Hey, I’m sorry that you’re dying and there’s nothing I can do about it, but since you won’t be using it, can I take your youth from you using the forbidden magics of Xata Krash?
Ok, what the fuck is being a system with low blood sugar. It’s like bumper cars. One person will be in front for a moment before another person bumps in and takes over against EVERYONE’s will, and so on so forth. There’s 3 people writing this. Fuck this summer heat!
I apologize, Mother Brain. Our production capacity is capped at 1 Metroid per hour. We simply don’t have the facilities to meet your quotas at this time.
So I remembered I have free will and decided to make Gigan’s theme from Godzilla: Final Wars (and with some shredded Godzilla Unleashed Gigan theme on top for some added zest) it was a bit tricky to start, but ultimately I think I like it.
Samus Aran has been something of a hero to me for a while now, someone I look up to and try to model my behavior off of. She inspires me to help people and keep them safe. I’ve had many a time when the thought of her has pushed me to be better and keep trying. In such tumultuous times like these, with daily threats to my rights as a trans woman, I know how scared and paralyzed people like me feel. I hope this provides for you some of what Samus provides for me. It’s not well put together, or well voiced, but I hope it can give you some hope. If you need to talk to someone, I’m here. Happy Pride, everyone.
Not actually assembling it mind you, but relistening to the original track over and over again to try and figure out all the different sounds and instruments. The instrumentation for Beyond is SO complex. What you think is 1 guitar might be 2. What you think is 1 synth might be 3. It is SO difficult to parse out. The app I use to make this stuff lacks any guitars or anything resembling a human voice, so I had to go with a completely different take. However, I think I like what came out of it. It sounds very fun.
The Metroid spinning overlay is from this video on Reddit.
This one was tough, but interesting to work on. I’ve had the idea for a while of combining Spire’s theme with the multiplayer theme for Alinos. I also figured, given his backstory, adding a solemn element with the Alinos depths melody was fitting. I’m not quite sure if it turned out how I was expecting, but I think I like it. It sounds rough, like an igneous rock.
I would like say PLEASE TURN THE VOLUME DOWN IF YOU HAVE HEADPHONES. I don’t know if it’s just the earbuds I have, but having it up too loud is awful.
This one was tough, but interesting to work on. I’ve had the idea for a while of combining Spire’s theme with the multiplayer theme for Alinos. I also figured, given his backstory, adding a solemn element with the Alinos depths melody was fitting. I’m not quite sure if it turned out how I was expecting, but I think I like it. It sounds rough, like an igneous rock.
This one was pretty fun to work on. I took inspiration from several peoples’s takes on this guys theme. I decided to actually include the base Hunter theme as well as the stuff unique to Kanden on this one, though I think this’ll be the only time I do so. Anyways,
I’ve recently been toying around with making music. This cover of Weavel’s theme was the first one I’ve felt comfortable enough putting out there. It’s inspired by his actual theme from Metroid Prime Hunters, as well as the cut intro music cue for him in that game, and includes a bit of the Space Pirate theme. Overall, it came out as a quirky, upbeat version of his theme, almost resembling “To Curse The Federation”.
As a side note, I’m still learning how to use the app I made this on, I still haven’t learned how to properly export my projects, or even how to play all of the different section in sequence. My current strategy really just involves screen recording the app and playing each section in sequence, toggling them at the exact right moment, any hiccups you hear are a result of that.
Some people may know that Doom (2016) had a board game made after the game’s own design philosophy. In it, a team of up to 4 UAC marines fight against the demonic Invader controlling the demonic horde. In the many cards and mission briefings, the board game has a great deal of flavor text that further fleshes out the world of Doom. Since I have yet to see… well, anyone cover it, I have taken it upon myself to mark down some of the interesting lore given to the demons, UAC, and the wider earth civilization in Doom. This post will focus on lore given from the various cards in the game. The canonicity of this game to Doom (2016)’s story is a bit dubious, so some of this may be overwritten by lore properly given the mainline titles. Without further ado, let’s dive into some niche Doom lore that nobody’s ever heard of!
