A high school student's remarkable feat: running Doom (1993) within a PDF file. While slow, the game remains playable, showcasing the enduring legacy of this iconic title.
Doom's compact size (a mere 2.39 MB) has always facilitated its execution on unconventional hardware. Previous examples include a Nintendo Alarmo port and a version integrated into the game Balandro. These creative endeavors highlight the game's adaptability and inspire continued experimentation.
GitHub user ading2210 achieved this PDF port by leveraging JavaScript's capabilities within the PDF format. This allows for 3D rendering and other functionalities. However, the limitations of the PDF format necessitate compromises. Instead of using individual text boxes as pixels (impractical given Doom's 320x200 resolution), ading2210 employs a single text box per screen row. This results in a significantly slower, albeit functional, gameplay experience, lacking color, sound, and in-game text, with an 80ms frame rate.
High School Student's Doom PDF Port: A Testament to Enduring Legacy
The success of this project, and others like it, isn't about achieving optimal performance on unusual platforms. Rather, it underscores the boundless creativity of gamers and programmers who continue to find novel ways to experience Doom. The game's continued relevance after over three decades is a testament to its lasting impact on the gaming world. The future undoubtedly holds even more surprising Doom ports.
