Space installation (Doom 64)

The space installation is the location for the first half of Doom 64 (both Doom 64 (N64) and Doom 64 (2020 remaster). In the DOOM64.wad file the texture artwork connected to this location is called "space". It uses "SPACE" sky background or combination of "space" with the "MOUNTA" overlay file for the sky background. The manual for Doom 64 (N64) only refers to the place as a "space installation". Hence why its referred to as "space" in the files.

Background

Unspecified Location

According Tim Heydelaar who worked on the Midway trilogy the location wasn’t that important otherwise other than it being intended to represent a generic “space base”:

Oh gosh - honestly, the story wasn't much of an influence on what we created. It was kind of a 3 part setup. Space base/random locations/demonic/hell-ish locales. We decided the theme of most and tried to be diverse in look and feel, but it was pretty loose as far as sticking to lore was concerned. If we did follow an outlined story progression, I definitely don't recall. We really just let our imaginations run wild and challenged each other to come up with new ways to surprise the player visually and gameplay wise. That being said some early developer summaries in the game’s previews did suggest it takes place after Doom II. But still didn’t indicate if he was the same marine from that game. Nor were these notes specific about the location of the space installation either.

As the sole survivor, the hero once again finds himself on a space station occupied by monsters. The player must destroy as many enemies as possible and find the exit. The further the game progresses, the more monsters and other difficulties appear.

An early GamePro preview also reinforced this idea of it being a generic unnamed location:

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.

The original game and manual doesn't give this location a specific name, nor does it mention where it’s located.

One detail that indicates its on another planet or moon is that that has a terraforming station.

Details from the manual and box only established that the Marine in the game was a survivor from a hell invasion in his base. He witnessed demons pouring through. And that he visited Hell once. He was rescued and questioned. And his former Base was sealed up bombarded with radiation and he was retired. He had been traumatized and the experience gave him nightmares.

In fact what little of the story there is he could easily have been a different marine, than the original Doom Guy, as his backstory doesn’t leave much room for Doom II or later games. In fact there is no indication of an Earth invasion.

In an early Nintendo Power preview:

You are alone. Purple clouds stream across the alien sky. The Bull Masters have been hunting you relentlessly for days. If it weren't for your own cunning and the fortunate discovery of some medical kits in a hidden wall panel, you would have joined the rest of your doomed space marine squad by now. Do you feel lucky? You should, because this is the most electrifying experience you can get from 110 volts short of licking the outlet.

Some sites for the remaster are unspecific as well (Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft/GOG) .

DOOM 64, originally released on the Nintendo 64 in 1997, is now available for the first time on PC. Fight against demons in your crusade to hunt down the Mother of Demons and stop Hell's invasion. As you battle through more than 30 action-packed levels, be on the lookout for enhanced weapons and secrets to help you put an end to the demonic threat.

Though different sources have implied different locations and names for the setting. Or even given alternate backstories.

Phobos

Phobos overlooking Mars

The official marketing done for the game by Nintendo states that the location is a return to Phobos (moon) which the Marine had fought through previously (Super Nintendo Doom). Even the box blurb suggests that he fought Demons only once before.

You Killed The Demons Once, They Were All Dead. Or So You Thought…

The manual talks about the Doom episodes possibly a reference to the three episodes of Doom 1 SNES. As well as a line that possibly implies he has only been to hell one time. And that he has only experienced the initial invasion of the space station before it was sealed up by the UAC and quarantined.

Your fatigue was enormous, the price for encountering pure evil. Hell was a place no mortal was meant to experience. Stupid military doctors: their tests and treatments. were of little help. In the end, what did it matter - it was all classified and sealed. The nightmares continued. Demons, so many Demons: relentless, pouring through.

The classified archives are opened. The military episodes code named "DOOM" were not actually completed.

As the only experienced survivor of the DOOM episode, your commission is re-activated.

Suggesting that it was a direct sequel to Doom SNES/Classic Doom.

"Dawn of the Undead An unseen entity from beyond, cloaked by radiation, has rejuvenated the rotting carnage of Phobos. The demons are back. Your assignment is clear. Total annihilation. "

―

On the enemies page was this information:

"The Lost Souls of Phobos search eternally for fresh victims. Namely, you. "

―

Note: In the original game Lost Souls didn’t appear until Episode II: Shores of Hell which took place on Deimos. They only appeared on Phobos in PSX Doom where they were spawned from Pain Elementals introduced to the campaign.

Furthermore a section in a Nintendo Power article stated:

"We are receiving sporadic intermissions from Phobos, where it seems that a military base has been invaded. All of our current information is coming from a lone space marine who is fighting the incursion... "

―

The included artwork shows Mars from the surface of what appears to be Phobos with reddish crater.. The sky in the levels of Doom 64 is simply a starlit background, while others show shadowed brownish/red mountains in the distance.

Another article (in Nintendo Power) states:

In the game, you reprise the role of the lone space marine who encounters demons from another dimension. The invaders have taken over an installation on one of the moons of Mars, so help is not likely. It is your job to stop the invasion before it spreads further, but all you have to help you in your mission is your own agility and the scattered weapons and items that you can pick up along the way.

