Hubbry Logo
Doom 3Doom 3Main
Open search
Doom 3
Community hub
Doom 3
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Doom 3
Doom 3
from Wikipedia

Doom 3
Box art, displaying a Hell Knight
Developerid Software[a]
PublisherActivision[b]
DesignerTim Willits[2]
Programmers
Artists
WriterMatthew J. Costello
ComposerEd Lima[3][4][c]
SeriesDoom
Engineid Tech 4
Platform
Release
August 3, 2004
  • Windows[1]
    • NA: August 3, 2004
    • EU: August 13, 2004
    Linux
    • NA: October 1, 2004
    OS X
    • NA: March 14, 2005
    • EU: April 8, 2005
    Xbox
    • WW: April 4, 2005
    BFG Edition
    PS3, Xbox 360, Windows
    • NA: October 16, 2012
    • AU: October 18, 2012
    • EU: October 19, 2012
    Nvidia Shield Tablet, Nvidia Shield TV
    • NA: June 4, 2015
    Switch, PS4, Xbox One
    • WW: July 26, 2019
    PlayStation VR
    • WW: March 29, 2021
GenreFirst-person shooter
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

Doom 3[d] is a 2004 first-person shooter game developed by id Software and published by Activision. It was originally released for Windows on August 3, 2004, before being adapted for Linux later that year, and ported by Aspyr Media for Mac OS X in 2005. Vicarious Visions ported the game to the Xbox, releasing it worldwide on April 4, 2005.

Doom 3 is set on Mars in 2145, where a military-industrial conglomerate has set up a scientific research facility into fields such as teleportation, biological research, and advanced weapons design. The teleportation experiments open a gateway to Hell conducted by Doctor Betruger, resulting in a catastrophic invasion of the Mars base by demons. The player controls a space marine who fights through the base to stop the demons attacking Mars and reaching Earth.

Doom 3 is the first reboot of the Doom series, ignoring the events of the previous games. Doom 3 utilizes the id Tech 4 game engine, which has since been licensed out to other developers, and later released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later in November 2011.

Doom 3 was a critical and commercial success; with more than 3.5 million copies of the game sold, it was the most successful game by developer id Software up to that date. Critics praised the game's graphics, presentation, and atmosphere, although reviewers were divided by how close the gameplay was to that of the original Doom, focusing primarily on simply fighting through large numbers of enemy characters. The game was followed by Resurrection of Evil, an expansion pack developed by Nerve Software, in April 2005. A series of novelizations of Doom 3, written by Matthew J. Costello, debuted in February 2008. An expanded and remastered edition, Doom 3: BFG Edition, was released in the fourth quarter of 2012. It has been ported to various platforms, including some which enable portable and virtual reality gameplay.

Gameplay

[edit]

Single player

[edit]

Doom 3 is a story-driven action game played from a first-person perspective with occasional cutscenes in a third-person perspective. As with previous Doom games, the main objective is to successfully pass through its levels, defeating a variety of enemy characters intent on killing the player's character. Doom 3's more story-centered approach, however, means that the player often encounters friendly non-player characters, who provide key plot information, objectives and inventory items. The game incorporates ten weapons for the players use to survive, including conventional firearms such as a submachine gun, shotgun and grenades, experimental plasma weaponry, and the powerful BFG 9000 and chainsaw weapons of the Doom franchise.[5] Enemies come in multiple forms and with different abilities and tactics, but fall into two broad categories of either zombies or demons. Zombies are humans possessed by demonic forces, who attack the player's character using their hands and melee weapons or a variety of firearms, while demons are creatures from Hell, most of which attack using claws and spines, or by summoning plasma-based fireballs.[6] The corpses of demons are reduced to ashes after death, leaving no trace of their body behind.

The player fighting a Revenant in Doom 3. The majority of the game takes place within the futuristic base.

The game's levels are semi-linear in nature and incorporate several horror elements, the most prominent of which is darkness.[7] This design choice is not only intended to foster feelings of apprehension and fear within the player, but also to create a more threatening game environment in which the player is less likely to see attacking enemies.[7] This aspect is further enhanced by the fact that the player must choose between holding a weapon and holding the flashlight (until the BFG editions released in 2012 made the "duct tape mod" a standard feature), forcing the player to choose between being able to see or having a readied weapon upon entering a room, which consequently leads to a more deliberate pace for the player.[7] In addition, the levels are regularly strewn with corpses, chopped body parts and blood, sometimes used in conjunction with the game's lighting to disorient the player.[7]

Frequent radio transmissions through the player's communications device also add to the atmosphere, by broadcasting certain sounds and messages from non-player characters meant to unsettle the player. Early in the game, during and directly after the event that plunges the base into chaos, the player often hears the sounds of fighting, screaming and dying through their radio transmitter. The ambient sound is extended to the base itself through such things as hissing pipes, footsteps, and occasional jarringly loud noises from machinery or other sources. Often ambient sounds can be heard that resemble deep breathing, unexplained voices and demonic taunting from the game's antagonists.[8]

Early in the game, the player is provided with a personal data assistant (PDA). PDAs contain security clearance levels, allowing the player to access certain areas that are otherwise locked and off-limits. Additionally, the PDA can be used to read e-mails and play audio logs or video discs that the player's character acquires during the game. Whenever the player picks up any of the other PDAs found throughout the game, its contents are automatically downloaded to the player's own device. Other PDAs often contain e-mails and audio logs for other characters, which can provide useful information such as storage or door key codes, as well as significant plot details.[9]

Multiplayer

[edit]

Doom 3 was released with a four-player multiplayer element, featuring four game modes. However, the game's community created a modification to boost this to eight or sixteen players.[10][11][12] The Resurrection of Evil expansion would later officially increase the player limit to eight. The four game modes are all deathmatches. The standard deathmatch game mode involves each player moving around a level, collecting weaponry and killing the other players, with the player with the highest kills when the time runs out winning. A team variation of this involves the same principle. The third game mode is "last man standing", in which each player has a limited amount of respawns, with players losing a life when they are killed. Eventually, all but one player will be eliminated from the game, leaving the survivor as the winner. The final game mode is "tournament", in which two players fight each other while the other players watch as spectators. The victor of the battle remains in the arena, facing each other player one at a time until the winner of previous rounds is defeated. The loser then moves to the spectators and the new winner remains to fight the next player.[13] The Xbox version of Doom 3 also incorporates an additional two-player co-operative mode for the main single-player game.

As of April 15, 2010, the Xbox Live service was shut down, thus online multiplayer for the original Xbox game is no longer available.

Synopsis

[edit]

Setting

[edit]

Doom 3 is set on the planet Mars in the year 2145. According to the game's backstory, the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) has grown to become the largest corporate entity in existence with near-unlimited funds and has set up a research facility on Mars. At this base, the UAC are able to conduct research into several scientific areas, including advanced weapons development, biological research, space exploration and teleportation, outside of legal and moral boundaries.[14] As the player progresses through the game, they learn that the employees on the base are unsettled due to a large number of incidents involving hearing voices, unexplained sightings and increasing cases of paranoia and insanity, often leading to fatal accidents with the facility's machinery. Rumors regarding the nature of experiments in the UAC's Delta Labs division are especially prevalent among the base's employees.

Much of Doom 3's story and dialogue were written by author Matthew J. Costello.[8]

Characters

[edit]

There are five main characters in Doom 3. The player assumes the role of an anonymous Space Marine corporal who has just arrived on the UAC's Mars base. The player's non-commissioned officer in-charge is Master Sergeant Thomas Kelly (voiced by Neil Ross[15]) who gives the player objectives and advice over the player's radio for the first half of the game. The antagonist in the story is Dr. Malcolm Betruger (Philip L. Clarke[15]), the head scientist of the UAC's enigmatic Delta Labs division, who is revealed to be working in collaboration with the forces of Hell to cause the subjugation of humanity, and his demonic voice frequently taunts the player as the game progresses. The final two principal characters are Elliott Swann (Charles Dennis[15]), a representative of the UAC's board of directors, and Jack Campbell (Andy Chanley[15]), a space marine who acts as Swann's enforcer and is armed with a BFG 9000. Swann is sent to Mars to check up on Betruger's research and investigate the rising number of accidents on the base after a request for assistance from a whistleblower. Swann is almost always accompanied by Campbell, and the two are often shown in the game to be a few steps ahead of the player but cannot be reached and directly communicated with until late in the game.[8] The game also incorporates a large host of minor characters who add details to the story or assist the player in certain segments. The player encounters multiple scientists involved in the various research and development programs and archaeological digs through the UAC base, as well as fellow marines and security guards. Civilian employees engaged in bureaucratic work and maintenance workers are also seen.

