Joystiq

RetroBlazer feels like Doom by way of Saturday morning cartoons

S. Prell — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST

Amil Parra isn't a big fan of violence. That might sound strange coming from a man designing an homage to '90s sprite-based FPS games like Doom and Wolfenstein 3D, but one look at the game in motion and it becomes obvious that the inspiration Parra draws from those games is the feel, not the aesthetic.

Meet RetroBlazer: a PC game that feels like a 1994 run-and-gun shooter, but looks like something you'd catch between episodes of Biker Mice From Mars and Mighty Ducks (that's the cartoon featuring space-ducks fighting space-dinosaurs by the way, not the live-action film featuring a lawyer fighting to be a better person).

Continue reading RetroBlazer feels like Doom by way of Saturday morning cartoons

RetroBlazer feels like Doom by way of Saturday morning cartoons originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gaming off the grid: Video game-inspired board games

Xav de Matos — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 17:00:00 EST

If you're looking for family fun but don't want to stray too far from the video game franchises you know and love, tabletop gaming may be the perfect alternative for you this holiday season.

While there are countless (and not very entertaining) licensed board games available at big box retailers - like Mario-themed Monopoly or Halo-themed Risk - there are far better options available for those looking to further explore their favorite video game worlds.

Here is a collection of some of our favorite board and card games based on video game franchises. If you're looking for a fun activity for family and friends this holiday, you can't go wrong with these fantastic board and card games.

>>Our favorite video game-inspired board games<<

Gaming off the grid: Video game-inspired board games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 24 Dec 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq Weekly: Final Fantasy 15, The Crew review, readers' favorite PS1 games and more

Thomas Schulenberg — Sun, 14 Dec 2014 13:30:00 EST

Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet.

The Final Fantasy series has had a fun couple of weeks lately, but between the PC version of Final Fantasy 7 coming to the PS4 and Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster's incoming port, most of its news is focused on the past. Leave it to the spring release of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, a take on an old PSP game, to bring things into the present - those that grab a copy from Type-0's first run will get an exclusive demo of Final Fantasy 15.

So, Final Fantasy fans: Is it going to work? Are you going for Type-0 HD solely because of the demo, or do you kind of want to play the game anyway? Don't worry if it's the former - plenty of people only bought Crackdown to get into the Halo 3 beta before even realizing developer Realtime Worlds' superhero sandbox had its own merits.

Demos and ports weren't the only thing that happened this week - The internet seemingly frustrated Tekken series producer Katsuhiro Harada enough to keep a character out of the North American release, we reviewed The Crew and Never Alone, and we highlighted our readers' favorite PS1 games. Those stories and more are all waiting for you after the break!

Continue reading Joystiq Weekly: Final Fantasy 15, The Crew review, readers' favorite PS1 games and more

Joystiq Weekly: Final Fantasy 15, The Crew review, readers' favorite PS1 games and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Dec 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Celebrate Doom's 21st birthday with 'never-before-seen' development art

Sinan Kubba — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 10:00:00 EST

Iconic shooter Doom turned 21 this week, but there's one thing to do before it goes for a wild night out on Phobos. Yes, it's time for an "awwww-mommmm" gander at some baby pictures!

Designer John Romero took to Twitter to reveal an album's worth of "never-before-seen" development art ... which technically makes them less baby pictures and more fetal scans.

Anyway... we've bundled them all into a gallery, so gather round, everyone! D'awwwww! Now what about that next shooter, Mr. Romero?

PS: For more on info on what you're looking at, have a peek through John Romero's Twitter feed.

[Images: John Romero]

Celebrate Doom's 21st birthday with 'never-before-seen' development art originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Dec 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can you play Doom on a printer? Yes you Canon

Anthony John Agnello — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 13:00:00 EST

With wearable computers like Google Glass and Apple Watch wooing the tech obsessed, it's hard not to feel bad for older machines showing their age. Printers no doubt look at fax machines and imagine a grim future of irrelevance, but they can buck up thanks to hot new game support! Printers are finally getting id's Doom just 21 years after the game came out.

Only one printer is actually running Doom at the moment. Michael Jordon, a researcher with Context Information Security spent four months hacking a Canon Pixma printer to get it to run the classic shooter. The Pixma's online access interface lets owners check on the status of their printer remotely via a web browser, but it also created a massive vulnerability to hacking as noticed by Jordon.

