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Wolfenstein 3D's Secret Predecessor Revealed
3 Feb
Summary
- Catacomb 3D pioneered features like mouse support and texture-mapped walls.
- The game's first-person view drastically improved player immersion.
- id Software abandoned Commander Keen to focus on Catacomb 3D's successors.
Catacomb 3D, a pioneering first-person game from id Software, is being revisited by the company's founding members in a retrospective video. Released nearly 35 years ago, this title directly inspired the creation of Wolfenstein 3D. It introduced innovative features like mouse support and texture-mapped walls, a graphical breakthrough for its time.
The game's shift to a first-person perspective was a significant decision, driven by the cost of rendering larger character models and the desire for greater player immersion. This viewpoint fundamentally changed the player's connection to the game, as noted by co-founder Tom Hall.
Despite Catacomb 3D's technological advancements, it was financially less successful than the Commander Keen series. The team even began developing a seventh Commander Keen game but ultimately abandoned it to pursue the potential demonstrated by Catacomb 3D, leading to the development of Wolfenstein 3D.
