The NEW Doom Trilogy Console Ports: There's Good News And Bad News

Armenius

Extremely [H]
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Jan 28, 2014
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The short of it is DOOM & DOOM II are the worst ports of the original games since the GBA versions, but DOOM 3 runs as well as the PC BFG version.

DOOM & DOOM II:
  • Ported to C# and uses Unity as a frontend
  • Runs at the original 35 Hz despite the ability to easily get it running at 60 Hz or uncapped
  • Music is playback of Microsoft MIDI table recordings at a slower speed
  • Pitch of sounds is wrong and muffled, with volume inconsistent (this is separate from the randomized pitches of the original and BFG Edition versions that people forget about)
  • Games are rendered at the wrong aspect ratio and still has a border around the image despite being stretched
  • Lighting is broken (cutoff or missing shadows, overly bright floors in dark areas)
  • No online multiplayer, but now includes local multiplayer and coop
  • Always online requirement with a Bethesda.net account (supposedly being "fixed" by Bethesda, no update available yet)
  • (Not in video) New texture misalignment in several areas
  • (Not in video) Gaps between linedefs that cause a visible "hall of mirrors" effect when looking at seams from the right angle, especially visible on dropoffs (can be seen briefly in video at about 6:14-6:15)
  • (Not in video) Uses BFG Edition WADs despite not being packaged together like that version. This includes the elimination of First Aid trademarks on medkits and Nazi imagery in the DOOM II secret levels.
  • (Not in video) Not able to switch to fists after obtaining chainsaw, or after switching weapons after picking up a berserk pack
  • (Not in video) D-pad is unused on all versions, no option for key remapping
  • (Not in video) Can adjust turn sensitivity unlike PS3 and Xbox 360 versions
  • (Not in video) DOOM II includes Master Levels, but is missing No Rest for the Living
  • (Not in video) AI seems more intelligent in some instances and more stupid in others. AI will frequently not see or hear you despite being right next to them in certain situations.
DOOM 3
  • BFG Edition that includes both expansions
  • Retains options for FOV and flashlight shadows from the PC version
  • Runs at native 4K 60 Hz on Xbox One X and PS4 Pro
  • Runs at 1080p 60 Hz on Xbox One, PS4 and Switch (docked; 720p 60 Hz mobile)
  • No online coop or multiplayer
I've played both DOOM and DOOM II on my PS4 Pro so far. I already had a Bethesda.net account and have not run into any connection issues yet. But overall both games just feel really off. It's just one of those things you feel instinctively after playing a game for so long and knowing what it's like. It feels kind of gross, frankly.
 
I don't know about you guys but I couldn't sit through that. Are we really judging Doom by the standards of Digital Foundry? They get so precise into the details for something as simple as this that's it's almost cringe-worthy. Does the game run? Great. Does it suck that there is a Bethesda login that they are working on patching out? Yes. Are there some apparent graphic problems if you are looking for them? Yes. Can you play the game without probably noticing any of that shit? Yes.

A 20 minute video could be shortened to a minute explanation of the differences.

All that being said I bought Doom 3 for Switch and I am absolutely awestruck that I am playing Doom 3 on a handheld console which looks and plays amazing on a device I spent $300 on when just 15 years ago I spent over $550 on a graphics card to play Doom 3 at 720p on High Settings.

For those of you feeling nostalgic... here are the benchmarks I based my purchase of the 6800 GT on at the time... https://www.extremetech.com/computing/56862-doom-3-benchmarks-ati-vs-nvidia/4
 
I don't know about you guys but I couldn't sit through that. Are we really judging Doom by the standards of Digital Foundry? They get so precise into the details for something as simple as this that's it's almost cringe-worthy. Does the game run? Great. Does it suck that there is a Bethesda login that they are working on patching out? Yes. Are there some apparent graphic problems if you are looking for them? Yes. Can you play the game without probably noticing any of that shit? Yes.

A 20 minute video could be shortened to a minute explanation of the differences.

All that being said I bought Doom 3 for Switch and I am absolutely awestruck that I am playing Doom 3 on a handheld console which looks and plays amazing on a device I spent $300 on when just 15 years ago I spent over $550 on a graphics card to play Doom 3 at 720p on High Settings.

For those of you feeling nostalgic... here are the benchmarks I based my purchase of the 6800 GT on at the time... https://www.extremetech.com/computing/56862-doom-3-benchmarks-ati-vs-nvidia/4
Judging a game by one person's or outlet's standards? No. Appreciating the technical analysis? Yes.

I gave my own feelings at the end of the post that the game just doesn't feel right based on my own gameplay experience, which is disappointing considering the port for the last console generation was, for the most part, perfect. It's confusing that they just didn't start with that version. It's full of small little issues that add up which you certainly would notice if you played it yourself.

