Source Port of Choice

I feel like this has been discussed so many times before, sorry but I can't help it.
Anyways, what is _____ of choice?
Mine is PrBoom+, because, no, I feel excruciatingly lazy today, apologies.

Bla bla

In my opinion, the problem with this topic is that there's no one-size-fits-all source port in existence. The closest thing is probably Zandronum. It had a relatively high level of wad compatibility and had multiplayer that's not complete ass. However, it's quite outdated by modern standards. It can't run anything using zscript, and is quite behind on other GZDoom features... including stuff like mbf21.

So, I'll list the ports I use the most.

Crispy Doom is my main port for limit removing content. Chocolate Doom has a slight edge multiplayer wise simply by being the base standard.

Woof is a good port for Boom and MBF stuff. DSDA-Doom is also a good choice, especially for single player demo recording. (It's multiplayer capabilities aren't as good as the previously aforementioned three).

ZDaemon and Zandronum are the main multiplayer ports, with zdaemon seeing more use from a coop perspective. Notably, Zdaemon is the only closed-source community port anyone gives a damn about these days.

GZDoom will run almost anything you throw at it.

The official version built on Unity is (unfortunately) the best option for split screen. 

While Edge isn't a port I use that often, it's browser version is the best of it's kind (WAD Commander has a tendency to crash the browser tab it's running on and I never figured out why).

Lastly, D-Touch is a decent way to access various Doom source ports on Android.

There are many, many other ports that I haven't mentioned, but I believe this covers the basics for the original PC games. I'd imagine that all this is quite overwhelming for new fans. 

On 4/14/2024 at 2:32 AM, Chernobog The Exalted said:

I feel like this has been discussed so many times before, sorry but I can't help it.

Yes, it has, and it was determined that source ports are bad and if you aren't running doom.exe on a real DOS machine then you are just another myhouse sheep who thinks they are part of some sort of retro renaissance

Chocolate doom is acceptable if you are too poor to own a 486

Discussing DOOM source ports without a use case for context isn't too useful, I'd say. Much like comparing the benefits of a Xeon and an i9 might be a tad fruitless if you don't know whether someone's gaming, rendering, or hosting an application server. Purpose decides suitability.

I mostly have 3 use cases:

Plain DOOM: Crispy or WOOF have proven fairly solid for something close to unedited Doom, with some nice quality of life tweaks.

Limit Removing/MBF21: I'll switch to PRBoom+, I also quite like DSDA but I tend to fall back on what I'm used to.
Most things more complicated than that: I'll end up on GZDoom. Although I hate it when updates break my config files.

Those ports cover 95% of the Dooming I do, with the other 5% being special cases for curiosity (e.g. Choco), ports I used to use but no longer do (e.g. Zdoom, which is now basically only useful for cases like Lilith), and Unity DOOM when power is out and I'm on the Switch.

At this point, asking what is the "preferred port/port of choice/any variation of this" is probably gonna result in a locked thread (well, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit)

On the topic, mine is Crispy (sometimes Choco) for vanilla and the other games (Heretic, Hexen) and Woof for MBF and Boom.

I use Woof to play anything that doesn't require ZDoom, because it works, it has multiplayer (with support for playing with Chocolate Doom and Crispy Doom!), and it's more customizable than DSDA-Doom.

If I do need to play a ZDoom/GZDoom WAD, I just use GZDoom. I don't like it (it loves to eat all my mouse inputs and make it so clicking on an app AFTER GZDoom is already closed does nothing), but I don't have any other options for those WADs.

Zandronum is also good for multiplayer, and while it doesn't support MBF21 WADs, it can run a lot of mods for ZDoom, as well as ones for vanilla/Boom/MBF, and ones specifically made for Zandronum.

15 minutes ago, realjohnmadden said:

and it's more customizable than DSDA-Doom.

It's not. While I think Nugget is probably still my favorite port, DSDA is insanely customizable.

Just now, CacoKnight said:

It's not. While I still think Nugget is probably still my favorite port, DSDA is insanely customizable.

DSDA didn't let me change resolution to be anything other than native, and I don't think it has the fullscreen HUD like Crispy, or Russian Doom, or Woof.

What do you mean? You can enter any resolution you want manually, ANY. No idea about the full screen HUD, you mean stretched without the borders to the side? I'm sure there is a way for that too but I never cared about it.

Nugget Doom mainly. It's one of the very few software renderer ports that actually has an FOV slider. And the fully mouse driven UI is a big plus too since I have a 60% keyboard with no arrow keys.

Woof is like the best source port around right now, and it can do pretty much anything outside of G/ZDoom/UDMF stuff. It's incredibly clean and modern in its design while still feeling tastefully faithful to the original experience.

I use Chocolate Doom from time to time, mostly for vanilla compatibility testing.

I also use vanilla via DOSBox or my Pentium III PC for that authentic oldschool experience and multiplayer.

Woof because it keeps the graphics nice and c r o n c h y and has an auto-pistol start setting. I've also come to love the colored blood effects both for immersion and from a feedback perspective.

GZDoom, since I usually like toying with gameplay mods (and am making my own, but that's besides the point). I also prefer using hardware rendering and mouselook, as the shearing in Doom's standard software renderer makes me sick when using mouselook in ports that have it.

DSDA-Doom.

