ZDoom32

This article is about the fork for lower end computers. For the similarly named executable hack, see Doom32.

ZDoom32
Codebase	ZDoom 2.8.1, GZDoom 1.9.1
Developer(s)	drfrag
Initial release	2.8.2 (2017-06-30, 6 years ago)
Latest release	2.8.6a (2021-12-25, 2 years ago)
Development status	Active
Written in	C++
Target Platform	Cross-Platform
Available in	English (United States)
License	Doom Source License, 3-point BSD, others

ZDoom32 is a fork of the ZDoom source port by drfrag. It is based off ZDoom 2.8.1 and the last developmental revision of ZDoom after its last official release, version 2.9pre. It focuses on enhancing the latest ZDoom codebase with new unique features, mostly backported from LZDoom and QZDoom. It also includes a OpenGL renderer courtesy of GZDoom 1.9.1 whilst improving the codebase for lower end computers.

History

ZDoom32 initially was released to enhance the core ZDoom 2.8.1 experience after the latter was discontinued. Alongside various bug fixes, a true-color renderer was included. Starting from version 2.8.2 GL, an OpenGL renderer was added, courtesy of GZDoom 1.9.1. Most of the releases focus on improving performance of the software renderer and the OpenGL renderer whilst maintaining compatibility with newer mods, such as Brutal Doom.

After two years of inactivity, ZDoom 2.8.6 was released on July 9, 2021. It added a new skill level and an IWAD selection picker. There are two versions: One with OpenGL and one without, on top of removing SSE2 and assembly optimizations, allowing it to still run on Windows 98.

2.8.6a was released on December 25, 2021. It backported several fixes from another one of drfrag's ports, ZZDoom. It was released with two executables - with OpenGL and without but utilizing assembly optimizations.

Features

• All features from ZDoom 2.8.1 and GZDoom 1.9.1 (ACS, etc)
  • OpenGL 2.0 based renderer:
    • Full 3D floors (including slopes)
    • Reflective floors
    • Dynamic lights, brightmaps, glowing flats, custom hardware shaders
    • Quake II and Half-Life-style skyboxes in addition to regular ZDoom skyboxes
    • Optional High-quality (HQnX) rescaling filters for graphics, sprites and textures
  • MD2 model support
• Truecolor renderer by Magnus Norddahl (dpJudas). This is a older renderer than the one that got included in the QZDoom port
• Compiled with Pentium II architecture optimizations
• Sprite and wall distance culling to improve performance
• Culling options for the OpenGL renderer to increase performance
• Low detail modes (from ZDoom LE) (2x2, 3x2, 4x4)
• Options to switch between Direct3D and DirectDraw rendering (Worldsim, backend)
• Modernized keyboard layout
• Optimized executable for SSE2 instructions. This requires a Pentium 4 or Pentium M processor
  • Alternative executable without additional SSE2 and assembly instructions and with OpenGL support called ZDOOM32_N.EXE
• Numerous fixes for mods, such as Brutal Doom
• Various other optimizations from GZDoom, QZDoom, LZDoom, Eternity

Trivia

• ZDoom32 requires the following: Pentium II 233, 32 MB RAM, 1 MB SVGA card and Windows 98. For OpenGL mode a graphics card with GL 2.0 support is required.
• Previous versions include 2.8.2, 2.8.2 GL, 2.8.2a, 2.8.2b, 2.8.3, 2.8.4.

External links

• ZDoom32 2.8.6 binaries, hosted by GitHub
• ZDoom32 2.8.5c binaries, hosted by GitHub
• ZDoom32 2.8.5b binaries, hosted by GitHub
  • ZDoom32 2.8.5b binaries, alternative location
• ZDoom32 2.8.5a binaries, hosted by GitHub
• ZDoom32 2.8.4t binaries, non-OpenGL version, hosted by GitHub
• ZDoom 2.8.4a binaries, hosted by GitHub
• ZDoom32 development thread
• Development thread at Doomworld

Source code genealogy
Based on	Name	Base for
ZDoom 2.8.1	ZDoom32	Active
GZDoom 1.9.1