Doom 3 Demo Available

oh the power by crtfdgk · 2004-09-19 05:50 · Score: 5, Funny

[looking at minimum requirments] Man, imagine a Beowu....Oh nevermind.....

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$> man woman
$> Segmentation fault (core dumped)

You mean by OverlordQ · 2004-09-19 05:51 · Score: 4, Insightful

they're just *now* getting a demo out? Doesn't that usually come *before* the game is released?

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Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.

Re:You mean by Jonny_eh · 2004-09-19 05:56 · Score: 5, Insightful

They always said that the game would get released 'When it is done'. 'It' wasn't the demo, 'it' was the full game. The demo is a nice thing to have but if they waited till the demo was done, the game would only see a release now.
Now, only if they hired an extra person to work concurrently on the demo so it could've been ready in August...
Re:You mean by sinergy · 2004-09-19 05:56 · Score: 4, Insightful

Creating a demo before the final product just pushes back the final product's release date.

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Re:You mean by Jahf · 2004-09-19 06:14 · Score: 5, Interesting

That's nuts ... if you have a system that you doubt can run it, you don't buy it until:

a) the demo comes out

b) you upgrade

or

c) you cave in and try anyway

It isn't id's fault if people do c) ... especially if they've announced that the demo will follow on the full release (even before they finish the Linux or Mac binaries), which they most definitely did say.

And the trend lately has been for demos to come out shortly following the full release. Fact is, people who release a demo before a game's release are doing it with the knowledge it will probably not be a full showcase and it is worth it to try and drum up business. On the other hand, if a company knows that the game is high profile and will sell, there is far more incentive to finish the full game and then do a polished demo.

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It is more productive to voice thoughtful opinions (reply) than to judge (moderate) others.
Re:You mean by Neophytus · 2004-09-19 06:38 · Score: 4, Funny

Or do what Epic Games (Unreal) do. For every main build of an in-house game their script creates a 1) Full game 2) Dedicated server and 3) Demo build. The latter two are cut down from the full game as specified. Typically, though, the second two are not released.
Re:You mean by mikael · 2004-09-19 06:57 · Score: 4, Funny

Going by all the Hollywood movies I have seen, you never go into hand-to-tentacle combat in space space unless you have:

1. A spacesuit with a large illuminated helmet with headcam so the aliens know where to shoot.

2. A large rifle with infinite rounds of ammunition with and grenade thrower and flame thrower, and laser pointer that shows everyone where you are. Glow sticks are optional.

3. A dodgy radio communications system that will alway pack up when you go into a washroom or are within 5 metres of an large alien with sharp teeth.

4. A state-of-the-art alien detector that tells you how far away the aliens are to the nearest nanometer, but won't tell you if they are
above or below you.

5. An android with reflexes faster than a laser-rifle, and an IQ to match your PC's clock speed, but who has decided to contemplate the meaning of life and become a buddhist monk instead.

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Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
Re:You mean by C0rinthian · 2004-09-19 07:31 · Score: 5, Insightful

Not being able to use the flashlight with guns is INTENTIONAL. Wishing desperately that you could use both is the intended effect. You are not supposed to be comfortable. Honestly, if you could use both at the same time, you'd never turn the flashlight off!

As for multiplayer, I have 2 points. First: DOOM3 is primarily a SINGLE PLAYER game. They added multiplayer as an extra. If you bought it for multiplayer, you're stupid. Second point: Check out the maps. They're small, dark, and close quarters. (much like the single player game) 4 players is a good limit for the maps that shipped with the game. I know that limit is not hard coded, and player made stuff has already upped that player limit.
Re:You mean by euxneks · 2004-09-19 08:36 · Score: 5, Funny

Some have a reasonable explanation ;)

3. A dodgy radio communications system that will alway pack up when you go into a washroom or are within 5 metres of an large alien with sharp teeth.

Of course, every xenobiomelecular.. ologist.. person.. Knows that aliens give off radio interference that does _not_ comply with US federal regulations.

4. A state-of-the-art alien detector that tells you how far away the aliens are to the nearest nanometer, but won't tell you if they are above or below you.

Obviously designed by Microsoft. Or open source, but the open source solution is meant to mimic Microsoft's.

5. An android with reflexes faster than a laser-rifle, and an IQ to match your PC's clock speed, but who has decided to contemplate the meaning of life and become a buddhist monk instead.

The android has reached a level of existence much beoyond our own feeble contemplation; the AI programmer thus has succeeded - I for one welcome... ah nevermind.

