View source for Tom Hall

{{Short description|American video game designer}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Tom Hall
| image              = Tom Hall Video Designer.jpg
| caption            = Hall in 2023
| birth_name         = 
| birth_date         = <!-- CITE A RELIABLE SOURCE -->
| birth_place        = [[Wisconsin]], U.S.
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| occupation         = [[Video game design]]er, [[Video game programmer|programmer]]
| employer           = [[Romero Games]]
| spouse             = Terri Hall (died 2021)
| children           = 
| website            = {{URL|thattomhall.com}}
}}

'''Tom Hall''' is an American [[video game designer]] best known as a co-founder of [[id Software]] and designer on classic titles such as ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'', ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'' and ''[[Commander Keen]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Handrahan |first=Matthew |date=2020-06-24 |title=Doom co-creator Tom Hall joins Resolution Games |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/doom-creator-tom-hall-joins-resolution-games |access-date=2025-06-19 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}</ref> He has also been the co-founder of [[Ion Storm]], together with his friend and colleague [[John Romero]]. During his years in the company, Hall designed and produced ''[[Anachronox]]'' and was also actively involved in the development of ''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]''.

==Career==
Hall attended the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]], where he earned a B.S. in [[Computer Science]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://onwisconsin.uwalumni.com/recognition/tom-hall-86-video-game-innovator/ |title=Tom Hall '86: Video Game Innovator |last=Hart |first=Hugh |date=Summer 2012 |website=[[University of Wisconsin–Madison|On Wisconsin]] |access-date=June 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930095201/https://onwisconsin.uwalumni.com/recognition/tom-hall-86-video-game-innovator/ |archive-date=September 30, 2015}}</ref> In 1987, Hall worked at [[Softdisk|Softdisk Inc.]], where he was both a programmer and the editor of ''[[Softdisk (disk magazine)|Softdisk]]'', a software bundle delivered monthly. Along with some of his co-workers, [[John D. Carmack|John Carmack]], [[John Romero]] and [[Adrian Carmack]], he founded [[id Software]], having always dreamt about the possibility of making videogames for a living.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kushner |first=David |date=2003 |title=[[Masters of Doom|Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture]] |location=New York |publisher=[[Random House]] |page=77 |isbn=0-375-50524-5}}</ref> During the subsequent years, he served as creative director and designer there, working on games such as ''[[Catacomb 3-D]]'' and the [[Commander Keen series|''Commander Keen'' series]], of which he was the lead designer, then ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'', ''[[Spear of Destiny (computer game)|Spear of Destiny]]'', and ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]''.<ref name="eurogamer">{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/tomhall |title=Tom Hall of Ion Storm |author=Gestalt |date=November 4, 1999 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=June 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518083519/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/tomhall |archive-date=May 18, 2015}}</ref>

After some disputes with John Carmack and John Romero<ref>{{cite web |last1=Craddock |first1=David |title=Pause Screen: Sandy Petersen, Renderer of Veils Chapter 7 CHAPTER SELECT Pause Screen: Sandy Petersen, Renderer of Veils Long before he crafted Quake's Elder World full of unseen horrors, an eight-year-old Sandy Petersen answered the call of Cthulhu. |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/99662/stairway-to-badass-the-making-and-remaking-of-doom?page=8 |website=Shack News |date=March 16, 2020 |access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref> over the direction to take with ''Doom'',<ref name="eurogamer" /> Tom left id Software in August 1993 to join [[3D Realms|Apogee]], a company that had become well renowned in the market for its highly successful [[shareware]] distribution philosophy, and came to be known as 3D Realms in later years. Tom was the game designer for ''[[Rise of the Triad]]'', produced ''[[Terminal Velocity (computer game)|Terminal Velocity]]'', and helped in varying degrees on ''[[Duke Nukem II]]'' and ''[[Duke Nukem 3D]]'' as well.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://3drealms.com/news/3d-realms-vault-1994-design-tips-tom-hall-part-1/ |title=The 3D Realms Vault: 1994 Design Tips from Tom Hall - Part 1 |last=Schreiber |first=Frederik |date=November 4, 2014 |website=[[3D Realms]] |access-date=June 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315110051/https://3drealms.com/news/3d-realms-vault-1994-design-tips-tom-hall-part-1/ |archive-date=March 15, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://3drealms.com/news/3d-realms-vault-1994-design-tips-tom-hall-part-2/ |title=The 3D Realms Vault: 1994 Design Tips from Tom Hall - Part 2 |last=Siegler |first=Joe |date=March 16, 2015 |website=3D Realms |access-date=June 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403033046/https://3drealms.com/news/3d-realms-vault-1994-design-tips-tom-hall-part-2/ |archive-date=April 3, 2015}}</ref> He also worked on the ''[[Prey (2006 video game)|Prey]]'' [[game engine|engine]] until August 12, 1996, when he left Apogee.

