This is Part 2 of the compiled version of the DOOM Conference held on the Computer Gaming World Forum (GO GAMEWORLD) on August 1-5, 1994. GAMEWORLD is available on ZiffNet (via CompuServe) and is the online forum of Computer Gaming World magazine. The conference is presented here in slightly edited form. Messages were shortened for clarity and organized by category so questions and answers are grouped together. You can participate in future conferences like this by subscribing to ZiffNet. For more information on ZiffNet or Computer Gaming World magazine, send an e-mail to Max Green at MGREEN@ZDI.ZIFF.COM specifying your interest. This text is Copyright (c) 1994 by Ziff-Davis Interactive and may be used and shared in accordance with the fair-use provisions of U.S. copyright law. The transcript may be distributed free of charge, but it must be distributed in its entirety and must not be sold for remuneration of any kind. Archiving, redistribution, or republication of this text on other terms requires the the notification of Ziff Communications. Russ Lockwood Sysop, GAMEWORLD forum --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks much for your support (for PARKDO.ZIP)! I'm very happy to hear from someone who has in mind the grand masterplan of DOOMING Manhattan's great public monuments (One Park being the one I'm most familiar with). There are so many excellent, mappable spaces - the problem that I've been having is that there's no centralized, digital library of floorplans. So that means a lot of legwork to get the plans. It can be done - but it's hard... -- Steve Baldwin 72241,733 [[Since the conference, Steve has uploaded PCDOOM.ZIP, which is the 4th floor containing PC Magazine and PC Magazine Labs--RL,sysop]] --->>>>> Of course, DOOM challenges the reflexes, but it also challenges your patience at trying to find every secret passageway and room. Here's some help for DOOMers... Help, I've pretty much got everything covered but one thing perplexes me, Where are the rest of the secret passages in level one and how do you get to them?? I've tried everything and I can't figure it out. I even downloaded the maps from a local board and can't find anything. I think I'm just missing one room there, i Have no troubles with the other levels, any suggestions??? -- Troy Hopper 73142,1223 Go to the room before the one with the exit in it. Backtrack to the room with the zig-zag path through the nukage. The platform that the two imps were on should be down now revealing a hallway. Enter the hallway and smoke the possesed sergeant. After he is dead, go back out of the hallway into the room with the zig zag path again and then down the hallway and into the room before that one (not the room towards the exit). Ok, this is where it gets tricky so listen up. Turn back around and get ready to run back to where you killed the Sergeant. Hold down the shift key so you will run faster and just run back in and across the nukage. Run back down the hallway where the sergeant is and you should see an elevator in the left corner of the room which has come down ( the trigger is in the previous room or the hallway ). Get on the elevator to and take it up! It might take a few tries before you catch the elevator though. -- James Ray 74431,3402 At the end of the first episode, after I land on the pantagram and get transported to another room, I always die. Is this the end of the game? -- Mark Lind [ICRM] 71732,2046 That is the end.... there is no way to live in that room. Congratulations! -- L. Wayne Tripp, Jr. 70404,3600 THAT'S JUST THE END OF THE FIRST LEVEL. DON'T WORRY I used to pause the game and type (iddqd) and u get more power but you can't WIN at that level. No one can. -- Gust 74733,343 There are ways to postpone the inevitable, but you can't escape this level alive. I have used every cheat code there is and been able to kill all the enemies, but you still die. I guess that room is highly radioactive so it doesn't matter what you do, once you're in there. The radiation poison is strong enough to wipe you out, everytime. -- Jeff Kasavan 76424,1125 A complex game sometimes gets complex problems. We try to help when we can, but the final authority is, of course, id Software tech support. This also contains a discussion about the beta version of DOOM 1.5. I just picked up the shareware version of Doom to give it a try (heard so much about it. I play it from dos, and it runs fine for about 3-4 minutes. Then it goes crazy. When I go in a direction, it takes off and doesn't stop. I bump into walls, go in circles, and loose total control. I have a 486DX2, and have never had this type problem before. Any suggestions? -- Jim Bahn 74363,231 Are you using a mouse, joystick or keyboard? -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 Try tapping all of your arrow keys several times in random order and in a rapid sugsession. I have that same problem occasionally and that seems