PC Which source port of Doom should I use to play the game?

[Gafek Urslef]

I use DSDADoom for vanilla and custom maps and GZDoom for the crazy gameplay mods. (Eternity for the rare Eternity exclusive WAD)

 

[_oBSOLEte_]

I've replayed through Heretic in VR a few years ago, it translated really well, and I've got to check the voxel mods with GZDoomVR. Maybe play Strife in full like that...

 

[LeoTCK]

Ugh, we use modified PRBoom for more vanilla experience/fixes experience and playing boom-compatible wads and because that's about the only thing to reliably use outside of windows.

On windows I used several ports for several reasons. choc doom/prboom for compat testing as i want to support for my wads with the old stuff too, the ones I was making I mean. Then I used Crispy Doom, which can be seen as a bit hacky but it provides a solid vanilla-like experience.

Crispy Doom

Crispy Doom is a source port developed by Fabian Greffrath forked from Chocolate Doom which provides a higher display resolution, removes the static limits of the Doom engine, and offers further optional visual, tactical and physical enhancements while remaining fully compatible with the...

doomwiki.org

I didn't try DSDA or similar, too new.

GZDoom/LZDoom I used for mods that require it, such as the great DoomReal and DoomTournament. I recommend playing those.

As for the wads I mentioned.
I didn't finish/release much wads sadly, most of my better stuff was unfinished, the only wads I released are here.

the crappiest one is the first one

Abandonment addon - Doom II

A very short map that was intended to be a part of a megawad project. I'll be releasing more or less finished maps from there and try to finish up what was done. Some of the work dates back all the way to 2008 or so and some is more recent. The more...

www.moddb.com

this one is solid though very short

Nuke'em ALL! addon - Doom II

Another day another map.. This one is a little crazier and features a parody story. Also includes story forTACQUIF, an unreleased as of yet map.

www.moddb.com

and this is basically an edit of doom 2 beta map combined with features of the released doom2 map and some original stuff on top

Entry bay addon - Doom II

Entry Bay, a map based on Entry Way from beta Doom2 plus mixed with new rooms and the balcony from the released Doom2. Also intended to be part of megawad.

www.moddb.com

I made all these vanilla compatible so they run even on ms-dos doom.

The reason I didn't finish these projects is when my life got turned upside down yet again. I was on a solid streak really before 2021, trying to finish up old projects and everything. Then once again things settled down and I had to leave everything behind in 2024.

Post automatically merged: Apr 21, 2025

Lol there was a time when I played online on the novelty Doomsday engine around 2005 or so. nobody plays that anymore lol.
Like it was one of the first things that supported a model pack and such weirdness for the time.

 

[Mini_Man.XW]

I like GZDoom

 

[Johnathan Smikey]

Vanilla ports (for the classic gameplay/strictly DOOM as it was released):

• Chocolate DOOM
• Crispy DOOM
• Pure DOS-Box

Enhanced ports (Extends mod support, but stays true to the original vision with fixes)

• DSDA-DOOM
• PRBoom+
• Boom (if you want to use DOSBox for some fucking reason)
• Nugget DOOM
• Rum & Raisin DOOM (It was used to help develop Nightdive's "ID24" standard, so count this also as DOOM+DOOM II, even if there are differences)
• DOOM Retro

Modern ports (Mod support, but adds modern affects to DOOM)

• ZDoom
• EDGE-Classic
• K8Vavoom (Awesome lighting affects similar to DOOM 3, choose this one for lighting)
• Eternity Engine

GZDoom (explains everything)

• GZDoom (Can run whole ass games, but can't run Lilith lol)

Multiplayer engines (Expands on DOOM's multiplayer

• ZDaemon
• Odamex
• Zandronum (I prefer Q-Zandronum, as it adds elements of Quake into it)

And thus, that is a list I have made for recommendations... no, there is no easier way to recommend engines other than "just play DOOM".

 

[ThePeon]

GZDoom is nice. Im not much of a Doom enjoyer im more fan of Blood and Duke 3D and Shadow warrior.


But when I play DOOM I play this one.

 

[Nidstang]

Vanilla ports (for the classic gameplay/strictly DOOM as it was released):

• Chocolate DOOM
• Crispy DOOM
• Pure DOS-Box

Enhanced ports (Extends mod support, but stays true to the original vision with fixes)

• DSDA-DOOM
• PRBoom+
• Boom (if you want to use DOSBox for some fucking reason)
• Nugget DOOM
• Rum & Raisin DOOM (It was used to help develop Nightdive's "ID24" standard, so count this also as DOOM+DOOM II, even if there are differences)
• DOOM Retro

Modern ports (Mod support, but adds modern affects to DOOM)

• ZDoom
• EDGE-Classic
• K8Vavoom (Awesome lighting affects similar to DOOM 3, choose this one for lighting)
• Eternity Engine

GZDoom (explains everything)

• GZDoom (Can run whole ass games, but can't run Lilith lol)

Multiplayer engines (Expands on DOOM's multiplayer

• ZDaemon
• Odamex
• Zandronum (I prefer Q-Zandronum, as it adds elements of Quake into it)

And thus, that is a list I have made for recommendations... no, there is no easier way to recommend engines other than "just play DOOM".

Nightdive's Kex has been growing on me, but I'll always favor GZ DOOM despite the modern feel.

I need to dedicate some time to prboom+ or dsdadoom though.

Good comprehensive list.