This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Swedenman (talk | contribs) at 19:38, 3 April 2006. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 19:38, 3 April 2006 by Swedenman (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) 2004 video game| Doom 3 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | id Software |
| Publisher(s) | Activision |
| Engine | Doom 3 engine |
| Platform(s) | MacPlatform: Mac OS X, PC (Linux  /Windows Platform: Windows), Xbox |
| Release | August 3, 2004 (Windows) Platform: Windows October 4, 2004 (Linux) March 14, 2005 (Mac) Platform: Mac OS X April 4, 2005 (Xbox) |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
Doom 3 is a sci-fi horror first-person shooter computer game developed by id Software and published by Activision. Set in 2145 in the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) research center on Mars, it is a reimagining of the original Doom, with completely new graphics and game engine.
The game was developed for Windows and ported to Linux in 2004, five months later, it was also released for Mac OS X (ported by Aspyr) and Xbox (co-developed by Vicarious Visions). The Xbox version is graphically similar (with less details) to the original but features an additional two player co-operation mode.
An expansion, Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil, developed by Nerve Software and co-developed by id Software, has been released.
A Doom movie, loosely based on the franchise, was released on October 21, 2005.
History
In June 2000, John Carmack posted a plan announcing the start to a remake of Doom using next generation technology. This plan revealed controversy had been brewing within id over the decision.
Kevin Cloud and Adrian Carmack, two of id Software's owners, were always strongly opposed to remaking Doom. They thought that id was going back to the same old formulas and properties too often. However, after the warm reception of Return to Castle Wolfenstein and the latest improvements in rendering technology, most of the employees agreed that a remake was the right idea and confronted Kevin and Adrian with an ultimatum: "Allow us to remake Doom or fire us" (including John Carmack). After the reasonably painless confrontation (although artist Paul Steed, one of the instigators, was fired in retaliation) the agreement to work on Doom 3 was made.
The game was in development for four years. In 2001 it was first shown to the public at MacWorld in Tokyo and was later demonstrated at E3 in 2002, where a 15 minute gameplay demo was shown in a small theater. It won five awards at E3 that year. Shortly after E3, a development version of the game leaked from ATI Technologies and quickly spread on the Internet. The game was also shown at the subsequent E3 exhibitions in 2003 and 2004, although id Software's website was not updated to include the Doom 3 project until America's autumn in 2003. According to some comments by John Carmack, the development took longer than expected. Originally, the game was planned for release around the same time as two other highly anticipated games, Halo 2 and Half-Life 2, in Christmas 2003. However, none of those games managed to make Christmas season.
Doom 3 achieved gold status on July 14, 2004, and a Mac OS X release was confirmed the next day on July 15, 2004. Doom 3 was released in the U.S. on August 3, 2004. Additionally, a Linux version was released on October 4, 2004. Due to high demand, the game was made available at select outlets at midnight on the date of release. The game was released to the rest of the world on August 13, 2004 (except for Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, where official localisation was delayed and caused the game to be released about four months later, on December 10, 2004).
Two days before its official release, Doom 3 was released by pirate groups onto the Internet where it became possibly the fastest spreading pirated game ever. As the game's focus is its single player mode, the need for a valid retail serial number for online multiplayer gaming was a weak deterrent against piracy. Other factors contributing to the high demand for the pirated version were the gamers' expectations for Doom 3 and delayed release outside of the U.S.
Features
According to John Carmack, the lead graphics engine developer at id, the "tripod of features" in Doom 3 technology are:
- Unified lighting and shadowing
- Complex animations and scripting that show off the real-time, fully dynamic per-pixel lighting and stencil shadowing
- GUI surfaces that add extra interactivity to the game
The key aspect of the Doom 3 graphics engine is the unified lighting and shadowing. Rather than computing or rendering lightmaps during map creation and saving that information in the map data, most light sources are computed on the fly. This allows lights to cast shadows even on non-static objects such as monsters or machinery, which was impossible with static lightmaps. A shortcoming of this approach is the engine's inability to render soft shadows and global illumination.
