Running Heretic on modern operating systems

By default on Steam Heretic runs in Dosbox. Here's how to run it with proper mouse-look, widescreen support and the Steam overlay.

Introduction

Heretic run on Id Software's Doom engine. It was released in 1994 for the DOS operating system. Because it was never natively ported to Windows by Raven, the Steam release runs in Dosbox. Which is a DOS emulator.

This is sub par for a lot of reasons. The original Heretic DOS version was fairly slow and cumbersome, and that's doubly the case running it in Dosbox. However, you can download a Doom source port which will allow you to run Heretic in your native resolution and with proper mouselook.

This guide will go over the installation process for running it on zDoom. For a variety of reasons, but the biggest being it runs cleanly on almost every PC and is cross platform. And supports modern conveniances like controller support and mouselook, as well as modifications. It's also really easy to install and run. The installation process for other source ports like Chocolate Doom or gzDoom is very similar regardless so the same steps should apply. If they don't, consult the documentation for that source port.

Downloading zDoom

Go to http://zdoom.org/Download and select a version of Zdoom for your operating system, either Windows or Mac OSX

Installing zDoom

Now navigate to your Heretic directory. This is commonly located in your
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ folder. If you installed Steam in a different location, go there instead.

Then open up your Heretic folder and then go to "base". You'll be greeted with this

Extract the contents of the zDoom .zip into this folder. Then double click on "zDoom.exe" the game should start automatically. If you wish to launch Heretic from the Steam client, and use the Steam overlay there's an additional step.

Using the Steam overlay

In your "Base" folder there's a file marked "DOSBOX". Rename this file to "DOSBOXBACKUP"

Now rename your zDoom .exe to "DOSBOX"

Now you can launch Heretic straight from the steam client and use the steam overlay.

Screenshots

Uninstallation

To go back to using the DOS executable, remove your zDoom .exe and rename "DOSBOXBACKUP" back to "DOSBOX". Or verify the integrity of the game cache.

Making zDoom resemble vanilla

For some people the enhancements to Zdoom are great. But for others like me you want it to look more like the Heretic you're already used to.

Here's a list of commands that'll have the game run as close to vanilla as possible for any Doom engine game. To use these, right click Heretic in your library, go to properties and click "Set Launch Options". Then copy/paste this into it.

+sv_nofreelook 1 +sv_nojump 1 +sv_nocrouch 1 +cl_maxdecals 0 +cl_capfps 1 +crosshair 0 +compatmode 2 +vid_defwidth 320 +vid_defheight 200 +dimamount 0 +r_drawvoxels 0 +cl_rockettrails 0 +am_colorset 1 +am_showmonsters 0 +am_showsecrets 0 +sv_aircontrol 0 +m_use_mouse 0 +st_oldouch 1 +telezoom 0 +r_stretchsky 0

You don't need to do anything else after that. It should write it to your .ini file so you can remove it afterwards.

[Anderel]

Thanks a lot!

[PerfectWeapon]

Nevermind I got it, for some reason the Gzdoom file never extracted and I was playing the original

[PerfectWeapon]

Also, how do I turn off the mouse move option.?Just slightly touching the mouse thrusts me forward or backward.

[PerfectWeapon]

Which options? in the setup Dos options or in game?

[Bluebeak]

It's in the options under controls

[PerfectWeapon]

How do you get mouse look to work once Zdoom is working?

[Night Jester]

Nice thanks so much! I just got Heretic and when I launched it I thought somebody threw vaseline in my eyes.

[Bluebeak]

It should work identically yes

[Noob Herder]

It seems ZDoom was discontinued in 2016. Does GZDoom work the same ootb? (I'm really clueless about these doom mods n stuff)

[LawKi]

Thanks a lot dude