Plot

[edit]

UAC board member Elliott Swann, his bodyguard Jack Campbell, and a recently transferred Marine arrive at Mars City, the main access to the UAC's Mars base. Sent to investigate multiple incidents involving the Delta Complex, Swann has a tense meeting with facility director Dr. Malcolm Betruger while the Marine reports to Master Sergeant Thomas Kelly for orders.[16] Kelly orders the Marine to find a scientist from the Delta Labs who has gone missing.[17] The marine finds the scientist in a decommissioned communications facility, where he is frantically trying to send a warning to the UAC on Earth about Betruger's teleportation experiments.[18] However, as he tries to explain the situation to the marine, another teleportation test takes place but loses containment, at which point the entire Mars base is swept with a shockwave. The forces of Hell invade through the teleporter's portal and transform most of the base's personnel into zombies.

Much of Doom 3, such as this section in the Delta Labs, was planned using storyboards.

Now forced to fend off attacks from zombified base personnel and demons from Hell, the Marine returns to Mars City, where Kelly gives him orders to link up with another squad of marines and get a transmission card containing a distress call to the main communications facility to call for reinforcements. As the Marine progresses through the base, he learns that Swann and Campbell have survived and are also en route to the communications facility to prevent any messages being sent in order to contain the situation on Mars. The marine squad is ambushed by demons and slaughtered in the EnPro Plant, and although the Marine recovers the transmission card, he is too late to prevent the bulk of equipment at the communications facility being destroyed by Campbell.[19] However, Kelly directs the Marine to a backup system, where the Marine is given the choice of whether to obey Kelly's orders to send for reinforcements, or accept Swann's argument to keep Mars isolated until the nature of the invasion is understood, so as not to endanger Earth.[20][21] The Marine is told to go to the Delta Labs by Kelly or Swann, depending on whether the transmission is sent or not.

On the way to the Delta Labs, the Marine is contacted by Betruger, who is now shown to be working in cooperation with Hell in order to invade Earth. If the Marine did not send the distress call to Earth, Betruger does so himself, hoping to use the ships bringing reinforcements to transport the demons to Earth.[22] Betruger then unsuccessfully attempts to kill the Marine using the toxic gases in the base's recycling facilities. Upon arriving at the Delta Labs, the Marine learns of the details behind the teleportation experiments, expeditions into Hell to retrieve specimens and Betruger's increasing obsession with the tests, as well as of a xenoarchaeological dig under the surface of Mars. The dig is excavating the ruins of an ancient civilization discovered on Mars and has produced a relic known as the Soul Cube. According to a scientist the Marine finds in the labs, the Soul Cube is a weapon created by the ancient civilization to defend against the forces of Hell. The scientist also reveals that the invasion began when Betruger took the Soul Cube into the portal at the beginning of the game, depositing it in Hell.[23] The Marine pursues Betruger through the labs, but is pulled into the main teleportation portal after being lured into a trap by Betruger.

The portal takes the Marine directly into Hell, where he proceeds to fight his way through a large number of demons to the Soul Cube, defeating its demonic guardian. The Marine is then able to reinitialize the teleportation equipment left by previous research expeditions and return to the Delta Labs. Betruger, however, tells the Marine that although the main UAC teleporter has been destroyed, Hell is opening a Hellmouth on Mars, capable of bringing millions of demons to Mars.[24] The Marine encounters the injured Swann, who informs him that Kelly has been working with Hell for possibly the whole time, and has been transformed by the demons.[25] Telling the Marine that Campbell has gone after Kelly, Swann gives the marine his PDA containing information on the location on the Hellmouth under the surface of Mars and says that he will try to make his way out of the base alone.

However, when the Marine catches up with Campbell in the central computer processing sector of the base, Campbell is mortally wounded; before expiring, he says that Kelly has taken Campbell's BFG 9000 weapon.[26] Kelly then begins to taunt the marine in a demonic voice.[27] The Marine eventually faces off with Kelly in the central computer core, revealing Kelly has become a cyborg grafted onto a tank-like base. The Marine is able to kill Kelly and takes the BFG 9000 before proceeding deeper under the Martian surface to Site 3, the archaeological dig site where the Soul Cube was unearthed. At the primary excavation site, the Marine discovers the Hellmouth, defended by Hell's mightiest warrior, the Cyberdemon. Using the Soul Cube, the Marine defeats the Cyberdemon, and the Soul Cube then seals the Hellmouth. The ending cut scene shows the reinforcements from Earth arriving at the base to discover the carnage. They find the Marine alive but discover that Swann has died from his injuries. They are unable to locate Betruger, who in the final scene is shown in Hell, reincarnated as a dragon-like demon.[28]

The Lost Mission

[edit]

The player takes the role of the last surviving member of Bravo team, which was seen being ambushed by demons in Doom 3. The Bravo team survivor is contacted by Dr. Richard Meyers (voiced by Paul Eiding), a scientist working on teleportation experiments in Exis Labs, and asked to help Meyers destroy an experimental teleportation array that was captured by the demons and is currently held deep inside Hell. The array is potentially powerful enough to send an army of demons all the way to Earth, hence Meyers' desperation to destroy it. To achieve this goal, the marine must acquire the components necessary to activate the Exis Labs teleportation system, then travel to Hell in order to destroy the teleportation array. In the epilogue, the marine is teleported by Dr. Meyers back to Mars. The reinforcements from Earth arrive to search for another marine who is still missing; eventually, they find him in the Delta Labs complex.[29]

Development

[edit]

Production

[edit]
The game engine powering Doom 3 was created by John Carmack, who also spurred the initial planning of the project.

In June 2000, id Software's game engine designer John Carmack, posted an internal company plan announcing a remake of Doom using next generation technology.[30] This plan revealed controversy had been growing within id Software over remaking Doom. Kevin Cloud and Adrian Carmack, two of id Software's owners, were always strongly opposed to remaking Doom, believing that id was going back to the same formulas and properties too often. However, after the positive reception to Return to Castle Wolfenstein and the latest improvements in rendering technology, most of the employees agreed that a remake was the right idea and presented the two owners with an ultimatum: allow them to remake Doom or fire them. After the reasonably amicable confrontation (although artist Paul Steed, one of the instigators, was fired in retaliation),[30] the agreement to work on Doom 3 was made. id Software began development on Doom 3 in late 2000, immediately after finishing Quake III: Team Arena.[31] The game was made by 20 to 22 people.[32][33] The game's development budget was $10 million.[34] In 2004, John Carmack estimated that the total cost was as much as $14 million.[35] In February 2001, it was unveiled to the public by Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple at the time when it unveiled) in Macworld Conference & Expo/Tokyo 2001 along with the GeForce 3 at Makuhari Messe[36] and was later demonstrated at E3 2002 at LACC, where a fifteen-minute gameplay demo was shown. It won five awards at E3 that year.[37]

Early in Doom 3's development, Trent Reznor of the band Nine Inch Nails, a fan of the Doom games and composer for id's earlier title Quake,[38] was set to compose the music and sound effects to Doom 3. However, due to "time, money and bad management",[38] none of Trent Reznor's sound effects or music made the final product. Eventually, Nine Inch Nails' former drummer, Chris Vrenna, produced and fellow Tweaker band member Clint Walsh composed the game's soundtrack.[39][40]

We never really did come to an actual agreement with Trent. The original idea was just for him to do all of the sound design for the game. I don't think Trent anticipated how long and how involved that process was and what is involved in game design versus what he does in the music and production side. It just wasn't a good mix with how much time it was going to take him, the value it was going to provide to the game, and what we could afford to pay. Trent's a popular guy. He's a rock star, and his time is valued in rock star dollars.

