Unfamiliar: Ultimate Edition

Unfamiliar was a Doom mod project spanning from July 2016 to April 2022. Its goal was to remake the levels of the original 1993 release of Doom at a much higher fidelity, and it eventually spiraled out into much more.

Initially it was just a means to an end in order to learn the level design tools. I would start with stock Doom levels and start iterating on them. Time passed, I graduated from Sixth Form college, entered Higher Education and by late 2018 I had completed rough drafts of the first two episodes. I also started work on a side mod called "Fun Fun Fun!", which was intended to be a "slaughterwad" (a Doom mod in which the player must contend with impossibly large quantities of demons) that would cover many different visual styles. It only got as far as the first level. We will return to this side mod later.

On New Years Eve 2018 I opened a Doomworld thead and started to share screenshots to much positive reception. Only one build of the mod from 2018 survives, and was re-released years later.

Unfamiliar: Martian Fury - containing Episode I content - released on 29 June 2019. Even in this early release the usage of custom textures, colour-coded environments and dramatic lighting were already present. After it released it got some patches but I was content to leave it there. Then Doom Eternal released the following year and the whole world went Doom-crazy (a phenomenon I dubbed "Doomania").

Episode II was quickly rushed into production and was released within a couple of months. As I mentioned above, I already had rough level layouts ready and was mainly focused on art passing the environments and adding more visual effects. Unfamiliar: Frontier of Death released on 31st May 2020.

Around the same time I had also rediscovered the "Fun Fun Fun!" mod files. After a quick art pass and addition of a 3D skybox it was reborn as Everglade: Slaughter at Sunset. Everglade released on 22nd April 2020 to generally negative or indifferent response.

Everglade's flop and the mixed reception to Frontier of Death made me realize that I'd have to double down on raising my production quality standard before tacking the third episode of Unfamiliar. Initially I considered this effort as mere pre-production before jumping into Episode III proper - but it proved to be an entire time period in itself.

There were changes made all across the board, ranging from massive swaths of level geometry being rearranged or outright cut, lighting effects being added to several props and projectiles, new weapon sounds and sprites, heavier use of coloured lighting, a new logo, and much more. It was the genesis of the "glossy" style that would come to characterize the mod in its final years.

Unfamiliar Episodes Redux was released on 31st October 2020. It came bundled with the first Episode III level as a bonus teaser. Much of what you can see in the modern incarnation of the mod can be traced back to the extensive overhaul that was the Redux update.

It wasn't until April the following year that Episode III began production owing to commitments to University and other projects (which you can read about on this very profile). The design philosophy laid down by Redux carried over into the new set of maps, and then some. Of the three episodes up to that point the third had the most creative diversions from the source material. This was out of necessity as the level design quality infamously deteriorates as classic Doom goes on.

Episode III during production received a positive reception and finally released on 23rd August 2021. The stage was set for Episode IV's completion the following year. Then a high-profile project I was involved with - the total conversion mod Deluge - collapsed in March 2022. After the dust had settled I found myself with little desire to continue my Doom modding ventures and as a way to tie up loose ends I instead conceived a final be-done-with-it update. A sort of successor to the Redux update.

This proved to be an ample opportunity to give Everglade a proper updated re-release, considering with the proper game design it would function as an excellent expansion to Unfamiliar. The overwrought, clumsy slaughtermap was split into two, given an entirely new gameplay pass and a visual makeover to bring it in line with Unfamiliar's production quality - at that point at its peak.

Unfamiliar: Ultimate Edition released on 3rd April 2022. And that's where the story ends best. In December that year I refurbished the aforementioned beta build from 2018 as "Classic Edition", but that was mainly for the sake of wanting to ship something big out after months of no releases. It's been a long ride but the lessons I've learned continue to serve me to this day.

