Computer area map



The computer area map (or just computer map according to the manuals) is a powerup first introduced in E1M5: Phobos Lab in the Knee-Deep in the Dead episode of Doom. In that game and in Doom II it appears as a gray box with a screen, similar to a CRT computer monitor, upon which is displayed a series of green blueprints. In Doom 64, where it is introduced in MAP07: Research Lab, it resembles a large, oblong computer chip with a black screen and red lines scraggled across it.

Picking a computer area map up will cause unexplored lines in the current level to be shown on the automap in gray. Not all lines will appear, as the level designer can flag linedefs to be invisible to the computer area map; this can include certain secrets and most out-of-bounds areas (such as closets that monsters are stored for teleporting). Computer maps last until the level ends or the player is killed.

The computer area map's power can also be obtained with the cheat code. (The cheat code is similar but reveals even more information, although it does not distinguish between seen and unseen areas.)

This item is included in the items percentage displayed at the end of each level. However, after one map item is obtained in a single player game, any additional map items on the same level cannot be picked up. In multiplayer it is possible to pick up another computer map after dying and respawning.

Appearance statistics
In the IWADs the computer area map is first encountered on these maps per skill level:

The IWADs contain the following numbers of computer area maps per skill level: