E1M7: Computer Station (Doom)
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| Ultimate Doom maps | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Shores of Hell | ||
| Inferno | ||
| Thy Flesh Consumed | ||
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E1M7: Computer Station is the seventh map in the Knee-Deep in the Dead episode of Doom. It was designed by John Romero and uses the music track "Demons on the Prey" by Robert Prince. The par time is 3:00.
Contents
Walkthrough[edit]
Essentials[edit]
From the start point (A), go through the door and take the first left. Follow the corridor to an alcove on your left (east), the far corner of which contains a lift (B). Go up this lift and follow the ledge around to a small technical room containing the yellow keycard.
Leave the alcove and bear slightly left (not up the blue staircase). If you play on Ultra-Violence or Nightmare!, watch out for the eight shotgun guys outside the window to your left (guarding the partial invisibility), some of whom may open fire as you pass. Go through the yellow door (C) into a computer room. Proceed straight ahead (west), turn the corner, and leave the room through the passage to the south. You will pass a blue door (D), then approach a wide curved staircase (E). As you reach the top of this staircase, the brown column in front of you will lower rapidly, revealing a shotgun guy (I'm too young to die and Hey, not too rough), or two shotgun guys (Hurt me plenty), or four shotgun guys (Ultra-Violence and Nightmare!).
Go around the column and bear right (northwest); follow the passage along through a yellow door and into a large octagonal room containing several barrels and a green armor. At the far end of this room is a lift (F), which leads to a gray passage containing the red keycard. As you round the turn in this passage, two traps will open elsewhere in the level (G, H), releasing a shotgun guy and a zombieman (ITYTD and HNTR), or a zombieman, a shotgun guy, two imps, and a demon (HMP), or a zombieman, two shotgun guys, two imps, and two demons (UV and NM).
The red door is near the start point; you would have seen it if you had initially turned right instead of left (I). The blue keycard is on a balcony behind this door, but as you step onto the balcony, two traps will open elsewhere in the level (J, K), releasing two shotgun guys and an imp (ITYTD and HNTR), or four shotgun guys and two imps (HMP), or six shotgun guys and five imps (UV and NM).
Return to the blue door, and ascend the staircase on the other side. Cross the rectangular room and enter the passage directly ahead. Follow the passage around to a recessed button in a dark room (L), which opens the gray door at the other end of the rectangular room (M). Go through the gray door to the exit room; if you play on UV or NM, watch out for the six shotgun guys outside the window on your right. Press the switch.
Other points of interest[edit]
As you cross the north side of the computer room, a lift will lower to your left (N). Use this lift to access the central area of the room, which contains a rocket launcher and a box of shotgun shells.
The column trap near the curved staircase will rise again if you step onto it. By jumping off at the right time, you can land on the small ledge to the northeast (P), which leads to an alcove containing a computer area map. (This maneuver is rather difficult, so you may want to save your game first. If the column rises without you, walk to the curved stairway to lower it again. If you are still on the column when it reaches its maximum height, you are not trapped: the switch on the west wall lowers it again.) As you pick up the computer area map, a tiny bridge rises behind you, connecting the small ledge back to the column area. If you fall into the nukage, run to the radiation shielding suit in the back corner (Q), and then see secret #2 below.
If you take the left fork after passing the column, you will go through a door into a dark computer room (O) containing a box of bullets and a box of rockets. There is also a chainsaw here, though it is not immediately accessible (see secret #1 below). If you look out the window to the south, you can see the chaingun on its platform (secret #3).
Secrets[edit]
- If you use the rising column to jump into the nukage pool to the north, or if you fall off the ledge near the computer map, run to the radiation suit in the back corner (Q). After picking up the suit, turn around and press the red switch behind you. A small door opens to reveal a staircase (sector 153), at the top of which are a box of rockets, two medikits, and a metal switch. Pressing this switch opens the square column with the chainsaw inside (R). To get out of the nukage, see secret #2 below.
- The north nukage pool must be exited by running to the extreme northern end, where there is a small platform (S) with a supercharge. As you step onto this platform (sector 71), a hidden door opens to your right, providing a shortcut back to the beginning of the level. On your way through the nukage, you will also see a tall brown column on your right; concealed here is a small alcove (T) containing a megaarmor.
- If you instead jump from the rising column into the south nukage pool, you will find a thin concrete platform (U) containing a chaingun, several large ammo pickups, and a medikit. (sector 147) This platform also adjoins a narrow passage leading to a backpack. As you reach the backpack, a hidden door opens to your left, returning you to the curved staircase. Note that this nukage pool contains one armor bonus (V).
- One of the traps triggered by the blue keycard platform (K) contains a secret door on its east wall, indicated by a greenish texture. This reveals a passageway (sector 94) leading to the large courtyard with the partial invisibility (W).
Bugs[edit]
Four barrels (things 112, 113, 114, and 187) have no flags set for any of the three difficulty classes, so they do not actually appear in the level.
Linedefs 744, 745, 746, and 747 have their upper textures on the wrong side, but the HOM is visible only from the chainsaw platform before its walls have been lowered.
One end of the chaingun can clearly be seen through the low wall which obscures its platform (from the left edge of the curved staircase, or from the right side of the bridge if approaching from the chainsaw area).
The following actions can trigger the blockmap bug:
- From the extreme western edge of the first room, firing into the central area (not along the blue gallery).
- Firing along the blue gallery at a slight angle.
- Attacking a demon in the first section of the red keycard corridor.
- Firing westward in the northern part of the large octagonal room.
Slime trails may be visible in the following locations (see screenshots below):
- Just past the first door, looking toward the yellow keycard alcove.
- Outside the red door, looking southeast.
- At the T-intersection on the western edge of the first room, looking east.
- Looking along the blue gallery from the west end.
- Looking at the northern nukage pool through the window in the first room.
There are 3 known anomalies in this level's REJECT table.
Design oddities[edit]
Linedef 450 has its upper texture on the wrong side, resulting in a Hall of mirrors effect. This is not normally observed, however, because the corresponding sector (a tiny hidden area of height 8 near the rocket launcher) is inaccessible without cheating.
The building(s) are taller on the inside than outside. This is especially noticeable in the area north of the large outdoor area. The room marked with B on the map is much taller than what the outside sky indicates.
Several doors are oddly tagged as needing the yellow keycard, including the back of the wall hiding secret #4, and the plain door to the northwestern rooms with the red keycard. As these are only accessible after acquiring the yellow keycard and opening the marked yellow doors, they do not affect single player gameplay.
Demo files[edit]
- No monsters, 100% secrets walkthrough (file info)
- 100% kills, items, and secrets on ITYTD (file info)
- 100% kills, items, and secrets on HNTR (file info)
- 100% kills, items, and secrets on HMP (file info)
- 100% kills, items, and secrets on UV (file info)
Areas / screenshots[edit]
Start area
Approaching the first yellow door
This column lowers as you approach it
Blue keycard, viewed from the large octagonal room
The red keycard
This button unlocks the exit area
The large courtyard (secret #4), as seen from the exit area
The cloistered platform in the computer room
Computer area map powerup in the distance
A weapon has been revealed!
Escaping the north nukage pool (secret #2)
A large ammo dump (secret #3)
Slime trails[edit]
Southeast of the start point
Southwest of the start point
Western edge of the first room
The blue gallery
In the large nukage pool
Speedrunning[edit]
Routes and tricks[edit]
Due to the large population of this level, even a straight speedrun requires the player to obtain a shotgun in the first room and use it regularly. When fast monsters are present, the deaf shotgun guy hiding around the left-hand corner may be killed by the imp behind it, which is slightly faster than simply using one's pistol. [1] The structure of the map allows few major route optimizations (it is simply a matter of reaching the next keycard, then the next locked door, and so forth), but secret #2 is demonstrably a shortcut on the way to the red door, especially as there may be rather a mob in the computer room by that time.
A small amount of time can be saved in the first room by skipping the green armor, then returning to it after picking up the blue keycard (thus bypassing the crowded passage near the windows). The fastest Compet-N demos make use of two key barrel frags: the right-hand barrel at the column trap (allowing you to round the curve to the inside), and the barrel through the window just beyond the blue door (clearing the way to the button), but not at the entrance to the octagonal room, as there are simply too many interposing monsters for a clear shot. Conversely, later congestion can be eased somewhat by holding one's fire as long as possible after entering the red keycard corridor, after passing through the red door, and after passing through the blue door (in all three cases, sound-blocking linedefs no longer lie between you and various monsters). The level has been completed without the megaarmor or the radiation shielding suit, even in NM. Many Compet-N episode runs do pick up the megaarmor, however [2] [3], and in a UV episode run, the health saved by picking up the radiation suit may actually affect whether or not you reach the exit.
NM speed runs tend to follow the UV speed route, although some players prefer to enter the computer room initially from the west, to avoid being cornered by the fast spectre. [4] Similarly, after picking up the blue keycard, some players detour to the center of the first room to avoid the large crowd along the western edge. [5] The rocket launcher is universally ignored, although the chaingun should be obtained as soon as possible to use on large crowds, especially near the exit. Attempting to outmaneuver fast demons in the confined area near the red keycard is normally considered suicidal as well. [6] The current record holder actually skipped the chaingun, but admits to a few lucky damage calculations at the end [7] (a lucky barrel frag in the octagonal room, and a lucky respawn pattern in which the shotgun guys at the column trap did not return, also appear to have helped).
It has been shown that, with fast monsters, charging straight at the column trap is fairly likely to cause infighting, since the shotgun guys have trouble dealing with the height difference at first. [8] On the way out of secret #3, many players pause briefly until the brown column stops rising, then cross the trigger line, so as not to have to waste even more time on the way back from the red keycard room by running past it and waiting for it to descend.
In categories requiring 100% kills, efficiency is greatly increased by the use of rockets, usually upon first approaching locked doors behind which the monsters are already active, through the windows on one's way to the supercharge, and in the southern part of the large courtyard (if your aim is good, you can kill all six deaf shotgun guys with two shots). The fastest UV max runs also fire one or two at the column trap, into the dark window just beyond the blue door, and, for maximum efficiency and risk, at the trap in the octagonal room.
UV max players, once the column trap has been dealt with, are advised to proceed in the following order:
- pick up the chaingun;
- clear the chainsaw room;
- clear the red keycard room and its trap (but not the other trap just triggered, as those monsters will make their way to the northwest corner of the computer room with everybody else);
- get secrets #1 and #2, emerging near the red door.
In the first room, infighting can be rapidly encouraged by firing one bullet to wake everyone up, then circling to the west in a start-and-stop manner, thus shielding yourself with the spectre (while avoiding its attacks). [9] The chainsaw room is most quickly cleared with a timing pattern:
- shoot the demon once with your shotgun;
- run forward to kill the southern shotgun guy;
- spin right to kill the southwestern shotgun guy;
- keep turning right to shoot the barrel to the north, which will often knock down both the demon and the remaining shotgun guy. [10]
NM episode runs generally begin this level with a few rockets in reserve, which may then be used at the blue keycard and/or to clear the path to the medikit in front of the octagonal room.
When 100% secrets is required, most players do not consider the radiation suit a detour, because it can be picked up while waiting for secret #1 to open. [11] Although the chainsaw is essentially irrelevant in any category save Tyson, you should still go all the way into secret #1 for the rockets (and the medikits, if need be). It has also been shown that getting the partial invisibility can reduce the damage taken in the final few passages. [12]
When fast monsters are used, congestion near the entrance to secret #4 can be a problem. Some players open and close the western yellow door a few times to encourage infighting, then run through the blue gallery and approach from the east side. If you have enough rockets left, you can instead fire two or three into the trap nearest the blue keycard, ensuring that the monsters in the other trap will have wandered northward by the time you arrive. Fast monsters also incite some players to dive into the extreme southwestern corner of the red keycard passage, where only one demon can approach at a time, and (for styles requiring 100% kills) to grab the partial invisibility before going anywhere near the shotgun guys at the south end of the courtyard.
UV -respawn runs differ from UV max runs by ignoring areas of low population density, namely the chainsaw room and the large courtyard. These are generally recouped by killing monsters twice in the first two rooms (proceeding from the blue keycard to the yellow door slowly, as in a max run), by firing rockets through the window into the final passageway before stepping onto the rising column, and perhaps by shooting barrels in the octagonal room after picking up the blue keycard. Most players kill a few shotgun guys through the windows before pressing the exit switch, just to be on the safe side. A small amount of time can also be saved by dodging demons in the red keycard corridor, so as not to have to stand there holding down the trigger.
Modern Tyson recordings begin by picking up the chainsaw as soon as possible, then using it on absolutely everything save barrels and groups of shotgun guys (even to the extreme of circlestrafing around mixed crowds to cut down the shotgun guys first). Because the first two rooms must be re-entered anyway in order to reach the red door and the blue door, this does not actually require modification of the UV max route, although secret #3 can be skipped because the extra bullets are not needed. Barrel frags are still quite important, especially at the column trap (lunge forward first so that the leftmost zombiemen walk toward the barrel), in the dark switch room, in the chainsaw room, and in front of the trap in the octagonal room. Running straight to the yellow keycard also leaves a lot of monsters alive in the first room, so it is advisable to proceed slowly from the blue keycard to the blue door. Xit Vono introduced the idea of using the chainsaw on the shotgun guys near the partial invisibility, which is slightly slower, but saves time in the long run because it increases the infighting near the exit door. [13] He later optimized this by shooting the deaf shotgun guys at the extreme southern end first. [14] Such tactics also reduce the number of zombies who must be fought at close range near the exit switch, so a small amount of time can also be saved by not picking up the health in the rocket launcher area (which in any event should wait until your second or third trip through the computer room, thus allowing most of the zombies to find the lift and come to you).
