GDC11 - Story of DOOM

Doom pre alpha was build in Feb 1993.

Feb -1993
IT is like old school pixelated raw environment.
They had UI in the game to prototype and saw what was working and what wa not.

Had quite a few items that don't appear anymore such as a sandwich and a captain's hand!

March - 1993
20th Century Fox contacted them and they thought they would be the right team to make Aliens, the game.  They were in the middle of building Doom, but had to stop to work on Aliens, as, who wouldn't work on Aliens?  

E1M2 development
Second level of the game, forget cement walls, they were trying to make a level that didn't feel realistic but you could still vibe with something that was like a military space, but where you felt you were on a space station / moon (for the Aliens thingy).

They made then a room that changed the look of the game. Instead of high ceilings with banks of computers and detail, they were able to create a room that was an abstratction, almost an artistic choice to elevate and make things grow and be huge. This room was the start of the look that really defined DOOM. Instead of it being realistic, it was designed to match the tone of the game.

BUT THEN DISASTER STRUCK!
They had to stop working on Doom. The Super Nintendo version of Wolfenstein was not finished yet, and publisher (imagineer) was not pleased.  They couldn't get a hold of the guy who was working on it, it was a nightmare situation. So they stopped work on Doom and everyone had to work on Wolfenstein.

 They ported Wolfenstein 3D to the Super Nintendo in about 3 weeks - they worked 24 hours so they could get back on Doom.


Map E1M3 caused a problem - the game kept slowing down and chugging due to the way the game visuals. Instead of just pairing down the visual to a bunch of blocks, they figured out the best way they could fix using engine instead. Shows how communication and perseverance through a great group of people who have a common goal can find solutions to problems.

Thus, the BSP Tree was born - an algorithm that sped things up significantly. It affected the whole industry.

April 1993
New Alpha. Sent out to beta testers they had known for years. Frame rate was 2 dots, and there was 4mg of memory.

Doom was inspired by Aliens - deeper and deeper sense of dread, knowing there were scary experiences converged in an unknown room, knowing you had to make your way to the danger. 

E1M7 - was so different from the actual release game. Still limited a lot of textures. Characters were still quite pixelated.

May 22 - 1993
Pre-Beta - it was getting more real, more textures, UI at the bottom i totally changed, there's even a final font! Markers and menu systems were taken from learnings from Wolfenstein.

August 1993
Creative Director parted ways with team, works on Wolfenstein, created Rise of the Triad, then in process realized all the project needed was creative happiness. This was not happening so this is why he left Doom at the time (went to Apogee Software).
Hired two more people to replace creative director. Jumped on the game, took over design and some programming to get to September. Loads of levels are getting done, got the DMX sound drivers done, had a guy named Paul Radec to come in to do these SFX.

October 1993
Pre-release of the game. 2 months away from release - texture, light, SFX are in there and you can see how much more atmospheric it is. Suggest to keep going over and over and over each area to improve and improve the look and effects.

Can now pick up items, track items, keep track of awards etc.

Wanted to get rid of arcade game rules such as having lives, if you get killed you just go back to beginning of level.  Gives it a higher probability that players would be able to complete game.

Next revision would be the final game.

October 1993
Press release version - by November did first IPX Multiplayer is created. The word deathmatch is created along with that mode of play. Coop mode is created. All final systems are coded, intermission , menus, instalalation. Seriel code for modems was created. Game maps were modified for deathmatch and coop play

Usenet was going CRAZY!

December 10th 1993 -
30 hour stretch at the end running games on every machine. There was a last minute bug that was fixed (had to do do with timer code was happening).
Doom was uploaded via the programmers computer at the University of Wisconsin! Had to book a slot to do the upload, and it blew up the whole server.   This happened twice. 

Finally got uploaded and made it's way across the BBSs - went on to make DOOM2.

GDC11- Development Process of Nintendo 3DS - Hideki Konno

Hideki Konno - Manager / Producer, EAD Softwre Development Department Group. 1.

Introduction
- 3D Mii character. Select core components such as color, and then take a photo of yourself. The system will create your Mii character for you.   Believes this makes it more fun for the whole family to enjoy. You can still modify it if you like.

- Discusses Triforce group - aka the structure of the group.

- Strives to make reports, communicate with and consult with bosses in a timely fashion. He says this is important to prevent the teatable from being updended (aka management being top heavy in involvement)

- Mr Miyamonto was very picky when speaker was a rooky software developer (he is now a director). He feels that having a critical eye, has been very important in game experience. As a rookie you might think it's picky, but as you get more experienced you realize how important a critical eye really is.

