Richard “Levelord” Gray, one of the most influential level designers of the classic FPS era, has died at the age of 68, according to the publication.
According to PC Gamer, Apogee Entertainment confirmed the news on social media. Former colleague Joe Siegler said Gray had been battling cancer on and off for some time.
Gray came to the industry later than most, breaking through at 35 in 1994 with GrayDoom, a fan-made set of Doom maps that spread widely online. That work led to a role on the cult classic Blood before 3D Realms brought him on board, where he designed roughly half the levels in Duke Nukem 3D.
He was also behind one of gaming’s most famous secrets: the signed “You’re Not Supposed to Be Here” easter egg, which players could only reach by using cheats to fly outside the map. Gray later explained he knew everyone would be cheating anyway, so he hid a reward for them.
His later career included work on SiN, Quake: Scourge of Armagon, Half-Life: Opposing Force and Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, as well as casual titles such as the Luxor series.
Tributes have poured in from across the industry. 3D Realms founder Scott Miller called him “a stellar talent.” Cliff Bleszinski praised the sense of place his levels created on early technology. John Romero said he was called Levelord “for a reason.”
According to the publication, Gray leaves behind a lasting legacy in first-person shooter level design.
Source: PC Gamer.
