= What is Freedoom?
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== A free FPS action game

image::img/screenshots/th_phase1-0.12_02.png[alt="Freedoom Screenshot",link="img/screenshots/phase1-0.12_02.png",float="right"]

The Freedoom project aims to create a complete
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html[free content] first person
shooter game.  But _Freedoom_ by itself is just the raw material for a
game: it must be paired with a
https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Category:Source_ports[compatible] game
engine to be played.  The link:download.html[download] page lists some
recommended ones.

https://www.idsoftware.com/[id Software] released the source code to
their classic game,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_(1993_video_game)[_Doom_], under the
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html[GNU General
Public License]. This means that the program code that powers
_Doom_ is free; Freedoom complements this with free levels, artwork,
sound effects and music to make a completely free game.

_Freedoom_ is actually three games in one, consisting of two single
player campaigns and one set of levels intended for multiplayer
deathmatch (_FreeDM_).

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== A compatible free replacement

youtube::Rc4zIP1S6-I[width=320,height=180,style="float:right;"]

There is a massive decades-long
https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Idgames_archive[back catalog] containing
thousands of _Doom_ levels and other ``mods'' made by fans of the
original game.  _Freedoom_ aims to be compatible with these and allows
most to be played without the need to use non-free software.  The
video to the right shows a _Doom_ mod running under _Freedoom_.

Just as https://www.gnu.org/[the GNU project] was started to develop a
free operating system to replace Unix, we aim to provide a free
replacement for _Doom_.  If you have artistic skills (visual, musical,
or maybe you just like making levels!) then you can
link:help.html[help us] achieve that aim by contributing to the
project!

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== A collection of reusable artwork

image::img/flats-thumb.png[alt="Screenshot showing textures",float="right"]

_Freedoom_ contains hundreds of original textures, sound effects and
music tracks that can be reused royalty-free by _Doom_ level authors
and other independent game developers.

_Freedoom_ is liberally licensed under the
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BSD_licenses[BSD license] - all that is
required is that you include a short copyright statement that credits
the _Freedoom_ project.


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