Just read The Masters of Doom

[MrPopo]

That really makes me wonder, what was the first licensed game engine?

Wasn't it Doom's engine?

Raven Software used that to make Heretic.

Unless Raven was part of Id, which I really don't remember.

Raven was a separate studio. And I have a hunch there was some game that is much more obscure that was built on another company's engine.

[sabrage]

Raven was a separate studio. And I have a hunch there was some game that is much more obscure that was built on another company's engine.

Gold Box. Not even all that obscure; the games were a massive success at the time.

[Hatta]

Did SSI license the Gold Box engine? Are there non-SSI gold box games in existance?

[MrPopo]

Did SSI license the Gold Box engine? Are there non-SSI gold box games in existance?

Kinda hard to say; Stormfront Studios created a couple of Gold Box RPGs and then made Neverwinter Nights using it, but SSI was the publisher and the SSI logo features heavily on the box. It seems more like SSI contracted Stormfront to make the games, rather than Stormfront licensed the engine. And then there's Spelljammer, where a guy working for SSI had his project cancelled and rather than lose the time spent (word of cancellation didn't get down to him for months) he got a different project that used the combat engine from Gold Box; technically he (and a few other guys) were the developer but it was published by SSI and really wasn't like what we consider an engine licensing is.

[bigjt_2]

Dude, I dig gaming history books and was completely unaware of this one! Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I think I'll need to grab a copy off amazon now.

[RCBH928]

I just wanted to add that I didn't know there was an fps before DOOM, i thought it was the first, but seems like wolfenstien was the first. I know there was the older one with the smily faces, but i wouldn't count that one as an FPS

[noiseredux]

I just wanted to add that I didn't know there was an fps before DOOM, i thought it was the first, but seems like wolfenstien was the first. I know there was the older one with the smily faces, but i wouldn't count that one as an FPS

yes MidiMaze/Faceball. Why wouldn't you count it as an FPS? It most certainly is one.

[MrPopo]

I just wanted to add that I didn't know there was an fps before DOOM, i thought it was the first, but seems like wolfenstien was the first. I know there was the older one with the smily faces, but i wouldn't count that one as an FPS

yes MidiMaze/Faceball. Why wouldn't you count it as an FPS? It most certainly is one.

And then there's Catacomb Abyss that was after Faceball and before Wolfenstein.

[RCBH928]

I just wanted to add that I didn't know there was an fps before DOOM, i thought it was the first, but seems like wolfenstien was the first. I know there was the older one with the smily faces, but i wouldn't count that one as an FPS

yes MidiMaze/Faceball. Why wouldn't you count it as an FPS? It most certainly is one.

And then there's Catacomb Abyss that was after Faceball and before Wolfenstein.

Faceball is too simple in idea to be an FPS. This is MY opinion, it maybe innovated the FPS or first to be there but no one took advantage of the idea until Wolfenstein 3D. Faceball is like the idea of an FPS being tested.

As Catacomb Abyss, yes I just saw it, and if it was before Wolfenstein 3D I will accept it as the first FPS. But lets be sure that no one saw a demo of Wolfenstein 3D and rushed out with Catacomb Abyss just to say we were there first.

[AppleQueso]

As Catacomb Abyss, yes I just saw it, and if it was before Wolfenstein 3D I will accept it as the first FPS. But lets be sure that no one saw a demo of Wolfenstein 3D and rushed out with Catacomb Abyss just to say we were there first.

Considering Id Software made both Catacomb 3-D and Wolfenstein... that's unlikely.