to fix it. You have to do it when the problem arises. -- James Ray 74431,3402 Thanks for the suggestion. But as a last resort I tried it with a joystick, and same thing occurred. It goes fine for a few minutes and then it goes off on its own. Everything else runs fine, i.e. Wolf 3d, Spear of Destiny. It's frustrating. Seems like a great game. -- Jim . Bahn 74363,231 There's a known problem of losing directional control when playing with a PS/2-type mouse in particular. Try reconfiguring for keyboard play only and see if the problem goes away. It's more manly to play using just the keyboard anyway! -- \/arzil the Good 72241,50 Thanks for the suggestion, but as a last resort tried it with a joystick. Goes fine for a few minutes, and then off it goes! So I've tried all three to no avail. -- Jim . Bahn 74363,231 The guys at id told me they have a bug in the code that handles PS2 style mice - the game loses track of the mouse and goes nuts. They said they would have it fixed in the next upgrade. -- Rick Fisk 70613,737 I hope so. Thanks for the reply. I'll be watching.. -- Jim . Bahn 74363,231 I've seen this too - it's as if the cursor key sticks and you go round and round and round and... BUT - I've only seen it happen with v1.2, not 1.0 or 1.1 -- Anthony Hughes 100277,3720 And that's what I have V1.2. I've tried everything. I played Wolf 3d, plus Spear of Destiny with keyboard. Doom just doesn't want to work! -- Jim . Bahn 74363,231 A Laser 486DX2. I've tried everything, including cleaning the keyboard. I've played Wolf 3d and Spear of Destiny with the keyboard. Doom just takes off on it's own. It's strange. -- Jim . Bahn 74363,231 Now that I think about it, I had the same problem the first time I tried Doom except mine went off on it's own imediately. It was v. 1.0. I played around with it a while then decided it wasn't worth the effort and went back to Wolf. Sorry, I don't have any more ideas, but I've asked the ID guys to UL v. 1.5. Maybe that'll fix your problem. -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 Thank you, I appreciate it. I've all but given up for now. I'll keep watching though, it seems like a great game. -- Jim . Bahn 74363,231 I am not sure what your problem with Doom is, but I have had the same problem with the addition that sometimes it totally freezes after it goes nuts. What I have done is just use the key board and it works fine. I do not load the mouse drive when I boot up and that seems to solve the problem. -- James M. Mucia 74437,3346 Hi guys, I know you're here to talk about DOOM II, but I have read a _lot_ of gossip about a 1.5 version that is flying around the 'net. I have no access to it whatsoever, so would you mind telling me: 1. Does it exist? 2. Is there anywhere I can get it? Will it be on CI$ sometime? I own a copy of the registered 1.2. Thanks again for being part of the team that made computer games come of age! -- Heath Perryman 74431,1027 Yes, but it is only a beta. It is not an upgrade. Currently you can find it in the GAMEWORLD forum in Lib 7. -Shawn Green -- id Software 74250,2566 I go along with that. We have the 1.2 shareware version in our libs. If there is a v. 1.5 I'd like to get a copy for our libs. -Alan, CGW Librarian -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 Alan (and Heath), > If there is a v. 1.5 I'd like to get a copy for our libs. PMJI, but the rumored v.1.5 that's wandering around the Internet is a hacked registered version that fixes the sound problems v.1.2 had under OS/2 (among other things). I doubt you want to post it in your lib. -- Dave Kapp 70612,571 If that's the case, not only don't I want it in our libs, but I couldn't put it there if I did. Besides, that wouldn't be very considerate of me for our distinguished guests from ID, would it? -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 Alan, The 1.5 I've run into is a *beta* Shareware release. I asked Jay at Id whether I needed to get it, and he said it was pretty much strictly bug-fixes - if 1.2 works fine, I don't need it. Perhaps there is another 1.5 around that's NOT properly from Id?? -- \/arzil the Good 72241,50 Do you know of any legal non-beta versions, say 1.3 or 1.4? Do you know if either of these releases fixes the PS/2 mouse problem? It's been mentioned a couple of times during the conference. -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 Alan, I wish I knew! I didn't take very thorough notes beyond the statement of "you don't need it". I'm pretty sure 1.4 was another beta release. Shawn should know whether either fixes the PS/2 mouse thing. -- \/arzil the Good 72241,50 I checked over in gamers this morning for v. 1.5. It is indeed a beta with no mention of the PS/2 mouse problem. However, I believe there was a file out there uploaded by IBM that explained why the problem exists (if I remember correctly. There were 433 files with a keyword of DOOM. Geeesh) -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 re: your msg to Varzil the Good this morning concerning PS/2 bug fixes in 1.5 beta. I have tried it at the office on a nullmodem Deathmatch configuration between to Prolineas with PS/2 style bus mice, talking at 38.4kbps and after playing 1.2 registered and watching the system go nuts every few minutes I can honestly say that 1.5 has no problem at all with its' mouse functions. I have also heard via DOOMFaq 5.7 that id is planning to send out 1.4 upgrades to registered 1.2 owners- has anybody heard anything about this; will it happen and when? Regards- rs -- richard h smith jr 74734,2174 Interesting about the PS/2 mouse problem. -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 boy was that quick!