See Doom 64: The Story So Far (Nintendo Backstory)

Deimos

Deimos is another space installation visited by Doom Marine during his first mission to Hell in original Doom. It is less likely to be the installation that manual is alluding to, as its last location was floating above Hell. Unless it somehow returned to Earth space (only in the novels did Deimos return from hyperspace to orbit above earth). It's less likely to have been directly bombarded by radiation, nor is it likely to have been monitored by a planetary satellite (in communication with Earth).

That being said, it is indirectly mentioned in one article (in Nintendo Power) which states:

In the game, you reprise the role of the lone space marine who encounters demons from another dimension. The invaders have taken over an installation on one of the moons of Mars, so help is not likely. It is your job to stop the invasion before it spreads further, but all you have to help you in your mission is your own agility and the scattered weapons and items that you can pick up along the way.

Which could leave Deimos open as a possibility. Though Nintendo Power's main context was that it was set on Phobos. It's possible that some of the Hell levels in Doom 64 could have been set on further corrupted Deimos as well.

Some of the resurrected monsters such as Cyberdemons, Cacodemons, and Lost Souls only appeared on Deimos originally in Episode II: Shores of Hell. Though Lost Souls appear earlier in Phobos in PSX doom (see below). While Mancubus and Hell Knights appear as early as Deimos in PSX Doom. It is somewhat less of a possibility that some of the later installation levels are set on Deimos. Since he doesn't technically reach hell until after leaving Final Outpost.

Note: It's worth mentioning it's possible that Deimos along with most of Hell, got bombarded during the events of Legacy of Rust.

Earth

A backstory mentioned in EGM magazine poster could imply that the installation that Space Marine returns to is Earth. And that he left an archvile alive.

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.

You are one crazy Space Marine. Think of it this way: You've decided to single-handedly take out an entire dimension full of demons starting with only a pistol..for the umpteenth time! Sure, there are weapons to pick up along the way, but you are one macho son-of-a-BFG. Don't you see fallen humans hanging from the ceilings and walls? You could be next! Maybe you feel responsible since you're the guy that left the one Arch-vial alive (in your last mission-Doom Il) who ended up bringing back all of the demons in this mis-sion. Whatever the reason. we give you proper respect. After this, take a vacation.

The backstory in the manual is set presumably on earth (and this is the what the reference to planetary policies is in reference to).

That being said at the end of Doom II, the survivors of earth had left the planet on board a space ship.

The first third of the game takes place in the space port on earth to help the survivors escape to space. And does culminate with a battle with the games first arch-vile. That could theoretically been the one that evolved into the mother demon…

While it’s possible that the earth space station was bombarded from space later, along with most of earth. And people on space station were monitoring the base picking up on an earth satellite. And that is he Doom Marine ended up on the space ship after escaping hell. This scenario is less likely of an option due to the existence of the terraformer.

Earth had no reason to be terraformed before the invasion. And its established that the locations in the base existed before the invasion in the manual, before it was sealed off.

Moon of Jupiter

Some concept stories for the game might suggest it is a sequel to TNT: Evilution. Set some time after Doom II (and assuming Final Doom is technically the second half of 'Doom II), the Doomguy returns to the space installation on one of the moons of Jupiter, after an arch-vile thought he killed had survived mutating into the Mother Demon and started resurrecting monsters there.

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.

Arch-viles only appeared in Doom II, and Final Doom, and while they do appear in at the end of the spaceport levels in Doom II, the only other space installation set in actual space in those games which Arch-vile appeared was in TNT (as early as the third level). According to the manual a sattelite near the space installation transmitted a message back to Earth, of demonic signatures from deep in the planetary void (space itself). Meaning it could not have been on Earth.

Further support for Jupiter might the volcanic activity found in both the Jupiter moon (believed to be Io) as well as in the space installation in Doom 64. Both games have similar mountainous sky backgrounds.

In addition like the N64 manual , in Final Doom's manual, Doom Guy is assigned to the Jupiter moon and survives the invasion as he was out of the base at the time the invasion started. But later fights back the hoard coming from the demons alien starship and pouring through from hell.

Note: There are other monsters that largely only appeared in Doom II or later (which could further support the moon of Jupiter location). These include Arachnatrons, Hell Knights and Mancubuses, which did not appear on Phobos in any version of Ultimate Doom.

Titan

Titan space installation appears in several PC (XBOX and PS3 versions) of Master Levels for Doom II. Though it doesn’t have much of a story, and no direct impact on main series.

Mars

Early rumors mentioned by GamePro claimed the game's action was set on Mars and would spread to other worlds.

Doom 64 Remaster's backstory changes the backstory details a bit, and lacks most of the backstory from the original manual. It places the events of the space installation on Mars.

Which also ties into the Doom I Enhanced backstory (which changed the location of Episode I to Mars (referencing the UAC Mars Research Facilities from Doom 3).

