John Carmack on the Development of Quake
This entry covers John Carmack’s discussion with Lex Fridman about the creation of Quake, the technical ambitions behind it, and the lessons he learned from one of the most demanding projects at id Software.
Carmack explained how Quake became both a breakthrough and a moment of personal reflection as he confronted the limits of his own pace and perfectionism.
Pushing Technology Further
Carmack described Quake as the first project that truly tested his limits.
“It was the first thing where I really did give it my all and still came up a little bit short in terms of what and when I wanted to get it done.”
He recalled that Quake was an enormous leap forward from DOOM in every direction. It was intended to be the first fully 3D engine supporting six degrees of freedom, allowing complete freedom of movement and viewing.
It also introduced a new lighting system using surface caching, something even high-end systems of the time had not achieved.
A New Era for Modding and Multiplayer
Unlike DOOM, which allowed custom levels but not true game logic modification, Quake introduced its own internal programming language: QuakeC.
“The game was going to be implemented in its own language, and that could be replaced or extended. You could have expansion packs that changed fundamental things.”
This shift gave birth to the first generation of deep modding communities and paved the way for total conversions like Team Fortress and Action Quake.
Carmack also wanted Quake to support a new kind of multiplayer through the Internet. Instead of the peer-to-peer system used in DOOM, Quake implemented a client-server model, enabling larger groups of players across long distances.
“We had the possibility of supporting larger numbers of players in disparate locations with full flexibility of programming overrides.”
Lessons in Scope and Pacing
Carmack admitted that Quake’s ambitious scope stretched the team too far.
“We bit off a lot. If I could go back, I would have split those innovations into two phases in two separate games.”
He reflected that a more pragmatic approach might have produced two strong releases instead of one exhausting development cycle.
“It probably would have been taking the DOOM rendering engine and bringing in the client-server multiplayer and the programming language there. I would have split it into programming language and networking with the same DOOM engine.”
He explained that doing so would have allowed the team to deliver something amazing earlier while still leaving room for a second leap forward later.
Balancing Ambition and Reality
Carmack acknowledged that while Quake became a technical and cultural success, the process came at a high cost.
“I would have much rather gone and done two one-year development efforts rather than killing ourselves on the whole Quake development.”
He admitted that the team had enormous momentum after DOOM and DOOM II and could have built on that with a smoother transition into new technology.
“We could have just made another DOOM game adding those new features in. It would have been huge. We would have learned all the same lessons but faster.”
Reflections with Lex Fridman
When Lex Fridman asked about Joe Rogan’s love of Quake and whether splitting the project would have changed that, Carmack smiled and reasoned that both paths would have created something special.
“You would have had a DOOM-looking but Quake-feeling game eight months earlier, and then something even cooler a little later.”
Carmack’s reflection revealed a more mature understanding of pacing, scope, and sustainability—lessons that would influence how he later approached projects in aerospace and artificial intelligence.
Legacy
Quake’s development pushed both id Software and PC hardware to their limits.
Its innovations in networking, 3D rendering, and modding redefined what was possible in gaming and set the stage for the rise of online multiplayer shooters.
Even with hindsight, Carmack viewed Quake as both a triumph and a turning point.
“It’s obvious things worked out well in the end, but looking back at how to optimize and do things differently, that did seem to be a clear case.”