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Multiplayer Programs & Utilities

This section of Doomworld is devoted to programs and online services that will let you play Doom over the internet. Most of these services require some knowledge and tweaking of your own system and internet connection, so don't be surprised if things don't work the first time around. Also, the pool of hardcore Doomers has diminished significantly since the "good ol' days" so you're not always guaranteed to find an opponent since most ports do not feature a quake-like servers with in-game joining... Exceptions are the client/server internet ports csDoom, Vavoom and JDoom listed below.

The best way to find opponents for head-to-head games is to subscribe to a deathmatch databasis, or to go look for them on IRC channels such as EFnet's #deathmatch or Openproject's or #doom.

Multiplayer Programs

Name Platform Homepage Filesize Author Source Description
ZDaemon 1.10 b01 Windows Link 3480 KB Raider Based off of ZDoom 1.23 this port will allow you to hook up and play with other DOOM players the same way you do in any modern FPS. Create a ZDaemon account and keep track of your progress and watch as you slowly gain experience and levels the more you play. Up to sixteen players can join in a all out fragfest or four players working together to stay alive can revisit classic DOOM & DOOM II levels.
Zandronum 1.2 Windows Link 16600 KB Zandronum team Yes Continuation of the Skulltag source port, with uncapped framerate, additional game modes, and other fancy stuff for modern multiplayer Doom.
Zandronum 1.2 Linux/Unix Link 0 KB Zandronum team Yes Continuation of the Skulltag source port, with uncapped framerate, additional game modes, and other fancy stuff for modern multiplayer Doom.
Zandronum 1.2 MacOS Link 0 KB Zandronum team Yes Continuation of the Skulltag source port, with uncapped framerate, additional game modes, and other fancy stuff for modern multiplayer Doom.
GZDoom 1.8.02 Windows Link 1550 KB Graf Zahl GZDoom is a Doom source port based on ZDoom. It features an OpenGL renderer and lots of new features such as 3D floors, Dynamic lights, skyboxes, true color textures and models.
IDE 4.01 Windows Link 1960 KB bond Internet Doom Explorer shows all public doom servers from the masterservers. Supports the sourceports ZDaemon, Skull Tag and Odamex. Also features a buddylist, shows your ping to the servers and allows you to host a server.
Doomworld Windows None 757 KB vmlinuz Yes No longer updated TCP/IP source mod. Extremely simple to use, works from DOS box under Win3.x or Win95 provided you have Winsock v1.x... does -not- work with Winsock v2.x.
Doom95 Windows None 4354 KB Official id Software Win32 front-end for all Doom IWADs, with added features such as high resolutions and TCP LAN play. Note: this means you -cannot- use this program to play on the internet, but -only- on a local area network.
Odamex 0.7.0 Windows Link 3583 KB Odamex team Yes Open source Doom sourceport specialized in oldschool multiplayer features. Also has other enhancements over regular Doom such as mouselook and jumping (which can both be turned off on the server level). Full Boom compatibility. Launcher and server browser included, nothing else needed!
Odamex 0.7.0 Linux/Unix Link 0 KB Odamex team Yes Open source doom sourceport specialized in oldschool multiplayer features. Also has other enhancements over regular Doom such as mouselook and jumping (which can both be turned off on the server level). Full Boom compatibility. Launcher and server browser included, nothing else needed!
Odamex 0.7.0 MacOS Link 10100 KB Odamex team Yes Open source Doom sourceport specialized in oldschool multiplayer features. Also has other enhancements over regular Doom such as mouselook and jumping (which can both be turned off on the server level). Full Boom compatibility. Launcher and server browser included, nothing else needed!
PRJBoom Windows Link 416 KB Steven Friedrichs Port of Doomworld to Boom.
Skulltag 0.97d3 RC2 Windows Link 289000 KB Brad Carney Skulltag is a deathmatch/cooperative/CTF internet mod based on ZDoom 2.0.60. Includes bots, custom levels, skins, several new weapons and OpenGL rendering.
Skulltag 0.98c Linux/Unix Link 0 KB Brad Carney Skulltag is a deathmatch/cooperative/CTF internet mod based on ZDoom 2.0.60. Includes bots, custom levels, skins, several new weapons and OpenGL rendering.
Skulltag 0.98c MacOS Link 0 KB Brad Carney Skulltag is a deathmatch/cooperative/CTF internet mod based on ZDoom 2.0.60. Includes bots, custom levels, skins, several new weapons and OpenGL rendering.
csDoom 0.7 beta Windows Link 729 KB Sergey Yes The first and server/client Doom port, with in-game joining. Based on ZDoom. Win32 version; FreeBSD/Linux versions are available at our Linux section.
iFrag DOS Link 121 KB There used to be an iFrag tracker up at 205.244.188.36 (status unknown), but it's also a great program to setup your own server/client. Knowledge of your system is absolutely required to setup this DOS program. More information can be found here or in the Net-Dooming FAQ.
ZDoom 2.7.1 Windows Link 2090 KB Randy Heit Yes Win32 Doom port with high resolutions, translucency, up/down looking, a console, true key bindings, TCP internet play, completely compatible with TeamTNT's Boom source port, a particle system and has ACS, hubs and polyobjects from Hexen. Cajun Bot v0.97 included. Under development. The following files are optional: editing utils can be found here (19 Kb); specific level editor is Zeth v4.05 (340 Kb) or grab the updated WadAuthor cfg file here (13 Kb); the latest ACC is right here (46 Kb); demo level is right over here (219 Kb) and a reference guide here (72 Kb). Linux version available, DOS version only for old 1.17c.
Doom Legacy 1.44 Windows Link 1436 KB Legacy team Yes Win32 version of this Doom port with high resolutions, Glide/OpenGL support, mlook with up-and-down shooting, jumping, translucency, key bindings, 32-player TCP/IP multiplayer with player-selected names and colors, skins, true-height sprites and the ability to load outside WADs while running. Supports TeamTNT's Boom port. Currently under development.
Vavoom 1.25 Windows Link 2254 KB Janis Legzdios Yes Windows DirectX 7 version of this Heretic, Hexen and Doom source port. Progs (= game logic, 1269 Kb) also available. You can get demo levels for Doom2, Heretic and Hexen as well, plus optional MD2 model files for Doom2, Heretic and Hexen . Has high resolutions, client/server architecture with in-game joining, freelook, jumping, 3D sound support, Direct3D rendering, progs, translucency, a console, limited Dehacked support and several things more.