Once he realized the extent to which he could access one of the printers through the web, he got it running every hacker's delight. "Running Doom, that's real proof you control the thing," Jordon told the BBC.

Continue reading Can you play Doom on a printer? Yes you Canon

Can you play Doom on a printer? Yes you Canon originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doom comes to this ATM, courtesy Australian hackers

Earnest Cavalli — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:30:00 EST

Fiscal convenience takes a backseat to murderous hellbeasts as hackers have added an Automated Teller Machine to the long, long list of devices capable of running id Software's classic first-person shooter Doom.

It seems a team of Australian hackers dismantled the machine and modified its hardware to get Doom up and running with full (if awkward) controls through the standard ATM keypad. The footage above offers a lengthy walkthrough of the process, and even includes discussion of the group's future plans for this hack which include a functional number pad and adding inexplicable support for the ATM's receipt printer.

As our pals at Engadget point out, this hack is relatively trivial given that the ATM already runs on Windows XP, but the effort here deserves no less praise. In our modern day and age, you can't really consider a computing device properly functional until someone's made it run Doom, so just think of this as necessary aftermarket quality assurance.

[Image: Bethesda Softworks]

Doom comes to this ATM, courtesy Australian hackers originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda: Doom reveal meant to quell negative Id Software chatter

Mike Suszek — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:00:00 EST

Id Software's upcoming Doom reboot was revealed last week at QuakeCon 2014, though the event's livestream cut out during the presentation. As Bethesda's VP of PR and Marketing Pete Hines told PC Gamer, Doom isn't exactly ready to show off, so the developers at id Software were reluctant to offer images of the game up freely for the rest of the world to pick at.

"We're working with them to say, 'How does this work? What do we want to show?'" Hines said. "And they're like, 'Look, we don't want a stream to go up for a game that isn't at the point where we would formally show it to the world, and now that thing is getting picked apart, and digested, and gone through frame-by-frame and getting nitpicked to death, when normally we wouldn't be showing this to anybody at all.'"

Continue reading Bethesda: Doom reveal meant to quell negative Id Software chatter

Bethesda: Doom reveal meant to quell negative Id Software chatter originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eleven year Crytek engineer veteran joins id Software

Thomas Schulenberg — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 19:30:00 EST

Tiago Sousa has joined id Software as a Lead Rendering Programmer to work on Doom and the id Tech 6 game engine. Sousa tweeted about the change in employment, a move that ends an 11-year stay with Crytek, where he most recently served as Lead R&D Graphics Engineer.

Sousa's LinkedIn profile lists his contributions at Crytek, which include work on CryENGINE 3 as well as Crysis 1 - 3, Ryse: Son of Rome, Warface and "undisclosed multiplatform projects."

Sousa's departure follows reports of key design, art and programming employees leaving Homefront: The Revolution developer Crytek UK due to late payments. A separate report also claims the departures of The Revolution's game director, Hasit Zala, and its development manager, Ben Harris.

[Image: id Software]

Eleven year Crytek engineer veteran joins id Software originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Jul 2014 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq Weekly: Doom reboot, Microsoft's layoffs, Sunless Sea and more

Thomas Schulenberg — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 13:30:00 EST

We're happy to hear that Doom is still brewing in the depths of iD Software, but if we're getting spoiled with updates to classics, we wonder if we could get anything else revived if we stir up enough demand. Remember how awesome Bubsy was? What about taking another crack at Altered Beast? What's that, you say? "No and your picks are garbage"? Well then.

Lucky for you, this edition of the Joystiq Weekly carries no news of reboots for either series. It does offer a recap of the week's biggest non-fictional stories though, from Microsoft's plans to dismiss 18,000 workers to the latest fighters to take up arms in Super Smash Bros. There are also reviews for the stealth-focused Light and a spooky, exploration-driven journey on a boat called Sunless Sea, plus a WildStar postcard that digs into the MMO's PvP modes. It's all arranged neat and orderly-like for you after the break!

Continue reading Joystiq Weekly: Doom reboot, Microsoft's layoffs, Sunless Sea and more

Joystiq Weekly: Doom reboot, Microsoft's layoffs, Sunless Sea and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 19 Jul 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doom unveiled as gory return to roots at QuakeCon

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 20:47:00 EST

The new Doom returns to a fast-paced, gory march through Mars and hellish invaders. According to comments recorded at QuakeCon, which built a media blackout around the game's debut for the sake of giving attendees something special, Doom bares that stripped-down title because it's a reboot. It will launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, running on a new version of the idTech engine.

