How many lines of code is Doom 1993?
The original Doom game released in 1993 was programmed with approximately 60,000 lines of C and assembly code. This codebase powered advanced, smooth 3D graphics and gameplay that expanded what seemed possible on regular PCs. While compact by modern standards, Doom‘s tech and design were highly groundbreaking.
Breaking Down the Code
Digging deeper, here‘s some key details about Doom‘s backing code:
- Primarily written in C, with some assembly optimizations
- Whole game took up just 2.39 MB of disk space
- Filled with graphics rendering tricks to maximize performance
- Multiplayer networked code supported revolutionary connected play
It‘s astonishing a 3D game with fluid motion could run well on 1993 computers. The dev team skillfully exploited every trick to minimize memory needs while maximizing visual quality.
Comparison to Today‘s Blockbusters
Compare Doom‘s roughly 60,000 lines of code to totals from some modern high-profile games:
| Game | Estimated Code Size |
| Doom 1993 | 60,000 lines |
| GTA V | 2.5 million lines |
| RDR2 | 1.5+ million lines |
Leading titles now often have dozens of times more code than Doom! Of course, they handle much more complexity too. But it shows how optimized Doom‘s tech was.
Pioneering Impact
There‘s several key areas where Doom‘s code was groundbreaking:
- Enabled smooth 3D graphics rarely seen before on consumer devices
- Immersive atmosphere via lighting, textures, and world design
- Multiplayer support spearheaded modern team-based FPS
- Proved real-time 3D was viable on regular computer hardware
- Fast speed set new standards for intense first-person action
In summary, Doom expanded notions of what was possible on PCs – both from a technical and entertainment perspective.
Its approach went on to inspire countless later titles across the booming FPS genre and beyond. 60,000 lines never felt so game-changing!
