Does anyone play software mode anymore? (and Sprite Clipping)

[Jannak]

Due to the fact that almost everyone plays Doom with OpenGL or Vulkan settings these days if recent videos posted on Doom has any indication despite overlooking the major problems with them due to sprite clipping and such, does anyone still play Doom with software mode as it was originally 'intended' that is?

 

I heard that John Carmack didn't like Doom in OpenGL and refused to release it or something which I wonder if has anything to do with the Sprite clipping?

Edited December 19, 2019 by Jannak

[Wagi]

There are settings to adjust that will deal with sprite clipping so that it isn't as much of an issue.

 

That being said, I use software rendering exclusively. There's something I can't put my finger on, but the lighting always looks flat and boring when in OpenGL mode and even when cycling through all of the lighting modes it still doesn't look right.

 

This is especially true for Heretic/Hexen since the COLORMAP actually improves the look of those games. For example, water and lava in dark areas look vibrant in software mode but washed out and gray in OpenGL.

[HAK3180]

17 minutes ago, Jannak said:

if recent videos posted on Doom [has] any indication

 

Hmm, my "research" at this point is also just anecdotes and recollection, but my assumption is that more people use software. Well, put it this way: it seems like each is preferred by some but that those who have a strong preference have it for software. It also depends a lot on the wad in question, as some specifically state which looks or plays better.

 

So the answer to your question is yes.

[ETTiNGRiNDER]

Short answer: yes.  Although progress has been made on making GL-rendered ports look not-as-terrible these days.

 

32 minutes ago, Jannak said:

I heard that John Carmack didn't like Doom in OpenGL and refused to release it or something which I wonder if has anything to do with the Sprite clipping?

Are you sure you're not mixing that up with one of the console ports (3DO maybe?) where he blocked a use of the console's features that would have made for a more performant port?

 

13 minutes ago, Wagi said:

This is especially true for Heretic/Hexen since the COLORMAP actually improves the look of those games. For example, water and lava in dark areas look vibrant in software mode but washed out and gray in OpenGL.

Good point.

[Mortrixs19]

There's plenty of people that still plays on Software renderer.

For some people, OpenGL ruins the mood and the atmosphere because sometimes the dark areas are portrayed too bright, also I guess most people play on OpenGL for mods or TC's and most sourceports use the software renderer. 

 

And I think the sprite clipping can be fixed easily in Gzdoom, not sure about GLboom+ though.

[seed]

Yes we do, but it also depends on the person and their preference.

 

I'm using the Software renderer on wads that aren't resource intensive or have enormous/complex maps where the performance impact tends to be pretty big, but people still very much use SW in short, it just depends on who you're asking (and not taking all you see in videos for granted). Also all GL ports offer sprite clipping modes and one of them will look closer to the intended result, I personally prefer "Full" in GlBoom and "Always" in GZDoom.

 

Software also tends to look better on simpler maps since GL tends to make everything look flat, despite the effort of various sector light modes and other effects to remedy that.

[kaleb.]

yes, i only use opengl for big maps that lag in software.

 

opengl modes usually look very flat lighting wise and just makes everything too "clean" for my liking. i love the diminishing lighting of software and how the palette makes somethings pop out in textures in the dark.

[Ribbiks]

5 minutes ago, kaleb. said:

yes, i only use opengl for big maps that lag in software.

 

opengl modes usually look very flat lighting wise and just makes everything too "clean" for my liking. i love the diminishing lighting of software and how the palette makes somethings pop out in textures in the dark.

 

these are my exact thoughts, point for point ;D

 

I used to play mostly in gl-ports, but over time I've grown to really like the grungier/moodier look of software's lighting and palettization.

[Gothic]

I play on software mode all the time, except when a mod requires OpenGL.

[Loud Silence]

I do and always will. Software Renderer is just best for games designed on it. HW accelerated Doom looks ugly AF for me (disabling filters does not help much). Also i play without freelook (vertical).

[DMPhobos]

For boom, vanilla or limit removal i play in software mode, unless the wad requires other render

[Noiser]

I prefer the software renderer as well.
 

On 12/19/2019 at 2:53 PM, Mortrixs19 said:

And I think the sprite clipping can be fixed easily in Gzdoom

Unfortunately not, sprite clipping is always an issue on hardware mode. You can adjust some sprites using the "smart\smarter" options, but the problem is still there and can affect custom content made for the original renderer.

Edited December 20, 2019 by Noiser

[Edward850]

There's something other than the software renderer? 