Rather than starting already in the Mars base, the player gets to experience departing from their spacecraft and entering the base on their own terms. (Map: E1M1)

The unfamiliarity wears off as the original Doom starting location was left relatively similar. (Map: E1M1)

Continuity between level transitions is something classic Doom regularly fails at. Unfamiliar intended to alleviate that with the usage of trams, dark tunnels and elevators to create more believable means of traversing between levels. (Map: E1M1)

Occasionally the player would get a view of the Martian rocks and skyline when outside. This was key to keeping a sense of place and reminding the player of their location. (Map: E1M2)

With the larger and more extensive levels comes larger and more extensive battle setpieces. (Map: E1M2)

The third level, Mineral Refinery, is effectively a series of connected buildings that the player can peer into from several angles, allowing them to plan ahead of time. (Map: E1M3)

Unlike in classic Doom, an effort was made for each level's environments to live up to their names. What good is a Mineral Refinery without seeing minerals being refined? (Map: E1M3)

At the mid-point of Episode I the day starts to shift to evening and the dynamic lighting gets to shine. (Map: E1M4)

A hub of six paths in the Industrial Compound. (Map: E1M4)

An abandoned production line. (Map: E1M4)

A Chaingunner-ridden hub of four paths. The strong green lighting quickly signals the danger of nearby Nukage to the player. (Map: E1M4)

A work yard from the perspective of the level exit. (Map: E1M4)

Strong colours are crucial to Unfamiliar's design philosophy. Each level has its own colour palette in its lighting and textures to give it a distinctive identity. (Map: E1M5)

In the Alpha Labs, the style turns towards more dramatic lighting through the employment of Hellish torches. (Map: E1M5)

Unfortunate "specimens" following gruesome autopsies. (Map: E1M5)

Hell Knights in the process of escaping captivity. Doom's minimal environmental storytelling was something that I was keen to expand upon. (Map: E1M5)

As afternoon turns to evening, the exteriors of the Atmosphere Processor become just as moody as the interiors. (Map: E1M6)

A hub in the Atmosphere Processor. (Map: E1M6)

The "wheel of pain", containing four increasingly dastardly ambushes. (Map: E1M6)

The traditional "monster closets" are given a striking makeover in the level's finale. (Map: E1M6)

The yard of the Mainframe Complex is perhaps the most ambitious location in Episode I. (Map: E1M7)

An alternate view of the Mainframe Complex yard. (Map: E1M7)

The player can engage in an explosive corridor rampage if they happen to have rocket ammo. (Map: E1M7)

The blue/green aesthetic chosen for the Mainframe Complex in action. (Map: E1M7)

As befitting the final level of Episode I, the presentation has shifted fully towards depicting the Mars colony as a sinister fortress. (Map: E1M8)

The introduction of lava allows for a new source of bright orange lighting to be added to the palette. (Map: E1M8)

The contrast between purple and gold in this chamber was something I noted for future reference. (Map: E1M8)

The "Bruiser Brothers" boss fight arena received a malevolent makeover while the fight itself was split into two stages. (Map: E1M8)

The Phobos Anomaly teleporter, the perfect stage for a swarm of demons to challenge the player one last time. (Map: E1M8)

Much like the Mineral Refinery, the Deimos Anomaly base is also composed of several buildings. (Map: E2M1)

In Episode II there was no holding back on delving into dramatic horror imagery. (Map: E2M1)

An underground generator chamber. (Map: E2M1)

Dangerous volcanic rocks light the way in the Storage Facility. (Map: E2M2)

The specific brown colouring of the Episode II rock textures led me to realize this would be a devilish means of introducing the Pain Elementals. (Map: E2M2)

Mind your step... (Map: E2M2)

The Waste Runoff Plant lives up to its name with what can only be described as "fecalfalls". (Map: E2M3)

Canals of repulsive waste. (Map: E2M3)

This level sees the introduction of "blue lava" based on a real-world phenomenon called Api Biru. (Map: E2M3)

