Skip to content

Doom (PrBoom)

Background

Port of prboom to libretro - plays Doom, Doom II, Final Doom and other Doom IWAD mods.

The PrBoom core has been authored by

  • Florian Schulze

The PrBoom core is licensed under

A summary of the licenses behind RetroArch and its cores can be found here.

BIOS

Required or optional firmware files go in the frontend's system directory.

Filename Description
prboom.wad PrBoom requires data ROM 'prboom.wad' inside the SYSTEM directory.

Extensions

Content that can be loaded by the PrBoom core have the following file extensions:

  • .wad
  • .iwad
  • .pwad

RetroArch database(s) that are associated with the PrBoom core:

Features

Frontend-level settings or features that the PrBoom core respects.

Feature Supported
Restart ✔
Screenshots ✔
Saves ✔
States ✕
Rewind ✕
Netplay ✕
Core Options ✔
RetroAchievements ✕
RetroArch Cheats ✔
Native Cheats ✔
Controls ✔
Remapping ✔
Multi-Mouse ✕
Rumble ✕
Sensors ✕
Camera ✕
Location ✕
Subsystem ✕
Softpatching ✕
Disk Control ✕
Username ✕
Language ✕
Crop Overscan ✕
LEDs ✕

Directories

The PrBoom core's library name is 'PrBoom'

The PrBoom core saves/loads to/from these directories.

Frontend's Save directory

File Description
(content name)/*.dsg Save
(content name)/prboom.cfg DOOM Config

Geometry and timing

  • The PrBoom core's core provided FPS (by default) is 60
  • The PrBoom core's core provided sample rate is 44100 Hz
  • The PrBoom core's base width is dependent on the Internal resolution core option.
  • The PrBoom core's base height is dependent on the Internal resolution core option.
  • The PrBoom core's max width is dependent on the Internal resolution core option.
  • The PrBoom core's max height is dependent on the Internal resolution core option.
  • The PrBoom core's core provided aspect ratio is 4/3

Loading DOOM

PrBoom can load wad, iwad, and pwad files. The PrBoom core requires data ROM 'prboom.wad' inside the loaded content's or system directory.

Tip

If you start the games by loading prboom.wad they will all share the same content name ("prboom" in this case), so the core will put the saves for every game in a single retroarch/saves/prboom/ folder and when playing Doom 2 for example you'll see Doom 1 saves, etc. which will cause confusion for the user. The games will also share the same game overrides/options files/remaps/etc. History tab will also lists each game as "prboom".

An example folder structure would be like so:

└── contents/
    └── dooms/
        ├── doom/
        │   ├── doom.wad
        │   └── [music_files].mp3
        └── doom2/
            ├── doom2.wad
            └── [music_files].mp3

└── retroarch/
    └── system
     └── prboom.wad

Game saves and internal configuration files will be created in the frontend-defined save directory, organised in folders matching the filenames of loaded content - for example:

└── saves/
    └── PrBoom/
        ├── doom/
        │   ├── prbmsav0.dsg
        │   ├── prbmsav1.dsg
        │   └── prboom.cfg
        └── doom2/
            ├── prbmsav0.dsg
            ├── prbmsav1.dsg
            └── prboom.cfg

Game saves are numbered from 'prbmsav0.dsg' to 'prbmsav7.dsg'.

SIGIL

Sigil (stylized as SIGIL) is the unofficial fifth episode of the 1993 video game Doom. Published by Romero Games on May 31, 2019, the Megawad was created by an original co-creator of Doom, John Romero, independently of the main game's then-current owner, Bethesda Softworks. It has nine missions, each with a deathmatch version, and a new soundtrack created by James Paddock and Buckethead.

You can get SIGIL here

Turn off 'Look on parent folders for IWADs' inside Quick Menu - Options. This is usually enabled by default, so disable it.

Make sure that you place the SIGIL wad files inside the same directory as your Doom/Ultimate Doom WAD file. You can name this either doomu.wad or doom.wad. Make sure there are NO doom2.wad files inside this same directory, or Sigil might not work properly.

An example folder structure would be like so:

└── contents/
    └── dooms/
        └── doom/
            ├── doom.wad
            ├── SIGIL.WAD
            └── [music_files].mp3

└── retroarch/
    └── system/
     └── prboom.wad

Music

If mp3 files are detected in the game folder, PrBoom will play these tracks instead of the internal MIDI musics, see below for the required filenames for each game.