To create a more movie-like atmosphere, id interspersed the gameplay with many in-game animated sequences of monsters ambushing the player or just lurking around.
To increase the interactivity with the game-world, id designed hundreds of high-resolution animated screens for in-game computers. Rather than using a simple "use key", the crosshair acts as a mouse cursor over the screens allowing the player to use a computer in the game world. This allowed an in-game computer terminal to perform more than one function, such as a readily apparent door-unlocking button, and a more obscure function allowing an astute player to unlock a nearby weapons locker.
Other important features of Doom 3 engine were normal mapping and specular highlighting of textures, realistic handling of object physics, dynamic, ambient soundtrack and multi-channel sound.
Weapons
Italic text in this section is taken from the Doom 3 manual.
- Fists – There's nothing like a little hand-to-hand combat. An entertaining way to kill a foe, or even an ally. As a mêlée weapon, the berserk powerup will turn a landed punch into a one-hit kill. In multiplayer, in addition to inflicting damage, one can rob another player's weapon by landing a punch.
- Flashlight – Power fluctuations and maintenance issues continue to create poor lighting at the UAC Facility and flashlights are now required for all security forces. Also works as a club in close combat. Fortunately, the flashlight's battery is infinite and so is its durability for bashing enemies. The combat differences from fists are: double the damage, slightly more range, but slower rate of fire. As a mêlée weapon, the flashlight can kill with one blow if the user has the berserk powerup.
- Pistol – Standard marine issue semi-automatic pistol. It's highly accurate and provides solid stopping power without expending too much ammo. Contrary to what is written in the manual, in the actual gameplay, the pistol is automatic, meaning it is possible for the player to simply hold the fire button in order to shoot multiple rounds. The pistol is commonly used to conserve other types of ammunition or as a backup weapon when a primary weapon's magazine is exhausted in action. In multiplayer, the pistol is the player's starting weapon.
- Shotgun – The weapon of choice for close combat. Use sparingly for medium or long-range targets. Due to this weapon's extremely high spread (22 degrees in single player), the shotgun is a very poor weapon outside short range. However, the great damage that the shotgun can inflict at point-blank makes it one of the most useful weapons, capable of dispatching most standard enemies with one well-aimed shot. In multiplayer, the shotgun's spread has been reduced to half (11 degrees), increasing its effectiveness at range.
- Machinegun – A high rate of fire, good accuracy and excellent power makes this a perfect weapon for medium and long-range enemies and quick targetting. With only 1 degree of spread and a good clip size of 60, the machinegun is the best weapon for dishing out a string of headshots that can bring most enemies down in seconds. In RoE multiplayer, the machinegun is the player's starting weapon.
- Chaingun – This is a great short to medium range rapid-fire weapon as each bullet inflicts twice as much damage as the machinegun, but however also has more spread. In multiplayer, the chaingun's spread has been reduced to a mere 1 degree, thus making it the prime long-range weapon.
- Handgrenade – A very bouncy type (three quarters bouncyness), these yellow, cylindrical grenades detonate either on an enemy or three seconds after being primed. There is no danger of one being obstructed by or detonating on the user due to proximity. In multiplayer, the player starts with two handgrenades.
- Plasma Gun – Has a clip size of 50 and shoots blue orbs of plasma. Doom 3s version of the plasma gun is similar to that of the original Dooms for the latter, and also as it is rapid-fire (albeit not quite as rapid) without any spread. However, the projectile velocity has been considerably reduced, making it an unsuitable weapon for long range. In multiplayer, the plasma gun's clip size has been reduced to 30 but its damage per projectile has become greater. Because of its large shot size, the plasma gun is useful for putting up "flak", which can render ineffective a wide variety of explosive projectiles.
- Rocket Launcher – Launches a fast projectile that deals great damage to the victim of a direct hit and adds splash damage to those near the explosion. In single player, the additional height gained by rocketjumping is very small.
