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Doom Turns 25: The FPS That Wowed Players, Gummed Up Servers, and Enraged Admins (theregister.co.uk)

Posted by msmash on from the pushing-the-limits dept.

On December 10, 1993, after a marathon 30-hour coding session, the developers at id Software uploaded the first finished copy of Doom for download, the game that was to redefine first-person shooter (FPS) genre. Hours later IT admins wanted id's guts for garters. The Register: Doom wasn't the first FPS game, but it was the iPhone of the field -- it took parts from various other products and packaged them together in a fearsomely addictive package. Admins loathed it because it hogged bandwidth for downloading and was designed to allow network deathmatches, so millions of users immediately took up valuable network resources for what seemed a frivolous pursuit to some curmudgeonly BOFHs.

The game was an instant hit -- so much so that within hours of its release admins were banning it from servers to try and cope with the effects of thousands, and then millions of people playing online. It spawned remakes and follow-up games, its own movie (don't bother) and even a glowing endorsement from Bill Gates.

5 of 214 comments (clear)

  1. The Doom Technique by mkoenecke · · Score: 4, Funny

    I still tend to go through unfamiliar museums by keeping right and working my way around that way so I do not miss anything. I call that the "Doom Technique" because that's how I would explore various levels in Doom, way back when. Vaguely-related note: I still have the original 3.5" floppy containing its predecessor, Castle Wolfenstein.

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    TANSTAAFL
    1. Re:The Doom Technique by Headw1nd · · Score: 5, Funny

      Interesting. I myself circle strafe through museums so I can concentrate on the exhibits while I move.

    2. Re:The Doom Technique by mfnickster · · Score: 4, Funny

      People look at me funny when I keep pushing against museum walls and going "uh! uh! uh!"

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    3. Re:The Doom Technique by pi_rules · · Score: 5, Funny

      People look at me funny when I keep pushing against museum walls and going "uh! uh! uh!"

      If you left your pants on it would be less weird.

  2. I have only two words to mark this occasion. by sootman · · Score: 4, Funny

    IDKFA IDDQD.

    I can't remember my mom's birthday but I still know those two codes. :-/

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