Doom 64 TC

Doom 64: Absolution, also known as the Doom 64 TC, is a total conversion created in 2003 by a team lead by Samuel Villarreal (Kaiser). It is based on material extracted from the Doom 64 ROM file, and uses a customized version of the Doomsday engine.

Doom 64 TC has since been superseded by Doom64 EX, which was also developed by Kaiser and features a more faithful representation of Doom 64, but does require a ROM of the game to run.

Levels
Doom 64 TC contains 38 playable levels in total. This includes the 32 original levels of Doom 64 for the Nintendo 64, although in a slightly different order. There are also six entirely new levels (marked with an asterisk). Though not listed, it is also possible to play the cinematic title map, MAP39: Intro, by typing "setmap 1 39" in the console.


 * MAP01: Staging Area (secret exit to MAP32)
 * MAP02: The Terraformer
 * MAP03: Main Engineering
 * MAP04: Holding Area
 * MAP05: Tech Center
 * MAP06: Alpha Quadrant
 * MAP07: Nukage Facility *
 * MAP08: Research Lab
 * MAP09: Outpost Omega (secret exit to MAP34)
 * MAP10: Final Outpost
 * MAP11: Even Simpler
 * MAP12: The Bleeding
 * MAP13: Terror Core
 * MAP14: Dark Citadel
 * MAP15: Altar of Pain (secret exit to MAP31)
 * MAP16: Eye of the Storm
 * MAP17: Dark Entires
 * MAP18: Blood Keep
 * MAP19: Watch Your Step
 * MAP20: Spawned Fear (secret exit to MAP33)
 * MAP21: The Spiral

Secret levels: Bonus levels:
 * MAP22: Breakdown
 * MAP23: Pitfalls
 * MAP24: Burnt Offerings
 * MAP25: Unholy Temple
 * MAP26: No Escape
 * MAP27: Forbidden Deeper *
 * MAP28: Shadows Watching *
 * MAP29: The Lair
 * MAP30: The Absolution
 * MAP31: In The Void (secret exit to MAP35)
 * MAP32: Cat And Mouse (secret exit to MAP38)
 * MAP33: Playground
 * MAP34: Crisis *
 * MAP35: Hardcore
 * MAP38: Hectic
 * MAP36: Doom64 Museum *
 * MAP37: Death Labs *

Due to the special nature of MAP38: Hectic (unlocking the jump cheat), this level cannot be accessed via change-level cheat ("IDCLEV38" during gameplay or "warp 38" at the Doomsday console).

MAP36: Doom64 Museum and MAP37: Death Labs function like a small self-contained episode, accessible via the "PLAY DEMO MAP" menu entry.

MAP39: Intro was used for the intro in earlier versions of the TC, but in the last version is unused.

The Outcast levels
In addition to the original levels, Kaiser released the Outcast mapset in 2005. The set includes seven maps, one of which is secret, and two new Demon Keys, which enhance the Unmaker in different ways. The green demon key, found only in the secret level, produces small sparks which float up, levitating whatever is underneath it. The red demon key allows the player to use Hell Time, which slows down time in cost of health. Additionally, there is the "hell potion", a red variant of the health bonus which gives two points of health and two points of armor, and also the "radar", the same as a computer map, but with object indicators. This pack also increased the version number, and fixed a few bugs.

The levels are as follows: Secret level:
 * MAP40: Destroy
 * MAP41: Stepwalk (secret exit to MAP46)
 * MAP42: Portal
 * MAP43: Darkened
 * MAP44: Traps
 * MAP45: Nebula
 * MAP46: Radiant

Additionally, three unfinished layouts are provided, which would be later completed in the Doom64 EX port for the Outcast Levels:
 * MAP43: Control (OUTCAST08.wad)
 * MAP48: Derelict (OUTCAST07.wad)
 * MAP49: Forge (test.wad)

Team members

 * Samuel Villarreal (Kaiser): levels; graphics; implementation
 * Elbryan42: music; graphics; sounds; organization
 * Melfice: levels
 * Lutarez: levels
 * The_Doomer: levels
 * Matt McGee: levels
 * Tony Lindberg (Ghostpilot): graphics
 * Footman: graphics
 * Fredrik Johansson: palette

New monsters
Doom 64 TC adds three new monsters to the existing Doom 64 cast:

Nightmare Spectre
The nightmare spectre is a green ghoulish spectre with 500 health and attacks rapidly. They are also slightly faster than regular Demons and Spectres.

Nightmare Cacodemon
The nightmare Cacodemon is a more powerful form of cacodemon found only in the Doom 64 TC. They are bright red rather than brown, three times as fast as the normal cacodemon, and nearly twice as tough. Nightmare cacodemons fire three times every time they attack. Unlike the other nightmare demons, they are also more resilient to pain than their regular counterparts. This makes the chainsaw less effective against them. They have 700 health.

Their speed and rapid attacks in succession make them deadly adversaries, and their transparent bodies can make them hard to spot in some areas.

The chaingun, plasma gun and BFG9000 are effective counters against them, although the latter should only be used if they come in swarms. They are far too fast to hit with rockets.

Marine bot
MAP39: Intro includes an appearance of the green marine bot, unlike the original Doom 64 introductory map. These marines have 100 hit points.

Outcast adds four new monsters to the existing monster cast:

Commando
Brown zombieman that fires a fast burst with a high chance of skipping the refire and resetting its state. They have 50 health.

Acid demon
Green demon with 200 health. It fires a short-ranged projectile, and has a charge attack that briefly increases its speed under rare condtions.

Nightcrawler
Grenade throwing arachnotron with 750 health. The grenades explode after a short time, not upon contact. They can infight with normal arachnotrons.

Stalker
Green lost soul, which fires red mancubus fireballs and has the ability to teleport. They have a chance for firing homing fireballs, like the revenant. They have 200 health.

Technical issues, bugs and flaws
The F10 hotkey to quit the game is not caught correctly, activating an invisible main menu which pauses the 3D rendering.

Not all rendering effects and engine behaviors could be copied exactly. Hint monitors (computer screens showing a different camera's view for a few seconds) are not supported, sector movements differ (changing the playing strategy, e.g. in the secret level "Hectic"), and the appearance of lighting effects differs (most noticeable for the rotating light column at the end of MAP01: "Staging Area").

Trivia

 * The engine used by Doom 64: Absolution is a customized version of the Doomsday Engine, version 1.7.13, running the JDoom plugin. It is presented as a separate executable, called, and is required to run the total conversion. The latest release of carries version number 1.1.05.
 * The Unmaker exclusively in this port fires projectiles instead of tracers.