What are the best "Vanilla"-style Wads?

[PeterMoro]

I like all kinds of Wads and mods but my favourite are Wads that resemble Doom + DoomII: no additional textures / effects / sounds / or 'bells and whistles' of any kind, just straight - up levels that could possibly pass as a spin-off level of DoomII or something. I think these kinds of levels heavily depend on strong level design which is probably why I like them so much. 

 So I'm hoping to start a list with this thread: maybe we can do a 'top 20' Vanilla-style Wads or something? I'm sure there will be some gold there that i haven't played yet. 

 

Of the top of my head, two Vanilla maps that i consider to be freakin' awesome are:

 

Brigandine (Viggles)

 

Arcadia demade (JP LeBreton)

 

(edit.....forgot to mention DoomTheWayIDDid. [various authors] Those maps were unreal.)

 

Pretty sure these maps only use stuff found in DoomII. 

 

What Wads would you recommend? 

 

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by PeterMoro

[Pegleg]

5 hours ago, PeterMoro said:

Of the top of my head, two Vanilla maps that i consider to be freakin' awesome are:

 

Brigandine (Viggles)

 

Arcadia demade (JP LeBreton)

 

Pretty sure these maps only use stuff found in DoomII. 

 

You may consider this point to be semantics, but Brigandine and Arcadia Demade are both limit-removing, in the sense that they both require a limit-removing port.

 

They are both definitely good levels, but I would not call them "vanilla" in that both would crash if played in either Vanilla or Chocolate Doom.

 

I think what you're asking about are levels that contain only stock textures and monsters (since Arcadia Demade contains a custom sky). Is that true? Or are you meaning that you would rather avoid Boom and higher ports?

 

This will help you get to the recommendations you're looking for.

[PeterMoro]

3 minutes ago, Pegleg said:

You may consider this point to be semantics, but Brigandine and Arcadia Demade are both limit-removing, in the sense that they both require a limit-removing port.

 

They are both definitely good levels, but I would not call them "vanilla" in that both would crash if played in either Vanilla or Chocolate Doom.

 

I think what you're asking about are levels that contain only stock textures and monsters (since Arcadia Demade contains a custom sky). Is that true? Or are you meaning that you would rather avoid Boom and higher ports?

 

This will help you get to the recommendations you're looking for.

Yeah, you understand what i mean but I didn't explain myself very clearly. Basically it doesn't matter what the port is, just as long as it uses only Doom II stock textures and monsters and mechanics. I misunderstood what 'vanilla' means in terms of ports, i was thinking more of gameplay / level design / no mods. etc

 

I forgot about the custom sky in Acadia demade....... hmmmm I think custom skies get a pass because they don't change gameplay or the level that much. 

[valkiriforce]

You should check out Counterattack by Mechadon - I've heard plenty of good things about it even though I've yet to play it myself.

 

Interception and Doom II Unleashed both use stock textures.

 

While they do have some custom textures, Doom Core, Reverie and Eternally Yours stick to mostly using regular Doom II textures for the most part. Also Absolute Dishonor uses stock textures, with some remixed versions on Doom II's textures.

Edited April 19, 2018 by valkiriforce

[KVELLER]

What about Doom the Way id Did and its sequel?

Edited April 19, 2018 by KVELLER

[PeterMoro]

Thanx, awesome stuff, don't think I've played any of them yet. Lots of great Doomin' hours ahead. 

[PeterMoro]

6 minutes ago, KVELLER said:

What about Doom the Way id Did and its sequel?

LOL i think i wrote about them the same time that you did. I edited my first post. 

I've played them, they are amazing. Perfect example of the kinds of wads I'm talking about. 

[Payload4367]

GZDoom 32 map megawad with "Vanilla style" gameplay. New skies and music but textures, weapons and monsters are vanilla.

 

[riderr3]

Not the best, but still recommended:

 

[Pegleg]

Both of Romero's "new" levels: Tech Gone Bad and Phobos Mission Control

 

Doom the Way id Did -- The Lost Episodes

 

It has a custom sky, music, and title screen, but otherwise uses all stock material:

 

If you're OK with more non-stock material (all recommended from https://www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/93734-doomworld-community-top-wads-of-all-time/)

 

Hellbound (it uses some new music and Doom 1 and TNT textures as well as custom intermission and title screens)

 

Scythe (I think it sticks mostly to stock textures but it has a custom sky and custom music)

 

Suspended in Dusk (there are custom textures mixed in with the stock ones, but it has an iwad-y feel a lot of the time)

 

[pulkmees]

Only going by a vague idea of vanillaish gameplay

 

Doom The Way ID Did

Doom 2 The Way ID Did

Doom The Way ID Did: The Lost Episodes

Double Impact

No End in Sight

Dawn of the Dead

No Sleep for the Dead

The Classic Episode

The Classic Episode 2

The 2 Romero Maps from 2015

Alpha Accident: Terra Nova

 

Really old vanilla

Memento Mori

Memento Mori 2

Loads more of course. Not a huge fan of the really old ones though.

