Computer Station (CMPSTATN.WAD)

COMPUTER STATION

by Mike Alfredson aka "Use3D"

Doom Beyond started out as a replacement for the Hell levels of Doom II, which Alfredson thought were lacking in Hellishness when compared to "The Catacombs" and "The Spirit World". He seems to have had a sympathetic soul in Chris Lutz, who executed a project similar in sentiment with 2017's Hellscape. Doom Beyond eventually ventured beyond its original scope, however, becoming a limit-removing megaWAD with more or less classic-style gameplay. Along the way he removed some of his older levels from the running and published them independently. So far I've taken a look at Hell Pit, Deep Core 1, Chaotic Grounds, and Temple of Sin. This review is for Computer Station, a MAP04 replacement for Doom II, originally crafted in 1997, that was stationed earlier in the megaWAD along with Deep Core 1. 

I have made a lot of assumptions about the plot of Doom Beyond based on a comment Use3D made back in 2008 that detailed the history of the PWAD and which laid out a lot of its dev history up until 2008. What this tells me is that a lot of the unknowns that I had were right there for me out in the open. Anyway, Doom Beyond is basically a development of the plot of Doom II with the insane Doom: Hell on Earth novel used as a base, I assume to sort of ground its locations and direction of its action. Naturally the plot of the two have to diverge pretty strongly in the third act, since Alfredson's story intends to conclude in Hell and not Disney Headquarters in Los Angeles.

Computer Station is a techbase level that has a vague E1 aesthetic mixed in with the green iron panels from Doom II. I get a "Command Control" (E1M4) vibe from the big sunroof hallway but there's also a crushing machinery section that clearly borrows from "Containment Area" (E2M2). It isn't derivative from OG Doom, mind you. Use3D has very distinct tech features in this level, first with some very basic computer console / workspaces and second with with some teleporter booths that are structured similarly to The Fly. The first time they appear, they're literally just a tech demo, but there's another pair accessible via an E2M2-homage secret that's fun as it teleports you to a secret (but visible) annex.

The OG Doom vibes are buoyed by its early place on the card, with Use3D restricting himself to only using the chaingunner out of the Doom II bestiary, and a complete absence of the combat shotgun.  Use3D described this level as "[m]obs of monsters in a mostly flat space." This isn't wrong! The end result has a classic combat feel where the player beats back masses of monsters using the regular shotgun and chaingun, utilizing cover from hitscanners when appropriate. Use3D has a rocket launcher buried in a secret, but you need to beat one of those "door is only open for 30 seconds after the level start" timers, so it's probably not something that you're going to see on your first attempt.

The layout also resembles OG Doom, specifically something like a compressed Romero level. There is a fairly solid core of symmetric areas that runs from the south to the north with a similar annex adjoined to the west side, itself eventually terminating in a mirrored tech room. The connective tissue of these areas helps the more or less flat playing area feel fresh as these map sections aren't hooked together in a congruent fashion and they feature Romero's portholes into the future. The computer room is visible from the large, outdoor hallway, for instance, but you have to enter the western annex from its southern end in order to get to it.

CMPSTATN is mostly a medium-pace blastathon through Doom II trash, but the northern core of the map has the meatiest encounter of the set. It's a cool setpiece battle that starts out with just a pair of chaingunners and a couple of demons but then ends up with six cacodemons descending through enormous square ducts to give you a nice, warm hello. All the while, the slatted windows are partially obscuring three more cacodemons attacking from an adjacent, exterior area while commands snipe at you from the opposite side. It's easily the standout encounter of the map. I thought that the teleporter booths was gearing us up for some sort of clown car-style teleport assault but, well, I was wrong about that one.

Thematically, there isn't a whole lot tying this level to Deep Core 1 apart from the north end. Both of these maps have dual balcony bays with tall windows that look outside. DEEPCORE gave me sort of a vibe like you were in some sort of mountain stronghold with the player about to go to lower levels of the installation. Computer Station still feels like it's part of a larger facility, but my idea of it has changed a bit from my original conception. I am wondering how all of this fits together with the complete E1 as far as whether it's representative of a potentially unified character of...whatever sort of building that E1 is supposed to take place in. It's definitely part of the UAC, and it definitely has teleporters. I wonder if Doom Beyond's E1 was meant to evoke Knee Deep In the Dead and The Shores of Hell in addition to, say, Doom II's starbase episode.

In my head, I've linked Use3D to high octane intense shootouts due to my very early experience with Nilla Doom's E1. This may be true of the latter levels of Doom Beyond, but with Deep Core 1 and Computer Station, he's shown that he's more than capable of producing something a bit lighter. If you're looking for some very lowkey Doom II action that plays more like OG Doom but with chaingunners, then you'd do well to give this one a try.

CAN'T WE JUST GET BEYOND DOOM?