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in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
Re:You mean by nolife · 2004-09-19 09:51 · Score: 4, Informative

you don't buy it until

Getting off topic here but something I will ALWAYS check for first is what copy prevention methods they use. I just got burned with Sims2. It will refuse to load if you have any "CD/DVD emulation applications installed", that means CloneCD, Nero, or Roxio installed on the computer. I am not talking trying to use the virtual CD to run the game, it will refuse to run from the original CD because it detects that software. The FAQ states to unload those applications and then play the game. I have CloneCD and Nero. I could not get the game to work unless I completely uninstalled CloneCD through control panal, not just "disable" it by removing the virtual drive option. The FAQ states there is a compatibility issue between virtual cd software and Sims2 which is COMPLETE BULLSHIT and a complete f**king lie, what they really mean is there is a chance that with those programs installed, you might be able to play the game with out the CD in the drive. I now either have to install/uninstall CloneCD all the time, sit and look at a $50 disc I purchased from EA, or wait until I can get a crack for the game I already bought. I should have just waited for the crack and not even bought the game to begin with. I tried to take the game back but of course, they refused because I opened it. I am still waiting back from EA tech support for what I can do with the game I just bought. I have a feeling I will get a canned response that it conflicts with the game or some other canned response that basically says tough shit sucker, you are out $50. What that means to me is don't buy any more games from EA, just wait for them in alt.binaries.games, you'll have a better chance of them working correctly.

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Bad boys rape our young girls but Violet gives willingly.

Re:Uh...the game is out by Syzar · 2004-09-19 05:52 · Score: 5, Insightful

To test how well game works on your comp, that is without pirating it.

Getting your hopes up. by Bullseye_blam · 2004-09-19 05:53 · Score: 5, Funny

"Time to see what my FX5200 can do..."

Please don't.

[and please don't buy an iMac for the purpose of playing Doom 3 acceptably - the 'Ultra' tacked onto the end doesn't change much].

On second thought, if you just run around the game without ever using the flashlight, you won't be able to see anything anyway, so you won't realize that you're only getting 13 frames per second!

-Bullseye

Re:Getting your hopes up. by grumbel · 2004-09-19 06:03 · Score: 4, Informative

Depends, for god-mode and just looking at the graphics a FX5200 + 1Ghz is enough, as long as no enemies are on the screen it also runs quite well or at least not much worse then the original Doom did on a 386er. Sure, as soon as monsters apear and the action starts the fps will drop down and the game will be almost unplayable, god-mode will help here.

So yes, a FX5200 isn't enough to play the game, but its enough to look at the graphics and walk around a bit.
Re:Getting your hopes up. by Bullseye_blam · 2004-09-19 06:22 · Score: 5, Funny

Oh, that's right... this game wasn't meant to be played anyway, just looked at.

I forgot!

-Bullseye
Re:Getting your hopes up. by stonedonkey · 2004-09-19 07:16 · Score: 4, Informative

Doom3 is based on OpenGL, not DirectX-Anything.

Actually, OpenGL is just for graphics rendering. The "GL" stands for Graphics Library, IIRC. The game may still use things like DirectSound, DirectSound 3D, DirectInput, and other DX odds and ends. That's why the installer requests that you have DX9.0b on your rig before running the game.
Re:Getting your hopes up. by ergo98 · 2004-09-19 07:25 · Score: 5, Interesting
On second thought, if you just run around the game without ever using the flashlight, you won't be able to see anything anyway, so you won't realize that you're only getting 13 frames per second!

I completed Doom 3 on my rather antiquated GF4 Ti4400, and have a few comments regarding this:
- The demands of the game vary considerably. On my lowly GF4 Ti4400 I ran at Medium quality, achieving a very acceptable framerate, for the majority of the game. There were a couple of sections that became a slideshow and required a downgrade to Low (one I suspect was a bug and perhaps someone accidentally duplicated a model a thousand times or so, as there was nothing visually exceptional in the area. The other was a massive opponent), but otherwise it ran great. The FX5200 would do that much better. The hardware complaints are generally people who think that they have some constitutional right to crank every visual setting to the top and achieve smooth gameplay on any rig
- The comments about the flashlight are completely misguided, and are the result of people with their brightness turned down too far, or who played the game in a bright environment (which results in your own eyes having a vastly decreased ability to perceive the subtle darkness changes). Follow the instructions on the box and play in a darkened room and you'll have no problem apart from one or two short scenes that truly are dark. The idea that people used a patch because they can't read is baffling. If id is at fault, it's that they didn't supply a THX style visual diagnostic screen for people to adjust to, and that they don't put the "Are you in a dark room?" as a confirmation when you launch the game
Re:Getting your hopes up. by roadrunnerro · 2004-09-19 09:07 · Score: 4, Informative

Actually the POS geForce4 MX (440 was the most common one) is just above a GF2MX (and usually below a GF2TI). Also while the GF3TI has some older versions of pixel shader the GF4MX has none. This is Slashdot - the anal factor is off the scale...

