Menneisyys

Ever wanted to play id Software’s evergreen title, Doom, on your 3D accelerated (currently, two models are capable of this: the Dell Axim x50v and x51v; but, in the near future, the O2 Flame will also have 3D support) Pocket PC? Now you can!

I’ve often elaborated (see for example this) on the forthcoming Doom clone DoomGLES. Fortunately, the author works really quick and has just released a playable alpha version.

Compatibility

Currently, it’s only compatible with WM5-upgraded Dell Axim x50v and x51v. It will NOT run on WM2003SE-based x50v’s. I’ve tested the title on a freshly hard reset x51v with the A12 ROM.

Installation

If you don’t have a real Doom around, you need to do the following:

1. create a subdirectory (it can be named anything - not necessarily “Doom”) on your storage card (you’d be better using a fast, well-optimized card because you will end up having to copy numerous files on it, which can take ages with non-optimized ones. Please see this article for more information on all this.)
2. download this file and decompress its contents into the Doom home directory on your card
3. download this file and decompress its content, doom1.wad, to the Doom directory
4. download this file and decompress its content, a subdirectory named OpenGLES, into the Doom directory. Make sure you don’t step into the subdirectory when copying stuff – that is, there must exist an OpenGLES directory inside your Doom home directory

If you do have the commercial version of Doom, instead of following bullet 3 and 4 (you will still need the contents of the ZIP file linked in bullet 2 in a directory), you will need to copy the doom.wad file to the main Doom directory of your storage card and extract the contents of this file to there.

Visuals

They are the same as with DoomGL and are, as far as resolution and lighting effects are concerned, way better than the original Doom you may have played back in 1993 (see for example the screenshots here to see how it looked like).

The speed of the game is extremely good – the animation has never become jerky.

Map

The map is also accessible (via the Home button by default).

Sounds

Unfortunately, there’s no music support, which is a pity because Doom had excellent music. Back in 1993, it was a treat to listen to the music on my, then, high-end Gravis Ultrasound (Classic) sound card.

As far as sounds are concerned, they are, as they should be, fully stereo. That is, you can hear the direction of an enemy.

Controls

There aren’t problems in this department either. You control the movement with the D-pad and the stylus as in most other Pocket PC FPS games; use the Action button to fire, the Messaging button to bring up the menu, the Contacts button to activate a door / switch etc.

You can redefine all these controls in the configuration file doomgles.cfg. It’s, fortunately, well-explained in the readme file; you must directly enter key codes in the file, which can’t cause you problems if you’ve already read my related articles on how the Windows Mobile operating system handles keycodes.

Problems

Unfortunately, the shareware version played on the A12 x51v just crashes on Level 2 when, behind the red door, after switching on the hidden switch in the room filled with poison, you use the lift packed with health packs to go down to the room full of enemies. I’ve tested this two times and I’ve run into the crash exactly at this position.

I don’t know whether the commercial version WAD file is also affected by this problem.

The future?

There will be implemented a lot of stuff; for example, multiplayer support, which is great given that, currently, there are no 3D accelerator-optimized FPS games with multiplayer capabilities. It's only the forthcoming Call of Duty 2 that is supposed to receive multiplayer support.

Verdict

Go give it a try if you’re a Doom freak and have an x51v or an WM5-upgraded x50v; you’ll like it!

Recommended links

Don’t forget to check out my other game reviews here. I also recommend the game reviews in the Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine's Expert Blog by Ben Stanley, Al Harrington and Eric Pankoke.

Related thread here at AximSite

http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showthread.php?t=143421

__________________
MS MVP- Mobile Devices.

deadlyvirus

Whooooooaaaaaaaa!!! wieehaw... cant wait to try this:)

deadlyvirus

geezz.. just tried it... think the makers of quake did something very wrong.... this games just runs way better, and looks better, in about every way:S cant wait till the beta, but the alpha shows to me that this port is WAY better than i had imagined.... this with multiplayer would be just about awesome

Antineutrino

I was wondering why it does not run on WM2003SE....

This game is OpenGL-ES.... Not D3DMobile .....

Really weird.....

What's the difference between OpenGL-ES 2003SE and WM5?

Thank You....

DotanCohen

Wow. How much work will it take to get this to run on WM2003?

Dotan Cohen

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player911

Anyone else have problems with it locking up on level 2?

How can you compare this game to Quake Mobile? I've been playing Quake Mobile and I am very impressed with it.

Aside from the common differences:
Doom is lateral; Quake is 3D
Doom = no jumping or free look (EDIT: I read it does have free look in this version)

Quake Mobile I am playing is amazing. Graphics look great and the controls are perfect (dpad for forward,backward, strafe left/right... stylus for free look/turning).

I'm in the middle of the 3rd episode of Quake Mobile still have 4th episode and the expansion packs. A 3D accelerated Doom would be awesome, but how does it compare?

I think it would be awesome remaking the original Doom using the Quake engine (I don't know why anyone wouldn't have done this already).

