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Genre:
First-Person Shooter
This article is about the video game series, and covers weapons appearing in the released titles Doom, Doom 2, The Ultimate Doom, Final Doom and Doom 64. For the 2005 live-action adaptation, see Doom.
Doom is a 1993 videogame released for the PC by id Software, later officially ported to many other systems and unofficially ported to nearly everything with a processor thanks to the public release of its source code. A spiritual successor to the earlier Wolfenstein 3D, it represented a radical leap forward in technology, with an advanced engine which could handle non-orthagonal walls and pseudo-3D effects such as stairs and elevators.
The following weapons appear in the video games of the classic Doom franchise:
Doom was followed by a series of sequels/modifications using the same set of weapons; Doom 2 in 1994 was a major engine update and as well as featuring new monsters and a new weapon, the "Super Shotgun." This was followed by The Ultimate Doom in 1995 (a simple expansion of the original title) and Final Doom in 1996. In 1997 Doom 64 was released as the last entry in the original franchise as an exclusive title for the Nintendo 64 (although it would later receive an official port in 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC), featuring an entirely new campaign, overhauled graphics and art assets, and both new and modified weapons and enemies.
Given that the majority of these titles feature the same graphics, and that the recent ones feature little in the way of firearms in general, this article will cover firearms from what can be considered to be a part of the classic Doom library.
Doom used a process of photographic digitization to create most of the sprites used in the game; monsters were created from latex, while the weapons were toy guns and cap-firing replicas bought from Toys "R" Us stores. In many ways this would be similar to later games using photographs of either real or replica firearms to texture 3D modeled weapons. If the toy or replica is known, then that will be referenced. However, given the number of weapons in the Doom games that aren't even meant to be firearms, this page will for the most part layout only the weapons that are actually firearms in the Doom universe. For sci-fi weapons such as the Plasma Rifle or BFG9000, see the talk page for their associated information.
Weapons
Pistols
Beretta 92FS
The "Pistol" in the first three Doom titles is a Beretta 92FS, as evident from the general shape of the top of the gun. According to game designer John Romero, the pistol was created from photographs of a bright orange water pistol that was modeled after a Beretta which was then painted black. The pistol is one of the weakest of the game's weapons, and isn't very useful after obtaining virtually any other weapon.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingBeretta 92FS - 9x19mmError creating thumbnail: File missingDoom Guy (as he's usually referred too, although Doom II simply calls the character "Our Hero". Moreover, nearly all text just simply refers to him in the second-person) holds his Beretta 92FS on E1M1 "Hangar", hoping that the digitization process has turned the water pistol into a functioning firearm. Note the distinctly Beretta-esque front of the slide. Although it's hard to tell exactly what details were lost from the prop, the hammer appears to be rather clearly just molded onto the toy without much ado.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Beretta in mid-recoil. Note that the barrel can be seen protruding past the slide here. Meanwhile, it appears that the separation between the barrel and the gun's slide has largely been edited out, giving the top of the gun a very smooth look.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe full extent of the digitization is revealed in the full recoil graphic. The front of the gun still looks rather Beretta-ish, but many details have been washed away. As it happens, this graphic, which removes the protruding barrel from the last one, is not actually in any of the final games as it was cut from the animation before release. The graphic, however, remained in the game's files so it could be restored with mods such as this one (Smooth Doom).
Desert Eagle Mark I
Doom 64 swapped out the Beretta styled pistol for a Desert Eagle of some kind, likely a Mark I model, and is mostly identifiable from the shape of the back of the slide and the hammer, the shape of the rear sight, and the contours of the barrel. Although the digital pixelation makes it hard to pick out details for a specific make, most notably the safety, while visible, is not altogether identifiable, making an accurate classification difficult.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingMagnum Research Desert Eagle Mark I - .357 MagnumError creating thumbnail: File missingThe Desert Eagle in Doom 64 is held at the ready. Note the distinctive shape and contours of the rear of the slide and the shape of the sights (although the notch in the rear sight has been filled for some reason) and angles on the barrel.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe barrel shape is clearer when the gun recoils. Neither the hammer nor the slide moves throughout the entire animation.
