Los Angeles: It was a given that Doom 4 would be showcased at Bethesda’s E3 press conference. What was not expected was the splash the game made with a fast, almost retro game play feel and a new in-game modding ability that may just revolutionize the way first-person shooters are played.
Marty Stratton, Executive Producer for id Software, addressed a large crowd for E3 on Doom 4, revealing game play elements for both single player and multiplayer. One common theme was a return to the feel or the original Doom games.
“…Doom is a special part of each of our individual gaming histories, both personally and professionally. That’s why from the beginning of this project, we’ve been inspired by the way those original Doom games made us feel when we played them,” Stratton said.
Game play footage showed not only gorgeous graphics by a slew of other gaming elements that paid homage to the original Doom games. The feel was industrial but emphasized fast moving, dodging, and shooting. Small “classic Doom” puzzles were noted as well with a feature on tracking back what had happened to a dead worker to find his hand in order to open a door. Some of the sound effects were from the original games, including the infamous door opening sound. Classic Doom weapons were also seen during the preview, including the signature double barrel shotgun and the chainsaw.
According to Stratton, “…the foundation of any Doom experience–past or present–is unquestionably combat. It’s centered around three things: badass demons, big effin’ (sic) guns, and…moving really, really fast.”
There were also some new game play elements to the preview. It appears that players will be able to double jump to places as well as climb. Vertical space is emphasized. The part that the E3 audience really cheered for was the new Mortal Combat-style melee moves, which features demon heads splitting open.
The multiplayer looked to have a similar style with “…fast-paced, arena-style combat.” Multiplayer modes that Stratton revealed included Domination, Freeze-tag, and Clan arena. The game footage appeared as if gamers will play as marine versus demons.
The crowning achievement for the press conference was the introduction to in-game modding, a new focus in gaming that may revolutionize that way multiplayer first-person shooters are played.
Stratton introduced modding for the masses: any player, regardless of programming skill, can create their own level. Now, anyone with an idea can share with their friends or community.
“What if every player, regardless of platform or past experience had the ability to build and instantly share their own creations?” Stratton asked. “What if the possibilities were only limited by your imagination?”
The Doom SnapMap is basically a quick, custom modding, easy-to-use, in-game tool that allows any player to snap together customized maps. Not only can players create custom maps, but they can actually edit the game’s logic to create truly customized game play modes.
This new trend of modding may be a truly revolutionary idea that will change how multiplayer is handled with first-person shooters.
Doom 4 will come out for XBox One, PlayStation 4, and PC in Spring 2016.
The only thing missing from the preview? There was not one completely dark area shown, which means no duct tape mods necessary for this game!