Is trying to play DOOM on a handheld even worth it?

[LGN-76]

I play DOOM on PC, console, and handheld. The first two I have pretty much no problem playing the games on (minus when I play on computers other than my own via flash drive, which I already mentioned in another thread...). It's the handheld division where things are getting really messy...

Right now, here's what I have: A PSP-2000 (on CFW 3.71 M33-4) with PSX DOOM and PSX Final DOOM installed, and a Xperia PLAY (a.k.a. PlayStation Phone) with Mupen64+ AE and DOOM 64 installed.

That looks like a good setup, and I have to agree. Just one problem: I can't stand not being able to save my game in PSX DOOM! Especially when I can save in DOOM 64. Thus I spent all morning fighting with the PSP trying to get a version of DOOM that can save game progress working on there.

First, I tried the GBA ROMs. DOOM I ran good, but DOOM II ran so slow that it wasn't even playable! Then I tried DOOM Legacy (latest version 4.1), and that seemed to do the trick. Until I put the PSP into standby mode. Every time I do, the game glitches up big time. I NEED standby mode, so this wasn't acceptable. After that, I tried that other source port just called DOOM PSP. It almost fit the bill, but then it froze and crashed the PSP. Plus there was the fact that it doesn't allow you to change the controls whatsoever...

Finally, I gave up and went back to PSX DOOM. To make life a little easier, I have an app on my phone where I can type in passwords for the game and save them for later use on the PSP. I still wish the game had an actual save feature though...

If I could buy a GBA SP (or DS Lite) with DOOM I and II and play that instead, I would. But not only are the carts very expensive, there's also the risk of ending up with a bootleg cart (which actually happened to me a few years ago...).

So now I come to you guys for advice. Is the whole being-able-to-play-DOOM-on-a-handheld thing even worth it at this point? Should I save up and buy a GBA or DS with DOOM I and II? Or should I suck it up and stick with PSX DOOM on PSP?

[LGN-76]

Solved the problem:
I put DOOM I for GBA* back on the PSP, since it ran really good with minor lag unlike DOOM II, and then I put DOOM for SNES on the Xperia PLAY. SNES version's a bit more laggy but at least it's bearable, AND I have access to save states, unlike DOOM PSX on PSP.

I still have DOOM PSX on PSP and DOOM 64 on Xperia PLAY, and will eventually add PSX Duke Nukem and Quake II to the former and N64 Duke Nukem and Quake to the latter...

*I will eventually buy DOOM I and II for GBA, as well as a GBA SP, but for right now, I'm sticking with the ROMs...

[Tompig]

My advice would be grab Gameception for the iphone, perfect controls and runs anyway Boom compatible wad.

[ReFracture]

Tompig said:

Gameception for the iphone, perfect controls

Dohohoho debatable. Maybe it's as good as can be expected for a touch screen but it's pretty miserable compared to playing Legacy on the PSP.

I always hoped that Doom Classic Complete for PSN would make its way to the Vita but alas.. it just wasn't meant to be.

[HavoX]

Doom GBA was a horrible experience for me. Not just due to the censorship (green blood and the like), but...

-The music was played out of order
-It was laggy
-The status bar looked atrocious
-Messages appear on the lower left corner of the screen (above the status bar) (okay, that might be going a bit too far... some people prefer this, some people don't.)

I could go on, but make a long story short... if you're going to play Doom, play it on the PC... or play the PSX version.

[VGamingJunkie]

For a small amount of money, D-Touch can't be beat.

[DiZDoom]

MetroidJunkie said:

For a small amount of money, D-Touch can't be beat.

I second this, though it seems to be unavailable via Google Play in my neck of the world.

[TheNerdTurtle2]

I'm currently writing a review of GBA Doom and I'm playing through the game specifically looking for details that are different from the PC version but the review is also going to be if it's worth playing/buying

[Cupboard]

Sure it could be worth it. I mean, I wouldn't do it recreationally or habitually. But I would play Doom instead of browse the web and debate internet tough guys in a situation where I had 30 minutes to kill, say if I was on a break at work.

[LGN-76]

I'll say this right now:
Even though I play on PC, console, and handheld, like I said before, I play on PC a LOT more often than I do the other two. And I mean a LOT. In fact, I'd immediately play ANY shooter game on PC rather than on console or handheld.

The reason I DO play DOOM on console and handheld, is because what if I'm at a friend's house? I won't touch his computer unless he says it's OK, because I respect his privacy. Or at a restaurant, where there are no computers? That's exactly why having DOOM on console and handheld can be convenient at times...

[Voros]

Instead of getting a GBA(do they still make those?) or a DS, get an Android phone and download D-Touch(or an iPhone/iDevice and get the official Doom apps/Gameception, or wait until Beloko Games finishes developing D-Touch for iOS).

Unless of course, its for nostalgia, then go ahead and get a GBA/DS. D-Touch comes with Chocolate Doom too, that also nostalgic.

And best of all, your phone is your privacy. So your friends won't be disturbed and you can still enjoy some high quality Dooming.

[VGamingJunkie]

DiZDoom said:

I second this, though it seems to be unavailable via Google Play in my neck of the world.

He should have it on the Amazon app.

[LGN-76]

Voros said:

Instead of getting a GBA(do they still make those?) or a DS, get an Android phone and download D-Touch(or an iPhone/iDevice and get the official Doom apps/Gameception, or wait until Beloko Games finishes developing D-Touch for iOS).

Unless of course, its for nostalgia, then go ahead and get a GBA/DS. D-Touch comes with Chocolate Doom too, that also nostalgic.

And best of all, your phone is your privacy. So your friends won't be disturbed and you can still enjoy some high quality Dooming.

