Old id Software, Doom Video Found

[Andy Chalk]

Old id Software, Doom Video Found

John Romero has posted an old VHS video tour of the offices of Doom [http://www.idsoftware.com].

Romero says on his personal site that he was contacted by Joe Siegler, presumably Joe Siegler of 3D Realms [http://www.3drealms.com/bio/siegler.html], about an old videottape he'd found that contained some pre-release Doom footage. Siegler said he was going to toss it if Romero wasn't interested but fortunately Romero said he was. Now he's ripped it, fixed it up and posted it online.

The video was recorded in 1993 by Dan Linton, sysop (system operator) of the Capstone [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_Creations_(US)] and others. At its peak, Software Creations could support over 150 users simultaneously at speeds of up to 14.4k per second and while that might not sound like much to you young whippersnappers, back in the day it was pretty hot stuff. Hot enough to get you an invite to the id offices.

Along with plenty of not-quite-done Doom footage the video features old-time id luminaries including Jay Wilbur, Shawn Green, John Romero, Dave Taylor, Sandy Peterson, Adrian Carmack and musician Bobby Prince, the man behind the legendary Doom music. It's a hoot to watch and a must-see for any id or Doom fan. Check it out at Planet Rome.ro [http://rome.ro/].



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[The_root_of_all_evil]

At its peak, Software Creations could support over 150 users simultaneously at speeds of up to 14.4k per second and while that might not sound like much to you young whippersnappers, back in the day it was pretty hot stuff.

Damn, and how.

 

[Worr Monger]

That takes me back.... Pre- Doom FPS Revolution days.

Awesome to see how they were originally planning to make the maps.

"Get them fighting each other, it so awesome!" - Damn.... I remember when that was so awesome.

It's amazing to hear the reactions of people seeing the Doom engine for the first time ever. Reminds me just how great it was for its time.

Seems like games these days never bring about such reactions, we almost expect too much out of them now.

Doom = Greatest moment in PC Gaming history.

 

[AlgorithMan]

have you ever seen this? http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1690609421579845295
its a promo video for Direct-X on Windows 95, featuring doom

 

[the_tramp]

I love the 'accident' of Deathmatches that they invented. The thought of simultaneously playing a level, with them getting bored (for want of a better word) and turning on each other for laughs. I'd love to play games like that nowadays, I understand you get co-op but you seems to get penalised if you kill each other or die in general.

It's funny that this was released actually because I found an old Pre-Alpha version of DooM the other day, I think it was from early 1993 because you have to set your computer clock to before 31/10/93 and it has no sounds... so evidently before the iteration showed here. The lost souls look a lot better, sort of blue-y and they have those weird 'relic' pickups, it also had the lives system that was originally planned. Weapons-wise the plasma gun fire red and green bits whereas it has the old-school BFG that fires about 40 random bursts everywhere as opposed to the one we know now.