You're a marine--one of Earth's best--recently assigned to the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) research facility on Mars. When an experiment malfunctions and creates a portal to Hell, the base is overrun by blood-thirsty demons. You must shoot your way out to survive.

This ties it closer to the Doom 3 (and Doom II) story, implying at least in that release it is the same hero from Doom II (and/or Doom 3). In fact the UAC Mars Research Facilities mentioned in the backstory is location specific to Doom 3. Hugo Martin has gone on the record to say every numbered game is indeed canon (including Doom 3). He later clarified that everything including Doom Reboot and Doom 3 links back through Doom 64. This the reference to the facilities appears to be a direct reference to Doom 3 events.

Years have passed since you stopped Hell’s invasion of Earth. Quarantined for humanity’s safety, the UAC research facilities on Mars were abandoned and forgotten...until now.

Note: In Doom II, the manual portrayed the marine in that game as a separate marine who survived an invasion in Mars base itself and escaped mars in an escaped pod (this version of Doom 64’s backstory may be a loose reference to the Doom II manual). Originally the Doom II manual, implied that he was a different marine than the one in Doom 1. However, Doom 2016 which this version of Doom 64 ties into, as well as a few other early sources for Doom 2, and later added Episode 4: They Flesh Consumed do tie the character of Doom 1 and Doom II together. This release of Doom 64, and Doom The Dark Ages/2016/Eternal takes this position. Though it doesn’t necessarily fit with the original Doom 64's manual’s backstory (or its intent).

While later releases in Doom + Doom II/Doom Classic Bundle restore the Phobos backstory from classic doom, however leaving Doom 64 taking place on Mars (like in Doom 3).

On some sites (Steam/Epic/Bethesda) and collections (Doom Anthology), the game summary places it as a sequel to Earth’s invasion (Ultimate Doom/Doom II/Final Dooms) taking place on Mars (rather than Phobos).

See Doom 64: The Story (Remaster)

The LRG collectors editions include the original N64 stories (without specific references to when it takes place, or where the setting is: leaving it open to be on the retconned Mars location (or original Phobos or somewhere else). The behind the scenes book states: "It's emphasis on atmosphere and deliberate pacing causes Doom 64 to work as a spiritual bridge between Final Doom and DOOM 3--a missing link of sorts."

Notes

• The Archvile/"Arch-Vial" (sic) (mentioned in EGM magazine backstory) doesn't even have to have been on the space station itself but rather been one of the ones he thought he killed in Hell. That then started resurrecting demons in Hell, the ones that Doomguy had already killed (and or the space installation), adn/or sending monsters through portals to invade that space station again.... In any case it would be one he killed during the course of Doom II (either on Earth or Hell). Or it could be one of the ones killed in Final Doom campaigns either on Jupiter, Earth or Hell (if its assumed that Final Doom is just the second half of Doom II, as some marketing made it out to be). In anycase even if it is one left over from Doom II itself, that doesn't mean he didn't kill off others during his time in Final Doom as well... Only for one from Doom II to have had time to mutate into the Mother Demon (since some marketing also suggests that Doom 64 takes place after Final Doom as well).
• A number of enemies appear in the installation that didn’t appear in Episode 1 of Doom, or even some that never appeared in classic Doom at all. Lost Souls and Cacodemons didn’t appear until episode 2 on Deimos. Pain Elementals, Mancubi, Hell Knights, and Arachnotrons didn’t appear until Doom II. But all the demons are said in manual to be resurrected demons that Doomguy had killed on his previous missions to the installation. While some of these only appear once he reaches Hell, the same backstory seems to apply to all the demons…
• Cacodemons appear in installation as early as MAP03: Main Engineering. In Doom they first appeared in Deimos in the Shores of Hell.
• Lost Souls first appear in the installation in MAP04: Holding Area. In Doom they first appeared on Deimos in Episode 2. They do appear as early as Map01 on Phobos in PlayStation Doom spawned from an early placed Pain Elemental.
• The first Pain Elemental appears in the installation in Map06: Alpha Quadrant. They first appeared in Doom II. Though one appears early as Map01 on Phobos in PSX Doom.
• Hell Knights first appear in secret level Hectic accessed from Map01: Staging Area. But appear in normal levels as early as Map04: Holding Area. They originally introduced in Doom II. They appear as early as Deimos on Doom PSX.
• Mancubus appears in the installation in the secret level Outpost Omega from Map04: Holding Area (the first secret area to hold one piece of the Unmaker l. Most appear in the Hell levels. Mancubus first appeared in Doom II. They originally introduced in Doom II. They appear as early as Deimos on Doom PSX.
• Arachnotrons only appear in the installation in secret level Hectic. Technically Hectic is a mix of installation and hell textures (the sky is green hell flames). Most appear only in hell in Doom 64. Arachnotrons first appeared in Doom II.
• The Cyberdemon appears only in Hell late in the game the first time in Map17: Watch Your Step. He appeared for first time in Deimos in Doom. Though one appears in Fun level Cat and Mouse which is an installation themed level (only accessible from Features after finishing Hectic).