I recently got my hands on some cheap storage space that allows for file archives, so I figured I'd do my part in sharing some of the most notable DOOM-related contributions throughout the years, best showcased via the infamous idgames archive.

So here it is! My unofficial mirror of ditto. 54 GB of pure DOOM - from 1994 up till now! New mods and levels are streaming in still today.

I plan on updating this mirror at highly irregular intervals until I get some scheduled; automatic mirror magic going on, which is apparently possible via rsync, which I haven't used before. When I have some time to spare I shall learn how to, and so this archive should start to manage itself.

If you want to access this archive via FTP... well forget that!

I had planned to set this up as an FTP server - just like the one I'm mirroring (though the original's available via HTTP too), but I am not sure anonymous logins are fully supported with my host. I can't seem to get them to work right. Beyond that security on a public FTP server is a hassle, I don't know the half of it, so y'all will have make do with HTTP for now.

Any requests in regard to mirror functionality? If so leave a comment.

Better directory styling's an update for another day.

Onward! Up up and away.

I played through DOOM 2 again recently, on Ultra-Violence, as usual.

Didn't feel satiated enough with just that, so I headed back to Plutonia after that, and TNT after Plutonia... I don't think I've actually reviewed any of these before, though I've played all three plenty. So, some thoughts:

DOOM 2

I'm just not a fan of the final level!

I'm not a fan of the first few levels either at this point, maybe because I've just played them so many times, though it feels like the game at least goes into lore and story more with the first part, with level designs that actually look like bases, with boss battles and ambushes to match. Then it seems they start creating levels for fun more than to progress the plot.

I'm thinking of levels like Tricks and Traps, and Barrels of Fun.

Levels like that.

Levels like that are coincidentally the type of levels I like most; ones that are genuinely fun to play, with plenty of challenge and carnage along the way, but they also don't really feel like part of the game. Like they're not legit parts on this journey through Hell and Earth you're taking...

I'm also not a fan of some of the city levels.

The level design feels overly blocky compared to others there, and dated, and I get lost on ledges and switches.

I'm overall not a fan of levels without a clear sense of direction, especially open landscape-type ones where you have no idea of where you need to go that you haven't gone already; that you can't progress through incrementally, one part or building at a time.

When there's too much back and forth it gets confusing, and/or repetitive.

Regarding added game elements since the original DOOM the Super Shotgun really becomes an essential part of your gameplay strategy here though, and the new enemies add a lot.

The gameplay overall feels fleshed out and thorough, and requires more strategy, and more creative evasion tactics and approaches to different beasts, or different groupings.

The first DOOM was simpler. Which made it better in a way, but the battle definitely was a bit more monotone there, with regular shotgun action even for hordes a re-occurring part of the gameplay. You just kept your distance, strafed, aimed, and kept on shooting.

You need to attack the new enemies differently here. Neither distance nor line-of-sight works the same.

Overall DOOM 2's a great game still, and extensive. It runs longer than you expect it to, even when you know exactly how many levels long it is.

And it's still fun to play all the way through... until that final level.

Plutonia

Plutonia's different. More exotic. More jungle.

It has a good mix between claustrophobic and more spacey levels too - as the original set of levels does, and many of them have pretty unique design elements and layouts, both clever and visually appealing, with area-type designs, watchtowers, gates and fort-like symmetry.

It's a bit annoying how you can't always get dropped items though, when enemies for example are on a ledge, or behind a fence. It seems there's not always a way to get into those enclosed areas in Plutonia, though it's possible I just haven't found all the secret pathways yet.

I also do not like the final level here!

I'm not a fan of the Icon of Sin type level overall, where you rely on speed and timing more so than co-ordination and caution. Where you have to climb a tower and expose yourself to the constant barrage of projectiles and fire from enemies too, and being able to avoid said projectiles comes down more to luck than strategy where you have less freedom to move.

It's not just frustrating since it's difficult, but since you're left to the whims of random spawns and coordinated enemy attacks, that you have little possibility neither to influence nor to deflect.