Though the first-person franchise's love for the big guns - including the double-barrel shotgun - remains intact, PC Gamer says Doom also has brutal hand-to-hand kills. Demons can be stunned with a shot and kicked in the face, and ... well, let's just use this great tweet in its entirety:

"A demon just ripped the player's arms off and beat him to death with them. The room is breaking out into a standing ovation."

Continue reading Doom unveiled as gory return to roots at QuakeCon

Doom unveiled as gory return to roots at QuakeCon originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jul 2014 20:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox Live Deals with Gold: Wolfenstein, BioShock series

Mike Suszek — Tue, 15 Jul 2014 13:15:00 EST

Those that missed out on the final day of the Xbox 360 Ultimate Games Sale yesterday have more deals to look forward to this week on Xbox Live. Both paid and free Xbox Live subscribers can enjoy a 33 percent discount on Wolfenstein: The New Order for Xbox One as well as four XBLA games for Xbox 360 at half price: Quake Arena, Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Doom 2. Each of these deals are good from July 17 to July 20 only.

As for the rest of the week's deals, starting today through July 21 for Xbox Live Gold subscribers only, Xbox One owners can pick up Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare at 40 percent off. The BioShock series received major discounts on Xbox 360 this week, with BioShock and BioShock 2 now available at a quarter of their respective prices and BioShock Infinite slashed by 57 percent. Four pieces of DLC for the latter game are on sale this week as well; both the Clash in the Clouds and Columbia's Finest add-ons are half-off, whereas both Burial at Sea episodes are 33 percent off.

[Image: Bethesda Softworks]

Xbox Live Deals with Gold: Wolfenstein, BioShock series originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jul 2014 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doom's Dungeons and Dragons pedigree dissected

S. Prell — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 20:30:00 EST

The latest episode of YouTube series Did You Know Gaming explores Doom, and it's got more than a few tasty tidbits of info on the world's most famous demons-in-space shooter.

For example, while 1993's Doom is widely-cited as having helped usher in the first-person shooter genre, we're somewhat surprised it didn't result in a new generation of kids rolling 20-sided dice, considering how many of the game's roots trace back to Dungeons and Dragons. The series' famous demons? DnD. The floating Cacodemon? DnD twice, as its general design is similar to a Beholder, while its sprite was taken from an Astral Dreadnought.

Doomguy rolls for an attack against the Cyberdemon with his shotgun. Critical Hit!

[Image: DYK Gaming]

Doom's Dungeons and Dragons pedigree dissected originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 29 Jun 2014 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doom gets a dark teaser as QuakeCon looms

Ludwig Kietzmann — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 02:15:00 EST

Doom is entering the CG teaser phase of its modern resurrection. Bethesda and id Software intend to show the game off at their QuakeCon event in July, but have already put out a new trailer to convey the shooter's hellish mood. It's so dark, even Youtube wants to improve the lighting.

The grotesque cyberdemon glimpsed in close-up could be the least mysterious thing about the game, which started life in the media as "Doom 4" in 2008. Unverified rumors point to a troubled development until recently, when the game returned (or was restarted) - simply as Doom - alongside the announcement of an upcoming beta for PC, Xbox One and PS4. Entry to the beta is attached to another revamp of a classic shooter, Wolfenstein: The New Order.

We'll put rumors aside, though, and see Doom's latest form - and perhaps hear the unsettling howl from a Baron of Hell - at QuakeCon, which takes place on July 17 - 20 at the Hilton Anatole hotel in Dallas, Texas.

Doom gets a dark teaser as QuakeCon looms originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jun 2014 02:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq Weekly: Irrational Games, co-op Pokemon and a Doom beta

Thomas Schulenberg — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 18:30:00 EST

Between the new Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Tony Hawk's involvement in a new game and talk of a Doom beta, this week feels like a list of lost events from the '90s. Not that we're complaining, of course - the days of platforming in mine carts, feeding arcade machines quarters and hogging family computers from siblings were pretty wonderful times. They were simpler, too - just 151 Pokemon to keep track of, with full games and expansions instead of publishers scattering in-game content to retailers and adding season passes to everything or--

Well, it didn't take us long to trip into the "back in my day" style of reminiscing. We'll excuse ourselves for a stint of warning kids passing by to stay off our lawns, but we've left you a recap of the biggest events from this week after the break. Er ... this week being in 2014, not the '90s.