Deathmatch Info Sites

Name Description
The ZDoom DM Resource One of Doomworld's hosted sites, featuring info on how to play ZDoom deathmatch and a growing & maintained database of players. Info on how to play ZDoom using ICQ or DoomServ. Of late it also hosts a SkullTag tutorial.
Doom2.net Well-maintained and up-to-date deathmatch-oriented site for the classic DOS doom2.exe, founded by BahdKo who is one of the top players out there. Here you can find everything to do with oldschool deathmatching, deathmatch tactics (including tutorials), downloadable DM levels plus all the dirt on all the available internet-capable source ports. Highly recommended!

Internet Gaming FAQs

Name Description
/idgames Archive Multiplayer Docs Contains several internet gaming FAQs for download.
IPX Networks for PC Games Explains how to setup an ethernet Local Area Network (LAN) at your own home for DOS or Win95.
DriverGuide Site aimed to find appropriate (modem) drivers. Requires to enlist yourself for a free membership.
dmodplay.zip This archive (59 Kb) contains information about how to get serial (modem and nul-modem) connections between two computers for the purpose of playing multiplayer Doom.
The FAQ for Net-Dooming This deals how to setup a game using iFrag... More info on the site. IFrag is especially suited for players with fast connections, and I've been using it myself for quite a time.

Online Services

Name Description
Kali Commercial online gaming service. Supports (Ultimate) Doom, Doom2, ZDoom and csDoom. Time-limited demo available (works for 15 minutes); for US $20 you have life-long membership; supports Win95/WinNT, MS-DOS, OS/2 and Macintosh.
GameSpy Arcade Commercial program that supports lobby driven player matchmaking for ZDoom (and many other games not related to doom). Shareware (unrestricted) version available (contains Ads). Registrations costs $9.95 monthly.
The Zone The Microsoft Gaming Zone offers free browser-based internet play for lots and lots of games. Requires Win95/98, or NT 4.0 or later with Service Pack 3 plus Netscape v4+ or MSIE v3.02+. Doom isn't listed, but it is reported playable.

