Doom [4] reveal first impressions

[DooM_RO]

Hmmm, reading that glassdoor entry makes me wonder, after all, it was posted this December.

Did anything in the demo feel or look like it was a cobbled mess of different ideas?

[Touchdown]

You know, we can always just assume that all signs of trouble are real and id/Bethesda are simply playing damage control on us. There's enough evidence to get depressed by it. In fact, let's do it right now:

- BFG Edition was a quick cash-in due to DOOM4 being restarted in late 2011.
- Shifts in leadership (as seen via Linkedin) suggest the nebulous state of the game in 2012-2013.
- The Art Director for the game (Hugo Martin) was hired as late as in mid 2013 (despite the first version of the game being cancelled after the release of RAGE, in late 2011).
- Beta acted as a selling point for Wolf:TNO in case the game bombed.
- Considering there is no date for the Beta to this day, the decision to announce it was most likely premature in relation to the state of DOOM.
- Beta announcement might have also been released to rejuvenate interest in id after the departure of Carmack.
- Also, in the light of Carmack's departure, both companies made an aggresive push for the Reveal in order to get people to come to QuakeCon.
- The QuakeCon demo was a smoke&mirrors section made specifically for that event and possibly the only piece of game that actually somewhat works.
- The amount of people hired at id post-QuakeCon, again, suggests a nebulous state of the game, even right now.
- The positive comments are damage control and all negative rumours are true, the problems at id never ceased to exist.
- DOOM4 is nowhere near complete and will be released in a rushed / unfinished state.


How much of that is true? How much can we cynically assume / judge as outside observers? Believe what you want. In fact, I can easily come up with counter arguments for everything above but it's pointless. We're all guessing anyway, whether we're positive or negative about it.

My approach remains the same as before: wait and see. There's really no point in speculating as this will not lead us anywhere. At the end of the day only one thing matters: is the game any good? If it is, it really doesn't matter what kind of chaos was happening during its development. As long as this chaos results in a good game, who cares if they're lying to us. Damn, even if they are, I'll still buy this thing day one so whatever.

[Koko Ricky]

DooM_RO said:

Hmmm, reading that glassdoor entry makes me wonder, after all, it was posted this December.

Did anything in the demo feel or look like it was a cobbled mess of different ideas?

Before I answer that, I should mention, once again, that the audience members were reacting with unrelenting praise, clapping, screaming, laughing, roaring and giving standing ovations throughout the demo. These are dedicated fanboys (and fangirls) who have been waiting for a new Doom for years and yet they did not react with cynicism. That alone makes it clear that the demo is going in the right direction.

As for MY opinion on whether or not it was a "cobbled mess of different ideas," I do not believe that to be true. Nearly everything we love about Doom was represented: The layouts looked interesting and made you want to explore them; the enemies were grotesque and intimidating; the combat was visceral and strategic; the movement was acrobatic and very fast; the atmosphere was moody and immersive; the sound and music was very fitting.

[DooM_RO]

GoatLord should get a poster of the year award!

[Koko Ricky]

Ah, shucks, it was nothing. I've been here for more than a decade and I felt it was my obligation--no, my duty--to report on this reveal, especially considering that I literally live in the same city that QuakeCon is held.

[DooM_RO]

GoatLord said:

Ah, shucks, it was nothing. I've been here for more than a decade and I felt it was my obligation--no, my duty--to report on this reveal, especially considering that I literally live in the same city that QuakeCon is held.

I am jealous! I am chomping at the bit for every last scrap of info about it. I wanna see the reveal too dammit! I don't care if it ends up sucking (it probably won't), I just want something new in the Doom universe.

[Deleted_Account]

@GoatLord,

How did the weapons sound, did they have satisfying booms?

Also, how many of the monsters had cybernetic augmentations?

[[LeD]Jake Crusher]

Um, GoatLord, will you attend QuakeCon 2015?

[Avoozl]

I hope it's not just like Deus Ex Human Revolution but with augmented demons instead of augmented humans.

[Kaskaum]

I hope I good dark feel comined with good action, I want to feel unconfortable and nervous while fighting the monsters, that's why they need not only to be scary but also have a good AI.

A good AI is more important for me than a big number of dumb monsters filling up the screen just to be wiped with a few shots of BFG as I see in some WADs of Doom like Holy Hell or Nochance, sheer numbers don't impress me.

[Koko Ricky]

Piper Maru said:

@GoatLord,

How did the weapons sound, did they have satisfying booms?

Also, how many of the monsters had cybernetic augmentations?

I remember the weapon sounds being satisfying; not at all like Doom 3's weak effects. The monsters that had cybernetic augmentations were congruent with classic Doom's roster.

[LeD]Jake Crusher said:
Um, GoatLord, will you attend QuakeCon 2015?

Absolutely. Hopefully, nothing will prevent me from going. I'm very excited about the prospect of seeing Doom 4 again.

