Wolfenstein 3D, the spiritual offspring of the not particularly 3D Castle Wolfenstein from the 8-bit era, was the First Person Shooter that managed to popularize the genre and change mainstream gaming for ever. At least, Wolfenstein 3D also managed to spawn the modding craze and in a way revitalized the whole bedroom programming thing. Oh, yes, and the whole freeware gaming scene too.What's more, Majik Monkee, the sinister genius responsible for Star Wars: Bloodlines, has quite a few impressive Wolf3D mods to offer and some nice related sprites too. Simply follow this link and download said eclectic mod mix (ranging from the medieval to the surreal, mind you) for free. To try your Wolf3d tweaking skills yourselves have a look at the NMAP level editor or -for a less casual approach- at The Wolf 3D Dome.
Related @ Gnome's Lair: NWN: Darkness over Daggerford, UT 2004: Hollow Moon, Reunion, Classic Doom
Ah, I remember playing Wolfenstein 3D and the classic Duke Nukem (when it was a 2D side scroller) on my cousin's old ass computer back in the day. Fun games, but I don't think I can go back to Wolfenstein 3D in the day and age of Halo 2.
ReplyDeleteWell, can't say I care much for Halo 2, but I see what you mean Ross. Still, give it another try, and you'll see how refreshingly simple it is...
ReplyDeleteI've played quite a few of the newer shooters myself, and the one thing I always look for in a game first and foremost is fun - and I haven't found that in all of the newer games I've played (Half Life for example, was alright for a while but kind of bored me after a bit, same with Halo 2).
ReplyDeleteThe wonderful thing about these mods (not just mine but those of the Wolf community at large) is the simplicity of the interface and stuff that allows for an easy learning curve going from one mod to another. Sure, not everyone wants to go back to those earlier days, and I can't say I blame them, but I love Wolf3D when it first came out, so it and it's mods have some added nostalgic value for me still... :)
I knew you were somewhere near Majik. Waiting, calculating, lurking... Anyway. couldn't have said it better myself.
ReplyDeleteI've gone back and played some of these games in the last year. Most hold up reasonably well. I was far more into the Doom and Doom II mods & wads, though. One thing missing in today's FPS games is something is the ability to dodge. Yes, if you're pretty good, you can dodge, but nothing like in these older FPS games. For example, in the Doom games, I thought being able to dodge things fired from far off was fun . . . and it was deceptive. They seemed easy to dodge until you played a wad like Hoover Dam. It's something that helped make the game light.
ReplyDeleteThe games are so much more twitchy now. They are just not as fun as these older games.
I also think the mods somewhat show that. A lot of the Doom wads were actually somewhat humorous. Somewhere around Unreal Tournament, it seemed like more mods were "serious."
Maybe that's just me being the cranky old gamer.
You are very right dear guttertalk. Dodging and the overall greater simplicity of the gameplay is indeed why I too prefer older, pick up and play FP shooters.
ReplyDeleteOn the mod thing though, you have to admit that, despite the general trend of sriousness, quite a few weird 'n' wacky mods have appeared. Even for HL2... Remember my post?
This is were it all began for me... So many hours as a kid with this game ... A classic in my book!
ReplyDeleteI hope Halo 3 will interest me more than the previous two.. Played Halo, but the second I put down after a short while... I think Bioshock, COD 4 and maybe even Darkness will be better FPS's then Halo 3... !?!?
Just stopping by to say hello to my friend Gnome. :)
ReplyDeleteHope all is well in the land of the gnome. :)
Like guttertalk doom and unreal mods were the business, I love my modding, er loved my modding, now finding the time to play is proving difficult... a most essential post dear Gnome, free game, mods and the ability to roll you own... ace!
ReplyDeleteHi Tom, thanks for dropping in mate. All is fine :)
ReplyDeleteSo, oh Elderly, you were a modder too huh?
erm no! never modded, i tinkered with morrowind tes construction kit, but only the easy texturing bit.. no doom and unreal were beyond me... still are.... the added value that pc game mods add to a game are extraordinary.. doom and unreal were my favourites... though zero gravity gave me motion sickness...
ReplyDeleteSo, uhm, you only slightly modded then. Well, that's definitely more than I've ever attempted... As for the value point, you're absolutely right...
ReplyDelete...mods keep games alive, kicking and real... i mean you'd never get a nude patch for a xbox 360 game now would we...
ReplyDelete...(considers.....)
..not that i've ever downloaded a nude patch.. of course.. purely an example to illustrate my statement, .. the mention of an fictional nude patchs.... cough!!!!
Besides, who would want a nude patch for Gears of War?
ReplyDeleteI modded a sandwhich once by adding a pickle... Does that count?
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, definitely does.
ReplyDeleteI like to add a little something extra to my mods most of the time, be it secret levels (kind of obvious), strange areas within levels, or weird screens etc you can access by performing certain "tasks". Hundscheisse even has clues as to how to access its secret in the text file, and if the concept of BJ as an aging farmer with a slingshort and pitchfork fighting dog-headed Nazis isn't weird enough for you, I think the "secret" is. I always try to inject some form of humor into my mods if I can as well. I can't help myself...it's a disease...
ReplyDeleteWorking with these older engines is a challenge. How do you elicit a "fear" response from a player using 64x64 pixel characters and working within the limitations of what the Wolf3D engine has to offer? Well, that's the challenge vs using a newer engine that has all kinds of atmospheric effects available in it already. It's not easy, but lots of folks seem to think I accomplished that with medEvil. Even with old games like Doom or Wolfenstein, if a player allows themself to be immersed in the gameplay, it can still be one heck of a fun ride.
Incidentally, I have a "pack" of Duke Nukem maps I created as well listed under my name at modDB that seem to have been well received, particularly the "old west" themed map...
*returns to lurking on the sidelines*
Surely that's some creative lurking... Duke Nukem mods you say... Better have a look then ;)
ReplyDelete(looks into the darkness of the sidelines......)
ReplyDelete..nope too scary for me..... i'll put on the kettle....
Ah, lovely... Isn't it a tad too warm for tea though?
ReplyDelete..I hear you.. one iced tea on the way..... frappe?
ReplyDeleteSo, you do now frappe... When did you say was the last time you visited greece?
ReplyDelete