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| Doom (1993) | |
|---|---|
| Title | Doom |
| Developer | id Software |
| Publisher | id Software |
| Designer | John Romero, John Carmack, Tom Hall, Sandy Petersen |
| Composer | Bobby Prince |
| Platforms | MS-DOS, SNES, 3DO, Atari Jaguar, Sega 32X, PlayStation, Mac OS |
| Released | 1993 |
| Genre | First-person shooter |
| Modes | Single-player, multiplayer |
Doom (1993) is a landmark first-person shooter developed by id Software and released in 1993, noted for its fast-paced action, networked multiplayer, and technical innovations. The title helped define the first-person shooter genre alongside contemporaries such as Wolfenstein 3D and influenced franchises like Quake and Half-Life, while intersecting with debates over video game violence exemplified by coverage in outlets like The New York Times and inquiries by bodies such as the United States Congress.
id Software's development was led by engineers and designers from studios including former members of Softdisk and leveraged technology from earlier projects like Commander Keen and Wolfenstein 3D. Key personnel such as programmers John Carmack and John Romero, level designers Tom Hall and Sandy Petersen, and composer Bobby Prince collaborated in a development environment influenced by companies like Apogee Software and events including the Consumer Electronics Show. The team implemented techniques used in graphics research from institutions like University of Utah and ideas found in papers presented at conferences such as SIGGRAPH. Legal and commercial interactions involved publishers and hardware vendors including Microsoft and console partners like Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System port.
The player navigates labyrinthine levels populated with enemies, weapons, and power-ups, a structure reminiscent of earlier works like Castle Wolfenstein but executed with technology akin to engines used in Quake's lineage. Gameplay features include realtime sprite-based enemies, an arsenal including the shotgun and chainsaw, and multiplayer modes such as deathmatch popularized alongside contemporaneous titles like Heretic and Hexen: Beyond Heretic. Level progression employs keys and switches comparable to mechanics from titles by Apogee Software while fostering community-created levels distributed through bulletin boards and services influenced by Fidonet and early Internet protocols.
Set on installations such as a research base on Phobos and a base on Deimos, the narrative places the player as a space marine confronting a demonic invasion that connects to themes found in horror works like John Carpenter films and literature including H.P. Lovecraft. Story elements reference corporations and institutions in science fiction tradition similar to entities seen in Alien (film) and media franchises like Starship Troopers; the minimal in-game exposition contrasts with expanded lore appearing in novels and licensed works that invoked collaborations with publishers such as Ballantine Books.
id Software distributed the game initially via shareware, a model used previously by companies like Apogee Software, releasing the first episode freely and selling subsequent episodes through retail channels including partnerships with distributors and console ports negotiated with firms such as Sony for PlayStation and Atari for the Atari Jaguar. The game's spread was accelerated by networks like Usenet and services comparable to CompuServe and influenced digital distribution paradigms later adopted by platforms such as Steam.
Critics from publications like Computer Gaming World, GamePro, and Electronic Gaming Monthly praised the title's graphics, level design, and multiplayer, while commentators in mainstream outlets including The Washington Post and Time debated its violent imagery along with contemporaneous controversies such as debates around Mortal Kombat. Awards bodies and ceremonies in the video game industry compared the title favorably with releases like Ultima Underworld and recognized its impact on sales charts maintained by organizations such as NPD Group.
The game's engine and design spawned a modding scene that produced total conversions and map packs, influencing communities around projects like Doom II, Final Doom, and successors in the first-person shooter lineage including Quake II and Half-Life 2. Academic and cultural analyses placed it alongside media such as The Matrix and studies in digital culture at institutions like MIT and Stanford University, while legal and ethical discussions involved policymakers and organizations such as the Entertainment Software Association.
Technically, the game used a binary space partitioning-like renderer by John Carmack that blended 2D sprites with 3D environments, similarly discussed in graphics literature at SIGGRAPH and compared to engines in titles like Build (engine). The source code release under a permissive license enabled source ports such as Doom Legacy, PrBoom, and Chocolate Doom, facilitating ports to platforms ranging from Linux and Macintosh to handheld devices and influencing engine development practices seen in projects like id Tech 3. Community preservation efforts involved version control systems and hosting comparable to GitHub and archival initiatives linked to museums and universities like Smithsonian Institution.
Category:1993 video games Category:First-person shooters Category:id Software games