Layoffs at id Software

A tweet noted on NeoGAF says that layoffs have hit id Software: "Some layoffs at idSoftware today, perhaps more to come later." Joystiq has a statement from id parent Zenimax Media saying they are "still recruiting and hiring qualified developers" for id Software, and that "development work on future id titles continues unabated," while offering this confirmation of cuts at the formerly indie developer:
As part of its standard business practice, id regularly evaluates staffing to ensure it has a workforce that meets the needs of the studio. As part of that process, some id employees were recently let go.
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88.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Feb 28, 2012, 00:34
88.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Feb 28, 2012, 00:34
Feb 28, 2012, 00:34
 
They are lucky to be afloat, Rage was complete disaster but expected.
"On 2646.215 I myself attacked & destroyed TCS Tiger's Claw in my Jalthi heavy fighter"
Bakhtosh Redclaw Nar Kiranka
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87.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 22, 2012, 01:48
87.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 22, 2012, 01:48
Jan 22, 2012, 01:48
 
Wow. Really? That's pretty ass, kid. They may be many things, but PC gaming haters is not one of them. Most of the people working in the FPS genre owe a hefty toll to id and Carmack. They deserve a little more respect than that.

^D^
"Never start a fight, but always finish it."
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86.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 20, 2012, 23:31
86.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 20, 2012, 23:31
Jan 20, 2012, 23:31
 
HHHAHAHAHAHAH!!! Good riddance id. Nobody cares. Amazed you lasted this long. You haven't been relevant since Quake1. Time to move over and make room for real innovators who aren't assholes and pc-gaming-haters.
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85.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 20, 2012, 02:17
85.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 20, 2012, 02:17
Jan 20, 2012, 02:17
 
Considering they havent released anything new worth mentioning, they should feel lucky anyways.
"On 2646.215 I myself attacked & destroyed TCS Tiger's Claw in my Jalthi heavy fighter"
Bakhtosh Redclaw Nar Kiranka
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84.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 16, 2012, 16:03
84.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 16, 2012, 16:03
Jan 16, 2012, 16:03
 
I never like to hear about layoffs, regardless of the company. And while the road with id is sometimes rocky as of late, they are still top shelf people with top shelf ideals. I wish those affected the very best.

That said, I think my only real complaint with rage was thus: the game was too short. It felt like a precursor to a larger game that just stopped mid-sentence.

I actually read the rage novel, thinking that the game would cover far more than the book once it was released. I was horribly disappointed.

The engine? It's got long life. I'm sure the next few games will utilize it better as the hardware improves and 2+gigs of VRAM becomes more common.

^D^
"Never start a fight, but always finish it."
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83.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 16, 2012, 14:10
83.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 16, 2012, 14:10
Jan 16, 2012, 14:10
 
Prez wrote on Jan 11, 2012, 23:33:
Ybbsnqq
Plus it looks better than Rage, plus it's MASSIVELY open world, and it has a view distance of approximately 900 trillion miles.

900 TRILLION??? Gee, that IS pretty impressive. You're not known for your penchant for exaggeration, so I know that this is a literal number.

't is!

Creston
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82.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 12, 2012, 18:11
Prez
 
82.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 12, 2012, 18:11
Jan 12, 2012, 18:11
 Prez
 
Oh absolutely. The MP had WAY more impact than the SP. But they didn't add a SP portion to Q4 for no reason. Incidentally, it was okay, but could have been so much better. Come to think of it, that can pretty much be said about all of id's SP efforts since the Doom series of long ago.

I stopped playing Quake MP games soon after Q3's release. I just don't have the skill and/or reflexes to compete.

This comment was edited on Jan 12, 2012, 19:38.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
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81.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 12, 2012, 14:54
81.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 12, 2012, 14:54
Jan 12, 2012, 14:54
 
Prez wrote on Jan 12, 2012, 11:29:
id made Q3 a multiplayer-only game because multiplayer was always the best and most popular part of the series. Why waste time with a generic and forgettable single-player campaign which nobodywillcare about? id tried that withDoom3 anditdidn't endverywell. Same could be said of RAGE. If id were smart, they'd go back to multiplayer-only games, preferably PC-exclusives.

