NaturalTvventy
Member
Posts: 595
Registered: 06-09 |
My belief that the exit switch is a self-destruct button stems from my initial impression of what the doomguy's primary motivation was. When I first saw DOOM as a kid it was at my friend's house, as I didn't have the means to own/play it myself. He was always obsessed with getting 100% kills (as most of us still are today I am sure), so I assumed that the plot of the game revolved around the annihilation of all the zombies and demons. What other purpose would all the base hopping serve? The bases are clearly, as depicted in the intermission screen, scattered around a vast open space and easily avoidable if desired. The doom guy was going to each for some purpose. It only made sense that the final switch would blow up the base and wipe out whatever the source of the infestation within it was. Of course, this idea actually contradicts the need to get 100% kills, but it still made sense in my mind as a general theme.
The whole 'exit' switch as a literal exit to the base never made that much sense, as there are several areas reachable outside the base as it is (SS/chaingun e1m2 secret). Also, the doomguy, as I have said above, was actively seeking out each base and ultimately the 'exit' switch. It must serve some larger purpose besides just leaving the base, for why voluntarily enter a base with the only goal being to exit it? The only reason the signs literally said 'exit' was to make it clear to the player that the switch exited the level, and was a necessity for coherent gameplay.
My belief might have also been influenced by the game's resemblance to the movie Aliens, which I also saw for the first time at my friend's house about the same time. I remember the line 'nuke 'em from space. It's the only way to be sure' (or whatever it is) firmly stuck in my brain.
Last edited by NaturalTvventy on 11-08-11 at 22:52
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11-08-11 16:56 
