Favorite idiosyncratic element of the console versions?

[Koko Ricky]

Audrey Hodge's contributions to the Playstation versions, easily. Yes, the colored lighting was great--especially in PSX Final Doom--but mayne, that music. Managed to totally change the atmosphere.

If the PSX versions didn't exist, then my favorite element would probably be the delightfully macabre Satanic/grim textures and decorations exclusive to Doom 64.

[Jaxxoon R]

The upgradable parts for the Unmaker in Doom 64, since it really gave a reason to explore the levels a little more. Too bad that didn't exist for the other weapons.

[vinnie245]

The music, sound and custom levels of the PSX version.
Also the N64 version, period :P

[Doom_user]

The Jaguar versions of the Doom 1 levels.

[Blastfrog]

I like some of the texture fixes and gameplay changes in the Jaguar/PSX Doom 1 maps. The PC maps, including Romero's, were kinda sloppy in some ways. Just a few things that I like:

*In PSX, some Doom 2 monsters were added or replaced existing ones on hard.
*Jaguar/PSX gave many steps actual step textures, whereas many PC maps just used wall textures on many, sometimes even inconsistently (See E1M1 or E1M2). Also had other nice texture details not seen in the PC maps (extra support beam textures, dead guy on wall in E1M4).
*Various gameplay changes leading to a smoother experience. See E1M4, many slow one-time lifts were changed to fast multi-use ones, an extra hallway in the maze, etc.
*Many widened hallways, helps to make the maps less crapmed.
*Many taller rooms, helps to make maps more visually varied (see E2M7).
*The awesome PSX exclusive maps, of course.
*Colored lighting is kinda neat.

[Antroid]

The way the music tracks were shuffled around in SNES Doom. "Waltz of the Demons" has much more impact in Limbo if it hasn't been spoiled by freaking Spawning vats where it barely even fits, "On the Hunt" fits Pandemonium like a glove, same with "Hiding the Secrets" for e2m1 (I really dislike the original PC tracks for both of those maps). Plus we don't have the tons of "Demons on the Prey" reusage, and no map has intermission screen music ("Demons from Adrian's Pen" suits Refinery pretty well).

I really don't care for PSX doom or anything it did, and Doom 64 is pretty much it's own game which I like as much as the originals. My favorite things about Doom 64 are probably the skies in the hell levels with rocky mountains and purple/red clouds. The base levels' atmosphere is pretty awesome too.

[Blastfrog]

Antroid said:

I really don't care for PSX doom or anything it did

Literally anything? Not even the exclusive maps or the title/intermission themes?

[Doomkid]

This is a little OT, but the Doom and Doom 2 GBA ports were awesome considering the hardware, and generally speaking were better than all previous console ports aside from the PSX one.

I wish they had colored lighting in the GBA Doom maps, since overall it feels like a "mini" PSX Doom.

[Avoozl]

I like Doom 64's improvement with coloured lighting, a three colour gradient effect was added to allow variation to coloured lighting in sectors and a seperate colour is able to be assigned to any sprites which happen to be in it, both of these things were great because they prevent any sectors and sprites located in them from being completely flooded with a single colour which it did in PSX Doom.

[Koko Ricky]

Yeah, I have to admit that I really like the way colored lighting was handled in Doom 64. It still looks fantastic to this day.

[Fuzzball]

It's a shame not all of the music was redone but the 3DO soundtrack was pretty damn nice!
I would have to agree on the PS1 Doom stuff too- it's a lot more atmospheric, I've always had the opinion that the PC version did have it's highs- the music was just too..."happy" in parts xD

[Koko Ricky]

I just love the unnecessary horns in the 3D0 version of this track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6um9uGfIKjI&index=11&list=PLB2880E9A7DFF6C25

[Antroid]

Sodaholic said:

Literally anything? Not even the exclusive maps or the title/intermission themes?

Yep. There's some fading embers of curiosity but by and large PSX Doom might as well not exist as far as I'm concerned. Pretty much everything it adds or changes one way or another has no place in the original Doom in my opinion (stuff like new music and sounds, colored lighting, level changes, etc). The new levels are kinda like "No rest for the wicked" for me - they have absolutely zero of the originals' significance or historical importance or nostalgia, and are utterly mediocre (or outright crap - haven't seen them. But NRftW was mediocre as all hell) compared to tons of the community's work.

[cybdmn]

One small change in Doom64 i always liked was that the fireballs of the hellknight and the barons of hell visually differs.

[Koko Ricky]

I like the rotating skull on the Doom 64 menu quite a bit, as well as the face on the box art.

[Face23785]

I just mentioned this off-topic in another thread, so I'll mention it on topic here. The new quit messages in Doom 64. Also the secret levels in Doom 64 having extra secrets (the demon keys for the Unmaker).

[VGA]

Antroid said:

Yep. There's some fading embers of curiosity but by and large PSX Doom might as well not exist as far as I'm concerned. Pretty much everything it adds or changes one way or another has no place in the original Doom in my opinion (stuff like new music and sounds, colored lighting, level changes, etc). The new levels are kinda like "No rest for the wicked" for me - they have absolutely zero of the originals' significance or historical importance or nostalgia, and are utterly mediocre (or outright crap - haven't seen them. But NRftW was mediocre as all hell) compared to tons of the community's work.

Do you mean "No Rest for the Living"?

[Maes]

VGA said:

Do you mean "No Rest for the Living"?

And then Antroid was a Revenant.

[Koko Ricky]

Does anyone else prefer the Doom 64 pinky? Always found it to be more threatening than PC pinky.

[betabox]

GoatLord said:

Does anyone else prefer the Doom 64 pinky? Always found it to be more threatening than PC pinky.

I think, conceptually, they were in the right direction with the Pinky's design. But the end result just seems goofy; kinda hard to explain. Maybe it's just the execution. Still, I do like the new designs of all the monsters.

[Face23785]

buttspit said:

I think, conceptually, they were in the right direction with the Pinky's design. But the end result just seems goofy; kinda hard to explain. Maybe it's just the execution. Still, I do like the new designs of all the monsters.

I agree. They were on the right track, but they just did something wrong with it that I can't quite put my finger on. In general though, the new monsters were cool as hell. Ever notice the pain elemental is holding it's mouths? And it has a mullet.

[Antroid]

VGA said:

Do you mean "No Rest for the Living"?

Woops! I certainly do. Wicked was from some map name in e4 wasn't it? I don't really like either so I got them mixed up.

Maes said:

And then Antroid was a Revenant.

I'll take it!

[Quasar]

"No rest for the wicked" is a common expression. The title "No Rest for the Living" is a sort of play of words based on it.

[Koko Ricky]

Face23785 said:

I agree. They were on the right track, but they just did something wrong with it that I can't quite put my finger on. In general though, the new monsters were cool as hell. Ever notice the pain elemental is holding it's mouths? And it has a mullet.

When I was a kid, I thought they were utterly superior to the originals. Nowadays, I can see how flawed they are. I think the issue comes down to the artists not having quite the same level of professionalism as the id artists, not to mention the reliance on CG models (although the D64 pinky is based on an actual physical model). This was back in the mid-to-late 90s, when even high quality 3D models often looked awkward. Add to that the compression and bluriness that occurs when downgraded to the size of enemy sprites, and you have a somewhat messy aesthetic. In either case, I still love their designs, as they very nearly reached their potential. My main quips are with the identical looking zombiemen/shotgun guys, the awkward walk of the barons/hell knights, and the somewhat lackluster death animations.

[Face23785]

I never realized it til you said it but yeah, those death animations don't stick in your mind the way some of the originals do. The only one I really dig is the cyberdemon's.