id: Rage won't have Doom 3's 'Monster Closets'

by Griffin McElroy { Aug 16th 2009 at 5:30PM }

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.

Tags: design, doom, doom-3, fps, id, id-software, monster-closet, pc, rage

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

mezzaninex @ Aug 16th 2009 5:36PM

Huz. Zah.

Thordon @ Aug 16th 2009 5:37PM

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.

Popfrogs @ Aug 16th 2009 9:17PM

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.

Stevetrop @ Aug 16th 2009 10:23PM

^ 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.

Blank-Mage @ Aug 16th 2009 5:43PM

But we DO get to hold a flashlight and a gun at the same time, right?

....right?

Shadowbender ( Sweatshop Supporter In Hiding) @ Aug 16th 2009 5:51PM

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.

pete @ Aug 16th 2009 6:21PM

that is, if alan wake ever turns into a real game

Shadowbender ( Sweatshop Supporter In Hiding) @ Aug 16th 2009 6:41PM

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.

MrKlorox @ Aug 16th 2009 10:11PM

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?

Eh @ Aug 16th 2009 11:35PM

yes but the flashlight has a battery that only lasts 5 seconds at a time before you have to let it recharge

Nightbug @ Aug 17th 2009 3:34AM

A hand-me-down from Gordon Freeman

D-5 @ Aug 17th 2009 10:41AM

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.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Aug 16th 2009 5:46PM

It's sad that this is something we consider to be progress. These kinds of situations were long gone by the time Doom 3 had even come out.

Hydrophobicfish (PSN: HydrophobicFish) @ Aug 16th 2009 5:54PM

Why must you be the screen door on our submarine?

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Aug 16th 2009 5:57PM

I drink your milkshake, I drink it all up.

ZippyDSMlee @ Aug 16th 2009 5:59PM

Ya D3 kinda started up the whole corridor shooter fad again....

RobinEivets @ Aug 16th 2009 6:11PM

Modern Warfare had this issue as well. That game released 2007. Fortunately they're fixing it in MW2.

pete @ Aug 16th 2009 6:23PM

fallout 3 has this issue is all of the expansion packs... and those came out this year

Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC Vice President and PR of Wiizers Sweatshop Inc.) @ Aug 16th 2009 6:54PM

Speaking of frustrating FPS moment I have to say I don't hate monster closets in Doom nearly as much as I hate the "Dev paths" in games like Killzone 2 and Modern Warfare.

The level "1 shot 1 kill" in veteran showed this at its worst.Right after the sniper shot you had to figure out which way wouldn't get you killed because unless you walk through a very small and specific route you had to fight an endless supply of enemies.NO monster closet causes that much frustration.

I think I'll give W@W a better score than MW just for that,I like how there is a finite number of enemies of course that I have to give W@W a negative point for all the greande spamming in veteran.

RobinEivets @ Aug 16th 2009 6:55PM

Ah.Trying to show me up Pete? Well...uhm...Halo 4 will feature this problem, and it doesn't release till 2012!

Beat that!

Mr Clickerson @ Aug 16th 2009 7:55PM

I may be alone in saying this, but I enjoyed Doom 3 very much and kinda' liked the "monster closet" idea, though the execution was a bit off from what it should have been. There should have been a lot more "tearing through walls" in that game, rather than just teleportation- they should have left that to the Wraith and Lost Souls alone. By tearing through walls, I mean like what happened when you first met the Imp- climbed through a gap in the wall and came after you or where they tore through doors and what not.

ZippyDSMlee @ Aug 16th 2009 5:47PM

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*

ZippyDSMlee @ Aug 16th 2009 5:49PM

My god proofing...I no naz it >

Durden @ Aug 16th 2009 5:52PM

Somehow, you just gave me dyslexia.

Hydrophobicfish (PSN: HydrophobicFish) @ Aug 16th 2009 5:56PM

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.

CaramelZappa @ Aug 16th 2009 5:59PM

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.

HTML0000 @ Aug 16th 2009 6:01PM

I don't think there is a such thing as a doom 3 fanboy anymore. We have all tasted sweeter honey.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Aug 16th 2009 6:02PM

``Zero point warping a enemy your anus is not a good design eleemnt``

Only on Joystiq.

Hyams @ Aug 16th 2009 6:27PM

Joystiq.com: where even the site's name is a typo.

Lunastra78 (PSN: lunastra78) @ Aug 16th 2009 7:52PM

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.

The Baron @ Aug 16th 2009 9:19PM

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.