Enemy-wise there's a lot of Revenants and Heavy Weapons Dudes in particular with Plutonia, though no shortage of Mancubuses or Arachnotrons either. One particular level's very Arch-Vile heavy too.

Enemies seem mainly of the modern sort, and overall heavier compared to the contemporary sets, though overall they're balanced. Varied too.

The story follows suit with the DOOM universe too, albeit with more aggressive phrasing in the cutscenes. Come to think of it both level-design and script really progress better story-wise than DOOM 2 does overall...

Plutonia's good, and harder than the original game.

The level design's top-notch, though it doesn't feel entirely like a part of the original universe in style and design, even if it has all the trademarks of the original when it comes to ambushes and carnage, tricks and traps and everything.

Ambushes in particular. There's a lot of that.

TNT

Of these three level sets TNT is probably my favorite.

It feels more intricate, classier, with more consistent levels, story and all. And the script's poetic. Like for example just read this bit, first cutscene:

"They might be planning a blood feast, but you feel about as mean as two thousand maniacs packed into a killer."

Ain't that a glorious way to phrase it?!

It's a style of poetry you have to have at least with DOOM! It may be an acquired style, reserved for the seemingly PTSD-resistant DOOMGUY only.

The first few times I played this I loved the Wormhole level in particular.

It's trippy, and even the music there is so good - though some of these levels are most appreciated when the element of surprise is new. On frequent playthroughs some levels aren't so extensive after all.

Enemy-wise there are a lot more grunts here compared to Plutonia, Shotgun Guys and Zombiemen. Lots of Barons and Knights in later levels too. There's a lot of the more classic DOOM monsters overall, though again the set is balanced! There's a fair share of everything.

The levels get frustratingly puzzling for a while, but it gets better and better, and I really enjoy the final sets. Even though you get the Icon of Sin here too, with an even shorter slot to shoot through when you do!

I'm not a fan of that final shot. Everything leading up to it: love it.

Pay attention to the lighting, skyboxes, and the soundtrack in particular if you play this one. The level design overall really is spectacular.

If you don't feel it go try building some levels yourself, you'll see. ;)

And there's plenty of secrets.

Read on...

I've been on a cruise again!

Two more within four days no less, with a good buddy and a cousin... and both were great, though I seem to have caught something from the (I assume) breakfast buffet with either the former or the latter, cause a day later I was back home with a pretty grueling case of something that seems akin to strep throat.

Is it really a case of streptococci bacteria though? A mild case of tonsilitis mayhaps? Some food allergy, or immune-related response, or lingering cold-related symptoms that were further enhanced by exacerbations and additional trips? None of the symptoms sets match entirely.

Who knows!

It's painful to swallow anyhow. At first mostly my left tonsil, now my right, and for a couple of nights my ears were popping and getting pretty painful as well, and I wondered if I was coming down with an ear infection also, but *knock on wood* that at least seems not to be the case...

The time of cruising is over at least, for now.

I've bought a bundle of interesting beverages on board, I've tested some finer brands of whisky and liquor, I've had three breakfast buffets - one on a weekend and two on weekdays - the dishes differ, toured the M/S Birka Gotland rigorously, sat above the helm and talked stocks for an hour or two with my good friend, played cards by a sunny window on deck 5 with my cousin, listened to a variety of artists, played for a couple of kronor at the casino, stood stoically in a blitz of snow one wavy night, watched the moonlit sea from the window another, soaked in sun on the last way back, and I'm starting to get a pretty good geographical grasp on the layout of the Stockholm archipelago...

Good trips! They're just as cheap next week too, and I do have a few spare days then, but I feel like I've had enough of boats for now, and besides, next weekend we're headed for Albania.

So much of the past month's been spent on sickness though.

I've been sick, mom and dad have been sick, my sister too, both my boss and his brother, good buddy Bear also...

Get-together and Birthday celebration plans have been getting postponed continually, and before you know it you've spent a twelfth of the New Year on not much of anything...

I can't help feel like I could've been much more prolific. I'm sick of feeling worn down and sickish.

