Classic Doom demos: General notes (original) (raw)

+ ABOUT CLASSICDOOM DEMOS +

Last update: 07/07/2020

Most of the demo files (.LMP files) here have now been converted to videos, and these are accessible from video playlists on the ClassicDOOM YouTube channel.

(Note to Apple Macintosh users: The .LMP files available here are primarily for PC based systems and games. Original retail Macintosh Doom games cannot record or play back external demo files.)

All .LMP files here are made for use with version 1.9 of the appropriate games. (For information about upgrading your Doom/Doom II games to version 1.9, click here. For details on playing demo files under DOS or Doom 95, click here.)

Demos may be downloaded individually as plain, uncompressed LMP format files, or they can be downloaded in groups. Each demo group is compressed into a ZIP file to minimize transfer time. (For more about ZIP files, click here.) A textfile included in each demo group provides basic info on using demo files, and lists all the demos in the group, giving a thumbnail description for each. Every .LMP file in a demo group has its file time-stamp set to the running time of the demo, but demos under 1 minute are time-stamped as 00:00 (or "12:00AM").

All demos and videos accessible at ClassicDOOM.com were recorded by Ledmeister.

Most demos were made in Single-player mode; All were recorded from Green-player perspective using the original DOS engines running games at 320x200 resolution. All demos were made with a standard PC keyboard as the sole input device (using default Doom/Doom II key bindings), showing that you don't need the speed and accuracy benefits of mouse control to accomplish demonstrated goals or tasks.

Many of these demos are intended to address very specific puzzles or problems, and so do not include monsters. (In such demos, the object is to show a solution or illustrate a technique quickly. Combat only slows things down, and creates a bigger LMP file.)

Most demos here were made on Skill level 4, "Ultra-Violence". Exceptions are noted in the descriptions of specific demos on the various demo pages.

Some demos were made just for fun, and give a sample of Ultra-Violence combat. Notes on my UV combat demos: Anyone can run straight for the exit like a scared bunny and make it out of a level in record time. ;) The basic goals I try to achieve in my combat demos are these:

  1. Be the only survivor. Once I exit the level, no life remains.
  2. Pillage the level of all of its score-affecting Items.
  3. Expose all of the level's official/score-affecting Secrets.
  4. Don't spend time wandering around aimlessly.
  5. Exit the level in better condition than when I entered.
  6. The demo must be playable using the game's original DOS engine.

Exceptions to Goal 1 include Lost Souls ("flying skulls") that are ejected out of Doom II levels when Pain Elementals explode. (Fortunately Lost Souls aren't tallied in the Kills score in Doom/Doom II.) Exceptions to Goal 2 may include weapons and bullet clips dropped by enemies, or items that I can't pick up because my inventory is maxxed out. Occasionally I'll also skip items which have no effect on the final Items score. There are no exceptions to Goal 3; However, there are minor flaws on some maps that prevent players from being credited for discovering certain secrets. (On such maps a player normally gets a Secret score below 100%, even if all of the "official" secrets are discovered/revealed.) There are no exceptions to Goal 5. For the Master Levels demos I try to expand on this goal by leaving with maximum health and armor when possible.

All demos were made on a PC that has no audio output, which is why I sometimes seem to ignore obvious sound cues during combat. But all demos will of course play back with sound on any computer that's equipped for it.

Sometimes demos are added, deleted, renamed or rearranged. Some of the demos are recent, others are several years old now. Occasionally an old demo may be replaced by a faster or better version.

No cheat codes were used during the recording of any demo. None of these demos are "tools-assisted" or "built". No LMP editors were used on any demo file.

Classic Doom demo pages: Doom / Doom II / Master Levels / TNT / Plutonia / Misc

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