In November 1996, Hall co-founded [[Ion Storm]] with former id Software colleague John Romero. During the years at Ion Storm he produced the critically acclaimed ''[[Anachronox]]'', a sci-fi themed adventure game with prominent [[role-playing video game|role-playing]] elements. The company also produced the 2000 Game of the Year, ''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/december00/goty2000/indexgoty.shtm |title=2000 Game of the Year |date=2001 |website=[[GameSpy]] |access-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812023534/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/december00/goty2000/indexgoty.shtm |archive-date=August 12, 2012}}</ref> in which Hall voiced [[Major Deus Ex characters#Walton Simons|several characters]]. He and Romero then founded [[Monkeystone Games]], a company with the goal of producing mobile games in the new mobile industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/PG.Biz/The+Mobile+Games+History+Project/feature.asp?c=10691 |title=A Brief History of Mobile Games: 2001 - A Mobile Odyssey |last=Wright |first=Chris |date=December 25, 2008 |website=[[Pocket Gamer]] |access-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015010036/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/PG.Biz/The+Mobile+Games+History+Project/feature.asp?c=10691 |archive-date=October 15, 2012}}</ref> He designed ''[[Hyperspace Delivery Boy!]]'', which was released on December 23, 2001, with programming by John Romero.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/08/20/monkeystone-on-hyperspace-delivery-boy |title=Monkeystone on Hyperspace Delivery Boy |last=Harris |first=Craig |date=August 20, 2002 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>

He and Romero joined [[Midway Games]] in 2003,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news241003midwayceo |title=Midway CEO Speaks |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=October 24, 2003 |website=[[Eurogamer]] |access-date=June 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232031/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/news241003midwayceo |archive-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref> and Monkeystone closed in January 2005. Hall also left Midway early that year and did independent game consultation work out of [[Austin, Texas]], until in February he joined a [[startup company]] called [[KingsIsle Entertainment]] based in the same area.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/tom-hall-makes-his-move/ |title=Tom Hall Makes His Move |last=Van Zelfden |first=N. Evan |date=February 14, 2006 |website=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]] |access-date=June 4, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524041634/https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/tom-hall-makes-his-move/ |archive-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref>

Hall left KingsIsle Entertainment and joined Loot Drop on January 1, 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2011/03/03/loot-drop-banks-on-talented-game-designers-as-it-takes-on-social-gamings-giants-exclusive/ |title=Loot Drop banks on talented game designers as it takes on social gaming's giants (exclusive) |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=March 3, 2011 |website=[[VentureBeat]] |access-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110309020918/https://venturebeat.com/2011/03/03/loot-drop-banks-on-talented-game-designers-as-it-takes-on-social-gamings-giants-exclusive/ |archive-date=March 9, 2011}}</ref> Along with Loot Drop, he unsuccessfully tried to crowdfund a game called ''Shaker'' on the [[crowdfunding]] platform [[Kickstarter]] in October 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lootdrop/an-old-school-rpg-by-brenda-brathwaite-and-tom-hal/posts/332306 |title=SHAKER: An RPG by Brenda Brathwaite & Tom Hall (Canceled) |date=October 19, 2012 |website=[[Kickstarter]] |access-date=January 11, 2014}}</ref> Hall later tried to crowdfund another game on Kickstarter, ''Worlds of Wander'', which was also unsuccessful in reaching its goal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/368238381/worlds-of-wander-plus-secret-spaceship-club-game/posts |title=WORLDS OF WANDER plus "Secret Spaceship Club" Game! |date=March 1, 2013 |website=Kickstarter |access-date=January 11, 2014}}</ref>