Continue reading Joystiq Weekly: Irrational Games, co-op Pokemon and a Doom beta

Joystiq Weekly: Irrational Games, co-op Pokemon and a Doom beta originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 23 Feb 2014 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq Discussion: What do you want from a new Doom?

Anthony John Agnello — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 12:30:00 EST

Joystiq wants to know: what do you want to play when you fire up a game bearing the name Doom?

We are now as distant from the release of Doom as we were from the release of Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy when Doom first came out. These works have much in common. id Software's game opens with a blistering dose of action the likes of which had never been seen, just as Houses opens on the gleefully furious "The Song Remains the Same." Face it, players: Doom is our classic rock.

When classic rock acts come back, it's always a gamble. Would we really want a new Led Zeppelin album today? Not to disparage Jimmy Page and Robert Plant's solo records, but it's not like No Quarter held up to albums like Houses. By the same token, would we even want a new Doom in 2014? Do the design machinations of John Romero and John Carmack still merit exploration? Is their little universe something that can hold up to new stories?

No matter what, new Doom is coming. We don't know what it will be called, but when Wolfenstein: The New Order arrives, it will be playable. What do you want that to be, though?

[Images: Bethesda Softworks]

Joystiq Discussion: What do you want from a new Doom? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Feb 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doom mod brings Resident Evil 4's mercenaries to Mars

David Hinkle — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST

Intrepid modder DooMero has mashed together Resident Evil 4's "Mercenaries" mode with the original Doom, creating a hybrid game experience that expertly combines elements from the two games. You only need watch this video of the 4.0 version of the mod to understand.

Continue reading Doom mod brings Resident Evil 4's mercenaries to Mars

Doom mod brings Resident Evil 4's mercenaries to Mars originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Of course you want this Cacodemon plushy

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 21:30:00 EST

Or, more accurately, you want to buy several, along with the pain elemental, and then attach them to a mobile over a baby's crib, thus making that child impervious to any fear once the colonization of Mars begins within its lifetime.

Other option: Dangle it from the ceiling over the bed of anybody who played Doom growing up and enjoy the cacophonous variety of screaming they provide.

So many options. Purchase either or both at the Bethesda store.

Of course you want this Cacodemon plushy originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pre-registration for QuakeCon 2013 open now

Mike Schramm — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:45:00 EST

Pre-registration for QuakeCon 2013 is now open and being offered alongside a few special packages. General admission is free, but extras are available at additional cost.

The Swag Pack, of which there are 250 available, costs $60. It includes three different shirts (including an officially branded QuakeCon tee), a QuakeCon-branded Logitech G400 Mouse, and a $10 voucher for use on Bethesda's site.

The Swag Pack is available in conjunction with a "Bring Your Own Computer" Select-a-Seat, which nets you a reserved spot in the special BYOC section for $90, with only 500 available. You can also get a BYOC seat along with just a "QuakeCon done Quick" pass, which will grant you express lane access to all of the show's panels and events. That package with a single shirt is available for $50, and 250 are available in total.

Finally, if it's just a BYOC reservation and shirt you want, you'll pay $30 for one of 1,250 packages available.

All package options and prices are listed in full over on the official website. QuakeCon 2013 will be held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, from August 1 until August 4.

Pre-registration for QuakeCon 2013 open now originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Doom 4 development still rocky, Rage 2 canned

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:00:00 EST

Doom 4 is locked in development Hell - even for Doom, that's not a good thing. Since its announcement in 2007, developer id Software has completely rebooted Doom 4's development at least once and still doesn't have much to show as far as an actual game goes, Kotaku reports. The website provides the following breakdown from a series of anonymous people:

Doom 4 began as a Call of Duty-inspired shooter, with cinematic, scripted sequences, but after the lukewarm launch of Rage in 2011, id took another look at the project and started from scratch. Within that process, Rage 2 was canceled and id tried to merge the Rage and Doom teams, to focus solely on Doom 4.

By January 2012, id wanted Doom 4 to be as big as Skyrim, but the disparate teams had trouble finding a groove. Additionally, much of the project's "top talent" left id throughout 2012. This year, Zenimax, id's parent company, issued an ultimatum that could see id cleaned out to refocus on tech, two people tell Kotaku.

