Doom32X review...

[Coraline]

I had the chance of finally reviewing Doom32x. Just wanted you guys to check it out.

See it here.

I made a couple of flaws in it, though, such as the SNES version not having any kind of texture mapping (yeah, I know, not on the flats).

Any of you agree with it? I haven't had the opportunity of sharing it with you guys until right now, I feel nobody's actually reviewed it in-depth. Aside from the occasional grammatical errors..

[Ralphis]

I think the 32x music is some of the best versions of the doom music, so I disagree. Also you shouldn't say everybody knows so much

[Coraline]

I said it twice, but I get what you mean. I said them too close to each other. Yeah I dunno, the music wasn't that great. What I don't get is...didn't the Genesis have OPL3 as well (in the YM)?

[MasterOFDeath]

Chu said:

I said it twice, but I get what you mean. I said them too close to each other. Yeah I dunno, the music wasn't that great. What I don't get is...didn't the Genesis have OPL3 as well (in the YM)?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_YM2612

It was similar to OPL2/3, but if you ask me it sounded far inferior. I didn't care for 32X Doom's music either, it sounds like a bunch of buzzing.

[Coraline]

Yeah, it *does* sound like buzzing. I liked how the 32X version had an automap that was up-to-date. Was fun to play with.

I think out of the 3D0/SNES/32X/JAG I think the 32X version was the best. Jaguar was good too but it only had 7 monster types (imo that kills it). SNES sucked hard, 3D0 sucked harder...so I guess it's either JAG or 32X. There was some site comparing the two and I nearly laughed my ass off.

If only Sega had never conceived the Saturn it would've gotten better support.

[fraggle]

32X Doom wins for best ending.

[chungy]

That's definitely no "bug", DOS was not ported to the 32X.

It's pretty funny, actually.

[Nuxius]

Just remember, you asked for it. :p

Chu said:

The 32X was designed to add 32-bit capability to the Sega Genesis -- in other words, the add-on takes care of the Graphics and the Genesis takes care of the rest.

Actually, both the Genesis and the 32X shared graphics rendering. For most fighting games, for example, the Genesis handled the backgrounds while the 32X handled the sprites. You can see this for yourself by unplugging the cable that connects the 32X and Genesis together. Since the 32X can't send the Genesis what it's rendering, only what the Genesis is rendering will be displayed.

Chu said:

They contracted id Software themselves to port the title.

Actually, Sega themselves did the port, under the watchful eye of id. id was busy with Jaguar Doom at the time. id shared code with Sega as they were working on Doom for the Jaguar. So just like the 3DO, GBA and PlayStation versions, it was a port of Jaguar Doom, hence why id is listed in the credits as well as Sega's programmers.

Chu said:

and all of the tricks of the PC port

Not quite. It's missing fog, transparency, and the lighting has been greatly compressed. Also all of the sprites are always fullbright, regardless of how dark the sector they are in is (not that there were very many dark sectors in 32X Doom anyway.) :p

Chu said:

While the other console ports lack certain features, the 32X version was definitely the smoothest.

Huh? Both the Jaguar and PlayStation versions were way smoother than the 32X version (and that's not even counting the X-Box and X-Box 360 versions). Especially the PlayStation version. It's hard to tell what exactly it is you're trying to say there, considering those are two completely different subjects somehow connected together with a comma.

Chu said:

(only half of them are in the game).

Actually, it's closer to 2/3rds. The PC version had 27 levels, whereas the 32X had 17.

Chu said:

The controls seem to survive better in this version. They are somewhat customizable with a 6-button gamepad. You can cycle through them front and back, which makes it easy. Movement feels tight and you can also strafe (contrary to what people might say about this version). Now, if you have the standard 3-button controller (are you insane?) this is a problem. You can only cycle forward and strafing is a bit harder. It just feels more at home with 6 buttons -- if you can snag one, go for it. By the way, the game is also a lot of fun to play with the Arcade Pad that Sega made.