— Todd Hollenshead the CEO of id Software, The Making of Doom 3[41]

Doom 3 was also intended to be more storyline-focused than previous id titles, as was demonstrated by the developers' conscious effort to have more professional voice acting.[42] Late in 2002, two employees at ATI Technologies leaked a development version of Doom 3 onto the Internet.[43] One year later, a new trailer was shown at E3 2003 and soon afterwards id Software's website was updated to showcase Doom 3 as an upcoming project, although it was also announced that Doom 3 would not be ready for the 2003 holiday season. According to John Carmack, the development took longer than expected. The developer Splash Damage assisted in design for the multiplayer elements of the game.[44] Around 3,000 beta testers on site provided feedback via QuakeCon.[45] The game's crunch period was between January and August 2004.[46]

Technology

[edit]
The shadowing effects of the unified lighting and shadowing engine applied on a group of zombies

According to John Carmack, the lead graphics engine developer at id Software, the technology of Doom 3 was supported by three primary features: unified lighting and shadowing, complex animations and scripting that showed real-time with fully dynamic per-pixel lighting and stencil shadowing, and GUI surfaces that add extra interactivity to the game.[47] The key advance of the id Tech 4 graphics engine developed for Doom 3 is the unified lighting and shadowing. Rather than computing or rendering lightmaps during map creation and saving that information in the map data, most light sources are computed in real-time. This allows lights to cast shadows even on non-static objects such as monsters and machinery, which was impossible with static non-directional lightmaps. A shortcoming of this approach is the engine's inability to render soft shadows and global illumination.[47]

To increase the interactivity with the game world, id Software designed hundreds of high-resolution animated screens for in-game computers. Rather than using a simple "use key" to operate these computers, the crosshair acts as a mouse cursor over the screens allowing the player to use a computer in the game world. This allows for an in-game computer terminal to perform more than one function, from operating security door codes, activating machinery, toggling lights or unlocking weapons lockers. According to the Doom 3 manual, GUI designer Patrick Duffy wrote over 500,000 lines of script code, and generated more than 25,000 image files to create all of the graphical interfaces, computer screens, and displays throughout Doom 3.[48] Other important features of the game engine are normal mapping and specular highlighting of textures, realistic handling of object physics, a dynamic, ambient soundtrack, and multi-channel sound. Doom 3 on Xbox supports 480p widescreen video display resolution and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.[49]

Release

[edit]

Doom 3 achieved gold status on July 14, 2004[50] and a Mac OS X release was confirmed the next day.[51] Doom 3 was released in the United States on August 3, 2004, and to the rest of the world on August 13. Due to high demand, the game was made available at select outlets at midnight on the date of release. Additionally, a Linux version was released on October 4, 2004, by Timothee Besset. The Mac OS X version was released on March 14, 2005, and on February 20, 2006, the patch 1.3 Rev A included a universal binary, adding support for Mac OS X on the x86 architecture.[52] Finally, the modified Xbox conversion was released on April 4, 2005, featuring a limited steel book edition and two games including The Ultimate Doom and Doom II: Hell on Earth.[53]

A week before the game's release, it became known that an agreement to include EAX audio technology in Doom 3 reached by id Software and Creative Labs was heavily influenced by a software patent owned by the latter company. The patent dealt with a technique for rendering shadows called Carmack's Reverse, which was developed independently by both John Carmack and programmers at Creative Labs. id Software would have placed themselves under legal liability for using the technique in the finished game, so to defuse the issue, id Software agreed to license Creative Labs sound technologies in exchange for indemnification against lawsuits.[54]

During the keynote address at QuakeCon 2011, John Carmack announced that the source code for the Doom 3 engine would be released.[55] The source code was open-sourced under the GNU GPL-3.0-or-later on November 22, 2011. It contains minor tweaks to the shadow rendering code to avoid potential patent infringement with a patent held by Creative Labs. Art assets such as 3D models, music, sound effects etc. remain subject to the EULA.

Downloadable content

[edit]

On April 4, 2005, eight months after the release of Doom 3, id Software released an expansion pack for Doom 3 on Windows.[53][56] The expansion, entitled Resurrection of Evil, was developed by Nerve Software, a company that had partnered with id Software on several other projects, including Return to Castle Wolfenstein and the Xbox conversion of Doom. Once again published by Activision, a Linux version was released on May 24, 2005, and an Xbox version followed on October 5, 2005.[57] The expansion featured a new twelve-level single-player campaign, set two years after the original storyline, as well as three new weapons, one of which is geared towards manipulating the physics in the game. Several new enemy characters were also introduced. Multiplayer gameplay was enhanced, officially increasing the player limit to eight and adding new game modes such as capture the flag.[58] Resurrection of Evil's reception was not as positive as it had been for Doom 3 but still received generally favorable reviews from the industry's critics.[59]

Mobile version

[edit]

In 2009, Escalation Studios released a spin-off of Doom 3 for iOS called Doom Resurrection. It is a rail shooter much like Time Crisis or The House of the Dead. It was removed from the App Store a few years later.

BFG Edition

[edit]
Cover art of the BFG Edition

A re-release of Doom 3 called Doom 3: BFG Edition, published by Bethesda Softworks, was released on October 15, 2012 in Australia, October 16, 2012 in North America,[60] and October 19, 2012 in Europe. It features enhanced graphics, better sound with more horror effects, a checkpoint save system, support for 3D displays and HMDs, and the ability to use the flashlight while holding a weapon, in the form of a so-called "armor-mounted flashlight".[61] Also included are the previous expansion pack Resurrection of Evil, a new single-player expansion called The Lost Mission, and copies of the original Doom (the Ultimate Doom edition with the add-on fourth episode Thy Flesh Consumed) and Doom II (with the expansion No Rest for the Living, previously available only for the Xbox 360). The versions of Doom and Doom II released with the BFG Edition have undergone cultural sensitivity censorship.[62] PC versions of Doom 3: BFG Edition other than the GOG.com release require the Steam client and a valid Steam account for installation, play and achievements.

On June 4, 2015, Doom 3: BFG Edition was released for Nvidia Shield Tablet and Nvidia Shield TV without online multiplayer. On July 26, 2019, Doom 3: BFG Edition was released under the name Doom 3 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One without online multiplayer.[63] On March 29, 2021, Doom 3: BFG Edition was released as Doom 3: VR Edition for PlayStation 4 via PlayStation VR without online multiplayer.

Reception

[edit]

Critical

[edit]

Doom 3 received a favorable reception from critics, with the PC version of the game holding an 87 percent score[66] and an 88 percent score[64] at the review compilation sites Metacritic and GameRankings respectively. Much praise was given to the quality of Doom 3's graphics and presentation; GameSpot described the game's environments as "convincingly lifelike, densely atmospheric, and surprisingly expansive",[12] while PC Gamer UK described the graphics and non-player character modeling and animation as simply "flawless", stating that Doom 3 signaled the return of the Doom franchise to the forefront of the computer and video game industry, eleven years after the release of the original Doom.[7] IGN's Dan Adams noted that the game's presentation comprised a remarkably high proportion of the game, stating that "without the atmosphere, Doom 3 is a plain shooter that hearkens back to those of the '90s."[11] In addition, several reviewers praised id Software for making the game still look surprisingly good even on lower graphics levels.[70][11]

A number of reviewers also praised the attention paid to the game's premise and setting; GameSpot's Greg Kasavin described getting "the impression that Doom 3 takes place in a fully realized world"[12] while IGN noted that "the UAC base also has a very worn and lived-in feel that adds to the realism."[11] Eurogamer in particular pointed out that the game's opening sequence "feels like a fitting tribute to the excellent ideas" of Valve's genre-defining Half-Life.[72]

Many reviewers noted that Doom 3 stuck with a similar "run and gun" gameplay style that was successful with its predecessors, and the game was alternately praised and criticized for this element. Several reviews were critical of a perceived repetitiveness in gameplay after a while.[70][12] In addition, the game's artificial intelligence was not regarded as particularly challenging, with GameSpot noting that "enemies follow the same sorts of predictable patterns that [players] may remember from previous Doom games"[12] while GameSpy stated the way enemies would spawn to attack the player was "gimmicky"; the reviewer noted that players would realize that picking up a lone armor vest would cause a variety of zombies to emerge from hidden compartments in the dark.[10] In addition, several reviewers noted that the game's methods of conveying the story were "ineffectual", compounded by the lack of an identity for the player character.[12] Finally, the game's multiplayer was seen as lacking in innovation, with its low player limits and small number of game modes, particularly in contrast to id Software's influential Quake III Arena.[10][11][12]

The Xbox version of Doom 3 received a similar level of critical support, holding a score of 88 percent on Metacritic[67] and an 87.7 percent score on GameRankings.[65] The game was praised and faulted on many of the same issues as the PC version,[74] although the game was praised for maintaining smooth and user-friendly controls on a gamepad, as well as for including a two player co-operative multiplayer mode, which IGN described as "worth the price of admission alone."[76] However, some criticism was directed towards slowdowns in play due to the game engine, despite being scaled down for the Xbox, still being demanding on the Xbox hardware.[76]

GameSpot named Doom 3 the best computer game of August 2004,[80] and later gave the game its annual "Best Graphics, Technical" prize.[81] Computer Games Magazine nominated the game for its "Best Technology" award in 2005, which ultimately went to Half-Life 2.[82] During the 8th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Doom 3 for "Computer Game of the Year", "Computer First-Person Action Game of the Year", "Outstanding Innovation in Computer Gaming", and outstanding achievement in "Art Direction", "Sound Design", and "Visual Engineering".[83]

BFG Edition

[edit]

The BFG Edition received mixed reviews in comparison. The rework of the graphics and sound design, and inclusion of the new Lost Mission content were praised. Most criticisms were aimed toward long loading times, forced auto-saves, and a control scheme which forces the player to cycle through their weapons continuously instead of bound to hotkeys as in the original release.

