There was a major design element in Doom 3 that a lot of players took issue with -- and no, we're not talking about the protagonist's inability to hold a firearm and a source of illumination at the same time. The element was the game's enemy spawning mechanic, which would make baddies appear when the player reaches set points in the level -- a practice which has since been nicknamed "monster closets." Fortunately, it seems id's next angrily-named project won't feature this oft-harangued spawning system.
In a recent interview with 1UP, Rage lead designer Matt Hooper explained that enemies in a certain section of the game's demo will be "doing whatever they're supposed to be doing. If they're supposed to be defending against you coming there, they'll be doing that. If they're just tinkering or having a conversation they'll do that." Sounds like id's AI has actual motivation now. Well, motivation beyond "scare the crap out of then murder space marines," anyway.
Reader Comments (70)
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:37PM (Unverified) said
About time. Nothing like getting shot in the back after you cleared a room, by a newly spawned demon, just because you opened the door to exit.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 9:17PM (Unverified) said
Yeah that was Bad NES Game Design 101. Walk off the screen, walk back, hey look all the enemies reappeared!
The worst is getting shot from a respawned off-screen enemy though. That led to the great NES Controller Throwing Tantrum of '85.
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The worst is getting shot from a respawned off-screen enemy though. That led to the great NES Controller Throwing Tantrum of '85.
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 10:23PM Stevetrop Man of Mystery said
^ that is the burning reminder of Ninja Gaiden for nes. To many enemies I had to fight over and over just because I went a little bit back and they reappeared.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:43PM The Blank Mage Returns said
But we DO get to hold a flashlight and a gun at the same time, right?
....right?
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....right?
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:51PM Shadowbender said
Heck no, but don't worry, you can in Alan Wake, because this guy has mastered the skill and concept of holding two objects, in two hands, at once.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 6:41PM Shadowbender said
You sir, have a point. When I heard about it, like what, 10 years ago, I couldn't grasp the fact that someone could actually hold two objects at once. I cried, and hoped for the game to come, but here we are, it's 2009, still no amazing Alan. Hope he appears with his magic early next year.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 10:11PM MrKlorox said
You want flashlight gunplay, play STALKER: SoC with a darkened-nights mod or check out STALKER: Clear Sky. Running for dear life from a mutated boar in near-pitch black while trying to avoid invisible death-traps known as 'anomalies' can be a truly heart-pounding experience.
Do you try to get a few shots off while keeping pace? Do you try to find something high to climb onto then throw grenades? Do you lead it to the nearest camp for some backup? Or do you try and lead it through an anomaly without getting yourself gibbed?
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Do you try to get a few shots off while keeping pace? Do you try to find something high to climb onto then throw grenades? Do you lead it to the nearest camp for some backup? Or do you try and lead it through an anomaly without getting yourself gibbed?
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 11:35PM aughscreennames said
yes but the flashlight has a battery that only lasts 5 seconds at a time before you have to let it recharge
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Posted: Aug 17th 2009 10:41AM thisredengine Tweet me said
Well, I can't hold a firearm and flashlight at the same time in real-life (Very confusing IMO). So kudos to id for the realistic approach.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:47PM ZippyDSMlee said
There is nothing wrong with "monster closets" if they are spawned further away from you basically incited of at the corner/door its spawned before the corner or door so you can hear it and then decide how to deal with it.
Zero point warping a enemy your anus is not a good design eleemnt...then again when you build a game with crappy cramped tiny un inspired levels like in Doom 3...theres not much else to reply on but upping frustration from unintuitive designs.
*paints self with target for all the D3 fanboys to aim at*
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Zero point warping a enemy your anus is not a good design eleemnt...then again when you build a game with crappy cramped tiny un inspired levels like in Doom 3...theres not much else to reply on but upping frustration from unintuitive designs.
*paints self with target for all the D3 fanboys to aim at*
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:56PM HydrophobicFish PSN ID Hydrophob said
Well, I have two bits of good news for you.
