• Re: Doom running everywhere

    From Spalls Hurgenson@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, January 06, 2026 15:04:56

    What can I say: I get a kick out of these silly Doom-related projects.

    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *
    Video of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRtLlcLHI4U

    Okay, not really the same as the other projects, but if you can't get
    enough "Doom", why not have it auto-play whenever you step away from
    your computer? Those imps won't boomsticked themselves!

    Well, I mean, now they will... but only if you install the screensaver
    ;-)






    * requires a doom.wad file... but you probably have at least one of
    those lying around somewhere.



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Zaghadka@3:633/10 to All on Tuesday, January 06, 2026 19:27:43
    On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:


    What can I say: I get a kick out of these silly Doom-related projects.

    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *
    Video of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRtLlcLHI4U

    Okay, not really the same as the other projects, but if you can't get
    enough "Doom", why not have it auto-play whenever you step away from
    your computer? Those imps won't boomsticked themselves!

    Well, I mean, now they will... but only if you install the screensaver
    ;-)

    Wow. That is... not a good player.

    --
    Zag

    Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
    and to utter freely according to conscience, above
    all other liberties. ~John Milton

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Spalls Hurgenson@3:633/10 to All on Wednesday, January 07, 2026 10:59:45
    On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 19:27:43 -0600, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
    wrote:

    On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:


    What can I say: I get a kick out of these silly Doom-related projects.

    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *
    Video of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRtLlcLHI4U

    Okay, not really the same as the other projects, but if you can't get >>enough "Doom", why not have it auto-play whenever you step away from
    your computer? Those imps won't boomsticked themselves!

    Well, I mean, now they will... but only if you install the screensaver
    ;-)

    Wow. That is... not a good player.

    Yeah, I noticed that too. It wasn't clear if ths screensaver just
    played back a 'demo' recording, or if (less likely) used AI to
    navigate and finish the level. If the former, it's likely the player
    used "less optimal strategies" in order to lengthen the gameplay, else
    the screensaver would loop too frequently.

    At least, that's the excuse I'll offer up in defense of the player.


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From candycanearter07@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, January 08, 2026 01:10:05
    Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote at 01:27 this Wednesday (GMT):
    On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:


    What can I say: I get a kick out of these silly Doom-related projects.

    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *
    Video of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRtLlcLHI4U

    Okay, not really the same as the other projects, but if you can't get >>enough "Doom", why not have it auto-play whenever you step away from
    your computer? Those imps won't boomsticked themselves!

    Well, I mean, now they will... but only if you install the screensaver
    ;-)

    Wow. That is... not a good player.


    I'd bet its just random inputs.

    Hopefully I can patch this into working with xscreensaver, this looks
    rad!
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Spalls Hurgenson@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, January 08, 2026 10:30:23
    On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 01:10:05 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07 <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:
    Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote at 01:27 this Wednesday (GMT):
    On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:



    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *


    Wow. That is... not a good player.


    I'd bet its just random inputs.


    There's no way it can be /random/ inputs. That'd end up with a lot of wall-humping and getting stuck endless in corridors. If it is
    automated, there is at least /a little/ bit of AI involved.

    But I think it's just the developer playing --poorly, and with
    keyboard only-- in order to extend the action and to ensure there is a
    lot of changes to all the screen pixels (which may explain why they
    stop, stare at one scene, then do a 180 to look at something entirely
    new for a bit). But it could be that it is not intentional, and they
    really do suck at the game that much ;-)

    I guess the real test would be to run it and see if the playthrough is different each time the screensaver runs. If it is, then there's AI
    (or randomization) involved. But more likely it's just playing an
    extended .lmp (demo) file.

    I have to admit, I'm not interested enough to check for myself. It's
    neat... but nothing I actually want on my PC ;-)



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From candycanearter07@3:633/10 to All on Friday, January 09, 2026 05:00:07
    candycanearter07 <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote at 01:10 this Thursday (GMT):
    Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote at 01:27 this Wednesday (GMT):
    On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:


    What can I say: I get a kick out of these silly Doom-related projects.

    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *
    Video of it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRtLlcLHI4U

    Okay, not really the same as the other projects, but if you can't get >>>enough "Doom", why not have it auto-play whenever you step away from
    your computer? Those imps won't boomsticked themselves!

    Well, I mean, now they will... but only if you install the screensaver >>>;-)

    Wow. That is... not a good player.


    I'd bet its just random inputs.

