DF recently looked at the game:
Which is what convinced me to give it a try.
If you intend to check out this mod and you are an nVidia user, you will also need this if you want to use DLSS and DLAA (and frame gen on AdaL cards):
https://github.com/vs-shirokii/RTGL/releases/tag/1.6.3
I decided to use DLAA. In the first level of the game, my framerate was about 70-100 fps at 1440p, although in the outdoor section it got as high as 120 fps. I did also test DLSS2. With that set to Quality Mode, framerate was solidly in the mid 100fps-range in that same first level, and in the outdoor area it got to 200fps. This is the mode I would probably have to use if I was running this at 4K. I also checked out a few more levels, using DLAA, and sometimes the framerate got a bit lower (like into the 60s) as the levels got more complex, but overall the performance was about the same as in the first level.
The voxel models breathe new life into the enemies. It's quite interesting. Makes them a bit more grounded, and appear more as if they are part of the 3D environment. I still prefer the sprites, but dang if the voxel models aren't interesting. Same goes for the item pickups. The Spectres look really cool with the voxel models.
The RT graphics and how the new lighting changes the mood and atmosphere of the levels help give the levels a very fresh feel. I like the reflections too, like on the water surface.
What's neat about the blood splattering on the wall is that it then becomes a reflective surface before it drips down off the wall. The blood is a bit silly, over-the-top, and crazy-lookin' when those massive globs burst outta enemies when you kill them, but it's cool that it is a real-time dynamic fluid simulation. You can turn it off if you wish.
The colored lighting, and the light ray bounces that pick up color information from the surfaces they bounce off of, really do wonders for changing up the feel of the levels. It's just a very nice change of pace. Also I usually have a problem with the darkness in
Doom 2 (which
Brutal Doom alleviated by giving the player a flashlight, which I really appreciated), but here with this path-traced version of
Doom 2 the darkness isn't as much of a problem, due to the bounce lighting.
Overall a very neat and interesting experiment, and a cool way to re-play
Doom 2 if you are already familiar with the game. It reminds me of
Quake 2 RTX and
Portal RTX in that way. I've already gone through
Doom 2 using the
Brutal Doom mod, so this path-traced version would be another
very interesting way to go through the game again. Not that I will do so any dang time soon, cuz
Doom 2 is a long game. And also I'm currently playing the new
Doom 2 expansion
Legacy of Rust that was included with the Nightdive remaster of
Doom 1 + 2. But it's extremely interesting and fascinating what this path-tracing mod's new lighting does for the mood and atmosphere of the game. Much like with
HL1 RT. I couldn't play through
HL1 RT though because after you've played
Black Mesa, it is haaaard to go back to original
HL1.
This path-traced
Doom 2 mod is a waaaay better effort than what I've seen of the other guy and his ray-tracing mods for
Doom 1,
Serious Sam 1, and a few other games (which I think includes
HL1 RT).
