Difference between revisions of "3DO"

From DoomWiki.org

[checked revision][checked revision]
(Rewrite intro and add development section)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
[[Image:3DO_Doom.png|thumb|240px|A screenshot from the 3DO version of [[Doom]]]]
 
[[Image:3DO_Doom.png|thumb|240px|A screenshot from the 3DO version of [[Doom]]]]
The '''[[Wikipedia:3DO Interactive Multiplayer|3DO]]''' version of [[Doom]] was published by Logicware and Art Data Interactive, and released in the US on April 26, 1996. The level set is similar to the [[Atari Jaguar]] version. This version is single player only.
+
'''Doom for the 3DO''' is an [[Commercial games|official port]] of [[Doom]] to the {{wp|3DO Interactive Multiplayer}} game console, published by Logicware and Art Data Interactive, and released in the US on [[Timeline#1996|April 26, 1996]]. The level set is similar to the [[Atari Jaguar]] version. This version is single player only.
  
 
Many fans consider this one of the worst, if not the worst, of the Doom console ports. It runs in a small screen at a low frame rate. The game offers six screen sizes, the largest two only being available via a cheat.  The largest screen sizes suffer from a frame rate so poor as to render the [[player]] sometimes uncontrollable.
 
Many fans consider this one of the worst, if not the worst, of the Doom console ports. It runs in a small screen at a low frame rate. The game offers six screen sizes, the largest two only being available via a cheat.  The largest screen sizes suffer from a frame rate so poor as to render the [[player]] sometimes uncontrollable.
  
Its updated soundtrack, which features high-fidelity CD-quality remixes of the original [[music]], is considered its one redeeming feature.
+
Its updated soundtrack, which features high-fidelity CD-quality recordings of arrangements of the original [[music]] recorded by a live band, is considered its one redeeming feature.
 +
 
 +
== Development ==
 +
According to [[Rebecca Ann Heineman]], the game's sole developer, the blame for the port's quality rests mostly on the highly constrained schedule of ten weeks given for its development.{{cite web|author=Heineman, Rebecca Ann|url=https://github.com/Olde-Skuul/doom3do/blob/master/README.md|title=README.md|publishdate=30 November 2014|retrievedate=23 December 2014}} This led to a lack of time to fully optimize the game for the 3DO hardware, which was challenging to program both from an essential standpoint and in particular for a demanding application like Doom.
 +
 
 +
Publisher Art Data Interactive was under false impressions with regard to the ease of porting a game like Doom from the [[Atari Jaguar]] to another console, believing that simply recompiling the game would be sufficient, and that features such as new [[weapon]]s could be added simply by providing new assets for the game engine to consume.
 +
 
 +
While game code is largely shared with the Jaguar version, the rendering engine is completely customized to draw [[wall]]s through the 3DO's hardware "cell engine." [[Flat|Floors and ceilings]] are drawn in software, however, due to difficulties in drawing perspective-projected graphics through the cell engine. Heineman states work on piping that drawing through the hardware was in-progress but had to be abandoned due to unresolved bugs at launch time.
 +
 
 +
The decision to replace the [[MIDI]]-based PC soundtrack with live recorded music was made by Heineman on a whim due to lack of time to write a music driver for the 3DO. A band hired by ADI was used to do the recordings. With digitized music, it was possible to use simple streaming playback with minimal coding effort. Heineman states this was the best decision made in the process, as the music is the one aspect of the port almost universally praised.
 +
 
 +
The game was at one time scheduled to be published by {{wp|Electronic Arts}}, but the deal fell through.
  
 
== Music ==
 
== Music ==
Line 68: Line 79:
 
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msfL7XRe6DQ Video footage of the 3DO version of Doom]
 
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msfL7XRe6DQ Video footage of the 3DO version of Doom]
 
* [https://github.com/Olde-Skuul/doom3do Source code]
 
* [https://github.com/Olde-Skuul/doom3do Source code]
 +
 +
==References==
 +
<references />
 +
 +
 
{{s-start}}
 
{{s-start}}
 
{{s-port}}
 
{{s-port}}
Line 74: Line 90:
 
{{s-non|reason=Closed&nbsp;source}}
 
{{s-non|reason=Closed&nbsp;source}}
 
{{s-end}}
 
{{s-end}}
 +
 
[[Category:Commercial ports]]
 
[[Category:Commercial ports]]

Revision as of 03:59, 23 December 2014

A screenshot from the 3DO version of Doom

Doom for the 3DO is an official port of Doom to the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer game console, published by Logicware and Art Data Interactive, and released in the US on April 26, 1996. The level set is similar to the Atari Jaguar version. This version is single player only.

Many fans consider this one of the worst, if not the worst, of the Doom console ports. It runs in a small screen at a low frame rate. The game offers six screen sizes, the largest two only being available via a cheat. The largest screen sizes suffer from a frame rate so poor as to render the player sometimes uncontrollable.

Its updated soundtrack, which features high-fidelity CD-quality recordings of arrangements of the original music recorded by a live band, is considered its one redeeming feature.

Development

According to Rebecca Ann Heineman, the game's sole developer, the blame for the port's quality rests mostly on the highly constrained schedule of ten weeks given for its development.[1] This led to a lack of time to fully optimize the game for the 3DO hardware, which was challenging to program both from an essential standpoint and in particular for a demanding application like Doom.

Publisher Art Data Interactive was under false impressions with regard to the ease of porting a game like Doom from the Atari Jaguar to another console, believing that simply recompiling the game would be sufficient, and that features such as new weapons could be added simply by providing new assets for the game engine to consume.

While game code is largely shared with the Jaguar version, the rendering engine is completely customized to draw walls through the 3DO's hardware "cell engine." Floors and ceilings are drawn in software, however, due to difficulties in drawing perspective-projected graphics through the cell engine. Heineman states work on piping that drawing through the hardware was in-progress but had to be abandoned due to unresolved bugs at launch time.

The decision to replace the MIDI-based PC soundtrack with live recorded music was made by Heineman on a whim due to lack of time to write a music driver for the 3DO. A band hired by ADI was used to do the recordings. With digitized music, it was possible to use simple streaming playback with minimal coding effort. Heineman states this was the best decision made in the process, as the music is the one aspect of the port almost universally praised.

The game was at one time scheduled to be published by Electronic Arts, but the deal fell through.

Music

The complete soundtrack is as follows:

Song PC Doom equivalent Where it is used File name
Demons on the prey E1M7 Title screen, Credits, Menus, Map 7, Map 18 Song11
At Doom's Gate E1M1 Intermission, Map 1, Map 12 Song5
The Imp's Song E1M2 Map 2, Map 13 Song6
Dark Halls E1M3 Map 3, Map 14 Song7
Kitchen Ace (And Taking Names) E1M4 Map 4, Map 15 Song8
Suspense E1M5 Map 5, Map 16 Song9
On The Hunt E1M6 Map 6, Map 17, Map 22 Song10
Sign Of Evil E1M8 Map 8, Map 23, Victory screen, Casting Song12
I Sawed The Demons E2M1 Map 9, Map 19 Song13
Donna To The Rescue E3M2 Map 10, Map 20
Untitled E3M1 Map 11, Map 21
Hiding The Secrets E1M9 Map 24 (Secret map)

Gallery

Screen sizes

Available screen sizes:

External links

References

  1. Heineman, Rebecca Ann (30 November 2014). "README.md." Retrieved 23 December 2014.


Source code genealogy
Based on
Jaguar Doom
Doom for 3DO Closed source