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Bill Gates' Doom Video From 1995

Posted by Zonk on from the for-your-downloading-pleasure dept.

Ant writes "ReelSplatter.com has a copy of the video showing Bill Gates, dressed in a black trench coat and carrying a shotgun, within id software's Doom. The downloadable 11 MB 3.25 minute Windows Media Video (WMV) file (Putfile has a streaming copy) was used to introduce Windows 95 and DirectX at the Microsoft Judgement Day event on October 30th, 1995. Note: The DOOM game map is episode 1, map 2."

7 of 83 comments (clear)

  1. DirectX and id??? by Midnight+Warrior · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Since when was id a fan of DirectX, let alone Direct3D? (If this sentence doesn't make any sense, you didn't watch the video) An article from the time clearly show's id's lead engine developer, John Carmack in complete opposition to the Direct3D API. I haven't followed things after that, but let's assume the API hasn't gotten any simpler, especially with all the new shading specifications.

    1. Re:DirectX and id??? by bigbigbison · · Score: 3, Interesting

      As the beginning of the video notes, the book, Masters of Doom, has the details. According to the book, Microsoft was trying to get people to write games for Win95 and not DOS so they tried to get id to write a version of Doom for Win95 and they wouldn't. They did let Microsoft write rewrite it though.

      I'm pretty amazed this video has finally surfaced. It was yanked by Microsoft immediately after it was shown, so many assumed that the original copy had been destroyed. Ever since I read about this in Masters of Doom I've wanted to see this. Awesome find.

      --
      http://www.popularculturegaming.com -- my blog about the culture of videogame players
    2. Re:DirectX and id??? by James_Aguilar · · Score: 2, Interesting

      What you wrote: I haven't followed things after that, but let's assume the API hasn't gotten any simpler, especially with all the new shading specifications.

      What I read: Blah blah blah blah, and I'll assume whatever is convenient for me to make my case.

      From what I have read the DirectX API is at least as easy to code now, and has certainly improved since versions one through three, which were the versions Carmack was upset with. So, let's not make such HUGE assumptions in the future.

  2. God mode by W2k · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I thought it strange that his health didn't drop, but then I noticed, he's playing with IDDQD and IDFA. Cheater!

    Btw, anyone who can remember the difference between IDFA and IDKFA gets a cookie.

    --
    Quality, performance, value; you get only two, and you don't always get to pick.
  3. Re:GIR says... by iced_773 · · Score: 3, Interesting


    I remember reading a story about this from one of the people on the DirectX 1.0 developer team.

  4. Re:He'll be doing it again soon... by stupidfoo · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Ughhh... stop reminding me about DNF. I keep forgetting about it.

    And any self respecting Slashdotter should not need to have been told what Doom level that was.

  5. Re:"THE gaming platform for the future" by Jarlsberg · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Well, for argument's sake, Win95 was the game platform the future - it was and Windows is still the premier gaming platform on the PC. Xbox runs an NT core, so it's still Windows all the way.