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fraggle

The design of E1M1

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I've been thinking a bit about the design of Doom's first level. We've all played through it a thousand times and probably don't give it much thought. The way it's designed actually strikes me as quite clever, and while I expect I'm almost certainly reading too much into it, I thought these ideas might be interesting to others.

If you were given the task of designing the first level of Doom, what would be your goals? Two main goals come to mind: firstly, the level is the first level that will be seen by most players, so it should act as a showcase for (what was then) the impressive technology of the engine. Secondly, FPS games were not as popular then as they are now, so it needs to (gently) introduce the player to basic concepts of the gameplay.



This is the first thing a new player sees. For someone who has played earlier games like Wolfenstein 3D the first view immediately showcases some of the features of the new game engine. It's worth checking out the Doom FAQ's section on "What makes DOOM different from Wolfenstein 3-D?" to understand what I'm getting at. To summarize:

CHAPTER [3]: What makes DOOM different from Wolfenstein 3-D?
[3-1]: Texture-Mapped Environment
[3-2]: Non-Orthogonal Walls
[3-3]: Light Diminishing/Light Sourcing
[3-4]: Variable Height Floors and Ceilings
[3-5]: Environment Animation and Morphing
[3-6]: Palette Translation
[3-7]: Multiple Players
[3-8]: Smooth, Seamless Gameplay
*3-9*: New Monsters and Artificial Intelligence

The first four of these points are immediately visible as soon as the game starts (non-orthogonal walls are only subtly visible, but can be seen in the initial view). You've got different floor and ceiling heights, contrasting textures that demonstrate the texture mapping effects, and some subtle lighting to show the lighting features. Moving a few steps forward and looking out the window allows the player to see the parallax skies/outdoor area.

From a functional perspective, what purpose does this area serve? My hypothesis is that this initial starting area serves as a safe "sandpit" for new players. Notice how, unless you're playing on one of the higher difficulty settings, there are no monsters until you go through the first door. Remember that many people playing Doom for the first time in 1993 would never have seen or played an FPS before. It's therefore useful that they have a safe area in which to get used to the controls and how to move around. There are even a few barrels to take pot shots at in case they want to try out the pistol.



This is also in the initial area. If you want to demonstrate "Variable Height Floors and Ceilings", what better option than a flight of stairs to do that? The tech columns on the sides of the stairs have a pulsing light effect which also provides a good demo of the lighting. Navigating up a flight of stairs provides a minor challenge for a new player getting used to the controls for the first time.



Moving through the level, this is the next area encountered. You have to open a door to proceed, so you're taught how to use the "use" key before you leave the sandpit. The first zombie troopers are immediately visible as soon as you open the door, but they're a long way away and slow moving, so they don't pose much of a threat to you. Any beginner / novice will be able to take them out before they get very close, so the player learns to use the pistol if they haven't already.

The area also serves as a further nice demo of the features of the engine - lighting from the overhead lights, different floor and ceiling heights, contrasting texturing with the computer consoles etc.



Now the slime pit room. As I see it, this room teaches the new player two things. Firstly, damaging floors exist, and if it isn't immediately obvious that the green slime is to be avoided, the player will quickly find out. There's a minor challenge of navigating the zig-zag floor to get to the other side.

Secondly, this is the first encounter with imps, so the player learns imps throw fireballs, and gets an opportunity to practise avoiding projectiles. A full-on face-to-face encounter with an imp is probably a bit too much for a beginner player at this stage, so the imp is up on the ledge where it's a sitting duck for the player to take out (or simply avoid).

In graphical terms the biggest thing in this room is the animated floor ("Environment Animation and Morphing" above). There's also a nice subtle shadow effect with the sun shining through the window.



After dealing with the imp on the ledge, the player now has the challenge of going face to face against an imp, which of course can now melee attack the player in addition to launching fireballs. As an amusing aside, when I first played Doom, I thought this imp was the "boss" of the first level. It seems reasonable that if a player can defeat this imp they've probably learned enough to progress to the second level, so while it may not really be a "boss" as such it provides a good challenge.

The two candelabras next to the exit door serve perhaps as useful signposts to attract the attention of the player if they're unsure where to go next. There's also a barrel next to the imp, which an enterprising player can use to take out the imp, learning how to use barrels strategically.

