Someone here told me to read the Doom Masters some long time ago. I never thought i will read a book about how a game was made. First I pirated a version. I read some, when I liked it I bought a digital copy from kindle. I completed the book in like a week. First book digitally bought, fastest book i read ever. It really appealed to me I guess because it combines 2 of the things I like most: Business and technology. Also the book is well written not to confuse you or making it a hard read. It just flows.
I do have some stuff I want to point out:
1) I doubt that everything the author said is true. The book has like daily conversations that happened 10 years or more before the author started writing the book. I can understand when some one would remember a memorable quote that stuck in his mind, but who remembers a whole conversation? Other times the author would tell you what were people thinking in their minds. Like he was in the brains. I am sure people can tell him in interviews what they were thinking but not up to this detail. Those who read the book will know what I mean. Its like he was there all along since Romero's childhood.
2) John Romero in the book is pictured as the greatest level designer in the world. I can be wrong, but other than Doom, what was so great about his level designs? on his website rome.ro , it says that he worked on 130 games! But the only ones worth mentioning are Doom, Wolfenstien 3D, and Quake. And to be honest, Doom is the only one with level design. I believe Wolfenstein 3D level design is not worthwhile mentioning, and Quake was more about deathmatch/multiplayer than single player experience. I don't think the design was so emphasized in that game. So in reality he made only Doom, whats the big deal? I believe people who created level designs on stuff like Sonic, Super Mario Bros. , and Mario 64 (other memorable game levels) should be mentioned here as the better video game designers, not Romero. I think Doom made Romero famous not the other way around.
3) From cover to cover, I am sure John Carmack didn't since more than 2 paragraphs all together over the span of like 20 years. The author makes John Carmack as if he was a machine not human. In fact, in more than one place he would say that Carmack replies just with "mmm" like a machine's noise. From the first day on id to the end of the book, he repeatedly mentions that Carmack in his office working alone. Who works alone for like 15 years? I came to a point where I thought this Carmack guy has no feelings, he is cold blooded. I had to see a few youtube videos of him just to check if he can smile.
4) The author says that the id team worked so hard. So hard that I can't believe its true. He would say that they will work like 12 hours straight for a month maybe months. In fact he says that John Carmack would go for a full week in isolation just working alone in some far away hotel room. I just don't think any one can work so much. If he said like it happened once in their life I would believe it. But he mentions this like with every game they made. Ironically he would mention that during their hard working hours, they still have time to play Street Fighter, Mario, Doom, have BBQs, and go out on lake trips. Seems more fun than work to me. I just don't buy it.
5) I really didn't know that a group of 5-8 guys can make a game. Sure they can make something small like a tiny character jumping around, but when Doom was released back then I believe it was considered a triple A title, something on par with Halo today. I am completely amazed by this, and it only took like 2 years or less. Not to mention the very same 6-8 guys made video game innovations in that game like Deathmatch.
6) I find it weird that the book mentions that Romero knows to program more than Carmack, but Carmack ended up being the programing genius and Romero just a level designer.
7)If what the book says is true about John Carmack, this guy is just not recognized enough. He should be right there with greatest people of the 20th century along with Einstein . He single handily made video game innovations that bigger companies like Nintendo and Microsoft couldn't'/didn't do . Or so the book seems to say.
What the hell is game engine? Is it like Photoshop for pictures? The author keeps saying that Carmack codes the game engine . I find it very hard to believe someone will build his own software to build his game. Thats like I make my own "photoshop" just so I can edit pictures.Just my thoughts on the book. Very interesting, willing to play doom more than ever now.
