Doom (32X)

From Sega Retro

For the Sega Saturn release, see Doom (Saturn).

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Doom 32X Title.png

Doom
System(s): Sega 32X
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Genre: Shoot-'em-Up

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega 32X
JP 		¥7,8007,800 GM-4003
Sega 32X
US 		$69.9969.99[2] 84506
Sega 32X
EU 		84506-50
Sega 32X
BR 		152010
Sega 32X
AS

Doom (ドゥーム) is a first person shooter developed by id Software and released on December 10, 1993 for DOS-based IBM PC compatibles. It was later ported to numerous platforms, including the Sega 32X (as a launch title). It is widely considered to be one of the games that pioneered and popularized the first person shooter genre, and retains a large, dedicated fanbase to this day.

The player assumes the role of a nameless space marine and through use of a varied set of weaponry, must fight his way through moonbases on Mars and the depths of Hell itself.

Gameplay

The game is played through the eyes of the main character. The player navigates through the level and collects weapons, ammunition, powerups, and other miscellaneous items. Certain doors are locked via a red, blue, or yellow keycard which are hidden throughout the level. Eventually the player finds the exit and progresses to the next level. Every so often a boss is encountered, where the level ends upon defeating the boss.

Levels are often made more varied by use of gimmicks and traps such as elevators, poisonous pits, monster closets, and secret rooms.

Controls

General

D-Pad - Moves character. Holding A while using D-Pad moves character at running speed. Holding C while using D-Pad makes character strafe instead.
B - Fire.
C - Use (Open/close door; Activate switch).

When in Automap:
D-Pad - Moves character.
A - Zoom in.
B - Zoom out.
C - Activates/deactivates grid.

 START  - Pauses with options menu; Resumes.

You can swap A, B and C button functions around in options. It will also affect automap controls.

3-Button Mode

Pressing  START  while holding A - Scroll through available weapons.
Pressing  START  while holding C - View Automap.

When in Automap:
Pressing  START  while holding A - Toogle Follow mode on/off.
Pressing  START  while holding C - Hide Automap.

US manual has wrong information about Automap controls for 3-button controllers, futher contributing to rushed feel of this title.

6-Button Mode

X - Scroll up through available weapons.
Y - Scroll down through available weapons.
Z - View Automap.

When in Automap:
X - Toogle Follow mode on/off.
Y - Scale up or down instantly.
Z - Hide Automap.

Pressing any button aside from D-Pad while holding  MODE  will bring up a corresponding weapon. Examples:  MODE  +  START  brings up fists/chainsaw (pressing again switches between them if player has Berserk Pack),  MODE  + A brings up pistol, etc.

Using Six Button Control Pad is highly recommended. Cheats also require use of buttons that aren't available on Three Button Control Pad.

Differences to the PC version

The 32X port of Doom derives from the Atari Jaguar version, which adjusts level layouts in areas to ease with rendering, as well as potential hardware constraints, and/or aesthetics on a TV screen as opposed to a computer monitor. Despite this, the game managed to debut on the 32X before the Jaguar version was finalised. Leaked prototypes suggest that 32X Doom was originally more in-line with the PC version, the switching of levels occurring as an mid-development optimisation.

32X Doom does not run at full screen - while the system is technically capable of rendering a full 320x224 Doom image, a border is applied to mitigate performance concerns in some areas.

Interestingly, 32X version updates Automap in real-time when it's activated, while on PC the changes will show up only if you hide and view Automap again.

Due to storage space limitations on a cartridge, the 32X version contains a reduced set of levels from the PC version. The music was also noticeably changed, the developers deciding to remake the soundtrack with GEMS and keep it on the Mega Drive side only rather than use the 32X's PWM — having to make launch date didn't help the situation either. It is considered to house one of worst interpretations of Doom's music, with even the SNES surpassing it in terms of quality.

The game now features a level select menu, allowing the player to select any level within the game; however, by using the level select, the game only presents the user with a DOS prompt at the end, instead of giving the true ending away. Curiously US manual mistakenly says that in such case the game will wrap back to the first level so player can complete the remaining ones.

Interestingly enough, even after the game was released to the market, the developers continued adding onto the game, with builds being leaked onto the internet in February 2008.

History

Development

Doom was originally slated to arrive on a 24Mb (3MB) ROM cartridge, but was upgraded to 32Mb (4MB), making it the largest 32X game in development at the time[3]. However the final game was released on 3MB ROM cartridge. Most likely it was due to the third episode levels being cut out to save development time in order to become Sega 32X launch title. If we take a look at the size of known prototypes of this game then we will see that prototypes between September 6 and September 21 were larger than 3MB, as well as October 2 build.

