STDOOM

DOOOOOOOOM!!

If you’ve been following me on Twitter/X, you will know I've shared screenshots and video clips of Doom running on my Atari STe (and later my Mega STe). This is thanks to Jonas Eschenburg, who has been hard at work getting the source code to compile and run on our favourite 68000 computer. It’s mind-boggling to see this game running on my Atari ST, but it’s also bittersweet because it reminds me of when I first saw Doom in 1993. By then, the 16-bit era was drawing to a close, and Doom’s release was like the final nail in the coffin [sigh!]

Decades later, I’m geeking out about the ability to “run” Doom on my Atari ST. This all started thanks to a thread over at Atari-Forum, with a post by Badwolf that had my mouth watering. Okay, it's an accelerated computer, but the possibility of "STDOOM" began. (Greetings @Badwolf for that download)

Later, I read a post on Twitter by Jonas, and the joy truly began when I saw screenshots of Doom running on the ST. Accelerated/emulated or not, this was starting to "be something". I contacted him and we've since found/fixed errors and even got it to work within 4MB of RAM. This has been fun and exciting!!

I eagerly asked Jonas for his thoughts on what he hopes to accomplish with STDOOM...

I would like to emphasize I was a little surprised that apparently no officially recognized ST port existed. I kind of naively tried to compile the official Doom sources to Thorsten Otto‘s great GCC port. After ripping out code that was never going to work on the ST, I had a version running after just one night of hacking.

I was mainly interested in supporting the ST‘s original graphics, so I experimented with medium-res using black & white. I had ideas for how to support 16 colours, so that came next. I really like the dithered colours now. The experiences I gained on my VoxelSpace demo were very helpful.

It’s a technical challenge, and not a very hard one. There’s an emotional aspect to it as well. In a way I’m giving a present to my 13-year old self who saw his friends, with their PCs, play doom while I was left with an old ST. I know some of you feel the same. Whatever your reasons are, I’m happy if you enjoy the fact that there is now DOOM for the ST.

I won’t make any promise of playability on original (8MHz) hardware, but I’ll see what I can do. However, I’m pretty sure that id software did their best optimizing the hell out of this game. It was considered a hardware seller for the PC platform at the time for a reason. But even if it only runs at acceptable speed, with accelerated hardware or under emulation, I think having a best-effort port for the ST is valuable on its own.

One thing missing is audio and I’m not experienced with the YM2149. If anybody would like to help me with support for DMA sound effects and YM music, I would love to accept help.

Yep, nobody expects Doom to be properly playable on an 8MHz STe, but Jonas is convinced more optimisation can be done. A carrot & donkey moment for me as I hope to moderately play it on my Mega STe.

Seriously, I wonder what lies ahead on this long road that leads into Doom heaven (hell?).

Remarkable times, folks!! Check out these links and watch this space...

• Follow Jonas/get in touch to help with development https://x.com/indyjonas
• Have you seen Jonas' VoxelSpace engine? https://demozoo.org/productions/370162/
• Here is a Doom slideshow to whet your appetite https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/doom.html
• Aranym is a great ST Doom "option" https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2017/05/easyaramint.html
• Do you want more ST FPS games? https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/FPS
• Those lucky pluckers with a Falcon should play BadMood https://www.leonik.net/dml/
• As you all know, I'm not technically minded when it comes to programming (I know now't!). ST guys like Jonas blow my mind, kinda like this CAD application did a few years ago... https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-day-in-life.html

Okay, I've sludged through the slideshow framerate and found a Shotgun Guy!

He turns and hits me, but it's futile in God Mode!

Oh yeah - Take that!!

His already dead corpse is... dead for good this time!!

Reload and move on for the next zombie to slay!

There is no sound yet, but reducing the screen size helps a (tiny) bit!

This help screen is for anyone who’s never heard of Doom - bless ’em...

Power Drift

More Speed, Less CPU Strain

This is an arcade racer I’ve always loathed. I remember playing the ST conversion and instantly taking a dislike to it. Looking back, I reckon it was probably because the game was too ambitious for a 512KB 16-bit computer. I wouldn’t have thought that at the time, of course, but that’s how I translate my old memories.

Now, don’t take this for a review - it’s more of an excuse to add another game to my STe Enhanced section. Yes, AtariCrypt actually has a section dedicated to enhanced games! Bet you didn’t even know that, did you? Well, take a look to the right of any page and you shall see a link to this list (WIP - loads more to come).

Wait… what? Power Drift is STe enhanced? Well, yes and no. It makes use of the Blitter, which is something within every Atari STe. The standard ST is supported - if you were lucky enough to have one installed - like the Mega ST (I also believe late-model STfms had an empty socket waiting to be filled?). Okay, considering the game was released in 1989, I would have been using my older 520 STfm (without a Blitter). That would certainly explain my long-standing grudge against this racer, which I never bothered loading up again - until now!

Fast forward way too many years, and I’m lucky enough to own both machines (though Hatari’s a decent option). So, booting it up on an ST without a Blitter, and the framerate is awful. Fire it up on an STe, and it’s a different story. The Blitter kicks in - probably handling the sprites - and the framerate feels much better. That might sound dramatic to some of the ST Nutters out there, but trust me, it makes all the difference.

If I'm honest, I only ever expected a small improvement. Something hardly noticeable because I still expected to be unimpressed by a rubbish port. Turns out, I was completely wrong! Power Drift is actually a blast, and I can’t believe I’ve spent decades ignoring it. Sure, it's not the best racer we have because it's far too ambitious for any 16-bit computer. But if you use an Atari STe, download this game and give it a whirl.

It's weird how such an old game surprised me like this. Power Drift isn't a serious racer; rather one to take lightly, but it's fun. Highly recommended and I'm confident to rate at 75% (40% without Blitter).

• Atari Legend has the best disk - Dodgysoft #75 https://www.atarilegend.com/games/power-drift
• 8BitChip has a version for hard drive https://atari.8bitchip.info/SCRSH/powerdrf.html
• If you’re too lazy to glance right for more enhanced games, just hit this link right now https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/enhanced-games.html

Master those corners, and you have a cracking racer. Well, on an Atari STe!!