The curious case of Doom 64.

[NeoVamp]

I've heard of Doom 64 EX and it's certainly an improvement. Too bad you don't see reproduction carts for N64, this might have been worthwhile.

Wut? Doom 64 EX and Brutal Doom 64 are not N64 games, they're full on remakes for newer platforms like Windows/Linux/etc.

If they were you could have just used a Krikkz flashcart though.

[Lync]

Wut? Doom 64 EX and Brutal Doom 64 are not N64 games, they're full on remakes for newer platforms like Windows/Linux/etc.

If they were you could have just used a Krikkz flashcart though.

I dig it brougham, just saying I wished that those remakes were playable on N64 hardware like as a repros. It's cool, I've gotten over my Doom 64 irk. Still holding out for Jag Doom though!

[OverDrone]

^ Aside from the lack of music, I'm sure Jag Doom is solid. It seems a level above the 32X version and I liked that one (it was my first Doom experience so how could I not I suppose).

But considering the PSX version(s) exist, those are the go-to console ports for me.

Back OT does playing with the lights off in your game room might improve visibility a bit? I'd imagine with a CRT at least that it might help.

[Blades]

I have a Nintendo-made S-Video cable, and even with my television settings maxed out, I couldn't seem to put much of a dent on the video clarity. I actually liked the sprites, the levels are a pain only because I can't see where I'm going, and the weapons seemed pretty faithful...

Really? With brightness maxed out, it's still too dark?

[Thierry Henry]

Really? With brightness maxed out, it's still too dark?

Yeah I need to check this out again. Gotta get that N64 out of mothballs first.
But I don't recall it that dark once I dialled up the brightness.

Edit:

I forgot I had a N64 I was tinkering with a month or so ago. Had left it in one of the rooms.
I hooked it up again real quick via S-Vid.

I take back what I said. I'm not sure how I remembered it but this is on the dark side even with the settings/brightness cranked right the way up. This is on my late 90's Samsung CRT.

[Blades]

By the way, the Doom PSX/64 soundtrack by Aubrey Hodges is amazing.



Before I played this level, I didn't know how terrifying Doom could be.

I take back what I said. I'm not sure how I remembered it but this is on the dark side even with the settings/brightness cranked right the way up. This is on my late 90's Samsung CRT.

Yeah, it's on the dark side, but you always see exactly what you're supposed to see. I never felt like I didn't see where I was going.

[OverDrone]

Amen to that. I grew up with the PSX OST, coming straight from the lame 32X's music so you can imagine what a shock that was when I first heard it.

IIRC, it runs off the PSX's soundchip rather than using redbook audio, which is even more impressive.

[Blades]

IIRC, it runs off the PSX's soundchip rather than using redbook audio, which is even more impressive.

I heard that too. Isn't it?

Amen to that. I grew up with the PSX OST, coming straight from the lame 32X's music so you can imagine what a shock that was when I first heard it.

To be fair to the 32X, the OST is terrifying in its own right.

[Devil N]

Amen to that. I grew up with the PSX OST, coming straight from the lame 32X's music so you can imagine what a shock that was when I first heard it.

IIRC, it runs off the PSX's soundchip rather than using redbook audio, which is even more impressive.

I can put my PSX Doom CD inside a CD audio player and listen to its soundtrack, so I'm pretty sure it's Redbook audio.

But we're in agreement that the PSX soundtrack is amazing. I love the original MIDI soundtrack from Bobby Prince, but the new music for the PSX release, along with the new sound FX and colored lighting, gives the game a wholly different atmosphere. More eerie, arguably even more befitting for Doom's intentions. Too bad they used the cut-down levels from the Jaguar release though.

[Blades]

I can put my PSX Doom CD inside a CD audio player and listen to its soundtrack, so I'm pretty sure it's Redbook audio.

Not accurate. Straight from the man himself.

Aubrey - Well…the interesting thing is that most of Doom on the Playstation was in fact midi. What made it unique was that I was able to create a custom bank of samples for each song that were designed specifically with that one song in mind. The CD quality music came in the form of the main theme, level complete, demo level, credits, and one bonus "club doom" track. So the primary experience was still using midi. One new feature on the Playstation sound chip that helped dramatically was the on board reverb…which gave the music a washed out almost dreamy feel.

Source.

[OverDrone]

Very, very interesting. Thanks for the link.

'I used the sounds of mini blinds being lowered, a defective/humming lava lamp, a baby crying, whispers, a bee trapped in a can, a squeaky old rusty metal door, and my favorite technique was to use a massive Taco Bell drink cup (like 64 ounces!) and make weird sounds into it. Most of the monsters were done using that cup.'

Just awesome. Resulting in an ambient soundtrack that conjours an atmosphere ranging from corrosively oppressive to downright pure evil!

[Speedy]

By the way, the Doom PSX/64 soundtrack by Aubrey Hodges is amazing.

Aubrey is the king of atmospheric music imo; all of his work on iD Software games is great and some of them I'd consider better than their original soundtracks (DOOM PSX comes to mind).

Too bad they used the cut-down levels from the Jaguar release though.

Really? I thought the PSX release had levels altered specifically for it, not taken from any prior release. You sure you're not thinking of the GBA version?

[Devil N]

Not accurate. Straight from the man himself.

Source.

Ah okay, so a couple of tracks are Redbook (intro, menu, level complete, etc), while the ambient tracks played during gameplay are synthesized using the sound chip. So I guess we are both right then.

Really? I thought the PSX release had levels altered specifically for it, not taken from any prior release. You sure you're not thinking of the GBA version?

Something I read ages ago, now I have to find a source for it, eesh . Here's one: https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Sony_PlayStation

The original Doom levels are based on the Jaguar version, and therefore, as with all ports based on this version, the simplifications to the map geometry and texturing versus the PC version are carried over. The maps from Ultimate Doom's Episode 4 and Doom II contain similar, although fewer changes.

[Blades]

The Jag levels were further modified for the PSX.

Ah okay, so a couple of tracks are Redbook (intro, menu, level complete, etc), while the ambient tracks played during gameplay are synthesized using the sound chip. So I guess we are both right then.

Kind of, except I was right, and you were wrong.

[Sik]

Yeah pretty much every port added their own modifications (even those based on the Jaguar one).