Difference between revisions of "Artwork of Doom"

Revision as of 23:08, 18 November 2015

Doom's artwork was primarily developed by Adrian Carmack with assistance from Kevin Cloud. The artwork was derived using multiple different techniques, but f is notable for its photorealistic elements which provided a significant improvement in graphics compared to Id's previous shooter, Wolfenstein 3D, and which at the time of release was relatively groundbreaking.

Technical background

Id's earliest games were designed for the IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) hardware. This includes Hovertank 3D and the Catacomb 3D series, which constituted their first 3D shooters. Wolfenstein 3D was the first to target the newer Video Graphics Array (VGA) hardware; however, it was originally developed as an EGA game, meaning that the majority of its graphics were still based around the restricted EGA palette. Doom was the first game developed from the beginning to target the VGA hardware.

The primary advantage of the VGA hardware over EGA is the added color depth. EGA supports a 16 color palette selected from a range of 64 colors, while VGA supports a 256 color palette selected from a range of 262,144. While still not fully true color, with a carefully chosen palette, a VGA screen can provide a reasonable approximation of photo-realistic graphics.

Development setup

The Id team adopted an unusual development environment, using DOS-based PCs in conjunction NeXT workstations which at the time constituted cutting-edge hardware. The NeXT machines allowed rapid development of the tools used by the team, including the DoomEd editor used to create the levels.

Doom's artists did the majority of their work using the DOS-based Deluxe Paint II. However, the NeXT workstations were still used; the NeXT machines included built-in DSP chips that made them capable of still and video image capture^[1]; with a camera connected, Carmack and Cloud were able to digitally photograph various different objects and drawings to use as source material for Doom's art.

To capture images from the camera and convert them to the VGA palette. John Carmack developed a NeXTStep tool named Fuzzy Pumper Palette Shop^[2]; the captured images could then be transferred to the PCs to be cleaned up into proper graphics to be used in-game.

Inspirations

The image of an astral dreadnought from the cover of D&D manual Manual of the Planes.

Thematically Doom was envisioned as a cross between the suspenseful sci-fi atmosphere of Alien and demonic horror movie Evil Dead II^[3]. The latter influenced such elements as the chainsaw found in the game.

Inspiration also came from a long-running Dungeons & Dragons game played by the Id team; elements of this game later inspired Quake and Daikatana. The game ended with the game world being overrun by demons, similar to the premise of Doom^[4]. Artwork of an astral dreadnought from the cover of a D&D manual heavily inspired the look of the Cacodemon monster.

Demonic elements of the game are inspired by classical mythology and popular cultural depictions of demons: textures depict pentagrams, some resembling the Sigil of Baphomet, while the Baron of Hell resembles a horned satyr.

Weapons

Doom's weapons were groundbreaking in being based on real photography

Compared to the low resolution weapons of Wolfenstein 3D, Doom's weapons were groundbreaking in being photo-realistic. The weapons were created largely (but not all) based on photographs of toy guns bought from Toys "R" Us^[5]. Kevin Cloud's hands are those depicted holding the toy weapons. Identified weapons include:

• Fist - Kevin Cloud's bare hands, with a knuckle duster.
• Chainsaw - McCulloch Eager Beaver chainsaw borrowed from a girlfriend of Tom Hall ^[6].
• Shotgun - Tootsietoy Dakota toy shotgun
• Chaingun - Tootsietoy Ol' Painless chaingun
• Plasma Rifle - Rambo M60^[7]
• BFG - Creatoy Roargun^[8] (the same toy was sold under multiple names)

Adrian Carmack sculpting the Baron of Hell out of clay.

Photographs of the Cyberdemon clay model taken to use as the basis for its sprites.

Monsters

Clay modelling and photography

Several of Doom's monsters were sculpted out of clay formed on top of small posable wooden mannequins. The same model in a particular pose could then be photographed from multiple sides to get multiple sprite rotations for the same animation frame. Frames of animation would have been achieved by adjusting the pose of the model and repeating the process.

Monsters known to have been developed this way include the Baron of Hell and the Cyberdemon; the Player sprites were also developed in the same way. Being made of clay, the photographed models were entirely grey; once photographed and imported, additional details and coloring were applied. Similarities between sprites suggest that the player model provided an initial template that was then used to develop the former human monsters; the same sprites were also re-used again during development of Strife for the rebel characters^[9].

TXFX models

While the clay modelling process proved sufficient to develop a significant number of the monsters from the first game, the Id team sought to improve the quality of the models they were photographing. To do this, they commissioned a company named TXFX to build steel and latex models for use as in-game monsters, led by modeller Gregor Punchatz ^[10]. The referral to Punchatz's company came from his father, Don Ivan Punchatz, who created Doom's cover art.

The first monster developed in this way was the Spider Mastermind (it is the only monster of this type appearing in the first game). The process was repeated for most of Doom II's monsters; specifically, Punchatz models are known to exist for the following:

• Revenant
• Mancubus
• Arch-vile
• Spider mastermind (also the basis for the Arachnotron

These models were at one time displayed in the id Software lobby ^[11]

Toys

Textures

Sketch work

Bibliography

1. ↑ NeXT Computer. "NeXT Cube sales brochure."
2. ↑ Romero, John (15 January 2009). "doom history 1994." rome.ro blog post. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
3. ↑ David Kushner. Masters of Doom. ISBN 9780812972153 p128
4. ↑ David Kushner. Masters of Doom. ISBN 9780812972153 p75, 101
5. ↑ David Kushner. Masters of Doom. ISBN 9780812972153 p134
6. ↑ John Romero. https://romero.smugmug.com/Video-Games/The-Archives/i-343R6wS.
7. ↑ Blackmantis (7 April 2015). "Real Doom Weapons/toys (with photos)." Doomworld Forums.
8. ↑ Kaiser (30 April 2015). "Could this be the actual toy gun used for the BFG?" Doomworld Forums.
9. ↑ Simon Howard (fraggle) (25 May 2015). "Strife's rebel sprites are derived from the Doom marine?"
10. ↑ Raffael Dickreuter (13 July 2004). "Interview With Greg Punchatz."
11. ↑ Bethesda Blog (8 July 2011). "The Halls of id Software."