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Boom is a limit-removing source port of '[[doom (format)[Doom] created by TeamTNT (the same group of mappers that made TNT: Evolution). Boom fixes bugs, removes map limitations and adds new features while still maintaining the feel of the original game. As such, Boom remains a popular format for newly-released PWADs.

The final version of Boom released was '[l[https://www.doomworld.com/idgames/themes/TeamTNT/boom/boom202[Boom 2.02 for DOS] in 1998, and the source code was released in 1999. As a result, many source ports are Boom-compatible, especially more modern ones such as '[l[https://doomwiki.org/wiki/PrBoom%2B[PrBoom+] and '[l[https://doomwiki.org/wiki/GZDoom[GZDoom].

One of the main mapping features that Boom adds is additional linedef types (i.e. triggers) - not only expanding and generalising the hard-coded linedef types from the original game, but also adding completely new features such as silent teleporters and conveyor belts. Clever usage of these features can result in much more dynamic and exciting maps.

Boom's uses IWADs and PWADs in a similar way to '[[doom (format)[the original game]. However, it also supports configurable animated and switch textures, and introduced the BEX standard for easily distributing '[l[https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DeHackEd[DeHackEd] settings. For a comprehensive reference of features, see the '[l[https://soulsphere.org/projects/boomref/[HTML version of boomref.txt].

'[#[Boom on BotB]
The Boom format works similarly to '[[doom (format)[vanilla Doom] - submitted PWADs are expected to be single-player maps for either Doom or Doom II. If the bitpack allows, the WADs may also include custom music/graphics to be used in the map(s).

Although technically the maps should be tested to be compatible with the final DOS release of Boom, this is rarely done in practice. The standard nowadays is to test the maps are compatible with '[l[https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DSDA-Doom[DSDA-Doom] set at complevel 9. That said, DSDA-Doom (and its predecessor, PrBoom+) support some extra features that the original Boom does not - namely linedef types 271/272 (sky transfers), and certain DeHackEd features (which aren't applicable on BotB). In addition, ensure that jumping is disabled in the settings.

Submission descriptions should include the IWAD to be used by the player (normally either DOOM.WAD or DOOM2.WAD) and the map(s) that have been replaced (if different from E1M1/MAP01). Note that players might opt to play on difficulty levels that are not Ultra-Violence, if there's a specific difficulty level that your map is balanced around (or if there are no differences between difficulty levels) it may be wise to include this in the description.

'[#[How to Play]
Setup for playing Boom-compatible maps is similar to the setup for playing vanilla maps. You will first need to source the IWAD for the relevant game, which can be done by purchasing Doom/Doom II on Steam or a similar service.

You will also need to download a Boom-compatible source port; ideally this is '[l[https://doomwiki.org/wiki/PrBoom%2B[PrBoom+] or '[l[https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DSDA-Doom[DSDA-Doom], but '[l[https://eternity.youfailit.net/wiki/Eternity_Engine[Eviternity Engine] or '[l[https://doomwiki.org/wiki/GZDoom[GZDoom] will also work reasonably well. Or heck, you can even use the original DOS version of Boom in DOSBox for maximum authenticity!

Once you have your method of choice set up and running, the PWADs available on BotB can be played by including them in the relevant command-line arguments. The following examples assume a PWAD called FOO.WAD to be played with Doom II, starting on MAP07.

'[t[2]DOS Boom'[/t]
'[t[mono]boom.exe -iwad DOOM2.WAD -file FOO.WAD -warp'[/t]

'[t[2]PrBoom+ and DSDA-Doom'[/t]
'[t[mono]prboom-plus.exe -iwad DOOM2.WAD -file FOO.WAD -warp 7 -complevel 9'[/t]
Complevel should always be 9 for modern Boom-compatible WADs. Alternatively glboom-plus.exe may be used, which provides a more efficient but less accurate hardware-based renderer.

DSDA-Doom has the same command-line format (with a different .exe, obviously).

'[t[2]GZDoom'[/t]
'[t[mono]gzdoom.exe -iwad DOOM2.WAD -file FOO.WAD -warp 7'[/t]
GZDoom is not ideal as it doesn't aim to be 100% compatible with the DOS Boom releases, but it's included here as it is a popular source port.

'[#[Tools and resources]
'[t[2]Source ports'[/t]
'[l[http://doomwiki.org/wiki/PrBoom%2B[PrBoom+], a modern cross-platform source port based off a continuation of the original Boom source code
'[l[https://doomwiki.org/wiki/DSDA-Doom[DSDA-Doom], a continuation of PrBoom+ with more features
'[l[https://eternity.youfailit.net/wiki/Eternity_Engine[Eviternity Engine], an alternative to PrBoom+ that also strives to maintain its Boom compatibility

'[t[2]WAD editors'[/t]
'[l[http://eureka-editor.sourceforge.net/[Eureka], a cross-platform Doom map editor
'[l[http://www.doombuilder.com/[Doom Builder], a Doom map editor for Windows
'[l[http://devbuilds.drdteam.org/doombuilder2-gzdb/[GZDoom Builder], a fork of Doom Builder that adds many more editor features while still supporting Boom-compatible map formats
'[l[https://devbuilds.drdteam.org/ultimatedoombuilder/[Ultimate Doom Builder], a fork of Doom Builder and GZDoom Builder that adds even more features. As of 2022, it's the only Doom Builder fork still receiving regular updates.
'[l[https://slade.mancubus.net/index.php?page=about[SLADE], a cross-platform WAD editor with graphic/music replacement capabilities. If you want to add custom graphics to your WAD, you basically have to use this.

'[t[2]Information'[/t]
'[l[http://doomwiki.org/wiki/Entryway[Doom Wiki], a wiki for Doom-related information
'[l[https://soulsphere.org/projects/boomref/[boomref.txt], a comprehensive reference of all of Boom's additional mapping features
'[l[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REiGGiygbbE[A very thorough Ultimate Doom Builder tutorial]
'[l[https://slade.mancubus.net/index.php?page=wiki&wikipage=How-to-Import-Textures#[How to add custom textures with SLADE]
'[l[https://web.archive.org/web/20100920205115/http://www.idsoftware.com/games/doom/doom-ultimate/[Ultimate Doom]
'[l[https://web.archive.org/web/20100508191146/http://www.idsoftware.com/games/doom/doom2/[Doom II]

 
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