20 Years of PlayStation Doom.

[VGamingJunkie]

Kind of like Quake 2 for N64? The PSx version just had stripped down levels from the PC version whereas the N64 game went in an entirely different direction with its own levels.

[vinnie245]

Indeed and considering Hodges also did the soundtrack for Quake 2 on the N64 it gave me more incentive to play that version.

[scifista42]

vinnie245 said:

I also like ports that do things different to be unique yet still remain true to the original game, what's the point in just playing the exact same game on a different system.

The point is obviously this: When you wish to play a certain exact game, but you don't own the system/platform which the game was released on (and you are unwilling to buy this system/platform), but you own a different system/platform which the game was exactly faithfully ported to, you can get the game anyway and have the exact experience which you might have wished to have, without owning the intended system/platform.

[Job]

MetroidJunkie said:

Kind of like Quake 2 for N64? The PSx version just had stripped down levels from the PC version whereas the N64 game went in an entirely different direction with its own levels.

I always liked the PSX version more for being a faithful port.

[Jaxxoon R]

Then there's the Saturn version of Quake.

[Varis Alpha]

vinnie245 said:

Indeed and considering Hodges also did the soundtrack for Quake 2 on the N64 it gave me more incentive to play that version.

i really want to like that game, but i can't because of the goddamn horrible controls. it's a chore trying to shoot enemies in both N64 Quake games because of how you have to aim your gun with that super-sensitive analog-stick that doesn't give you a comfortable position to use the other buttons with. at least Doom 64 was easier to play because of the auto-aim.

[BaronOfStuff]

MetroidJunkie said:

Kind of like Quake 2 for N64? The PSx version just had stripped down levels from the PC version whereas the N64 game went in an entirely different direction with its own levels.

Sort of. Porting the PSX version was undertaken in a similar way to how Doom was ported; essentially the same game, just with some differences to cover/disguise the PlayStation's limits compared to even only a half-decent PC of the time (memory being the most obvious; hence all the trimmed-down maps and "loading corridors" within every stage). A few new maps and effects thrown in to make up for the shortcomings, and there you go.

QII64 on the other hand felt more like an expansion pack without having the base game to go off. Horrible N64 controller aside (because that's an easy target and everyone knows how shitty it generally is for FPS games), I'm really not sure what to make of the game itself. Yes original content is good, but it just seems so empty as a whole.

[Megamur]

N64 Quake II's soundtrack is a vast improvement over the PC version's and gives the game a moodiness the original was seriously lacking. Still, it's hard to get past those controls and the occasionally dodgy framerate. The levels are generally missing the scale and openness of PC Q2's maps, as well, being much more of an old-fashioned corridor crawl. But I can't deny that it is kind of nice that the maps are all original.

[Lila Feuer]

I remember getting Doom for PSX and thinking it to be merely a direct port from the PC with some obvious console restrictions like less complicated levels and reduced frame rate, only to be thrown off by all the colored lighting and new SFX and dark atmospheric soundtrack that set a really moody and depressing tone that the original PC Doom lacked. Definitely one of my favorite incarnations of Doom, with Doom 64 being the most realized vision of the classic games IMO.

[Da Werecat]

Megamur said:

N64 Quake II's soundtrack is a vast improvement over the PC version's and gives the game a moodiness the original was seriously lacking.

Please.

Both N64 Quake soundtracks feel like Aubrey Hodges ran out of ideas to me.

[Urban Space Cowboy]

MetroidJunkie said:

There's a certain retro charm to the GBA Doom music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26obusU6NS0

I never realized before how ska-like this track is. Now I really want to go skanking through Phobos and Hell to it.

[Varis Alpha]

i still struggle to see how anyone could've enjoyed the GBA Doom soundtrack. :p

also, nothing against Q1 and 2's 64 soundtracks at all, but Q2 on PC has seriously one of the most memorable soundtracks of all fucking time. half the enjoyment of playing the game is to hear those rocking tunes. so i seriously disagree with the original soundtrack lacking in mood. (Q1's soundtrack is cool too, but Q2 has undoubtedly more memorable and catchy music)

[VGamingJunkie]

Nostalgia for bit music? At least it doesn't grate on your ears like the 32x's does.

[BaronOfStuff]

Quake II's OST is perfect for the action-focused sci-fi setting (much like Quake's OST is equally fitting for the gloom and misery that its levels portray). My only gripe is not so much with the music itself, but that the tracks would end and restart suddenly with only one track per level (something which is far less jarring in the PlayStation port, since the tracks actually do at least fade out and shuffle).

[Koko Ricky]

Da Werecat said:

Please.

Both N64 Quake soundtracks feel like Aubrey Hodges ran out of ideas to me.

It makes for a decent listen, but I tend to agree. I think that if he were using the PSX hardware, it would be a different story.