You know that NG documentary though? It made it! One little victory. Magnific.

Ever heard of exploding pingos btw? Ever watched the Guinness Record for sheep to jumper? How about Trump's (with certain enhancement/montaging) Harry Styles cover?

Apart from the cruises I've been playing some DOOM 2 the past few days, while I binge podcasts in the background and troubleshoot a somewhat problematic (aren't they always) integration migration at work.

If you have a working API why you gotta change one? Innovation's our main frustration.

Speak more in a few. Go cruise or to Zoo. It's coo'.

Ever seen a crackhead do a backflip off the roof of a two-story house?

This video pains me, he can't have been OK after that landing. Giving someone a dollar to do something like this is in no way the responsible thing to do, and yet since he did how can you not watch this?

It's definitely up there with some of the most impressive movie stunts of all time. And this ain't no movie. And with no dampening. Damn.

It's definitely not the type of thing you'd do if you're trying to abide by a strict longevity protocol to maximize life either, but then again what does our life matter if all we do is live? I mean if we don't LIVE? If our lives are mundane and devoid of death-defying rooftop backflips and/or other forms of grand adventure?

And how do we go about immortalizing our time on this planet if we don't strive for feats like this one? Then again why do we even care? Why are humans so vane and self-indulgent?

I can't but not think of the legacy I leave though, and want there to be more of it. Meanwhile I'm on here updating anime episode counts and archive links in the sidebar, and writing up a quick walkthrough for a little gem of a game I just discovered (DOOM: TGE).

I listened to a fascinating pod with Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently too. Although Lex (the host) comes across unfortunately naive when you listen, it's clear he prepped a lot for this episode, and just hearing Volodymyr's perspective on things, and his patience, is enough to make it all worth it.

The fact that we're getting interviews with world leaders in podcast form now is just amazing, and shows how the world is changing. I really prefer one-on-one conversations like this too, with hosts that I trust to ask the right things, or at least keep a clear mind and judgement, as opposed to our very spoonfed and shortform traditional news and media.

Even if the final verdict in regard to Volodymyr's take on the war, and how to end it, is ultimately that Ukraine has to be in a position of power for any meaningful negation to be possible at all.

Pride really will be our downfall. It makes sense it's part of the seven deadly sins.

Speaking of which: They'll actually be showing Se7en at the cinemas again soon! I hope to see it. It was before my time of seeing anything but kid's films at the cinema.

Saw Heretic, Nosferatu and Paddington in Peru there recently - all three on the same day - yesterday, and that was a killer set of movies.

Watch in reverse order if you want to save the best for last. Or watch in that order if you want to have a laugh when it's over, and not linger on contemplations of life and death and the essence of control.

Wonder what perspective Putin would have on Heretic. World leaders commenting on controversial or otherwise make-you-think type media would be fascinating to see...

On a more positive note do y'all know Harry Mack? Did y'all catch his Dr. Phil freestyle recently? Did y'all know he could do this? Did y'all know his house burned down in the recent California wildfires? I guess this wasn't all that positive a note after all! My bad.

The New Year may not be starting off as ideally as the last one for all, but I do hope his spirit's still strong, and I really hope he had offsite copies of all of his songs!!!

Reminder: Spend time in the moment. Take nothing for granted. Live your life with this kind of energy. RAGE.

Mike Shinoda's final meal may be worth a watch too. Good conversation. Some other LP videos. And here's Madelline singing Dopamine IN TWO LANGUAGES AT ONCE (French/English). Very cool! Headphones is a must though. Or a broken speaker, if you'd rather just listen to one language
at a time.

Apparently that particular track's good for ADHD too! Who knew some people need to play two tunes at once to truly appreciate 'em the way most of us appreciate the one song, and calm the fuck down.

To spend time in the moment. And take nothing for granted. And live.

Yes I realize I've been spending all too much time on YT again. I'm attempting to do something about that right now - as I type this after just skimming through a bundle of RATM reaction videos with Krizz Kaliko, Shaq, LBoyd and FlawdTV.

