If you're familiar with the history of id Software, you likely know that 1992’s Wolfenstein 3D played a pivotal role in cementing the company's dominance in the fledgling first-person shooter genre, paving the way for subsequent smash hits like Doom and Quake. Yet, only the most devoted id Software enthusiasts might remember Catacomb 3D, the company's first-person adventure game that directly preceded and inspired Wolfenstein 3D.
Now, nearly 35 years after the initial release of Catacomb 3D, id Software co-founder John Romero has reunited the company's original team members for a captivating retrospective video delving into the creation of this often-overlooked game. Despite being a trailblazer with features like mouse support, color-coded keys, and secret-revealing wall shooting, the game nearly became a quirky misstep for the company.
id Software’s Founders Reflect on a Forgotten Gaming Milestone
Texture Maps and "Undo" Animation
Catacomb 3D was a sequel to id’s earlier game Catacomb, a simplified imitation of the popular arcade hit Gauntlet. Reflecting on this, John Carmack noted the game's nostalgic 'quarter eater' gameplay style, which was not widely embraced in PC gaming at the time.
“It didn’t have the kind of overarching story and depth and the other things that people felt that the PC was better suited for,” Carmack explained. “And we were still kind of striking out saying no, you know, action, fast, twitch, that still is a great viable gaming thing to do.”
Technologically, id aimed to advance Catacomb 3D beyond their previous fast-paced first-person game, Hovertank One, released only months earlier. The fundamental graphical improvement envisioned for Catacomb 3D was the inclusion of texture-mapped walls, an idea that intrigued Carmack ever since he saw a texture-mapped cube on the cover of his well-thumbed copy of The Fundamentals of Computer Graphics.
If id intended to enhance the flat-shaded walls of Hovertank One using texture maps for Catacomb 3D.
Romero recalled learning about texture mapping during a discussion with Paul Neurath, who was effectively employing the technique in his then-upcoming project Ultima Underworld. He conveyed this to Carmack, who paused and then confidently responded with, “Yeah, I think I can do that.”