In March 2013, Hall joined [[PlayFirst]] as Principal Designer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tomtomtom.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/new-job-principal-designer-at-playfirst/ |title=New Job: Principal Designer at PlayFirst! |last=Hall |first=Tom |date=March 31, 2013 |website=TOMTOMTOM.COM |access-date=January 11, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111165930/http://tomtomtom.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/new-job-principal-designer-at-playfirst/ |archive-date=January 11, 2014}}</ref>

In 2020 and 2021, he worked as a designer on the [[virtual reality]] tabletop [[Role-playing video game|RPG]] ''[[Demeo]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D5cwq4HVXc |title=Lex Fridman Podcast: interview with John Carmack |website=[[YouTube]] |date=August 5, 2022}}</ref> published by Resolution Games for the [[Oculus Quest]] hardware.

==Dopefish==
Hall is the creator of the [[Dopefish]], a green, dimwitted fish in [[Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy|''Commander Keen'' episode IV]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dopefish.com |title=The Dopefish |last=Siegler |first=Joe |website=Dopefish.com |access-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222183432/http://www.dopefish.com/ |archive-date=February 22, 2011}}</ref> References to it have appeared in other video games, including the ''Quake'' series, ''[[Rise of the Triad]]'', ''[[Daikatana]]'', ''[[Duke Nukem 3D]]''  and ''[[Max Payne (video game)|Max Payne]]'' since.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dopefish.com/fishinfo.html |title=Dopefish in Games |last=Siegler |first=Joe |website=Dopefish.com |access-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220225723/http://dopefish.com/fishinfo.html |archive-date=February 20, 2011}}</ref>

==Voice work==
Hall provided the following voices for the computer role-playing game ''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]'': Morpheus, a sentient [[AI]]; Howard Strong, a ruthless and cruel [[Majestic 12|MJ12]] operative; and [[Walton Simons]], the nano-augmented Director of the [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] (FEMA). He also voiced the project director in ''[[Deus Ex: Invisible War]]''{{'s}} opening cutscene, and PAL-18, Councilman Willis, Dr. Hush-Hush and Eddie the Chew in ''[[Anachronox]]''. He was also the voice and likeness of the main antagonist of ''[[Rise of the Triad]]'', El Oscuro, voiced the Death Monk enemies from the game,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.kontek.net/rott.classicgaming.gamespy.com/hell/rott2.htm |title=ROTT in Hell - Part II |last=Bowen |first=Kevin |website=KonTek.Net |access-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406084219/http://archive.kontek.net/rott.classicgaming.gamespy.com/hell/rott2.htm |archive-date=April 6, 2011}}</ref> and earlier he voiced some of the characters in ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]'', including the female character Gretel Grösse.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.incgamers.com/Features/241/tom-hall-on-wolfenstein-3d/2 |title=Tom Hall on Wolfenstein 3D |last=Parrish |first=Peter |date=August 27, 2009 |website=IncGamers |access-date=February 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203045959/http://www.incgamers.com/Features/241/tom-hall-on-wolfenstein-3d/2 |archive-date=February 3, 2012}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Hall suffered a [[stroke]] on Tuesday, April 13, 2010. He was in rehabilitation until April 21, when he was released.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bigdownload.com/2010/04/15/id-software-co-founder-tom-hall-recovering-from-stroke/ |title=id Software co-founder Tom Hall recovering from stroke |last=Callaham |first=John |date=April 15, 2010 |website=BigDownload |access-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150521000334/http://news.bigdownload.com/2010/04/15/id-software-co-founder-tom-hall-recovering-from-stroke/ |archive-date=May 21, 2015}}</ref> He was married for eighteen years to Terri Hall, who died on May 2, 2021.<ref>{{cite tweet |number=1392607797032804357 |user=ThatTomHall |title=I just lost the light and love of my life on May 2nd. Will black out social media for a bit. She was so amazing. E…<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |date=May 12, 2021}}</ref>