Doom

Note

Episode 4 doesn't have exclusive musics, it uses tracks from the previous episodes.

Filename Description
bunny.mp3 Endgame Music
e1m1.mp3 E1M1
e1m2.mp3 E1M2
e1m3.mp3 E1M3
e1m4.mp3 E1M4
e1m5.mp3 E1M5
e1m6.mp3 E1M6
e1m7.mp3 E1M7
e1m8.mp3 E1M8
e1m9.mp3 E1M9
e2m1.mp3 E2M1
e2m2.mp3 E2M2
e2m3.mp3 E2M3
e2m4.mp3 E2M4
e2m5.mp3 E2M5
e2m6.mp3 E2M6
e2m7.mp3 E2M7
e2m8.mp3 E2M8
e2m9.mp3 E2M9
e3m1.mp3 E3M1
e3m2.mp3 E3M2
e3m3.mp3 E3M3
e3m4.mp3 E3M4
e3m5.mp3 E3M5
e3m6.mp3 E3M6
e3m7.mp3 E3M7
e3m8.mp3 E3M8
e3m9.mp3 E3M9
inter.mp3 Intermission Music
intro.mp3 Title Music
victor.mp3 Victory Music

Doom II, Plutonia, TNT

Note

These 3 games share the same music filenames but the musics are actually different, for this reason it is recommended to have the games in separated folders.

Filename Description
adrian.mp3 MAP25
ampie.mp3 MAP23
betwee.mp3 MAP04
count2.mp3 MAP21
countd.mp3 MAP03
ddtbl2.mp3 MAP14
ddtbl3.mp3 MAP22
ddtblu.mp3 MAP08
dead.mp3 MAP10
dead2.mp3 MAP16
dm2int.mp3 Intermission Music
dm2ttl.mp3 Title Music
doom.mp3 MAP05
doom2.mp3 MAP13
evil.mp3 MAP31
in_cit.mp3 MAP09
messag.mp3 MAP20
messg2.mp3 MAP26
openin.mp3 MAP30
read_m.mp3 Endgame Music
romer2.mp3 MAP27
romero.mp3 MAP18
runni2.mp3 MAP15
runnin.mp3 MAP01
shawn.mp3 MAP07
shawn2.mp3 MAP19
shawn3.mp3 MAP29
stalks.mp3 MAP02
stlks2.mp3 MAP11
stlks3.mp3 MAP17
tense.mp3 MAP28
theda2.mp3 MAP12
theda3.mp3 MAP24
the_da.mp3 MAP06
ultima.mp3 MAP32

SIGIL

Filename Description
e5m1.mp3 E5M1
e5m2.mp3 E5M2
e5m3.mp3 E5M3
e5m4.mp3 E5M4
e5m5.mp3 E5M5
e5m6.mp3 E5M6
e5m7.mp3 E5M7
e5m8.mp3 E5M8
e5m9.mp3 E5M9
inter.mp3 Intermission Music
intro.mp3 Title Music

Config

PrBoom's internal game settings can be found in the 'prboom.cfg' file inside each game's save directory.

Many of these settings may be changed from the in-game menu. A few notable options are as follows:

  • Options → General (page 1) → Framerate (35fps|40fps|50fps|60fps|70fps|72fps|75fps|90fps|100fps|
    119fps|120fps|140fps|144fps|240fps|244fps)

    Vanilla Doom has a native framerate of 35fps. This should be considered the 'correct' value, but it can lead to an irregular 'stuttering' effect on 60Hz LCD displays.

    All framerates should maintain the proper game speed.

  • Options → General (page 1) → Gamma Correction (Off|Lv. 1|Lv. 2|Lv. 3|Lv. 4)

    Sets display brightness.

  • Options → Screen Size (Low|High)

    When set to 'Low', the HUD is shown at the bottom of the screen.

    When set to 'High', the gameplay area fills the screen and no HUD is shown.

  • Options → Mouse Sensitivity

    The 'horizontal' slider sets the movement speed when looking left/right with either the mouse or the gamepad right analog stick.

Core options

The PrBoom core has the following option(s) that can be tweaked from the core options menu. The default setting is bolded.

Settings with (Restart) means that core has to be closed for the new setting to be applied on next launch.

  • Internal resolution (restart) [prboom-resolution] (320x200|640x400|960x600|1280x800|1600x1000|1920x1200)

    Configure the resolution. Requires a restart.

