These are notes and observations made about an alpha version of Doom, dated April 2, 1993.
Download this version of Alpha Doom (944 K)
Z -- Fully texture-mapped floor and ceiling
X -- Texture-mapped floor, non-texture-mapped ceiling
C -- No texture-mapping on either floor or ceiling
M -- Toggle player view from floor level ("death view")
Alt -- Opens doors, strafing
Q -- High detail
W -- Low horizontal detail
E -- Low vertical detail
R -- Hicolor mode?
T -- Turn player around in a circle and then exit, displaying timing
P -- Profile -- perhaps related to PROFILE.DAT ???
RIGHT SHIFT -- Run mode (must be 'pumped', though)
(there may be others that work besides the ones listed above -- experiment!!!)
Alpha Final
level level
__________________
E1M1 E2M7
E1M2 E2M2
E1M3 ?
E1M4 E1M7
E1M5 E1M6
E1M6 ?
E1M7 E1M4
E1M8 E1M2
E1M9 E3M3
E1M10 ?
E1M11 ?
E1M12 (not present in this alpha version)
E1M13 (not present in this alpha version)
I could not find an automap, and the status bar does not do anything.
Switches do not work, and floors do not move up and down yet.
Monsters do not block, and weapons do not kill or even make things disappear.
It it possible to walk into nukage on some levels, but it is not harmful.
To play levels 10 and 11, you must type:
doom e1m10
doom e1m11
From the ALPHREAD.ME file, dated April 2, 1993:
Dear Id Beta Tester,
Yes, it's the DOOM ALPHA! (Actually, we're just try to release these
every two weeks or so. This WAS going to be a pre-beta, but a certain
person let us down Super-Nintendo-cart-programming-wise, so it's just an
alpha. Nonetheless, here 'tis.)
WHAT'S NEW
o Animating floors
o Doors
o Flickering lights, strobe lights
o New level stuff
o Items visible
o Lots more art
WHAT'S COMING
o Textures "anchored" so windows and doors actually look cut out of wall
o Raising and lowering sectors (there are a lot of these just waiting to
be raised and lowered, but...)
o N-E-T-W-O-R-K-I-N-G (actually, it's sort of in there now, but you can't
move anywhere, so...)
o A Read Me file with less ellipses...
o The entire rest of the game.
You can get to levels 1-9 by the 1-9 keys. To see 10-13, you must type
DOOM E1Mx
where x is the level number (1-13) you wish to see.
LEVEL NOTES
1 Getting near done. Will have signs to lead the lost by the nose.
2 Some neat rooms in the crate maze, but south half not touched.
3 Still just geometry. Non-functional conveyor belts.
4 Looking good, needs stuff and switches and so on.
5 Also doin' great. Awaiting incredible sector and segment triggers.
6 Nothing.
7 Some new gfx, but now that you can't climb up higher than 3 feet,
you can get to the cool bits.
8 Good level for network death matches, awaiting gettable objects.
9 Some cool bits and hidden rooms, but a work in progress.
10 Not much here.
11 Devoid of real levelness. Forget all you have seen!
12 Just the start is here with alpha graphics.
13 Wall heights messed up for the moment, awaiting segment trigger.
Id News
-------
o We're LIVE on the Internet, and have been wandering around all the amazing
newsgroups (Tom already saw a lot of them in college.)
o Tom, John R., and their respective squeezes went to Phantom of the Opera.
o Carmack's driving his Ferrari to Kansas City.
o Jay's a proud new papa. His son Nicholas is doing fine.
o Adrian's new house is getting lined up.
o Kevin's softball game is tonight.
o Shawn's enjoying his new 486/33 and scoping out clock doublers.
o We are beaming about our Best Action/Arcade of 1993 SPA Award!
So, report any anomalies.
We know that the one texture of Giger-ish tech stuff is screwed up, so don't
bother reporting that.
Also, send us your favorite joke. (Do not worry--we CANNOT BE SHOCKED!)
Thanks,
The Bad Boys of Id
