Advice for a console noob?

[Devils950003]

I'll always have a place in my heart for PSX Doom...after having first played the Jag version (my initial foray into Doom), PSX Doom felt like a massive improvement...and that incredible soundtrack and re-imagined sound effects by Aubrey Hodges still hold up to this day.  I've played through the PSX version many times, and playing it on a PSOne with the flip-top LED screen makes a world of difference, as far as some of the shortcomings go...it's very forgiving.

 

I now play the Xbox Live version on my 360 (though with a key tweak...to be explained later), and as much I still have very fond memories of the PSX Doom, it's hard to go back to now...having not played the original PC version, it quickly becomes clear how much was excised out of the Jag maps...it's a LOT (the Hanger looks especially spartan on the Jag set).  The 360 version plays silky smooth, with much better resolution than the PSX, no missing frames of animation, full maps...and it's definitely TOUGHER than the PSX version, partly due to the fact that you don't get to carry over all of your weapons from Episode to Episode...if you grew up on PSX Doom, that is definitely a bit of a punch to the face (PSX Doom plays like one long continuous game, no Episodes)...360 Episode 2 forces you to be much more discerning with how you use your weapons...enemies are generally quicker and harder in the 360 version as well.  And of course, nice to not only have to write down 10-digit passwords for completed levels, but to be able to save within a level. 

 

This being said, there's aspects of the PSX Doom that I definitely miss.  The animated flames in the background of some levels REALLY added that extra level of dread.  The light-sourcing and generally creepier and darker feel of PSX Doom feels a little more "right", and some levels in the PSX version got a nice makeover that felt like a better fit (love the textures used in PSX Spawning Vats, and the increased ceiling height in Halls of the Damned, and some levels even in simplified form are more visually appealing overall than the 360 version)...at times it's definitely scarier and more foreboding.  Some levels (like Containment Area) play MUCH better as shortened jaunts...some 360 levels feel like they're just too damned LONG.  I also LOVED seeing Doom 2 enemies in Doom 1 levels, even if the Revenant was clearly nerfed in the PSX version...even now when I'm playing through 360 Doom, it feels odd to not see Doom 2 enemies that I've gotten used to encountering during PSX Doom playthroughs. 

 

So getting to that "key tweak"...one thing that I flat-out can't do is play any version of Doom with the Bobby Prince tunes...they just don't work for me...they sound primitive, cartoony and silly.  Fortunately Hodges has released extended and more fleshed-out versions of his PSX Doom work...I play that through a laptop (I pick the correct track that originally went with each PSX level), and turn off the Prince tunes.  The only thing that I'm stuck with in this arrangement are the original, non-Hodges sound effects, but I can live with those, even though I consider them a downgrade.  Doesn't kill the game for me though...admittedly, if I had to play with only the Prince compositions, I don't think I could play any version of Doom...though there's a part of me that would consider a playthrough with the 3DO remixes of the Prince work as my soundtrack. 

 

So, I would say for portable or "tabletop/electronic game" kind of fun, I'd go with PSX Doom, on a PSOne console with the LED screen.  Nice to have on va-kays here and there, for those nights you can't sleep. 

 

For playing at home on a proper TV, it's 360 Doom (set the screen to the smallest size possible...the smaller the screen, the better and less pixelated it will look), with PSX Extended Mix music.   

 

Oh, and as far as control schemes go, I thought the PSX version always controlled very well (though sometimes a little sticky in corners).  Ditto the 360 Doom, though it's an entirely different control layout...it took me a little while to get used to, but once I did, it feels about as natural to me as the PSX version did. 

[StealthMan375]

On 10/14/2018 at 11:59 AM, hardcore_gamer said:

 

THat's interesting. I heard of young people that got into the doom community because they became exposed to the doom franchise via some of the newer games but never anybody who just played the originals and then found them fun enough to enter the doom community.

I'm a 13-year old, so... I'm of the second kind, but my first Doom fix was the SNES one. Best thing there is the fact that the shotgun's literally a ranged rifle.

[Dark Pulse]

4 minutes ago, StealthMan375 said:

I'm a 13-year old, so... I'm of the second kind, but my first Doom fix was the SNES one. Best thing there is the fact that the shotgun's literally a ranged rifle.

Egads, you're a brave soul. The SNES port is pretty impressive, but boy is the resolution murderous.

 

On the other hand, it had some perks of its own (like the maps actually being closer to the PC versions, and some of them only being in that port until the "perfect" ports during the 2000s).

[hardcore_gamer]

3 minutes ago, StealthMan375 said:

I'm a 13-year old

 

I was like 8 when I first played Doom (albeit, my uncle moved the character, I just pressed the ctrl (fire) key when enemies showed up). So you're a pussy in comparison :D

 

That said, it seems a bit odd that somebody your age would be exposed to classic Doom via the SNES port :/

[StealthMan375]

PS2 emulators, mate. Just was hunting down games, found Doom, remembered that the PC version seems better and here I am.

[VGA]

There is no official ps2 Doom port. Google shows me some results which may be homebrew, interesting.

[wolfmcbeard]

If I could recommend any console Doom, it would be 64, it's unique and fun (if you can get over the mighty trident controller and weird save/password system).
I've played the pc port as well as the actual n64 cart that I have still, on the pc side, better frame rate, better quality, better controls, actual saving though I for some unknown reason prefer the original cartridge game.