I remember setting up a config file to get Doom 3 running on my dad's computer at the time, which had a PCI GeForce4 MX and 600 MHz Celeron. That took a lot of time and effort to get it playable, but he was able to play and enjoy it through the end.
 
I remember setting up a config file to get Doom 3 running on my dad's computer at the time, which had a PCI GeForce4 MX and 600 MHz Celeron. That took a lot of time and effort to get it playable, but he was able to play and enjoy it through the end.

Sounds like you'd get a kick out of this video then...

 
It's a shame they botched the classic Doom port. Though I'm likely to just keep playing it on PC using GZDoom anyway. I did play the 360 port a while back and had fun playing that local coop with the wife.
 
It's a shame they botched the classic Doom port. Though I'm likely to just keep playing it on PC using GZDoom anyway. I did play the 360 port a while back and had fun playing that local coop with the wife.

You should play Brutal Doom. It's way better than the OG Doom.
 
Can you play the game without probably noticing any of that shit? Yes.
Hell no... the result is a squashed, pixelated, jittery, weirdly sounding mess... If you've never played the originals maybe you'd not notice, but there's no excuse for it looking/sounding so bad on a current console... it's almost as if they tried to mess it up to make it behave like the SNES port or something, except with more issues, like geometry spazzing out probably due to culling errors (an additional thing I noticed while watching the video)
 
Hell no... the result is a squashed, pixelated, jittery, weirdly sounding mess... If you've never played the originals maybe you'd not notice, but there's no excuse for it looking/sounding so bad on a current console... it's almost as if they tried to mess it up to make it behave like the SNES port or something, except with more issues, like geometry spazzing out probably due to culling errors (an additional thing I noticed while watching the video)
Been running through them just to get the trophies, but I don't know if I will be able to stand trying to get the one for completing all missions on Nightmare in coop. Trying to do some speedrunning I also noticed an issue with the physics that makes it a lot harder to do wall glides and strafe jumps.
 
Starting around the 47:00 mark, Bethesda announces a big update for these versions of the games. The big news is custom WAD support, being introduced with a free download of John Romero's unofficial 5th episode of the original game SI6IL and both of the Final DOOM episodes. WADs will be curated and all of them will be made available for free. All WADs will be compatible for both DOOM and DOOM II. So if you only own the first game, for example, you can still play Final DOOM.

Other updates include updated sensitivity options, fixed framerate updated for 60 FPS and aspect ratio options. The audio issues were fixed in a more recent update.

This may make this the best version of the console ports if their promises hold up.

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/519684536
 
The patch mentioned above is being deployed today across all platforms. They are also being released on the Bethesda.net launcher on PC, though I don't see the point in buying these on PC with all the source ports available. People who own the original DOS versions on the BNET launcher will receive these versions for free, though. Free megawads released for this patch include TNT: Evilution, The Plutonia Experiment, No Rest for the Living, and SI6IL.

https://slayersclub.bethesda.net/en...0-fps-and-more-doom-and-doom-ii?sf115664653=1
https://bethesda.net/community/topic/369943/doom-doom-ii-patch-notes?language[]=en

