video game: Doom II

Developed and released by id Software in 1993 for PC DOS, this science-fiction first-person shooter changed the gaming industry forever. Doom players act as a futuristic space marine who remains unnamed throughout the game����_��although the gaming community has since nicknamed him ����_�Doomguy.����_�_ According to developers, the character went unnamed to encourage players to truly put themselves into the game and become the main character. The marine, exiled to a base on Mars after disobeying a commanding officer, witnesses a tragedy in which scientific experiments malfunction, computers crash, and civilians and marines alike perish. Now the last human alive, ����_�Doomguy����_�_ must fight through an onslaught of invading monsters and demons in an attempt to save Earth. Doom is separated into three sections, each containing nine levels. To advance a level, the player must find a door or exit that leads to the next environment, while killing enemies and overcoming obstacles in their path. Besides demons, monsters, and undead humans, players will also encounter pits of toxic slime, crushing ceilings, and doors that require hidden keys. Within the maze-like levels are scattered ammunition and other power-ups to aid the player, and a helpful map becomes available to those who get lost. Doom is credited with popularizing the first-person shooter genre, and Doomguy����_��s arsenal became a prototype for future games. Initially, the player has only a pistol, but he or she may pick up other weapons along the way. Chainsaws, shotguns, and rifles appear among the weapons from which to choose. As the player levels up, enemies increase in number, which also occurs when players complete the game on higher difficulty levels. Because of its graphic violence and satanic imagery, Doom continues to have the reputation of a controversial game. It became synonymous with fears that video games and other virtual reality-like simulations would lead to real-world violence. Doom����_��s legacy reaches far beyond its controversy, however. Featuring both single-player and multiplayer modes, Doom pioneered online multiplayer gaming over the DWANGO����_��Dial-up Wide-Area Network Game Operation����_��service, which launched in 1994 and served as a matchmaking system. Cooperative and ����_�deathmatch����_�_ modes were also available, modes that are still utilized in shooter games such as Call of Duty. Perhaps the most important legacy of Doom is its ����_�mod-making����_�_ community. Initially released as shareware, Doom����_��s source code became available in 1997, allowing fans and gamers all over the globe to create customized versions and adaptations of the games, as well as design new levels, all in the form of WAD (Where����_��s All the Data?) files. Fans could download these modifications and additions for free, and several Doom WAD hobbyists used their mods to land positions as professional level designers. Some WADs were even released commercially. Fans also ported the game to innumerable devices over the years using the free code. Many first-person shooter games flooded the market in the 1990, and gamers often referred to them as ����_�Doom clones,����_�_ which speaks to Doom����_��s widespread popularity. Doom forged the way for immersive 3D graphics, network multiplayer gaming, and first-person shooters in general. Doom vastly affected the industry and culture of gaming, and is still respected as one of the most influential titles in video game history.