I don't think this is accurate. I distinctly remember id saying in a PC Gamer interview about Quake 4 that Quake 2 was far and away its biggest seller, and surveys showed that was due to the singleplayer. The answer was in response to the question of why Q4 wasn't going to be multiplayer only like Q3 was (discounting bot play). I understand that most here prefer Q2 for its MP by a large margin, but id themselves said that wasn't the majority opinion even though conventional wisdom always assumes that it is. I'm pretty confident id would know.

I guess that depends on how you define popularity. I'm defining it based on the game's longevity and Q3 had greater longevity than Q2.
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80.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 12, 2012, 11:29
Prez
 
80.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 12, 2012, 11:29
Jan 12, 2012, 11:29
 Prez
 
id made Q3 a multiplayer-only game because multiplayer was always the best and most popular part of the series. Why waste time with a generic and forgettable single-player campaign which nobodywillcare about? id tried that withDoom3 anditdidn't endverywell. Same could be said of RAGE. If id were smart, they'd go back to multiplayer-only games, preferably PC-exclusives.

I don't think this is accurate. I distinctly remember id saying in a PC Gamer interview about Quake 4 that Quake 2 was far and away its biggest seller, and surveys showed that was due to the singleplayer. The answer was in response to the question of why Q4 wasn't going to be multiplayer only like Q3 was (discounting bot play). I understand that most here prefer Q2 for its MP by a large margin, but id themselves said that wasn't the majority opinion even though conventional wisdom always assumes that it is. I'm pretty confident id would know.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
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79.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 12, 2012, 11:18
79.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 12, 2012, 11:18
Jan 12, 2012, 11:18
 
Jerykk wrote on Jan 11, 2012, 23:39:
id made Q3 a multiplayer-only game because multiplayer was always the best and most popular part of the series. Why waste time with a generic and forgettable single-player campaign which nobody will care about? id tried that with Doom 3 and it didn't end very well. Same could be said of RAGE. If id were smart, they'd go back to multiplayer-only games, preferably PC-exclusives.

Amen.

There's a lot to be said for the 'easy to pick up, easy to put down' multiplayer games. Deathmatch and its team-based derivatives have always been popular. I'd argue that the genre is the 'original' internet based multiplayer game and it's stayed popular for a good reason (just look at Quake Live).

'Quake Team Arena 2' or something similar to that would have probably been a better showcase for the new engine (I wish I could say how well id tech 5 works for multiplayer, but I haven't even had a chance to play it yet). Anyone else agree? id has done deathmatch really well since Doom. The hardcore deathmatch players tend to not care about texture quality so maybe there's a niche for it. I really want to see what the modding community will come up with for multiplayer since id obviously hasn't. A team-based Mad Max mod could be really cool!

Thanks for reminding me of how fun just a simple game of deathmatch can be. I got married a couple of years ago and have wasted too much money on single player games since my time goes into more important things. Heck, I don't think I've even finished a single player game since Half-Life (yeah, pretty sad huh?) so maybe I need to go back to old school
78.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 12, 2012, 03:13
78.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 12, 2012, 03:13
Jan 12, 2012, 03:13
 
Jerykk wrote on Jan 11, 2012, 03:40:
Hidden & Dangerous is the only game until Rage that I felt came even close to creating such an immersive environment/atmosphere.

Did you ever play STALKER? I'd say that's the most atmospheric game I've played. A lot of it had to do with the dynamic lighting and ambient audio, as well as the dynamic and unpredictable encounters and the pseudo-open world. RAGE never really felt alive to me. It felt like a theme park.

