DOOM (1993)
totalchaos-teaser

Out of context, the teaser video for Total Chaos looks like an interesting, moody horror game. The abandoned cityscape, ominous ambiance, and foggy alleyways remind me of the upcoming Nether in particular, which runs on Unreal Engine 3. The two games look pretty similar. Here's the crazy thing: Total Chaos is a total conversion Doom II mod.
Total Chaos looks so much better than Doom II, you d have no way to tell it s a mod just by looking at it. But if you listen closely (at 0:47) when the player steps off a ledge, you ll hear the familiar grunt from Doom s space marine.
The mod s creator WadaHolic explains that Total Chaos doesn t run on the Doom 2 engine from 1993 proper, but a modified version of the original source code that brings in OpenGL, mouse looks and other features like 16x motion blur, high resolution textures, 3D models, and bloom effects.
WadaHolic says Total Chaos is inspired by games like Stalker. It drops you on an island with a video camera, no guns, and asks that you ll navigate the dangerous, monster-infested environment with whatever tools you can find.
He doesn t have a release date at the moment, but says that he hopes to have a Beta out near the end of the year. You ll need either GZDoom and Zandornum in order to run it.

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DOOM (1993)
Brutal-Doom

I didn t think it was possible for Doom to get any better, but mods make everything better. The absurdly violent Brutal Doom mod is doing a great job of keeping Doom just as shocking and visceral of an experience as it was when it first came out 20 years ago, and the newest version will add ragdoll physics because when I shotgun an Imp, I wanna see it tumble.
The Brutal Doom mod, which you may have seen us squee about before, adds new effects, animations, way too much blood, and other things that heighten the experience. v20, as you can see in the video above, makes each shotgun blast even more satisfying by knocking the enemy back an unreasonable distance. To me it looks like the right amount of ridiculous, but creator Sergeant_Mark_IV said he s going to tone it down a notch.
I have been playing a lot of Killing Floor lately and noticed how small zeds are sent rolling on the floor when killed by shotguns at close range, I love this effect, then I thought about making something similar on Brutal Doom, he said. Of course it will not send almost every enemy flying away like in the video. I will reduce the minimum range from 300 to 200 units. I mean, the shotgun will only send flying enemies that are VERY close to the player, and shooting on the legs or heads still causes amputations.
When it comes out, v20 should also make the mod run smoother, make blood splatters and ejected magazine last longer, and other nifty things. It seems like Facebook is the best place to keep up with it, and you can download it for free from Moddb.
DOOM (1993)
doom


Capcom took the original PC port of Resident Evil 4 and turned it into the much improved Ultimate HD Edition. Now, a modder has taken the Mercenaries mode from the same game and turned it into a kind of Un-Ultimate SD Edition. Doom: The Mercenaries is a Doom (and ZDoom) mod that marries Resi 4's arcade arena mode with the early-'90s demonic shooter.



While some will no doubt balk at the thought of QTE's in Id's seminal FPS, it's a pretty impressive, er, 'overhaul'. The game's been given a new third person view, new animations and a completely new interface, all to support the Mercenaries game type.

You can download the now fully released Doom: The Mercenaries from the ZDoom forum. To play it, you'll need both ZDoom (or GZDoom), and either doom.wad or doom2.wad. If, for some reason, you don't have either, Steam can help.
DOOM (1993)
Wolfenstein


Bethesda have started firing out FPS news like bullets from the personal arsenal of B.J. Blazkowicz. One lodges into the head of our trusty robotic dog, announcing that Wolfenstein: The New Order has a release date. Another is drowned out by an Inception-like caterwaul, revealing Wolfenstein: The New Order's new trailer. The third arrived alongside the improbable buckshot of dual-wielded shotguns. It told us that pre-orders of Wolfenstein: The New Order would secure access to an upcoming beta for the next DOOM.



To tackle the Wolfenstein news first, The New Order will be arriving in the US on May 20th, and in Europe on May 23rd. It looks like a thoroughly silly game, but one with some big, chunky weapons to unload.

As for DOOM, it's a bit of a surprise to see. Between rumours of an indefinite delay, and Bethesda's reveal that id Software had started over with the game last April, it was unclear whether the project would ever see the lights of Hell. That said, there's a QuakeCon on the way, and it'd be something of a downer if the studio had nothing to show.

Not that there are many firm details on the beta, or the game it's for. On Bethesda's FAQ page for the pre-order bonus, they essentially find seven different ways to tell people they're not answering questions.
DOOM (1993)
Brutal Doom


Absurdly violent mod Brutal Doom is a perfect lesson in the pleasure of bloody violence. And yet, even with it taking its obnoxious philosophy way past any natural conclusion, it's neither childish or embarrassing - unlike, say, that Ninja Gaiden Z trailer. This most gore-filled version of Doom's Id Tech 1 years has now reached its 19th version, bringing new fixes, animations and improved effects.



