Clever database, but can it run Doom?

Databases can now run complex games, demonstrating that query languages can perform sophisticated rendering and game logic.

Lukas Vogel has successfully ported the game Doom to run entirely within a database, using SQL for logic and rendering. This follows his previous SQL version of Doom (DOOMQL) which utilized raycasting. This new iteration, SQLDoom, accurately recreates Doom's revolutionary Binary Space Partitioning (BSP) tree traversal rendering, achieving visual fidelity closer to the original 1990s game. Vogel utilized Python for timing, keyboard input, and bitmap display, but the core game loop and rendering are executed through SQL queries against the CedarDB database. He reported that the port is feasible, performs better than the previous attempt, and even supports deathmatch multiplayer over online servers. This achievement serves as a demonstration of CedarDB's capabilities as a compiling database system that can translate complex queries into machine code.

This port of Doom to SQL running in a database highlights a new frontier for database capabilities, moving beyond data storage and retrieval to complex computational tasks. It suggests that databases can be engineered to handle significant processing loads, potentially blurring the lines between traditional application servers and data management systems. The performance improvements and feasibility of such a port indicate that specialized database architectures are emerging that can compile queries into efficient machine code, opening doors for novel applications not previously considered.

The implications extend to how developers might leverage databases for more than just data. It raises questions about the future of application architecture, where parts of an application's logic could reside and execute directly within the database layer. This could lead to more integrated and potentially more performant systems, but also introduces new complexities in development, debugging, and maintenance. The success of SQLDoom will likely spur further exploration into the computational limits of database systems and their potential role in fields beyond gaming, such as scientific simulations or real-time analytics.