Sales

[edit]

Doom 3 was a commercial success for id Software. id expected to sell 4 million copies of the game.[91] In the United States, the computer version sold 760,000 copies and earned $32.4 million (~$48.4 million in 2024) by August 2006. It was the country's 16th best-selling computer game between January 2000 and August 2006.[92] Its computer version also received a "Gold" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[93] indicating sales of at least 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[94] By the beginning of 2007, over 3.5 million copies of Doom 3 had been sold worldwide (compared to 2–3 million copies sold for the original Doom and 2 million for Doom II),[95][96][97] making it the most successful project by id Software at the time.[98][99][100]

Legacy

[edit]

In early 2008, a new series of Doom novels by Matthew J. Costello were published, an author who had worked on the story and scripts for Doom 3 and Resurrection of Evil; previous Doom novels had expanded the storyline of the original two Doom games. The series of books aims to novelize the story of Doom 3, with the first installment, Worlds on Fire, published on February 26, 2008.[101] The second book in the series, Maelstrom, was released in March 2009.[102]

The game engine for Doom 3, id Tech 4, has been licensed out for the use of other developers, such as in Human Head Studios' Prey, Raven Software's Quake 4, Splash Damage's Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Raven Software's Wolfenstein, and Splash Damage's Brink; however id Tech 4 has not been widely licensed compared to Epic Games' Unreal Engine.[103] On November 22, 2011, the source code of the engine was released under the GNU GPL-3.0-or-later, but the game's artwork content still remains under the EULA. A later source code drop also included the changes made for the BFG Edition, allowing the re-release to potentially be ported to other previously unsupported platforms such as Linux and OS X,[104] and such a port was eventually released.[105]

Doom (2016)

[edit]

id Software eventually went on to release another title in the series, this time following the series' original roots in minimal storytelling and fast-paced action. Development was announced in 2008, then slated to run on the id Tech 5 engine and initially titled Doom 4.[106] Titled just Doom and powered by the id Tech 6, the game was released in 2016 by Bethesda Softworks for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 with cross-platform support in its "Snapmap" multiplayer mode. A Nintendo Switch version was released in 2017. It is considered a continuation of the original Doom storyline.

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Doom 3 is a developed by and published by , initially released for Windows on August 3, 2004. A of the 1993 classic Doom, it is set in the year 2145 at the Union Aerospace Corporation's (UAC) research facility on Mars, where the player assumes the role of an unnamed marine fighting to survive and escape a sudden demonic triggered by the UAC's experimental that inadvertently opens a portal to . Developed over four years by a team of around 18 members, Doom 3 marked a significant evolution for the series, shifting from the fast-paced arcade-style action of its predecessors to a slower, more atmospheric horror experience emphasizing tension, exploration, and survival. The game was powered by the newly created engine, which introduced groundbreaking features like fully dynamic per-pixel lighting and real-time shadows cast by a single light source at a time, alongside advanced for enhanced texture detail, setting new standards for graphical realism in video games at the time. Upon release, Doom 3 received widespread critical acclaim for its technological achievements and immersive atmosphere, earning a score of 87/100, though some reviewers noted criticisms regarding its deliberate pacing and limited enemy variety compared to earlier Doom titles. An expansion pack, Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil, developed by and published by , followed on April 4, 2005, continuing the story with new weapons, enemies, and levels set three hours after the original game's events. The game was later ported to in 2005 and in 2004, with a remastered Doom 3: BFG Edition—including improved rendering, checkpoints, and bundled classic Doom games—released by on October 16, 2012, for , , and PC. Further re-releases came in 2019 for , , and under the simplified title Doom 3, and a virtual reality adaptation, Doom 3: VR Edition, launched for and other VR platforms in March 2021, enhancing the horror elements with immersive headset support. Doom 3's innovative engine and design influenced subsequent horror shooters and id Software's future titles, solidifying its legacy as a pivotal entry in the franchise.

Gameplay

Single-player campaign

The single-player campaign of Doom 3 places players in the role of a marine exploring the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) research facility on Mars, where an demonic invasion has overrun the installation. The core gameplay loop revolves around navigating dimly lit corridors and rooms, scavenging for resources, solving environmental challenges to progress, and engaging in tense combat encounters against waves of hellish enemies. Dynamic lighting is a key feature, with most areas shrouded in darkness that limits visibility and heightens the atmosphere; players must frequently use a handheld to reveal surroundings, but it cannot be equipped simultaneously with a , forcing quick switches during fights to spot threats or aim accurately. Health and armor management underscore the game's emphasis on resource scarcity and vulnerability. is restored through pickups like medkits or by interacting with health stations that dispense limited charges, while armor shards provide temporary protection that absorbs a portion of incoming before depleting. is deliberately limited, encouraging players to conserve shots, prioritize weak enemies, and use options sparingly, which amplifies the horror elements by making every encounter feel precarious and deliberate. Level design blends linear progression through facility sectors with pockets of non-linearity for , such as optional side rooms containing audio logs, PDAs with keycodes, or extra supplies. Environmental puzzles involve activating machinery, aligning power conduits, or locating keycards to unlock secured doors and elevators, often punctuated by scripted events like sudden portals or collapsing structures that trigger ambushes. These elements create a paced of cautious advancement interrupted by intense skirmishes. Enemy behaviors in single-player are designed to exploit the dark environments and tight spaces, with AI that includes patrolling, flanking, or charging directly at the player. Common foes exhibit varied tactics: zombies shamble forward for attacks or sporadically fire pistols from cover, imps scuttle along walls to hurl fireballs from elevated positions, and larger threats like Hell Knights deliver powerful charges while absorbing significant punishment. Boss fights cap major sections, requiring players to exploit arena-specific , such as dodging area attacks or targeting weak points amid summoned minions—for instance, the Cyberdemon's rocket barrages demand mobile cover usage in open chambers. The campaign consists of 27 interconnected levels, spanning approximately 11 to 15 hours for a standard playthrough focused on main objectives.

Multiplayer mode

Doom 3's multiplayer mode supports up to eight players in competitive online and local matches, emphasizing fast-paced arena combat with a focus on the game's shared arsenal of weapons from the single-player campaign. The mode includes four primary game types: Deathmatch, where players compete individually for the highest kill count; Team Deathmatch, pitting two teams against each other; Tournament, a one-on-one format; and , introduced in the Resurrection of Evil expansion, requiring teams to steal and return an enemy flag while defending their own. These modes promote replayability through skill-based confrontations, contrasting the campaign's emphasis on exploration and AI enemies. Multiplayer maps are compact, arena-style environments derived from UAC facility locations in the campaign but redesigned for symmetric, combat-optimized layouts to ensure fair play and fluid movement. Examples include , a multi-level industrial area with conveyor belts and tight corridors for ambushes, and the Enpro Sector, featuring elevated platforms and energy conduits for vertical flanking maneuvers. Other notable maps such as Delta Labs and Frag Chamber incorporate hazardous elements like low gravity zones and explosive hazards to encourage strategic positioning without relying on campaign-specific puzzles. Players begin matches with basic equipment like the and fists, allowing them to scavenge weapons such as the , , and plasma rifle from map pickups, with no predefined custom loadouts but options for server admins to restrict or balance arsenals. Power-ups like Quad Damage, which multiplies weapon damage by four for 30 seconds, and , rendering the player partially transparent to reduce enemy visibility, spawn periodically to create temporary advantages and shift match dynamics. Bot support is not included officially but is enabled through modifications like SABot, permitting AI opponents for practice or offline sessions. The networking system employs a , supporting dedicated servers for stable hosting beyond the base four-player limit, with built-in lag compensation to rewind server states and align hit detection for remote players, mitigating latency effects in fast . Initial release featured server browser limitations, such as incorrect sorting and failure to display low-ping servers, which caused frustrations. These were addressed in patch 1.1, alongside balance adjustments including reduced chaingun damage to 25 per shot, increased self-damage for risk-reward tuning, and fixes to inconsistencies. Subsequent patch 1.3.1 introduced minor weapon reliability improvements, like consistent audio cues for firing, and anti-cheat integration to maintain fair play, with server configurations allowing custom map rotations for varied sessions.