1. Armor
In the game, all marines start with a standard deck of 4 cards, plus 4 each for their 2 primary weapons. One of the default cards is Armor. Its flavor text reads “A proprietary design based on the Praetor Suit. The UAC tactical armor system provides superior protection and a modular HUD that interfaces with a variety of weapon systems.” It is interesting to note that this means the UAC was able to glean some useful information from analyzing the Praetor suit.
2. Reposition
In addition to armor, every marine gets 2 copies of Quick Shot, whose flavor text is the same as the weapon’s in game codex entry, and 1 copy of Reposition. Reposition reads “Every UAC employee is provided a standard UAC EM (Energy-Matter-Gel) Sidearm upon promotion to Tier 2. This sidearm is reliable and effective at short range.” This card alone paints the UAC as more of a military company than energy production, indicating a heavily armed workforce.
3. Static Rifle
Some of the primary weapons in this game come from Doom (2016)’s multiplayer mode. One of these is the Static Rifle, a weapon that fires more powerful shots while moving. It’s two cards in game, “Charge” and “Discharge” read as follows: “Eschewing traditional ammunition, the Static Rifle builds power through constant motion. While idle, a government mandated safety mechanism disperses excess power” “The Static Rifle stores and amplifies kinetic energy through an Argent process for an incredibly powerful, high-precision energy blast.” Not much to note here.
4. Burst Rifle
Another weapon from the multiplayer, the Three Round Burst card reads “A selective-fire battle rifle equipped with a reciprocating barrel assembly. Approval for Burst Rifle Assignment requires a training course, two written exams, and a live-fire interview.” The level of training needed for this is insane. With that roster, you’d expect it to act like the BFG 9,000.
Fireteams
While this could fit into the mission briefing section, there isn’t as many cards with lore that isn’t already covered in Doom 2016’s codex, so I opted to include it here. The game features various specializations dictated by which fireteam you’re playing as. While the individual specialization cards aren’t given additional lore, the Fireteams are, so I’ll get started with the first one.
5. Fireteam Claymore
“Known for their reliability, Claymore is a well-established squad with a pristine record. An ideal choice for any combat assignment.” Nothing to say here.
6. Fireteam Halberd
“Halberd Agents are subjected to constant teamwork simulations until hey operate as a well-oiled machine. Halberd agents have the highest survival rates in the UAC.”
7. Fireteam Javelin
“Javelin began as an experimental training program for unique skills and weapon specialists. Javelin operatives are often given unusual clearances.” like a fucking burst rifle.
8. Fireteam Khopesh
“The UAC will occasionally employ mercenary teams like Khopesh. Those who exceed expectations are offered lucrative employment packages in the UAC security corps.” This is the first we hear of independent military contractors in all of Doom, and this idea will be alluded to further in the mission briefings.
9. Fireteam Scimitar
“Exclusively hired from military veterans, Scimitar operatives are disciplined soldiers with unmatched effectiveness.” This further alludes to possible military conflicts not involving demonic hordes invading Earth and mars.
10. Fireteam Tomahawk
“Often deployed in hazardous environments, the pathfinders of Tomahawk squad are well regarded as an adaptable, all-terrain engagement team.” I suspect that, if these fireteams are canon, they are the soldiers who accompanied Samuel Hayden into the Kadinger Sanctum to retrieve the Doom Slayer’s sarcophagus.
Well, that’s it for now. I’ll make an additional post soon covering the mission briefings. Believe me, that one will be juicy. See ya then!
So I finally decided to revisit this stuff since I’ve got the game in front of me. This time, I’ll be covering the Information found in the flavor text of the missions in the Doom 2016 Board Game. This is where the REAL juicy lore lives. To begin, the missions are separated into 2 Operations, each consisting of 6 missions. The first of which is…
Operation: Black Bishop
The first mission of Black Bishop is Knee Deep in The Dead, taking place on the Martian moon of Phobos. Its description reads…
WARNING: Containment breach detected at the Lazarus Facility on Phobos. A UAC fireteam has been dispatched to recover experimental assets with minimal collateral harm.