For now Doom 4 is still alive, though it may not be immortal. In October 2011 and February 2012, Doom 4 had two cancelation scares, each of which Bethesda refuted. The image above was part of a series that leaked in early 2012, though id Design Director Matt Hooper said it didn't represent actual Doom 4 direction. Last we heard - back in August 2012 - Doom 4 was attached to the Oculus Rift's VR push.

Report: Doom 4 development still rocky, Rage 2 canned originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bethesda launches online store featuring merch from Skyrim, Fallout and more

David Hinkle — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 EST

Until now, there just hasn't been a suitable place to pick up a pair of snazzy Vault 101 sneakers or a tasteful lithograph of the Skyrim landscape. Bethesda has solved that problem with a brand new online store, hocking wares that run the gamut from t-shirts to that recently announced and expensive Dragonborn statue.

The store also hosts Elder Scrolls merch, Dishonored pendants, and a nearly convincing Vault-Tec work shirt - you know, in case you pick up that quest to infiltrate a robot manufacturing plant.

Bethesda launches online store featuring merch from Skyrim, Fallout and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doom Classic Complete hits PSN today, includes Master Levels and Final Doom

Sinan Kubba — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:30:00 EST

A 'Doom Classic Complete' bundle shoots onto PSN today for PS3, and it includes Ultimate Doom, Doom 2: Hell on Earth, The Master Levels and No Rest for the Living expansions for Doom 2, and Final Doom. The price rockets in at $14.99.

The Master Levels and Final Doom weren't included in the recent release of Doom 3: BFG Edition. Master Levels contains 20 independently designed levels for Doom 2 (21 if you're counting the secret level). Final Doom offers two standalone Doom 2 mods, The Plutonia Experiment and TNT Evolution, and was officially distributed by Doom developer id Software back in 1996.

Doom Classic Complete hits PSN today, includes Master Levels and Final Doom originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Don't install Doom 3 on Xbox 360 if you want to play Doom 1 & 2

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST

A peculiarity in the Xbox version of the Doom 3 BFG Edition prevents access to Doom and Doom 2 when Doom 3 is installed on the hard drive. According to publisher Bethesda this is not a bug.

"Doom 1 and 2 are the same games that are currently available on Xbox Live. Installing Doom BFG files to the system's hard drive could cause a conflict with the existing XBLA game files," a Bethesda spokesperson told Joystiq. "Players should not see a performance advantage by installing Doom 3, so we recommend not installing the game to the Xbox HDD."

They added, "If people do install DOOM 3 BFG Edition to their hard drive, they should still be able to access both titles from the Xbox Live Dashboard under 'My Games'."

[Thanks, Justin]

PSA: Don't install Doom 3 on Xbox 360 if you want to play Doom 1 & 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get your nostalgia to Mars in Doom 3 BFG Edition

Britton Peele — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 18:30:00 EST

It has been a long time since I last visited the imperiled Mars research facility featured in id Software's 2004 shooter, Doom 3, but playing the upcoming HD revamp, Doom 3 BFG Edition, I felt like I hardly ever left.

While not as highly regarded as its predecessors, Doom 3 was an enjoyable (and, at the time, graphically impressive) game that garnered a fair following. For fans, Doom 3 BFG is a package filled with memories of the franchise. Along with Doom 3, its expansions, and brand new 'Lost' missions, the BFG pack includes both Doom and Doom 2.

Doom 3 BFG itself is not meant to be the original Doom 3 experience with prettier textures and 3D support. "We made some slight improvements to the original game," id creative director Tim Willits told me after I got my hands on Doom 3 BFG's 'Lost Mission' content. "Like the flashlight [which can be used in conjunction with your gun, unlike the original]. We made things a little bit brighter, we improved a lot of the character textures."

BFG features tweaks throughout: slightly increased player speed, adjusted ammo and health, new soundscapes, and new auto-save and checkpoint features. "It plays better, it really does," Willits promises.

Gallery: Doom 3 BFG Edition (QuakeCon 2012)

Continue reading Get your nostalgia to Mars in Doom 3 BFG Edition

Get your nostalgia to Mars in Doom 3 BFG Edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Aug 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony restores PSN games that allowed Vita hack (but there's another one)

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST

Sony pulled two PSP titles, Hot Shots Tennis and MotorStorm Arctic Rift, from the PlayStation Network in March when they were found to be open portals to Vita hacking heaven, allowing people to use homebrew programming through the Vita's PSP emulator. Both of these titles are currently back on the Vita and the hack scare is gone forever and ev - er, maybe not.

