Uploaded February 2017 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
A quick 100% playthrough of the first level of Heretic, one of the most sadly overlooked and forgotten DOOM-engine games from back in the day. Heretic was developed by Raven Software in 1994 and was one of the very first FPSs that allowed players to look up and down and store items in an inventory. It also featured a creepy gothic/medieval theme bolstered by its excellent soundtrack composed by Kevin Schilder.
Heretic eventually led to Hexen and a divisive sequel, Heretic II, which introduced a third-person perspective and placed a heavy emphasis on platforming and spell-casting.
You can purchase Heretic today on Steam, and since it runs on a slightly modified DOOM engine it's compatible with most DOOM source ports and WAD/level editors.
A quick 100% playthrough of the first level of Heretic, one of the most sadly overlooked and forgotten DOOM-engine games from back in the day. Heretic was developed by Raven Software in 1994 and was one of the very first FPSs that allowed players to look up and down and store items in an inventory. It also featured a creepy gothic/medieval theme bolstered by its excellent soundtrack composed by Kevin Schilder.
Heretic eventually led to Hexen and a divisive sequel, Heretic II, which introduced a third-person perspective and placed a heavy emphasis on platforming and spell-casting.
You can purchase Heretic today on Steam, and since it runs on a slightly modified DOOM engine it's compatible with most DOOM source ports and WAD/level editors.
![[DOOM] John Romeros Level Design Rules](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ptHurafdCoQ/mqdefault.jpg "[DOOM] John Romeros Level Design Rules
During the development of DOOM, John Romero came up with eight special rules to make his levels look and play as good as possible. This video discusses those rules and shows how they were applied all throughout Knee-Deep in the Dead, DOOMs iconic first episode.
For reference, the eight rules are as follows:
1. Always change floor height when changing floor textures. (0:28)
2. Use border textures between different wall segments and doorways. (1:05)
3. Be strict about texture alignment. (1:47)
4. Use contrast between light and dark areas and cramped and open areas. (2:25)
5. Make sure that if the player can see outside, he can somehow get there. (3:13)
6. Be strict about having several secret areas on each level. (3:53)
7. Make levels flow so that the player revisits areas to better understand the 3D space. (4:44)
8. Create several easily-recognizable landmarks for easier navigation. (5:49)
Original source:
http://web.archive.org/web/20111121052306/https://archive.gamespy.com/articles/december03/doom/romero/
For more information on John Romeros upcoming fifth episode for DOOM, Sigil, check out its official website at the following link:
https://www.romerogames.ie/sigil")