[Woolie Wool]

Yes, and usually in low res too. Even for many GL-only wads like Hocus Doom, I'll use a palette tonemap, no mipmapping, low-res upscaling, etc. to impose a software-like look on it. A palette is not just a limitation; it's an aesthetic. Imposing a set of 256 colors on a game makes every one of those 256 colors important.  A VGA game with a great art and colors that pop gives the feel of a hand-painted illustration to nearly every frame, like a a sauce that merges the different ingredients of a dish into one cohesive experience.

[DerTodIstEinDandy]

The main issue with OpenGL renderer isn't even the sprite clipping. A lot of custom wads, especially older classics like Requiem, Alien Vendetta, Scythe utilize certain rendering hacks that work exclusively in software mode. Software renderer has pretty much no alternatives in such cases (and won't have in any forseeable future).

Software lighting and palette, however, can be emulated pretty accurately with certain settings in GZDoom.

[xvertigox]

Software @ 320x200 or 640x400 almost always. I use GZDoom + OpenGL for videos because it's the easiest to record and it """""""looks better""""""" so people aren't turned off by those sweet, sweet chunky pixels.

Edited December 19, 2019 by xvertigox

[Woolie Wool]

9 minutes ago, DerTodIstEinDandy said:

The main issue with OpenGL renderer isn't even the sprite clipping. A lot of custom wads, especially older classics like Requiem, Alien Vendetta, Scythe utilize certain rendering hacks that work exclusively in software mode. Software renderer has pretty much no alternatives in such cases (and won't have in any forseeable future).

Software lighting and palette, however, can be emulated pretty accurately with certain settings in GZDoom.

"Pretty accurately" is not correctly. If you play a lot of software Doom, LZDoom with post-processing tricks is easily distinguishable from the real thing.

Edited December 19, 2019 by Woolie Wool

[DynamiteKaitorn]

Chocolate DooM is a thing and I use it quite a bit, so I do, I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Misty]

Doom looks the best in software mode, give me those sweet crispy pixels... Even in hardware render mode I try bring pixelated look much as possible. 

[Remilia Scarlet]

I rarely do.  In general I don't like the pixelated look of the software renderer, and instead prefer the look of OpenGL with texture filtering.

[Philnemba]

Software rendering > OpenGL 

 

 

[xvertigox]

Vanilla Essence plug for those running GZD.

[Tartlman]

I usually play with the OpenGL renderer, since I was playing mostly modern games when I discovered doom. I did have to go back to software for a bit since my computer had some hardware issues... but i'm really not a fan of the look of software renderer.

[NuMetalManiak]

I remember a year ago when I moved to a different location and only had my laptop with me that I pretty much had to play Doom in software mode, since my laptop just couldn't support it in hardware mode at all.

[Super Mighty G]

Sprite clipping and lighting aren't even the only problems with OpenGL. The sprites also look like blurry garbage. I can't stand to look at it.

[galileo31dos01]

2 hours ago, Jannak said:

does anyone still play Doom with software mode

 

Yes, absolutely. Source ports like Chocolate and Crispy Doom don't support opengl and people use them, myself included. Even in glboom+, you can configure it to emulate something as close to the software look, which I have set for specific boom wads, or when there's performance slowdown in software, not that turning opengl on always helps.

 

2 hours ago, Jannak said:

as it was originally 'intended' that is?

 

Can't speak for everyone else but I frankly don't care about that in particular, I simply dislike the default options of the opengl look. Pixels are beautiful.

[Rathori]

Yeah, I play in software mode 95% of the time, as do many people I know. Don't forget that the majority of players do NOT upload videos to YouTube, they just play the game.

Edited December 19, 2019 by Rathori

[whirledtsar]

I normally play with GL rendering, but the sprite clipping is pretty annoying. Either the sprites are clipped off, or they look like they're floating (due to the perspective they were drawn with).

 

Kaiser's Strife port actually fixed this issue years ago, making sprites visible in the floor like in software mode: https://doom64ex.wordpress.com/2014/12/24/sprite-clipping-in-strife-veteran-edition-explained/

 

It would be great if such a thing was incorporated into GL Doom ports.

[VanaheimRanger]

I don't use software mode, but I use a mod called Vanilla Essence that changes some GL settings to make hardware mode look more like software.  It's very useful to get an old school look for UDMF maps that have slopes and other features that software mode can't render.

[Toilet_Wine_Connoisseur]

I used to use OpenGL exclusively until I saw how much better the darkness looked in software when a buddy played my wad. I have not used OpenGL since.