PrBoom 2.4.7 review
DownloadDoom was the classic 3D shoot'em'up game from id Software
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Doom was the classic 3D shoot'em'up game from id Software. PrBoom is a game engine for playing Doom levels, which runs on both Windows and POSIX systems. PrBoom project uses the SDL graphics library.
PrBoom is as compatible and as true to the original Doom as the authors could make it. PrBoom has recently merged with the LxDoom and LSDLDoom projects.
Here are some key features of "PrBoom":
Playing the game
Supports loading dehacked files at the command line, or in WADs (BOOM, MBF)
Supports PWADs containing sprites and flats (BOOM)
Save games and demos completely store game parameters (BOOM, MBF)
Savegames store list of loaded WAD files, warning if wrong files loaded (BOOM, MBF)
Game engine
Player bobbing improved, optional (BOOM, MBF)
Friction effects (BOOM), affecting players and monsters (MBF)
Wind, current, conveyor effects (BOOM)
Far more flexible scrolling wall/floor types (BOOM)
Always run (BOOM)
Weapon change logic overhauled and improved (BOOM)
Support for friendly monsters, helper dogs (MBF)
Monster target finding code improved (MBF)
AI improvements (MBF)
Bouncy and touchy things (MBF)
New code pointers (MBF)
Per-level and animated skies (MBF)
Generalised line types system gives complete flexibility (BOOM)
Elevators (BOOM)
Translucent sprites, walls (BOOM)
Independent floor and ceiling lighting (BOOM)
Silent teleports (BOOM)
Deep water, true underwater areas (BOOM)
Icon of Sin telefragging made more consistent (MBF)
Fix large numbers of game bugs (BOOM, MBF, LxDoom)
Support arbitrary texture heights (BOOM)
Screen
High resolution support (PrBoom)
Optional message console, multiple message lines (BOOM)
Status bar shows health/armour/ammo in colours (BOOM)
Heads up display, showing ammo, health, keys overlayed on view (BOOM)
OpenGL renderer which renders as original to software Doom as possible while greatly improving the visual quality (PrBoom)
Multiplayer
Spy mode improved (BOOM)
Support for loadgame in a net game (LxDoom)
Client server style network games (LxDoom)
Automap
No limit on marks (BOOM)
Rotation and overlay modes (DOSDoom, LxDoom)
Map shows coordinates (BOOM), optionally follow pointer (MBF)
Teleport lines, key doors marked specially (BOOM)
Keys, secrets visible on map with cheat codes (BOOM)
Colours fully configurable from menus (BOOM)
Intermission screens
Par times hidden when not relevant (BOOM)
Total episode time shown (LxDoom)
Menus
F1 help screen shows current key setup (BOOM)
Key bindings, monster behaviour, and compatibility settings all set in menus (BOOM, MBF)
Compatibility
Game is capable of behaving like any of: original Doom v1.9, Boom v2.02, MBF (BOOM, MBF, LxDoom)
Plays most original Doom v1.9 demos (more than Boom or MBF)
Plays most Boom v2.02 demos (apart from levels with friction effects everything should work).
Plays some DosDoom, earlier Doom, earlier Boom, and LxDoom demos.
Plays all MBF demos.
Auto-correction of common bugs in old levels (MBF), with warnings (LxDoom)
Fine control of options controlling compatibility and new features (MBF)
Controls
Greater control of key bindings from in game menus (BOOM)
More accurate mouse sensitivity control (BOOM, LxDoom)
Misc
Screenshot code improved, supports BMPs (BOOM)
Support for ENDOOM and ENDBOOM (BOOM, LxDoom)
-timedemo and -fastdemo options (BOOM)
Real time frame rate, segs, visplanes, sprites display (LxDoom)
Various extra cheat codes (BOOM, LxDoom)
Internals
Greatly improved internal memory management (BOOM, LxDoom)
Startup time greatly shortened by lazy generation of some lookups (DOSDoom, LxDoom)
Removed internal limits (BOOM)
What's New in This Release:
Fixed comp_soul and comp_maskedanim options not actually being optional.
Fixed searching for IWAD/prboom.wad (bugs #1585185, #1585600)
Multiple sound crash fixes (bugs #1577495, #1586800)
Fix for previously introduced HOM error
Fix frame numbering problem in MBF dehacked patches (bug #1576151)
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