly other Christmas wads, as well as what looks like a screenshot from either MrDoom30.wad or Dwango2.wad, or at the very least has the exact same sky texture (blue sky with tall light brown mountains). I also see that one wad which would be well known to shovelware diggers that has the Geiger textures everywhere in what is otherwise a flat boring map. Actually maybe it's the one kmxexii mentioned, although I'm sure there's a wad that starts you smack dab in the Geiger.

 

I also see a distinct old anime themed wad with an orange-haired protagonist who uses bright blue weapons.. It was a show that's unfamiliar to me so I can't recall it.. but I know for a fact it's on idgames. There's also see what is clearly a Dead Simple remake with that one semi-common starry sky with nebulas and whatnot visible which is also ringing some bells.

 

[Walter confetti]

9 hours ago, Doomkid said:

I also see a distinct old anime themed wad with an orange-haired protagonist who uses bright blue weapons.. It was a show that's unfamiliar to me so I can't recall it.. but I know for a fact it's on idgames.

 

It's Bubblegum Crisis Doom... I thought it was released in 1996/97, I didn't think it was older when it was released!

 

Oh, the skeleton in the bath picture at the bottom of Death Match box it's from a wad called the_lord

[kmxexii]

11 hours ago, Doomkid said:

I also see that one wad which would be well known to shovelware diggers that has the Geiger textures everywhere in what is otherwise a flat boring map. Actually maybe it's the one kmxexii mentioned, although I'm sure there's a wad that starts you smack dab in the Geiger.

 

It is absolutely Zeus, and I'm pretty sure that the PWAD that you are thinking of is also Zeus. The dead giveaway is the bottom-most Geiger pic with the pillar plastered with infant faces; it's about the most visually interesting room of the PWAD due to light and color contrast. It is otherwise, as you say, a flat boring map. With a bunch of doofy sound replacements. 

[Wadmodder Shalton]

Here's a few YouTube video playthroughs of these PWADs you guys were able to identify, or PWADs you mentioned: 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Wadmodder Shalton

[Quasar]

The bottom left shot on the Tricks of the DOOM Gurus reverse cover might be one of the CHOOK series of chicken-themed mods.

[Wadmodder Shalton]

Also apparently there is a playthrough of a recreated version of the faked screenshots of the later D!ZONE releases. Here it is: 

 

[Wadmodder Shalton]

One PWAD I can identify on one of the D!Zone boxes are TEK.WAD, the others no idea.

[Wadmodder Shalton]

I wonder if anyone here can take a screenshot of the starting points of every PWAD included in those shovelware compilations released between 1994 to 1998 and zip them.

 

Start off with the DOOM Level CD Collection on Internet Archive and 3D Shooter Legends, extract every wad, and take a screenshot of the player starting points of these PWADs.

[Doomkid]

On 3/14/2021 at 2:16 PM, Wadmodder Shalton said:

I wonder if anyone here can take a screenshot of the starting points of every PWAD included in those shovelware compilations released between 1994 to 1998 and zip them.

 

Start off with the DOOM Level CD Collection on Internet Archive and 3D Shooter Legends, extract every wad, and take a screenshot of the player starting points of these PWADs.

wad-archive.com is good about having screenshots of the starting points of most wads, it may be of some help to you

[ketmar]

On 3/14/2021 at 5:16 AM, Wadmodder Shalton said:

Start off with the DOOM Level CD Collection on Internet Archive and 3D Shooter Legends, extract every wad, and take a screenshot of the player starting points of these PWADs.

actually, this can be easily automated.

[Wadmodder Shalton]

On 3/15/2021 at 8:34 PM, ketmar said:

actually, this can be easily automated.

How can screenshoting the starting player points be automated?

 

[ketmar]

8 hours ago, Wadmodder Shalton said:

How can screenshoting the starting player points be automated?

ahem... Doom is a computer program. with little modification to engine code, it is very easy. with some advanced sourceport you prolly won't even need to modify any code: it is usually possible to pass console commands to binary. so it's easy: create command line that starts a map, creates screenshot, and immediately quits. then small wrapper script can take screenshot file, rename it, and so on. computers. programs. they were invented to avoid manual work where it is possible.

[RjY]

DOOM Add-On Levels' cover is GOTHMOG.WAD (as borrowed by Mr. Smiley Head's Safari).
For some reason the printing process reflected the map left-to-right.

[Wadmodder Shalton]

I wish to see someone make a batch file or a frontend launcher that takes screenshots of the starting player points of these PWAD maps.

[ketmar]

i may do this for GNU/Linux (and k8vavoom) later, and somebody could use that shell script as a base for windows batch file (i have to windows, and don't know much about windows batch files). remind me next month here, if you want to.