The Origins of DOOM | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Doom, a popular video game that kick-started the FPS genre, was created after a failed attempt to obtain the Aliens license and was heavily influenced by a game of Dungeons and Dragons and the movie "Evil Dead 2."

Key Insights

• ⚾ Doom was originally meant to be based on the Aliens franchise, but after a failed attempt, it switched to demons as the main enemies.
• 👾 The game was heavily influenced by a game of Dungeons and Dragons, where a portal to Hell was accidentally opened.
• 👾 The name "Doom" was inspired by a scene in the movie "The Color of Money," and the game's visuals drew inspiration from H.R. Giger's biomechanical artwork and H.P. Lovecraft's writings.
• 👾 The soundtrack of Doom was influenced by heavy metal music, and the game features sound effects created by the developers themselves.
• 🥶 The game's release via mail order and free download helped increase its popularity, and it surpassed the installation numbers of Windows 95.

Transcript

Read and summarize the transcript of this video on Glasp Reader (beta).

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Doom change the gaming industry?

Doom revolutionized the industry by popularizing the first-person shooter genre, introducing cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes, and setting new standards for graphics and gameplay.

Q: Who influenced the creation of Doom?

The game was influenced by a failed attempt to obtain the Aliens license, a game of Dungeons and Dragons, the movie "Evil Dead 2," and heavy metal music.

Q: Why did the Doom Bible not make it into the final game?

The ideas in the Doom Bible were considered too elaborate for the action-oriented gameplay the developers wanted. The storyline was simplified, and certain elements, such as realistic military base levels, were deemed bland.

Q: How did Doom impact the gaming industry?

Doom gained a massive following and became one of the most influential games of all time, leading to the creation of numerous copycat releases and inspiring other developers to push the boundaries of game design and storytelling.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Doom, a legendary video game, was initially meant to be based on the Aliens franchise but later changed to feature demons instead.

• The game was influenced by a disastrous game of Dungeons and Dragons and the movie "Evil Dead 2."

• Elements from the initial concept, known as the "Doom Bible," did not make it into the final game due to being too elaborate.