- I will. Thanks -- richard h smith jr 74734,2174 I read in DOOMFaq 5.7 that id was(is) going to mail out a version 1.4 upgrade to registered 1.2 owners. Is this true and if so when will it happen. I am using a 1.5 beta shareware release to get around the bus mouse problem, but 1.5 won't allow play on any episode but Knee Deep in the Dead. thanks. rs -- richard h smith jr 74734,2174 No. We will not automatically mail the upgrade. We will make it available on all of the on-line services. If you do not have access, you will be able to get it by sending a postcard request. -Shawn Green -- id Software 74250,2566 My modem Doesn't respond at all. I try and call someone, someone tries to call me, it doesn't respond. I have registered Doom. Any help would be appreciated. -- David J. Palanuk 74223,15 There's a patch for Doom by modem in our libs. It should be here in lib 17, but, if not, try lib 7. Try BRO LIB:17 KEY:DOOM. -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 I have v1.1 of Doom. How can I upgrade this to v1.2 without too much cost. -- JOHN A. KILBY 100343,3046 If it's the shareware version, simply DL DOOM.ZIP from right here in lib 17. -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 We also have the 1.1 to 1.2 upgrade in our library. --Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567 Major Problem... I get all the way to the end, go onto the star, get transported into the room with all the monsters... and die. I've tried all the weapons I have, which are: Rocket, Machine Gun, Shotgun, Pistol and Fists. I am also currently invisible. I have tried it both visible and invisible, and still get creamed in 9 seconds or less. HELP! -- Mark Lind [ICRM] 71732,2046 Sorry, guy, that's it. Game over. All done. Now go register your copy if you haven't done so already, and get the next two episodes which are way more fun and deadly. -- Craig Kerwien 72241,224 That IS the ending. You're not victorious until the end of episode 3, and even then... -- \/arzil the Good 72241,50 You have finished DOOM, the shareware version. The only way to continue is to get the registered version (I think it costs $40) by calling 800-IDGAMES. If you have the registered version, you've finished the first episode. As I recall, you don't get to keep your goodies when you start episode 2. -- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567 I purchased a copy of Doom at a local office supply store based on great reviews and experience with Wolf3D. I installed it according to the instructions but it won't run. I keep getting a "Not enough DPMI" error message. I've tried several configurations of my available memory with no luck. This is the first game this problem has occured with. Wolf3D and others run fine, even some under windows. Any suggestions? I have a 386/33, 4MB RAM, 200 MB HD, DOS 6.2 and Windows 3.1 -- L. Alan Wild 72164,2614 I would suggest booting clean w/no config.sys and no autoexec.bat. -Shawn Green -- id Software 74250,2566 I have unzipped every file that i downloaded. I think. I am now having trouble running these files. I see no executable filename. Once these files are unzipped, how do I run them. I downloaded some DOOM files. -- Derek G. Dieterich 74632,3125 Every file we have in the Doom Files library, lib 17, has a file(s) that explains how to run them. They usually have an extension of DOC or TXT. Also, sometimes there is a README, READ.ME or a README.1ST file for additional instructions. You can view these files with any ASCII file editor such as MS-DOS EDIT, or you can display them a page at a time by issuing the following command: TYPE filename.ext|MORE where filename.ext is the name of the file you want to view. For any additional help, I'll need to know _exactly_ which files you downloaded. -- Alan Ray [GameLib] 72241,2067 I am having problems with the 1.5b beta Doom and my commercal wads. Is there an update to 1.2 in the works? Will Doom II kill any other Doom I updates? -- Albert Smerker 73234,1255 Followed by instructions for acquiring and running IHHD. Are you familiar with this critter?? Sounds like at least someone thinks it CAN be done! -- \/arzil the Good 72241,50 Not really familiar with the program (never