[Megamur]

I despise the PC Quake II's music with a passion, so I'll always prefer the N64 tracks, even if they're not particularly memorable. Nothing in Quake II is exciting enough to merit the constantly wailing guitars. When I'm trying to navigate a complex level or unravel a secret, the blaring soundtrack makes my head ache. It drowns out the cool environmental sound effects, too. Hard-rocking garbage noise from top to bottom. It's one of the only games I play where I disable the soundtrack and load something else into a music player.

Anyway....

I agree that the GBA Doom's soundtrack is very hard to love. The tracks are generally butchered, with (obviously) poor instrument samples and often bizarrely sped-up tempos.

By contrast, Doom II GBA's music is a vast improvement over the first GBA incarnation. I won't lie: I actually think The Demon's Dead sounds better in the GBA version than the PC original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FprnC95FEY

Those drums are sweet, and I enjoy the more pronounced bassline.

[VGamingJunkie]

At least Doom II GBA had the correct level placement. I don't know why ID randomly decided to shoot all the level's music up a notch in the first one.

[Avoozl]

I actually liked how they used E1M2's music in E1M1 of GBA Doom, there's something about the start of the track which gives off an unknown feeling of what there is to come since everything seems so unnervingly quiet.

[DustFalcon85]

BUMP.

Since the 20th anniversary of PlayStation Doom is less than two weeks away. I'll be wishing Aubrey Hodges a happy 20th anniversary of his music of PS1 Doom.

[pritch]

Good bump. Let's ensure this sticks near the top until the anniversary.

PSX Doom has a special place in my heart. I got it for the playstation after I had played Doom on PC but before my family could afford our own PC, so it was the first copy of Doom I actually owned.

I think they did a fantastic job considering the limits of the machine, and I won't really have a word said against it. The music and sounds are so good, I still occasionally play with the ripped music and sound wads on the PC.

It's also worth mentioning they added some cool maps of their own like The Mansion.

And the password system was a great way of bypassing a lack of savegame functionality. I used to scribble down powerful ones. If you were cunning, you could gain yourself an extra near-25% health and armor at the start of the next map, as that's how it rounded the stats up ;)

I had played the living shit out of the game by the time we finally got a Pentium PC and I got the id anthology. Talk about passwords, I'd got to the stage of writing down huge lists of them to load up a random challenge. It actually felt almost retrograde going from a 20" TV screen to a 15" CRT monitor, and almost cartoonish going back to the PC - I consider that a huge compliment to what was achieved with PSX Doom.

[RestlessRodent]

I had PSXDoom as a kid, the CD broke though. However many years later I found a used copy for sale at a defunct game store (before they were murdered by GameStop) along with Final Doom. Been thinking about playing it again, but I do not have a PlayStation at all. Debian has pcsxr (1.9.92-4) but I do not know how good it is for playing, will have to investigate.

One thing I remember when playing PSXDoom was the manual which described multiplayer playing via a link cable, would have been interesting to try that out.

[YukiHerz]

Pcsxr is a fairly decent emulator, i'd say it's on par with Epsxe.

Btw anyone knows if a Ps2 slim is able to play Ps1 games?
My computer can handle the games fine but playing on a Ps2 would bring me closer to the real experience.

[Tritnew]

YukiHerz said:

Btw anyone knows if a Ps2 slim is able to play Ps1 games?

Of course It will, It Is built off PS2 hardware still.

[pritch]

I have literally stuck this thread now until the anniversary For Great Justice.

I may get up in to the loft, try to find the Playstation and both games and have a nostalgic session on 16th, take a few photos...

...assuming the old girl still works. I only have an original PS1 (sold my PS2) and it was pretty worn out when it was finally retired.

[Tritnew]

Also wanted to say Happy Birthday to PlayStation DOOM too.

[Devalaous]

I have my copy of PSX Final Doom lying around, but I'll celebrate with the TC to save myself some controller frustration. Odd that I used to love those controls.

[YukiHerz]

Sadly my Ps2 doesn't wanna load Ps1 games, i'll just play the TC to celebrate.

[VGA]

YukiHerz said:

Sadly my Ps2 doesn't wanna load Ps1 games, i'll just play the TC to celebrate.

Read this:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PlayStation_games_incompatible_with_PlayStation_2

[scalliano]

YukiHerz said:

Sadly my Ps2 doesn't wanna load Ps1 games, i'll just play the TC to celebrate.

What's your connection to your TV? If it's an RGB composite, they won't display. RCA or SCART and you should be fine.

[Deleted_Account]

I remember when Doom first came out in 1993, I was blown away by the fast paced action, nasty monsters and kickass weapons to deal with said monsters. And than time went on and I found out that Doom was available on the Sony Playstation, I immediately got a copy and it was like falling in love all over again. PSX Doom is my preferred version of Doom. Despite some content being cut for technical reasons, the moody lighting and haunting soundtrack really pulled me in. The same goes for Final Doom PSX and finally Doom 64. I understand most Doomers prefer the original PC version, but there is just something about the PSX/64 versions of Doom that hold a place in my heart. I still have my PS1 and my original copy of PSX Doom. But it's nice to have the PSX Doom TC on the PC as well.