A pacifist run can be completed using the UV speed route, with the megaarmor a brief but essential detour, though some players believe that luck is the most important factor in reaching the exit, especially in the crowded areas beyond the blue door. [15] On the walkway in front of the yellow keycard, the shotgun guy and imp can be dodged at close range by cutting the corner over the ledge. There is just about enough space to pass humanoids in the narrow passages leading to the octagonal room, and to run past demons on the way to the red keycard, but before picking up the red or blue keycard, feint backward to force all of the monsters toward one wall, thus decreasing your chance of becoming surrounded. At the red keycard lift, drawing the first demon out into the octagonal room can help also. [16]
Current Compet-n records[edit]
The Compet-n records for the map are:
| Run | Time | Player | Date | File | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV speed | 01:15 | Drew DeVore (stx-Vile) | 2002-10-13 | e1m7-115.zip | |
| NM speed | 01:32 | Vincent Catalaá (Peroxyd) | 2001-11-21 | n1m7-132.zip | |
| UV max | 02:19 | Hi Jango | 2005-09-04 | e1m7-219.zip | |
| NM100S | 01:51 | Guillaume Pierson (Guiddqd) | 2008-10-23 | n1s7-151.zip | |
| UV -fast | 02:28 | Juho Ruohonen (ocelot) | 2003-12-20 | f1m7-228.zip | |
| UV -respawn | 02:26 | Hi Jango | 2005-08-14 | r1m7-226.zip | |
| UV Tyson | 04:07 | Jim Leonard (Xit Vono) | 2003-04-05 | t1m7-407.zip | |
| UV pacifist | 01:46 | Drew DeVore (stx-Vile) | 2003-05-01 | p1m7-146.zip |
The data was last verified in its entirety on July 6, 2020.
Current DSDA records[edit]
The records for the map at the Doom Speed Demo Archive are:
| Run | Time | Player | Date | File | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV speed | 1:13.49 | mhrz | 2021-10-29 | e1m7-113.zip | |
| NM speed | 1:32.80 | Vincent Catalaá (Peroxyd) | 2001-11-21 | n1m7-132.zip | |
| UV max | 2:05.94 | Hi Jango | 2025-10-15 | e1m7m205.zip | |
| NM 100S | 1:46.57 | Brian Martin | 2015-12-14 | e1m7s146.zip | |
| UV -fast | 2:27.54 | Brookie | 2023-05-24 | f1m7-227.zip | |
| UV -respawn | 2:03.91 | Hi Jango | 2025-10-16 | e1m7r203.zip | |
| UV Tyson | 3:57.71 | j4rio | 2020-02-05 | t1m7-357.zip | |
| UV pacifist | 1:38.40 | Artem Safronov (SAV88) | 2012-05-20 | e1m7p138.zip | |
| NoMo | 0:56.69 | mhrz | 2023-07-03 | e1m7o5669.zip | |
| NoMo 100S | 1:12.97 | Teedre | 2020-08-30 | e1m7os11297.zip | |
| Stroller | 26:51.71 | Ancalagon | 2024-09-22 | e1m7str2651.zip |
The data was last verified in its entirety on October 31, 2025.
Deathmatch[edit]
Player spawns[edit]
This level contains ten spawn points:
- facing south. (thing 348)
- facing west. (thing 349)
- facing south-east. (thing 350)
- facing east. (thing 351)
- facing north. (thing 352)
- facing south. (thing 353)
- facing east. (thing 354)
- facing south. (thing 355)
- facing north-west. (thing 356)
- facing east. (thing 357)
Statistics[edit]
Map data[edit]
| Things | 358 |
| Vertices | 896* |
| Linedefs | 958 |
| Sidedefs | 1223 |
| Sectors | 170 |
Things[edit]
This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level:
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Inspiration and development[edit]
Early versions of this level appeared as E1M4 of Doom 0.4 and E1M4 of Doom 0.5.
Gallery[edit]
E1M4 in Doom 0.4
E1M4 in Doom 0.5
E1M7 in the released version
Trivia[edit]
- Regarding Doom level design, map creator John Romero considers it one of his best pieces of work.[1]
- In the PlayStation version, a revenant makes an appearance on Ultra Violence mode, in the dark corridor area towards the end of the level.
- The official French name of this level is Centre informatique.
- In 2015, the Doomjà-Vu mapping contest used a simplified version of its layout as a base from which to build levels.
External links[edit]
- E1M7 demos from the Compet-n database: UV speed • NM speed • UV max • NM100S • UV -fast • UV -respawn • UV Tyson • UV pacifist
- E1M7 demos at the Doom Speed Demo Archive
- Top-down perspective view of all Doom levels by Ian Albert
- Classic DOOM's E1M7 secrets walkthrough on YouTube
- JKAR gaming's E1M7 secrets explanation on YouTube
References[edit]
- ↑ McCandless, David (12 June 2002). "Games that changed the World: Doom." Computer and Gaming World (archived 🏛). Retrieved 5 February 2019.