 

 

[Budoka]

There's no way Memento Mori II qualifies for the OP's criteria. Which is unfortunate, it being one of the best Megawads ever and all. As others have mentioned, the first Memento  Mori and the first Scythe use mostly stock textures and atmospheres, and Suspended in Dusk is perhaps even more so. Other than that, John Romero's new maps. There is nothing else in that genre that I'd personally care to play given the choice between it and something else.

 

Because honestly, I don't understand this cult-like worship some people have for the vanilla Doom aesthetic. There's no way I'm going to pretend that something like "Doom the Way Id did" is somehow more engaging of a play experience than, say, Speed of Doom. At any rate, suit yourself I suppose.

 

 

[Roofi]

The good old "Kama Sutra" by Gusta and Method. There are just a few new textures but almost everything was made with stock textures.

[PeterMoro]

16 hours ago, Budoka said:

There's no way Memento Mori II qualifies for the OP's criteria. Which is unfortunate, it being one of the best Megawads ever and all. As others have mentioned, the first Memento  Mori and the first Scythe use mostly stock textures and atmospheres, and Suspended in Dusk is perhaps even more so. Other than that, John Romero's new maps. There is nothing else in that genre that I'd personally care to play given the choice between it and something else.

 

Because honestly, I don't understand this cult-like worship some people have for the vanilla Doom aesthetic. There's no way I'm going to pretend that something like "Doom the Way Id did" is somehow more engaging of a play experience than, say, Speed of Doom. At any rate, suit yourself I suppose.

 

 

I know what you mean but I'm the opposite, I prefer Vanilla style maps. I think it has to do with gameplay + level design. Maybe it's that the textures / simplicity suits the gameplay. I've played too many levels that were really fancy looking with cool textures and effects but not fun and lacking gameplay-wise. Not to say that Vanilla maps can't suck. When i feel like playing Doom, I'm thinking of playing something like DoomTheWayIDDid. I personally don't need embellishments to enjoy this game in an (almost) vanilla form. Well custom skies are rad though LOL. Best news is that we can enjoy the best of both worlds : )

[PeterMoro]

Wow! lots of great Wads recommended, thanks everyone. I've got 12 new awesome Wads downloaded and ready to go. Happy Doomin' ahead.

[DOOMGABR[RU]]

2002: Doom Odyssey. Vanilla megawad for The Ultimate Doom.

[Budoka]

Whatever. Oh, and I'm not sure why I didn't think to mention it until now, but Crusades should do as well.

[Vorpal]

After an essay about custom textures not being vanilla enough, goes and recommends crusades

[Grain of Salt]

On 4/19/2018 at 8:53 AM, PeterMoro said:

Wads that resemble Doom + DoomII: no additional textures / effects / sounds / or 'bells and whistles' of any kind [...]

 

Arcadia demade (JP LeBreton) [...]

 

Pretty sure these maps only use stuff found in DoomII.

 

 

 

Nope, arcadia uses a custom palette.

[PeterMoro]

2 hours ago, Grain of Salt said:

 

Nope, arcadia uses a custom palette.

Doh!

[Grain of Salt]

:3

[Budoka]

On 4/24/2018 at 10:12 PM, Vorpal said:

After an essay about custom textures not being vanilla enough, goes and recommends crusades

I'm not following you. The point I made was entirely in favor of custom textures, however PeterMoro is not. I don't remember Crusades having that many, either.

[PeterMoro]

Custom textures, and custom anything are great. It's just that i prefer the DOOM II palette and I'm interested in wads that emulate this style. A great example would be Brigandine  (Viggles). It's a very high-quality wad with amazing detailing, smart level design and difficult game play. Wouldn't really belong in 1994 but when i play it, I still feel like I'm definitely playing Doom II. I'm pretty sure everything from that wad comes from DoomII.wad.

 

Well if a wad has a custom sky or one or two custom textures, that's no biggie. More than that is not really what i mean with this thread. 

 

BTW, I'll check out Crusades. Thanks.

[DOOMGABR[RU]]

Hellbound

[PeterMoro]

3 minutes ago, DOOMGABR[RU] said:

Hellbound

Thank you!! Playing it as we speak. It's as good as they say ; )

[DeadAstronaut]

Going to say Doom The Way Id Did, as well. 

 

DTWID is my favorite Doom 1 wad. When I first discovered it, I pretty much got lost in this wad playing it consistently for over a year. E1 actually feels like something John Romero would've made to the point that it's difficult to really tell the difference. There were many moments in the tech base levels where I was fooled into thinking this was an official id release. 

 

I love the Shores of Hell and Inferno levels with many of them being better than the original game. They took Sandy Petersen's style and ideas and really expanded upon on it and made some interesting levels. 

 

If you love the original Doom 1 game, then DTWID will feel like a sequel or expansion pack to it. I hope one day we get an E4 in an "Ultimate Doom The Way Id Did" 

 

EDIT: Forgot to mention a suggestion. If you like PSX Doom or Doom 64, then grab the wads with Aubrey Hodges' music and sound effects from PSX Doom and then load up DTWID did with it. It goes together magically to create an atmospheric experience. 

Edited May 2, 2018 by DeadAstronaut