A Little Story About Modmaking
esuna
Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">RE: Quake, Duke3D and 3D Realms</div> While i was helping clear out the attic last week, rummaging through old crap to sort what to throw out, i came across a small scrap of paper bearing the Apogee logo and the words "from George B at 3D Realms." This reminded me of my little experience making mods and, well, the general coolness of some companies to their fans.
And here's the note itself (Can't be bothered to scan, heh)
<img src='http://esuna.thezazi.net/images/misc/note.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
And now for the story behind it.
Many years ago, probably about 1997, i was working on a TC for Quake which replaced everything with Duke3D material. I was leader of the project and had a small team with me doing coding, skinning, mapping and sound, another guy on modelling, meshing and animating duty, one or two mappers here and there, and not a lot else.
The mod was progressing quite nicely, we had about 6 weapons modelled and skinned, one DM map completed (The stadium from Duke3D), code implemented for about 5 of the weapons and the HUD / interface complete. We recieved some good feedback, had a minor bit of fame and we were pumped for getting the mod released.
That is, until i was contacted via email by George Broussard. I don't have the email still today (What with it being so many years later) but, in short, it was a friendly request to cease all work on the mod due to copyright infringement. He informed me that they have some sort of protection from people using the Duke Nukem brand in Quake technology, or somesuch, and this was related the Duke Nukem Forever being, at the time, powered by the Quake / Quake 2 engine. So anyway, after a few emails back and forth, as thanks for stopping work, and as way of apology for all the time essentially wasted, he mailed me some free stuff from 3D Realms.
Soon after a big package came for me in the mail, inside were two US copies of Shadow Warrior (Uncensored, unlike the UK version), two Shadow Warrior tshirts in "American size"...
<img src='http://esuna.thezazi.net/images/misc/pwn.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
...and two Duke3D mouse pads.
<img src='http://esuna.thezazi.net/images/misc/pwn2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
(Excuse the poor picture, also, after years of wear, the mouse pad isn't looking too great)
What impresses me most looking back on it was how nice they were to us. They could have sued us for our work, but i was like, 14 at the time, he negotiated some freebies, got the work stopped, and generally everyone was happy. These days, some companies or organisations would probably have sued me (RIAA?), and it proves that some companies really are nice guys.
Sure, we never did finish that mod, but at least now i have a nice story to tell rather than a long-forgotten mod. Just thought i'd share this little story with everyone. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
And here's the note itself (Can't be bothered to scan, heh)
<img src='http://esuna.thezazi.net/images/misc/note.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
And now for the story behind it.
Many years ago, probably about 1997, i was working on a TC for Quake which replaced everything with Duke3D material. I was leader of the project and had a small team with me doing coding, skinning, mapping and sound, another guy on modelling, meshing and animating duty, one or two mappers here and there, and not a lot else.
The mod was progressing quite nicely, we had about 6 weapons modelled and skinned, one DM map completed (The stadium from Duke3D), code implemented for about 5 of the weapons and the HUD / interface complete. We recieved some good feedback, had a minor bit of fame and we were pumped for getting the mod released.
That is, until i was contacted via email by George Broussard. I don't have the email still today (What with it being so many years later) but, in short, it was a friendly request to cease all work on the mod due to copyright infringement. He informed me that they have some sort of protection from people using the Duke Nukem brand in Quake technology, or somesuch, and this was related the Duke Nukem Forever being, at the time, powered by the Quake / Quake 2 engine. So anyway, after a few emails back and forth, as thanks for stopping work, and as way of apology for all the time essentially wasted, he mailed me some free stuff from 3D Realms.
Soon after a big package came for me in the mail, inside were two US copies of Shadow Warrior (Uncensored, unlike the UK version), two Shadow Warrior tshirts in "American size"...
<img src='http://esuna.thezazi.net/images/misc/pwn.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
...and two Duke3D mouse pads.
<img src='http://esuna.thezazi.net/images/misc/pwn2.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
(Excuse the poor picture, also, after years of wear, the mouse pad isn't looking too great)
What impresses me most looking back on it was how nice they were to us. They could have sued us for our work, but i was like, 14 at the time, he negotiated some freebies, got the work stopped, and generally everyone was happy. These days, some companies or organisations would probably have sued me (RIAA?), and it proves that some companies really are nice guys.
Sure, we never did finish that mod, but at least now i have a nice story to tell rather than a long-forgotten mod. Just thought i'd share this little story with everyone. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Comments
Nice that you got some freebies, though. Back in the good old days when there was no money to be made from games, but they did it anyway because they were nice guys <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
WHO'S READY FOR SOME WANG?!
<span style='font-size:6pt;line-height:100%'>(now i see that it looks kinda creepy)</span>
But then you might get sued for exploitation :/
*and a mousemat, and a couple of games.
If 3drealms had a little humor that's what the shirts would have said.
This is the first story of someone getting Fox'd where the company didn't seem to be just being **** about it.
Heh. The irony is, you guys could probably have done their work for them and had DNF out the door ages ago <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
This is the first story of someone getting Fox'd where the company didn't seem to be just being **** about it.
Heh. The irony is, you guys could probably have done their work for them and had DNF out the door ages ago <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Totally, this was way back in the days of the Aliens and Predator mods getting the sharp end of the legal stick getting foxed.
I do believe we gave a little consideration to working on it a bit more and releasing a beta for the hell of it, but then again, this was a point in time where 3D Realms were gods for making Duke3D, so i like to think that it was out of respect that we chose not to do that.
(Whee, threadromancy!)
Out of the whole team, the only people that had done significant amounts of work (The project had only literally been going for a few months, so not a substantial amount was completed) were myself and the, very sadly now deceased, lead modeller. The freebies were split between myself and him. This was cool with everyone since we had by far devoted the most time between us.