Are you ready to Rip and Tear through DOOM (2016) at an unbelievable pace? The Any% speedrun of this demon-slaying masterpiece is a breathtaking display of pure skill, precision, and intimate game knowledge. Forget slow exploration; we're talking about blasting through hell in record time. If you've ever watched a speedrunner and thought, "How is that even possible?", you're in the right place. This isn't just a highlight reel; it's a deep dive, an explanation, a masterclass from one of the best in the business.
We've teamed up with the current DOOM Any% world record holder, seeker, to pull back the curtain on what it takes to achieve those mind-boggling times. Get ready to learn the cutting-edge strats, the game-breaking glitches, and the intricate dance of mechanics that define the speedrun for DOOM (2016). Whether you're a seasoned speedrunner looking to shave off those crucial frames or a curious gamer wanting to understand the magic, this guide is for you.
DOOM (2016) Any% Speedrun: The Core Mechanics
At its heart, the Any% speedrun of DOOM (2016) is about maximum efficiency and leveraging the game's incredible movement and combat systems. The core objective is simple: reach the end of the game as fast as possible, with no specific requirements for completion percentage or difficulty.
This means the run prioritizes speed above all else. We're not here to collect every upgrade or defeat every optional enemy. Every action, every jump, every shot is meticulously planned to shave off milliseconds. The player character, the Doom Slayer, is a force of nature, and the speedrun amplifies this by utilizing his full arsenal of abilities and weapons in ways the developers might not have even intended.
Key to the speedrun is understanding the flow of combat. Enemies are not obstacles to be cleared at leisure; they are often strategically engaged to gain resources (ammo, health, armor) or to position the player for the next sequence. The game's aggressive combat loop, encouraging glory kills and chainsaw kills, becomes a vital tool for sustaining momentum and avoiding downtime.
"DOOM 2016 is a fast-paced and intense speedrun. For this video, I teamed up with seeker, current DOOM Any% world record holder to bring you a video breaking down the speedrun as it's happening."
Mastering The Movement: Railboosting and Beyond
Movement is king in the DOOM speedrun. The ability to traverse the environment at breakneck speeds is paramount. The most iconic and crucial technique is Railboosting. This involves precisely timing weapon fire, specifically the Gauss Cannon's charged shot, with your jumps to gain an incredible burst of speed.
The effectiveness of Railboosting is heavily dependent on your frame rate. As seeker notes, maintaining a high and stable FPS is critical. "This is why we run the game with all the settings I just went over, and try to maintain a steady 200 FPS," he explains. "Railboosting at FPSs lower than 200 just won’t cut it." At lower frame rates, the game simply doesn't register the inputs correctly, leading to inconsistent boosts and lost time.
Beyond Railboosting, other movement techniques include well-timed dashes, double jumps, and strategically using the environment to maintain momentum. Wall-running, while not as prominent as in later installments, also plays a role in specific sections. Understanding how to chain these abilities together seamlessly is what separates a good run from a great one.
The speedrunners also employ precise pathing, often hugging walls or using specific enemy placements to their advantage. For instance, "He also hugs the left wall to avoid getting hit by a Possessed, which saves time since the enemy won’t have to recover from the animation before turning back towards seeker afterwards," highlights the meticulous nature of these runs. Every centimeter of movement is optimized.
Weapon Loadouts and Damage Optimization
While raw speed is key, dealing damage efficiently is equally important. The speedrun doesn't necessarily use every weapon, but it focuses on those that offer the highest damage output or utility for specific encounters. The Super Shotgun is a staple for close-range devastation, while the Plasma Rifle and Rocket Launcher are excellent for dealing with groups and heavier demons.
The Gauss Cannon, especially with its charged shots, is integral for both speed and damage. Understanding the weapon mods, like the Siege Mode for the Gauss Cannon, and when to deploy them, is crucial. For certain powerful demons, like the Cyberdemon or the Hell Knight, specific weapon combinations and targeting of weak points are essential to take them down as quickly as possible.
The concept of "clipping" with certain enemy attacks or weapon effects is also a major part of advanced play. As noted in the original commentary, "You may also be asking how we have both jump and mod bound to the scroll wheel, and the answer to that is pretty simple. DOOM 2016 allows the player to bind actions to both ‘Scroll Wheel Up’ and ‘Scroll Wheel Down,’ so we bind jump to one and mod to the other." This allows for rapid weapon switching and ability usage, crucial for maintaining offensive pressure.
"When he’s damaging Possessed to setup GK clips, the body parts that seeker shoots are very intentional. The Possessed have to be in a specific animation with a specific GK performed in order to perform each individual clip."
Exploiting The Engine: Key Glitches and Skips
No speedrun is complete without exploring the boundaries of the game engine. DOOM (2016) has its fair share of glitches and skips that allow runners to bypass entire sections or perform impossible feats.
