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Doom+ features

All the features mentioned here are present in the current development version, and may not be available in the last release. Because of the way in which work is done on Doom+, features may vanish at one point, only to reappear later in a subtly different form.

Front end features

 Feature
[*] IWADs are remembered so that they can be reselected later.
[*] MIDI music can be played whilst the front end is running.
[*] IWADs are automatically selected when the first PWAD is added to the selection.
[*] Level selector, dynamically changed according to IWAD and PWADs selected.
[*] Infinite numbers of PWADs can be included (although only 30 are supported by the game itself).
[*] Lump files can be added to the files to load, and take the name of the lump.
[*] Information on, and removing PWADs is made easy by the use of little icons beside the PWADs.
[*] Saved games may be dragged to the front end to auto-select PWADs and IWADs to use.
[*] When configuring the resolution, any of the default screen modes on your machine can be used, or you can enter your own size. If the size is not available in full screen, a desktop version will be used but this will be highlighted at selection time.
[*] Current configuration can be saved into a 'launcher' application for easier launching later.
[*] Very easy to use network configuration window.
[*] Network drivers are based on a 'plugin' system and, therefore, other network devices drivers could be written.
[*] Utility plugin protocol allows additional utilities to be added to parts of the front end configuration in a number of places. At present three plugins are available :
  • WadWhat - displays a list of the things on a level and its difficulty based on that.
  • JSlige - a port of Dave Chess' 'Slige' random map generator.
  • DoomPS - a map viewer, which generates maps as DrawFiles (or PostScript files)

General features

 Feature Configuration
[*] Works on a 4Mb A5000. Palette matching comes in two different forms, depending on which you prefer to use.
[*] 'Cached' initialisation means that games should now start very quickly. Start up times should be around 2 seconds (once cached). Front End
[*] More robust handling of 'broken' PWADs means that potential problems can be identified prior to starting the game, if warnings are configured on. Areas of PWADs are now merged, removing the need for DeuSF. Front End
[*] PWADs for other variants of Doom now give warnings. This may aid designers.
[*] Desktop games can be suspended (only for single player games).
[*] Saving and loading games will never crash. Failure will always give an explanatory message.
[*] Scroll-lock is used to pause the game. Key Scroll-lock
[*] Visplanes and Drawsegs overflows are impossible. These tended to take the effect of 'Hall of Mirrors' effects and missing floors. Consequently, poorly designed (or overly complex) PWAD files will now work correctly.
[*] Texture problems with Ultimate Doom and PWADs (previously causing problems with Trinity.wad) are identified and catered for.
[*] Saving screenshots made simpler through menu option whilst in the desktop, or PRINT key at any time that the game has the focus. Desktop menu
Key Print
[*] Shareware Doom1 v1.0 IWADs can now be played.
[*] Descriptive 'finale' text can now be sped up by pressing a key. This effect is cumulative, so more presses speed the text more.
[*] Joystick/Joypad control is now configurable, as is mouse. Game menu
Front End
[*] Configuration files contain comments about the types of values accepted by a field.
[*] Uses totally millennium compliant system calls.
[*] Escape can be used to move up menus, as well as delete. Front End
[*] The plasma gun can be configured to 'spread' out so that multiple shots are fired at a time. Imagine a 3, 5, 7 or 9 barrel plasma gun spraying a large area and you get some idea of the effect. Network Game menu
Game menu
Cheat 'IDSPREAD'
[*] Menu text can be made to giggle up and down like Destiny does. If you like that kind of thing, you can do it. Game menu
[*] Monsters fighting other monsters of the same type can be configured using a cheat. Cheat 'IDFIGHT'
[*] Just keys can be obtained via a cheat, without gaining any ammo. Cheat 'IDKEY#'
[*] [Experimental feature] Jumping is supported in the same way as in Hexen. Key /
[*] [Experimental feature] Looking up and down is supported in the same way as in Hexen. Key Page Up/Down
[*] Knows about all the IWADs I have available to me. Currently, this is :
  • Shareware Doom
  • Doom I
  • Ultimate Doom
  • Doom II
  • TNT
  • Plutonia
[*] Menu structure has been re-worked to give a much more sensible set of options, whilst still keeping with the general Doom style.

