Tango is working on his Paradise mod again bringing it up to version 2.0. Paradise is a 5 map (plus 2 secret maps) GZDoom episode, packaged together with a custom gameplay mod crafted specifically for these maps. You do not need to read the mountain of text below to play the mod, but if you’re interested in getting a primer on all the gameplay changes before playing, go right ahead! 

What's new since 2018?

• More than double the amount of maps!
• Rebalanced gameplay across existing maps to make for a more streamlined experience (aka significantly less bullshit)
• Scrapgun spread greatly reduced, and fixed to work properly with autoaim
• More polish/bugfixes galore

This community WAD project is so early in progress, that even its name is still WIP. But at Realm667 we like to highlight the special things in Doom, so here is Parallel Doomensions, a project by AgentBromsnor and various friends like (As of this writing) Juza, Egg Boy, DJVCarDMaster, damned, Archvile Hunter, Crunchynu44 and TheNoob_Gamer that has one clear objective: Deliver A Quake 1 styled megawad.

AgentBromsnor had this idea lingering for a few years now, but realized that a megawad is quite an undertaking and not for the faint of heart. It was thus decided that this was going to be a communal project form the get go. Stock Doom monsters are to be used, but its levels are clearly inspired by Quake. In order to get there, those who want to join in on the fun need to abide to a few rules:

• Boom compatibility (test with PrBoom+ to be sure)
• Make sure your level theme is consistent and in adherence to those found in Quake 1's singleplayer campaign. If you're confused, check out this link: https://quake.fandom.com/wiki/Level_Theme
• No slaughter maps (it wouldn't feel right in a Quake setting!)
• Make sure your map somewhat adheres to the length of an average Quake level. While there's no "hard" rule for map size, I think it's fair to say that a single map shouldn't take an hour to beat.
• Try and provide a name for your level that fits the Lovecraftian atmosphere of Quake 1.

Do you have what it takes to join in on a community project that isn't centered on Doom textured levels, give it a shot!

Good news to all of the Half-Life fans out there - no, it's not Half-Life³, it's better - Rex has released the latest project of the Persecution Complex called Paranoia. It's a 14-map hub set in the Black Mesa military-industrial facility within the Half-Life universe. Following the escape of  your character, Rolf Bellmer, after uploading a computer virus into the Black Mesa databanks, you seem to emerge  victorious. Unfortunately, the sinister forces of the government and the aliens have other plans for you. The game is story-driven and features multiple objectives. It uses the excellent textures of Half-Life, sprite-based enemies and non-player characters from Half-Life, models (some of them interactive), true 3D environments and other features of GZDooM. It's an amazing achievement and  in my eyes it's a gem for the community - so thanks to everyone who was involved in this.

Just noticed that the official PC GAMER posted an article about our project Blade of Agony and I have to say that it's a very decent review with very good and positive feedback. We are very proud to gain such an attention outside the doom community and hopefully this also brings some more attention to other mods, maps and engines from younger players or people who haven't been in touch with the latest development improvements of the Doom engine itself.

"It’s an amazing showcase of the malleability of GZDoom, and a fascinating clash of shooter styles into an ambitious campaign that somehow still feels cohesive. It’s not yet finished but these first two episodes are a great start, and well worth your time."

The tentacles of Doom reach further than one might think. Born out of Wolfenstein 3D, source ports exist that extend the original code with Doom like features. Diema''s Phantom: 2020 is something different from your usual Doom news. It is a mod for LZWolf, and a very impressive one at that. Visually it looks little like the father of Doom once looked like. Three episodes of eight regular and one secret level each are planned and the crrent milestone is a one-episode demo. Two playable characters, five unique weapons apiece. Of the characters: One is fast, squishy and quite likes her automatics; the other is slow and methodical with tons of health and a disposition towards handguns.

The story takes place in 2020, on the 50th anniversary of America's nuclear defeat. As the festivities are rolling by, a new threat emerges. As the military-industrial structures of the world continue to churn, nuclear weapons become more accessible to any second-rate terrorist group... and the number of nuclear detonations in hot zones around the world skyrockets. As more factions acquire nukes, the world edges closer to self-destruction, yet the powers of the world do nothing. An elite Navy SEAL and a Russian state police operator defect, going on a mission that goes beyond the line of national authority, and being the only obstacles that stand in the way of global nuclear war.

Phantom: 2020 is definitely something different to experience. It highlights that the small but active Wolfenstein 3D community has more aces up their sleeve than they have been given credit for - If anything, this is a project to keep on your radar. Because if nothing else, it shows how far Wolfenstein 3D has come since it was first played, many many moons ago.

I said it a few days ago and I do it again: Gloom-based total conversions are fashionable lately and so is P. Rex' project Pharex: The Second Invasion. It's a Doom 2 total conversion based on hi webcomic series, Poharex, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this April.

"In this game, you assume the role of Poharex, a heroic dinosaur who must defend his primordial jungle home from an alien invasion. These aliens did not arrive from space, but from within an ancient, abandoned city hidden deep within the jungle, and Poharex must survive the long journey there to eliminate the alien threat once and for all. You start the game with no weapons other than your powerful jaws, which you use to crush your enemies to a pulp. Later on, you'll find out how to use the Thumos -the aliens' power source- to turn your roars into powerful energy blasts."

Sounds crazy? It definitely is. You can play a first gameplay demo by visiting the thread and downloading the piece. Take your time, there are a lot of screenshots and additional information you can take a look at while the download is running.

First of all I have to excuse for my lazyness to all of the participants and especially the winners of the Doomjá-vu contest. I know that the results have already been posted for a while now but I simply didn't find the time to travel to the nearest post station here (which is about 10 miles away) and send the packages that I've prepared ... until today! I finally have sent the prizes packaged to the winners, underway to Italy, Canada, New Zealand and the United Stated (damn, that was expensive). Please let me know as soon as you have received them, feel free to send me a selfie that we can post here on the Realm667. Thanks again for your participation and have fun with your posters, canvas drawings - and with Spikey, the unique plush Doomimp!