The Midway timeline (aka Williams timeline) is a variant of Doom 64 timeline in which Doom 64 is the third of the Williams/Midway console games (Doom: The Custom PlayStation Edition, Final Doom (PlayStation), and Doom 64) three games that share the same developers. PSX Doom (and SNES Doom) and Final Doom were published under Williams banner (though by 1996 Williams folded under the Midway banner, and Doom 64 was published with the Midway branding).
Background[]
Doom 64 in part can also be seen as at least a spiritual followup to Doom: The Custom PlayStation Edition and PSX Final Doom releases sharing similar music and atmospheric styles and engine upgrades. In this case Doom I/II are essentially one continuous event split into two episodes, and final doom (master levels, tnt and Plutonia) is the followup, ending with Doom 64. However the manual has to be mostly ignored to work it in (unless Dooms Guys different characters).[1]
A IGN article from 1997 stated:
- Talk about bad luck. Our friend, the space marine once again enters that hellish space colony only to find it overrun by more monsters than ever. Apparently someone forgot to kill them all last time (must have been on the PSX) and they have somehow revived each other. Unfortunately this evil assortment of zombies, flaming skulls and cacodemons just won t let our friend be all that he can be.
In this case the manual reference 'You. the rough Marine, are returning to a space installation you once saved from these vile beasts. Unfortunately, you weren't as thorough as you thought, and their carcasses were resurrected' could also be a reference to the moon of Jupiter visited in TNT:Evilution (rather than a return to Phobos as seen in Nintendo's specific marketing on website/Nintendo Power). Though box still suggests only one invasion occurred (the manual might be folding all the episodes under DOOM episodes moniker including Final Doom).
An early preview description for Doom 64 in GamePro (issue 96, Sepember 1996) also mentions unspecific space station/installation:
- Doom's story has always been simple--you against the forces of hell--and Doom 64 is no exception. The story picks up right after Doom II: It starts right on a space station, with a planetary expedition that's gone wrong and end's in hell.
Another preview in EGM even went as far to suggest that Mother Demon was actually a heavily mutated Archvile that escaped death in Doom II, and mutated after radiation.
- The story goes down like this: In Doom II the big, bad space Marine who gamers control destroyed everything that even had a hint of being demonic so he thought. The problem was that one of the Archviles was still barely alive. Even though the demon didn't seem to have much of a chance of surviving with the many bullet holes in its gut. somehow the fiend lived. The only enemy left, this particular Archvile, healed and slowly started resurrecting its demon pals. Since the healing process wasn't quite finished, its resurrecting powers mutated the enemies when they came back from hell (hence the new look). Now it's time to get killing once again.
Technically while Doom II was on earth and hell. Some might consider Final Doom to be part of/expansion of Doom II (they are Doom II megawads in fact), which could again link them to events of Final Doom (that being said Archviles do not appear in any of the Midway trilogy, technically (only the PC releases at the time)).
Note:Super Nintendo Doom was published in United States by Williams Entertainment (like PSX Doom/Final Doom), but was developed by Sculptured Software (and was co-published by Ocean in Europe, and Imagineering in Japan) so technically unrelated to the Midway trilogy team developers. So outside of Nintendo marketing there isn't much of a connection between the Williams/Midway team games. The DOOMNL manual layouts seen in both SNES Doom/PSX Doom was however specific to Williams Dooms (and not Europe/Japan SNES Doom releases).
The TV ad at the time may have acknowledged Doom II and Final Doom, or at least the other console releases of Doom (that included Doom II/Final Doom):
- Doom 64 has been designed exclusively for the Nintendo 64, incorporating: a new storyline that builds upon existing doom releases. Ultra smooth gameplay with precision control and performance. Stunning 3D graphics, CD quality music and sound effects. Radically redesigned creatures. New and enhanced weapons and secrets. Over 30 larger and more challenging levels than any previous gaming system can handle. All blended seamlessly to make Doom 64 the most incredible Doom ever. Doom 64 from Midway.
Timeline (order of games by Episode)[]
- Ultimate Doom
- The Marine fights through Phobos, and teleports to Deimos. Note: In this version there is no ambush at end Phobos Anomoly, and his teleportation to Deimos
- The Hero's victory enabled humankind to evacuate Earth and escape the nightmare. But then Earth Control pinpoints the source of the alien invasion. The marine is their only hope. He painfully gets up and returns to the fray.
- Hell On Earth
- The Marine had done it; by turning the evil of the horrors of Hell in upon itself he had destroyed the power of the demons. Their dreadful invasion had been stopped cold. Now he could retire to a lifetime of frivolity (or so he thought). Congratulations were given to him.