Graphically this room also serves as a great demonstration of the capabilities of the engine. The "showdown" against the imp takes place in a dark, moodily lit room with an occasionally blinking light, so you can see it coming towards you but not very well. It's actually pretty spooky. If you want a scary environment, what better than a monster walking towards you through a dark room?

From then on you've basically just got the exit room. There are a few other things to note, like the secret corridor just before the imp room, where perceptive players will perhaps spot the discrepancy in the wall texture and find their way outside.

As I commented before, I'm probably reading too much - maybe Romero didn't put anything like this much thought into the level when he was designing it. But it does seem like a clever design. I'm reminded of how, for example, Half Life 1 has its "hazard course" stage that you can play through to learn the controls, or how the Portal games teach the player each of the controls and concepts gradually. Doom instead teaches the player invisibly, so you're learning how to do things without even realising.

ADDENDUM: a couple of people have pointed out I forgot to mention John Romero's design rules that he applied when making Doom's levels. They are relevant to note here because they explain a couple of features of E1M1's design, such as the 'U' shape of the level:

When designing levels for Doom, Romero came up with several rules, among them:

  • always changing floor height when I wanted to change floor textures
  • using special border textures between different wall segments and doorways
  • being strict about texture alignment
  • conscious use of contrast everywhere in a level between light and dark areas, cramped and open areas
  • making sure that if a player could see outside that they should be able to somehow get there
  • being strict about designing several secret areas on every level
  • making my levels flow so the player will revisit areas several times so they will better understand the 3D space of the level
  • creating easily recognizable landmarks in several places for easier navigation

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Heh I had a half-idea of doing an "E1M1 is a showcase/particularly well designed level even for 1994 standards" thread, but you beat me to it, and did it better than I ever could.

Yeah, I fully agree that it's essentially a showcase of what Doom can do. From the first FRAME of the game, the player sees textured ceilings/floors at different heights, different light levels, and even a big-ass WINDOW that just begs to be looked through...and see the SKY. Randomly chosen? I don't think so.

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I'm pretty sure Romero did indeed put a lot of care and thought into e1m1's design. :)

Another nice design aspect important to the level is the way the C-shaped layout allows the center courtyard to connect the three main rooms together and using an outdoors scene to imply a believable building structure in a way that's visible to the player within their first seconds of starting the game, making for an impressive demo of the then-new game world. (And, of course, giving a real treat when the player can actually get out there themselves!)

Based on the "tour of id software" video that shows him playing through some of the game a couple months before the game was released, he was still experimenting with this map and trying all sorts of different possibilities even pretty late in the game's development. The computer room, for instance, didn't exist at all yet!

The later maps in e1 are frequently somewhat simpler in their visual design, featuring areas that are relatively or completely plain to look at, but just serving a purpose to the layout and gameplay, but each and every area of e1m1 (of which there are carefully few) was built with defining elements to make it immediately recognizable and distinct from the rest.

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esselfortium said:

Based on the "tour of id software" video that shows him playing through some of the game a couple months before the game was released, he was still experimenting with this map and trying all sorts of different possibilities even pretty late in the game's development. The computer room, for instance, didn't exist at all yet!

The later maps in e1 are frequently somewhat simpler in their visual design, featuring areas that are relatively or completely plain to look at, but just serving a purpose to the layout and gameplay, but each and every area of e1m1 (of which there are carefully few) was built with defining elements to make it immediately recognizable and distinct from the rest.

Interesting! I had a look on Youtube and found the video, you can find the section with E1M1 here.

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In the video, I've noticed that in e1m2, when he picks up the soulsphere his health goes over 200%, but I'm pretty sure that in the first versions I played (shareware) health maxed at 199%. Is this right or am I imagining things?

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reboot said:

In the video, I've noticed that in e1m2, when he picks up the soulsphere his health goes over 200%, but I'm pretty sure that in the first versions I played (shareware) health maxed at 199%. Is this right or am I imagining things?

You are indeed correct.

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E1M1 is the level that probably made most if not all of us fall in love with this game. So it obviously did something right :)

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I have considered all, or most, of what you said before.

A friend of mine is a game developer, he's often talking about game design theory such as rate of content delivery to players being a function of the length of the game, the difficulty of the area, the player skill at that point, etc etc.