- BFG 9000 (Note: BFG is literally an acronym for "Big Fucking Gun", although the Doom movie lists it as the "Bio Force Gun") – An extremely powerful energy charge weapon very capable of room clearing. One fully-charged blast will overkill almost all enemies on a direct hit, and most cannot survive within a few meters (nonconforming to the 15 meters described by the UAC video). Each projectile beams a damaging ray to enemies and contains a microchip core to determine friend or foe. When the microchip shatters, the projectile automatically detonates. Caution: the BFG 9000 can be overcharged and will instantly kill the user if done. The BFG is not found in the standard Doom 3 multiplayer maps, but is still modified to fire a slower projectile in multiplayer.
- Chainsaw – Very powerful mêlée weapon with a blade that never dulls. Most enemies fall to the sawing in mere seconds. As a mêlée weapon, the chainsaw can be used with the berserk powerup to kill instantly on impact. The chainsaw is not included in the standard Doom 3 multiplayer maps.
- Soul Cube – The Soul Cube is a supernatural weapon whose provenance is explained by a detailed backstory within the plot of the game. Employment of the Soul Cube releases a whirling blade-type weapon that automatically homes in on the enemy with greatest health, delivering 1000 hit points to the target (instantly killing all but the bosses), and restores the player's health according to the health of its victim prior to the attack. The Soul Cube becomes "charged" for use after the player has killed 5 enemies, and any more will not further charge the Cube. Upon being charged, the player is alerted by the Cube's spoken advice, "Use us." After use, the Cube must be recharged again with 5 kills. The Soul Cube is useless in multiplayer and not included in the standard Doom 3 multiplayer maps.
Story
Similar to the story of the original Doom, the game focuses on the marine who was transferred to Mars and sent out on a routine mission. In contrast to its earlier disdain for storytelling, this time id Software employed a professional science-fiction writer Matthew Castello to write the script and assist in story-boarding the entire game. id focused on retelling the story and creating a tense horror atmosphere. The game's events and atmosphere show a great deal of influence from George Romero's Living Dead series and James Cameron's Aliens (1986 film).
Unlike in previous id games, there are now cut scenes that give purpose and context for the player's actions. Similar to other science fiction action/horror games such as System Shock, System Shock 2 and Aliens versus Predator 2, hundreds of text, voice, and video messages are scattered throughout the base. The messages are internal e-mails and audio reports sent between lab workers, administrators, maintenance staff, and security personnel at the Mars base. The messages explain the background story, show the feelings and concern of the people on the Mars base and reveal information related to plot and gameplay. Video booths and televisions give planetary news, corporate propaganda, visitor information and technical data about the base.
The story of Doom 3 surrounds the discovery of ancient ruins underneath Martian soil. Tablets found at these sites record how an ancient Martian race developed a form of teleporter technology. They realized an important fact all too late, however; the route the teleporter took passed through Hell. Quickly invaded by demons, this alien race created and sacrificed themselves to a weapon known as the Soul Cube. This cube, powered by the souls of almost every being of this alien race, was used by their strongest warrior to defeat and contain the demons in Hell.
Having done so, the remainder of the alien race constructed warnings to any who visited Mars, warning them not to recreate this technology; to avoid opening another gate to Hell. They then teleported to an unknown location, fleeing Mars; there are hints that at least some of them fled to Earth, and that humans descended from them. It's stated that the demons once inhabited Earth in an unknown context, but lost possession of it due to an unknown cause. Consequently, the demons want to reclaim Earth.
The UAC, discovering the Soul Cube and the warnings, used them to invent the same teleporter technology. Discovering that they opened a gate to Hell, scientists decided to explore further (encouraged by the head scientist, Malcolm Betruger), sending teams in and even capturing living specimens from the realm at great loss of life. The portal experiments also had strange and disturbing effects on the Mars City research facility where the experiments were conducted. Scientists and workers, unaware of the nature of the work being performed by Dr. Betruger and his team, frequently reported strange phenomena and unlikely industrial accidents. A general sense of paranoia and fear spread throughout the facility, leading many workers to request a greater Marine presence and/or weaponry accesible by themselves.