The objective of the mission sees you destroying demons and collecting objective tokens from their corpses. Given it is the Lazarus Project, and the next tidbit of information, we can presume that the Lazarus Project wants to keep internal… “components” of the demons for further study. Additionally, each mission has separate flavor text for Success and Failure conditions. The Marine Victory text for E1M1 reads as follows…
You return the slightly charred samples to the UAC labs. The demonic organs are still pulsating and radiating a stinging heat. It probably smells terrible as well, but thankfully your helmet has advanced environmental filters.
So it seems that the organs of demons can remain functional even after the demon is diseased. The Invader Victory text reads…
SITUATION UPDATE: Biometric data reads that the fireteam has been eliminated. Hostile forces remain on Phobos Station. Redirecting Phobos research funding to Tharsis Labs.
I think the callous indifference is striking, but more than that, the seeming ambivalence to the presence of the demons on Phobos is what gives me notice. It’s possible the labs there will be destroyed in their entirety, or perhaps the Lazarus Project will simply watch from afar to get a sense of the demons roaming free… or Dr. Pierce simply wants to let the demons use it as a staging ground to conquer Mars.
Next up, mission 2 is called Molten Retrieval. It’s intro reads…
INCIDENT REPORT: Few survivors remain at Ganymede Foundry after an Argent containment failure. Our scientists consider this a rare opportunity for study. However, the security cams have gone offline. Your team must find and recover any remaining personnel so that they can be interviewed for anecdotal data.
I think the striking thing here is the implication that rescuing the remaining personnel is only a concern due to the lack of surveillance equipment. They’re only worth saving for the small inklings of information on demon behavior. Now the Marine Victory text is a little surprising.
The surviving staff members thank you profusely as they are taken to be interviewed about their experiences. One of the survivors comments that the UAC devotes a remarkable amount of funding to trauma counseling.
Assuming the this survivor’s information is genuine, it would make some sense, given the massive amount of horrors beyond our comprehension that the UAC’s staff face. However, given the very cultish portrayal of the UAC in Doom 2016, it’s likely this “trauma counseling” is more akin to re-education. The Invader Victory text reads…
INCIDENT REPORT: Fireteam KIA attempting to recover personnel from the base. The UAC media department is assigned to honor their bravery and sacrifice with a prime-time video special.
The callous martyrdom aside, this raises an interesting question. Do the civilians of the Doom 2016 universe know about the demons before the events of the video game? After all, what else are you supposed to tell the viewers? Your heavily armed and armored private military failed to reduce some scientists during a gas leak?
On to mission 3, Spring Cleaning! Fitting given the time I’m working on this. Anyways, the intro reads…
ALERT: A confidential research and development laboratory has unfortunately been overrun by hostile forces. Security footage shows them crafting portal structures form organic materials. These “Gore Nests” have been declared a security risk and must be destroyed.
There’s not too much to say here. It’s a pretty simple affair. The Marine Victory text reads…
It takes some time to clean the gore off your armor. You are somewhat unsettled by the glimpses you’ve seen of the realm beyond. A part of you prays you’ll never see that place again.
Oh, you sweet summer child. But before we get to that, we have the Invader Victory text.
INCIDENT REPORT: A number of marine bodies have been integrated into the gore nests. UAC scientists suggest this is an opportunity to explore additional vectors of experimentation.
So it seems that, once again, the UAC, or more likely the Lazarus Labs cult, want to let the demons propagate on Mars by leaving their portals intact. I wouldn’t be surprised if the orders came from Dr. Olivia Pierce herself.
But onto mission 4, Leaving The Nest. Ironically, coming off the heels of Spring Cleaning, this is the first of which in this game to take place in Hell. The intro text reads…
CONGRATULATIONS: As a result of your prior performance, you have been selected for a Lazarus Labs manned expedition. Three previous drone operations in the region have been unsuccessful. The drone will proceed with your squad to the designated survey area.
So, as a reward for stellar service, Lazarus has gotten hold of you… that can’t mean anything good. The Marine Victory text reads…
The drone slowly scans the area and begins its research survey. An emergency alert signals in your HUD. You are instructed to continue your expedition and proceed toward Kadinger Sanctum.
If you’ll recall, the Kadinger Sanctum is where the Doom Slayer was imprisoned by the demons, and where he was eventually recovered by Samuel Hayden. There’s a chance that this survey was what lead to the Slayer’s rediscovery. The Invader Victory text is less interesting.