Menneisyys

Originally Posted by player911

Anyone else have problems with it locking up on level 2?

I'd really want to know the answer too :)

__________________
MS MVP- Mobile Devices.

deadlyvirus

Originally Posted by player911

Anyone else have problems with it locking up on level 2? How can you compare this game to Quake Mobile? I've been playing Quake Mobile and I am very impressed with it. Aside from the common differences: Doom is lateral; Quake is 3D Doom = no jumping or free look Quake Mobile I am playing is amazing. Graphics look great and the controls are perfect (dpad for forward,backward, strafe left/right... stylus for free look/turning). I'm in the middle of the 3rd episode of Quake Mobile still have 4th episode and the expansion packs. A 3D accelerated Doom would be awesome, but how does it compare? I think it would be awesome remaking the original Doom using the Quake engine (I don't know why anyone wouldn't have done this already).

First of all... doom locking up in level 2 is just a bug... it will be fixed soon, dont worry...

Second:
Aside from the common differences:

Doom is also quite 3d in my opinion, and it looks much smoother dan quake, where quake has that "square pixels" look, doom is very smooth, and runs very fast, where quake tends to slow down sometimes. (i dont care if its latteral or not, it just looks much much better, and runs faster... and its 3d...)

And uhm.... maybe youve done something wrong, cuz i damn well have free look on my Doom;)... but it doesnt make the game grapics any nicer or something....

I am also wondering what the ability to jump has to do with the way the graphics of a game look?

deadlyvirus

Just saw this on the doom site:

10/12/06 - First alpha release (V0.01) for Doom's 13th anniversary.
Only compatible with episode 1 (from unmodified V1.9 shareware or commercial version).
Please readme carefully the readme.


so its normal... owh bdw, player, where did you heared that a patch for the x50v was going to be released? I do know the maker stated that he wasnt going to make it 2003se compatible cuz he didnt have a x50v....

AntiInquisitor

That is fantastic news. Thanks

player911

Well the original doom wasn't 3D and did not have free look.

This version does have free look and is completely 3D (except for the enemies and items). This I like. But from what I noticed about playing the game... is that the monsters and power-ups and weapons are still 2D sprites and defiantly not 3D (unlike Quake Mobile).

Virus... in your comparison you mentioned quake was "square pixels". Are you referring to the original quake port, or the 3D Accelerated Quake Mobile? Quake mobile is not pixely.

This version of Doom does have some great lighting, but I would still like to see the monsters (if anything) in 3D. I saw in the screenshots that the Pinkies were 3D models, but in my version (granted its still alpha) everything were still 2D sprites.

And yes it will run faster compared to quake because doom is lateral. All you see are hallways and rooms with low ceilings. Currently playing Quake mobile... I came to 1 scene last night which was somewhat choppy but that was in episode 3 of the original game, where there were 15 HUGE pillars that arose high into the sky (lots of textures). It was still completely playable, but did show signs of slowdown.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Quake is better. I'm just defending Quake mobile by saying it IS smooth and completely 3D models AND graphically accelerated.

From what I've seen this shows lots of potential and I really like the lighting. A multiplayer would be freakin' fantastic. Walls and ceilings look great and I love the way the lighting looks. Free look makes it feel like a completely new game.

I can't wait to see what the final release will bring.

And Virus... there is a thread floating around aximsite about the x50/v WM5 patch supposed to be released today (12/12/6). I just read that thread before this one, and it looks like it isn't release yet.

I dunno if someone started a rumor or if it is real.

Kokak

Originally Posted by player911

This version of Doom does have some great lighting, but I would still like to see the monsters (if anything) in 3D. I saw in the screenshots that the Pinkies were 3D models, but in my version (granted its still alpha) everything were still 2D sprites.

Hi,
DoomGLES already supports 3D Models (MD2 format). Please read the readme to know how to install them. Almost everything is replaced by 3D models once you have installed them.

By the way, does anyone else experience the level 2 crash ?

player911

Oh I am running the commercial wad file... I guess you have to use the special MD2 shareware wad for the 3D models to work.

I'll have to check it out.

Plus where was that level 2 crash at? I haven't finished level 2... but I've gotten pretty far.

Kokak

Originally Posted by player911

Oh I am running the commercial wad file... I guess you have to use the special MD2 shareware wad for the 3D models to work. .

There is only one MD2 pack common to both shareware & commercial wads.

Originally Posted by player911

Plus where was that level 2 crash at? I haven't finished level 2... but I've gotten pretty far.

It has been reported after the red door, especially after meeting the first sarge (shotgun guy). But it doesn't crash on every Axim (no problem on mine, for example). I would like to figure out what is the problem.

player911

Yea I read about the MD2 folder that you copy into the OpenGLES subdirectory... but I don't see the link anywhere on this page so I had to get it off your website.

Once I did that it the 3D models worked like a champ. Pretty neat stuff.

Now does this only work with Episode One? What would happen if I copied over my doom1.wad from the full game? Would it even allow me to play the other episodes... and/or would it be 3D or not?

BTW I'm past the red door.