Doom and Hexen technical info

[mattfrie1]

Earlier this year I revisited the particularly rancid Saturn port of Doom to try and figure out what makes this version run so badly. I posted all my findings and whatnot over on Doomworld forums, and I even got one of the programmers (Jim Bagley) to pop up and give a few short insights on the development process. Here's the link for anyone interested.

I've also been doing an ongoing investigation into the console ports of Hexen for the past month now. I've mostly been focusing on the PSX port, but I'm also trying to take a crack at the Saturn port as well. My findings of the Saturn version are mostly in this post, as well as the first post in the thread. The Saturn port of Hexen appears to have been handled by a completely different team than the PSX port, and they were a team who actually knew how to program for the Saturn. My biggest obstacle at this point is trying to figure out what exactly is in the .LMP files for each of the levels. Would any of the Saturn development tools that are floating around the web be of any help?

[xDerekRx]

A few months back we talked ALOT about the Doom Saturn port. Jeff Bagley has been more vocal about what happened recently and it really sheds light on why the port was bad. Crazy when he said had Romero not been on vacation when he sent the hardware version to iD, that would have been the version we got! A great full frame version of Doom. It was good closure.

Hexen is also one we talk about on here.

Im a huge classic FPS fan, and my peak interest was oddly when I only owned a Saturn in 1997. So reading about the Hexen port was always fun. Even back then game magazines in the US (gamefan/gamepro) pointed how much better the frame rate was on the Saturn version over the PS1 version.

Hexen also has a secret 2 player link up mode in the debug menu (likely never finished but cool they left it in) I have personally tried it and it does work (buggy as hell) Been meaning to make a youtube video of it ones of these days.

Obviously we know about Lobotomy and their 3 FPS jewels. They were one of the reasons I got more out of the Saturn in 1997. Duke and Quake ran and played great (Duke played insanely better than the PS1 port)

But rounding back to Hexen. It was kind of bittersweet. Doom is the game that needed the better port between the 2 games. Its Doom, one of my Top 3 games of all time. And there has always been something about Hexen that never worked for me. Could never play it long enough. Always loved it for a few hours.

[MIK]

mattfrie1,

Some more stuff you might want to look into.

The sound effects in Saturn Doom glitch at times when played in Stereo. Played in Mono however the sound effects play fine, but also as a result of having the sound in Mono it allows the game to run slightly faster than it does in Stereo.

Doom on Saturn is being displayed in the wrong screen mode which accounts for much of the slow down it suffers imo. Doom renders at something like 320x240 (PAL) but on Saturn it's displaying that on something that is much larger. This is why the ceiling and enemy height is stretched compared to other systems.

Doom's gun code was tampered with on Saturn and has a priority to fire at almost the same rate it would normally no matter how slow the game gets. This breaks that tit-for-tat game mechanics that makes Doom the game it is on other systems! Basically the more the game slows down on Saturn the more it allows you to be ahead of the enemy and why you can rush busy levels taking little to no damage as if GOD mode has been switched on. The bad guys can't keep up when things slow down as they are locked to the frame rate which they should be..., the gun firing is not.

[bultje112]

interesting. saw a pal hexen laying around for 8 euros in a retroshop nearby. I wish I bough it

[mattfrie1]

Dec 21, 2016 5:53:05 GMT xDerekRx said:

A few months back we talked ALOT about the Doom Saturn port. Jeff Bagley has been more vocal about what happened recently and it really sheds light on why the port was bad. Crazy when he said had Romero not been on vacation when he sent the hardware version to iD, that would have been the version we got! A great full frame version of Doom. It was good closure.

Would you mind pointing me in the direction to the thread where this was talked about? I knew of John Carmack's vetoing of Bagley's original idea, but I didn't know that Romero's vacation was the only thing that prevented Bagley's original idea from getting released!

I'd also like to see footage of the link up mode from Saturn Hexen as well as Saturn Doom. Both games have menus for these link modes coded into them, but the menu for Saturn Doom goes unused in the US version and never got used for any localization of Saturn Hexen.

Very interesting stuff MIK. I figured there was some kind of lag compensation that must have been added to the port at the last minute as a last ditch effort to try and make the game more playable. I also noticed the different screen resolution in comparison to the PSX version as well. I have been using the debugger for the Saturn emulator Yabause to get some of my info, but I definitely intend on revisiting Doom to see if I can figure out more about the internals of the port.

[xDerekRx]

Ill try to get back to you later tonight since Im on my phone right now.

But Hexen Link up is in the debug menu (through easy cheat code)

I also own 2 copies of Doom JPN Saturn and the link mode is more intact. The game also runs maybe 15% better, not sure what they did.

[The Elite MYT]

I really want to grab Hexen at some point. It seems like the port is alright, if not fantastic. Shame about the Doom port. I´ll probably pick up the Japanese version of Doom at some point though. Marginally better frame rate, miles better cover art and a lot cheaper. Hopefully I can find it for a bargain as I´d rather not pay more than a tenner for it.

[xDerekRx]

The truth is the JPN version of Doom is actually not really cheap. And I should be clear the frame rate is maybe 10-15% better which is sadly hardly noticeable. Still runs like crap. The biggest added feature was the link cable 2 player mode was re-added to the JPN version (left out of the western versions despite advertising it on the back)

[barryburton]

Really not worth getting Saturn Doom except for novelty or collection purposes. PC or PS1 versions are the way to go.

[thewhitefalcon]

I'm weird; I like the 32X version.

[xDerekRx]

Honestly the 32x version is not bad for what it is. Play-ability is the key. The Saturn one just runs choppy. Its why Duke Nukem 3D for Saturn is far and away my favorite version. It just runs consistent frame rate. I can take some sacrifices in other areas of a game as long as it runs consistent. Another example would be House of the Dead. Yeah its ugly and 60% complete, but the saving grace is that it runs well. If it had also been choppy like Doom Saturn then we would consider in the same vein.

[The Elite MYT]

I saw it for 15 quid BIN on ebay about a week or so ago. I expected an auction to finish at maybe a tenner, or less if I´m lucky.

I´m in no rush for it. I know Doom inside out. I´d be buying it mainly to have it. I´d play through once and then probably not touch it, except to show other people. It´ll definitely be one of the last games I buy for the system, unless I see it for a steal.

[MIK]

Chances are you wont finish it on Saturn...

To see why start playing Doom2 on the hardest difficulty, reach the 3rd map and your see just how ugly the game gets. Try rushing the level.


32X Doom is wicked as I'm also fond of it, but yeah... If you prefer 1990's console Doom over PC Doom then grab Doom & Final Doom for PS1. Having both will cover all your retro console Doom needs!

PS1 Doom Tip:
Best played with the original PS1 controller, but also... If you find walking forwards while turning is a little sticky, loosen the screws of the pad by half a turn on the D-pad side. Your find it much smoother and easier to turn while walking forwards, (much like it is on a 6 button Megadrive pad).Your be playing like a PRO in no time.

[xDerekRx]

Ya the 2 PS1 releases are 100% the way to go as far as classic console releases go. Well that and Doom 64 for N64 as its own fantastic entry.