Microsoft Paint Runs Doom at 35Hz in Russinovich’s New Project

Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich has turned Microsoft Paint into a retro gaming console, proving that legacy software can still surprise us. The project runs the original Doom engine directly within Microsoft Paint, bypassing traditional emulation layers. The project demonstrates a technical approach where the drawing application serves as a display monitor for the game engine.

Azure CTO Mark Russinovich turns drawing app into retro gaming monitor

The project, called DoomPaint, runs the original shareware version of Doom inside the Microsoft Paint application. Russinovich designed the tool to paste every rendered game frame directly onto the Paint canvas. This approach treats the drawing app as a simple monitor rather than a full graphics environment.

The game engine operates at the original 320×200 resolution and achieves up to 35Hz. Russinovich noted that the engine runs at normal speed regardless of Paint's display performance. The project pastes each frame as an individual undo step, allowing players to use Ctrl+Z to rewind gameplay.

Russinovich explained the technical joke behind the project in his own words. He said, "Paint renders the game but does not compute it. Paint computes nothing. Paint has never computed anything. That's the joke." This confirms the tool relies on external processing to generate the visual output for Paint to display.

DoomPaint stands as a functional proof of concept for running classic FPS titles in unexpected environments. The project successfully integrates the id Software engine with Microsoft's iconic drawing tool. It offers a unique way to experience retro gaming through a familiar interface.

Source: DEXERTO