Visual features

 Feature Configuration
[*] Between level screen melts are configurable from the in game menus. A5000 version has a less memory intensive 'blinds' effect. The effect will not be used if memory is running low. Game menu
[*] Whilst in menus, the graphics 'behind' the menu can now be faded in a number of different ways. Game menu
[*] The automap supports multiple levels of PIP (Picture-In-Picture) views. Game menu
Key Shift-Tab & Shift-+/-
[*] The automap can be configured to rotate with the player such that the top of the screen is always the display. Game menu
[*] The automap can be displayed as an overlay (you just see the lines), or as a console (you see the black section behind it. Game menu
Key shift-F5
[*] The automap can be displayed either in the old form, or anti-aliased. Game menu
[*] The Heads Up Display (HUD) of messages can have a configurable number of lines of text. These 'fade' with time so as not to clutter the play area. Game menu
[*] The colour of the message lines is configurable. Game menu
[*] HUD text can be configured to be 'tiny'. In this mode it displays at one pixel per pixel and so generally appears to be tiny. Game menu
[*] Both low and high detail modes are available, as in the original. Game menu
[*] The automap displays the name of the level for PWADs as 'Level x' or 'Episode x, Level y'.
[*] The automap can display keys, doors, objects and monsters differently when the IDDT cheat is used three times. Cheat 'IDDT'
[*] The automap fades at the edges when in PIP-overlay mode.
[*] At the end of levels, par times are not displayed for levels from PWADs.
[*] It is possible to play games in 8 bit (256 colours) or 24 bit (16 million colours). Front End
[*] Games can be played at nearly any resolution. Just about any resolution possible on current hardware is supported, with the restriction that the width must be a multiple of 4 and greater than 32. Special versions are supplied for the 'original' resolution which should (in theory) run faster than their variable counterparts. Front End
[*] If possible, the display is triple buffered for a much smoother update, but will fall back to double buffering if necessary. It is possible to force single buffering if really necessary. Front End
[*] The automap provides a proximity sensor which detects monsters and players. in a similar way to a sonar 'ping'. Game menu
Cheat 'IDPING'
[*] Translucency can be applied to some objects, making them appear a little more realistic. This mostly affects energy weapons, fireballs and explosions. Game menu
Cheat 'IDTRANS'
[*] Spectres can now appear using the old 'fuzz' effect, or as a dimmed translucent version. This makes them more realistic, and can be quite eyrie on 24 bit games. Game menu
[*] A small clock provides immediate feedback on the current (real world!) time. The display format of the clock can be either 12 or 24 hour format. Game menu
[*] An alarm can be set to remind you of a particular event. The text of the alarm is also configurable. Game menu
[*] In maximum view games, a section of 'quick status' information appears translucently at the bottom of the display. This shows your current health, armour, key cards/skull keys and ammo. Game menu
[*] The number of monsters remaining and secrets discovered can be displayed within the automap. Front End
[*] When you kill things, an message can appear telling you what has been killed. This is most useful on multi-player games. Front End
[*] Secret areas can give a message when you enter them. Front End
[*] An additional window (the 'message window') can be shown in the desktop, displaying the recent messages that passed through the HUD. The display can use either the system font, or a user configurable anti-aliased font. Desktop menu
[*] Whilst playing the game, it is possible to change the resolution currently in use. Desktop menu
[*] Adding -moreblood increased the amount of blood created when something is shot. Front End
[*] Linear and bi-linear smoothing is possible in both 8 and 24 bit modes. Walls, objects and floors are independently configurable as to whether they are linear, bi-linear or not smoothed. The smoothing options are slightly more restricted in that only linear smoothing is possible on objects, and that the smoothing is limited to four states. Game menu
Cheat 'IDRESAMP'
[*] The status bar can be either scaled (it appears at the same size relative to the rest of the display) or unscaled (it appears at 1 pixel per pixel). Front End
[*] Additional StrongARM 'column cacheing' optimisations can be used. Cheat 'IDCACHE'
Front End
[*] A cross hair can be used to show where you are going to be firing. The cross hair shape and colour is configurable. Game menu
[*] Monsters can have their names floating above them, in the same way that players can in network games. Game menu
[*] The game can be displayed on the iconbar. Desktop menu
[*] Desktop games can be scaled independently of the resolution in use, if you wish.
[*] Title screens (eg the main title, end of level, etc) can be configured to be smoothed.
[*] Special 'after you've been drinking' option -sixpack allows you to see double. Or triple. Or at least many...
[*] Sky textures can be tied to normal textures - as in MBF - to give scrolling skies.
[*] [Experimental feature] Floors can be configured to be 'wavey'.

