History Creator / JohnCarmack

* ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'': Pretty much invented the idea of "adaptive tile refresh," or redrawing only tiles that have changed since the last time the screen was drawn. Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware. [[note]]For perspective, the ''UsefulNotes/SuperNintendo'' was released only one month prior in Japan.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'': Invented surface caching, an essential part of full polygonal 3D. Improved binary search partition trees. Was the first FPS to have fast enough netcode to be playable online (previous ones could only really be played over LAN). Supported a mod community that is still active today. [[RunningGag Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware,]] and Windows computers too to an even greater extent not long later with [=GLQuake=].[[note]]For perspective, the UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}}, the first major console with polygonal 3D support, came out in Japan the same month. It couldn't handle textures as big as ''Quake'''s (although a scaled down Quake port was released on the console, playable with the hub and few levels cut down), and certainly couldn't handle running at the frame rates the PC version reached.[[/note]]

As of November 2013, he has resigned from id Software to work full-time for Oculus VR, the company responsible for the UsefulNotes/OculusRift. His reputation took a major blow when he has been heavily involved in the lawsuit that cost Facebook $500 million for stealing the technology behind OR, although the trial jury absolved Carmack of liability and his reputation has been slowly recovering ever since.

[[spoiler:[[VideoGame/{{DRL}} May or may not be the actual leader of Doom's demonic invasion]].]]

* ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'': Pretty much invented the idea of "adaptive tile refresh," or redrawing only tiles that have changed since the the screen was drawn. Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware. [[note]]For perspective, the ''UsefulNotes/SuperNintendo'' was released only one month prior in Japan.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'': Pretty much invented the idea of "adaptive tile refresh," or redrawing only tiles that have changed since the last time the screen drawn. Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware. [[note]]For perspective, the ''UsefulNotes/SuperNintendo'' was released only one month prior in Japan.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'': Invented surface caching, an essential part of full polygonal 3D. Improved binary search partition trees. Was the first FPS to have fast enough netcode to be playable online (previous ones could only really be played over LAN). Supported a mod community that is still active today. [[RunningGag Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware,]] and Windows computers too to an even greater extent not long later with [=GLQuake=].[[note]]For perspective, the UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}}, the first major console with polygonal 3D support, came out in Japan the same month. It couldn't handle textures as big as ''Quake'''s (although a scaled down Quake port was released on the console, playable with the hub and few levels cut down), and certainly couldn't handle running at 60 fps.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'': Invented surface caching, an essential part of full polygonal 3D. Improved binary search partition trees. Was the first FPS to have fast enough netcode to be playable online (previous ones could only really be played over LAN). Supported a mod community that is still active today. [[RunningGag Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware.]] [[note]]For perspective, the UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}}, the first major console with polygonal 3D support, came out in Japan the same month. It couldn't handle textures as big as ''Quake'''s (although a scaled down Quake port was released on the console, playable with the hub and few levels cut down), and certainly couldn't handle running at 60 fps.[[/note]]

John D. Carmack (born August 20, 1970) is a game programmer ([[HeAlsoDid slash aerospace engineer]]) who worked for Creator/IdSoftware. He co-founded the company with Creator/JohnRomero, and was the lead programmer for almost every game that company made.

John D. Carmack (born August 20, 1970) is a game programmer ([[NinjaPirateRobotZombie slash aerospace engineer]]) who worked for Creator/IdSoftware. He co-founded the company with Creator/JohnRomero, and was the lead programmer for almost every game that company made.

As of November 2013, he has resigned from id Software to work full-time for Oculus VR, the company responsible for the UsefulNotes/OculusRift. His reputation has recently taken a major hit as he has been heavily involved in the lawsuit that cost Facebook $500 million for stealing the technology behind OR.

* ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'': Invented surface caching, an essential part of full polygonal 3D. Improved binary search partition trees. Was the first FPS to have fast enough netcode to be playable online (previous ones could only really be played over LAN). Supported a mod community that is still active today. [[RunningGag Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware.]] [[note]]For perspective, the UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}}, the first major console with polygonal 3D support, came out in Japan the same month. It couldn't handle textures as big as ''Quake'''s (although a scaled down Quake port do available in the console, playable with the hub and few levels cut down), and certainly couldn't handle running at 60 fps.[[/note]]

[[spoiler:[[VideoGame/{{DRL}} May or may not be the actual leader of Doom's demonic invasion]]]]

[[spoiler:[[VideoGame/DoomTheRoguelike May or may not be the actual leader of Doom's demonic invasion]]]]

John D. Carmack (born August 20, 1970) is a game programmer ([[NinjaPirateRobotZombie slash aerospace engineer]]) who worked for Creator/IdSoftware. He co-founded the company with JohnRomero, and was the lead programmer for almost every game that company made.

