Classic Games

Doom

Hell's shareware sensation

Doom didn't invent the first-person shooter, but it perfected and popularised the genre, spreading across office networks and defining PC gaming.

fpssharewarepc-gaming 1993–1993

Overview

Doom was everywhere. Office networks buckled under multiplayer deathmatches. IT departments banned it. Parents worried about satanic imagery. id Software’s 1993 shooter became a phenomenon that transcended gaming, proving PCs could deliver visceral action that consoles couldn’t match.

Fast facts

  • Developer: id Software.
  • Key people: John Carmack (engine), John Romero (design), Sandy Petersen (levels).
  • Release: December 10, 1993 (shareware).
  • Distribution: Free first episode, pay for episodes 2-3.
  • Sales: Estimated 10+ million copies.
  • Legacy: Genre-defining, still actively modded today.

Technical revolution

John Carmack’s engine enabled the impossible:

  • Variable height: Floors and ceilings at different levels.
  • Lighting: Sectors with different brightness.
  • Non-orthogonal walls: Not just 90-degree corridors.
  • Speed: Fast enough for frantic action.

The engine wasn’t true 3D—no room over room—but it looked and felt revolutionary.

Shareware success

id’s distribution model peaked with Doom:

  • Episode 1 (Knee Deep in the Dead) free.
  • Spread via BBS, floppy disk trading, early internet.
  • Hooked players bought the full game.
  • Estimated 15-20 million played shareware episode.

Multiplayer revolution

Doom popularised competitive gaming:

  • Deathmatch: Term coined for Doom’s player-vs-player mode.
  • Network play: LAN games became office phenomena.
  • Modems: Dial-up connections for remote play.
  • Spectating: Watch others play—novel for 1993.

Level design

Doom’s maps became templates:

  • E1M1: Opening level studied by designers.
  • Non-linear: Multiple paths, secrets to discover.
  • Environmental storytelling: Dead soldiers, damaged bases.
  • Pacing: Combat arenas separated by exploration.

Modding community

Doom’s openness created a culture:

  • WADs: Custom levels and total conversions.
  • Source code: Released 1997, spawning modern source ports.
  • Active today: New WADs and mods still released.
  • Speed running: Doom runs remain competitive.

Cultural impact

Doom transcended gaming:

  • Congressional hearings on video game violence.
  • Blamed (wrongly) for real-world violence.
  • Proved games could generate mainstream controversy.
  • “Doom clone” became a genre name.

Legacy

Every first-person shooter since exists in Doom’s shadow. The game’s speed, level design, and multiplayer established conventions still used today. That it remains actively played and modded 30 years later speaks to its design quality.

See also