Okay, so maybe it is a bit childish. That's kind of the point, though.

After 10 months in development, version 19 is now available to download. Of its completion, creator Sergeant_Mark_IV writes, "V19 is not the final version of Brutal Doom. It's just the final version for a while. I need to take a long break of it, work on other projects, and return to it somewhere in late 2014/early 2015."

If it isn't enough to run through a blood slick version of the original DOOMs, you can also get a beta version of a Brutal Doom expansion for Doom 2, titled Beyond Hell and Earth.

You can download and see the changelist for Brutal Doom V19 over at ModDB.
DOOM 3 Resurrection of Evil
The Dark Mod


The Dark Mod is an excellent Thief-inspired stealth FPS mod from 2009, and so, to an extent, it seems almost inconceivable that any fans of the series won't yet have played it. Of course, that's slightly mitigated by the fact that it was a Thief-inspired stealth FPS mod for Doom 3. It's entirely conceivable that any fans of the series wouldn't have bought that. Running? Gunning? Far too rambunctious. For those shadow-clinging sneaks, there's good news, as version 2.0 of The Dark Mod has been released, turning it into a standalone game.

"We have spent a tremendous amount of time and energy replacing all the sounds, textures, particle effects, and models that we had been using," explain mod creators Broken Glass Studios. "Hopefully this will open up a whole new audience of people who didn’t want to have to purchase a different game in order to try The Dark Mod."

Alongside going standalone, this mod update brings improved audio, graphics and AI behaviour. Many of the missions have also been updated, in response to the game no longer using Doom 3's assets. "Going standalone has been a mammoth undertaking. There were literally hundreds of assets that needed to be replaced, and around seventy maps that had to be checked to see whether any of those replacements broke anything."

For a fuller explanation of The Dark Mod, check out this introductory video:



You can download The Dark Mod for free from the mod/game's website.
DOOM (1993)
15 most brutal mods of all time


Remember when buying a game didn’t feel like a guarantee of seeing the ending? There are still hard games out there, Dark Souls flying the flag most recently, but increasingly, the challenge has dripped out or at least softened, often leading to sadly wasted opportunities. What would Skyrim be like, for instance, if its ice and snow wasn’t simply cosmetic, but actually punished you for going mountain climbing in your underpants?

With a quick mod – Frostfall in this case – you’re forced to dress up warm before facing the elements, and things become much more interesting. That’s just one example, and over the next couple of pages you’ll find plenty more. These aren’t mods that just do something cheap like double your enemy’s hit-points, they’re full rebalances and total conversions. Face their challenge, and they’ll reward you with both a whole new experience and the satisfaction of going above and beyond the call of duty.

Misery
Game: Stalker: Call of Pripyat
Link: ModDB



All those weapons scattered around? Gone. Anomalies? Now more dangerous. Magic mini-map? Forget it. Valuable quest rewards? Good luck. Things you do get: thirsty, and factions who send goons after you if you anger them. On the plus side Pripyat is much more active, with a complete sound overhaul, and new NPCs to meet – who all have to play by the rules too, with no more infinite ammo. If you can survive here, you’ve got a good chance when the actual apocalypse comes.

Project Nevada
Fallout: New Vegas
Link: Nexus Mods



Nevada is a good example of making things more difficult without being openly psychotic. Levelling is slower, players and NPCs get less health, and obvious features are now in, such as armour only being a factor in headshots if the target actually has head protection. It’s also possible to toggle some extra-hardcore options, such as food no longer healing and taking care of hunger/thirst/ sleep on the move. There’s a sack of new content, and an Extra Options mod is also available, offering even more control.

Brutal Doom
Game: Doom
Link: ModDB



Despite what modern ‘old-school’ shooters would have you think, Doom was a relatively sedate experience – fast running speed, yes, but lots of skulking in the dark and going slow. Not any more! Brutal Doom cranks everything up to 11, then yawns and goes right for 25.6. We’re talking extra shrapnel, execution attacks, tougher and faster monsters, metal music, and blood, blood, blood as far as your exploding eyes can see. It’s compatible with just about any level you can throw at it, turning even E1M1 into charnel house devastation. The enemies don’t get it all their own way, as Doomguy now starts with an assault rifle rather than simply a pistol, and a whole arsenal of new guns has been added to the Doom collection – including the BFG’s big brother.