    Hopefully I can patch this into working with xscreensaver, this looks
    rad!


    bad news
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Zaghadka@3:633/10 to All on Friday, January 09, 2026 19:30:56
    On Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:30:23 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 01:10:05 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07 ><candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:
    Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote at 01:27 this Wednesday (GMT):
    On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:



    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *


    Wow. That is... not a good player.


    I'd bet its just random inputs.


    There's no way it can be /random/ inputs. That'd end up with a lot of >wall-humping and getting stuck endless in corridors. If it is
    automated, there is at least /a little/ bit of AI involved.

    But I think it's just the developer playing --poorly, and with
    keyboard only-- in order to extend the action and to ensure there is a
    lot of changes to all the screen pixels (which may explain why they
    stop, stare at one scene, then do a 180 to look at something entirely
    new for a bit). But it could be that it is not intentional, and they
    really do suck at the game that much ;-)

    I guess the real test would be to run it and see if the playthrough is >different each time the screensaver runs. If it is, then there's AI
    (or randomization) involved. But more likely it's just playing an
    extended .lmp (demo) file.

    I have to admit, I'm not interested enough to check for myself. It's
    neat... but nothing I actually want on my PC ;-)

    Yeah. My screens have just gone into suspend for nearly 20 years. Screen
    savers are so "Flying Toasters"/"IdleWild" 1990's.

    Unfortunately, Windows 8 also broke a lot of the good ones. Last time I
    used one was on Windows 7, just for limited stuff.

    But I still have an archive of old screen savers, including Johnny
    Castaway (Screen Antics) on Windows 3.1. I even look at it in DOSBox
    sometimes.

    --
    Zag

    Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
    and to utter freely according to conscience, above
    all other liberties. ~John Milton

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Dimensional Traveler@3:633/10 to All on Friday, January 09, 2026 17:36:18
    On 1/9/2026 5:30 PM, Zaghadka wrote:
    On Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:30:23 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 01:10:05 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07
    <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:
    Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote at 01:27 this Wednesday (GMT):
    On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:



    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *


    Wow. That is... not a good player.


    I'd bet its just random inputs.


    There's no way it can be /random/ inputs. That'd end up with a lot of
    wall-humping and getting stuck endless in corridors. If it is
    automated, there is at least /a little/ bit of AI involved.

    But I think it's just the developer playing --poorly, and with
    keyboard only-- in order to extend the action and to ensure there is a
    lot of changes to all the screen pixels (which may explain why they
    stop, stare at one scene, then do a 180 to look at something entirely
    new for a bit). But it could be that it is not intentional, and they
    really do suck at the game that much ;-)

    I guess the real test would be to run it and see if the playthrough is
    different each time the screensaver runs. If it is, then there's AI
    (or randomization) involved. But more likely it's just playing an
    extended .lmp (demo) file.

    I have to admit, I'm not interested enough to check for myself. It's
    neat... but nothing I actually want on my PC ;-)

    Yeah. My screens have just gone into suspend for nearly 20 years. Screen savers are so "Flying Toasters"/"IdleWild" 1990's.

    Unfortunately, Windows 8 also broke a lot of the good ones. Last time I
    used one was on Windows 7, just for limited stuff.

    But I still have an archive of old screen savers, including Johnny
    Castaway (Screen Antics) on Windows 3.1. I even look at it in DOSBox sometimes.

    I just turn the monitors off....

    --
    I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
    dirty old man.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Spalls Hurgenson@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, January 10, 2026 10:40:44
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 17:36:18 -0800, Dimensional Traveler
    <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 5:30 PM, Zaghadka wrote:
    On Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:30:23 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 01:10:05 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07
    <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:
    Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote at 01:27 this Wednesday (GMT):
    On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, >>>>> Spalls Hurgenson wrote:



    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *


    Wow. That is... not a good player.


    I'd bet its just random inputs.


    There's no way it can be /random/ inputs. That'd end up with a lot of
    wall-humping and getting stuck endless in corridors. If it is
    automated, there is at least /a little/ bit of AI involved.

    But I think it's just the developer playing --poorly, and with
    keyboard only-- in order to extend the action and to ensure there is a
    lot of changes to all the screen pixels (which may explain why they
    stop, stare at one scene, then do a 180 to look at something entirely
    new for a bit). But it could be that it is not intentional, and they
    really do suck at the game that much ;-)

    I guess the real test would be to run it and see if the playthrough is
    different each time the screensaver runs. If it is, then there's AI
    (or randomization) involved. But more likely it's just playing an
    extended .lmp (demo) file.