- Master Levels
- Doomguy has assaulted and triumphed over the most vicious realms that the demented minds of the designers could devise. The havoc he left behind him as he smashed his way through the Master Levels is mute tribute to his prowess. He has earned the title of Master of Destruction.
- TNT (Evilution)
- Far from earth, the UAC recommenced their experiments on one of the moons of Jupiter. A spaceship, mistaken for a supply vessel on radar, hovered above the base. Hideous demons poured out，blanketing the base with Death. All your comrades were quickly slaughtered or zombified. This time, it’s not about survival. It's about revenge.
- Suddenly all is silent from one horizon to the other. The agonizing echo of hell fades away. The nightmare sky turns blue. The heaps of monster corpses begin to dissolve alo with the evil stench that filled the air. Maybe he has done it. Maybe he really has won.
- Plutonia (Plutonia Experiment)
- Every effort has been made by the nation's top scientists to close the seven interdimensional Gates of Hell, but one portal remains open. Alone, you must infiltrate the ravaged complex, defeat the demon defeat and send the last Hell-hole before the undead are prepared to, once again, take over the world.
- The Marine gloats over the carcass of the Guardian. With its death he wrested the accelerator from the stinking claws of Hell. He is finally done. Hell has returned to pounding dead folks instead of good live ones. He must remember to tell his grandkids to put a rocket launcher in his coffin. If he goes to Hell when he dies he will need it for some cleaning up.
- Doom 64
- The story goes down like this: In Doom II the big, bad space Marine who gamers control destroyed everything that even had a hint of being demonic so he thought. The problem was that one of the Archviles was still barely alive. Even though the demon didn't seem to have much of a chance of surviving with the many bullet holes in its gut. somehow the fiend lived. The only enemy left, this particular Archvile, healed and slowly started resurrecting its demon pals. Since the healing process wasn't quite finished, its resurrecting powers mutated the enemies when they came back from hell (hence the new look). Now it's time to get killing once again.
Notes[]
- A number of articles from various magazines did discuss Doom 64 as taking place after 'Final Doom' and noting that it wasn't as as final as believed. Others focus on it being a sequel to Doom II (that being said an archvile that was resurrected in the PC versions of that game).
- Ultimate Doom episode takes place on Earth, Deimos, Hell (and possibly Earth, though it switches to animated Hell backgrounds for some of the later levels on PSX version).
- Hell On Earth episode takes place on Earth and in Hell.
- The Master Levels for Final Doom uses earth cloudy sky background from Doom II and unique starry sky exclusive to this version (the pc version used a mix of three different starry skies, doom II cloud background, and one Doom II hell level).
- TNT (on PC) takes place mainly on one of the moons of Jupiter and a few hell levels (though Quarry maybe a absorbed and corrupted portion of Jupiter moon base leading to Hell proper). These tend to use mainly Doom II dusky cloudy skybox for the first third of the campaign, the exclusive starry skies, for next portion, and a mix of Doom II hell mountains skybox, and ep3 Inferno skybox (episode 3) skybox for latter third.
- Plutonia takes place mostly on earth (having only six levels the order is quite a bit different than the PC version with four of the Earth levels, one adapted Hell level (The Death Domain, though its apparently been moved to Earth textures/sky box/mix of corrupted tech base/hell textures), and using Earth level Onslaught as a finale). The initial Earth and Death Domain levels use Doom II dusky/cloudy skybox, Onslaught uses a mix of Doom II grassy earth textures + Phobos skybox. The Devil-Hive levels do not appear at all.
- Saturn version replaces flaming fire with earth city background for whatever reason.
Behind the scenes[]
According to an EGM article (085, August 1996) discussing Doom 64 in relationship to Final Doom PSX (as sort of the 3rd part of the Midway episodes after two episodes of Ultimate Doom/Hell On Earth in Doom: The Custom PlayStation Edition, making Doom 64 the 4th game in a way.
- “Not all the games Andy brought with him were for Nintendo's 64-Bit system. They brought another version of Doom, Final Doom, and this title is for the PlayStation. It's really Doom III, and this installment has all of the original characters and the same dark, sinister motif fans have come to know and love.
Saturn Doom was based on the Playstation Doom however it was ported over by Rage Software and published by GT InterActive. But otherwise it shared some level and enemies from Doom: The Custom PlayStation Edition minus the colored lighting and animated backgrounds seen in the Williams/Midway trilogy.