Vita version 1.67 closed off the ability for hackers to run the VHBL program in Hot Shot Tennis and MotorStorm Arctic Rift, but the folks at Wololo.net have found another game that runs the same program even after the update. The above video shows Wololo's Doom running on a Vita. It hasn't yet disclosed which game allows the hack.

Sony restores PSN games that allowed Vita hack (but there's another one) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doom stalking XBLA's corridors once again

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST

Remember when Doom was pulled off of Xbox Live Arcade over a year ago because of "expiring rights" (i.e. Zenimax acquired Id Software)? Do you also remember that Zenimax stated that the game would be back up "soon," courtesy of Bethesda? Well then, good news because "soon" is apparently today! Bethesda has sent out a note announcing that the original Doom has returned XBLA.

The granddaddy of modern shooters will set you back $5 and features both co-op and versus multiplayer via Xbox Live.

Doom stalking XBLA's corridors once again originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MADE museum delves into early 3D games

JC Fletcher — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:00:00 EST

The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment will host its first exhibit in Oakland starting December 3. Appropriately for its first foray into a physical exhibition space, the museum is highlighting "The History of Early 3D." That's 3D as in polygons, not glasses. Think Star Fox and Doom.

Continue reading MADE museum delves into early 3D games

MADE museum delves into early 3D games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DOOM and DOOM 2 now acceptable in Germany, Berlin renamed E1M1

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST

Landmark titles DOOM and DOOM 2 received a USK 16+ rating in Germany today. Both titles were previously indexed by the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM), which placed the games in the same commercially restrictive category as porn.

"We are obviously very pleased with their decision," Bethesda Softworks VP of PR and Marketing Pete Hines told us this morning. "Can't give you details yet on when they will be available in Germany. We'll let everyone know as soon as we know."

Hines explained that an appeal of the indexing is allowed after 10 years, with DOOM and DOOM 2 having been released in 1993 and 1994, respectively. Publisher Bethesda Softworks, whose parent company acquired original developer id Software in 2009, figured it would take the shot.

This is the latest classification surprise from Germany, which recently rated Gears of War 3, after both the previous installments were indexed. Microsoft is currently looking into getting the first two games available in the country.

[Thanks, Timo.]

DOOM and DOOM 2 now acceptable in Germany, Berlin renamed E1M1 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The violence-in-games debate 'didn't matter,' says Carmack

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST

People have been arguing about violence in video games for as long as video games have had violence for people to argue about, and few titles have come under as much sustained fire as Id Software's Doom. It would stand to reason then, that John Carmack, a man who was instrumental in the game's development and the FPS revolution that followed, would be chief among those most affected by the debate's wide-reaching ramifications. Not so much, it turns out.

"I never took seriously the violence in video games debate. It was basically talking points for people to get on CNN and espouse their stuff on there," he said, speaking with IndustryGamers. "In the end it didn't matter, it didn't make any impact on things. I never felt threatened by it and it turned out not to matter." Carmack also believes that violent games help calm agressive players and are, in-fact, good for us: "If you go to QuakeCon and you walk by and you see the people there [and compare that to] a random cross section of a college campus, you're probably going to find a more peaceful crowd of people at the gaming convention."

The violence-in-games debate 'didn't matter,' says Carmack originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Rock talks Doom again, would do another game movie (like Black Ops)

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:10:00 EST

After watching The Rock, who is also named Dwayne Johnson, fulfill his hosting duties during last night's Wrestlemania event by totally slamming dudes in the face, we were all probably possessed by the same thought: When's Doom 2 coming out?

Speaking to MTV, Mr. Rock explained he's not averse to doing another game-based movie "if the right one came along." "I thought we had an opportunity with Doom," he added. "Didn't work out the way we wanted it to, creatively." Let's look on the bright side: Spy Hunter didn't work out the way you wanted it to completely and entirely.

When asked what game he'd like to film-ify, in a perfect world, Mr. Rock replied, "Black Ops -- that'd be bad ass. Let's make it happen. Let's do it." He added, "That and Black Swan 2." Wait, wait -- what if we combined the two? Oh, man. Do you smell what The Rock is cooking? Cinematic gold.