Betruger then took the Soul Cube into Hell and apparently made some kind of deal with the creatures there. Under his direction the demons again invaded Mars, confident that the only key to their defeat lay safe in their hands. Their attack left most of the Mars City population either dead or zombified slaves. Most marines who survived the first attack were wiped out by the demons and the undead Mars security forces in a matter of hours.
One man, the marine who the player controls, survived that attack and fought his way through the facility. He learned that Betruger planned to wipe out the reinforcements that were on their way and use their ships to take the demons to Earth and conquer it. He also learned of the Soul Cube, and the portal to Hell where it was held.
Betruger used the teleporter technology to transport the marine to Hell, where he hoped the hordes of Demons could defeat him. The marine fought his way through them and defeated The Guardian of Hell, a gigantic, blind demon which uses smaller creatures named seekers to "see". With the Guardian of Hell defeated the player took the Soul Cube back through the teleporter to Mars, where he learned that while his actions had made Betruger unable to use the teleporter technology, a natural portal to Hell had been opened at the site of the alien ruins. There he used the Soul Cube to defeat "Hell's strongest warrior", the horrific Cyberdemon, and seal the portal. The ending scene shows the sole surviving marine (and, it is presumed, a myriad other Mars City personnel who survived the onslaught) being rescued by the fleet, and Betruger reincarnated as a dragon-like demon called the Maledict.
Atmosphere
The most important element in the gameplay and action of Doom 3 is the atmosphere. Most of the levels are very dark, to create the feeling of helplessness and scare the player. It also relies heavily on lighting effects to set the mood.
The in-game story explanation for the pitch-darkness is as follows. The portals to Hell could only be sustained for a short period of time, which was nowhere near enough to conduct any serious experiments. To rectify this, the power grid was illegally tampered with, diverting a significant amount of power from the non-critical systems (Such as Lighting) of the rest of the facility to allow the machinery to sustain the portals for a much longer time. This did not go unnoticed however; the staff were becoming increasingly suspicious of the massive amount of power being drawn (The huge energy consumption caused frequent overloads on power-grid components).
Creatures may appear just as well unexpected as anticipated. Surprising ambushes, usually from dark places, tend to shock players and test their reflexes. On the other hand, exploring new areas against a background of theme music makes the player expect a monster appear behind each corner.
Emergence of stronger enemies (bosses) is backed up by new lighting effects and/or cutscenes. To achieve best effect, this usually happens in a dark room or the room darkens suddenly.
Almost the whole game takes place indoors, which provides many opportunities for surprise. A frequent phenomenon throughout the original Doom 3 game is the "Monster Closet", where a door disguised as a wall suddenly opens and an enemy issues forth in an attempt to startle the player.
Hardware requirements
For a modern game with an advanced graphics engine, Doom 3 had suitably high minimum system requirements. Early during development it was widely expected that the recommended video cards would be DirectX 8 capable, such as Radeon 8500/9000 and GeForce 3 (where Doom 3 made its debut in 2001), but nearing release those cards only constituted near-minimum requirements. Early reports also indicated that there was supposed to be legacy support for the widespread DirectX 7 technology such as the Radeon 7200 and GeForce 2, but at release, the GeForce 4 MX was the only DirectX 7 chip officially supported.
It was widely reported on various review sites that a minimally recommended 1.5 GHz processor coupled with a GeForce 2 MX graphics card achieved satisfactory performance with the game (about 20 frame/s in low resolution). The Macintosh version runs satisfactorily even on a 1.25 GHz G4 PowerBook with an NVIDIA GeForce FX Go 5200 GPU.
However, to make full use of the game engine, newer hardware is required. A high-end CPU (based on those available in 2004 or later) coupled with the GeForce 7800 graphics card or ATI's Radeon X1800 benchmark well over 100 frame/s in 1024x768 resolution. A 6600GT however will also easily play the game on the same hardware at those speeds under the same conditions in most situations. As of March 2006 the best videocard for Doom 3 is two ATi Radeon X1900XTX 512MB's running in Crossfire mode.