I would use D-Touch, but it's not compatible with the Xperia PLAY (which only goes up to Android v2.3.4 (which D-Touch doesn't support)). I do have another Android phone, but it only has a touchscreen, and I REALLY don't wanna have to use touch controls unless I absolutely have to.

Also, one of the big reasons I'm using a PSP and also wanna grab a GBA SP, is because I want a handheld system that's built to last me a good long time. I know for a fact that no Android phone (even the Xperia PLAY) is ever gonna do that for me.

[deadwolves]

Can get Doom to run on my sumsung android but only barely. Can't even think how touchscreen controls would work out..

[VGamingJunkie]

I got a cheapo Tracfone Android that runs D-Touch just fine. Thanks to a $6 Bluetooth controller I got off of Amazon, I've got Dual Analog. Obviously, it's no mouse and keyboard but good luck having mouse and keyboard on an Android phone and still being remotely portable.

[Voros]

RexFesto696 said:

I would use D-Touch, but it's not compatible with the Xperia PLAY (which only goes up to Android v2.3.4 (which D-Touch doesn't support)). I do have another Android phone, but it only has a touchscreen, and I REALLY don't wanna have to use touch controls unless I absolutely have to.

Also, one of the big reasons I'm using a PSP and also wanna grab a GBA SP, is because I want a handheld system that's built to last me a good long time. I know for a fact that no Android phone (even the Xperia PLAY) is ever gonna do that for me.

Gingerbread? Huh.

Whats wrong with touchscreen? Is the screen size too small/big? Is it unresponsive at times?

What about an iDevice? They'll last long enough, and with no jailbreaking, you can get customer support from Apple. You MIGHT encounter battery problems if you use it like I do(heh).

[Maes]

Meh. For me, once one experiences the performance levels and natural feeling that mouse + WASD controls can afford, it's hard to go back to another less optimal control scheme, which would be a mandatory change on any handheld platform. Unless ofc one likes a challenge/handicap, or can keep casual about the whole thing.

Oh and before anyone chimes in "BUT M34S, L0L, I PLAY WITH JOYSTICK OR TOUCHSCREEN AND IT'S JUST THE SAME/FINE, U SUXX0RZ", well, then I reiterate my challenge about a "control-scheme league", in which people will record vanilla-compatible demos in COMPET-N style but using only pure keyboard, gamepad-only, mouse-only, touch-screen controls only etc. and then we'll just compare min/max/avg times for each category :-)

[VGamingJunkie]

Unless you're using a laptop or bluetooth keyboard/mouse, it's kind of hard to do portable with WADS + Mouse anyway. The most portable solution is a small gamepad.

[NieMaMordy]

If you still want to play doom on psp then you should try versions that are marked: 0.05 or 0.05 plus. These are both almost the same, only with higher contrast and always run on 0.05 plus version
These are by far the best ports of doom for psp. They have some kind of changable controls ("some kind" because you can choose betwen analog and dpad to move your character or weapon changing. Geometric buttons are also configurable but you cant use them to move, strafe or change weapons. You can not change triggers function (strafing)). Game allows you to play with custom vanilla wads (one at the time), and has a deh support (only one at the time too). Framerate is great, bit dont try playing plutonia 2 later levels with it, because it will drop pretty much. This port plays doom in standard 320x200 resolution making it a bit blury. To change controls and cpu speed, you should press L, R amd start during the gameplay. One thing that might be a big disadvantage is sfx volume. It is too loud. So loud that having your psp on lowest volume, make your game still as loud as it would be normally on medium settigns. Once, i turn the volume to maximum value and my speaker in psp broke. Dont try this at home, kids. If you use headphones, volume is normal.
Music quality is also pretty shity, but you can fix that by using custom timidity set, but keep in mind that the game will need a 5-7 seconds to load betwen levels, if you do.
Version that decided to crash was propably v1.4 which has better resolution and configurable video things, but has no option of changing button config.
Good luck

[LGN-76]

Well since this thread got bumped, I might as well say that I ultimately went back to my original setup, which again was:

"A PSP-2000 (on CFW 3.71 M33-4) with PSX DOOM and PSX Final DOOM installed, and a Xperia PLAY (a.k.a. PlayStation Phone) with Mupen64+ AE and DOOM 64 installed."

I don't care at this point if I have to write down passwords for later use, at least I can write and store them digitally on my phone.

One thing I forgot to mention before is that I REALLY need standby mode on the PSP, so if I need to put my PSP away in order to do something, I can take it out and instantly continue where I left off. Both the DOOM source ports for PSP have issues after getting out of standby; Legacy's graphics get all messed up, while DOOM PSP just freezes and shuts down the PSP. Since PSX-to-PSP games obviously never have that problem, using PSX DOOM and PSX Final DOOM on there is more worth it for me.

EDIT:
Another thing I forgot to mention: I also have a PS Vita. And since I have a PS4 (with DOOM 2016), I can play DOOM 2016 on my Vita from my PS4 via Remote Play, as long as I'm in a place where my Vita can access wi-fi...
I sold my Vita earlier today, because there isn't very much I can do with the handheld, and DOOM 2016 via Remote Play isn't enough to make me keep it. Plus it's harder to control.

[NieMaMordy]

I checked all the psp doom ports i know, and unfortunetly, all of them has some issues with standby mode. So, i think you can stick to psx version :p.

Quick question, is there a psx doom aviable to download on american psn?

[MTF Sergeant]

I play Doom on D-Touch and it works fairly great. You can use mods as well.

[VGamingJunkie]

I remember when I had the PSP homebrew of Doom and having working midi music was such a novelty to me because the DS one wasn't capable of it.