Memories from Apogee/3D Realms #1

[Bryan3DR]

Ok I have worked there for 15 years.. A lot has happened in that time most good some bad. I was thinking that I am going to start trying to write them down and since I gave up blogs years ago this is as good a place as any.

Way back when in Year 1 when I first started, Joe and I were not close at all. Since you all know Joe I am sure you are amazed. Anyway he hated me. He denies it but he did. (Quiet joe this is my story!)

This was back before we had a fully stocked kitchen as well the Kitchen was a water cooler and a coke machine more or less. Joe was in charge of dealing with the coke machine. No one spent alot of time in the kitchen back then. One day Dennis Desmith and I were in there talking when joe came in. Dennis was asking me about my bbs and joe over heard. We both ran bbs's we both were in fido. So we started talking. He asked what I used to connect to bbs's. I told him I just do it local on my own. He had some software that he wanted to lend me.

I installed it and liked it actually can not remember what it was but beside the point.

2 days later Joe called my desk asking where it was. I told him I gave it back to him. He was very adamant in saying I did not. Blah Blah blah.. In Joe fashion.

So now I had to get up and walk down to Joe's office to make sure I was right (which now we know I always am) I get to the window that is in joes office and the program, Box, Manual, and Disks were ALL sitting on his desk RIGHT next to him.

I hit the window hard and Made a Goofy I told you so face and Pointed at the software. He laughed and mouthed "sorry" and I go back to my desk.

He calls me 15 min later telling me that right when I did that the web cam snapped a picture and that he was going to use it for something. (Dont remember what) But that picture is still in the archives and Joe and I both still do that to each other when we do something stupid (Like not looking on the desk before bitching at a co-worker)

One of the MANY apogeisiums that we have up there. I will post the picture on monday unless Joe beats me to it.

[Mr_Diffrence]

Fantastic, I love hearing about this type of stuff.

[Kennerado]

Nice story, can't wait for the pic.

[Bryan3DR]

I guess I should say the "Webcam" was a normal camera hooked up to a computer and would snap a picture every 5 minutes. It was not like the video cameras we know as web cams today. This was very Basic. So the timing was WONDERFUL!

[BloodWolf806]

That's it. I'm winning the lottery and buying 3DR.

...I wish...

[Steve]

Oh man, awesome! I'd like to hear more stuff

[Ras]

Originally Posted by Bryan3DR

I guess I should say the "Webcam" was a normal camera hooked up to a computer and would snap a picture every 5 minutes. It was not like the video cameras we know as web cams today. This was very Basic. So the timing was WONDERFUL!

Is that the same legendary camera that used to take shots of Duke3D and Shadow Warrior before they were released?

[Bryan3DR]

Originally Posted by Ras

Is that the same legendary camera that used to take shots of Duke3D and Shadow Warrior before they were released?

Yes the very same one.

[ryche]

You guys also had a camcorder taping a part of the office for the website. I remember I rarely went looking at it cause usually nothing was going on lol.

[Nickssoft]

I wonder if Todd Replogee will come out of darkness now. I know you guys lost contact with him but this is major news. Hopefully he will return and say something

[Bryan3DR]

I have stories about him as well. But the next one will be the FLY CAPER.

[Ras]

Originally Posted by Bryan3DR

Yes the very same one.

That is cool. Those were good times, and I suspect they were great times for you guys.

Originally Posted by ryche

You guys also had a camcorder taping a part of the office for the website. I remember I rarely went looking at it cause usually nothing was going on lol.

Wasn't there a "tour" of the old offices that was either quicktime or maybe just still shots? Is that what you mean?

[Nickssoft]

Bryan will you join the community whatever Joe decides to do?

[ryche]

Na I think it was the "webcam".

[Bryan3DR]

Originally Posted by Nickssoft

Bryan will you join the community whatever Joe decides to do?

I think now that it is over I will be here more often. I have nothing better to do and I am the one that will not end up in the gaming industry.. My love dies now..

And as my girlfriend says "Now how much do we have put aside for games?" I told her 300 a month.

[Nickssoft]

Cool, Its always good to see more 3DR faces.

[Joe Siegler]

Originally Posted by Bryan3DR

So now I had to get up and walk down to Joe's office to make sure I was right (which now we know I always am) I get to the window that is in joes office and the program, Box, Manual, and Disks were ALL sitting on his desk RIGHT next to him.

I hit the window hard and Made a Goofy I told you so face and Pointed at the software. He laughed and mouthed "sorry" and I go back to my desk.

He calls me 15 min later telling me that right when I did that the web cam snapped a picture and that he was going to use it for something. (Dont remember what) But that picture is still in the archives and Joe and I both still do that to each other when we do something stupid (Like not looking on the desk before bitching at a co-worker)

Here's that picture.



It was used as a camera captioning contest picture in July of 1996. (Link)

[Nickssoft]

Great, Great stuff

[ryche]

LOL Nice.

Why'd you guys have windows indoors?

[dan2091]

Very nice story. I feel sad with all this . But great story

[Joe Siegler]

Originally Posted by ryche

LOL Nice.

Why'd you guys have windows indoors?

That was my office in that picture at the time. If I didn't have that window, it would have been TOTAL CAVE. No wall faced the outside of the building, I think that was put there so the person inside (me) wouldn't feel so shut in.

After a time I moved out of that room into an office with several windows.

[Malgon]

Great stuff Bryan, it gave me a good laugh.

[ryche]

Originally Posted by Joe Siegler

That was my office in that picture at the time. If I didn't have that window, it would have been TOTAL CAVE. No wall faced the outside of the building, I think that was put there so the person inside (me) wouldn't feel so shut in.

After a time I moved out of that room into an office with several windows.

I know that feeling. The radiology department I work(ed) in here at Lackland is nothing but a damn cave. The one I was at in California had some awesome huge windows that you could see outside...alas now I feel like I'm in a dungeon from Super Mario Bros 1.

[Scotty]

Originally Posted by Ras

Wasn't there a "tour" of the old offices that was either quicktime or maybe just still shots? Is that what you mean?

There was a "Virtual Tour" for awhile that worked through some sort of browser plugin. You could pan around with your mouse, click on doors to enter/exit rooms, and click on objects to see comments.

My favorite "easter egg" from that tour was the Commander Keen "Eat Your Veggies" video. I forget whose office that was in, but I clicked on the monitor, and got a link to the vid.

Eventually the plugin that the "Virtual Tour" depended on wouldn't work with newer versions of web browsers, which ended the Tour.

[Joe Siegler]

I still have that tour backed up somewhere.

[Scotty]

I've probably still got the browser plugin somewhere, but I'd need a computer with Windows 98 and IE4 to use it.

[Ras]

And if you went to the part of the building where the other tenants were, I remember the Zork grue message.

[Da_Lurker]

Nice insider's story

Moar please, it helps releasing the pain for the closure.

[Joe Siegler]

Originally Posted by Ras

And if you went to the part of the building where the other tenants were, I remember the Zork grue message.

Funny thing about that mpa was that it was accurate to a real Zork game map.

I recently found my original docs for that where I mapped it all out.

[SonnyBonds]

This thread is awesome. It's so cool hearing stuff like this, just wish the circumstances were better.

[MrBlackCat]

I too greatly enjoy knowing these things that make everyone here seem more real.
It is like the Extras on the DVD of Apogee.

Thank you Bryan and Joe...

MrBlackCat

[peoplessi]

Great read, just keep writing these down It's certainly part of gaming history.

[sRfuzzyLogik]

hehe good read

[Weses]

That was a great story! Great timing as well for the webcam picture.

[phreakindee]

Hahaha, awesome story - the pic induced laughter