Internal resolution - 320x200

Internal resolution - 1920x1200

  • Mouse active when using Gamepad [prboom-mouse_on] (disabled|enabled)

    Allows you to use mouse inputs even when User 1's device type isn't set to 'RetroKeyboard/Mouse'.

  • Look on parent folders for IWADs [prboom-find_recursive_on] (enabled|disabled)

    Scans parent folders for IWADs. NOTE: You need to disable this if you want to run SIGIL.

  • Analog Deadzone (percent) [prboom-analog_deadzone] (15|20|25|30|0|5|10)

    Sets the deadzone of the Gamepad analog sticks when the input device type is set to 'Gamepad Modern'.

User 1 device types

The PrBoom core supports the following device type(s) in the controls menu, bolded device types are the default for the specified user(s):

  • None - Input disabled.
  • Gamepad Classic - Joypad
  • Gamepad Modern - Joypad
  • RetroKeyboard/Mouse - Keyboard and Mouse - Switch to this for keyboard and mouse input. Has keymapper support.

Joypad

User 1 input descriptors for 'Gamepad Classic' device type RetroPad Inputs PrBoom inputs
Use Use
Run Run
Show/Hide Map Show/Hide Map
Show/Hide Menu Show/Hide Menu
D-Pad Up D-Pad Up
D-Pad Down D-Pad Down
D-Pad Left D-Pad Left
D-Pad Right D-Pad Right
Fire Fire
Strafe Strafe
Strafe Left Strafe Left
Strafe Right Strafe Right
Previous Weapon Previous Weapon
Next Weapon Next Weapon
User 1 input descriptors for 'Gamepad Modern' device type RetroPad Inputs PrBoom inputs
Menu Cancel Menu Cancel
Quick Save Quick Save
Show/Hide Map Show/Hide Map
Show/Hide Menu Show/Hide Menu
D-Pad Up D-Pad Up
D-Pad Down D-Pad Down
D-Pad Left D-Pad Left
D-Pad Right D-Pad Right
Menu Select Menu Select
Quick Load Quick Load
Previous Weapon Previous Weapon
Next Weapon Next Weapon
Use Use
Fire Fire
Toggle Run Toggle Run
180 Turn 180 Turn
X Strafe Left/Right
Y Move Forwards/Backwards
X Look Left/Right

Keyboard and Mouse

RetroKeyboard/Mouse inputs Weapons
Keyboard 1 Fist
Keyboard 2 Pistol
Keyboard 3 Shotgun
Keyboard 4 Chaingun
Keyboard 5 Rocket
Keyboard 8 Chainsaw
Keyboard 0 Best
Keyboard Left Control Fire
Keyboard Right Control Fire
Wheel Up Next Weapon
Wheel Down Previous Weapon
Mouse 1 Fire
RetroKeyboard/Mouse inputs Movement
Keyboard Up Forward
Keyboard Down Backward
Keyboard Left Turn Left
Keyboard Right Turn Right
Keyboard Left Shift Run
Keyboard Right Shift Run
Keyboard Less than < Strafe Left
Keyboard Greater than > Strafe Right
Keyboard Left Alt Strafe
Keyboard Right Alt Strafe
Keyboard Caps Lock Autorun
Keyboard Slash / 180 Turn
Keyboard Space Use
Mouse Cursor Turn Left/Right
Mouse 2 Strafe
Mouse 3 Use
Mouse 3 Forward
RetroKeyboard/Mouse inputs Game
Keyboard F2 Save
Keyboard F3 Load
Keyboard F6 Quicksave
Keyboard F7 Endgame
Keyboard F9 Quickload
Keyboard F10 Quit
RetroKeyboard/Mouse inputs Screen
Keyboard F1 Help
Keyboard Escape Menu
Keyboard Home Setup
Keyboard Pause Pause
Keyboard Tab Automap
Keyboard F4 Sound Volume
Keyboard F5 HUD
Keyboard F8 Messages
Keyboard F11 Gamma Fix
Keyboard F12 Spy
Keyboard Minus - Smaller View
Keyboard Plus + Larger View
RetroKeyboard/Mouse inputs Automap
Keyboard f Follow Mode
Keyboard Minus - Zoom in
Keyboard Plus + Zoom out
Keyboard m Mark Place
Keyboard c Clear Marks
Keyboard o Full/Zoom
Keyboard g Grid

id Software

Last update: 2023-09-30