Comment removed by account_deleted · 2004-09-19 05:54 · Score: 5, Funny

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Short review of the game by Reducer2001 · 2004-09-19 05:55 · Score: 5, Insightful

Bought it, played it, didn't like it. It tries to be too much like Doom2, but doesn't make it....at all.

I played Doom 1 & 2 for many hours when they came out, both solo, co-op and deathmatch. I played Doom 3 through once and had no desire to play it again.

Once you realized that when you picked up that 'too good to be true' item, you'd be blitzed by ten monsters suddenly spawning, it got old REAL quick. And yes, it does look pretty. But so did Matrix Revolutions.

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When you get to hell -- tell 'em Itchy sent ya!

Re:Short review of the game by EpsCylonB · 2004-09-19 06:14 · Score: 5, Insightful

I was dissapointed as well, fanboys will tell you that you have no right to criticise as this is "the original Doom updated, you knew exactly what you were going to get".

That just isn't true, there was more variation between the different levels in the original game than in Doom 3. The dark corridors do their job, this is an incredibly scary game, but gameplay wise it becomes boring and repetitive very quickly.

Graphically it is astounding and no doubt some great games will be made with the engine. But ID is now just a tech house if the lack of gameplay innovation in Doom 3 is anything to go by. We have all laughed at Romero's failings since leaving ID but they need more really creative people like him.

Doom3 isn't a awful game, just not a trailblazer like Doom and Quake were.
Re:Short review of the game by Osmosis_Garett · 2004-09-19 06:15 · Score: 4, Insightful

So in other words, you had preconceptions about this game which weren't met and therefor you set it aside. Personally, I found the element of surprise to be the main attraction. This is a horror game, along the lines of the original Resident Evil games and the like. Doom and Doom2 were full on FPS games with no 'terror moments', but Doom3 is full of them. The spawning monsters are anything but surprising; the teleportation process takes a second or 2 and by then you should be in a good vantage point to mow them down with whatever weapon you choose. The real fear comes from the creatures that are already there, lurking in shadows and not making BAMPH noises when they attack.
Try playing it when you're in the mood, and with a bit of effort put into getting absorbed in the game such as a darkened room, headphones, etc. Also, try not to make broad generalizations such as saying "when you pick up that 'too good to be true' item you get blitzed by 10 monsters". This game is anything but a one trick pony and if that is all you saw I really wonder if you spent any time at all examining the game. Doom3 is rich with backstory, interwoven into the game System Shock2 style with logfiles and email communications, not to mention the videos explaining the whole purpose of the lab installation.

Its too bad you couldn't look at the game carefully enough to notice these things. Doom3 is a work of art.
Re:Short review of the game by DrXym · 2004-09-19 06:54 · Score: 4, Interesting

I'm not sure what all the hype is about. I own Doom 3 and I also own Far Cry. I've completed both too. Far Cry, is a much, much, much better game.
It is better for a multitude of technical reasons, but I'll first mention why Doom is worse - the whole thing is flashlights, scripts and triggers. It might have been acceptable to use triggers in the original, but not in this day and age.
Progress through the game consists of a Quick Save, edge forward with the flashlight, Quick Save, step on trigger, look for baddies, fumble for gun, shoot baddies. If successfull repeat. It's just boring and shows little imagination. The baddies simply appear for the most part from nowhere so there is no anticipation, planning or strategy - just step on the trigger and shoot. There is little AI to speak of except for zombie troopers who at least duck behind cover. It's a shame because some of the levels are fantastically designed.
Now compare to Far Cry. First off this has outdoor zones that are truly massive, leading to some interesting play (e.g. you can snipe, attack in a vehicle, from the sea etc.) It also has drivable vehicles. It has a great physics model. The baddies are also fairly intelligent (they do some dumb things but they not are not completely stupid). There is a lot of randomness to the play so the game plays differently each time. Finally, the level design is better again than Doom. It also got there first with the "evil doctor" plot.
On the bad side, Far Cry has few save points but there is a console command to work around that. It also has much higher system requirements but looks gorgeous if you turn the quality up the full way.
Neither has much in the way of network play (capture the flag etc.) but at least Far Cry sets you up with a server list making it easy to join a game.
To me Doom feels a year out of date. And for my money Doom was something of a let down. If you haven't bought it already, play the demo and make up your own minds, but my advice would be to skip it.
I never played the original Half Life, so I'm keen to see what the fuss is about for the sequel, but that would the one I am interested in a demo for.
Re:Short review of the game by Plugh · 2004-09-19 07:02 · Score: 4, Insightful

