Doom's been ported to everything from toasters to refrigerators, seemingly leaving little room for innovation. However, a high school student has achieved the seemingly impossible: running Doom within a PDF file viewable in a browser.
While lacking sound and detailed text, the core gameplay of E1M1 is surprisingly playable, making it the perfect distraction for those procrastinating on taxes.
Inspired by TetrisPDF, Github user ading2210 leveraged Javascript within a browser's PDF reader to accomplish this feat. Browser security limitations restrict the full potential of PDF scripting, but it proved sufficient for this unique Doom port.
Using a six-color ASCII grid for visuals, ading2210 created a surprisingly readable Doom experience, despite a frame rate of approximately 80ms. While not a replacement for modern gaming consoles, the achievement is remarkable.
TetrisPDF's creator, Thomas Rinsma, acknowledged ading2210's superior implementation on Hacker News.
Although not ideal for a first-time Doom playthrough, the continued porting of Doom to unconventional platforms, including files and even bacteria, remains a testament to its enduring legacy and the ingenuity of its fans.
