Func_Msgboard: The Quake 1 World: Influences And Origins?

The Quake 1 World: Influences And Origins?

Posted by underworldfan on 2003/01/29 14:05:06

It has fascinated me for quite a while now where the tremendously atmospheric world of Quake 1 came from.

I can mention two possible sources, (in addition to the actual imagination of the people at ID!)

Obviously the clearest debt is to HP Lovecraft, with the Chthon name/monster being specifically used in e1m7.

Lovecraft's surreal vision of horror rests on the idea of age old ancient aliens that visit/fester in the earth, killing humans when disturbed - this certainly fit in with the Quake paradigm.

(Kell is obviously a Lovecraft expert, see Contract Revoked).

i found this quote in the web whilst searching:

"I think they (ID) have been getting inspiration from Lovecraft even back to Wolfenstein 3-D -- Quake more so than Doom, and Doom more so than Wolf. (Note: "inspiration" -- in Wolf it was the whole Nazi mad-scientist deal; in Doom, Hell invades from another dimension.)

However, in Quake, we have monsters that are named from the Cthulhu mythos: Chthon, Shambler, Shub Niggurath. And many places, too: The Vaults of Zin, The Nameless City. As well as a story line (what there is of it) almost too Lovecraftian to mistake for anything but a Lovecraft-inspired story."

Back to my opinions again, another influence (after it coming up in the Coagula thread) might be the the artwork of HR Giger.

thoughts/ideas/comments?

Evile

#1 posted by Vondur on 2003/01/29 16:36:40

Black satanic rites

Wait! Stop!

#2 posted by metlslime on 2003/01/29 21:16:16

I agree that Lovecraft was a key influecence, but the name 'Chthon' is not from Lovecraft. It comes from the word chthonic, which comes from khth�n, the Greek word for earth.

Also

#3 posted by metlslime on 2003/01/29 21:20:04

Kell wrote an article on this very subject, though he spells my name wrong, AND the name of my website! Anyway, the link is http://www.signsofkoth.co.uk/stuff_lovecraftinquake.html

Metlslime

#4 posted by underworldfan on 2003/01/30 21:09:21

thanx for the link to the article, a well written and interesting read indeed.
I had never read that article before (honest!). Its also interesting that Kell mentions Giger near the end, just as i did in my post above.

Giger-Lovecraft Connection

#5 posted by metlslime on 2003/01/31 15:52:16

If nothing else... Giger himself has named Lovecraft as an influence. In fact i first learned about Lovecraft by reading through one of Giger's art books -- Arh+, i think.

You must be logged in to post in this thread.