Audio features

 Feature Configuration
[*] Sound effects can have their stereo balance swapped. Game menu
[*] CD Music can be used instead of internal MIDI music. Game menu
[*] Atmospheric music makes the music react to the events in the game. Game menu
[*] New cheat to identify the currently playing track, using CDDB if in the desktop and CDDB running. Cheat 'IDMUSIC'
[*] New cheat to identify the currently playing CD using CDDB if in the desktop. Cheat 'IDMUSCD'

Networking features

 Feature Configuration
[*] You can configure that levels will end after a player has achieved a number of kills. This is generally known as 'First to x kills wins'. Game menu
[*] You can configure that levels will end after a player is a number of kills ahead of the others. This is generally known as 'x kills ahead wins'. This, and the previous option, can be conbined. Game menu
[*] Network games should auto-detect Doom+ or old style games and provide the default configuration.
[*] The key '0' is now used to switch between co-operative views. This change is required because 'F12' is used to return to the desktop. Key 0
[*] Playing against the PC version is possible with the Serial driver. Front End
[*] Errors in network games should now give more descriptive messages.
[*] Frag counter displays are now configurable. These display in the top right corner of the display and can have one of a number of states :

StateDisplay
off No frags display
on 'level frags' / 'total frags'
full 'level kills' - 'level suicides' / 'total kills' - 'total suicides'
extended 'level kills' - 'level suicides' + 'level monster kills' / 'total kills' - 'total suicides' + 'total monster kills'
Game menu
[*] In network games, the player names, health and weapon can be configured to 'float' above their heads. These are independently configurable, and can be made to circle the player, or wave up and down (or both, or neither). Game menu
Front End
[*] Network specific menu allows you to prevent exiting the current level by the 'end level ...' options. This is generally useful if you find a level that it enjoyable. It is also possible to exit the level if you know it to be quite dull. Game menu
[*] Plasma gun 'spread' effect is configurable on network games, affecting all players for fairness. Game menu
[*] 'Post-mortem invincibility' means that after you reincarnate you are unable to be hurt for about five seconds. This gives you a chance to run away from those players that think that hanging around a spawn point is a good thing. Remember, though, that you can't fire for that time. Front End
[*] Player names are configurable, both whilst inside the game and outside. For playing against earlier versions, player names can be given locally to the other players. Game menu
Front End
[*] Player colours are configurable and will automatically 'bounce' to others if two players choose the same colour. Front End
[*] Weapons can selectively be disabled. This can be useful in preventing some players who are very good with a particular weapon from having an unfair advantage, or where one spawn point is beside a heavy duty weapon. Front End
[*] Weapons can be configured to be 'dropped' when players are killed. Either the current weapon, or one of the weapons currently being held can be used. Front End
[*] In network games you only ever receive the keys that are required for that level.

Technical features

 Feature Configuration
[*] Menu system re-worked to be more generic and allow more options to be added more easily, or moved around the structure.
[*] Auto-merges groups on adding PWADs. Can be made to merge lumps which are outside groups. Front End
[*] Translucency in 8bit mode are possible at 25%, 50% or 75%, using tables created whenever required. Tables are cached when not in use.
[*] [Experimental feature] Projectiles can be configured to teleport (compile time).
[*] Visplanes are dynamically reallocated as needed.
[*] Animated flats can have an ANIMATED lump of the standard Boom form to use it over the in build ones.
[*] Switches can have a SWITCHES lump of the standard Boom form to use it over the in built ones.
[*] Memory allocation tags rationalised, giving much better information on the use of the heap.
[*] Boom sectors and linedefs give warnings, but do nothing. You can at least tell that something is awry.
[*] All menu text characters are provided in the Menu WAD which is automatically included.
[*] Configuration file will limit values to known range when it is read and will restore all 'unknown' tokens to their values when it writes it out.
[*] 32 deathmatch start points are supported.
[*] Modified form of 'firelines fix' should prevent some graphics misdisplaying when alignment is off by too much.
[*] Demos can be pre-cached to make them run faster, instead of only caching as needed.
[*] FrontEnd is 'aware' of Heretic and Hexen, as well as the Beta WAD files and will reject these.
[*] Maximum possible width and height of display : 2560x2048 (compile time option; could be higher, but would be very slow).
[*] 24bit mode uses 128 colour maps, rather than 32.
[*] Maximum draw segments limited to 256.
[*] Maximum visible sprites limited to 128.

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This page is maintained by Justin Fletcher (gerph@gerph.org).
Last modified on 19 January, 2013.
This site is copyright . The accuracy of anything on this site is entirely limited by his belief system and memory at the time of publication - neither of which should be relied on. The opinions are entirely his, except where he's changed his mind. Quotations are copyright their respective authors and whereever possible attributions have been included.