==Games==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Developer
! Publisher
! class="unsortable" | Credited for
|-
| 1989
| ''[[Catacomb (video game)|Catacomb]]''
| [[Softdisk]]
| Softdisk
| Creative director (MS-DOS), Levels
|-
| 1990
| ''[[Commander Keen in Invasion of the Vorticons]]''
| Ideas from the Deep
| [[Apogee Software]]
| Creative director, sounds
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Slordax: The Unknown Enemy]]''
| Softdisk
| Softdisk
| Creative director
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Hovertank 3D]]''
| Softdisk
| Softdisk
| Game designer
|-
| 1991
| ''Catacomb II''
| Softdisk
| Softdisk
| Creative director
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Catacomb 3-D]]''
| [[id Software]]
| Softdisk
| Creative director
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Shadow Knights]]''
| id Software
| Softdisk
| Creative consultant, level design, sound
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Rescue Rover]]''
| id Software
| Softdisk
| Game designer
|-
| 1991
| ''Rescue Rover 2''
| id Software
| Softdisk
| Creative director
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Commander Keen in Keen Dreams]]''
| id Software
| Softdisk
| Creative director
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy]]''
| id Software
| Apogee Software
| Creative director
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Commander Keen in Aliens Ate My Babysitter]]''
| id Software
| [[FormGen]]
| Creative director
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Wolfenstein 3D]]''
| id Software
| Apogee Software
| Creative director
|-
| 1993
| ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]''
| id Software
| [[id Software]]
| Uncredited creative director
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Rise of the Triad]]''
| Apogee Software
| Apogee Software
| Creative director
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Anachronox]]''
| [[Ion Storm]]
| [[Eidos Interactive]]
| Project leader, game designer
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Hyperspace Delivery Boy!]]''
| [[Monkeystone Games]]
| Monkeystone Games
| Game designer
|-
| 2003
| ''[[Red Faction (video game)|Red Faction]]''
| Monkeystone Games
| [[THQ]]
| Creative commando
|-
| 2003
| ''Jewels and Jim''
| Monkeystone Games
| THQ
| Game designer, lead programmer
|-
| 2003
| ''Dig It!''
| Monkeystone Games
| THQ
| Game designer, lead programmer
|-
| 2003
| ''Congo Cube''
| Monkeystone Games
| THQ
| Game designer, lead programmer
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Narc (video game)|Narc]]''
| [[VIS Entertainment]]
| [[Midway Games]]
| Creative director
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Area 51 (2005 video game)|Area 51]]''
| [[Midway Austin]]
| Midway Games
| Additional writing and design
|-
| 2012
| ''Pettington Park''
| [[Loot Drop]]
| [[Zynga]]
| Creative director and lead designer
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Restaurant Dash with Gordon Ramsay]]''
| [[PlayFirst]]
| [[Glu Mobile]]
| Lead game designer
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
<!-- per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->
* {{Official website}}
* {{MobyGames developer|891}}

{{Softdisk}}
{{id Software}}
{{Ion Storm}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Tom}}
[[Category:American video game designers]]
[[Category:Creative directors]]
[[Category:Id Software people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Artists from Wisconsin]]
[[Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Letters and Science alumni]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]