Lair of the Mantis

I wonder why people here don't talk about most promicing and game-changing abandonware in Wolf3D history.
For me, TheJosh (and maybe Hydralancer) is one of the most promicing, inspiring and capable modders who ever into Wolf3D world - both artwise, coding-wise, mapping-wise. Even "Team RayCast" doesn't come close to making a project like TheJosh's abandoned one, "Eisenfaust" looks like kid's game relative to it.
The Josh just dissapeared without any notice.

Really, guys, "Lair of the Mantis" trailer didn't make your jaws fall into the ground? It's only the most jawdropping Wolf3D trailer ever. (Anyone has it BTW saved and can repost? As it's not on youtube anymore...). Why noone talk of it, and we just let it go? Just like that?
A mod that was going to change the Wolf3D modding forever.
IMHO we need to make a community campaign and effort to find a way to contact him....convince his to return...or at least release the engine for free Wolf3D modding use...or at least release the art, like he did with epic "Trench Warfare".

http://www.moddb.com/mods/lair-of-the-mantis1
http://mantis3d.webs.com/

I can't stop thinking about that mod...it was so inspiring....

That's some serious modding going on over there. They removed their video though.

Josh is certainly a game changer. Plus, he's a prog rock fan as well. Trench Warfare came out a year after EoD, and yet it didn't do even half as much. I don't know why. Looking at it, and recalling playing it, it really, really pushed the boundaries even further. It could just as well have been made in 2012.

Yes, indeed, one of the most underlooked mods ever. For me, as spriter - his art was simply breathtaking.

We're free to discuss here how great it was (and I can surely participate ) - but is there a way to.... contact him?
His last website update is from 31.07.2009
His last post in DHW thread of the mod is from 14.06.2009
http://diehardwolfers.areyep.com/viewtopic.php?t=5376&highlight=mantis

Does anyone knows his real name? Active email adress?
It's simply crazy that in a modern internet world we can't find how to contact the guy.
With real name we can try to find him on facebook or something.....

Is this him?
https://twitter.com/thejosh

I am passionate about education, passionate about code....

His nick on Moddb was quite unique -"ied_machine" - I'll make a search

This mod looked like it would far and away be the best mod ever made. Yet it never got finished, or it could be getting worked on in secret and be taking forever to get done. Either way, I was really looking forward to this mod. it looked fantastic. Reminded me what a wolf3d mod not based on WWII should be like. I hope somebody can find him and get some info from the man.

Looks Doom-like to me. Interesting stuff.

What options do we have to find him?
Did anyone ever exchanged PMs with him where he might sign with his real name?

Taking about abandoned projects.....someone needs to ask Hydralancer to release the art of this...

doomjedi wrote:What options do we have to find him?

Get a Twitter account, pm that account you found to ask him if he's 'Trench Warfare' thejosh.

Really dig the style of the Lair of the Mantis. Very polished and professional.

Yes...mind-drooling...

Let's find the dude!!! Comminity investigation?

I did an (unlawful) search. He signed up here as well as thejosh. I got his email address and his first post here:

https://wolf3d.darkbb.com/t1432-howdy

Good find, but I suggest you remove or separate the e-mail address so it doesn't get spammed.

Gonna pm it then.

Good find!

Also - moderators of DHW - is this the same as his DHW email? What's his DHW email?

Hi Schabbs. How are you?

I'll email Josh.

email sent

Nah... I refuse to believe that theJosh is the one who abandoned Lair of the Mantis.

...what do you mean by that?

That The Lair of Mantis abandoned TheJosh.

Hm....I got that...just didn't know how to interpret....it was in very advanced stage, and not something he can't handle...

Ever thought about the possibility that he just doesn't want to be found?

doomjedi wrote:Hm....I got that...just didn't know how to interpret....it was in very advanced stage, and not something he can't handle...

It gained sentience, obviously.

Noone forces him to answer my email...