The DOOM Bible
The DOOM Bible is a design document written by Tom Hall in 1992 during the early development of DOOM at id Software.
It outlined the story, characters, levels, and structure for the game before the team decided to move in a more action focused direction.
Although much of it was never used, the document remains one of the most fascinating glimpses into what DOOM could have been.
Origins
When the team began working on their new project after Wolfenstein 3D, Tom Hall wanted to create something deeper and more cinematic.
He envisioned a dark science fiction adventure with dialogue, mission objectives, and story progression told through in game messages.
He titled the document The DOOM Bible, a playful reference to its size and detail.
John Carmack was focused on building a faster, more advanced 3D engine, while John Romero pushed for pure speed and chaos.
The difference in philosophy between story and action quickly became the main creative tension inside id Software.
Story and Characters
The DOOM Bible described a research facility on Mars where teleportation experiments opened a gateway to another dimension.
The player would take the role of one of several space marines, each with their own background and personality.
Among the proposed characters were:
Lorelei Chen
John Pietrovich
Dimitri Paramo
Thi Barrett
The story began with routine base work before things went wrong, sending the characters into demonic chaos.
Unlike the final version of DOOM, the original concept featured dialogue, NPC interactions, and even the possibility of cooperation between marines.
Gameplay Design
Hall’s version of DOOM was divided into six episodes, each with different objectives and environments.
Players would collect key items, rescue characters, and slowly uncover the truth behind the experiments.
He also proposed environmental puzzles and scripted events to enhance immersion.
While the core idea of fast paced combat remained, the DOOM Bible leaned toward adventure structure, resembling a hybrid between action and story driven design.
Rejection and Redirection
As development continued, John Carmack pushed for simplicity and focus.
He believed that story slowed down gameplay and that the fun should come from the feeling of movement, not exposition.
His vision of pure action eventually won out.
The team began stripping away narrative elements, removing cutscenes, and tightening combat.
By late 1993, most of Hall’s work was gone, replaced by the lean, fast version of DOOM that became a cultural icon.
Tom Hall’s Departure
The disagreements surrounding The DOOM Bible eventually led to Tom Hall’s exit from id Software.
Although he respected the technical brilliance of his colleagues, his creative voice no longer fit within the company’s evolving direction.
He left before DOOM’s release and joined Apogee Software to work on Rise of the Triad.
His departure marked the end of id’s early balance between narrative design and pure technical innovation.
Legacy
Despite being unused, The DOOM Bible remains one of the most studied design documents in gaming history.
It offers insight into how different DOOM could have been, blending rich story with brutal gameplay.
Fans continue to reference it as a symbol of lost potential and a reminder of the creative clash that defined id Software’s growth.
Parts of the document have been preserved online and in interviews, showing Hall’s vision for atmosphere, structure, and pacing that would later influence games across genres.