I apply all his discussions to Doom, as it's easily the game I know the best, and it ticks every one of the boxes of a "truly good game" except perhaps for final boss difficulty (and only then because the BFG nerfs Cybies/Spiders).

Doom is an amazingly well-made game. Not many old games are being played and actively developed to this extent by such a large group (and we are large, compared to other retrogames) after so long.

The more you look at Doom, the better it gets. I love this game.

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darkreaver said:

Don`t worry, that`s a trend here at DW.

Except most of us take certain things like what's in the OP for granted (or at least I do). I think it's important to examine what it is that draws us all to this game and what it is that makes it so good in explicit detail, not only for enjoyment but for the benefit of anyone figuring out how to make great levels - in Doom or elsewhere.

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I do agree, especially when you read Romero's (and recently having read Sandy's thing from that magazine) stuff on how they did the level design, that all of the great things about the Doom levels were intentional and just a mark of their game design brilliance.


Also this reminds me of this egoraptor video where he applauds the old Mega Man games for the same reasons. Though if you're not familiar with egoraptor you might find the spastic randomness annoying, though he's toned it down for this and it's not too overly obnoxious.

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I fully agree with the showcase notion. I also like the choice of decor with all those marine corpses littering every corner save for the secret areas.

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There was a doom project recently that discussed this in depth, but I don't remember what it was called. O_O

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There's also the WR linedef that lowers the lift behind the shotgun room (audible clues).

Edit: someone should make an E2M8 map that has an armored imp boss with rocket launcher. ;)

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This, sadly, reminds me of the problems many modern shooters, and video games in general, seem to suffer from. When the medium has existed long enough, it becomes easy to succumb to laziness or upholding previous expectations, and the result is somewhat underwhelming. Seeing as Doom was one of the first games to achieve the level of sophistication that it did, much effort was put into casually introducing its elements to the player while not being patronizing. In contrast, modern games operate on the basis that the player is already thoroughly familiar with the genre's idioms, so there is little need for innovation. And thanks to the ease with which complex visuals can be implemented, many developers would rather hold the player's hand through the entire process rather than throw them into the thick of it and hope they catch on.

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A+ post. I wonder if everyone remembers the first difficulty choice they made? I know that I choose HMP, because I didn't want to seem like a wuss to choose an easier one. Romero likely designed around the idea that most gamers would choose skill three first.

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Hellbent said:

There was a doom project recently that discussed this in depth, but I don't remember what it was called. O_O

Might it have been DTWID?

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bimlanders said:

A+ post. I wonder if everyone remembers the first difficulty choice they made? I know that I choose HMP, because I didn't want to seem like a wuss to choose an easier one. Romero likely designed around the idea that most gamers would choose skill three first.

I most likely chose ITYTD because I was inexperienced with playing games with a keyboard and I had no clue what I was doing.

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Nice detailed thoughts on the design decisions behind those early Doom levels. I've always thought it was no accident that so many of the technical features making their debut in the Doom engine are immediately apparent in that first area.

I think id, having been one of the few companies to make a success out of shareware distribution, had a very strong sense of how to sell their stuff to the public. To amaze them, basically. Take Wolfenstein 3D. The opening shot of that is just you in an empty cell, blue walls around you, facing a doorway. It couldn't be blander. And yet at the time the only first person perspective games people had ever played were dungeon crawls like Eye of the Beholder, where you jump forward in block sized increments, and flick ninety degrees when you turn. The opening shot looks just like one of those games, maybe even a little blander. So when the player hits forward they could be forgiven for thinking this game's going to behave the same way. Instead, the screen updated continuously, smoothly, in real time. The game lulled you into thinking it was nothing special, then stuns you with how much better it really is. That's the jaw-dropping moment from Wolfenstein 3D that made id famous developers - the moment when people first saw how the game moved.

18 months later when Doom's released, everyone's used to first person texture mapped graphics now, they're not a selling point anymore. Instead Doom sells itself on its feature list, how much more advanced it is over Wolfenstein 3D. So from player 1's position in e1m1, you can see:
- texture mapped floors and ceiling
- variable height sectors
- non-orthogonal walls and corners
- windows on an outdoor environment
- variable light levels and light diminishing
Without even touching a key the player can tell this is going to be an extremely interesting environment to explore.

bimlanders said:

A+ post. I wonder if everyone remembers the first difficulty choice they made? I know that I choose HMP, because I didn't want to seem like a wuss to choose an easier one. Romero likely designed around the idea that most gamers would choose skill three first.