While the game's packaging declared that 384MB RAM was required to run the game, it was highly recommended that around 1GB RAM be present in the machine. Having 512MB RAM or lower would cause the game to freeze for lengthened periods of time when entering a new room, due to the textures being preloaded into the limited memory. This could, however, be avoided by reducing the texture size to medium, which was recommended for video cards with 128MB of RAM in any case, and keeping the resolution at 800x600 or 640x480. It is possible, but difficult, to achieve smooth gameplay at 1024x768 with detail set to high on a machine with 512 MB RAM.
Reception
Few games have polarized gaming as much as Doom 3 has, causing the two groups reactions to the game to be wildly different.
Critical and hardcore reception
The most often named gameplay shortcomings of the game are:
- Reliance on traditionally overused horror techniques such as pitch black darkness, limited use of the flashlight and stock horror movie clichés, which some feel makes the game frustrating to play rather than scary or atmospheric;
- Repetitive gameplay, similar linear levels during parts of the game
- No ability to use the flashlight and the weapon at the same time (known as "No duct tape on Mars" problem), whereas today many real-life weapons have hands-free light attachments (however, many light-mods on the internet add a flashlight to the guns);
- Somewhat stale storytelling techniques, forcing the player to read or listen to messages by hiding access codes in them, and a shortage of cut-scenes providing story exposition;
- Poor monster AI, over-reliance on scripted sequences;
- Somewhat limited use of physics
- A small multiplayer deathmatch mode of only a few people, although Doom 3 was attempting to focus on the single player experience.
- No official cooperative gameplay in the PC version whereas the original Doom contained a cooperative mode.
It has been argued that many of these criticisms are based on expectations for other types of FPS games. During development, Doom 3 was often compared with the equally anticipated Half-Life 2. Some have argued that since Doom 3 was released before Half-Life 2, many have come to expect things from it that they previously had expected from Half-Life 2. For example, the common complaint about Doom 3's lack of environment interactivity could be considered a subtle complaint that Doom 3 doesn't have a Half-Life 2-style "Gravity Gun", a weapon which can pick up small items in the world and throw them around. Ironically, Doom 3 was said to have a "Gravity Gun" item designed long before Half-Life 2, but was not in the game proper. This weapon appears in the Doom 3 expansion known as Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil, which has drawn the ire of those who feel id is pandering to Half-Life 2 fans.
Some critical reviewers consider that the technological level of Doom 3 is similar to that of other games of 2004, and that features such as bump mapping had already become industry standard. For example, an often mentioned feature of Doom 3, per-pixel lighting and stencil shadowing, had already been implemented in many games released in 2003, even a budget title from Activision Value called Secret Service: Security Breach.
Rebuttals to critical reception
Many gamers claim the apparent shortcomings are not shortcomings at all, but are integral to the gameplay id determined to display for Doom 3.
Since Doom 3 is a remake of the original Doom – a game which did not have high-end concepts common in today's more complex games – remaking Doom with too much complexity would remove a key component that made Doom popular in the first place.
In addition, the flashlight is a key element of Doom 3's gameplay: the player must balance between seeing the enemy, and defeating it. In the default game (without any modifications added), almost every monster has glowing eyes, or some aspect of bioluminescence which offers a target for the player. Modifying the weapons to project light, results in the mystery of "the unknown" to be less potent and frightening. Additionally, muzzle flashes can be enabled for marginally better visibility while firing.
Another rebuttal concerns the story of Doom 3, which is done through the use of audio and video logs. Using logs like this harkens back to the age of System Shock 2 and aids the progression of the story. Interestingly, it has been commented that normally the type of gamer who has played System Shock 2 is the breed of gamer who would be expected to be critical of the comparatively simple Doom 3. Ken Levine, lead designer of System Shock 2 said of the logs in Doom 3 "It amazed me when I played DOOM 3 that they didn't mix their recordings into the ambient space of the world. The people sound like they're in a recording booth."
Despite its apparent flaws, the game was still a success for id Software, with the planned total revenue estimated by Activision at $20 million. The financial success was bolstered by the near-record number of pre-orders placed for the game. id Software also typically benefits from licensing the engine to other developers. Several games are already being developed using a modified Doom 3 engine, including Quake 4, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Castle Wolfenstein (tentative title) and Prey.