The Rock talks Doom again, would do another game movie (like Black Ops) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Doom movie reboot in the works at Universal

David Hinkle — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST

While we all can agree the world ill needs to sit through another Doom movie, Hollywood is apparently keen on giving it another go. A new project is in the earliest stages, so says Hollywood Insider's What's Playing. This new film is supposedly a reboot and ignores the events of the Dwayne Johnson vehicle from 2005, plus will be in 3D (of course).

The piece says that Universal is shopping around for somebody to come up with a script right now. May we suggest anybody but the guy who wrote the first movie?

Report: Doom movie reboot in the works at Universal originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Classic postmortems' unveiled for 25th Game Developers Conference

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:03:00 EST

Beyond the plain ol' postmortems taking place annually at the Game Developers Conference, this year's event features a special 25th anniversary spin: "classic" postmortems. Famous developers will take the stage to speak about their classic games -- everyone from Pac-Man's Toru Iwatani to Doom's John Romero -- and an eager crowd will bask in the light of their classic game knowledge.

11 classics are being given the treatment, though we're putting Will Wright's Raid on Bungeling Bay talk at the very top of our priority list. Another highlight (among a list made up entirely of highlights) is Eric Chahi -- developer of currently in-progress From Dust -- speaking about the development of Out of This World. Check out the full, incredibly impressive list after the break and start planning accordingly. Or rather, clear your schedule.

If you can't make it to GDC 2011, the postmortems will be filmed and made available via GDC Vault at some point after the event.

Continue reading 'Classic postmortems' unveiled for 25th Game Developers Conference

'Classic postmortems' unveiled for 25th Game Developers Conference originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kinect Hacks: Gesture-based Modern Warfare, Zelda and Doom

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 19:30:00 EST

YouTube user Demize2010 has been busy since the Kinect's release -- though some have managed to squeeze motion controls into one older title, this crafty modder has Kinectified three. Check out the videos after the jump to see his take on Modern Warfare, Doom and Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: Gesture-based Modern Warfare, Zelda and Doom

Kinect Hacks: Gesture-based Modern Warfare, Zelda and Doom originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doom, Double D Dodgeball pulled from XBLA [update]

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST

And just like that, Doom and Double D Dodgeball are no longer available on Xbox Live Arcade. Noticed by GamerBytes, both titles were pulled with no warning. The games can still be played if they were previously purchased.

Double D Dodgeball's mention in this post is for the simple fact that it happened to occur at the same time as Doom's removal. Speculation as to why Doom was pulled revolves around rights issues involving id Software's acquisition by Zenimax and the XBLA title being published by Activision.

We're following up with Zenimax to find out what its plans are for the game.

Update: A representative for Zenimax informs Joystiq that Doom's departure had to do with "expiring rights" and it "should be back up soon from Bethesda."

Doom, Double D Dodgeball pulled from XBLA [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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id's Carmack wants to support current franchises, new IPs unlikely

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Rage represents a rather large milestone for Carmack's id team. Not only is it the first game to use id Tech 4, it's the first id game to be published by new owner Bethesda. It's also the first new IP from the team in over a decade, since 1996's release of Quake. If a recent interview in the Official PlayStation Magazine (via CVG) is to be believed, it's likely that the new new IP from id will be just as far away.

"I doubt we're going to do another IP," Carmack told OPM. "We want to support Wolfenstein, Doom and Quake -- and hopefully we can add Rage onto that. ... Obviously, if Rage is a success then we'll want to do a Rage 2." Considering the lengthy development cycles at id (evidenced by the currently-MIA Doom 4) who knows when the next new IP will bubble out of the company?

Especially with that Commander Keen reboot getting in the way, right?

id's Carmack wants to support current franchises, new IPs unlikely originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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QuakeCon Steam sale discounts Doom titles by 66 percent

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:40:00 EST

So, you're disappointed that there wasn't any hot Doom 4 news in yesterday's QuakeCon 2010 keynote. Buck up, bronco -- Steam recently knocked the price of every Doom game in the store down by 66 percent, making it that much easier to drown your sorrows in pure, gib-filled nostalgia.

Continue reading QuakeCon Steam sale discounts Doom titles by 66 percent

QuakeCon Steam sale discounts Doom titles by 66 percent originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mega Man 8-bit Deathmatch demo now available to the public

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

If your gut response to the Mega Man 8-Bit Deathmatch mod for Doom 2 revealed last November was one of overwhelming desire, prepare to be satisfied. A demo for MM8BDM was recently released by its creator, Mike Hill, and is now downloadable for free through the mod's official website.