I think I went with UV, since I'd played Wolfenstein a lot and figured the skills would transfer over to this new game. Which pretty much turned out to be the case.

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Ryback said:

And yet at the time the only first person perspective games people had ever played were dungeon crawls like Eye of the Beholder, where you jump forward in block sized increments, and flick ninety degrees when you turn.


TBH the fluid motion stuff wasn't as impressive to me as the "whole package", if that makes sense. A game like Hired Guns had a lot more going for it in terms of immersion (esp. the ambient sound), exploration, puzzles, multiplayer capability (4 players on one machine), and replayability (lots of missions, lots of character choices).

I litterally shrugged when I saw Wolf3D being played at the store. But Doom, now that was something else...

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I don't think too much is being read into the design here. I believe that E1M1 is a very well crafted introductory map and I believe that Romero would have considered many of the points being made.

I even remember my first experience in E1M1 in quite a bit of detail and, although I wasn't a FPS virgin, many of the points about it being a teaching level and safe sandbox followed by well judged introductory fights ring true.

The only obvious thing missed from the initial post is the C shape of the level which Essel picked up on.

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I've always felt this was a good demo map, both to show off new features in the engine (mostly things that were impossible in Wolf3D, like the stairs to the green armor and the zig-zag pathway) and to give new players a feel for the controls.

All of E1 seems like a tutorial for new players as they gain experience. You get a few low-level monsters and a shotgun in M1, one key and a couple more weapons in M2, the rocket launcher and some tougher monsters in M3, all three keys in M6, then you get obliterated by the barons in M8 :-P

Enjay said:
The only obvious thing missed from the initial post is the C shape of the level which Essel picked up on.

I seem to remember reading somewhere (possibly an interview with a level designer) that a lot of levels were essentially U-shaped. Like Essel said, this allows unrelated areas to be visually connected (or even allow players to enter these areas, increasing the non-linearity of the map). Plus it makes the level more compact...

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The map shows it has gone through so many changes, it would be ridiculous to assume that it was not one of those maps that just had to be perfect. It seems to do everything just right. especially the zigzag room, which shows to an even higher degree, how abstract the level design can be, compared to the tile-based orthogonal experience of Wolf3D.

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Avoozl said:

What I can't understand is why they picked a less space like sky. :P


There are a lot of things about Doom that aren't at all realistic or even logical, but that's one that's always stuck out to me.

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Relic said:

Holy crap, haven't red it yet. But wow, it's just the first level! Didn't think one could write so much on it.


There's a lot of stuff to be written about E1M2 too, just about the stuff you can see from your starting position and the game features you encounter in the very first area. The rest of the map is truly epic as well. If E1M1 was "Doom 101" in terms of feature, E1M2 is like "Doom 201".

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Maes said:

There's a lot of stuff to be written about E1M2 too, just about the stuff you can see from your starting position and the game features you encounter in the very first area. The rest of the map is truly epic as well. If E1M1 was "Doom 101" in terms of feature, E1M2 is like "Doom 201".

In that case, perhaps you could write a follow-up thread on E1M2, if you think there are some interesting things to say about it?

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E1M2 introduces locked doors and keys, switches for remotely triggering stuff, and lifts. (Okay, there's a lift in E1M1 too, but it's a secret in a secret and it wasn't in the first version officially released.)

There's the optional computer maze area that introduces the dark, flickering light effect as an environment. If you find the secrets, you also discover the backpack, the chaingun, the chainsaw, and the soulsphere.

E1M3 introduces a new enemy type, invisibility (both for enemies and, if you find the hidden optional area, for yourself), the concept of trapped items (blue key ambush), and if you find the secret areas you get the rocket launcher and a secret exit.

E1M9 introduces the idea of mandatory nuke baths. In previous levels, nukage was something you had to avoid, here you find out that sometimes you can't avoid it.

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As a (much less than perfect) level designer myself, I really appreciate the level design of E1M1. It serves the purpose of being a perfect introduction to ease any newcomer into the game while showcasing improvements of the Doom engine capabilities over anything at the time. It also has a nice and clever compact layout, and every area has care put into it.

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