Tributes are pouring in for Duke Nukem and Sin level designer Richard 'Levelord' Gray, who passed away on October 12, 2026, aged 68.
Gray got his start making modded levels for Doom, making his official game development debut as a designer for fellow FPS Duke Nukem 3D, before going on to design levels for the likes of Quake, Half-Life: Opposing Force, and Counter-Strike: Condition Zero, as well as being a primary designer on Sin. His talent for level design had him dubbed 'Levelord,' with him being known to leave easter eggs hidden in maps, such as the "You're not supposed to be here – Levelord" message found in a number of his maps for players keen to explore.
Apogee founder Scott Miller recalls, "Richard was a stellar talent who joined the game industry in his 40's when Apogee hired him to join the Duke 3D team," calling him "a relentless hard worker, a fun teammate, and an overall great human." Longtime 3D Realms community manager Joe Siegler says he "was like the friend to everyone" and that "I had a great fortune to work with him directly for a couple of years."
A heartbreaking day. Richard was a stellar talent who joined the game industry in his 40's when Apogee hired him to join the Duke 3D team. His levels in Duke Nukem 3D and Sin will live on forever. And Richard created one of the best easter eggs in gaming history: "You're not supposed to be here!
Source link