The lighting effects and usage in Rage are far superior to Fallout 3, each section of Rage has been crafted with the lighting providing a critical role in creating the right atmosphere for the section. The music backs this up, every time you battle a different clan there is different music that plays.

Eh, I guess. Bethesda's games have some very nice outdoor lighting. As for the context-sensitive music, that's not really unique. Pretty much all games have unique music/ambient sound based on your location.
STALKER is on the list. Partner bought it for me to play... apparently I have to like and play all RPGs now. I've been listening to the Clear Sky theme music for a while though lol, great tune!

Context-sensitive music is not unique no, it's rarely used well though. Back to my fanboy-game, Hidden & Dangerous, H&D1 used context-sensitive music perfectly. H&D2 use of context-sensitive music is dreadful, ruined the entire feel of the game.

The best example of RAGE's atmosphere is battling the Ghost clan in the Wellspring Wasteland. The music and sound effects of the clan reminds me of Logan's Run, sci-fi classic. Anyone else get that? doubt it not many classic sci-fi fans around...
77.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 11, 2012, 23:39
77.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 11, 2012, 23:39
Jan 11, 2012, 23:39
 
yeh but thats entirely different from your previous statement

when Q2 came out, the "competitive multiplayer community" was just getting off the ground, and thats why id made Q3 to cater to their whims

and it was still all downhill from there, because id seemed to think they could do no wrong, that they were the ones setting the tone for fps in general... then half-life came along, then counter-strike, and then id was pretty much done

Eh? QuakeCon (and various other professional gaming outlets) have been hosting Q3/QL tourneys for years. I think that's a pretty good indication of the game's popularity amongst the competitive multiplayer community. That and the hordes of videos on Youtube showcasing Q3 matches and highlights.

id made Q3 a multiplayer-only game because multiplayer was always the best and most popular part of the series. Why waste time with a generic and forgettable single-player campaign which nobody will care about? id tried that with Doom 3 and it didn't end very well. Same could be said of RAGE. If id were smart, they'd go back to multiplayer-only games, preferably PC-exclusives.
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76.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 11, 2012, 23:33
Prez
 
76.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 11, 2012, 23:33
Jan 11, 2012, 23:33
 Prez
 
Ybbsnqq
Plus it looks better than Rage, plus it's MASSIVELY open world, and it has a view distance of approximately 900 trillion miles.

900 TRILLION??? Gee, that IS pretty impressive. You're not known for your penchant for exaggeration, so I know that this is a literal number.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
Avatar 17185
75.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 11, 2012, 20:40
Dev
75.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 11, 2012, 20:40
Jan 11, 2012, 20:40
Dev
 
Paketep wrote on Jan 11, 2012, 07:26:
Exactly. Stalker plus the Complete Mod is a fantastic game and looks incredible (lightning especially).
Thanks for that link!
74.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 11, 2012, 19:36
74.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 11, 2012, 19:36
Jan 11, 2012, 19:36
 
Kajetan wrote on Jan 11, 2012, 07:22:
Pankin wrote on Jan 11, 2012, 07:12:
Do we know for certain that Rage tanked sales-wise?
http://gamrreview.vgchartz.com/sales-data/25458/rage/

Ten weeks after release, 1.15 mio. 360, 0.8 mio. PS3, 0.2 mio PC (only retail, no Steam and other digital numbers), perhaps 3 Mio. units all together?

Not a failure, but nothing to write home about for a multiplattform release either. I guess Beth was expecting MUCH more.

See now, THIS is the way to respond to a query. With a link. Thanks, Kaj.
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73.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 11, 2012, 17:40
73.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 11, 2012, 17:40
Jan 11, 2012, 17:40
 
D-Rock wrote on Jan 11, 2012, 16:44:
By JC2, do you mean the Avalanche engine used in Just Cause 2? I can't say that I'm familiar with it but am curious since you pointed it out.

Yeah. I can't get that thing to run slower than 60fps even when I WANT IT TO. (Because their vsync implementation is broken, somehow. It stutters if it's on and the framerate goes above 60.)
Plus it looks better than Rage, plus it's MASSIVELY open world, and it has a view distance of approximately 900 trillion miles.


