
Originally Posted by
skullpoker
Some like Jdoom, Zdoom, Doom95, are enhanced frontends for DOOM that basically make it look nice. You use them to launch your game, set some cheats, -commands, etc.
A .WAD file is the maps, sounds, enemy sprites & layout, textures...
DOOM.WAD and DOOM2.WAD are the core game files, required to play. Other .WAD files can be launched with these to play custom maps, custom sprites and textures, custom (midi)music...
Hexxen used a more updated engine and can be launched with most Zdoom/jDoom apps.