Synopsis

Setting and characters

Doom 3 takes place in 2145 at the Union Aerospace Corporation's (UAC) expansive research facility on Mars, a remote outpost operated by the multiplanetary conglomerate to advance technologies like , , and plasma energy production. The UAC's operations blend corporate efficiency with high-stakes scientific exploration, but the facility's experiments—particularly those involving interdimensional travel—unwittingly tap into ancient Martian artifacts containing lore about demons from Hell, setting the stage for a catastrophic that merges sci-fi intrigue with supernatural horror. Key locations within the complex highlight the UAC's infrastructure and the escalating threat, including Mars City as the primary administrative and arrival hub with security checkpoints and personnel quarters; Alpha Labs, a sector dedicated to biological research and particle acceleration experiments; the Communications Tower, a vital structure for relaying signals to ; and scattered portal sites that manifest as unstable gateways linking the facility to the demonic realm. These areas feature sterile, high-tech environments like pressurized labs and systems, increasingly corrupted by infernal influences. The protagonist is an unnamed UAC Marine, a stoic and battle-hardened soldier assigned to the facility's security detail, whose silent heroism drives the response to without spoken or backstory. Serving as the primary antagonist, Dr. Malcolm Betruger is the UAC's ambitious research director, whose dissatisfaction with corporate oversight leads him to secretly forge a pact with Hell's demons in exchange for immense power, ultimately transforming him into the cyber-demon Maledict. Supporting allies include Sergeant Thomas Kelly (Sarge), a grizzled providing radio encouragement and tactical advice, and Jack Campbell, the no-nonsense security chief who coordinates defenses from the . Sergeant Thomas Kelly is later captured during the demonic invasion and transformed off-screen by Hell's forces into Sabaoth, a cybernetic demon boss. His upper human torso is fused to a massive tank-like mechanical lower body equipped with weapons including a plasma cannon and BFG-like energy blasts. Sabaoth appears as the third boss in the Central Processing: Primary Server Bank level. The facility's scientists, such as Dr. Elizabeth McNeil—a determined researcher echoing the resilient archetype of —represent the human cost of unchecked ambition, often voicing concerns about ethical breaches in UAC tests.

Main plot

In 2145, the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) operates a sprawling research complex on Mars, where scientists excavate ancient ruins to harness advanced teleportation technology derived from mysterious artifacts. The player assumes the role of an unnamed UAC marine recently transferred to the Mars City station for routine security assignment. Shortly after arrival and reporting to the communications tower, alarms sound as the facility enters full lockdown amid reports of anomalous energy spikes and initial violent incidents, signaling the onset of a demonic incursion. As chaos engulfs the base, navigates darkened hallways and laboratories, battling from possessed civilians, imps, and other hellish creatures emerging from rifts. Through collected personal digital assistants (PDAs) and audio logs, the marine uncovers evidence of UAC's reckless experiments that have destabilized . A pivotal discovery is the Soul Cube, an ancient Martian relic capable of instantly killing most demons by channeling spiritual energy, which the marine acquires to counter the overwhelming threats. The logs reveal Dr. Malcolm Betruger, the ambitious director of the archaeological team, as the architect of the catastrophe; driven by a desire for power, he has secretly allied with Hell's forces to widen the portals, betraying his colleagues and dooming the facility. The escalation leads the marine to the heart of the invasion at Delta Complex, where unstable teleportation devices serve as gateways to . In Central Processing: Primary Server Bank, he confronts Sergeant Thomas Kelly, who has been captured off-screen and transformed by Hell's forces into the cybernetic demon Sabaoth. Pursuing Betruger, who flees into the infernal dimension, the marine traverses hellish landscapes filled with grotesque abominations. The climax unfolds in a confrontation with the Cyberdemon, a colossal cybernetic guarding the realm's core, which the marine defeats by leveraging the empowered Soul Cube to sever its vital connections. Escaping back through a collapsing portal to the Mars surface, the marine activates an emergency UAC vessel bound for , but intercepted transmissions confirm Betruger's success in breaching a new gateway toward the planet, leaving the invasion's full scope unresolved and humanity imperiled. The storyline underscores isolation amid the facility's oppressive, light-scarce environments, the perils of corporate overreach in tampering with forbidden dimensions, and the protagonist's unyielding fight for against inexorable demonic hordes.

Resurrection of Evil

Resurrection of Evil serves as a direct sequel to the events of the base game, set two years after the demonic invasion, where the unnamed protagonist—a UAC combat engineer—awakens amid the ruins on Mars following a new expedition's activation of an ancient artifact. A new UAC expedition, dispatched to investigate a mysterious signal detected from an orbital probe originating at the abandoned Site 1 facility, uncovers an ancient Martian artifact buried in a subterranean temple. Led by Dr. Elizabeth McNeil, the team activates the device, which unleashes a fresh portal to Hell and revives the demonic forces, corrupting the site and slaughtering most personnel. The narrative centers on the engineer's desperate hunt for the Artifact, a powerful capable of capturing souls from defeated enemies to fuel three demonic abilities: temporary invulnerability, strength, and enhanced speed. Guided via radio by the surviving Dr. McNeil, whose research provides crucial insights into the Artifact including its corrupting influence, the navigates demon-infested UAC complexes, including the newly introduced facility, battling revived threats like zombies and imps alongside novel adversaries such as the agile and the hulking Hell Knight variants. Encounters escalate with the introduction of the Hell Hunter, a formidable cybernetic demon that adapts through three phases—standard assault, charges, and invulnerability shielding—demanding strategic use of the environment and weaponry. As the story progresses, themes of the Artifact's moral peril emerge, portraying it as a double-edged tool that amplifies power while eroding the user's humanity, underscoring the persistent demonic menace threatening humanity's foothold on Mars. The campaign integrates seamlessly with the base game's conclusion, extending the into fresh hellish depths without retreading prior territory. New armaments enhance combat variety, including the Grabber—a gravity-manipulating device that yanks distant objects or foes for improvised attacks—and the iconic double-barrel shotgun, evoking classic Doom weaponry while fitting the engine's mechanics. The climax unfolds in the infernal realms accessed via the Artifact's portals, culminating in a brutal confrontation against the Maledict, a colossal cybernetic and the transformed form of Dr. Betruger serving as the invasion's sentinel. Harnessing the device's soul-charged powers, the defeats the Maledict and employs the Artifact to permanently seal the hellgates, averting . This resolution reinforces the expansion's 5-6 hour runtime, delivering a compact yet intense extension of the Doom 3 universe focused on relentless action and atmospheric dread.

The Lost Mission

The Lost Mission is a self-contained campaign added exclusively to Doom 3: BFG Edition, presenting a side story that unfolds parallel to the primary events of the original Doom 3 invasion on the UAC Mars facility. Players control a surviving member of Bravo Team, a Delta Labs security unit dispatched to investigate initial outbreaks of demonic activity shortly after the portal to Hell opens. This narrative branch explores the team's desperate struggle through overrun sectors, diverging from the main protagonist's path while tying into the broader demonic incursion. In the plot, Bravo Team pushes into restricted zones of the UAC complex, including uncharted maintenance and research areas, to contain the spreading chaos and locate key personnel. As they progress, the team uncovers evidence of clandestine UAC experiments involving ancient artifacts and interdimensional rifts, which accelerated the demon invasion. Encounters escalate with variants of familiar demons, such as enhanced imps and hell knights, alongside new environmental hazards in the facility's depths and eventual descent into Hell-like realms. The campaign spans eight levels, emphasizing rapid combat sequences over puzzle-solving, and concludes with the protagonist repelling a massive demonic assault by defeating the Guardian of Hell, securing a narrow evacuation. The Soul Cube is available only on Nightmare difficulty. Running approximately two to three hours in length, The Lost Mission delves into themes of hidden corporate conspiracies and the human cost of unchecked scientific ambition within the UAC, revealing fragments of Dr. Malcolm Betruger's manipulations without altering the core storyline. Though it expands the Doom 3 universe with fresh lore on the invasion's early hours, the content is positioned as supplementary, non-essential to the series' overarching continuity. This bonus chapter was designed to leverage BFG Edition's graphical and control enhancements for a more action-oriented experience.