As of August 17, 2005 Doom 3 has garnered an average review score of 88%, according to 81 media outlets on GameRankings.com. By the same source, it is in the top 10 PC games of 2004.
List of levels
There are 27 levels in Doom 3. Most of them are quite large and typically require 1+ hours each on a player's first run through the game.
- Introduction (Mars City 1): A short tutorial on the basic features of the game. The player also picks up the first assignment from Sergeant Kelly ("Sarge").
- Mars City Underground: A shorter tutorial covering a few more features in the game. In the Communications Building, things start to go awry. The shooting begins here. The imp is introduced at a cutscene.
- Mars City (Mars City 2): The same level as the Introduction, but after the demon invasion.
- UAC Administration: The pinky (demon) is introduced at a cutscene. The growth taking over the base is first seen, and this is where monsters start teleporting in.
- Alpha Labs – Sector 1: Built in 2095 and located on Site 2, Alpha is the UAC's center research lab. Sector 1 houses the EPD (Elemental Phase Deconstructor), and the Hydrocon. Maggots are introduced.
- Alpha Labs – Sector 2: Trites give their first appearance soon after the first web sighting. There is a glimpse of the Bravo Team through a window.
- Alpha Labs – Sector 3: Contains a very hidden plasma gun and an optional chaingun.
- Alpha Labs – Sector 4: Player must navigate either the EFR or the bridge. There is the infamous "they took my baby" sequence, and the Vagary (first boss) appears at the end.
- Energy Processing (EnPro): Bravo Team cutscene. The lost soul is introduced in a cutscene, and wraiths first appear here. Some rooms are less claustrophobic but more acrophobic, and there is an abundance of plasma cells. Swann and Campbell give up their attempt to intercept the marines sent to transmit a distress call, and therefore travel by vehicle to the communications complex.
- Communications Transfer: There are several outdoor areas in this level. The first cacodemon appears at the start, and the chainsaw zombie makes its first appearances here. The berserk powerup appears for the first out of two times in the game.
- Communications
- Monorail Skybridge (Recycling – Sector 1): Where trash is processed in the UAC. The Revenant is introduced in a cutscene, and this is the only level with toxic waste pools.
- Recycling – Sector 2: A trap is sprung on the player by Betruger, slowly filling the building with toxic gases. The mancubus is introduced in a cutscene and cherubs make their first appearances.
- Monorail: Player must take it to reach the Delta Labs by monorail. Commando zombies first appear here.
- Delta Labs – Level 1: This level contains no demon altercations of any kind for quite some time upon entering it. Player must initiate power by turning on main reactor.
- Delta Labs – Level 2A: Player goes through the teleporter for the first time. The BFG9000 is first received.
- Delta Labs – Level 2B: Arch-viles begin to show up with their haunting cackles and screeches.
- Delta Labs – Level 3: The player is hot on the heels of Betruger and travels through several second-generation teleporter units.
- Delta Labs – Level 4: Hellknights are introduced in the cutscene. Betruger sends the player to Hell through the main teleporter after the battle.
- Hell: The player must trek through Hell and defeat the Guardian (second boss) to retrieve the Soul Cube.
- Delta Complex (Revisited): From hereon, there will be no more zombies other than commandos. The ticks make their first and only appearance.
- Central Processing: The effects of the growth in the base are evident here.
- Central Processing (Server Banks): The player fights the third boss, Sabaoth, the demon transformation of Sergeant Kelly. Sabaoth has integrated Campbell's BFG into his cybernetic tank-body, and uses it against the player. After defeating Sabaoth, the player acquires Campbell's BFG.
- Site 3: Where archaeological entities are brought to and where the research is done. This is the last level where the surface of Mars is visible.
- Caverns – Level 1: The player advances towards the primary excavation site, where the Hell portal is located. Level 1 contains the oldest, original Mars base.
- Caverns – Level 2: Features an ancient Martian temple. The Vagary makes another appearance at the end, and may come in a pair.
