Rocket launcher

The rocket launcher is used to fire rockets. When picked up, it contains two rockets (four at the I'm Too Young To Die skill level).

The launcher first appears in a secret area of the level E1M3: Toxin Refinery and appears again in secret areas of the following three levels. It finally appears in a non-secret area in E1M7: Computer Station.

It can be put to unusual use in the level E3M6: Mt. Erebus.

A rocket normally inflicts about the same damage as the super shotgun at close range (about three times the regular shotgun), but is equally effective at long range.

In addition to inflicting hit damage, it usually inflicts blast damage in the area surrounding the explosion (within a radius of 128 units). Because of this, the player firing the rocket can be damaged himself if he is too close to the explosion.

Cyberdemons and Spider Masterminds take only the hit damage, not the additional blast damage. Therefore, a larger number of rockets is required to kill these bosses than might be expected.

The doom engine uses the same code for exploding rocket blast damage as for exploding barrels, and even the same sound effect. The blast radius is 128 units, and all objects within that radius are examined. For each object that can be damaged, the distance to the exploding rocket is calculated as the greater of the x-distance and the y-distance of the centers, less the radius of the object. The line-of-sight is checked, and if the view of the object from the rocket is obstructed, no damage is inflicted. Otherwise, damage is equal to 128 hit points less the distance.