12 minutes ago, OpenRift said:

Woof is like the best source port around right now, and it can do pretty much anything outside of G/ZDoom/UDMF stuff. It's incredibly clean and modern in its design while still feeling tastefully faithful to the original experience.

It's also my favorite. It's a port with very nice polish that doesn't change the original gameplay at all, staying demo compatible

I've been using nugget doom a lot this past few weeks, it's almost everything i was looking for.

Sadly, it doesn't have demo compatibility, so i use Woof/ Crispy Doom from time to time to record demos.

DOOM Retro has to be my source port of choice. I enjoy playing vanilla-style WADs with this source port, as this port seems to be geared towards a casual experience. There are a few aesthetic changes, the biggest behind the greyscaled background when engaged in any menu screen. I like to think of DOOM Retro to be a good definitive way to play DOOM, in the sense that it comes with a lot of quality-of-life fixes like centered weapons and correct blood colors. There are also a few new features, such as gibbing with the Super Shotgun, extra blood sprites on the floor, more reactive HUD (I usually disable the HUD shake effect), included widescreen assets, etc. Everything about this source port feels fluid. Entering cheats restrict player movement while typing, there's a console you can use to customize everything, and you can easily swap between 4:3 gameplay to 16:9 gameplay with the "-" and "+" keys. This port definitely is for casual play, there is no focus on anything related to complevels, demo recording or playback, stuff like that. It's what I would imagine that could have very well been the "remastered" DOOM releases we had on Steam instead of the Unity source port.

The best description of DOOM Retro I can think of is "Classic DOOM but with a retro feel." It's trying to be RETRO, imitative of vanilla gameplay, but doing its own thing.

2 hours ago, DankMetal said:

I've been using nugget doom a lot this past few weeks, it's almost everything i was looking for.

Sadly, it doesn't have demo compatibility

It should be demo-compatible, it's just not thoroughly tested.

Woof has become my favorite and is what I recommend for most new Doom players. I know DSDA is the gameplay standard but I think its options menu is way too much of a bloated salad for the average person.

ZDoom v2.3.1 

Sound Level At: 8.0

Music Level At: 10.0

No interpolation, default sample rate.

Everything sounds better to me in this version of this source port.  To the shotgun and the chainsaw.. it sounds louder.  
 

The monsters also sound better, I can listen to it for hours while playing.

On 4/16/2024 at 9:03 PM, CacoKnight said:

What do you mean? You can enter any resolution you want manually, ANY. No idea about the full screen HUD, you mean stretched without the borders to the side? I'm sure there is a way for that too but I never cared about it.

Late reply, but I mean this:

Combined with colored numbers, it ends up being pretty damn good.

On 4/17/2024 at 2:23 AM, Fireseth said:

 

DOOM Retro has to be my source port of choice. I enjoy playing vanilla-style WADs with this source port, as this port seems to be geared towards a casual experience. There are a few aesthetic changes, the biggest behind the greyscaled background when engaged in any menu screen. I like to think of DOOM Retro to be a good definitive way to play DOOM, in the sense that it comes with a lot of quality-of-life fixes like centered weapons and correct blood colors. There are also a few new features, such as gibbing with the Super Shotgun, extra blood sprites on the floor, more reactive HUD (I usually disable the HUD shake effect), included widescreen assets, etc. Everything about this source port feels fluid. Entering cheats restrict player movement while typing, there's a console you can use to customize everything, and you can easily swap between 4:3 gameplay to 16:9 gameplay with the "-" and "+" keys. This port definitely is for casual play, there is no focus on anything related to complevels, demo recording or playback, stuff like that. It's what I would imagine that could have very well been the "remastered" DOOM releases we had on Steam instead of the Unity source port.

 

The best description of DOOM Retro I can think of is "Classic DOOM but with a retro feel." It's trying to be RETRO, imitative of vanilla gameplay, but doing its own thing.

I definitely have to try that ou

4 hours ago, realjohnmadden said:

Late reply, but I mean this:

Combined with colored numbers, it ends up being pretty damn good.

That's the Crispy HUD. You can find it in Crispy Doom and derivatives, and Woof. 

I use Doom Retro as my main sourceport.

I use Chocolate from time to time.

I use GZDoom if there is something fancy that Doom Retro doesn't support for some reason (which isn't much).

DOOM Retro is sick, along with Crispy DOOM.

Nugget Doom (essentially souped up Woof! which in itself was my port of choice for three years) has effectively "ruined" any source port that isn't dedicated for very specific maps or mods like GZDoom and Eternity Engine. If it's vanilla, limit-removing, boom-compatible or MBF21 then chances are I'm playing it with Nugget.

20 minutes ago, Lila Feuer said:

"ruined"

Why is it "ruined"? Sorry if this is obvious; it didn't translate for me.

@JadingTsunami Because I see no point personally in using derivative ports that accomplish the same goals that may have less features than I'm used to.

Let me ask this another way historically Z Doom now GZ Doom is the only Port I have ever used for WAD files until this year when at @MtPain27 discretion I used dsda Doom for Lost Civilization  WAD and other than the settings menu having different options could not tell a single difference maybe someone can help me make sense of what these Source ports are and briefly what is supposed to be different about them without us making a PhD on it because just playing through they feel the same other than the settings menu.

@LegendaryEevee https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Source_port

The page for each port isn't big and immediately lists the differences as well as what the port was based on or forked off from, some aim to preserve game accuracy, others sacrifice it in favor of more modern flexibility, some are somewhere in-between.