Dunia has some pretty cool features, but the engine doesn't feel as balanced. While textures are nicer, and the fire/wind features are pretty cool, it doesn't feel as smooth to me. I wasn't impressed with character animation, I don't get consistent frame rates, and mouse control leaves something to be desired. As far as overall feel goes, everyone's mileage does vary. I'm just going by how the two engines run on my hardware.

Yeah, obviously. Dunia always ran smooth as silk for me, and it looks FAR better than Rage's SNES-quality textures. Tech 5's biggest benefit was the "runs at 60fps constantly!" (which admittedly it does, which is nice for the races especially, but which in my opinion is not worth the hideous tradeoff in texture "quality"), and that artists could add infinite detail to any of the megatextures without a loss in framerate. (which was either total bullshit, or a nice corporate lie to hide the fact that infinite detail apparently means at continuously lower texture quality.)

So yeah, Tech 5: Not Impressed. The one thing it did well (framerate), other engines do just as well, and they manage to look fantastic, and they don't have to focus their entire engine around it.

Carmack's last two engines have been pretty big disappointments.

Creston
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72.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 11, 2012, 17:25
72.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 11, 2012, 17:25
Jan 11, 2012, 17:25
 
space captain wrote on Jan 10, 2012, 22:38:
Overon wrote on Jan 10, 2012, 22:24:
Yeah id totally fucked over the pc players. And I really don't think they care. I wish they were punished for it but I really doubt it, I'm sure the game sold far better on consoles than on PC.

you like being punished dont you
Pleasure is more pleasurable after pain just, like ice cream is more sweet after eating salt.
71.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 11, 2012, 17:22
Prez
 
71.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 11, 2012, 17:22
Jan 11, 2012, 17:22
 Prez
 
Beamer wrote on Jan 11, 2012, 11:03:
It's not that they don't care, it's that they don't want to say anything that could possibly lead to a lawsuit.

There you go again, talking like a sentient calculator. Sounding a little less like they were telling about taking out last night's trash would hardly open them up for litigation. It's more a slam against press releases than id, as they all sound that way.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
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70.
 
llooks like there is a shift
Jan 11, 2012, 16:52
70.
llooks like there is a shift Jan 11, 2012, 16:52
Jan 11, 2012, 16:52
 
looks like there is a shift "in demand".
69.
 
Re: Layoffs at id Software
Jan 11, 2012, 16:44
69.
Re: Layoffs at id Software Jan 11, 2012, 16:44
Jan 11, 2012, 16:44
 
Creston wrote on Jan 11, 2012, 16:08:
I like your post. Not really sure what particular "feature set" you're thinking about, but I think both the JC2 and Dunia engine kick Tech 5's ass. They run just as smoothly, and look a helluva lot better.

By JC2, do you mean the Avalanche engine used in Just Cause 2? I can't say that I'm familiar with it but am curious since you pointed it out.

Dunia has some pretty cool features, but the engine doesn't feel as balanced. While textures are nicer, and the fire/wind features are pretty cool, it doesn't feel as smooth to me. I wasn't impressed with character animation, I don't get consistent frame rates, and mouse control leaves something to be desired. As far as overall feel goes, everyone's mileage does vary. I'm just going by how the two engines run on my hardware.

I'm not sure if 'feature set' is the best term to use -- I was referring to the id tech 5 characteristics / design choices that I highlighted. The engine comes across as a 'jack-of-all-trades, master of none' (with a couple of areas where it's unique or excels), so that may turn some people off. The focus is on the development process and a consistent gameplay experience across a variety of hardware levels and platforms. This appeals to me because it makes the gameplay experience the priority and doesn't sacrifice it for 'pretty stuff'.

This can't fix poor or uninspired game design, however. I have high hopes for the engine and would really like to see what's to come.
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