The download comes with four pixelated maps, five character skins and over 10 different weapon attachments based on actual powers from the Mega Man series. Unfortunately, these weapons can be picked up from set locations on each map -- we're not sure we'll appreciate them as much as we did when we were forced to pry them from the cold, dead hands of a bested Robot Master.

[Thanks, Nam-Ereh-Won]

Mega Man 8-bit Deathmatch demo now available to the public originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Voodoo Dice, Ben 10, Doom 2

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 26 May 2010 16:15:00 EST

Three utterly disparate games on XBLA this Week. Whether you prefer blasting demons, transforming into aliens or ... rolling dice, there's something here for you. This week on XBLA in Brief, we try out Voodoo Dice, Ben 10 and Doom 2 -- a puzzle game, platformer and FPS, respectively. One important note: Doom 2 is the only one with a chainsaw (as far as we know).

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Xbox.com: Add Voodoo Dice trial version to your Xbox 360 download queue
Xbox.com: Add Ben 10 trial version to your Xbox 360 download queue
Xbox.com: Add Doom 2 trial version to your Xbox 360 download queue

X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Voodoo Dice, Ben 10, Doom 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 May 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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id 'ramping up' hiring for Doom

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:30:00 EST

While id is currently keeping Rage at the forefront of its media presence, it looks like things are starting to accelerate for the next entry in the Doom series. Bethesda has made a note on its official blog that id is currently hiring, with "several programming positions open, as well as positions in Animation, Art, Design, IT, and Management." While the post doesn't directly specify that the company is hiring for Doom, it does point to the image at right as a clue to what the studio is "ramping up for."

Announced in 2008, the next Doom project is "not a sequel to Doom 3, but it's not a reboot either," according to id's Todd Hollenshead. It won't be called Doom 4 either. Whatever it is, we probably won't be hearing about it anytime soon.

id 'ramping up' hiring for Doom originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zenimax gets unofficial Doom, Wolfenstein and Quake ports pulled from Android Market

David Hinkle — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:44:00 EST

Android and Me points out some ports of popular id games were once available on your snazzy superphone, including Quake, Wolfenstein and Doom. They didn't last long, however, as Zenimax has managed to get the games pulled from Google's Android Market service due to copyright infringement.

It's only natural for ZeniMax to want to get the titles pulled and doubly so if the publisher is thinking about releasing id's classics on the platform, though that's just speculation on our part based on id's readiness to work on the competing iPhone platform. Head past the break to check out some footage of what you missed out on, courtesy of the unofficial Android version of Doom.

We've asked ZeniMax to comment on any commercial plans for these titles on Android and to clarify the nature of Doom's open source codebase and why it was included in this takedown request.

[Update: A ZeniMax spokesperson got back to use, writing: "We did issue a DMCA takedown notice to the Android store to remove the unofficial Doom, Wolfenstein and Quake games as they contain our trademarks and copyrighted assets, including graphics, artwork, storylines and audio. Open source relates to the underlying engine source code, not to a game's content, trademarks and assets, all of which remain proprietary. If the game was a total conversion and did not use any of our trademarks or assets, that would be fine. But none of our data can be repackaged and nobody is authorized to make a Doom, Wolfenstein or Quake product."]

[Via Game Politics]

Continue reading Zenimax gets unofficial Doom, Wolfenstein and Quake ports pulled from Android Market

Zenimax gets unofficial Doom, Wolfenstein and Quake ports pulled from Android Market originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Street artists beef up billboards with Doom graphics

David Hinkle — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST

[Flickr user Mr. Talion]

You know what? Driving around is boring. Luckily, some Germans are taking steps to amp up the experience by incorporating Doom graphics into billboard ads, effectively upping their cool factor exponentially. Check out this Flickr set and tell us these billboards are anything but completely awesome. We dare you!

Hopefully, this is the beginning of a trend that will cross the oceans of the world and spread throughout every major city, causing us to actually care about these outdoor advertising eyesores. In the spirit of international sharing, we've got a couple ideas of our own you can check out past the break.

[Via Animal New York and Nerdcore; thanks, Ryan]

Continue reading Street artists beef up billboards with Doom graphics

Street artists beef up billboards with Doom graphics originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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