DOOM Retro v4.4 is now available to download as either a 32 or 64-bit Windows app. Here’s a list of what’s changed since the last version:

• DOOM Retro is now compiled using v17.0.2 of Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2022.
• DOOM Retro now uses SDL v2.0.18.
• Optimizations have been made to further improve the overall performance and stability of DOOM Retro.
• DOOM Retro now supports MBF21-compatible maps and mods.
• DOOM Retro no longer crashes at startup when trying to load a PWAD containing a PNG lump.
• A bug is fixed whereby .deh, .bex and .cfg files wouldn’t load if selected in the WAD launcher.
• If the player makes a typo when entering a filename in the WAD launcher, and DOOM Retro is unable to find what they intended, that text now remains when the launcher reopens so the player may easily correct it.
• The file midiproc.exe that allows the volume of MIDI music to be adjusted independently of the sound effects volume is no longer necessary and therefore no longer distributed with DOOM Retro.
• The volume of non-MIDI music has been lowered to be consistent with the volume of MIDI music.
• Several changes have been made to text that is output to the console.
• Minor changes have been made to the positioning of the input and branding in the console.
• Further improvements have been made to the support of Chex Quest, Freedoom, REKKR and REKKR: Sunken Land.
• The r_berserkintensity CVAR is renamed r_berserkeffect and is now 3 rather than 2 by default.
• The red effect when the player is injured can now be toggled using the new r_damageeffect CVAR, which is both on by default and when vanilla mode is enabled.
• The red effect when the player is injured is now also smoother when the new r_damageeffect CVAR is on.
• The red effect when the player is killed is now more prominent when the new r_damageeffect CVAR is on.
• If the player is injured when the r_blood CVAR is green and the new r_damageeffect CVAR is on, the screen now flashes green.
• The gold effect when the player picks up an item can now be toggled using the new r_pickupeffect CVAR, which is both on by default and when vanilla mode is enabled.
• The green effect when the player has a radiation shielding suit power-up can now be toggled using the new r_radsuiteffect CVAR, which is both on by default and when vanilla mode is enabled. If this CVAR is off, the screen flashes green to indicate when the power-up is about to run out.
• Fixing a possible oversight in Vanilla DOOM, if the player picks up a megasphere when they have 200% green armor, that armor is now upgraded to blue armor.
• The player no longer grunts when trying to open a door that is currently open.
• The player now smoothly slides against two-sided textures.
• Minor improvements have been made to the alternate widescreen HUD.
• Things altered in DEHACKED lumps will now always behave correctly.
• Scrolling skies specified in MAPINFO lumps are now smoother.
• The number of times the automap is opened by the player is now displayed by the playerstats CCMD.
• Player messages are now always grouped in the console, regardless of the time between them, when the groupmessages CVAR is on.
• The behavior of friendly monsters has improved. They no longer always crowd the player when there are no other monsters nearby.
• Thing triangles in the automap that represent MBF-compatible helper dogs are now the correct size again when using the IDDT cheat.