Developer Packs Full Quake-Like Game Into Tiny 64KB Executable

Developer Daivuk has released QUOD, a 64KB 'boomer shooter' that delivers a Quake-like 3D gaming experience with "3 levels, 1 boss fight, 4 unique enemies, 4 weapons, and a handful of power-ups." The entire game, including textures, sounds, music, levels, models, animations, and code, is compressed into a minimal 64KB download that requires no external resources.

(Image credit: Daivuk)

The project represents approximately 10 years of development work, with the final year seeing the most intense effort. Daivuk explains that 64KB represents the "sweet spot" for such impressive demos - small enough to be remarkable, yet large enough to allow for genuine creativity.

Technical Optimization Breakdown

The developer's devotion to optimization is evident throughout the project. Rather than storing traditional image files, Daivuk implemented 'action-based textures' - Photoshop-action-like recipes that generate visual elements procedurally. This approach, combined with custom compression techniques, allows the game to maintain visual fidelity while staying within the strict size constraint.

Perhaps most impressively, Daivuk developed a custom virtual machine and programming language specifically to reduce file sizes further. This VM approach enabled an additional 2KB of savings, demonstrating the extreme lengths taken to optimize every byte.

Modern Hardware Requirements

Despite its 1980s-era file size, QUOD.exe requires decidedly modern hardware to render its 3D graphics. The minimum specifications include:

• Intel i5 or equivalent CPU
• GTX 770 or equivalent GPU
• 8GB RAM
• 64KB disk space

The game is a self-contained, non-install application, making it exceptionally portable and easy to run.

Performance and Playability

What sets QUOD apart from other tiny demos is its genuine playability. Unlike many demoscene projects that prioritize technical achievement over gameplay, QUOD delivers slick FPS action with authentic Quake-like feel. The three levels provide substantial gameplay, and the enemy AI, weapon mechanics, and level design all contribute to a complete gaming experience.

Historical Context

Interestingly, this release coincides with the 30th anniversary of id Software's Qtest, the multiplayer-only demo of Quake released on February 24, 1996. The full shareware version of Quake followed on June 22, 1996, for MS-DOS, with the complete version available a month later.

Future Possibilities

In the video outro, Daivuk hints at numerous potential optimizations and refinements for future versions. The developer's channel will likely continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible within extreme size constraints.

This achievement joins other impressive small-file-size demos, such as a colorful ray tracing animation app compressed into just 483 bytes, and a Quake-like JavaScript game in 13KB. However, QUOD stands out for combining technical achievement with genuine, playable gameplay that captures the essence of classic FPS titles.

(Image credit: Daivuk)

The game is available for download, allowing players to experience this technical marvel firsthand. With its combination of optimization techniques, modern rendering capabilities, and authentic gameplay, QUOD represents a remarkable achievement in constrained development.