YOU CAN 3D PRINT A HOLOGRAM BALL THAT PLAYS DOOM
Multivox is a DIY volumetric display: a spinning screen paints a true 3D image you can walk around — and yes, it runs Doom in 3D.
by AncientJames
Optics-illusionsGaming
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- a few weekends
- license
- MIT
- repo
- repo ACTIVE658 stars
●●●●○ · a few weekends · MIT · 658 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
- Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
This is peak 'looks impossible, is actually buildable'. A screen spins fast enough that persistence of vision turns it into a real volumetric image floating in a dome — and the creator runs Doom on it in 3D, which is the kind of flex that makes engineers grin. MIT license means you can do anything with it. The catch is the spinning assembly: balance it well, guard it properly, and respect the RPM. Software side is clean and open. One of our favorites.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —MIT licensed — genuinely free to build, mod and even sell
- —Spinning hardware at speed — mechanical safety matters
Can I build this?
High-RPM spinning parts — eye protection and a secure mount are non-negotiable.
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
Vortex Assembly — full build (Ancient/James Brown)18:12
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the repo README (how persistence-of-vision volumetric works)
- 2.Order the screen + motor from the BOM
- 3.Print dome + rotor
- 4.Flash + run the demos (including Doom)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Rotor balance is everything — an unbalanced spin wobbles the image and stresses the bearing
- Power to a spinning screen (slip ring vs wireless) is the fiddly bit
- Balancing the spinning assembly is the biggest time-sink — the creator uses lead fishing weights as counterweights and warns you'll spend a lot of time on it.
- Code is hardcoded for Raspberry Pi 4 (mmap GPIO), audio only over a Bluetooth headset — read the notes before buying parts.
Is the 3D real or a trick?
It's a true volumetric image built by a spinning screen and persistence of vision — you can look around it, not a flat illusion.
Does it really run Doom?
Yes, the creator demos Doom rendered volumetrically. It's the classic 'if it runs Doom' badge.
Can I sell one?
MIT license — you can build, modify and even sell. Credit the creator; it's good karma and good practice.
Do people actually build this?
Yes — a builder in the repo's issue #31 finished a full replica after about a year and shared their parts list and PCB gerbers. It's involved, but real.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
AncientJames balances the spinning display with lead fishing weights and warns it eats more time than any other step. What's your go-to trick for balancing fast rotating assemblies?
AncientJames
Built an open-source volumetric display (Multivox) that paints real 3D images with a spinning screen — and famously got Doom running on it in 3D. All files MIT-licensed.
Keep building — related projects
Same category, picked by how close they are to this build.
DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM1mo ago
An encouraging find we made in the issue tracker: in issue #31, a builder documented finishing a complete Multivox replica after about a year and shared their parts list and PCB gerbers — proof this is reproducible, not just one wizard's machine. Note the code is hardcoded for a Raspberry Pi 4's memory-mapped GPIO, and audio only works over a Bluetooth headset. What would you render on it first, after the obligatory Doom?