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World Congress 2023 • Aug 11, 2023

30 Years of Rip and Tear: Doom’s development story

John Romero

John Romero shows how dropping arcade mechanics and adapting academic BSP trees birthed the modern FPS. Uncover the 1993 month-by-month technical sprint that brought Doom to life.

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#1 about 5 min

Early id Software history and adopting NeXT computers

John Carmack leverages a NeXT computer to develop foundational texture-mapped 3D games like Catacomb 3D and Wolfenstein 3D.

#2 about 2 min

Naming Doom and drafting the initial game design

The team decides to build a new first-person shooter named Doom and drafts its foundational design document.

#3 about 1 min

Announcing Doom and building the level editor

A press release outlines the technical revolution Doom will bring while the team begins work on the engine and DoomEd level editor.

#4 about 2 min

Digitizing practical models for monsters and weapons

Developers scan physical clay and latex models alongside toy guns to create realistic in-game sprites for monsters and weapons.

#5 about 2 min

Moving away from maze-like environments in game design

The team realizes traditional 90-degree walls are uninspiring and begins experimenting with new architectural shapes for 3D levels.

#6 about 1 min

Reviewing the first playable technical engine demonstration

An early tech demo showcases basic engine capabilities like collision detection and sprite rotation despite lacking advanced level design.

#7 about 2 min

Rejecting the Aliens license and completing console ports

The team briefly considers an Aliens movie tie-in before pausing development entirely to finish a contracted Super Nintendo port.

#8 about 2 min

Implementing binary space partitioning for rendering performance

John Carmack adapts binary space partition data structures to solve severe rendering slowdowns caused by complex level geometry.

#9 about 2 min

Evaluating the initial alpha release and environment textures

The first functional alpha version reveals that office-like textures and uniform ceiling heights create a visually monotonous experience.

#10 about 1 min

Establishing an abstract style for 3D level design

Moving away from realistic military bunkers, the team adopts an abstract architectural style that significantly improves environmental atmosphere.

#11 about 2 min

Analyzing the pre-beta version and atmospheric improvements

The pre-beta build introduces a streamlined interface, dynamic lighting, and keycard mechanics to enhance the overall gameplay experience.

#12 about 2 min

Managing team turnover and introducing flying enemy concepts

Recognizing a lack of enemy variety, the studio hires new developers to replace departing staff and expand the monster roster.

#13 about 1 min

Developing the automap and integrating audio drivers

Programmers build an in-game map system and integrate a third-party sound library to support the transition to 32-bit mode.

#14 about 3 min

Polishing gameplay mechanics in the press release version

The near-final build features active enemy artificial intelligence, secret areas, outdoor environments, and improved texture alignment.

#15 about 2 min

Removing arcade mechanics and introducing high-speed multiplayer

The team discards outdated concepts like extra lives and point items to focus on establishing the first deathmatch and cooperative modes.

#16 about 2 min

Fixing the final bug and uploading the initial release

After resolving a persistent freezing issue during a 30-hour sprint, the completed game is successfully uploaded to dial-up bulletin boards.

#17 about 5 min

The enduring legacy of Doom on the gaming industry

The release of Doom popularizes first-person shooters, game modding, and foundational multiplayer frameworks that define modern gaming.

Matching moments

4:43 min

Democratizing game development through modding communities

Chris Heilmann Chris Heilmann +2 · LIVE

2:26 min

Following up Doom with Quake and integrating GPU hardware

John Romero John Romero · World Congress 2021

4:52 min

Building open architectures and abstract level designs in Doom

John Romero John Romero · World Congress 2026 North America

3:00 min

Conceptualizing Doom and building open architectures for community modding

John Romero John Romero · World Congress 2021

2:01 min

Founding id Software and pioneering early 3D rendering engines

John Romero John Romero · World Congress 2021

2:10 min

Releasing Wolfenstein 3D and handling international game censorship controversy

John Romero John Romero · World Congress 2021

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