Sega 32X

From DoomWiki.org

Revision as of 18:25, 28 October 2012 by Gez (talk | contribs) (→‎Technical aspects)


The 32X version of Doom was published by Sega in 1994. The game features seventeen maps from the first two episodes and therefore lacks the BFG9000 (which only appears in the third episode). However, it is still documented in the game's manual, plus the number "7" still exists on the status bar. A cheat code can give the weapon to the player, showing that it was coded in even though it does not appear in any of the maps. This version also has no multiplayer mode.

The game disappointed many fans since it did not play in a full screen, was missing many maps from other versions of the game, and only had the front sprite for the monsters. Because of this, there is no monster infighting in this version.

Due to poor use of the YM2612 FM synthesis chip in the Sega Genesis, this version's soundtrack is noticeably inferior to that of other versions. Also, many sound effects are missing. As with the Jaguar version, the maps have been edited and the game does not feature the cyberdemon, spiderdemon or spectre (however, unlike the BFG9000, they are not mentioned in the manual). There is also no way to save games, although there is a level select option that allows the player to start on any of the first fifteen maps.

If the player cheats while playing or uses the level select option, they will not see the real ending to the game and instead be presented with a DOS prompt (C:>) after completing MAP15. The game manual incorrectly states that the game will then warp the player back to MAP01 to try again without cheats, however, this does not happen.

Like in the Jaguar version, circlestrafing is not possible in this version due to the use of a "strafe on" key rather than separate left and right strafe keys.

Technical aspects

The Sega 32x version of the Doom IWAD uses the same wall texture format as the Atari Jaguar port: the "patches" are a in headerless, row-major, raw format, with the first 320 pixels repeated at the end. The TEXTURE1 lump contains dimension information for each texture, which are otherwise ambiguous (for example, both DOORBLU and CRATINY are 1344 bytes in size, but one is 8x128 pixels, while the other is 64x16 pixels.

The palette is stored in a lump named PLAYPALS instead of PLAYPAL. It contains a total of 15 palettes, instead of 14. The first 14 are unmodified, the last one is a palette with a blue tint. The COLORMAP lump contains 64 light levels, instead of 32+2.

Audio data and UI graphics (font characters, status bar, title screen pictures, and so on) are not found in the IWAD.

Map list

The map list consists of the first two episodes of Doom, minus the Tower of Babel (the cyberdemon, like the spiderdemon, is not included in the game). Most of the levels have been retextured and simplified to require less resources; many of the Deimos levels have even undergone severe cuts compared to the PC originals. Curiously, the final and secret levels are numbered 23 and 24, leaving a seven-level gap in the numerotation, which might have been originally intended for the seven levels of Inferno that do not contain monsters absent from this port (E3M1 to E3M7, leaving E3M8 and E3M9 out, like the Jaguar version of the game).

Bugs

  • Some status bar face graphics are flipped left to right with respect to the originals, so that when the Doomguy takes damage, the part in his hair appears to jump from side to side. [1]
  • Rockets face the player when launched.

Images

  • Box art for the U.S. 32X version of Doom

  • Box art for the PAL 32X version of Doom

  • Box art for the PAL 32X version of Doom

  • A screenshot from the 32X version of Doom

See also

External links

Source code genealogy
Based on
Jaguar Doom 		Doom for Sega 32X None
Retrieved from "https://doomwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Sega_32X&oldid=83054"