Network drivers and misc. files

Name Filesize Description
Network drivers 41 KB Contains LSL.COM, NE2000.COM and IPXODI.COM. You'll need these drivers to setup a Doom network game, using a NE2000 compatible network card. Replace NE2000.COM with your own network card driver if you have another card (quite possible included on disk when you bought it, or else available on the Net). Batch file included for loading.
Doom NetBIOS Interface 1.01 15 KB Front-end for setting up a Doom network game.
IPXSetup 1.1 15 KB New version of IPXSetup that corrects the problem of "OPEN SOCKET 0xFF" when you try to reload IPXSETUP after aborting.
Master/Slave IPXSetup 31 KB Nifty modification of IPXSetup that introduces a master/slave relation within a network game, passing along the game parameters from the 'master' to the 'slaves'. Support for Heretic/Hexen, and patches.

Serial drivers and misc. files

Name Filesize Description
apcidoom 5.6 476 KB According to the text file: "APCiDOOM v5.6 is a freeware utility for DOOM or DOOM II. It is the client software that allows high-speed modem users to play four player true network modem DOOM via the APCi MultiPlayer Game Server. It features a chat utility that enables players to chat and change WAD files/settings before and between games. Supported modes are modem, serial link, and IPX. Proper operation requires DOOM v1.9 or DOOM II v1.9 or later."
apciheretic 2.1 603 KB According to the text file: "APCiHERETIC is a freeware utility for Heretic and Hexen. It is the client software that allows high-speed modem users to play Heretic and Hexen via the APCi MultiPlayer Game Server(tm). It features a chat utility that enables players to chat and change WAD files and settings before and between games. Supported modes are modem, serial link, and IPX. Proper operation requires Heretic 1.2 or later, or Hexen 1.0 or later."
HX8 16 KB According to the text file: "HX8 allows you to play Hexen, Doom or related games with up to 8 players together, and this over standard null-modem or modem links. Thanks to in-the-fly compression, it doesn't require much bandwidth. It has been successfully tested with The Ultimate Doom, and, extensively, with Hexen 1.1."
JServe 0.2 39 KB According to the text file: "JServe is a serial driver written specifically for the purpose of playing multi-player DOOM II Ver 1.666+. Although fairly easy to use, it was not written with the novice doomer in mind.(--)." It has the "ability to play 3 and 4 player DOOM using any combination of serial cables and modems."

According to feedback I got from 'Unfy' : "Pros: Constant connection. Chat ability. Ability to shell to dos and change the 'dparam' file (response file for changing levels / wads / etc). Cons: With a modem, while someone is calling someone else or answering a call.. any incoming message (chat for eg) would cause the modem to hang up. This can be annoying at times. Also, sometimes players 'disappear' from being able to talk / play.

ParSetup11 36 KB According to the text file: "PARSETUP is a Parallel Printer Port device driver for id Software's DOOM (tm) and DOOM II (tm) which will allow two computers to play across a LapLink or InterLnk parallel cable. Just the thing if you want to play multiplayer DOOM but don't have network cards and your only serial port is taken up by your mouse. Source code is included."
dserf27.zip 25 KB According to the text file: "This is a hack of id's serial device driver. It allows arbitrary baudrate, hardware handshaking, arbitrary irq, and arbitrary port addresses. This will allow you to run your V32bis modem at higher than 9600 baud. Also, some problems with dialing and answering the modem have been fixed (some modems can not accept command strings at full speed). The new structure of the modem.cfg file is described in the accompanying modem.cfg file."
SDDV 1.4.04 14 KB DOOM II Serial Device Driver. Adds two new parameters to Doom2 modem play that allows you to switch your modem from voice to data connection mode without calling your opponent again.
Ser 7.5 175 KB Fancy serial driver plus interface for Doom, Doom2, Heretic and Hexen. Lots of features!
SuperSer 2.0 57 KB SuperSer v2.0 is a serial/modem driver for Doom, Doom2, Heretic and Hexen. "Revolutionalize your NetPlay by using 3 or more computers connected together using only serial ports. Transfer files, chat, use the notebook and run dos-shell. View WADs and automatically validate them before playing. If you don't have a WAD, download it from the game moderator! All this and more in a friendly VESA user interface with mouse support, or if you want to use the mouse port for a connection, use the new fake mouse!"
RMSetup 24 KB This is a beta release of a driver that will allow anywhere from 2 to 4 players playing DooM over serial lines. Update to rmssetup.
SDoom 37 KB This package fixes some problems in direct link (occurring small delays when moving, jerky gameplay) or modem connections (No DTR or No RS signals). Does not work on US Robotics HST type connections.