    I have to admit, I'm not interested enough to check for myself. It's
    neat... but nothing I actually want on my PC ;-)

    Yeah. My screens have just gone into suspend for nearly 20 years. Screen
    savers are so "Flying Toasters"/"IdleWild" 1990's.

    Unfortunately, Windows 8 also broke a lot of the good ones. Last time I
    used one was on Windows 7, just for limited stuff.

    But I still have an archive of old screen savers, including Johnny
    Castaway (Screen Antics) on Windows 3.1. I even look at it in DOSBox
    sometimes.

    I just turn the monitors off....

    I do it all. ;-)

    Generally, I have the screens go to screensaver (after an hour or so,
    because I hate stepping out for a few minutes only to have to wake
    everything back up). And a few hours after that, drop into sleep mode.
    But if I know I'm going out, I'll sleep the PC to save 'lectricity.

    But I like screensavers. Are they useful? No. But they're purty. The
    Windows 'Ribbons" screensaver across four screens is impressive. ;-)





    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Zaghadka@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, January 10, 2026 09:53:02
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 10:40:44 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 17:36:18 -0800, Dimensional Traveler
    <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 5:30 PM, Zaghadka wrote:
    On Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:30:23 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 01:10:05 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07
    <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:
    Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote at 01:27 this Wednesday (GMT): >>>>>> On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, >>>>>> Spalls Hurgenson wrote:



    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *


    Wow. That is... not a good player.


    I'd bet its just random inputs.


    There's no way it can be /random/ inputs. That'd end up with a lot of
    wall-humping and getting stuck endless in corridors. If it is
    automated, there is at least /a little/ bit of AI involved.

    But I think it's just the developer playing --poorly, and with
    keyboard only-- in order to extend the action and to ensure there is a >>>> lot of changes to all the screen pixels (which may explain why they
    stop, stare at one scene, then do a 180 to look at something entirely
    new for a bit). But it could be that it is not intentional, and they
    really do suck at the game that much ;-)

    I guess the real test would be to run it and see if the playthrough is >>>> different each time the screensaver runs. If it is, then there's AI
    (or randomization) involved. But more likely it's just playing an
    extended .lmp (demo) file.

    I have to admit, I'm not interested enough to check for myself. It's
    neat... but nothing I actually want on my PC ;-)

    Yeah. My screens have just gone into suspend for nearly 20 years. Screen >>> savers are so "Flying Toasters"/"IdleWild" 1990's.

    Unfortunately, Windows 8 also broke a lot of the good ones. Last time I
    used one was on Windows 7, just for limited stuff.

    But I still have an archive of old screen savers, including Johnny
    Castaway (Screen Antics) on Windows 3.1. I even look at it in DOSBox
    sometimes.

    I just turn the monitors off....

    I do it all. ;-)

    Generally, I have the screens go to screensaver (after an hour or so,
    because I hate stepping out for a few minutes only to have to wake
    everything back up). And a few hours after that, drop into sleep mode.
    But if I know I'm going out, I'll sleep the PC to save 'lectricity.

    But I like screensavers. Are they useful? No. But they're purty. The
    Windows 'Ribbons" screensaver across four screens is impressive. ;-)

    As is the old NT4 "3D Pipes" screen saver!

    Hell sometimes I'll even run "Curves and Colors" for its simple beauty.

    --
    Zag

    Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
    and to utter freely according to conscience, above
    all other liberties. ~John Milton

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Spalls Hurgenson@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, January 10, 2026 11:42:19
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 09:53:02 -0600, Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com>
    wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 10:40:44 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:


    But I like screensavers. Are they useful? No. But they're purty. The >>Windows 'Ribbons" screensaver across four screens is impressive. ;-)


    As is the old NT4 "3D Pipes" screen saver!
    Hell sometimes I'll even run "Curves and Colors" for its simple beauty.


    I was never that much of a fan of 3DPipes, but YMMV. Everybody has
    their own favorites. As mentioned in another thread, I have a whole
    host of '3D screensavers' that I use for a variety of purposes,
    ranging from room heating to just entertainment value. ;-)

    But Curves and Colors...wow, that one takes me back. It's basically a
    less sophisticated Ribbons.scr (same basic idea, but less neon glow
    ;-). I don't think I've seen that one since the Win9x days... or was
    it Windows 3x? It's been a while.*

    Screensavers are pretty pointless but I miss them. It's a shame
    Microsoft has decided to make the default to not use them at all, and
    made it more difficult to even find. They were a great way to add a
    bit of your own personality to your computer.

