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Monsters

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This is a sub-page of Proto:Doom 3 (PC, Xbox)/E3 2002 Alpha.

To do:

  • Get better video showcase in high res.
  • Implement every enemy.

The monsters present in the files of the E3 2002 demo have several unseen and unique behaviors that didn't find their way into the retail build of the game. Additionally, the files of the prototype contain unfinished coding for various enemies that had yet to be implemented or were scrapped entirely. Documented here is the full list of every change, and scrapped enemies uncovered in this demo.

Available monsters#

The list of all currently implemented monsters, all available in varying degrees of completion:

Maintenance Zombie#

  • Internally referred as "Monster_zombie_maint" in the prototype, this enemy was almost entirely replaced by the generic zombies seen in the final game. With a low health pool, he is and able to run and can pull the player forward. Designed to resurrect three times with an additional 20 percent chance of an randomized resurrection, the Maintenance zombie could also attempt to attack the player while getting up.
    • According to The Making of Doom 3, Id software initially only had three standard zombies (excluding the fat zombie). Referenced in the prototype build are code for the two other zombies mentioned called "Civilian zombie" and "Scientist zombie".

Zombie Resurrection#

  • Zombie resurrection is an entirely scrapped feature only currently available in this prototype build. Upon being killed, any zombie type enemies (This would have included Maintenance Zombie, Fat Zombie, every Z-secs and the commandos.) could raise up from the dead after a brief moment of inactivity, falling back to the idling state.
    • This can be configured to set how many times a zombie entity is allowed to resurrect, how much health would be received upon resurrection, as well as a random percentage set between 0 to 100 to resurrect independently of the previously mentioned limit. In this prototype build, only the Maintenance zombie and Fat zombie were able to resurrect from the dead with a proper animation for each. If the player is standing on a zombie while it attempts to resurrect, a getup_attempt animation would trigger in which the zombie would attempt and unsuccessfully resurrect.

Fat Zombie#

  • The Fat zombie was left mostly unchanged from the finished game aside from different sound effects and an earlier, lower quality texture with paler flesh. Like the Maintenance zombie it too could resurrect.
    • Several instances of the Fat zombie where found in the files of the prototype, each with different variables regarding theirs heath and resurrection count. One peculiar instance uses a ragdoll in opposition to the rest of the available entities.

Melee Commando#

  • The melee commando saw some notable changes release. With a completely different set of sounds and a different texture entirely, the prototype features a running animation that was entirely scrapped. It's tentacle leap attack from the final game wasn't programmed just yet but the animations were already present in this build. It drops a small ammo box on death.
    • Albeit disabled by default, it is possible to tweak the Melee Commando and Chaingun Commando's AI to resurrect much like any other zombie type enemies, but due to the lack of proper animations, they are instantly reseted to theirs idling state instead.

Chaingun Commando#

  • The Chaingun-wielding commando saw drastic changes before release. Sharing the same model and sounds with its melee counterpart, it carries a unique chaingun design with a completely removed animation set. Unable to crouch nor run like his finalized counterpart, the Chaingunner would walk forward and open fire on the player, dealing only one damage per shot. However his chaingun had a short wind up time and would fire much faster than in the finished game. It drops a small ammo box on death.
  • Additionally the Chaingunner was to have melee animations where he would swing his weapon from side to side.
    • During their introduction cutscene, the Chaingun commando is seen rolling to ambush the player. Animations available for it rolling on both the left and the right might suggest this may have been an intended feature rather than a simple show off. Similarly named animations are available in the final release but have remained unused.

Pinky#

  • The Pinky was mostly unchanged from its finalized counterpart outside different sound effects and an older, lower quality texture with paler flesh and colder mechanical legs.
    • The Pinky does however have a walking animation witch is no longer present in the files of the final release.

Imp#

  • The Imp went thought several major changes before the final release of the game. Its texture is noticeably paler and has red eyes, and its sound effects are entirely different.
  • Its behavior is a lot more unpredictable and it's fireballs have limited range, using a placeholder decal from Quake 3. Its projectile and basic melee attacks deal less damage than in the final release, but its leap attack deals a massive 25 damage in a single hit. The E3 Imp can occasionally spit out non lethal mist from its jaw when idling and has two additional scrapped behaviors.
    • One of the Imp's sounds contains a reference to the Hell Knight's death sound in the original Doom games.

Alert#

  • Upon losing or killing its target, the Imp then enters onto the Alert state. In this state, the Imp remains idle and actively seeks out a new target while using a scrapped alert_idle animation. This feature was scrapped for unknown reasons.
    • The files of the finished contains several unused sound effects intended to be paired with the animations.