Shotguns
Tootsie-Toy "Dakota"
One of the earliest available weapons in any Doom title is its famous pump-action shotgun. However, rather than being based on a real firearm design, the gun is made up of photographs of a Tootsie-Toy "Dakota" cap gun, a popular type of toy gun that was made from the 1980s to the 1990s and is not based on any particular real-world firearm. Doom 64 introduced new sprites for the shotgun, seemingly based on an entirely different gun. However, the exact model, if it is indeed based on anything specific, isn't very clear from the sprites themselves. Unfortunately, due to spacial limitations with the Nintendo 64's game cartridges, the shotgun does not feature a pump animation, leaving the player with no profile view of the weapon. The pickup sprite for the gun, however, still seems to resemble the "Dakota" cap gun.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingTootsietoy Dakota cap shotgun.Error creating thumbnail: File missingDoom Guy holds his Dakota cap gun at the ready, certainly pleased that it's capable of firing buckshot instead of cap smoke. As it happens, a bit more of the gun graphics can be seen when the player HUD is removed, although, without removing it, this how the gun appears with the game in its standard field of view.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAfter firing a round, Doom Guy brings the weapon up to pump it. Note the end of the barrel, which is clearly the Dakota cap gun. In the game's early Alpha, more of the front sight was visible on the graphic, but for the final release it was shortened. As to whether or not the orange tip of the gun was spray painted before being photographed or if was colored black digitally, the truth is unknown.Error creating thumbnail: File missingDoom Guy pumps the action fully in a different part of the same level.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe pickup sprite for the shotgun is very clearly not based on the "Dakota" cap gun, and seems to have been drawn by hand. Most notably it has a shorter tube under the barrel.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe splashscreen for The Ultimate Doom (A redux version of the original Doom that added nine new levels) shows the Doom Guy blasting away with a space gun while holding the Tootsie-Toy "Dakota" cap gun in his other hand. Although the subject of this image is a digital render of the game's box art, the shotgun was not originally present. Compared to the hand drawn elements, the shotgun is clearly a photograph, giving us the most uninterrupted in-game look at the weapon. However, it appears the trigger and trigger guard have been erased from the photo. The buttstock is also sawn off here, which is a remainder of the Alpha Versions (see below), although it could be excused in this particular shot as simply his leg obscuring the stock.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA Shotgun Guy in Doom II totes a generic pump-action shotgun of his own.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe shotgun from Doom 64 appears to be an entirely different weapon. However, due to memory limitations on the game cartridge, a pumping aniamtion was not included, offering no further angles. Note the pickup sprite, which in this game is the same for both the Shotgun and Super Shotgun. The pickup sprite appears to be a suspiciously reminiscent the Winchester rifles, such as Model 1892.
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun
The only new weapon to appear in Doom II was the "Super Shotgun," a break-open 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun with a sawed-off barrel and intact stock, that proved to be extremely popular in multiplayer circles. The weapon has since appeared in every Doom title since, save for Doom 3, which didn't introduce the weapon until its expansion pack Resurrection of Evil. The gun always fires both barrels at the same time and is instantly reloaded upon doing so, making it the only weapon in the classic Doom game to do so up until Hacx introduced a reloading Uzi. A slightly more detailed looking sawed-off appears in Doom 64, although due to a lack of memory space on the game cartridge, the gun's lengthy reload animation was cut. However, it still makes the necessary sounds.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingStevens 1960s SBS with the barrels sawed-off - 12 gauge (Photoshopped)Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe "Super Shotgun" as seen in the final level of Doom II: Icon of Sin. It's a pretty run-of-the-mill sawed-off double barreled shotgun.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe double barreled shotgun at the ready. The sprites were hand-drawn over the shotgun's sprites, making the super shotgun the only usable weapon to not use digitized sprites outside of the hands.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe gun in recoil, showing off a rather large wood handguard. The reflections on the barrel are notably duller than on the pump shotgun, which was rather obviously made of plastic. By the way, note that the hand visible is the left hand; this is a consequence of the fact that this sprite is actually a re-drawing of the pumping sprite of the regular shotgun.Error creating thumbnail: File missingDoom Guy reloads the shotgun, also with his left hand. For some reason, though perhaps due to the angle of the barrels, the fact that Doom Guy uses his left hand to put shells in has led some fans to think that this animation was mistakenly rendered with two left hands, calling Doom Guy's biology into question. This confusion could also stem from the fact he fires the pistol with his left hand, whereas he seems to likely be using his right hand for the shotguns and Plasma Rifle.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Doom 64 Super Shotgun, which has no reload animation thanks to the space limitations of the Nintendo 64 game cartridge.
Submachine Guns
Generic SMG
Doom Guy holds a futuristic SMG on some official artwork, however, it does not appear in the game itself. It is possibly a remnant of the early Alpha versions, where an SMG (albeit of a more traditional appearance) was originally used instead of the Chaingun below.
Zombiemen and the world graphics of the protagonist character (Referred to as Our Hero in Doom II, and more colloquially known as Doom Guy by fans) both carry a rather generic looking rifle that looks to be something of a cross between an M16 and a USAS-12 shotgun. This is actually a remainder of Doom's alpha versions (see below). It is not usable in the final version of the game, being replaced with the Pistol. In addition, the "clip" sprite in the game also still features a large box magazine that clearly fits into the rifle and chaingun, but not in a Beretta 92.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingOur Hero holds the generic USAS-12/M16 rifle thing in the end game screen for Doom II.Some Doom Guy sprites, showing a good view of a rifle.
