Looking for some good vanilla compatible mods

[OnionTaco22]

I'm looking for some good wads for either Doom/Ultimate Doom or Doom 2. Even Final Doom is fine.

Stuff like the Doom The Way ID Did (DTWID) series of maps, where there isn't too much custom content (though things like custom textures are fine I don't mind them, though I would prefer if there wasn't any custom monsters).

I have looked around a bit, and have looked at stuff like this doomwiki page: https://doomwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Category:Vanilla_WADs&pageuntil=Doom+Anomaly#mw-pages

However I haven't found that much. Any suggestions are appreciated. :)

[fruity lerlups]

Icarus Alien Vanguard, aesthetically it aint top notch but the gameplay is fun

 Plutonia 2 is another.

Hell Revealed 1.

Requiem.

Memento Mori.

[Shepardus]

Here you go:

Not sure how many of these have custom enemies, but probably most of them do not (if they don't have a Dehacked patch they definitely do not have custom enemies).

[OnionTaco22]

2 minutes ago, Shepardus said:

Here you go:

Not sure how many of these have custom enemies, but probably most of them do not (if they don't have a Dehacked patch they definitely do not have custom enemies).

1.3GB wasn't what I was expecting but it does mean there is a lot of content... Which means I will find something I want.

Thanks for the suggestion :)

[head_cannon]

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom/v-z/xa-sharp

Sharp Things - A single large map for Doom 1 by Xaser. It takes some time to explore all over this infernal kingdom and uncover all three keys, but it's an entertaining quest overall with some mean & creative setpieces along the way.

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/a-c/bx_e1

Bellatrix - Really nice use of Doom 2's earth textures to create outdoor environments. Occasionally-brutal but always fun combat, and a huge amount of optional secret paths to find for people like me who love exploring.

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/megawads/ar

Anomaly Report - The most accessible Valkiriforce WAD is also the most fun one: the author expressed a desire to craft an enjoyable romp that stayed more-or-less at the D2TWID level of difficulty, and I think he nailed it. I respect the vicious & creative trap design along with how so many levels have open layouts that allow each player to choose their own adventure, and the whole thing is scored with a mixtape of the very best of what the first wave of midi artists had to offer.

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/megawads/3iac

Three's A Crowd - The Omniarch once called Scypek2 "the truest successor to Sandy Petersen I have yet seen", and I agree with that assessment. Three's A Crowd rearranges the Doom 2 campaign to put the hell chapter as the first chapter, and the level design really does make it feel like a higher power is toying with you and delighting in your suffering. Three's A Crowd has some of the best mischief and trickery I've ever experienced, and if you're willing to fight back and push through the most intentionally-aggravating segments, you'll earn a victory on one of the most unique campaigns in vanilla doom.

 

https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/levels/doom2/megawads/drn

Down The Drain - Admittedly, I only dared to play through the Hey Not Too Rough campaign, but I was still blown away at the creative cruelty contained within: this megawad is monstrous yet never impossible. I'm still a bit surprised that Benjogami wanted to make a vanilla campaign and retell the Hell On Earth legend we know so well in his own peculiar fashion, but I'm glad he did. In particular, I think this WAD's got some of the best use of environmental hazards like darkness & poison pools that I've ever seen.

Edited December 28, 2023 by head_cannon