I'd recommend this to all game developers. I just started reading it today and I'm up to page 100 already. It's about how Carmack and Ramero ended up writing Doom and how they got into writing games in the first place. It's really really addictive to read.
Masters of Doom - Book
Miscellaneous Forums/General Discussion/Masters of Doom - Book And you stopped reading it to write this?!
Pfft. No stamina ;)
Pfft. No stamina ;)
I've been wanting to pick it up for awhile. Now that you mentioned it, I'll probably go do that soon.
Excellent book.
Well worth the read.
I also found it very addictive.
Well worth the read.
I also found it very addictive.
I read this a few years back, definitely decent ... but I prefer Game Over. I also read opening the Xbox which wasn't really too good. I read Game Over 5 times and Masters of Doom twice. A few years back I couldn't get enough of game industry books ;)
I've read game over too, but this one's more of a view into the actual lives of games developers and why they do it, aswell as how they handle the stigma off other people when people say it's not a real job.
Isn't that totally out of date? Game development is normal now, it is a desk job.
Try telling that to people I know. "oh you want to write games for a living? How quaint, what's your real job then?"
Believe me, the stigma is still there, people stuff think your boys playing with their toys.
Believe me, the stigma is still there, people stuff think your boys playing with their toys.
Masters of doom actually left a pretty negative impression on me, with almost everyone in the dev team being incredibly immature, whilst carmack was a bit of a spock and not in the slightest bit interesting.
For the most part, it seemed that they just got to be in the right place at the right time to start the whole FPS thing, which someone else would have done sooner or later anyway. Reading the book had the opposite effect I was expecting and probably illustrates why a lot of people on the outside don't take game dev jobs seriously.
For the most part, it seemed that they just got to be in the right place at the right time to start the whole FPS thing, which someone else would have done sooner or later anyway. Reading the book had the opposite effect I was expecting and probably illustrates why a lot of people on the outside don't take game dev jobs seriously.
Game development is a desk job? News to me. If you're working for a company like that then you're working for the wrong one. Game development should be fun.
And who cares if other people take game development jobs seriously? The joke's on them. They're the ones with an inflexible schedule, working 9 to 5, doing work that's boring and unrewarding, for little pay, and for people who could care less about them.
If someone says you're not doing a real job, they're just jealous that you have it better than they do. But that's not your fault, that's their choice.
And who cares if other people take game development jobs seriously? The joke's on them. They're the ones with an inflexible schedule, working 9 to 5, doing work that's boring and unrewarding, for little pay, and for people who could care less about them.
If someone says you're not doing a real job, they're just jealous that you have it better than they do. But that's not your fault, that's their choice.
I read a couple chapters and stopped. I did not like how the author seemed to admire weird, annoying, immature behavior. It was written as if their personal deficiencies were a necessary tradeoff to maintain their talent. It was definitely written with the "nerd" mentality and value system, if that makes any sense.
personal deficiencies
I thought they were eccentricities and possibly necessary to do what they did. You didn't see anyone else doing what they did at the time.
For the most part, it seemed that they just got to be in the right place at the right time to start the whole FPS thing, which someone else would have done sooner or later anyway.
Again, no one else was doing what they did. Sure they were immature (they were in their early 20's afterall) but they're level of skill and their tenacity was unmatched (taking company computers to their river house?). One part of the book stuck with me was their visit to a game studio (was it Activision?) and John Carmack picking apart the inefficiencies of a programmer, one in fact that they had previously admired. Romero apparently delighted at that point in Carmack's superiority. They were pioneers, thinking and doing this stuff before much else was going on. Was their luck involved? Sure, there always is but I think it's unfair judge them too harshly.
An alternative read (which covers Quake) is my Graphics Programming Black Book Special Edition with is freely available as a PDF. The latter chapters feature a lot of insight into the development of Quake.
http://www.definethis.org/word/Mike_Abrash.html
Some links from this page for anyone who wants the book - it's now public domain.
Some links from this page for anyone who wants the book - it's now public domain.
> You didn't see anyone else doing what they did at the time.
I thought Microprose had a First Person game out before them, but I can't find the title listed anywhere. It was an offshoot of their Simulation games but instead of driving tanks or helicopters the player was in command of marines or something (and played from a First person perspective).
I can't argue with Carmac's skill though.
I thought Microprose had a First Person game out before them, but I can't find the title listed anywhere. It was an offshoot of their Simulation games but instead of driving tanks or helicopters the player was in command of marines or something (and played from a First person perspective).
I can't argue with Carmac's skill though.
Ah, do you mean Ultima Underworld?
Game development is a desk job? News to me. If you're working for a company like that then you're working for the wrong one. Game development should be fun.
Ideas are the fun part but the hard work put into making the finished product is really all about 9 to 5 or nothing is finished.
Many publishers bit the bullet on developers who had the pool tables, arcade machines, etc installed. However, those development environments still exist.
The path of development plays a big part here - some games are not funded during development and there is no risk to a publisher - those developers can afford to be unproductive in the path to success.
So both ideas work in today's development world - just depends on what deals you have struck prior to finishing a product - or bringing it to the point of professional media replacement.
The path of development plays a big part here - some games are not funded during development and there is no risk to a publisher - those developers can afford to be unproductive in the path to success.
So both ideas work in today's development world - just depends on what deals you have struck prior to finishing a product - or bringing it to the point of professional media replacement.
"It was written as if their personal deficiencies were a necessary tradeoff to maintain their talent."