Development

Concept and pre-production

Following the success of Doom II in 1994, id Software sought to reboot the franchise with a more narrative-driven experience, shifting away from the series' original emphasis on fast-paced arcade-style action toward a horror-focused . This vision was spearheaded by technical director , who on June 1, 2000, announced in his public .plan file that Doom 3 would be the company's next project, positioning it as a utilizing next-generation technology to enhance immersion and atmosphere. Development began in late 2000, immediately after finishing Quake III Team Arena. The reboot drew significant inspiration from contemporary titles like System Shock 2 (1999) and Half-Life (1998), which demonstrated how first-person shooters could integrate compelling storytelling, environmental narrative elements such as audio logs, and tense horror mechanics without sacrificing core combat. Key design decisions emphasized building suspense through dark, claustrophobic environments on a Mars research facility, prioritizing atmospheric dread over relentless speedruns; a central innovation was the flashlight mechanic, which forced players to choose between illumination and weaponry, heightening vulnerability in low-light encounters and reinforcing the horror tone. The limitation stemmed partly from early technical constraints in rendering dynamic shadows and lights, but was retained to amplify tension. With original co-founder having departed in 1996 to form , the team was led by Carmack on the technological side, alongside a core group of around 20 developers including programmers, artists, and designers. Narrative development involved hiring science-fiction author Matthew J. Costello to craft the script, incorporating detailed lore through PDAs, emails, and voice logs to deepen the story of demonic at the Union Aerospace Corporation (UAC) base. focused on prototyping these mechanics and iterating on level designs to balance horror pacing with action sequences from mid-2000 to early 2002. Challenges during this phase included reconciling the franchise's action heritage with slower, fear-inducing gameplay, as the team grappled with early script drafts to ensure narrative cohesion amid technical experimentation. A pivotal milestone came at E3 2002, where id unveiled a playable demo showcasing the engine's advanced lighting and shadows, which served as the technical foundation for the horror elements and generated significant industry buzz. Despite internal debates over pacing, these efforts solidified Doom 3 as a deliberate evolution toward within the FPS genre.

Id Tech 4 engine

The engine, developed by primarily under John Carmack's technical direction, introduced a unified and shadowing system that represented a in real-time rendering for video games. This system used stencil shadow volumes to generate dynamic shadows from all light sources in a single, integrated process, eliminating the reliance on static lightmaps common in earlier engines like id Tech 3. As a result, and shadows responded instantly to moving objects and environmental changes, creating immersive, horror-oriented atmospheres central to Doom 3's design. The engine's rendering pipeline centered on real-time per- lighting, where illumination calculations occurred at the level for greater accuracy and realism compared to vertex-based methods. allowed low-polygon models to appear highly detailed by simulating surface bumps and contours through texture-based perturbations to surface normals, reducing the need for expensive geometry while maintaining visual complexity. This approach, combined with specular and diffuse mapping, enabled lifelike material properties without excessive computational overhead. To achieve seamless surfaces across large environments, employed mega-textures—vast, single images spanning entire levels—that were virtually paged into memory as needed, minimizing seams and pop-in while optimizing texture memory usage. Physics simulation was powered by id's custom system for and , enabling interactive elements like destructible objects and projectile trajectories that enhanced gameplay responsiveness. Audio integration featured 3D positional sound via the API, allowing sounds to propagate realistically based on distance, direction, and occlusion by , which amplified the game's tension through directional cues for enemy movements. Dynamic music cues transitioned between tracks in response to combat intensity and player actions, using layered audio stems for seamless blending without abrupt cuts. Among its innovations, 4's system utilized hierarchical bone structures to drive enemy and character deformations, supporting complex poses and transitions for more lifelike AI behaviors and player interactions. The particle effects subsystem handled gore, debris, and atmospheric elements like and sparks with physics-driven simulations, contributing to visceral feedback during combat and environmental storytelling. However, the engine's ambitious features imposed significant limitations, requiring graphics hardware with Pixel Shader 2.0 support and high capabilities to handle the multiple render passes needed for shadows per light source. This made it inaccessible to lower-end systems of the early , often resulting in performance bottlenecks in complex scenes. Multiplayer networking was not natively built into the core at launch, necessitating separate implementation for Doom 3's online modes, which added development overhead.

Production process

Full production on Doom 3 began in 2002 following work, continuing through 2004 until the game's release on August 3, 2004. A playable build was showcased at in late 2003, allowing for initial internal testing and refinements to mechanics. Beta testing incorporated external feedback from select testers in early 2004, helping to identify and address bugs and balance issues prior to launch. The development team comprised around 20 members, including programmers, artists, and designers at id Software's studio. Artists such as Kevin Cloud contributed to the visual style, focusing on detailed environments and character models to enhance the horror atmosphere. The sound team worked on immersive audio effects, including dynamic and environmental sounds to heighten tension during . The production faced several challenges, including intense crunch periods in spring 2004, where developers worked extended hours, sometimes staying at the office overnight in makeshift tents to meet deadlines. Balancing scripted cutscenes with interactive proved difficult, as the team aimed to maintain player agency while delivering narrative-driven horror elements. Asset optimization was another hurdle, requiring careful adjustments to textures and models to ensure the game ran smoothly on contemporary PC hardware without sacrificing visual fidelity. Key milestones included the integration of story elements into level design around mid-2003, which involved syncing beats with environmental . prototyping occurred iteratively throughout 2003, with playtesting to refine mechanics like reloading and usage for tactical depth. Final polish in early 2004 encompassed bug fixes and , culminating in post-launch patches to resolve multiplayer connectivity and stability issues. id Software funded the project internally, leveraging revenue from prior titles like , with an initial focus on PC exclusivity to target high-end gaming rigs before considering console ports.

Release

Initial platforms and dates

Doom 3 was initially released exclusively for Windows on August 3, 2004, in , followed by launches in on August 12 and on August 13. The game launched as a PC-only title, requiring a minimum system configuration including a 1.5 GHz IV or XP 1500+ processor, 384 MB of RAM, and a 64 MB graphics card compatible with 8.1 such as the NVIDIA 4 MX or better. served as the global publisher, handling distribution and promotion for what it described as its largest PC launch to date, including retail shipments and widespread marketing efforts to capitalize on the game's anticipation. The title received significant pre-release exposure through demos showcased at the in 2002 and 2003, building hype ahead of its debut. Following launch, released the 1.1 patch in late September 2004 to address issues such as multiplayer stability, crash fixes, and negative frag counts exceeding 64 in games.

Expansions and DLC

Doom 3 received one major titled Resurrection of Evil, which serves as a direct sequel to the base game's campaign. Developed primarily by in collaboration with , the expansion was released for Microsoft Windows on April 4, 2005, and for on October 5, 2005, by publisher . It introduces a new storyline set shortly after the events of the original Doom 3, where the protagonist, a UAC security officer, investigates a mysterious artifact on Mars that unleashes further demonic forces. The expansion features a self-contained campaign with five levels, emphasizing intense close-quarters combat and horror elements similar to the base game, but with enhanced mechanics like the introduction of the Artifact—a portable device granting temporary superhuman powers such as invulnerability, strength, and quad damage. New weapons include the Grabber (a telekinetic manipulator), a , and an advanced , while enemies expand the roster with variants like the Helltime Hunter (tracking ), Berserk Hunter (melee-focused), and Invulnerability Hunter (armored brute), culminating in a boss fight against the dragon-like Maledict. Multiplayer modes were also updated with eight new capture-the-flag maps and six additional demons for deathmatch. Nerve Software's involvement allowed id Software to focus on other projects while leveraging the engine for the expansion's development, which began concurrently with the final stages of Doom 3 to ensure seamless integration and quality. The pack is designed as a standalone purchase but requires ownership of the base game for full compatibility on PC, providing about 6-8 hours of single-player content—roughly half the length of the original campaign—yet praised for its focused pacing and fresh additions that extend the Doom 3 experience without redundancy. Beyond the expansion, Doom 3 received no significant or microtransactions, as the era predated widespread DLC models; instead, post-launch patches primarily addressed bugs, balanced gameplay, and improved AI without adding new maps, models, or campaigns. Critical reception for Resurrection of Evil was generally positive, earning a score of 78/100 across platforms, with reviewers noting its value as a concise yet thrilling supplement that revitalized the formula through innovative enemy behaviors and power-ups, despite its brevity.