That just isn't true, there was more variation between the different levels in the original game than in Doom 3.
Agreed 100%. At this point, I'm counting on people making their own levels to save this game. Ahh, if only I had the kind of time I used to have in High School and College.
Contrast Doom 3 levels with the level designs in Quake 2. I'll never forget the alien scientists doing Mengele-style operations on the Marines, while they cried out "Make it Stop!"... now THAT was FUCKING SCARY.
The dark corridors do their job, this is an incredibly scary game
Sorry, I disagree. Yes, even after setting the Brightness control to a pretty high value, I am still left asking: why the fuck did I shell out the cash for a Radeon9800 Pro, just to see a fucking 90% BLACK SCREEN?

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Part of the Second American Revolution!
Re:Short review of the game by 26199 · 2004-09-19 10:41 · Score: 4, Interesting

I've also played both, and would tend to disagree.

IMHO, Far Cry wins on one thing and one thing only; the fact that you can choose several different approaches means I'll probably play it more times.

Doom 3 wins on plot... it was much more believable than Far Cry. Sure, it got samey after a while, but unless you completed it all in one sitting, that wasn't a problem... Far Cry also starts to feel a bit repetitive towards the end.

Incidentally, I think that if you cheated to save in Far Cry you missed out... the tension that came from not having saved recently was a big part of the playing experience for me. (It got frustrating once or twice, but was well worth it in the end).

Basically, I think both are awesome :-)

This isn't gonna increase sales by goneutt · 2004-09-19 05:58 · Score: 5, Insightful

If you put out a preview that lets people discover their computer doesn't have the power to keep up they deffinatly don't buy the box.(I know, thats what those software nutrition labels are for, but they can get vague.)
Those that buy the software, install and discover their computer needs $300+ worth of upgrades are stuck with the software due to the no open returns policies. Thus hype sells more games if you don't put out a preview.

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Bacardi + slashdot = negative karma.

Quote^2 by Amorpheus_MMS · 2004-09-19 05:59 · Score: 4, Funny

Time to see what my FX5200 can do...

"Get used to disappointment." ;)

Although I have to say that so much of the game is black, one could almost expect it to run on a RivaTNT.

Comment removed by account_deleted · 2004-09-19 06:01 · Score: 4, Funny

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Linux? by isNaN · 2004-09-19 06:07 · Score: 4, Insightful

But where are the linux binaries? Aren't ID supposed to be the big linux supporters?

When they release them I will probably buy the game just for supporting them back but are they comming anytime soon??

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No, i don't like sigs...

actually with a 5200 by imr · 2004-09-19 06:07 · Score: 4, Informative

It's possible to have a much better framerate if you decompress the whole paks file and remove the shadows option. You wont be able to join multiplayer games with that, but anyway the mp mode isnt worth much.
And I'm talking a X2 improvement here, from ~15 to ~30 on my machine.
Try to find all the other available tips that are on every d3 forum and put them in a separate cfg file. Some of them DO work.

All in all, i found i got much more for the same money with ut2004 (2 dvds, a great editor, mapping and modeling video tutorials, mods, mods and mods) but still, d3 is a very good and very intense solo game. They did manage to keep the stress level up. Usually it really slows down after a few levels, here it keeps on being tense.

Where is the Linux version by Izaak · 2004-09-19 06:07 · Score: 4, Interesting

I am not buying Doom III until the Linux version is available for download. That was originally promised about a week after the Windows release... but I still don't see it. Any word from ID on this?

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The Bolachek Journals

Re:Where is the Linux version by homeobocks · 2004-09-19 07:03 · Score: 5, Informative

They are using DX9. They use it for things like DirectSound, DirectMusic, etc. DX9 includes DirectDraw and Direct3D, which iD replaces with OpenGL. DirectX has much more than just Direct3D, which iD does not use. iD uses other, smaller, aspects of DX9, though.

