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/vr/ - Retro Games

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10864395 No.10864395 [Reply] [Original]

Hello Everyone,

A project that I've been working on

I'm hoping that 4Chan might turn out to be the key to this one....

I'm trying to track down the original developer of a Multiplayer Map developed for Duke 3D around 1996. The map was designed for ROTO Studio in Dublin Ohio as an exhibit for COSI Toledo and featured custom sprites.

One of the exhibits at COSI was a submarine containing a fish tank and a set of 4 desks built into the walls which contained 4 computers.

COSI contracted ROTO Studio in Ohio to create both the exhibit and the software for it. The Duke Nukem 3D conversion remained in place until the COSI Toledo location closed in the mid 2000s.

The original Duke Nukem 3D game was not suitable for children, nor did it really fit the theme of the exhibit, so the decision was made to create a custom Multiplayer map. ROTO ended up contracting the work out to a Duke Modder who was found based off of his contact details being placed within his custom work which he was releasing on the early internet.

The maps premise was finding the source of polution in a lake. Maybe the modder released a version of the map to the public?

The level started off with a cutscene and then you began in a ship in a lake
There was also a small cabin to explore, which led to a water purification plant, etc. Your PC was changed from duke to a diver in a purple wetsuit.

COSI Lost the mod a long time ago, as did ROTO. I've been looking for it ever since.

Possible Leads that I'm trying to Contact:

Enric Alvarez

Aaron Barber

Mike Beaulieu

Robert Carter

Patrick Clemons

Dale Clowers

Brady Cox

Bud Drakir

Mike Ells

Matt Harris

Jeff Heath

Maximilian Hertlein

Demian Holmberg

Greg Hoyer

William Reid Morris III

Ryan Isenberg

Daniel Johnson

Tyler Matthews

John Mooney

Chris Muir

Neil Munday

David J. Nolder

Preston Packard

Shane Paluski

Brian C. Sasso

Jim Semkiw

Kevin Sipes

Stelth

Robert Travis

Andrew Emmons

Any Ideas?

Cheers
Alex

>> No.10864565

Can't offer any leads, but I'll give you a bump because it's interesting.

>> No.10864578

This actually sounds incredibly interesting.

>> No.10864597

>>10864395
You should ask on the Retro FPS thread, if anyone can help you, it's most likely those guys

>> No.10864624

>>10864395
Did you post about this ion Duke4net?

>> No.10866548

Sounds very neat, bumping. I agree with >>10864624, the Duke forums would be a good place to consult.

>> No.10866607

I'd suggest contacting LGR, he's quite the fan of Duke3d and maybe he knows people.

>> No.10866625

>>10864565
Thanks for the bump!
I also find the mod extremely interesting, which is why I have spent the last decade looking for the modder and his mod on and off. Probably rather obviously, I came out of Toledo myself, and have fond memories of the exhibit growing up.

Fingers crossed I end up finding it, and thanks again for your interest!

>> No.10866634

>>10864578
Thanks for the support!

It certainly was actually quite advanced and very interesting for the time.

When it was originally developed in the mid 1990s, Duke 3D was a brand new game, and there were actually very few people who were doing decent mods for it yet.

Even more interesting for the time was the fact that the mod was a multiplayer map which was networked and involved custom sprite and resource work. Would have had to have been done by one of the best modders of his day, certainly. Of course, that was a long time ago; but, still. One must appreciate the work that went into such a project and how inventive you would have to be to turn Duke 3D into a game for kids.

According to some contacts I have managed to raise, the program was originally supposed to run on all 4 computers located within the exhibit; but, crapped out a-lot, and reducing the number of computers running it down to two made it possible to run it with more stability. The other two computers ended up running some kind of encyclopedia program. Probably also custom; but, I can't track down all the software at once, so I'll start with this one!

Just goes to show you how cutting edge what we take for granted now was back then!

Cheers to you!

>> No.10866636

>>10864597

Thanks for the tip. I will cross post to the Retro FPS Thread and see what happens!

Regards to you!

>> No.10866646

>>10864624

Hello,

A very good tip. I have actually already been working with Duke4net for a number of years.

Heres a link to the thread there.

https://forums.duke4.net/topic/11552-looking-for-a-specific-duke-nukem-modder-from-the-90s-where-should-i-start-looking/

They are actually the ones who have gotten me as far as I have come as far as giving me a short list of names to work with. I have slowly been knocking names off; but, need help tracking everyone down that I haven't managed to contact yet, which is why I've tried reaching out to 4Chan to join in the search party. A couple of the guys have straight vanished, some may even be dead! Not surprising. This was 30 years ago now that we are talking about!

Here's hoping our modder and his mod still lives!

Regards.

>> No.10866647 [DELETED] 

>>10866607

Thanks for the bump and for the tip.

Do you know of any other good Duke Forums that I should hit up besides the already mentioned Duke4.net?

I can certainly expand the drag net a little bit if you think it will bring in results; but, since I was just a little boy when Duke was truly popular, I have no idea where the "Old Hands" hang out and would need to be pointed in the right direction.

Regards!

>> No.10866649

>>10866548

Thanks for the bump and for the tip.

Do you know of any other good Duke Forums that I should hit up besides the already mentioned Duke4.net?

I can certainly expand the drag net a little bit if you think it will bring in results; but, since I was just a little boy when Duke was truly popular, I have no idea where the "Old Hands" hang out and would need to be pointed in the right direction.

Regards!

>> No.10866657

>>10866607
Hello!

Its very funny you mention Clint. I actually have known Clint in passing since he was a small fish in a big pond. I bet if you ask him, he still might remember me. He used to talk to me about some early Windows stuff, and I even sent him some Osborne 1 boot discs back in the mid 2010s for a project that never got off the ground.

You are right, Clint loves Duke3D. I would consider asking him; but, I'm not sure how much he would know about this particular project. Worth a shot though, I do still have his email if you think its possible he might know something. It may even make good content for him.

Regards

>> No.10866695

>>10866657
He could signal boost for you a little, since he's got himself an audience and all.
I was never big on Duke or Build modding, so Duke4.net is the only one I know of, but guys like him might know, or maybe know some people who might know.

>> No.10867850

What was the name of the map? "Diver" ?

The only map with a similar name in the dukeworld archives is "dive down" and that doesn't seem to be it

https://dukeworld.com/classic%20dukeworld/maps/a-e/

>> No.10867856

Also, most of the names you listed would probably be hard to track down these days. However, Aaron Barber still works at Valve afaik. You can find him easily.

This is a shot in the dark though

>> No.10867870

also check if it's any of those just in case, since it has custom art and multiple maps it would probably be in the "TC" category. That's granted it even was released at all of course.

https://dukeworld.com/classic%20dukeworld/tc/

>> No.10869391

can't you just hire a federal agent detective guy to find the guy?

>> No.10869790

>>10869391
Lmao. And when he asks "How did you find me? I don't have any social media." how are you going to answer that question without sounding like a psycho or that you broke the law.

If they have a social media somewhere or an email, then at least you have a plausible excuse.

>> No.10871350

Bump.
Also, it's not anything new, but if someone is interested how the exhibit and the map looked, it's briefly in this video at 3:14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0Zu8ZncSaw&t=194s