BFG Edition

Doom 3: BFG Edition is a remastered version of the 2004 , developed by and published by . Released on October 16, 2012, in and October 19 in , it launched simultaneously for Microsoft Windows, , and Xbox 360. The package incorporates the original Doom 3 campaign, the Resurrection of Evil expansion pack, and an all-new eight-level single-player campaign titled The Lost Mission, which explores additional story elements set between the base game and expansion. This edition implements key gameplay alterations to address common criticisms of the original, including a checkpoint-based autosave system that replaces manual quicksaves for streamlined progression, and an armor-mounted that activates alongside handling, eliminating the need to switch between illumination and . Technical enhancements include support for 60 frames per second on consoles, improved rendering with reduced texture seams, and higher-fidelity audio via integration. Gore effects were moderated—such as limiting enemy and splatter—to comply with console ESRB ratings while maintaining the game's intense violence. Powered by an evolved iteration of the engine, incorporating select features like multi-threading for better performance and refined lighting calculations, the BFG Edition—informally dubbed id Tech 4.5—delivers smoother animations and enhanced visual depth without overhauling the core architecture. The console versions, optimized directly by , target consistent 60 FPS performance on seventh-generation hardware. Certain sequences were omitted to tighten pacing, notably the extended green-mist area in Resurrection of Evil's finale, which featured additional enemy encounters. Since its debut, Doom 3: BFG Edition has seen ongoing digital distribution through major storefronts, including where it remains available as a standalone title or bundled with the original Doom 3, and following a January 2018 release of the BFG Edition, with the original Doom 3 added in February 2023 and subsequent updates for modern compatibility. These re-releases facilitate seamless integration with current PC ecosystems, supporting controller inputs and high-resolution displays.

Mobile and other ports

The Android port of Doom 3: BFG Edition, developed by Lightspeed Studios, was released on June 4, 2015, initially for Shield devices and later made available more widely, incorporating on-screen virtual joysticks for movement and aiming, alongside support for controllers to mitigate touch input limitations. These adaptations prioritized fluid performance on compatible devices, achieving up to 60 frames per second in optimized scenarios, though with some graphical trade-offs like simplified shadows. The Android version is no longer available for purchase on the Store. No iOS port of Doom 3 was released. Fan-made ports exist but are unofficial. Beyond mobile, Doom 3 saw an Xbox port developed by Vicarious Visions and released on April 4, 2005, which included controller-optimized input schemes and support for widescreen resolution with 5.1 audio, though it omitted some PC-exclusive features like . and Mac OS X ports followed in 2004 and 2005, respectively, with handling the Mac version, but native support waned on modern systems until fan-driven efforts revived compatibility; the dhewm3 source port, maintained by the community since 2007 and updated to version 1.5.4 on August 3, 2024, enables play on contemporary and macOS distributions through SDL libraries, addressing issues like widescreen scaling and input mapping. In the 2020s, the version of Doom 3 received community-backed updates and patches for modern OS compatibility, including fixes for resolution scaling and controller support via configuration tweaks in DoomConfig.cfg, while removing legacy LAN multiplayer in favor of online alternatives to streamline console-like experiences. These ports generally featured resolution scaling up to or higher via config edits, alongside control adaptations like remapping for consoles and touch gestures for mobile, building on the technical foundation laid by the 2012 BFG Edition . As of 2025, official ports of Doom 3 exist for , , and via the 2019 re-release (derived from BFG Edition), with availability on current-generation consoles like and Xbox Series X/S limited to backwards compatibility.

Reception

Critical reviews

Upon its release, Doom 3 received generally positive reviews, earning a aggregate score of 87/100 for the PC version based on 83 critic reviews. Critics widely praised the game's atmospheric tension, advanced graphics, and immersive , which contributed to its horror elements and sense of dread in the dimly lit corridors of the Mars research facility. awarded it 8.9/10, highlighting its innovative approach to horror within the genre through dynamic lighting and environmental storytelling that heightened immersion. gave it 8.5/10, commending the engine as a technical showcase that delivered lifelike visuals and a densely atmospheric experience unmatched at the time. However, reviewers also noted criticisms, particularly regarding repetitive combat encounters and frequent backtracking through levels, which some felt disrupted the pacing despite the strong horror foundation. The game's shift toward mechanics, emphasizing slower exploration and vulnerability over fast-paced action from earlier Doom titles, proved divisive among critics and fans, with some appreciating the genre evolution while others missed the series' signature run-and-gun intensity. A key point of contention was the mechanic, which required players to toggle between illumination and weaponry, praised as an innovative way to build tension and simulate helplessness but criticized as frustrating in combat-heavy sections. The expansion pack, Resurrection of Evil, garnered a more mixed reception with a score of 78/100 for PC based on 46 reviews. It was commended for introducing fresh weapons like the grabber gun and maintaining the original's terrifying atmosphere in new environments, though reviewers often noted its shorter length and limited scope compared to the base game. Doom 3 earned several accolades in 2004, including the for PC Game of the Year and Ultimate Game of the Year, reflecting its technical achievements and impact. It also received BAFTA nominations for Audio Achievement and Best Technical Direction, recognizing its and engine innovations. The title was frequently cited as one of the best first-person shooters of the year by outlets like and .

Commercial performance

Doom 3 achieved strong initial commercial success upon its August 2004 release, topping retail charts in multiple regions including the , where it became the first PC-only title to reach number one that year. , it sold approximately 300,000 copies within its first week, contributing to August 2004's overall video game sales of $337 million as reported by NPD Group. The game outperformed competitors like in early PC market dominance, securing positions among the top-selling titles of 2004 alongside console hits such as Halo 2. By early 2007, Doom 3 had sold more than 3.5 million units worldwide, marking it as 's most successful release at the time and generating significant revenue for publisher , which highlighted the title's strong performance in quarterly earnings reports. Its popularity led to bundling in anthology collections, enhancing long-term accessibility and sales through packaged releases like the DOOM Anthology on platforms including . The , Resurrection of Evil, released in 2005, further boosted revenue via combined bundles with the base game. Doom 3's critical acclaim contributed to its sales spike, sustaining revenue through digital platforms into the via discounts, such as 66% off during promotions. The game's financial impact supported id Software's growth, culminating in its 2009 acquisition by for an undisclosed amount, integrating key franchises like Doom into the company's portfolio.

BFG Edition response

The Doom 3: BFG Edition, released in , garnered mixed , earning a score of 67/100 for its PC version based on 30 reviews. Reviewers commended enhancements aimed at improving , such as an checkpoint save that alleviated the original game's punishing manual requirements during intense sequences, and a permanently attached to the marine's armor, eliminating the need to toggle between lighting and weaponry. These changes were seen as modernizing the experience for new players while preserving the core horror-shooter atmosphere. However, the edition faced significant criticism for content omissions compared to the 2004 original, including the removal of several monsters (such as the enemy and demons), multiplayer maps, and hidden levels like the "RoE Bravo" arena, which diminished replayability and depth for longtime fans. Additional backlash centered on toned-down violence, with gore effects like and gibbing largely excised to meet stricter console rating standards, particularly in regions like , resulting in a less visceral presentation. Console ports for and were particularly faulted for graphical downgrades, including simplified lighting, reduced shadow quality, and lower-resolution textures, making them appear inferior to even the decade-old PC version. Commercially, the BFG Edition achieved sales of approximately 1 million units across PC, , and , aided by bundled inclusions of the Resurrection of Evil expansion, The Lost Mission campaign, and ports of the classic Doom and games, which broadened its appeal on consoles. This figure, while respectable, fell short of the original Doom 3's 3.5 million lifetime sales, attributed in part to the growing prevalence of channels and a more fragmented market for re-releases by 2012. In the gaming community, feedback highlighted frustrations with perceived simplifications, such as the addition of subtle auto-aim assistance and streamlined enemy AI, which some players argued diluted the original's challenging survival-horror tension. Modders responded proactively by creating tools and source ports to restore excised features; for instance, the open-source RBDOOM-3-BFG project enables full mod support, reinstates cut content like the enemy, and enhances compatibility with modern hardware. The BFG Edition played a key role in revitalizing interest in the Doom franchise after a period of dormancy, introducing the series to a new console audience and demonstrating ongoing viability, which influenced Bethesda's decision to pursue a full reboot with Doom (2016). Post-launch, official updates in 2019 via ports to Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia by Panic Button incorporated BFG Edition enhancements with further optimizations for current-gen hardware. Community-driven source ports, such as RBDOOM-3-BFG, added Vulkan rendering support starting around 2017 and refined through subsequent releases, improving performance on modern GPUs without altering core gameplay.