Crawling/Crouching#

  • The Imp would have been initially able to alternate between standing up or crawling at any given time in order to surprise the player. This feature however wasn't fully implemented yet at this point, and was scrapped for unknown reasons.
  • In the prototype, this behavior was implemented as a secondary run animation rather than as a fully fleshed out feature. As such, the Imp couldn't crawl when performing melee or ranged attacks nor use crawl specific pain animations yet.
    • This can be replicated into the final release but cause an oversight with pain animations who are specifically made for an Imp standing up. As such the Imp would be seen crawling while raising its arms up in the air when injured. It also causes clipping issues when climbing up stairs.
  • Despite the lack of a properly programmed Crawl behavior, the file responsible for the monsters behaviors contains mentions of several crawling animations all linked together under a Crouch state. This is very reminiscent of the implementation of the Z-Sec and Chaingun commando crouch animations in the retail build, suggesting that a proper fully fleshed out crawl behavior was in the works at some point before this feature was scrapped completely.
  • In the retail build of the game exists a unique enemy: "Monster_demon_imp_crawling". This consists of Imps who only move by crawling and are only used for the game's expansions "Resurrection of Evil" and "The Lost Mission". This indicates that the Imp's scrapped Crawl/Crouch feature ended up being split between two entities as opposed to belonging to a singular monster like initially planned.

Hell Knight#

  • The Hell Knight present in the e3 prototype is unfinished and lacks several melee, as well as ranged attacks entirely. Using a paler texture, it's sound effects weren't finished yet, only featuring sounds for idle chatting and footsteps. Used solely for demonstration, it's first appearance in the first E3 level is completely scripted. While in the third E3 level the Hell Knight is able to be killed but ends up softlocking the player. Upon dying to the Hell Knight in the final level triggers a unique cutscene where the monster tears of the player's head and swallow it whole.

Unfinsihed monsters#

Several monsters present in the finished game can be found in the files of the prototype in early and/or unfinished forms. Additionally several monsters entirely absent from the released game have also been found. Here's a list:

Civilian Zombie#

  • A scrapped zombie, according to its available stats he was meant to function exactly like the Maintenance zombie.
    • A torso texture that may have been intended for the afordmentionned zombie exists in the filed named "ztorso02".

Scientist Zombie#

  • A scrapped zombie, according to its available stats he was meant to function exactly like the Maintenance zombie.
    • According to The Making of Doom 3, Id software initially opted for three zombie reskins of one another before choosing to replace them with the finalized designs for more variety. Theses three scrapped designs being the afordmentionned undeads.

Z-Sec#

  • Unfinished code for the Z-Sec zombies is present in the prototype, featuring references to an early model seen in the introduction cutscene and some associated animations that are not present in this build.
    • Some of those missing files include animations for idling, reloading their weapons and for melee attacks. The Z-secs do not reload nor engage in melee combat whatsoever in the finished game.
  • The Zsec's material files tie the Z-sec with what is called a "zbaton", with five variants of a "zbatonflare" being referred, each with missing models and textures. Theirs purpose is unknown. But they may have been linked to the cut flare weapon found in the prototype build.
  • Textures for the shields used by some Z-Sec Units are also found in the files.

Revenant#

  • Unfinished code for the Revenant is present in the prototype suggesting that it was already pretty near completion as seen in the DooM 3 - Electronic Entertainment Expo 2003 trailer. This build features many references to a model and associated animations that are not present in this build.
    • Available coding reveals the Revenant would always fire his missiles in pair rather that altering between one or two missiles at random.
    • Some of those missing files included animations for running and a leap attack, witch the Revenant completely lacks in the finished game.

Bruiser#

  • Unfinished code for the Bruiser from Doom 3's official expension Ressurection of Evil is present in the prototype called ", featuring references toa model and some associated animations that are not present in this build.
    • This may suggest that the Bruiser might have initially been planned to appear in the main campaign at this stage in developpement.
    • Material files for a Bruiser specific projectiles named "greenfireball" and "bruiserfireball" exist mentionning missing textures.

Maggot#

  • Unfinished code for three early versions of the Maggotare present in the prototype, featuring references to several scrapped models and some associated animations that are not present in this build.
    • One of those missing iterations of the maggot includes animations for a ranged attack, witch the Maggot completely lacks in the finished game.
  • According to The Making of Doom 3, Id software initially struggled to come up with ideas for the Maggot. Two scrapped ideas were tested before setting on the third and final design.

Baron of Hell#

  • Unfinished code for the Baron of Hell, called "Monster_demon_baron" is present in the prototype, featuring references to a scrapped model and some associated animations that are not present in this build.

Spider Demon#

  • Unfinished code for the "Spider Demon, called "Spider_demon_boss" is present in the prototype, featuring references to a scrapped model and some associated animations that are not present in this build.

Crawler#

  • Unfinished code for a scrapped monster called "Monster_demon_crawler" is present in the prototype, no further information is currently available.

Spirit#

  • Unfinished code for a scrapped monster called "Monster_demon_Spirit" is present in the prototype, no further information is currently available.
    • It is possible that this could be a reference to the "Soul grabber" seen in the prototype's introduction cutscene and beginning of the final game who turns humans onto zombies when coming into contact.
    • This could also have been an early iteration of the Wraith, as theirs names evoke the general idea of a ghostly creature.

Jethro#

  • Code for material files affiliated with an unknown "jethro" ennemi is present within the "monster.mtr" file of the prototype, no further information is currently available.