Doom Now Playable in PDF Format

Summary

• A high school student has successfully ported Doom (1993) to a PDF file, creating a slow but playable version of the iconic game.
• Doom's small file size enables it to be run on unconventional devices, such as the Nintendo Alarmo and within other video games like Balandro.
• These creative ports demonstrate the ongoing legacy and versatility of Doom, showing its continued relevance over three decades later.

One dedicated high school student has achieved a remarkable feat by porting the legendary game Doom (1993) to a PDF file. This innovative project adds to the growing list of unexpected platforms on which Doom has been played.

Developed by id Software, Doom is widely recognized as one of the most influential video games of all time, particularly in the first-person shooter (FPS) genre. The game's impact was so significant that it inspired the term "FPS," and for many years, similar games were often referred to as "Doom clones." In recent years, a trend has emerged where programmers and gaming enthusiasts have taken on the challenge of running Doom on the most unconventional devices imaginable, from fridges and alarm clocks to car stereos and beyond. This playful yet impressive trend has now reached a new milestone.

High school student and GitHub user ading2210 has successfully ported the classic Doom into a PDF file. The PDF format supports JavaScript, which allows for functions such as 3D rendering, making HTTP requests, and detecting users' monitors. While most interactive PDFs use small text boxes as pixels, Doom's 320x200 resolution requires thousands of text boxes per frame, which is impractical. To overcome this, ading2210 uses one text box per screen row, resulting in a slower but still playable game. A video shared by the creator shows the game running without color, sound, or text, with a response time of 80ms per frame.

High School Student Ports Doom (1993) to a PDF

The compact size of Doom, at just 2.39 megabytes, makes such feats possible. Recently, in November, a programmer managed to make Doom playable on the Nintendo Alarmo, using the device's dials to move the character and the side buttons to navigate the game's menu. Additionally, another creative player has made Doom run within Balandro, allowing players to experience the classic FPS across the game's spread cards, albeit with noticeable performance issues similar to the PDF version.

The primary goal of these projects is not to play Doom smoothly on these unconventional platforms but to showcase the endless possibilities that creative players can explore. The fact that Doom remains relevant more than 30 years after its release is a testament to its enduring legacy. As enthusiasts continue to experiment, it's likely that Doom will be ported to even more unusual devices in the future.