Later ports and VR Edition

The 2019 re-releases of Doom 3 for , , and received positive reviews, with a score of 78/100 for the Switch version based on 15 reviews, praised for its solid porting work and on handheld devices despite minor technical issues like frame rate dips. Critics noted the enhancements from the BFG Edition, such as the permanent , improved the experience on modern consoles. The Doom 3: VR Edition, released in March 2021 for , Oculus Quest 2, and other VR platforms, earned a score of 76/100 for the PS4/PSVR version based on 25 reviews. It was lauded for amplifying the horror immersion through VR mechanics, with clear text readability and responsive controls, though some criticized risks and the lack of significant updates beyond VR adaptation.

Legacy

Impact on Doom series

Doom 3's innovative blend of elements with the franchise's signature fast-paced action directly influenced the design philosophy of its direct sequels, Doom (2016) and (2020), where developers aimed to recapture the atmospheric dread of dark, demon-infested corridors while amplifying the run-and-gun intensity. This hybrid approach retained core lore elements, such as the Union Aerospace Corporation's (UAC) Mars research facility serving as the primary setting for hellish invasions, establishing a consistent backdrop of corporate unleashing demonic forces through experimental portals. The game's narrative evolution marked a significant shift for the series, introducing extensive cutscenes, audio logs, and environmental storytelling to provide deeper context for the protagonist's mission, which paved the way for the reboots' expanded character development. In Doom (2016) and Eternal, this legacy manifested in detailed entries and cinematic sequences that explored the Doom Slayer's origins as an ancient warrior empowered to combat Hell's armies, transforming the silent marine archetype into a mythic figure with a rich backstory tied to eternal conflict. A notable example is the Soul Cube, an ancient Martian artifact from Doom 3 that absorbs souls to aid in combat, reappearing as an interactive in Dr. Olivia Pierce's office during the Lazarus Labs level of Doom (2016), symbolizing the continuity of prehistoric anti-demon technology within the UAC's discoveries. Mechanically, Doom 3's emphasis on resource scarcity—exemplified by limited ammunition and the original flashlight's incompatibility with weapons, forcing tense decisions between visibility and firepower—echoed in later titles through systems that reward high-risk aggression to sustain momentum. The glory kill mechanic in Doom (2016) and Eternal, where weakened enemies can be executed for health, armor, and ammo drops, directly addresses similar resource tension by incentivizing close-quarters combat amid overwhelming odds, while weapon upgrades and modular suit enhancements build on Doom 3's progression model to empower player customization. The engine powering Doom 3 was widely licensed for use in other titles, influencing graphical and physics advancements across the industry. Doom 3's expansions further solidified their role in the series' lore, with Resurrection of Evil introducing powerful hell-forged artifacts like the Bloodstone (or Heart of ), which allow the user to summon demonic allies and wield infernal energy; these concepts were integrated into modern entries, such as the Crucible—a hell-tempered energy blade in Eternal that the wields to sever demonic titans—expanding the mythology of ancient, corrupting relics as tools against . In the context of 2025, Doom: The Dark Ages (announced in 2024 and released earlier that year) ties back to these foundations through its intensified hellish themes of medieval-scale demonic wars, portraying the Doom Slayer's early battles against invading hordes in a pre-technological era that underscores the timeless, apocalyptic nature of Hell's incursions first vividly depicted in Doom 3's Mars apocalypse.

Modding and fan community

Doom 3's engine provided extensive modding capabilities from launch, including support for custom maps, models, textures, and scripting through the official Doom 3 Editor, commonly known as DoomEd. Released by alongside the game, DoomEd allowed users to construct levels using a radiant-style interface, import assets, and compile maps for integration into the base game or custom projects. This tool facilitated a wide range of modifications, from simple map packs to complex total conversions that overhaul gameplay, weapons, and environments. Among notable mods, total conversions like The Dark Mod stand out as a stealth-focused experience inspired by the Thief series, originally developed as a Doom 3 modification before evolving into a standalone title with over 20 years of community-driven content. Runner's Doom 3 transforms the game's deliberate horror pacing into a fast-paced run-and-gun shooter by adjusting movement speed, enemy AI, and combat mechanics to evoke classic Doom titles. Another example is Chex Trek: Beyond the Quest, a non-violent total conversion that recreates the cereal-themed adventure of the original Chex Quest within Doom 3's engine, emphasizing puzzle-solving over combat. BFG Edition-compatible updates have also revived older mods, such as ports restoring cut content or enhancing visuals while maintaining compatibility with the 2012 re-release. The modding community thrives on platforms like ModDB, which hosts hundreds of Doom 3 add-ons ranging from graphical overhauls to multiplayer expansions, and Doomworld forums, where developers share tools, discuss compatibility issues, and collaborate on projects. enthusiasts participate in ongoing events through sites like Speedrun.com and Speed Demos Archive, tracking records for categories such as Any% and No Damage, often featured in broader annual Doom community gatherings like the Doom Speedrunning History showcases. Modding evolved significantly after id Software released the id Tech 4 source code under the GPLv3 license in 2011, enabling source ports like dhewm3 that improved performance and added features without proprietary restrictions. The 2012 Doom 3 BFG Edition further expanded possibilities with its own GPL source release on GitHub, allowing modders to address original engine limitations and create BFG-specific enhancements, though unofficial leaks of engine files in prior years had already sparked early community experimentation. Mobile ports, such as the Android version, impose restrictions on modding due to platform constraints, limiting support to basic asset swaps rather than full custom executables or source modifications. These efforts have prolonged Doom 3's relevance, with fan creations sustaining player engagement years after official support ended and reinforcing id Software's tradition of open-source releases that informed mod-friendly designs in subsequent engines like id Tech 6.

Cultural and technical influence

Doom 3 pioneered the horror first-person shooter hybrid by integrating intense atmospheric tension with fast-paced combat, creating a sub-genre that emphasized vulnerability through darkness and . Its mechanics, such as limited visibility and sudden enemy encounters, heightened player fear in a sci-fi setting, distinguishing it from earlier action-focused FPS titles. The engine introduced groundbreaking per-pixel dynamic ing and shadow volumes, enabling real-time illumination that cast realistic from every source and object, which elevated visual realism and became an industry benchmark for immersive environments. Licensed to external developers, it powered several titles including , Prey, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, , and , demonstrating its versatility for complex sci-fi and multiplayer scenarios. These advancements in and specular highlighting influenced subsequent engine developments by prioritizing runtime computation over pre-baked effects, though direct evolutions in competitors like remained more iterative. Upon release, Doom 3 sparked controversy over its graphic violence, including dismemberment and demonic imagery, with critics linking it to fears of copycat aggression similar to claims against the original Doom during the 1999 Columbine . Distributors rejected these concerns, emphasizing the game's 18+ rating and adult targeting under the BBFC's regulatory framework. The title's gore fueled broader debates on violence, featuring in academic studies; for instance, showed players experiencing higher attention and identification with Doom 3 exhibited elevated physical aggression scores compared to non-violent game groups. Additional experiments by Brad Bushman used Doom 3 alongside titles like to demonstrate correlations between violent gameplay and increased aggressive thoughts, though causality remained debated. Doom 3's flashlight mechanic, which forced players to choose between illumination and weaponry due to hardware limitations, became a cultural meme symbolizing artificial difficulty and sparked immediate modding backlash, including the infamous "duct tape" mod that attached the light to guns just days after launch. The series' demonic invasion trope has appeared in media references, such as the 2005 Doom film, which incorporated updated monster designs and Mars-based horror elements echoing Doom 3's aesthetic. The game's , composed by and Clint Walsh, blended industrial and ambient electronic styles, earning praise for enhancing tension; Vrenna discussed its creation in interviews, noting influences from collaborations. Tracks like the main theme have inspired remixes in electronic genres, including vinyl releases and fan reinterpretations. Doom 3 maintains an active community, with leaderboards tracking any% completions under 55 minutes on platforms like Speedrun.com, showcasing optimized routes through its linear levels. Post-2020, unofficial VR ports such as Dr. Beef's Doom3Quest for have renewed interest, transforming the horror experience into immersive 6DoF gameplay and gaining traction via streaming demonstrations on .

References

  1. https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Template:Doom_3_DM_maps
  2. https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Doom_3
  3. https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Doom_3_protagonists
  4. https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Malcolm_Betruger
  5. https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Thomas_Kelly
  6. https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Sabaoth
  7. https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Doom_3:_Resurrection_of_Evil
  8. https://doomwiki.org/wiki/Id_Tech_4
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.