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Id To Release Doom 3 Source Code

At his QuakeCon keynote on Thursday, Id Software co-founder and lead programmer John Carmack revealed that the company intends on releasing the source code for 2004's Doom 3.

Frank Cifaldi, Contributor

August 4, 2011

1 Min Read
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At his QuakeCon keynote on Thursday, Id Software co-founder and lead programmer John Carmack revealed that the company intends on releasing the source code for 2004's Doom 3. According to a VG247 report on his talk (which is just concluding at press time), Carmack said that he received permission from parent company Zenimax to release his code, which the company plans to do after its next game, Rage, is released in October. Carmack then challenged other developers to release their source code for study as well, saying it helps the developer community. The well-known developer has often said in the past that he planned on releasing the code, but this is the first time that he has declared an approximate timeframe. Note that Doom 3's famous shadow renderer is based on technology patented by Creative Labs. According to an alleged 2009 email conversation with Carmack, anyone using the renderer would "potentially be infringing" on that patent. QuakeCon, a gathering of PC gamers often described as the world's largest LAN party that is named after Id Software's Quake, is taking place in Dallas, Texas today through Sunday.

About the Author

Frank Cifaldi

Contributor

Frank Cifaldi is a freelance writer and contributing news editor at Gamasutra. His past credentials include being senior editor at 1UP.com, editorial director and community manager for Turner Broadcasting's GameTap games-on-demand service, and a contributing author to publications that include Edge, Wired, Nintendo Official Magazine UK and GamesIndustry.biz, among others. He can be reached at [email protected].

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