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MOUNT TAPE U1439 ON B3, NO RING

Demo later than release -- seems normal to me by IronChefMorimoto · 2004-09-19 06:08 · Score: 5, Insightful

Releasing the demo nowadays AFTER the release seems, to me, like a great way to find out if you want to buy the game, without the majority of bugs that might plague a BETA-quality demo.

In my mind, a game software manufacturer will release a demo POST-release to entice those who haven't decided yet to purchase the game. Someone who downloads, say, the Doom3 demo, can decide if the software will work on his/her machine without some of the pre-release bugs that might plague the product. ATI vs. Nvidia compatibility immediately comes to mind.

On the other hand, if you're releasing something that's entirely new (in terms of a game/concept), then you could potentially risk lack of interest by releasing the demo AFTER the game itself. A new product can benefit greatly from a demo, I think, and in this regard, it would be wise to release it with some bugs.

In the case of Doom3, I must admit, though, that making people wait another month or two for a demo for a game that took 4-5 years to develop is a little dumb. Reviewers and gamers alike have been mediocre about the game -- for it being more of a technology demo (the Carmack engine -- hehehehe) than a good game with a good story. This sort of reviews, I think, would make a buyer think twice about getting the game at initial release prices.

If the demo had been out beforehand, perhaps potential buyers would not have pre-conceived notions of what to expect of the game overall because they would only play a small portion of it in the demo. The graphics would ooh and ahh and really get the idea of buying such a terrific looking game in the minds of potential buyers. It would be a buyer's remorse thing (after iD has pocketed the sale) if the buyer then decided that, "Yeah, the graphics rock, but it was kind of bland and the story was OK."

I am one who read the Doom3 reviews, waited until a friend bought a copy and got tired of trying to finish the bland story, and played it for him. I enjoyed the experience, but given my expectations after reading reviews, I am still glad my friend shelled out the $55 for the game. He has the discs back now, and I will most likely wait until the game drops to $30 or something to buy it. There are other things to play right now.

My two cents.

IronChefMorimoto

A faster Doom 3 download... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-19 06:19 · Score: 5, Funny

Just turn off your monitor and move your mouse around frantically. That pretty much will capture the essence of Doom 3 and saves yourself the download. ;)

Re:Linux Version by Vengeance · 2004-09-19 06:44 · Score: 4, Informative

May I recommend a couple of things?

First, if you haven't used a joystick with Tux racer, you're missing out.

Next, check out Unreal Tournament 2004. The Linux binaries are included on the game DVD (or CDs, if you prefer), and the feel of the Unreal games has improved dramatically (in this ID fanboi's opinion). There is classic deathmatch available, but there are also a whole host of other game types, some including vehicles.

Finally, check out freely downloadable 'Enemy Territory', which is based on Return to Castle Wolfenstein. But this one is strictly multiplayer.

Oh, and of course, I played around with Cedega/Doom3 already, and found it to be a less than satisfactory experience on the one machine where I got the game binary to function, that being a 1.5 Ghz P4. For some reason I haven't yet gotten my Athlon 3000+ XP to give me anything other than an 'Error 21' when launching the game. This despite running a vanilla kernel on this box, but a Fedora Core 2 kernel on the P4. *shrug*

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It was a joke! When you give me that look it was a joke.

Re:Uh...the game is out by Davak · 2004-09-19 07:32 · Score: 4, Informative

Benchmarking is still easy...

timedemo demoname - run a demo for a benchmark

Here's the list of common cheats and here's the list of all the console commands for you uberdoom guys out there.

Re:Pretty Crappy Demo by wed128 · 2004-09-19 08:09 · Score: 4, Insightful

this kind of annoys me. The fact that people refer to BitTorrent as their means for software/music/movie piracy, when in fact Suprnova and other sites are at fault. You people are tarnishing the name of an otherwise brilliant protocall.

sorry for the rant, but my college just firewalled off the use of BT because of piracy, rendering the entire protocall useless for legit purposes. 1 million times better than FTP, and yet i have to wait for linux ISO downloads...tsktsk

Most recent linux client status update... by kikensei · 2004-09-19 09:29 · Score: 4, Informative

Was on August 22nd. Linuxgames.com interviewed Timothee Besset, id's linux client guy. The interview is here: http://www.linuxgames.com/?dataloc=articles/ttimo/ Botton line, as of the 22nd, he said the linuc client was a few weeks away. It was already working, with "surprisingly good performance compared to the windows version", but he doesn't want to release until it's well polished.

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