You might want to put the word "weapons" somewhere in this paragraph. As is, it sounds like you're trying to say you can cycle through controls.

Chu said:

"...if you think about it, the 32X version is better off both ways because it doesn't have to worry about multiplayer...that automatically makes any argument that the SNES had multiplayer futile.

I fail to see how an additional feature you don't have to use would make a game worse. Multiplayer in SNES Doom being irrelevant I could understand, but making it worse? No.

Chu said:

Someone at id Sega forgot to delegate the music to the sound designer, as the Genesis YM2612 FM chip is put to the most disgraceful use ever.

Heh, you can blame Brian Coburn for that mess. :p You can also blame Sega, in this case for hiring him to do it. In other cases you can still blame Sega since they never bothered to properly document the Q-Sound chip they added to the 32X so anyone could actually figure out how to use it.

Chu said:

and like the PC version, is the only port you can scale with (equivalent to the + and - keys in the PC version.

This also works in every other console port with the exception of the Jaguar and GBA versions (there they only have 5 preselected zoom levels). So it's not the only port.

Chu said:

I think out of the 3D0/SNES/32X/JAG I think the 32X version was the best. Jaguar was good too but it only had 7 monster types (imo that kills it).

And so did the 32X, I mean, you even said it in your review. o_O

[Inferno]

fraggle said:

32X Doom wins for best ending.

LOL

[Coraline]

Nuxius said:
And so did the 32X, I mean, you even said it in your review. o_O

Yeah I know but with all the power the "64-bit" JAG had it should've been capable of more than 7 types, you think?

I think Doom would've sounded great with Q-Sound, I think only a couple of games actually used it. Again I wasn't sure who handled the sound there.

Nuxius said:
Actually, both the Genesis and the 32X shared graphics rendering.

True, both consoles work in tandem but in the case of DOOM the 32X works the graphics. You can see this by unplugging the 32X cable and try running it through the pass-through (only the menu and music works). I should've clarified that part, and in most 32X games, the 32X takes care of the graphic work.

Nuxius said:
I fail to see how an additional feature you don't have to use would make a game worse. Multiplayer in SNES Doom being irrelevant I could understand, but making it worse? No.

As for multiplayer, I think they could've done more to the SNES port if they left it out (more room to do other tricks, like flats being mapped?). I can imagine what more they would've cut for the 32X if they put multiplayer in it, so it's great they didn't.


I didn't meant to compare it to the later ports (N64, PSX). I tried to keep it in tune with the generation (pre-real 32 bit), hence the reason I compared the SNES/GEN so much. Would've thought people would've figured that out ;) And I was under the impression id software created the port themselves. Doesn't it say that somewhere in Masters?

Anyways Nuxius, thanks for the feedback ;) At least I tried keeping it technical. Glad it didn't completely fail.

[Richo Rosai]

Chu said:

I liked how the 32X version had an automap that was up-to-date.

You mean the automap updating while in automap mode? SNES had this too.

Chu said:

As for multiplayer, I think they could've done more to the SNES port if they left it out (more room to do other tricks, like flats being mapped?). I can imagine what more they would've cut for the 32X if they put multiplayer in it, so it's great they didn't.

Wasn't the multiplayer just reverse-engineered by Xband?

Chu said:

They are somewhat customizable with a 6-button gamepad. You can cycle through them front and back, which makes it easy. Movement feels tight and you can also strafe (contrary to what people might say about this version). Now, if you have the standard 3-button controller (are you insane?) this is a problem. You can only cycle forward and strafing is a bit harder.

Where are you getting this information? The controls are no more customizable with a 6-button. The menu just ignores the non-3-button controls and automatically maps some of the cramped functions to XYZ. And as for the strafing, this is the most sinful lie, since they COULD have fixed it to an extent with the 6-button but didn't. Strafing is exactly the same "STRAFE ON" shit with either controller.