The Delta Labs' teleporters have been fully fleshed out into proper machines, rather than the basic red squares in the source material. (Map: E2M4)

The centerpiece of this level is a hub area featuring a battle against four Mancubi. This is also where I coined the term "Disco Hell" for the style I was developing. (Map: E2M4)

Four Arachnotrons lie dormant in their holding cells. (Map: E2M4)

Just when the player has been through enough metal corridors, they are dropped into a meat cave out of nowhere. (Map: E2M4)

An apocalyptic orange colouring falls upon Mars in Episode II's latter half. (Map: E2M5)

Hub-based design appears increasingly frequently as Unfamiliar goes on. (Map: E2M5)

An unnecessarily opulent exit corridor. (Map: E2M5)

With the Hellish influence snowballing over the Mars base comes opportunities to use teleports for level transitions. (Map: E2M6)

Usually the player does not have the high ground, but what's lurking behind that door will make them wish they never came down. (Map: E2M6)

The return of a classic foe, backed up by upgraded zombie fodder. (Map: E2M6)

To exit the level the player must tear through a long corridor packed full of monsters. (Map: E2M6)

The blue and green aesthetic returns for the Chemical Vats facility. (Map: E2M7)

The handiwork of Hell. (Map: E2M7)

The nondescript mineral liquid from the Mineral Refinery makes a return appearance. (Map: E2M7)

Everyone be very careful and don't light a match... (Map: E2M7)

Would you go for it? (Map: E2M8)

A mid-level teleport exit room, packed with goods for the upcoming battles. (Map: E2M8)

The player's ascent to the peak of the Control Tower is challenged by swarms of demons. (Map: E2M8)

The upgraded fast-firing Cyberdemon promises to be as tough as he first was back in 1993. (Map: E2M8)

Given the disappointing reputation of Doom's Inferno episode and the standards raised by Unfamiliar thus far, the opening of Episode III had to be truly grand. (Map: E3M1)

A chamber in The Citadel of The Antichrist. (Map: E3M1)

The Citadel of The Antichrist features a much extended layout compared to its 1993 counterpart. (Map: E3M1)

The Api Biru "blue lava" was finally given its full time to shine in the Caves of Suffering. (Map: E3M2)

The player rearms relatively quickly in Episode III in order to stand a chance against the inflated monster count. (Map: E3M2)

The iconic hand shape does not make an appearance until the second half of the level. (Map: E3M2)

The Unholy Crematorium is perhaps my favourite level visually, in particular the purple and gold combination. (Map: E3M3)

Reunited with the Plasma Rifle, but what lurks behind that button? (Map: E3M3)

Teleporting in to the House of Torment. (Map: E3M4)

An exterior in the House of Torment. (Map: E3M4)

Episode III features the largest arenas in the whole mod. Not for the faint of computers! (Map: E3M4)

Unfamiliar's strong colours were influenced by Doom 64. It is my favourite of the series. (Map: E3M5)

The final chamber of The Palace of Satan. (Map: E3M5)

The grand sprawling vista of the Crater of Suffering. (Map: E3M6)

The Tombs of Despair is the largest and most complex level of Unfamiliar, taking around an hour to beat. (Map: E3M7)

The descending light shafts were a relatively late addition to the project and do not appear as frequently as they could have. (Map: E3M7)

Due to the complex nature of the level, I decided to employ a lighting style that picked out key spots so the player's vision was not overwhelmed. (Map: E3M7)

The final stretch of the main campaign. The Lair of The Abomination awaits. (Map: E3M8)

Flesh-tech caverns foreshadow the biomechanical menace. (Map: E3M8)

The skybox, lighting, colours, corpses and grand scale all come together to inspire a sense of great dread or awe in the player. (Map: E3M8)

The final arena. Guarded by cybernetic demons - Arachnotrons and Mancubi - and lined with stolen UAC technology in order to fuel the Spiderdemon's limitless ambition. (Map: E3M8)