DOOM 2: Oblige random level generator

[Green1]

I wanted to share an interesting find with you guys.

I have fond memories of the old FPS Doom 2. There is something visceral about mindlessly killing demons and blood everywhere. But the original Doom, Doom 2, and other iterations had a small problem. Once you had finished a level, it just was not fun to play again. You knew where all the enemies were.

Well, I found a little gem. The Oblige level generator. With it, you can have the computer make sprawling complexs or short 5 minute levels. You can set the monsters to be easy or a near impossible set up full of nothing but armies of big baddies around every turn.

Oblige uses a tool called gzDoom, which is commonly used nowadays for Doom.

To use, first download gzdoom...

http://www.osnanet.de/c.oelckers/gzdoom/

You will then need a Doom 2 file called a .wad. This is in any commercial copy of Doom 2, but I am sure the more....creative... of us can find other ways to get this.

Then, get the Oblige level maker...

http://oblige.sourceforge.net/

Follow the instructions. Now you have infinite, unique levels to blast through. AND, unlike more modern FPS games on computers, it will even run on underpowered old computers and netbooks.

For bonus points, you can even add more modern mods to Doom such as Brutal Doom that adds headshots, improves graphics, has killing blows, and makes things all and all much cooler.

http://www.moddb.com/mods/brutal-doom

Enjoy!

[Lord Avalon]

W00t! I'll have to check it out sometime.

I was replaying Doom 1 a couple years back with ZDoom, which I assume was a predecessor to GZDoom. Didn't quite finish it.

I remember back in the day I saw a mod for Doom 2's double-barreled shotgun that gave it unlimited ammo (IIRC) and no reload time. It was, of course, ridiculously OP. I figured out how to change it so there was more ammo capacity than normal (and greater ammo drops), and a slightly faster reload speed. I found that more fun to play, compared to the Vulcanesque OP shotgun, and it had more use, as the autofire weapons - plasma and chain guns - would usually quickly run out of ammo. Yeah, I suppose I could have increased ammo drops for those, but there was something really viscerally satisfying about blasting demons with a shotgun. 

[Green1]

Yeah, it is pretty amazing that it still holds up to this day with more modern mods.

There is also something to be said about the changes in design of the early FPS games versus those of today, at least for single player. The early ones seem to put you in the action right off the bat and have a decent deal of exploration to them. But, many SP modes of the more modern ones can get very linear. They punish you for not going exactly the path the game wants you to.

Now, this is not something I will play for hours on end. I like my 4xs too much. But, for a rougelike quick blast em, Oblige + Doom has it. I also use Brutal Doom which brings a lot more modern FPS functionality.

But on a another note, I am not sure why FPSs do not go for procedurally designed levels. Maybe it is conspiracy since many FPS games are consoles and they want you to maybe get it and a DLC or two then migrate you to the next 60 USD game a few month down. But, imagine something with the polish of the Halo series done like that. Basically, FPS Diablo.