    But I guess it's for the best. Why waste power on something most
    people won't ever even see?!?**







    ----
    * Apparently it was still included in versions of Windows as late as
    Windows XP, except it got renamed to 'Beziers' by that point.
    ** better to save all that 'lectricity to run AI server farms! ;-)



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Zaghadka@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, January 10, 2026 11:12:59
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:42:19 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    * Apparently it was still included in versions of Windows as late as
    Windows XP, except it got renamed to 'Beziers' by that point.

    Beziers was actually a good deal more complicated and pleasing (to me).
    Curves and Colors was last seen in Windows 98SE. Possibly it carried into
    ME, but I never ran ME and don't have a virtual disk of it.* It shipped
    with Win98 as an update to Win 3.1/Win95's "Mystify," which had squared
    corners rather than bezier curves. The traveling lines screensaver got better-and-better over the years, and have always been a favorite of
    mine. Even Mystify is fun for me.

    --
    Zag

    Give me the liberty to know, to think, to believe,
    and to utter freely according to conscience, above
    all other liberties. ~John Milton

    ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
    * My take on ME is it "never happened." I don't have an image of it. I
    even have an image of Windows Neptune (XP alpha), but NFW am I ever even looking at Windows Monstrosity/Mediocre/Mid Edition. Win 2000 is still
    the best OS ever.? Everything after is pure cruft. An OS should simply
    make your computer work as a whole and then get the hell out of the way. Windows XP was great for DirectX integration, but the cruft had begun.
    Now the OS has integrated ads and pushes stuff like Copilot repeatedly in different places that you have to chase around like a cockroach.

    --- footer footer ---

    ? No image of Vista either. Vista is essentially Win7 alpha (and beta) to
    me. So I deleted Vista, though I had it at one time, and kept Win7.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Orig
  • From candycanearter07@3:633/10 to All on Monday, January 12, 2026 14:00:07
    Spalls Hurgenson <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote at 15:40 this Saturday (GMT):
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 17:36:18 -0800, Dimensional Traveler
    <dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 5:30 PM, Zaghadka wrote:
    On Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:30:23 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action,
    Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

    On Thu, 8 Jan 2026 01:10:05 -0000 (UTC), candycanearter07
    <candycanearter07@candycanearter07.nomail.afraid> wrote:
    Zaghadka <zaghadka@hotmail.com> wrote at 01:27 this Wednesday (GMT): >>>>>> On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:04:56 -0500, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action, >>>>>> Spalls Hurgenson wrote:



    This time, Doom is running... as a screensaver!
    Project here: https://github.com/Zayno/DoomScreenSaver *


    Wow. That is... not a good player.


    I'd bet its just random inputs.


    There's no way it can be /random/ inputs. That'd end up with a lot of
    wall-humping and getting stuck endless in corridors. If it is
    automated, there is at least /a little/ bit of AI involved.

    But I think it's just the developer playing --poorly, and with
    keyboard only-- in order to extend the action and to ensure there is a >>>> lot of changes to all the screen pixels (which may explain why they
    stop, stare at one scene, then do a 180 to look at something entirely
    new for a bit). But it could be that it is not intentional, and they
    really do suck at the game that much ;-)

    I guess the real test would be to run it and see if the playthrough is >>>> different each time the screensaver runs. If it is, then there's AI
    (or randomization) involved. But more likely it's just playing an
    extended .lmp (demo) file.

    I have to admit, I'm not interested enough to check for myself. It's
    neat... but nothing I actually want on my PC ;-)

    Yeah. My screens have just gone into suspend for nearly 20 years. Screen >>> savers are so "Flying Toasters"/"IdleWild" 1990's.

    Unfortunately, Windows 8 also broke a lot of the good ones. Last time I
    used one was on Windows 7, just for limited stuff.

    But I still have an archive of old screen savers, including Johnny
    Castaway (Screen Antics) on Windows 3.1. I even look at it in DOSBox
    sometimes.

    I just turn the monitors off....

    I do it all. ;-)

    Generally, I have the screens go to screensaver (after an hour or so,
    because I hate stepping out for a few minutes only to have to wake
    everything back up). And a few hours after that, drop into sleep mode.
    But if I know I'm going out, I'll sleep the PC to save 'lectricity.

    But I like screensavers. Are they useful? No. But they're purty. The
    Windows 'Ribbons" screensaver across four screens is impressive. ;-)


    I also really like screensavers. Personally, I use XScreensaver set to
    random and timeout after 1 minute
    --
    user <candycane> is generated from /dev/urandom

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)