Patch Highlights
  • Add-on Support: Add-ons can now be downloaded and played from the main menu. We will continue to add content that is a mixture of official DOOM and DOOM 2 add-ons, as well as some of the best community episodes and megawads released for the original DOOM games. We’ve curated the initial list and will be asking you guys for your picks for best community made wads soon! Check out the FAQ below for more info!
  • 60 FPS Support: For the first time, DOOM and DOOM II now run at 60 FPS on all platforms, instead of 35 FPS as in the original releases.
  • Added Aspect Ratio Option: Stretches the display vertically to match the original 4:3 aspect ratio that the game was intended to be played in.
  • Added Quick Save and Load: Pause the game, and press R/R1/RB to immediately save where you are, and unpause the game. Load your quick save by pausing the game and then pressing L/L1/LB.
  • Added Level Select: Pick an episode, map, and difficulty of your choosing, and immediately play on it without having to clear the previous levels first.
  • Added Weapon Carousel: You no longer need to cycle through every weapon to get to the one you want. Press Previous or Next Weapon to highlight the weapon you want, and it will swap immediately to the selected gun.
  • Added Quick Weapon Select: The Directional Pad can now be used to quickly swap between weapons.
    • Up: Shotgun and Super Shotgun
    • Right: Chaingun
    • Down: Rocket Launcher
    • Left: Plasma Gun
  • Added Overall Brightness and Level Brightness: Turn up Overall Brightness to make the colors brighter, but if that isn't enough, you can also raise Level Brightness to change the brightness of the lights in the world.
  • Added Random SFX Pitch Toggle: Turn off randomized sound pitches during playback, which was a feature present in early versions of the original DOOM release.
  • New split screen HUD: A minimal HUD will be used when playing split screen multiplayer. The bottom status bar is removed, allowing more room for the game to be displayed in.
Changes
  • Changed Health Graphics: The pill has been changed into a green plus, making the graphics closer to their original appearance.
  • Changed Wolfenstein Secret Level: Enemies in the Wolfenstein level have been restored to the original DOS release. The original textures and enemy audio have been re-added to the level, but with [censored] references removed.
Performance Optimization
  • Several optimizations to DOOM's software renderer have been made in order to better support 60 FPS and increase battery life.
  • Game rendering resolution on Nintendo Switch version now displays at 640x400 to support 60 FPS and improved battery life.
  • Improved behavior when starting the game out of sleep mode. There still may be cases that cause the game to lock up after awakening.
  • Sped up various UI animations to make navigating through menus quicker.
Fixes
  • Fixed an issue from the original DOS release where map objects would not correctly track the player after loading a saved game. This also fixes an occasional crash with loading a save game with an active BFG projectile.
  • Fixed an issue where the game would skip ahead several tics after unpausing.
  • Fixed an issue where attract mode demos would desync, causing demo playback to deviate from the original DOS release.
  • The trophy for "When I'm With You" for beating every level on Nightmare in co-operative mode has been fixed and will now be awarded properly.
Known Issues
  • Due to the new features included in this patch, the min spec for iPhone has been updated from iOS 11 to iOS 13. If you are unable to update to the latest patch, please install iOS 13.
  • I own the game on iOS, but don’t have an iOS/iPad OS 13 capable device. Can I still play the game?
    If you own the game, you can still play the previous version of the game on iOS 11 and 12, but won’t be able to play Update 3 until you have an iOS/iPad OS 13 capable device. If you have uninstalled the game, you can reinstall the previous version from the “Purchased” tab in the App Store.
  • The DOOM II Achievement/Trophy “The City” (Beat all the city levels - MAPS 12-20) does not unlock when taking the Secret Exit in MAP15: The Industrial Zone in the Single Player Campaign. Workaround - If you're gunning for that trophy, please elect to skip the secret exit in MAP15: The Industrial Zone and you should have no problem getting it after completing MAP20.
 
Digital Foundry, the broach to this topic, posted a followup looking at the update. One thing to note is that there is still censorship present in the Wolfenstein levels, as the "windmill of peace and tolerance" has not been restored and been replaced with an upside down diamond of some sort. The portrait of Hitler also still does not look like our beloved Führer. It seems like the Wolfenstein SS announcing themselves "Schutzstaffel!" also remains as the altered version.

 
Digital Foundry, the broach to this topic, posted a followup looking at the update. One thing to note is that there is still censorship present in the Wolfenstein levels, as the "windmill of peace and tolerance" has not been restored and been replaced with an upside down diamond of some sort. The portrait of Hitler also still does not look like our beloved Führer. It seems like the Wolfenstein SS announcing themselves "Schutzstaffel!" also remains as the altered version.

Just doesn't make any sense to change that shit. Isn't the message that "Nazis and Hitlers are bad?" So without the imagery how would people playing it for the first time know what the hell the point is or why they should hate the enemy? This reminds me of Lucasfilm editing the Star Wars films over the years and constantly re-releasing them when they do.
 
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Just doesn't make any sense to change that shit. Isn't the message that "Nazis and Hitlers are bad?" So without the imagery how would people playing it for the first time know what the hell the point is or why they should hate the enemy? This reminds me of Lucasfilm editing the Star Wars films over the years and constantly re-releasing them when they do.

Maclunkey!
 
Just doesn't make any sense to change that shit. Isn't the message that "Nazis and Hitlers are bad?" So without the imagery how would people playing it for the first time know what the hell the point is or why they should hate the enemy? This reminds me of Lucasfilm editing the Star Wars films over the years and constantly re-releasing them when they do.

To be fair, the changes were probably done in order to allow for a German release.
 
Hasn't Germany relaxed their laws on the use of Nazi imagery in entertainment media? I think Wolfenstein II was released there uncensored.
 
Hasn't Germany relaxed their laws on the use of Nazi imagery in entertainment media? I think Wolfenstein II was released there uncensored.

They censored Wolf 2. The scene where you meet Hitler was changed so he didn't have his famous mustache plus they changed his name. It was enough to make him look like any random old dude.

It appears they relaxed the ban but it still hit Wolfenstein Youngbloods even.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45142651
 
That is strange in of itself. It''s like Japan denying their atrocities during WW2.
Ironically they believe that by repressing references to Nazism such a political movement would never happen again in their country.
 
Been playing through these on console and actually quite enjoying myself, but I noticed another issue. The BFG is broken. It doesn't cause the damage it's supposed to. A Spider Mastermind is supposed to go down in 1-3 direct shots depending on how well you manipulate the splash damage, but it has been taking me literally double the amount in these versions (4-6). It took me 9 (!) direct shots to take down a Cyberdemon last night. Very disappointing. Now I know why so few people have the achievement/trophy for 12 kills in one shot with this thing.
 
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