Production credits

id Software Development Team
  • John Carmack, John Romero, Adrian Carmack, Kevin Cloud, Sandy Peterson, David Taylor, American McGee, Shawn Green
Sega of America Development Team
  • Programming: Jonathan E. Flamm, Banjo Bob Hardy, Toshiyasu Monita, Marty Franz, Rex Sabio, Unni Pillai
  • Music: Brian Coburn
  • Art: Jenny Martin
  • Producer: Jesse K. Taylor
  • Software Testing: Mike Baldwin, Joel Breton, Chris Lucich, Matt Underwood, Fernando Valderrama, Kim Rogers, Ben Cureton, Lloyd Kinoshita, Alfred Dutton, Sam Sallba, Stan Weaver, Mike Mansourian, Carey Camacho, Aaron Hommes, Jeff Loney
  • Special Thanks To: Jay Wilbur, Dave Albert, JBM III
Source:
In-game credits
  • Biz Guy: Jay Wilbur
  • Biz Assistant: Donna Jackson
  • Software Engineers: John Carmack, John Romero, Dave Taylor, Shawn Green
  • Artists: Adrian Carmack, Kevin Cloud
  • Designers: Sandy Peterson, American McGee
  • Composer: Robert Prince
  • Doom Logo: Don Punchatz
Sega
  • Producer: Jesse Taylor
  • Assistant Producers: Vincent Nason, Greg Becksted
  • Product Manager: Tim Dunley
  • Product Specialist: Nemer Velasquez
  • Programming: Jonathan Flamm, Robert Hardy, Unni Pillai, Toshi Morita
  • Art: Jenny Martin, Susan Greene
  • Music: Brian Coburn
  • Game Lead: Michael Baldwin
  • Assistant Game Leads: Joel Breton, Christopher Lucich, Matt Underwood
  • Testers: Fernando Valderrama, Aaron Loichinger, Kim Rogers, Ben Cureton, Lloyd Kinoshita, Aaron Hommes
  • Manual: Carol Ann Hanshaw, Jay Wilbur
  • Special Thanks: Haven Dubrul, David Albert, Robert W. Lindsey, Doria Sanchez
Source:
US manual[4]

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1995-03-07 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1995-02-21 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1995-02-15 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-12-01 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
Cartridge
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-10-08 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-10-08 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-10-02 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-09-28 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-09-27 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-09-25 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-09-23 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-09-21 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-09-16 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-09-14 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-09-09 Page
Sega 32X
✔
CRC32
MD5
SHA-1
1994-09-06 Page

Magazine articles

Main article: Doom (32X)/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

  • 32X ES PrintAd 1994-12.jpg

    ES print advert

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
70 AllGame
94 №158, p72-74[5]
50 2004-10-23
60 2005-07-01
84 №66, p40[6]
83
87
91 №25, p63
91 №8, p16
50 2008-12-05
92 №37, p94[7]
95 №27, p20-23
92 №34 (Supp.), p22-25[8]
87 №1/95, p31[9]
92 №27, p76-78[10]
95 №48, p64/65
78
40 2006-04-12
96 №12, p70/71
95 №63, p50-52
94 №40, p40/41
91 №2, p97[11]
80
67 2011-12-27
Sega 32X
 81
Based on
24 reviews
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
75
[12]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
94
[5]
Computer + Video Giochi (IT)
90
[13]
Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U
91
[14]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
84
[6]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
75
[15]
FLUX (US) NTSC-U
83
[16]
GameFan (US) NTSC-U
87
[17]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
93
[18]
Gamer (GR)
81
[19]
Gamers (DE) PAL
60
[20]
Games World: The Magazine (UK) PAL
91
[21]
Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
78
[22]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
90
[23]
Joypad (FR) PAL
92
[24]
MAN!AC (DE) NTSC
84
[25]
Mega (UK) PAL
95
[26]
Mega Force (FR) PAL
92
[8]
Mega Fun (DE) NTSC-U
87
[9]
Micro Kid's Multimédia (FR)
100
[27]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
93
[28]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
92
[10]
Player One (FR)
95
[29]
Play Time (DE) PAL
87
[30]
Power Up! (UK)
95
[31]
Power Unlimited (NL)
78
[32]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
78
[33]
Sega Magazine (UK) PAL
96
[34]
Sega News (CZ)
80
[35]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
95
[36]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
94
[37]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
84
[38]
Sega Force (SE)
100
[39]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
88
[40]
Todo Sega (ES)
91
[41]
Ultimate Future Games (UK)
91
[42]
VideoGames (US)
80
[43]
Sega 32X
 88
Based on
37 reviews

Doom (32X)