So you know a lot of jocks which have started small companies and become millionaires overnight, do you? :-)
Their personalities were ENTIRELY neccessary.
Carmack is/was a nerd's nerd. Nobody else could have made those engines when he did.
And Romero was a crazy D&D loving metalhead. Doom's setting in hell, and the heavy metal soundtrack were all him.
If Carmack wasn't a recluse genius, and Romero wasn't the kind of nut that would chop through a door with an axe (they actually had a good reason for doing that btw) then they would not have made Doom what it was, and it would not have been the smash success it was.
They certainly wouldn't have become the millionaire rockstars with multiple ferraris that they did if they made a generic WWII based shooter.
Well, if they made one NOW. And Wolfenstein was anything but generic.
So you know a lot of jocks which have started small companies and become millionaires overnight, do you? :-)
Their personalities were ENTIRELY neccessary.
Carmack is/was a nerd's nerd. Nobody else could have made those engines when he did.
And Romero was a crazy D&D loving metalhead. Doom's setting in hell, and the heavy metal soundtrack were all him.
If Carmack wasn't a recluse genius, and Romero wasn't the kind of nut that would chop through a door with an axe (they actually had a good reason for doing that btw) then they would not have made Doom what it was, and it would not have been the smash success it was.
They certainly wouldn't have become the millionaire rockstars with multiple ferraris that they did if they made a generic WWII based shooter.
Well, if they made one NOW. And Wolfenstein was anything but generic.
What Sswift said ...
> And Wolfenstein was anything but generic.
Wolfenstein itself was not an original idea of course, what they did with it was genius however.
Wolfenstein itself was not an original idea of course, what they did with it was genius however.
I have never played doom, seen doom 2 so obviously not an ID fan, and am very particular about the FPS games I like, none of which were made by ID. I did buy Quake for my first PC though :).
But I've never really been in awe of ID, probably because despite liking D&D and Metal, I never really got into the horror zombie and over simple FPS thing. I did quite like the last Wolfenstein game, and WWII fps like Hidden and Dangerous. Only problem with WWII fps is that COD and anything by EA are too simple, linear and suck.
But I've never really been in awe of ID, probably because despite liking D&D and Metal, I never really got into the horror zombie and over simple FPS thing. I did quite like the last Wolfenstein game, and WWII fps like Hidden and Dangerous. Only problem with WWII fps is that COD and anything by EA are too simple, linear and suck.
> Only problem with WWII fps is that COD and anything by EA are too simple, linear and suck.
Give the "Brothers in Arms" titles a try. They are not as linear and focus more on realistic team tactics.
Give the "Brothers in Arms" titles a try. They are not as linear and focus more on realistic team tactics.
Evak:
Well see, there's your problem. If you weren't around on the PC gaming scene when Comamnder Keen, Wolfenstein, Doom, and Doom II were released, then you really missed ID's heyday. By the time they released Quake, they'd lost their focus.
That's why Quake has four different themes btw. They kept changing their minds and in the end just threw them all together. And after that, Romero left. So the ID you knew was not the same ID I knew.
And the last Wolfenstein game was terrible. :-)
Well see, there's your problem. If you weren't around on the PC gaming scene when Comamnder Keen, Wolfenstein, Doom, and Doom II were released, then you really missed ID's heyday. By the time they released Quake, they'd lost their focus.
That's why Quake has four different themes btw. They kept changing their minds and in the end just threw them all together. And after that, Romero left. So the ID you knew was not the same ID I knew.
And the last Wolfenstein game was terrible. :-)
Different strokes for different folks ...
Great book. I read that several times a few years ago. Matter of fact...i may just re-read again for some inspiration. God I know I definately need some sitting here working on ultra boring government web apps :p
I read it like 4 times and it's a great read everytime. But it's quite interesting how the quiet Carmack got rid of all the original founders of id :) Don't try to mess with him, he'll erase you out of the companies history *lol*
But it's quite interesting how the quiet Carmack got rid of all the original founders of id
...and the cat!
It's a brilliant book - i've read it 5 or 6 times at least, every time I enjoy it just the same.
It's interesting to see how success and over-confidence breeds problems and resentment and eventually almost destroys id and does destroy Ion Storm.
Being a nerd, wasn't it Carmack who chopped through the door with a very expensive sword he'd recently bought, to free Romero?
It's interesting to see how success and over-confidence breeds problems and resentment and eventually almost destroys id and does destroy Ion Storm.
..Romero...the kind of nut that would chop through a door with an axe
Being a nerd, wasn't it Carmack who chopped through the door with a very expensive sword he'd recently bought, to free Romero?
I'm just up to the point when they're starting to write quake and the companies looking a little shaky. Oh, and John Carmack keeps a battle axe in his office.
Great book. If you liked this one, here are a few others you might like.
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Steven Levy
One section is on early computers, one is on Sierra On-Line and one I believe was on Apple. The Sierra section give a great insight into the early game development companies.
Dungeons and Dreamers: The Rise of Computer Game Culture from Geek to Chic Hardcover by Brad King
Great book about D&D and the games that came from it.
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Steven Levy
One section is on early computers, one is on Sierra On-Line and one I believe was on Apple. The Sierra section give a great insight into the early game development companies.
Dungeons and Dreamers: The Rise of Computer Game Culture from Geek to Chic Hardcover by Brad King
Great book about D&D and the games that came from it.
okay, I've ordered the steven levy book.
I enjoyed the heck out of Levy's Hackers. Lent it to a friend, didn't get it back, bought another copy. I'll give Masters of Doom a look.