- Primary Excavation (Hellhole): The player must defeat the fourth and final boss, the Cyberdemon, in order to seal the Hell portal. An exploratory player may find the hidden "id Software PDA", containing messages from several id Software employees.
Software patent controversy
A week before the game's release, it became known that an agreement to include EAX audio technology in Doom 3 reached by id Software and Creative Labs was heavily influenced by a software patent owned by the latter company. The patent dealt with a technique for rendering shadows called Carmack's Reverse, which was developed independently by both John Carmack and programmers at Creative Labs. id Software would have been putting themselves under legal liability if they used the technique in the finished game, so to defuse the issue, id Software agreed to license Creative Labs sound technologies in exchange for indemnification against lawsuits.
Web-integration
Shortly following the announcement of Doom 3's development, a promotional website was released that serves as the homepage of the fictional corporation operating on Mars in the game. Until the announcement of gold status, the site served as a teaser; later a countdown to the release date was added. The website for Martian Buddy, a fictional corporation prominently featured in the game, was also revealed before the game launch.
Some other developers have also created websites for in-game companies in the past. For example, Rockstar Games created sites for most companies mentioned in commercials on the in-game radio in Grand Theft Auto.
Linux
Doom 3 continued id's long track record of creating games that were Linux compatible. This was primarily a result of id's decision to use the OpenGL standard for the graphics engine as opposed to Microsoft's proprietary Direct3D API which is only available for the Windows line of operating systems. The executable for the Linux version can be found on id's FTP or BitTorrent server. It can also be downloaded from Doom Wad Station. TTimo also has a Wiki with information regarding the Linux version .
Development team
- John Carmack — Game engine (graphics)
- Timothee 'TTimo' Besset — Network code, GtkRadiant, Linux conversions (formerly a contractee hailing from Paris, now part of the team in Texas)
- Graeme Devine — Sound engine
- Seneca Menard — 3D modelling (formerly of DreamWorks)
- Kenneth Scott — Lead artist
- Fred Nilsson (worked on Antz and Shrek at DreamWorks as an animator) — Animation
- Jim Dose — AI and scripted scenes
- Robert Duffy — Lead programmer
- Jan Paul van Waveren — Game engine (physics)
- Tim Willits — Lead designer
- Adrian Carmack — Artist
- Patrick Duffy — GUI designer
- Paul Jaquays — Level designer
- Malvern Blackwell — Level designer
- Christian Antkow — Level designer
- Kevin Cloud — Artist
Some work was done by outside specialists:
- Chris Vrenna — (one of the first members of Nine Inch Nails who wrote the music for Quake) — Music (Note: Trent Reznor left part-way through development and no longer has sound or music in Doom 3)
- Matthew Castello (a science fiction writer who worked on the famous games The 7th Guest and The 11th Hour) — (non-id) — Game script
- Splash Damage, Ltd. — The company that co-developed Doom 3 multiplayer maps
References
- "The Vault: System Shock 2". PC PowerPlay (January 2006), pp. 108.
External links
- Official Doom 3 website
- Doom 3 cheat codes
- Doom 3 at IMDb
- Maps, reviews, Total conversions and more for Doom3
- Extensive collection of single player and Deathmatch maps
- Doom 3 engine editing based website
- PlanetDOOM
- idDevNet - Official MOD support website for the Doom 3 engine
- modwiki.net - Doom 3 engine reference material
- Doom 3 game info - Reference material for Doom 3 mods, weapons, walkthrough
- Doom 3 Portal - Fansite with fanfiction, walkthrough and more
- Doom Freaks - Map & Mod reviews, tutorials and news.
- UpsetChaps's Doom3 Guide
- Doom 3 Cooperative Modification "Last Man Standing Coop" - Co-op support for the PC Version
| Doom franchise | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main series | |||||||
| Spin-offs | |||||||
| Other media |
| ||||||
| Universe | |||||||
| Technology | |||||||
| Mods |
| ||||||
| Companies | |||||||
| Related | |||||||