Machine Guns
Tootsie-Toy "Ol' Painless"
Found in Doom's second level, the "Chaingun" (actually a minigun) is a machine gun weapon that's useful for ventilating low level foes quickly. The graphics are photographed from a cap-firing toy minigun, a Tootsie-Toy "Ol' Painless", which appears to be partly inspired by the hand held M134 Minigun from Predator; notably, several other in-game assets are also based on this toy, including columns and floor lamps made out of its barrels. Interestingly, the in-game pickup sprite ditches the real world inspiration of the toy for what appears to be a box fed minigun that appears as if it's supposed to be held like a conventional rifle. Interestingly, the Heavy Weapon Dude enemies in Doom II actually hold the gun with one hand while using their other arm to feed a cartridge belt that itself comes from a backpack the zombie soldier wears.
"Ol' Painless" Handheld M134 Minigun with M60 handguard, as seen in Predator - 7.62x51mm NATOError creating thumbnail: File missingTootsietoy Ol' Painless Gatling Gun. A spitting image, almost.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Chaingun in E1M2 of Doom. Note what appears to be a box magazine under the receiver (?) and the hint of a trigger guard under a really fat grip. Apparently it doesn't even have a stock. Also of note is the single protruding barrel, despite the first-person graphic showing that all of the barrels protrude past the last "ring".Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Chaingun/Minigun in the first-person.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe barrels in mid-rotation as the gun fires. Every click of the fire button will fire two rounds with pin point accuracy.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn apparent hint as to how the operation of the Chaingun presents itself in Doom II with the Heavy Weapons Dude, who seems to tuck it under his arm.Error creating thumbnail: File missingFurthermore, the gun seems to be supported by a sling. Note how the zombie uses his other arm to feed in a belt rather than there being a box magazine as supported by the appearance of the pick up sprite.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe final boss of Doom happens to have a massive minigun of their own mounted on a robotic chassis.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Doom 64 minigun looks more like an M134 minigun in some respects than the original Chaingun, although all of the barrels now have vented shrouds...for some reason. Probably to look cool, actually.
Launchers
"Rocket Launcher"
As the name implies, it is a powerful weapon that is effective over long distances, but deadly for the user at close quarters. It appears to be entirely hand-drawn, instead of being based on a physical prop.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe Rocket Launcher in-game.Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe moment of rocket launch, also demonstrating recoil. At the same time, a somewhat mysterious valve opens at the top of the barrel, which is possibly part of the weapon mechanism (possibly a feeder or something else).The full first-person sprite, that cannot be seen in the game itself. Large cooling holes in the barrel cover are also clearly visible here (again, most likely added for a cooler look).Error creating thumbnail: File missingThe launcher seen right after Super Shotgun. Curiously, it bears some resemblance to the M47 Dragon (although it is impossible say for sure whether it was intentional, or simply just a coincidence), shooting from the rear of the real launcher, and having an RPG-style trigger group.The player holds a rocket launcher, colliding with Cyberdemon in Doom 64. In general, the same thing, only with a slightly modified outlook.
Trivia
Weapons of the Doom Alpha Versions
Alpha versions of Doom used different graphics for weapons. Version 0.2 has only the Dakota shotgun as the sole available weapon. In the 0.3 and 0.4 Alpha versions, instead of the usual fist, a rifle with a attached bayonet was used; instead of a pistol, the same rifle without the bayonet was used; the shotgun had an original unedited look, and instead of a Gatling-style chaingun it used another weapon, looking more like as SMG (vaguely resembling the Star Z-45). Alpha version 0.5 changed the graphics of the rifle and machine gun to new ones (but the others remained the same from 0.4, including the version of the rifle with a bayonet), giving them a more futuristic look (and the "machine gun" now really looks like a machine gun). The Press Release version finally changed all this to the weapons that everyone knows from the final version.
Another interesting detail is that the Alpha versions depicted a shotgun with a sawn-off buttstock (and in this form it can still be seen in the final version on some artwork), but later the original buttstock was reintroduced.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingWeapon graphics of the 0.3/0.4 and 0.5 alpha versions. From left to right: melee attacks, the rifle, shotgun, and machine gun. Version 0.5 uses the 0.3/0.4 graphics for the bayonetted rifle and shotgun, so they are not shown due to redundancy. Another interesting detail is that the rifles and machine guns appear to have been drawn over the Dakota shotgun. The 0.5 machine gun also seems to have a UAC logo on the back.Pickup sprites of weapons from the Alpha Versions. These are only the ones that got finished, as the rest remained at the sketch level. At the top are shotgun and machine gun (where its cooling cover and compensator on the barrel are clearly visible) pickups from the 0.4 Alpha. Below is the pickup for the rocket launcher from the 0.5 Alpha; despite the fact that the first-person graphics were highly unfinished (simply showing a rocket coming out of the left of the screen, and just reusing the shotgun's graphics in-game), this shows that the initial idea of the Rocket Launcher was a revolving 4-barrel launcher, subsequently replaced by the usual single-barrel.