Full Combat Rebalance 2
Game: The Witcher 2
Link: RedKit



This streamlines the combat and makes the action closer to how Geralt’s adventure might have played out in the books. He’s more responsive, can automatically parry incoming attacks, begins with his Witcher skills unlocked, and no longer has to spend most fights rolling around like a circus acrobat. But he’s in a tougher world, with monsters now figuring out counterattacks much faster, enemies balanced based on equipment rather than levels, and experience only gained from quests, not combat. Be warned this is a 1.5GB file, not the megabyte Hotfix that’s claimed.

Requiem
Game: Skyrim
Link: Nexus



Elder Scrolls games get ever more streamlined, and further from the classic RPG experience. Requiem drags Skyrim back, kicking and screaming. The world is no longer levelled for your convenience. Bandits deliver one-hit kills from the start. The undead mock arrows, quietly pointing out their lack of internal organs with a quick bonk to your head. Gods hold back their favour from those who displease them. Most importantly, stamina is now practically a curse. Heavy armour and no training can drain it even if you’re standing still, and running out in battle is Very Bad News. Combine this with Frostfall, and Skyrim finally becomes the cold, unforgiving place it claims to be.

Radious
Total War: Shogun 2
Link: TWCenter



Not only is this one of the most comprehensive mods any Total War game has ever seen, its modular nature makes it easy to pick and choose the changes that work best for the experience you want. Together, the campaign AI is reworked, as are the skills and experience systems, diplomacy and technology trees. There are over 100 new units. Campaigns are also longer, providing more time to play with all this, with easier access to the good stuff early on in the name of variety. There’s even a sound module that adds oomph to rifles. Add everything, or only the bits you want. It’s as much of a tactical decision as anything else on the road to conquering Japan.

Game of Thrones
Game: Crusader Kings II
Link: ModDB



Real history doesn’t have enough bite for you? Recast the whole thing with Starks, Lannisters, Freys and the rest and it will. This doesn’t simply swap a few names around, but works with the engine to recreate specific scenarios in the war for the Iron Throne. Individual characters’ traits are pushed into the foreground, especially when duels break out. Wildlings care little about who your daddy was. It’s best to know a fair amount about the world before jumping in, and the scenarios themselves contain spoilers, but you’re absolutely not restricted to just following the story laid down in the books.



Realistic Weapons
Game: Grand Theft Auto IV
Link: GTAGarage



Guess what this one does. A bowling league for Roman? Cars that drive themselves? A character who appears to tell Niko “You have $30,000 in your pocket, you don’t need to goon for assholes” after Act 2? No, of course not. These guns put a little reality back into the cartoon that is GTA. The missions weren’t written with that in mind, obviously, but there’s nothing stopping you from giving it a shot. Worst case: murdering random civilians on the street is much quicker, easier and more satisfying. At least until the cops show up to spoil the fun. Range, accuracy, damage, ammo and fire rate are all covered, though be warned that you shouldn’t expect perfect accuracy from your upgraded hardware. This is GTA after all. Realism is not baked into its combat engine.

The Long War
Game: XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Link: NexusMods



You’re looking at eight soldier classes, many more missions, invaders as focused on upgrades as your own science team, and a much longer path to victory. Research is slow, not least to make early weapon upgrades more useful, while the aliens are constantly getting more powerful. Their ships are better, their terror missions are more regular, and more of them show up for battle. In exchange, you get to field more Interceptors, the council is easier to appease, and the ETs don’t cheat as much.

Ziggy's Mod
Game: Far Cry 3
Link: NexusMods



Ziggy makes Rook Island a more natural place, removing mission requirements for skills, cutting some of the easier ways to earn XP, increasing spawn rates to make the island busier, and throwing away the magic mini-map in favour of a compass. The second island is also unlocked from the start. Smaller changes include randomised ammo from dropped weapons, being able to climb hills that you should realistically be able to, and wingsuit abilities made available earlier to get more out of them.

Terrafirmacraft
Game: Minecraft
Link: Terrafirmacraft



Minecraft has a Survival mode, but it’s not desperately challenging. Terrafirmacraft takes it seriously, with hunger and thirst that must be dealt with at all times, and key elements added such as the need to construct support beams while mining to prevent cave-ins, and a seasonal cycle that determines whether or not trees will produce fruit. Many more features are to be added, but there’s enough here already to make survival about much more than throwing together a Creeper-proof fort.



Synergies Mod
Game: Torchlight II
Link: Synergies Mod



This adds a new act to the game, over a hundred monsters, new rare bosses, a new class – the Necromancer – more and tougher monsters and the gear to take them on. There are also endgame raids to add challenge once the world is saved yet again, and more on the way – including two new classes (Paladin and Warlock). It’s the top-ranked Torchlight II mod on Steam Workshop, and easily the most popular. Be aware that it’s still in development, and has a few rough edges.

