Doom 4 Coming Sooner Than You Think ?

[MentalIlness]

id Software aiming to be more efficient.

August 16, 2010

The traditionally long development cycles at Texas-based game studio id Software are coming to an end.

In an interview with IGN, Id Software Creative Director Tim Willits said fans can expect to see key releases much sooner going forward than in the past. He said the fact that Doom 4 is using id Tech 5, the same game engine being used for Rage, makes developing both titles at the same time an advantage.

"The Doom group is using the same technology; they are learning from our mistakes and they have assets they can start to test things with," Willits said. "So the plan is that Doom 4 will come out quicker and then the Rage team will start working on something else while Doom 4 is being finished up."

id Software will have spent nearly seven years between releasing its last two major titles, Doom 3 in 2004 and Rage set for late 2011. Willits claimed the studio won't have to drag its feet with title releases now that it's part of Zenimax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks.

"In the past, we had one team, that's why it's taking so freaking long," he said. "One of the reasons the Zenimax partnership was so attractive to us because now we have the ability to build second teams. It makes life way better.

"Games now are so expensive and they take so much organization and planning, we have to be more efficient," Willits added.

http://pc.ign.com/articles/111/1112821p1.html

 

[JSt0rm]

id Software will have spent nearly seven years between releasing its last two major titles, Doom 3 in 2004 and Rage set for late 2011. Willits claimed the studio won't BE Allowed to drag its feet with title releases now that it's part of Zenimax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks.

Fixed ^_^

 

[Zenoth]

I'm not expecting much from DOOM 4, DOOM 3 was decent, nothing very bad, but certainly not as fun as other FPS'es around, it just wasn't my taste I guess, DOOM was never pseudo horror and suspense, it was about mindless action, id Software took another path with DOOM 3 and some really liked it, some hated it (I guess I'd put myself in the middle, it was just so-so, although I did liked the last parts in the Hell levels quite a lot), if DOOM 4 can go back to the roots and leave the horror theme behind I would be happy, but I'm sure that others would disagree, it's fine, I just want my real DOOM back, not just a "re-make" of DOOM II, but I want more focus on action and less so on attempts at trying to make me jump out of fear because the oh-so predictable hidden Imp in the next dark corner jumped at me, that was just failure... also the whole flashlight concept was made primarily to showcase the lightning and shadows effects which back then were amazing, but as a game-play mechanic it just contributed to piss me off.

Anyway, ultimately time will tell, hopefully it won't be disappointing.

 

[shortylickens]

Fuck John Carmack, fuck Id, fuck Doom 3, and fuck Doom 4.

Also, I love Quake.

 

[sanzen07]

I'm not expecting much from DOOM 4, DOOM 3 was decent, nothing very bad, but certainly not as fun as other FPS'es around, it just wasn't my taste I guess, DOOM was never pseudo horror and suspense, it was about mindless action, id Software took another path with DOOM 3 and some really liked it, some hated it (I guess I'd put myself in the middle, it was just so-so, although I did liked the last parts in the Hell levels quite a lot), if DOOM 4 can go back to the roots and leave the horror theme behind I would be happy, but I'm sure that others would disagree, it's fine, I just want my real DOOM back, not just a "re-make" of DOOM II, but I want more focus on action and less so on attempts at trying to make me jump out of fear because the oh-so predictable hidden Imp in the next dark corner jumped at me, that was just failure... also the whole flashlight concept was made primarily to showcase the lightning and shadows effects which back then were amazing, but as a game-play mechanic it just contributed to piss me off.

Anyway, ultimately time will tell, hopefully it won't be disappointing.

Yeah the flashlight was a really annoying thing that made no sense. My biggest problem was that the weapons felt so puny. I think it was due to the really lame sound effects given to them.

Maybe Doom 4 will be a different story.

 

[Dankk]

So is the next iteration of Doom going to be 100% pitch-black with no flashlight, where you have to find your way around using the echos of your own mutilated screams?

 

[Wyndru]

So is the next iteration of Doom going to be 100% pitch-black with no flashlight, where you have to find your way around using the echos of your own mutilated screams?

Now you have my attention!

The constant dark corridor aspect and cheesy surprises of doom3 really killed the game for me too. I played it for a few hours and that was enough.

 

[NeoV]

Quake > *

/thread

 

[paperfist]

Fuck John Carmack, fuck Id, fuck Doom 3, and fuck Doom 4.

Also, I love Quake.

Amen!

I'm surprised anyone cares about Console Carmack's creations any longer.

 

[yhelothar]

Not feeling any excitement for this. I've seen an ID Tech5 demo, and it didn't look groundbreaking. It looks like Doom3 with the polygon heads fixed.
Doom3 had anyone's jaw dropping when it came out and when they released the preview shots. I remember playing the preleaked alpha and just being sooo incredibly blown away by the graphics. It was easily a revolution in graphics. I haven't felt the same kind of excitement since seeing the UE3 engine preview in 2004.

 

[imaheadcase]

I wish for the day all game developers just get together and for 3 years world non stop on the best game engine they can come up with. 3 years worth of work for a game engine that will be popular 10 years from them on, they can all use it for whatever game would be awesome. A game engine scalable for hardware that comes out, used for MMO/FPS/you name it.

I think if you put behind all the major developers you could get something awesome.

But no, seems game devs are just as political as politicians. "out engine is better than anything out there" or "It will blow you away". It comes out any everyone is like "meh". Because it took 4 guys 3-5years or longer to make a engine out of date before its released.

