5 Things Every DOOM Modder Needs – 5: A Place to Share!

*One of the most revolutionary things about the original DOOM was its customizability.

Built from the ground-up to be easily modified, DOOM (1993) and DOOM II may not have created the PC modding scene, but they sure kicked it into high gear, and to this day, DOOM is one of the most frequently and passionately modded games. Looking to dip your toe into that vast ocean? Here’s something you’ll need to get started.*

5: Somewhere to Share Your Creation!

If you’re modding just for yourself with no intention of letting your creation come under public scrutiny, more power to you! There’s plenty to learn just by experimenting with tools and even if you don’t end up releasing your mod, you’re bound to get a lot from the experience.

However, if you want to share your creation with other players – or check out what others are creating – you’re going to want to check out at least two major repositories of DOOM mods.

The first is known simply as the /idgames Archive, and it’s a doozy. This collection of mods and maps has been growing constantly since 1994 and is packed with so many entries that no one seems to know exactly how many are in there. (Estimates tend to cite a number around 20,000, but that’s likely very conservative.) However, the Archive’s interface hasn’t really grown since 1994, so you might want to check out Doomworld’s mirror, as it’s a bit more user-friendly.

For a more modern take you can visit Wad Archive, which catalogues nearly 30,000 mods and levels, sortable by game mode, engine and so forth. The site doesn’t directly host your mods but will direct you to sites that do.

If you’re looking for inspiration from the best of the best, check out Doomworld’s Cacowards, an annual roundup of the best of the modding scene – for 15 years running.