Doom on a 1640 Computer
Doom on a 1640 Computer[edit]
Concept[edit]
On 22 April 2026, the game Doom (id Software, 1993) will be executed on a "computer" — not as we understand the term today, but as it was understood in France, circa 1640: a human being whose occupation is to compute.
The 1640 Computer[edit]
In the early 17th century, the word computer (French: calculateur or ordinateur in ecclesiastical contexts) referred to a person who performed mathematical calculations by hand. These individuals were typically:
- Astronomers computing planetary tables
- Navigators calculating routes
- Tax officials computing liabilities
- Military engineers computing trajectories
System Requirements[edit]
| Component | 1993 PC | 1640 Human Computer |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel 386 | One trained calculateur |
| RAM | 4 MB | Working memory (approx. 7±2 numbers) |
| Display | VGA (320×200) | Large sheets of vellum, updated by a team of enlumineurs |
| Storage | 20 MB HDD | Ledgers and folios |
| Input | Keyboard/Mouse | Verbal commands, written instructions |
| Frame Rate | ~30 fps | ~1 frame per 3 to 5 business days |
Implementation[edit]
The "execution" proceeds as follows:
- A team of calculateurs manually performs the raycasting algorithm using trigonometric tables and compass-and-straightedge construction
- Each wall segment's height and position is computed on paper using basic arithmetic and lookup tables
- A team of enlumineurs (illuminators) renders the computed frame on vellum using period-appropriate pigments
- The player (a separate individual) issues movement commands in writing
- Each command requires a full recomputation — approximately 72 hours for a single step forward
- Demon positions are tracked in ledgers and updated each "frame"
Raycasting by Hand[edit]
The core algorithm requires computing, for each of 200 column-pixels across the field of view:
- Angle of ray (arithmetic)
- Distance to nearest wall (trigonometric lookup + comparison)
- Wall strip height (division)
- Texture column selection (modular arithmetic)
- Light level (simple subtraction)
A skilled calculateur can complete one column in approximately 45 minutes. A full frame thus requires roughly 150 hours of continuous labor, or about 3 weeks with a single computer working daylight hours.
Projected Performance[edit]
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Time to complete E1M1 | Approximately 34 years |
| Staff Required | 200 calculateurs, 50 enlumineurs |
| Ink Consumed | ~12,000 liters |
| Vellum Consumed | ~80,000 sheets |
Historical Context[edit]
This project sits comfortably within the tradition of Blaise Pascal's era. Pascal would invent his mechanical calculator (Pascaline) in 1642, just two years after our nominal date. One wonders whether a Pascaline could accelerate the raycasting computation by perhaps 0.3%.