I don't know anything about game development btw, i'm just going by what seems to be a trend.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

at least the Doom 3 flashlight didn't drain power in a matter of seconds like in other games

so while Doom 3's flashlight contained modern batteries that apparently baffle the technological know-how of other game universes, the Doom 3 universe apparently didn't know about duct tape

I'll never understand just what developers are thinking sometimes

 

[EvilComputer92]

Epic > Crytek > ID

 

[BladeVenom]

Epic > Crytek > ID

I guess you liked UT3 more than most people did. After UT3 they should have changed their name to Epic Fail. They are console company now.

 

[Mike Gayner]

at least the Doom 3 flashlight didn't drain power in a matter of seconds like in other games

so while Doom 3's flashlight contained modern batteries that apparently baffle the technological know-how of other game universes, the Doom 3 universe apparently didn't know about duct tape

I'll never understand just what developers are thinking sometimes

Holy shit there's some stupid people out there. It was a gameplay mechanic and a brilliant one at that IMO. It forced you to chose between being armed and ready, or feeling a little more secure in your surroundings. The purpose was to enhance suspense, and IMO it worked well.

 

[marmasatt]

Yes, I think some of us understood the gameplay mechanic - just didn't agree with it. Matter of fact, I'd say the majority of the people - that was the case. There were numerous complaints and hence the flashlight mod in just days after release. I was just thinking about loading this game up the other day. It was really quite good. Just too many monsters in the closets.....You couldn't even relax for a second.

 

[sandorski]

Holy shit there's some stupid people out there. It was a gameplay mechanic and a brilliant one at that IMO. It forced you to chose between being armed and ready, or feeling a little more secure in your surroundings. The purpose was to enhance suspense, and IMO it worked well.

This. I'm currently developing a Game using a Gameplay Mechanic where you can either have a Bullet or a Gun, but not both. It's gonna be awesome!!

 

[sandorski]

I had no idea Doom 4 was going to be made. So yes, it probably will come out sooner than I think.

 

[MentalIlness]

To this day, I still play Doom 3 multiplayer. Even purchased a server for it.

I have put thousands of hours into the MP aspect of it.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Holy shit there's some stupid people out there. It was a gameplay mechanic and a brilliant one at that IMO. It forced you to chose between being armed and ready, or feeling a little more secure in your surroundings. The purpose was to enhance suspense, and IMO it worked well.

They really must fuck sheep in NZ because you sure do bleat like one.

The stupidity is in the game design and is a major part of why the Doom 3 wasn't so warmly received.

Sure, it adds an interesting element for the first few minutes, but then you get used to it and it gets old and stops being fun at all.

A proper penalty for giving players light would be something along the lines of something infinitely more realistic such as having the light attract more enemies or give away your position. Forcing players to click extra buttons to perform the same task is just giving gamers a repetitive task to perform, its sloppy and unimaginative game design.

Of course maybe a simple mind like yours can be pleased with such things.

 

[Gibsons]

snip
the oh-so predictable hidden Imp in the next dark corner jumped at me, that was just failure...

I hit a point in the game where this mechanic just ruined it for me. I remember the specific scene, there were a couple of steps up, and a closet looking thing on the side of a hallway. I look at it, and think "there's an imp or something in that locker." I mean there was never any doubt, I absolutely knew he was there. And there was nothing I could do except walk up to the trigger point. That, and I got really tired of swapping out the flashlight. A trillion dollar facility on Mars and they've apparently forgotten about battery powered emergency lighting and duck tape.

 

[tydas]

John Carmack had the FPS world by the balls and he royally screwed up...Doom 3 was horrendous IMO, there was no compelling reason to play it...the single player sucked and the multiplayer sucked...

could care less about Doom 4 and my guess is that most people will not care either...

 

[tokie]

They really must fuck sheep in NZ because you sure do bleat like one.

The stupidity is in the game design and is a major part of why the Doom 3 wasn't so warmly received.

Sure, it adds an interesting element for the first few minutes, but then you get used to it and it gets old and stops being fun at all.

A proper penalty for giving players light would be something along the lines of something infinitely more realistic such as having the light attract more enemies or give away your position. Forcing players to click extra buttons to perform the same task is just giving gamers a repetitive task to perform, its sloppy and unimaginative game design.

Of course maybe a simple mind like yours can be pleased with such things.

I think the simple minds are the ones who needed a flashlight. I seem to recall the original Doom having very dark places without a flashlight. That was part of the intensity of it, namely that you would see a flame ball flying towards you without seeing the Imp. I have a feeling people played Doom 3 just creeping around slowly with a flashlight. IMO that is not the way to play it since it would be boring. I just ran around sprinting killing everything without a flashlight (just like the original Doom) and had a blast. Run and gun was what Doom was always about.

About Doom 4: I am hoping that they are going to do something where when they first show it they will say "oh btw, this will be on shelves in 6 months".

 

[Dankk]

I have a feeling people played Doom 3 just creeping around slowly with a flashlight. IMO that is not the way to play it since it would be boring. I just ran around sprinting killing everything without a flashlight (just like the original Doom) and had a blast. Run and gun was what Doom was always about.

Absolutely. When Doom 3 first came out, I was one of the people "creeping around slowly with a flashlight." Then a few years later when I matured a bit and revisited the game, I sprinted through like a boss and shot everything that moved. Suddenly it became fun.

So is the next iteration of Doom going to be 100% pitch-black with no flashlight, where you have to find your way around using the echos of your own mutilated screams?

The constant dark corridor aspect and cheesy surprises of doom3 really killed the game for me too. I played it for a few hours and that was enough.

Even though I make jokes about it, I do think Doom 3 is pretty good. I'm kind of like you though where I still never finished it. I think the repetitive industrial-looking metal corridors and environments got boring for me.

Not enough variety for me to really keep interest (gotta have variety in my games). But still a decent game.

 

[CrackRabbit]

This. I'm currently developing a Game using a Gameplay Mechanic where you can either have a Bullet or a Gun, but not both. It's gonna be awesome!!

Too late, Call of Duty did that already.