First off, I don't think there are any Doom 3 fanboys left... time has certainly healed that wound.
Second off, I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico.
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First off, I don't think there are any Doom 3 fanboys left... time has certainly healed that wound.
Second off, I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico.
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:59PM CaramelZappa said
There are Doom 3 fanboys?
I'm a huge fanboy of DOOM and DOOM II, so I found 3 rather uh.. dissapointing.
In all honesty the best feature of DOOM III is that someone remade the first episode of DOOM as a mod for it.
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I'm a huge fanboy of DOOM and DOOM II, so I found 3 rather uh.. dissapointing.
In all honesty the best feature of DOOM III is that someone remade the first episode of DOOM as a mod for it.
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 6:01PM (Unverified) said
I don't think there is a such thing as a doom 3 fanboy anymore. We have all tasted sweeter honey.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 7:52PM Pure Black World Tendency said
Hey I'll admit I liked Doom 3, even with its flaws. The redesign of the original monsters was great and there were good scares to be had if you sat in the dark playing it with headphones on.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 9:19PM Haggard said
The problem is that when you make a dark and cramped FPS, it's just not that memorable or enjoyable to most people. Far Cry and Half-Life 2 are examples of games that are considered great not because of good shooting mechanics, but the cool locales. Although HL2 is my favorite game of all time for the great bits, I actually didn't enjoy some of the underground/horror stuff.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 9:20PM (Unverified) said
"Zero point warping a enemy your anus is not a good design eleemnt"
Now with canoes!
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Now with canoes!
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 10:24PM ZippyDSMlee said
MrKlorox
I swear this thing is not reading my posts right :P
It would help it I READ the email confirmations I get to make sure I even tried too attempt too proof read the damn thing....
(might help if I replied to the right post....ddoooohhhhhhh)
Reply
I swear this thing is not reading my posts right :P
It would help it I READ the email confirmations I get to make sure I even tried too attempt too proof read the damn thing....
(might help if I replied to the right post....ddoooohhhhhhh)
Posted: Aug 17th 2009 10:38PM maveric101 said
haha thank you so much, i laughed so hard at your post i cried.
as for you last post, it's "to," not "too."
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as for you last post, it's "to," not "too."
Posted: Aug 18th 2009 11:43AM ZippyDSMlee said
maveric101
This is why grammar is so elusive to zippy(that and females) too,too and two my god they all sound alike!!!!
/b
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This is why grammar is so elusive to zippy(that and females) too,too and two my god they all sound alike!!!!
/b
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:53PM DangerMouse001 said
That's nice and all, but let's hope they take the time to produce some decent AI this time around.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:54PM HydrophobicFish PSN ID Hydrophob said
Why must you be the screen door on our submarine?
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:56PM ZippyDSMlee said
Durden
Don't forget Aphasia, Zippy speak is like that sadly. =0-o=
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Don't forget Aphasia, Zippy speak is like that sadly. =0-o=
Posted: Aug 16th 2009 5:59PM ZippyDSMlee said
Ya D3 kinda started up the whole corridor shooter fad again....
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 6:16PM ArchiGamer said
You'd think even in an Apocalyptic wasteland, shirts would still be around....I guess not.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 6:30PM DangerMouse001 said
If only Hollister and The Gap survived the impact....
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 6:20PM IronArcher said
As if every FPS game out there hasn't had characters that are doing something on their own until you show up....
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 6:30PM (Unverified) said
I don't get why people seem to think monster closets were a phenomenon unique to Doom 3. Doom & Doom 2 had tons of them. Every time you stepped on a switch or flipped an invisible tripwire some wall would slide open or the lights would shut off and monsters would come pouring out from nowhere.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 6:43PM (Unverified) said
True, but by the time Doom 3 came out most thought that practice was long gone.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 10:21PM (Unverified) said
Just got bought out and the magazine got scrapped.
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Posted: Aug 16th 2009 6:56PM spin cycle said
Why not? Bioshock's gameplay was monster closet-based and people love it.
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