Original Doom Gets Ray Tracing Thanks To Fan-Made Patch
No, this is not an April Fools' joke, a Doom (1993) modder recently uploaded a patch that adds ray tracing and DLSS support to the id Software-created classic. Nearly 30 years after its original release, it should come as no surprise that Doom mods are a dime a dozen. A SpongeBob SquarePants-themed Doom mod hit the web earlier this year, for example, allowing players to assume the role of Squidward in a first-person Bikini Bottom massacre. Another modder took it upon themselves to turn the Slayer into a Uber Eats driver in a different build. Let's just say the Doom community has yet to run out of creative ideas.
Unsurprisingly, fans also continue to reinvigorate Doom II with new content. One such fan-made build, Total Chaos, hit PC in early 2021, thanks to the yearslong efforts of a modder known as Wadaholic. Total Chaos didn't merely adorn the shooter with a fresh coat of paint or add a few new mechanics here and there. Rather, Wadaholic's impressive mod transformed Doom II into a survival horror experience far removed from the trappings of the original game.
PC modder and GitHub user sultim_t (via Ars Technica) has unleashed a new Doom patch, PRBoom+RT, that allows players of the 1993 classic to enable ray-traced lighting and Nvidia DLSS support. As such, from start to finish PC users who download the mod can enjoy moodier lighting, prominent shadows, and environments with a touch more personality. PRBoom+RT, admittedly, comes with a fair few drawbacks, however, as seen in the below gameplay trailer from sultim_t. The patch darkens some areas to the point where it's nigh on impossible to see the happenings on-screen. But, according to Ars Technica's testing, these instances don't occur too often.
It would seem that fans on the hunt for a good mod to boost the Doom experience need look no further than sultim_t's finely-crafted PRBoom+RT build. As time goes on, other older entries in the long-running first-person shooter franchise will likely receive similar graphical upgrades via fan-made mods.
The Doom brand has enjoyed quite the renaissance over the last several years, courtesy of id Software rebooting the series with the much-beloved DOOM (2016). A sequel, DOOM Eternal, hit store shelves for PC and consoles in early 2020, garnering high praise like its predecessor. Id supported the follow-up installment for well over a year, too, unleashing paid DLC and free updates that often gave players yet another reason to strap on the Doom Slayer's helmet.
Source: GitHub, sultim_t/YouTube (via Ars Technica)