Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Why Odamex?
Odamex follows the philosophy of the free software movement. We feel that as a community we can make our software better. Since we feel so strongly about this belief we have chosen to release the Odamex source code under the GNU GPLv2 license.
Will Odamex support advanced features?
That depends entirely on what you consider advanced features. Odamex strives for full boom compatibility and also has other enhancements over regular doom such as mouselook and jumping (which can both be turned off on the server level). Due to license conflictions all the Hexen source had to be removed or replaced.
Requirements
What platforms can Odamex run on?
Odamex has been tested and has been confirmed to compile and run on the following operating systems:
- Windows 2000/XP (both native and Cygwin)
- Windows 98/Me
- Linux
- FreeBSD
- Mac OS X
- Solaris
However, as there are many different versions of these operating systems, the absolute minimum version requirements for each operating system have not yet been fully established. Check target platforms for the latest information.
Are there any set hardware requirements?
Not really. Given the software requirements being fufilled, Odamex has run on pretty much everything we've thrown at it. If you can find a hardware combination that fufills the software requirements but that Odamex will not run on, let us know.
What data files are required?
Odamex requires a resource file from Doom or Doom 2 in order to play online. The most common resource files needed to play are:
| Resource | Title | Version | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOOM1.WAD | Doom 1: Knee-Deep in the Dead | v1.9 |
shareware |
| DOOM.WAD | Ultimate Doom | v1.9 |
commercial |
| DOOM2.WAD | Doom II | v1.9 |
commercial |
| TNT.WAD | Final Doom: TNT Evilution | v1.9 |
commercial |
| PLUTONIA.WAD | Final Doom: The Plutonia Experiment | v1.9 |
commercial |
| DOOM2.WAD | FreeDoom | v0.5 |
free |
The version number is important. There are several versions of most of these resource files floating around, and resources from one version may not work with another, so for consistancies sake the latest version is assumed. If you have a copy of Doom Collectors Edition or a version of Ultimate Doom or Doom 2 that is for Windows 95, then you are using the latest version of those resource files. If you have a copy of Doom or Doom 2 for DOS, please patch your resource file to the latest version.
The following are free to download and use:
- FreeDoom - "The Freedoom project aims to create a complete Doom-based game which is Free Software."
Playability
Help! Everyone moves too fast and I get killed within seconds!
Please read the article about gameplay for a short introduction to Doom's very unique style of Deathmatch.
I am a veteran doom2.exe player. What does Odamex offer me?
I love newschool gameplay. What does Odamex offer me?
Security
What is being done about the security of Odamex?
How will cheaters be dealt with?
Development
When will Odamex be released?
When it's done. No really, no official date has been set for a release.
I want to contribute to Odamex! What can I do to help?
There are many things you can do to contribute to Odamex. You could help squash bugs or just spread the Odamex word around!
I found a bug! What should I do?
See Bugs for more information.
Misc
What does Odamex stand for?
Odamex is not necessarily an acronym. It is not represented as such anywhere in the application or this website. However, it was originally thought of as such, so included below are some ideas of what it could be:
- What fraggle says when he is trying to get X working in Linux. "<fraggle> oh, damn X!"
- "Oh! Yes! Fur!" as read in Russian
- Online Doom Multiplayer Experience