Books · technical book
Game Engine White Papers: Commander Keen
Hacker Approved
People praise it as a valuable retro game code analysis with fine content. Critics say the site design looks copied and it reuses Fabien's material without clear credit.
Summarized from 15 comments.
People praise it as a valuable retro game code analysis with fine content. Critics say the site design looks copied and it reuses Fabien's material without clear credit.
- recommend
- 13
- criticize
- 2
- months recommended
- 4 of 13
Why people love it
Praised as valuable retro game analysis · 2
this book looks like a valuable contribution to the genre of retro game code analysis
Jun 2026 · commentI took a quick skim of the content, it looks great
Jun 2026 · commentContent and work called fantastic · 2
The work on the book itself looks fantastic, so it's a shame about the site design.
Jun 2026 · commentI took a quick skim of the content, it looks great
Jun 2026 · commentFond memories of classic games · 3
encapsulate my earliest memories of using a computer
Jun 2026 · commentMy first and favourite game as a kid.
Jun 2026 · commentThe 90s sure had some awesome games
May 2026 · commentIconic visuals that ran well · 2
the iconic visual style of Commander Keen and Doom
Jun 2026 · commentThese games ran so well on IBM XT computers.
Dec 2025 · comment
What people warn about
Site design looks copied · 2
It looks like a complete rip-off. Both the design of the website and the book cover.
Jun 2026 · commentThe work on the book itself looks fantastic, so it's a shame about the site design.
Jun 2026 · commentFabien's work copied or misattributed · 2
the site could be a little clearer that it's not Fabien's work
Jun 2026 · commentThe book's source has verbatim copy and pasted TeX ripped from Fabien's books which was licensed under GPL.
Jun 2026 · comment
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Every quote
The 12 most detailed of 15 comments. Each links to the original.
this book looks like a valuable contribution to the genre of retro game code analysis
Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “Game Engine White Papers Commander Keen”
The work on the book itself looks fantastic, so it's a shame about the site design.
Mixed · Jun 2026 · in “Game Engine White Papers Commander Keen”
the site could be a little clearer that it's not Fabien's work
Mixed · Jun 2026 · in “Game Engine White Papers Commander Keen”
encapsulate my earliest memories of using a computer
Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “How Quake Ruined Id Software”
I took a quick skim of the content, it looks great
Mixed · Jun 2026 · in “Game Engine White Papers Commander Keen”
the iconic visual style of Commander Keen and Doom
Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “John Carmack on the mistakes around Quake that ruined id software”
These games ran so well on IBM XT computers.
Recommends · Dec 2025 · in “Reconstructed Commander Keen 1-3 Source Code”
My first and favourite game as a kid.
Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “Game Engine White Papers Commander Keen”
The 90s sure had some awesome games
Recommends · May 2026 · in “Splinter Cell veteran says realistic modern lighting has screwed up stealth game”
The book's source has verbatim copy and pasted TeX ripped from Fabien's books which was licensed under GPL.
Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Game Engine White Papers Commander Keen”
It looks like a complete rip-off. Both the design of the website and the book cover.
Criticizes · Jun 2026 · in “Game Engine White Papers Commander Keen”
Keeping commander keen alive should be a priority project for humanity!
Recommends · Dec 2025 · in “Reconstructed Commander Keen 1-3 Source Code”
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