Doom 2 designer takes a demonic tour of his own home
Do demons enjoy Grand Designs?
I imagine the first thing most level designers do when firing up a new tool is to try and recreate their own homes. After all, it's a pretty immediate, familiar space to try and get to grips with. But in what's sure to already be knowledge to some folk, it seems Doom II shipped with a fairly accurate rendition of developer Sandy Peterson's home, with the venerable designer this week taking us on a tour through both the real-world and "Hell On Earth" versions of his abode.
I'm sure Imps, shotguns and lurking daemonic eyes don't make it onto the estate agent listing for resale, of course.
Featuring in Doom 2's 16th map "Suburbs", the rendition is pretty spot on. Oh, sure, the game's early 3D visuals can't accurately map the full range of surfaces and details. Vertical elements like stairs struggle a little more, and the entire upstairs has been largely removed. But there are creative workarounds and even secrets to discover, like a wall-mounted oven (or spooky demon face) unlocking an item cache (bathroom) when shot.
Some of the monster closets persist, too. Though, where imps would typically burst out of a door in Doom 2, an entirely less-menacing four-legged threat lurks the dark places of Peterson's home. A good thing, too - I'm not sure even the Doomguy has it in him to rip and tear a puppy.
It's not just his own home that makes a cameo, though. The same Suburbs level also includes his parents' home - though, having been built more from memory than reference, doesn't sport quite as accurate an adaptation.
It's hard to imagine getting away with the same using the relatively tiny floor-plans of European houses, mind. I can't see a Doom map built off my parents' place taking more than 15 seconds to beat. My own flat? That's barely a secret corridor.
Cheers, PC Gamer.