To be fair these particular selections of viewables have been building up in my Nytt textdokument (4).txt draft file for a while now, and I'm just now getting to posting about 'em.

Also gotta post about this new WaterFlame album.

I'm not a huge WaterFlame fan - I have none of his other albums, but when I first found out about the great NewGrounds back in the day, and started perusing the audio that was available there, and unexpectedly stumbled into the realm of Techno and Trance, with artists like @ParagonX9 spearheading my interest for the genre, there was also this one up-and-coming artist by the name of @chainsaw_09 there, who piqued my interest... and then he disappeared!

Years later I find out it was in fact @WaterFlame!

So he went back to his roots with this one, remastered a bundle of his old stuff released under said alterego, and threw in a bundle of previously unreleased tracks from the same era. And that is pretty cool. So I had to buy it. And soon I shall listen through...

There's also a NEWGROUNDS DOCUMENTARY ON THE WAY!

Here's the Kickstarter for it.

My first thought when I saw the ask was honestly that Conner's getting a little greedy with the budget, but I misread, I thought it was 800,000 USD, it was but 800,000 SEK! That's conservative - especially after that misconception.

It's still a lot. It's more than most creative projects of a seemingly similar caliber, but considering this'll probably be a full-time gig for at least a year or so for two people, and involve plenty of other artists and creators on the site, who ought also get some compensation, it's a bare minimum for sure.

I hope they make it. Will check back later and remind. They're certainly doing their marketing right, but there's a long stretch left on the funding.

Also Nintendo just introduced their next console, the Switch 2, the first console in their assortment with a straight up numerical title?! This one really won't stand the test of time when it comes to innovation, mark my words, it looks like an appreciative upgrade but... same name!? Come on.

The trailer's a disappointment too. I miss the old Nintendo, when they were always on the cutting edge; always new new...

Also this giveaway is still going!

That's all. Cyberdevil over and fall.

I missed the Flash Forward Jam this year. Last week. The day I came back from this ^ wonderful vacation.

I've missed a bunch of things. I might be missing an awesome opportunity to fix up custom music for an in-game credit sequence - but I will manage the other sequence! May miss one of two. Time's just flying too fast. I've been in Östersund walking through a wonderful snowlit spring though, feeling like that really was time spent better after all, no matter how much I feel I need to do.

And refitting car tires - there's a screw stuck in one of my summer ones, I wonder what I'll do about that. And swapping clothes - they arrange events for that over here occasionally - this time it was in Bålsta. And submitting my tax report for the year. And booking trips for summer. And catching up on comments and conversations. Still feeling like I should have plenty of time to spare, but somehow the days just stream by and summer approaches with worrying speed.

There's so much I still want (and need?) to finish...

I must admit I have been playing a bit of DOOM though. New levels for the old classic. And I did watch through the 2011 Hunter X Hunter anime in its entirety a few weeks back.

I thought it'd spur me onwards; re-ignite my hope in humankind, and my sense of adventure, and make me DO things with my life, and so I did go to Östersund and that was great, but now I'm just back here again and it's the same old shit. Stagnation. No matter how much I push myself. I don't focus on what I should focus on, or I'm too tired to. I notice I yawn. I feel all but strong, so unlike when I'm in writing some prose or some song...

Though why do I EVER waste time on non-essentials? Been listening to Jocko's podcast. I then go mental. So necessary with breaks though when you feel you have spent all. Go take a train or a rental. Whatever you can: cement all. Relations you want to keep, then leap on out the window. Don't be indoors. Get out in the world and kill your limbo!

Regarding that Flash Jam I did get mentioned in a little Flash Forward interview/showcase thing. For the game I made last year. That was nice.

Maybe I will make a new game anyway, jam or no. Later. For now: gotta go.

Something good just dropped on the Grounds today!

It's just like the one and only one it was based on but a little shorter... and smaller... and more square... and low-res... and hold breath... it's in PICO-8!

Which is awesome! Get over to NG and get nostalgic and possibly a little motion sick too if you're anything like me but never mind that go go go.