- 2008 - Mr Konno took over the development in next gen. hardware.

- Believes about being consistently curious about things provides us with the driving force necessary to learn and grow. 

Goals of Nintendo 3DS


- Carry it with you
- Connect with each other
- Get something new everyday

Features 


Street Pass
- Receive and share something new.  Looks like a gamey version of Loopt.
- He thinks that it might be difficult to fully take on, as you need to set up connection.
- Sounds like it's associated with the game programs you have.
- StreetPass Mii Plaza is a communication tool that lets you exchange Wii characters.
- Believes a lot of creative game play using Street Pass will be created by developers moving forward.

Spot Pass
- receive new kinds of information. Receive data automatically merely by being in the vicinity of a wi-fi access point. This is through their own Wi-Fi or through one of 10,000 hotspots provided by ATT.

- requiring customers to take action to receive data is a barrier. They allow nintendo / other partners to PUSH content automatically. As an example says it could be cool to wake up and find you have received new movie trailers through this system?

- hopes game developers could come up with new concepts to bring this to life.

Development Process of Nintenodo 3DS

-  Hardware and software teams work in same building. They value collaboration and cooperation. 

That being said, there aren't too many cases of a hardware developer walking around the software studios. This is more top level management. Mr Konno was about to garner this cross-over experience. 

-  Joined forces with members of hardware team. Mr Umezu is involved in the Nintendo 3DS layout, Design was Mr Sugino.  Thinks of Mr Umezu as a logical, good thinker.   

- Talking about glasses free 3D was a new concept for them. Thought reaction would be 'why 3D again?

- As a developer, consider how you go about increasing the quality of content in your tool box.  Mr Konno will often go into his toolbox to find existing and new features and gain new perspectives.

- Mr Miyamoto wrote ideas on slips of paper and stuck them on a wall. At that time computers were simple.  He would then stare at them, move them around, move away and look at them at a distance. That was how things got done. Mr Konno picked up this habit, but does it all in his head - his 'toolbox'.

But occasionally still sticks up notes on his desk.

- Used this toolbox approach over and over for this project. Over course of several months, spent time discussing all of the possibilities before them and gradually formed an overview of the Nintendo 3DS.  

- 'Playing is Believing'. Key phrases used by Nintendo when announced Wii.  Provides direction and impetus to direction.   

   - to bring about glasses free 3d investigated the latest in this technology. Some people didn't believe they could do it, as the company had failed before. So they decided to do some experiments. 

  -  stimulus of working together well with hardware and software team brings about a strong product. 

Case 1 - glasses free demo with Mario Cart Wii on a 3D screen. 

All experiments had to have true demos. PLAYING IS BELIEVING. 

Case 2 - tested 3D depth slider. Adds and subtracts 3D depth using analog volume. Ability to adjust this to match expectations was an exceedingly fresh experience.

Case 3 - control pad and circle pad. Proposition that came from development team. 

SOFTWARE

Gave example of Nintendogs + Cats, which will go on sale when the nintendo 3DS is released. 

Was picky for this game.  Two areas he paid attention:

- to increase realism was very critical in approach to eye and fur presentation. 

      - Eyes are sharper and more emotive.  

      - Fur is much more detailed. 

- new AR feature that allows a dog to sit in the 'palm of your hand'. 

SOFTWARE PARTNERS

- Konami

- Capom (Super Street Fighter!)

- ubisoft (Dinosaurs 3D!)

- Nintendo Legend of Zelda 3D!

- Cubic Ninja

- Madden NFL 3D

- Animal Crossing

- Mario Cart 3D

PRODUCTION PROCESS CHALLENGES

- 'Just start by moving a box, that's all you need to do' says Mr Miyamoto. Mr Konno says it's not as easy as that.  But the concept is to start by moving something as simple as a tissue box, find stuff to manage in small chunks.

- Never used the phrase 'for the time being'.  Was always told that things need to be decided NOW. Mr Konno wasn't used to this.  

- Always need to make sure we're going to surprise their customers, whether it be software or hardware.


TO END
It takes a long time to develop a game, and not always fun. Things are often stressful and you can't seem to get a handle on things. Mr Konno feels like it's a long distance bike race. If you don't pace yourself you will never ever get to the goal line. If you can switch gears at the right time to adjust your pedal speed to get the most suitable pace for that time, it should be more enjoyable.

Always want to surpass expectations and want people to say "I want to work with him again".