Kaskaum said:

A good AI is more important for me than a big number of dumb monsters filling up the screen just to be wiped with a few shots of BFG as I see in some WADs of Doom like Holy Hell or Nochance, sheer numbers don't impress me.

id Software's shooters have never been known for their brilliant AI. I'm not sure there are many FPSs, period, that have smart enemies. The Doom reveal was very old school and I don't really expect a quantum leap in AI. I'd like to see some sort of advancement. I'd like to see enemies cooperate, run away if you're too heavily armed, find ways to get to you if you're on a higher floor, etc. But I dunno. I feel like id is going to put very little focus on that aspect.

[doom_is_great]

GoatLord said:

id Software's shooters have never been known for their brilliant AI. I'm not sure there are many FPSs, period, that have smart enemies. The Doom reveal was very old school and I don't really expect a quantum leap in AI. I'd like to see some sort of advancement. I'd like to see enemies cooperate, run away if you're too heavily armed, find ways to get to you if you're on a higher floor, etc. But I dunno. I feel like id is going to put very little focus on that aspect.

Weren't there some demons that climbed up after the player and also deflected some of the player's rockets? That definitely sounds like an improvement over the Doom 3 AI to me.

[Deleted_Account]

doom_is_great said:

Weren't there some demons that climbed up after the player and also deflected some of the player's rockets? That definitely sounds like an improvement over the Doom 3 AI to me.

As cool as that is, they were probably scripted events.

[DooM_RO]

In general, were there more projectile or hitscan enemies?

[Amph]

something new since this revelation?

[Ark]

Did the Doomguy speak at any time during the demos or are we getting more of a silent protagonist similar to previous games?

[Koko Ricky]

He didn't say anything.

[Clonehunter]

How plump were the demons' asses? Were they booty-licious or something closer to Tommy Wiseau?

[DF88]

Clonehunter said:

How plump were the demons' asses? Were they booty-licious or something closer to Tommy Wiseau?

Ohh. Hi Marrrk

[Deleted_Account]

Just imagine if Tommy Wiseau did the voice work for the Doomguy?

The doomed space marine was running for his life across the barren surface of the red planet. He had spent the last of his ammo combating a horde of imps back in Operations Command in an attempt to retrieve the colonel's severed hand for fingerprints to gain access to Central Engineering. But he was sidetracked after the ambush and pushed outside away from his objectives. He knew his oxygen tank was limited, and he was positive that things from hell were stalking him.

Ahead in the distance he saw a collection of crates sprawled across the transport track. One of the crates was cracked open and what appeared to be a chainsaw. The marine chuckled, who needs chainsaw on Mars, he thought to himself. But it was better than nothing, suddenly without warning a horrific cry emitted from behind him. It was a gang of angry imps! The space marine pulled the start cord on the chainsaw, CHHHHMRMRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH it roared. The marine rushed the horde of imps, decapitating the nearest one, a fountain of blood sprayed as it's body hit the dirt. The next demon raised it's arm to protect itself from the chainsaw, but to no avail the saw blade sliced through it's arm and into it's face.

"YOU'RE JUST A CHICKEN! CHIP CHIP CHIP CHIP CHIP!!!!" The marine screamed.

[Deleted_Account]

@GoatLord,

What did the former humans look like, were they decaying corpses or 'recently' reanimated humans covered in blood and gore?

[Buckshot]

isn't there a DOOM (4) announcement next week?

[Koko Ricky]

Piper Maru said:

@GoatLord,

What did the former humans look like, were they decaying corpses or 'recently' reanimated humans covered in blood and gore?

Seeing as this was nine months ago, the game was moving very fast, and I was seated toward the back, it's hard to answer that question. I feel like they were a bit Quake-ish looking, but I liked their design. I want to say they were kind of ghoulish looking, a bit creepy really, but not cheesy. They looked less like traditional zombies and more like possessed, nightmarish humans.

[Buckshot]

@Goatlord:

The large outdoor areas of the demo... was it reminiscent of E3M6, or outer area like e1m8? Or just large warehouse-like indoor areas? Was it as colorful and vibrant (birght blues, red reds) in any of those areas like e3m6 (mt erebus), or all dark and gloomy? Did skymaps look anything like they did in originals... or was there not terrain skymaps and just a vast quasi-explorable distance/horizon with buildings/cliffs/bluffs/mountains/cities/etc?

[Koko Ricky]

They only showed interiors of a base.

[Deleted_Account]

Gosh, I'm not even sure what questions haven't been asked. How about the monster sounds, is there anything you can say about that?

[rgerber]

GoatLord said:

And please, guys, no more nit picky questions. Although I will say that I was too far away to answer whether or not the mancubus had nips. Also, he was wearing armor, and not Batman Forever armor.

Did any of the fatalities involve the twisting of nipples?

[Koko Ricky]

Piper Maru said:

Gosh, I'm not even sure what questions haven't been asked. How about the monster sounds, is there anything you can say about that?

They were loud and booming. Not weak like D3.

[William Blazkowicz]

Was it like "ok here is gun and level do things" or was it like "heres level run ok scripted explosion *insert camera spazzing out like a pig with it's throat slit here* ok scripted weapon unholster scripted enemy exploding bla bla kden heres level" ?

[NoirSuede]

Piper Maru said:

As cool as that is, they were probably scripted events.

Well the nazis in Wolf TNO can sometimes duck under your rockets, so they probably can do them naturally.