Civilization Nights
Game: Civilization V
Link: Steam Workshop



While Brave New World has officially given Civ V a big shake up, for many players Nights remains its most popular add-on. It’s a comprehensive upgrade, adding new buildings, wonders, technologies and units, with a heavy focus on policies and making the AI better. The single biggest change is how it calculates happiness, citizens adding cheer simply by existing, but the slow march of war and other miseries detracting from the good times. Annexed a city? Don’t expect too many ticker-tape parades. Yet keeping happiness up is crucial, as it’s also the core of a strong military. This rebalancing completely changes how you play, while the other additions offer plenty of scope for new tactics and even more carefully designed civilisations.

Ultimate Difficulty Mod
Game: Dishonored
Link: TTLG Forums



This makes Dishonored’s enemies more attentive, faster and able to hear a pin drop from the other side of the map. When you get into a fight, it quickly becomes an all-out street war. The biggest change is to Dishonored’s second most abusable ability: the Lean (Blink of course being #1). Corvo can no longer sit behind scenery, lean out into an enemy’s face and be politely ignored. He’s now much more likely to be spotted – especially in ghost runs, where his advantages are now limited to the Outsider’s gifts rather than the Overseers’ continued lack of a local Specsavers.

Hardcore
Game: Deus Ex
Link: ModDB



New augmentations! Altered AI! Randomised inventories! Also a few time-savers: instead of separate keys and multitools for instance, a special keyring has both, while upgrades are used automatically if necessary. Difficulty also changes the balance considerably, from the standard game to ‘Realistic’ mode where you only get nine inventory slots, to ‘Unrealistic’, which makes JC Denton the cyborg killing machine he’s meant to be, but at the cost of facing opponents who warrant it. In this mode he gets double-jumping powers, and automatically gobbles health items when he gets badly wounded. Good luck though, I still got nowhere.
DOOM (1993)
The best shooters of all time


Every week we pull an interesting review, feature, or bizarre ad from the PC Gamer magazine archive.

In the spirit of id Software's QuakeCon, we thought it'd be appropriate to share a Doom feature from our premier US issue in 1994. "Doom has taken control of my life," admits former editor Matt Firme. "And I'm not alone."

For full-sized images, click here and here. You may need to right-click to open these images in a new tab.





DOOM (1993)
Brutal Doom


Doom's just not metal enough; thank goodness for Brutal Doom. Released in March last year, the beloved mod sought to make the classic even more hardcore and real—it introduced new death animations, gave objects shadows, and made headshots a thing. Now Brutal Doom's announced its 19th update, and after watching this trailer, I can say that I am very ready for this. (Though my ears, maybe less so.)



Brutal Doom's ModDB page reveals that the update releases August 9, with various unspecified new features, fixes, and "polishments" to be added. Developer Sgt Mark IV says that this will "probably" be the final version of Brutal Doom. The next game he's keen to focus on uber-gorifying with the Brutal treatment? Hexen. For now, we just wait till August for this. Someone pass me the super-chunky salsa—I want to bite down hard on that tasty, tasty desensitization.
RAGE
DishonoredPistol


Life for many residents of Dishonored's Dunwall city is brutal, short, and dark. Fortunately, the possibility of a sequel to Arkane Studios' take on steampunk stealth appears to be anything but grim, according to recent comments made by Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines to IGN.

When asked if he saw a future for a Dishonored series, Hines had the following to say: “In general, we try not to wade into anything as a one-off in the first place,” Hines said, “so yeah, for sure. The success of that game and how proud Arkane is of it and what goes on at any studio when they put out something like that and all the ideas that are coming out, certainly it’s something that we feel is a franchise.”

As we saw in its recent DLC The Knife of Dunwall, there is no shortage of strange and interesting characters in Dishonored who would be ready to pick up a blade and continue Arkane's story. Hines also used the game's trajectory as a way to talk about how publisher Bethesda views the development process within the various studios it works with. The possible creation of a Dishonored series is "specific to Arkane," he said.

“What we do or don’t do on Dishonored has zero effect on id, Tango, Machine Games," Hines said. "Each one, in some respects, kind of acts in a silo. It doesn’t really matter what those guys are making. ‘What are you good at? What are you going to work on next? What are you going to do next? Okay, that’s what we’re going to do.’ It’s as simple as that.”

A sequel to id Software's Rage, for example, is "to be determined," as that development team is currently at work on different, unnamed game, according to Hines. "Right now, focus is on their current project," Hines said. "They are full bore on that. What I’ve seen of it recently, I’m super happy about it. We want them to stick to that until we’re ready to talk about what that is. But let’s wait until we get there first.”

Thanks, VG24/7
...

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