One of the most notable techniques involves going out of bounds (OOB). In certain levels, skilled players can find ways to break through the intended level geometry, allowing them to traverse areas unseen and skip significant portions of the map. For example, "seeker discharges 12 times in a row, which is to time out how far he’s running since he has no visual frame of reference while out-of-bounds in this level." This demonstrates the precision required to navigate these unintended spaces.
These OOB sections often require precise movement and knowledge of enemy AI to avoid falling into death planes or being reset by the game. Other skips might involve manipulating enemy AI to have them block doors, or finding specific jump sequences that lead to unintended pathways. The discovery and implementation of these glitches are what constantly push the boundaries of speedrun records.
Navigating Hell: Level-Specific Strategies
Each level in DOOM (2016) presents unique challenges and opportunities for speedrunners. The strategies employed can vary drastically from one map to the next.
Early levels often focus on establishing basic movement and combat routines. However, as the game progresses, the complexity increases. For instance, certain arenas might require specific #CombatesÉpicos to be initiated and concluded in a particular order to open the path forward, while others might have opportunities for major skips.
Consider the Argent Facility, where precise movement and early acquisition of key weapons are vital. Later areas, like the Foundry or Lazarus Labs, introduce more complex enemy combinations and environmental hazards that demand mastery of all the learned techniques. The goal is always to minimize downtime, whether that's enemy encounter time, traversal time, or even loading screen time.
Speedrunning on PC, especially for a game like DOOM (2016), involves a significant technical component. As mentioned, maintaining a high and consistent frame rate (FPS) is non-negotiable for optimal performance, particularly for techniques like Railboosting.
Custom keybinds are essential. The ability to bind multiple actions to a single input, such as scrolling the mouse wheel up and down for jump and mod, allows for incredibly fast and fluid execution of complex maneuvers. This is standard practice in many PC speedruns, and DOOM is no exception.
The way leaderboards are calculated also plays a role. "Like most PC speedruns, DOOM’s leaderboard is organized by in-game time, taking into account how long each individual’s loading screens are," it's explained. "Loading screens aren’t counted into your final time due to hardware differences between PCs, so it’s worth it to access another loading screen if it skips having to wait for something in real time." This means runners might intentionally trigger an extra loading screen if it shaves more time off the actual gameplay than it adds to the total run time.
Embarking on Your Speedrunning Journey
The allure of speedrunning DOOM (2016) extends beyond the elite. The community is welcoming, and the game itself is incredibly fun to master. "seeker makes everything in the game look so simple to do, but really, it isn’t. That being said, I implore you to learn the speedrun of this game, because it is actually really fun to learn and to practice," the commentary encourages. "I myself haven’t actually completed a full run yet, but I’ve been learning it on and off for about two months now and enjoy every second of practice with this game. It’s just a game that lends itself really well to speedruns."
Getting started involves:
- Watching top runners like seeker and other pioneers.
- Studying speedrun routes and strategies.
- Practicing individual glitches and movement techniques in isolation.
- Gradually attempting full runs.
- Joining the DOOM speedrunning community to ask questions and get feedback.
The journey is as rewarding as the destination. Each small improvement, each mastered technique, brings a sense of accomplishment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Any% category in DOOM (2016)?
Any% means completing the game as quickly as possible, without any restrictions on what can be done. This category often utilizes glitches and sequence breaks to skip large portions of the game.
Why is a high FPS important for this speedrun?
A high and stable frame rate (specifically around 200 FPS) is crucial for accurate and consistent execution of advanced movement techniques like Railboosting. Lower FPS can lead to failed inputs and significantly slower times.
What are the most important weapons for the speedrun?
Key weapons include the Super Shotgun for close-range burst damage, the Gauss Cannon for its charged shots and railboosting potential, and the Rocket Launcher for area damage and stagger. Specific enemy encounters might call for other weapon choices.
How do speedrunners use glitches in DOOM (2016)?
Glitches such as going out of bounds (OOB) are frequently used to skip entire levels or sections. Other glitches might involve manipulating enemy AI or animation states to achieve faster traversal or damage.
Where can I learn more about DOOM speedrunning?
The best place to start is by watching top runners on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, and by joining the dedicated DOOM speedrunning communities on Discord and speedrun.com. These resources offer guides, tips, and a supportive environment for learning.
The world of DOOM (2016) speedrunning is a vibrant and dynamic one. The constant pursuit of new strats, the refinement of existing techniques, and the dedication of runners like seeker continue to push the limits of what's possible. Mastering this game at speed is a testament to patience, practice, and a deep understanding of game mechanics.
What are your personal best times in DOOM (2016)? Have you attempted any speedruns yourself? Share your experiences, your favorite glitches, or any strategies you've discovered in the comments below! We’re always eager to hear from our community. For more in-depth discussions and to connect with fellow speedrunners, consider joining our GamingSpeedrun Discord. Let's keep pushing those records!