used it), but I've heard it exists.... Never had any input on it... -Shawn Green -- id Software 74250,2566 The settings on my sound board are set for an IRQ of 10. I get the message when running DOOM that the sound effects will not be played because DOOM requires that the IRQ setting be below 10. Has this been fixed or changed already? If not, will this be changed in later releases? -- Eric Buckley 100426,337 I'm having some real big prob with using the modem with doom. My modem in doom I think isn't even responding.....someone called me, and it did nothing.....and I called someone, and it wouldn't do anything...I have DOOM 1.2 Sw, if someone can help me, please do so. -- Mike C. Cifani 74633,270 In response to a question about high-end video cards, Jeff Mace of PC Labs remarked that he had seen DOOM (DOS version) running in HI-RES on a machine with a Matrox Impression graphics card. David White from Matrox says id "modified their game to use the MGA hardware using the DOS extender (DOS/4GW) to access the boards highlevel functions." I'm researching 3D acceleration in order to buy a new computer. What can you tell me about the "modifications" made to DOOM? Will there be a patch or upgrade to DOOM to enable it to run in hi-res with this Matrox? Will any other card provide this same level of performance? What about DOOM II? And finally, do you know if 3D acceleration is being utilized by any other game companies? Anything you can tell me on this will be appreciated. Thanks for your assistance! -- Jeffrey Horn 74361,1122 I know I missed the Doom conference. I just found out about its passing yesterday. I had some serious questions about sound support for us laptop gamers. Is there any way I can get questions answered? Did anyone else ask these questions? Let me know. Thanks. -- Douglas Morse [75024,726] --->>>>> Next, we move on to all those suggestions and comments regarding DOOM network play... What I would like to see is a DeathMatch Round without everyone starting without all of the Keys. 2 rounds we have been playing in-house (ie we don't think they are good enough for the net) are concept levels where you are trying to accomplish a goal while attacking your enemies. Well... if I have all of the keys, I can go anywhere. If you play in Co-op Mode you can see your opponets coming. We have a work around that you can't use the map but that limits the playable complexity of the levels. New weapons would be great. More Potential Human opponets would be better. We really enjoy the orignal Doom and are looking forward to Doom II. -- Kevin R Ryer 73312,3234 Is id software going to make the graphics of the players that you are viewing in DOOM 2 better? Not that they aren't already great, but what would look better is if you could see the different type of gun that they are shooting with, instead of the same thing all the time. -- Daniel 74273,1057 This is something we did think about during the design of DOOM, but quickly decided it wasn't needed. When you're playing deathmatch, you don't really have enough time to get close enough to see what weapon the other guy is using before he uses it. -Shawn Green -- id Software 74250,2566 I think you should get something when you kill a networked opponent. a small health and some ammo would be nice. I'd also like to see a permanent health pack for networked play. Presently, once every item is gone the only way to reload is to die. -- Jeffrey S. Chappell 70563,3416 Hello! I would like to know if you plan on supporting more than 4 players during network match play in future versions of DOOM? Is it possible to get on a BETA program as well as obtain the NeXT Step version of DOOM? Thank you in advance -- Peter Perkins [70631,344] It can't be done and still keep a playable speed. :Is it possible to get on a BETA program as well as obtain the NeXT Step version of DOOM? We do not have any type of beta program, but you can ftp the NeXT version from cs.orst.edu. -Shawn Green -- id Software 74250,2566 #: 3128 S17/* Doom Conference 03-Aug-94 19:09:36 Sb: Doom 2 Network play To: id Software 74250,2566 >This is something we did think about during the design of DOOM, but quickly >decided it wasn't needed. When you're playing deathmatch, you don't really >have enough time to get close enough to see what weapon the other guy is >using before he uses it. Unless, of course, he doesn't have a weapon and he's charging you to try and punch you in the face. I think if you ask the DM players, quite a few would like to know what their opponent is holding by looking at him. -- Lou Young 72662,3425 At the office we've been able to get Doom to run for up to 2 players. Not 3 nor 4. We now have downloaded version 1.5 shareware and still the same problem. I've tried all the front-ends and read all the FAQ's. Is there something realy basic I'm missing. I'd gladly send the 40$ US if that's the problem. ????? -- Greg Lague 72520,3603 Greg: I, too, have