DATA LOG: Research drone destroyed, operatives lost. This area has been declared off limits for UAC operations until further notice.
Guess there’s some places even Lazarus doesn’t tread.
Onto Mission 5: Territorial Dispute, which presumably takes place within the Kadinger Sanctum.
WARNING: Hostile forces have been detected approaching a valuable UAC tethering site. Unfortunately, an Argent Energy storm has damaged the shielding technology so your team must defend the site until the defensive protocols can be rebooted.
I do find it odd how some Doom material seems to treat Argent Energy as the same thing as Hell Energy… but that’s far from unique to this so I’ll leave that for another time. The Marine Victory text reads…
Defensive sentries and barriers are erected quickly once the system reboots. You have a few hours to collect yourselves and rest. The screams and roars of demons in the distance are drowned out by the gentle hum of argent generators.
I like this mainly for how immersive it is. It really paints the image of being safe but only in the relative sense. The Invader Victory text reads as follows…
INCIDENT REPORT: Tethering site is overrun. Detonation sequence offline. Warning of possible demonic acquisition of UAC assets. Recommend additional fireteam deployments to retake the site.
It seems this entry was written by the more Samuel Hayden and VEGA aligned personnel of the UAC, given its concern of the demons acquiring their assets instead of them being destroyed.
Lastly for this post is Mission 6: Breaking and Entering, which is probably the most interesting in terms of lore. Its intro reads…
THREAT DETECTED: We have located the demon responsible for the attacks on our assets. A show of force has been deemed necessary. Unfortunately, due to recent losses, we cannot rely upon drones for this mission. Your team must enter the hostile territory and eliminate all hostile elements in the area. After that is complete, you may return home.
This… is a ruse, as you will see later. It is also worth noting that the suggested Invasion Card (the type of card that signifies which demons the Invader has access to) allows the Invader to use the Cyber Demon. This heavily implies that this the demon responsible for all the trouble the marines are dealing with in Hell. Given that the Kadinger Sanctum, where the Slayer is imprisoned, is mentioned as a location the Marines visit, this Cyber Demon may actually be the one in charge of ensuring the Slayer remains dormant. The Cyber Demon in Doom 2016 was a one off creation by the UAC, so is it possible that this was some other kind? Possibly one of the classic designs or the more medieval looking Cyber Demons from The Dark Ages? Perhaps not, since the model used in the game is the 2016 Cyber Demon. However, it may also be a creature of the same species.
Now for the Marine Victory text, where you find out part if that mission statement was false.
You receive a message from Olivia Pierce, head of the Lazarus project: “Your work is to be commended, marines. Unfortunately, you will not be returning. Human souls cannot leave Hell. Your life support systems indicate you can survive a few more days at most. Take solace that your efforts have advanced the UAC cause. Your sacrifice will not be in vain.”
These marines were never meant to leave Hell. They were sent here to do as much dangerous work as possible, then die. The Invader Victory text paints an ever more damning narrative (pun not intended).
INCIDENT REPORT: Suicide Mission Successful, fireteam survived 27% longer than anticipated. Sacrifice to the local demon hierarchy will prove valuable for future research into the Titan’s Realm.
They were never even meant to succeed. They were an offering of flesh to the denizens of the dark realm, nothing more.
So that’s Operation: Black Bishop! I know this was a long time coming, but I hope you found this interesting! Next time I’ll cover the other half of the missions, Operation: Exodus. Till next time!
Back over the weekend, I saw Project Hail Mary at the theatre with my partner, @fanaticastrid , and my dad. It was absolutely INCREDIBLE. AMAZE AMAZE AMAZE! The cinematography was fantastic, the music was spectacular, and the visuals were something I have no comparison to. It was absolutely incredible. The characters super lovable and fun. Rocky was an absolute blast in his usual, smartass way.
I actually listened to the audiobook years ago with my dad, and so I was super hyped to see this movie. It was interesting to see what moments were changed, cut, added, and combined together. I won’t get too much into spoilers, but this movie WILL make you smile, and it WILL make you cry.
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