John D. Carmack (born August 20, 1970) is a game programmer ([[NinjaPirateRobotZombie slash aerospace engineer]]) who worked for IdSoftware. He co-founded the company with JohnRomero, and was the lead programmer for almost every game that company made.

[[spoiler:[[DoomTheRoguelike May or may not be the actual leader of Doom's demonic invasion]]]]

* ''{{Quake}}'': Invented surface caching, an essential part of full polygonal 3D. Improved binary search partition trees. Was the first FPS to have fast enough netcode to be playable online (previous ones could only really be played over LAN). Supported a mod community that is still active today. [[RunningGag Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware.]] [[note]]For perspective, the UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}}, the first major console with polygonal 3D support, came out in Japan the same month. It couldn't handle textures as big as ''Quake'''s (although a scaled down Quake port do available in the console, playable with the hub and few levels cut down), and certainly couldn't handle running at 60 fps.[[/note]]

John Carmack is a game programmer ([[NinjaPirateRobotZombie slash aerospace engineer]]) who worked for IdSoftware. He co-founded the company with JohnRomero, and was the lead programmer for almost every game that company made.

As of November 2013, he has resigned from id Software to work full-time for Oculus VR, the company responsible for the UsefulNotes/OculusRift.

* ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'': Pretty much invented the idea of "adaptive tile refresh," or redrawing only tiles that have changed since the last time the screen drawn. Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware. [[note]]For perspective, the ''SuperNintendo'' was released only one month prior in Japan.[[/note]]

* ''{{Quake}}'': Invented surface caching, an essential part of full polygonal 3D. Improved binary search partition trees. Was the first FPS to have fast enough netcode to be playable online (previous ones could only really be played over LAN). Supported a mod community that is still active today. [[RunningGag Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware.]] [[note]]For perspective, the {{Nintendo 64}}, the first major console with polygonal 3D support, came out in Japan the same month. It couldn't handle textures as big as ''Quake'''s (although a scaled down Quake port do available in the console, playable with the hub and few levels cut down), and certainly couldn't handle running at 60 fps.[[/note]]

* ''{{Quake}}'': Invented surface caching, an essential part of full polygonal 3D. Improved binary search partition trees. Was the first FPS to have fast enough netcode to be playable online (previous ones could only really be played over LAN). Supported a mod community that is still active today. [[RunningGag Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware.]] [[note]]For perspective, the {{Nintendo 64}}, the first major console with polygonal 3D support, came out in Japan the same month. It couldn't handle textures as big as ''Quake'''s, and certainly couldn't handle running at 60 fps.[[/note]]

As of November 2013, he has resigned from id Software to work full-time for Oculus VR, the company responsible for the OculusRift.

John Carmack is a game programmer ([[NinjaPirateRobotZombie slash aerospace engineer]]) who works for IdSoftware. He co-founded the company with JohnRomero, and was the lead programmer for almost every game that company made.

* ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'': Pretty much invented the idea of "adaptive tile refresh," or redrawing only tiles that have changed since the last time the screen drawn. Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware. [[hottip:*:For perspective, the ''SuperNintendo'' was released only one month prior in Japan.]]
* ''VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D'': Popularized raycasting (the technique itself is much older than ''Wolfenstein 3D''). Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware. [[hottip:*:For perspective, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioKart'' was released a couple months later.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'': Vastly improved raycasting using techniques like blockmapping and binary search partition trees. [[TropeCodifier Codified]] the FPS genre. Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware. (You might be noticing a pattern.) [[hottip:*:For perspective, ''VideoGame/StarFox'' was released only 10 months before ''Doom''.]]
* ''{{Quake}}'': Invented surface caching, an essential part of full polygonal 3D. Improved binary search partition trees. Was the first FPS to have fast enough netcode to be playable online (previous ones could only really be played over LAN). Supported a mod community that is still active today. [[RunningGag Allowed cheap DOS computers to compete with specialized console hardware.]] [[hottip:*:For perspective, the {{Nintendo 64}}, the first major console with polygonal 3D support, came out in Japan the same month. It couldn't handle textures as big as ''Quake'''s, and certainly couldn't handle running at 60 fps.]]