the same problem - 3 or 4 players will lock up after a few minutes. I'm not using any NOS, just IPX drivers over Ethernet. If you hear from ID or anyone, could you maybe forward it to me? Thanks in advance. -- Scott Vinick 73404,234 I wonder if you could give me some information regarding the serial link option when playing Death Match. My neighbour and I have installed a 40 metre long serial cable between our two houses, specifically to be able to play multi player DOOM. The cable uses 7 cores and the game works very well, but relatively slowly by comparison with the single player game. The two computers are: 1. A 386DX40 with 8MB ram and an ISA serial port. 2. A 486DX40 with 4 MB ram and a VLB serial port. When DOOM is setting up the serial link, it reports an 8250 UART on both PCs, however, both serial cards appear to be fitted with 16450 UARTS (the AT chip as compared to the reported XT chip.) My query is: If we upgrade to the newer 16550 UART serial cards, will DOOM notice this and run at a faster baud rate, hence speeding up the operation of the game ? (We know that the existing cards will happily communicate with each other (using other software) at speeds in excess of 19,200 baud) What an addictive game it is, especially in multi player mode ...... just one comment, is it possible to turn off the "bounce" when walking ........ my dreams were bouncing last night ;-) PS. Is there a club for "DOOM widows" ? Shortly after posting my serial port query, I checked out the library and found the file DSER27.ZIP, which I downloaded and BINGO ....... all our serial port slow downs were solved in one fell swoop!! The patch allows our 2 PCs to communicate at 19,200 baud and gives superb, smooth, pause free operation of all the elements of the game ..... what was great has now become superb. Who needs 16550 UARTs with this speed of reponse ? My grateful thanks to Tony da Costa, U.B.C. Electrical Engineers, (cdacosta@ee.ubc.ca), author of the patch for uploading it. If you're running DOOM on a serial link, GET THIS PATCH! -- Colin Carpenter 100334,2111 #: 3087 S17/* Doom Conference 03-Aug-94 16:21:18 Sb: #2964-#Doom - Serial Link To: Colin Carpenter 100334,2111 (X) :My neighbour and I have installed a 40 metre long serial cable between our :two houses, specifically to be able to play multi player DOOM. The cable uses :7 cores and the game works very well, but relatively slowly by comparison :with the single :player game. Um, 40 meters!?!? You probably won't get a very good connection. :What an addictive game it is, especially in multi player mode ...... just one :comment, is it possible to turn off the "bounce" when walking ........ my :dreams were bouncing last night ;-) Sorry, no bounce toggle. -Shawn Green -- id Software 74250,2566 Shawn, Re: the 40 meter long serial link. >Um, 40 meters!?!? You probably won't get a very good connection.< That's what we thought initially, and spent a few pounds on "would be" cheap serial line drivers. When these refused to work, in desparation we just hooked up the cable itself, and lo and behold, it worked fine. You may not have seen my 2nd message in the thread ..... if it's of interest, after posting the query, we then found a patch in the DOOM section of the library which enables the 2 PCs to run the Death Match serial game at 19,200 baud using our existing 16450 UARTs, giving a super smooth, super fast game with no "slow down" sections at all. Many thanks for the reply, keep up the good work :-) -- Colin Carpenter 100334,2111 40 meter cable? What a scream! Keeps the phone lines open, though. -- Russ Lockwood[Sysop] 72241,567 Serial links for DOOM - now that's something I know a liitle bit about.. I spend far too many hours of my life playing DEATHMATCH against my next door door neighbour over the 40 metre long serial cable strung between our houses .... it's superb!!! Our cable is configured as follows: Both ends are 25 pin female D plugs to fit the 25 pin male D sockets on our serial ports. Connections: PC1 PC2 2 ......... 3 3 ......... 2 4 ......... 5 5 ......... 4 6 ......... 20 20 ........ 6 7 .......... 7 I think it's pretty much a null modem cable, but it definitely works perfectly on these pin details. The cable is not shielded, just cheap multi core telephone cable. By the way, if you are going to play DOOM over a serial link, you really MUST download the file DSER27.ZIP from the library. This patch allows our 2 PCs to communicate at 19,200 baud and gives superb, smooth, pause free operation of all the elements of the game. If you have the faster 16550 UARTS fitted to your serial ports, you can go to any baud rate you like, within reason. The standard DOOM comms setup runs at 9,600 baud and is very slow and jerky by comparison. Once again, my grateful thanks to Tony da Costa, U.B.C. Electrical Engineers, (cdacosta@ee.ubc.ca), author of the patch for uploading it. Hope this helps, -- Colin Carpenter 100334,2111