32X, US
Doom 32X US Box Back.jpgDoom 32X US Box Front.jpg
Cover
Doom 32X US Cart.jpg
Cart
Doom 32x us manual.pdf
Manual
32X, EU
Doom 32X EU Box.jpg
Cover
Doom 32X EU cart.jpg
Cart
32X, JP
Doom 32X JP Box Back.jpgDoom MD JP BoxSpine.jpgDoom 32X JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
Doom MD JP CartTop.jpg
Doom 32X JP Cart Back.jpgDoom 32X JP cart.jpg
Cart
Doom 32x jp manual.pdf
Manual
32X, BR
Doom 32X BR Box.jpg
Cover
Doom 32X BR Cart.jpg
Cart
32X, Asia
Doom 32X Asia Box Front.jpg
Cover

References

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NEC Retro has more information related to Doom
  1. ↑ File:CVG UK 158.pdf, page 73
  2. ↑ File:GamePro US 065.pdf, page 64
  3. ↑ File:SegaMagazine UK 11.pdf, page 9
  4. ↑ File:Doom 32x us manual.pdf, page 22
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 File:CVG UK 158.pdf, page 72 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:CVG UK 158.pdf_p72" defined multiple times with different content
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 File:EGM US 066.pdf, page 40 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:EGM US 066.pdf_p40" defined multiple times with different content
  7. ↑ File:Joypad FR 037.pdf, page 94
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 File:MegaForce FR Supplement 34.pdf, page 22 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaForce FR Supplement 34.pdf_p22" defined multiple times with different content
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 File:MegaFun DE 1995-01.pdf, page 31 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MegaFun DE 1995-01.pdf_p31" defined multiple times with different content
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 File:MeanMachinesSega27UK.pdf, page 76 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name ":File:MeanMachinesSega27UK.pdf_p76" defined multiple times with different content
  11. ↑ File:UltimateFutureGames UK 02.pdf, page 87
  12. ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "January 1995" (JP; 1994-12-08), page 26
  13. ↑ Computer + Video Giochi, "Gennaio 1995" (IT; 199x-xx-xx), page 76
  14. ↑ Electronic Games (1992-1995), "February 1995" (US; 1995-0x-xx), page 74
  15. ↑ Famitsu, "1994-12-09" (JP; 1994-11-25), page 39
  16. ↑ FLUX, "Issue #4" (US; 1995-xx-xx), page 82
  17. ↑ GameFan, "Volume 2, Issue 12: December 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 27
  18. ↑ GamePro, "February 1995" (US; 199x-xx-xx), page 60
  19. ↑ Gamer, "Ianouários 1995" (GR; 1995-xx-xx), page 1
  20. ↑ Gamers, "Januar 1995" (DE; 1995-01-08), page 35
  21. ↑ Games World: The Magazine, "February 1995" (UK; 1994-12-xx), page 15
  22. ↑ Game Informer, "December 1994" (US; 1994-1x-xx), page 12
  23. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Diciembre 1994" (ES; 1994-xx-xx), page 78
  24. ↑ Joypad, "Décembre 1994" (FR; 1994-1x-xx), page 90
  25. ↑ MAN!AC, "01/95" (DE; 1994-12-07), page 48
  26. ↑ Mega, "December 1994" (UK; 1994-11-30), page 20
  27. ↑ Micro Kid's Multimédia, "Février 1995" (FR; 1995-0x-xx), page 60
  28. ↑ Micromanía (segunda época), "Diciembre 1994" (ES; 1994-xx-xx), page 22
  29. ↑ Player One, "Décembre 1994" (FR; 1994-1x-xx), page 64
  30. ↑ Play Time, "2/95" (DE; 1995-01-04), page 101
  31. ↑ Power Up!, "Saturday, December 17, 1994" (UK; 1994-12-17), page 1
  32. ↑ Power Unlimited, "Jaargang 3, Februari 1995" (NL; 1995-01-25), page 40
  33. ↑ Saturn Fan, "1995 February" (JP; 1995-01-07), page 34
  34. ↑ Sega Magazine, "December 1994" (UK; 1994-11-15), page 70
  35. ↑ Sega News, "Leden 1997" (CZ; 1997-xx-xx), page 34
  36. ↑ Sega Power, "February 1995" (UK; 1994-12-15), page 50
  37. ↑ Sega Pro, "January 1995" (UK; 1994-12-01), page 40
  38. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1996" (UK; 1996-02-28), page 24
  39. ↑ Sega Force, "2/95" (SE; 1995-04-19), page 8
  40. ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 84
  41. ↑ Todo Sega, "Diciembre 1994" (ES; 1994-1x-xx), page 28
  42. ↑ Ultimate Future Games, "January 1995" (UK; 1994-12-01), page 97
  43. ↑ VideoGames, "December 1994" (US; 1994-1x-xx), page 72
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