Modding history: When new ground was broken

So I was thinking about the history of Wolfenstein addons/mods, and when the "firsts" were. By this I mean something like:

1. The first custom level(s) ever released for free
2. The first mapset of at least good quality
3. The first release to modify the exe in any way (even simple hex editing)
4. The first mod to truly use the actual source code to make changes
5. The first "advanced" mod - i.e. the first to add significant new features and functionality to the game (exe)
6. The first use of true high-end changes (such as weather effects, texture floors/ceilings, etc.)
7. The first SDL mods to really show what SDL can be capable of
8. The most overall advanced mod/conversion to date
9. See second post
10. Any other first you can personally think of that I didn't cover!

I have potential guesses to some of these categories; of them I am not sure, but I thought I'd list them:

1. Don't know, honestly
2. Maybe something like Wolfen60 or W3d_cc1?
3. I'd think either Barry Christian's first new exe (The Six Depths of Terrorism), or Gary Ragland's first (Assassinate Hitler)
4. Was going to say Project: Totengraeber, but I'm pretty sure Chris released Chokage first, though as far as I know he could have come up with it in a hex editor, so not really sure here!
5. Probably Spear Resurrection, I don't know of anything prior with multiple ammo types, destructible objects, pick-ups that hurt you, etc.
6. I'm actually pretty sure it isn't EoD; TexZK's Story is from 2003 and has weather effects, and I think something like Spear of Dreams or The Lost World in early-mid 2004 had floor/ceiling textures
7. Thought between SoD Reloaded and Totenkopf SDL, but SoD Reloaded actually has a DOS version, proving DOS can do it, so I'd have to give WSJ the honor here
8. Maybe Totenkopf SDL, Guns & Glory 0.5, or Eisenfaust Origins would be my top three thoughts here
10. Not applicable; if I had thought of another category (I was trying to get to ten) I'd have listed it!

But I wonder are there some other good categories? Or did I miss something when taking my own shots at these categories? Or even just some honorable mentions even if they were not strictly a "first"? That, and any related comments or anything else that might be interesting on the overall subject, is what the primary purpose of this thread is intended to be!

Well it just turns out that, Thomas-style, I came up with a new category myself:

9. First time resources from the Lost Episodes were put to good use

And thus the old 9 is now 10 as a result.

What about Nate Smith's Beyond Wolfenstein? Missile launchers and flame throwers (?) if I recall correctly. This was 1998 (?) or something. Any of you old dogs who was around then need to tell us what the most explosive mod was back then before the millennium.

I first played wolf in the fall of 1999. FUCK, that's a long time ago.

I'll answer some of the easier ones, don't have much time today.

1. The first custom level(s) ever released for free

Back in the earliest modding days, these things weren't even named, and were known by their filename and distributed via BBS or ftp sites (see the Wolf3d FAQ) or CompuServe. The first one I have in my colllection is named NEWWMAP and is dated 17 May 1992, the next one is MAP1 dated 10 June 1992. Both of these are by unknown authors and are of course shareware v1.0 maps. I have made version 1.4 maps out of them and sent them to Brian a long long time ago, probably in 1999.


3. The first release to modify the exe in any way (even simple hex editing)

Chris Chokan's Chokage, 27 August 1998 - doesn't everybody know this? Those other ones mentioned were made in Chokage's wake, with help from Chris. The mod Spear of Bullshit was also hex-edited, supposedly in 1994, but not publicly/widely available until 9 March 2005 when I "discovered" it and reported it to Brian.


4. The first mod to truly use the actual source code to make changes

Schabbs' Resurrection by Nate Smith, 8 April 1999.


7. The first SDL mods to really show what SDL can be capable of

Project:X by Richter Belmont and Mac Mendoza, 19 December 2009


8. The most overall advanced mod/conversion to date

Orb of Dilaaria by Adam Biser, 11 June 2006


9. First time resources from the Lost Episodes were put to good use

The shareware mod Lost Episodes by Colonel Bill, 1 January 1998. This is where the Spear of Destiny Mission Packs got their Lost Episodes name, btw. The exact release date is unknown, since Colonel Bill edits the timestamp on his files and posts them on his website without a date attributed to them.

Andy

Andy wrote:The first one I have in my colllection is named NEWWMAP and is dated 17 May 1992

Wow! 12 days after its initial release? A for effort - as far as I know, doesn't it just consist of E1L1 with various textures moved around, extra objects/guards added, things like that?

Andy wrote:Chris Chokan's Chokage, 27 August 1998 - doesn't everybody know this? Those other ones mentioned were made in Chokage's wake, with help from Chris. The mod Spear of Bullshit was also hex-edited, supposedly in 1994, but not publicly/widely available until 9 March 2005 when I "discovered" it and reported it to Brian.

I'd no idea Spear of Bullshit had its origins in 1994 (supposedly). Wow!

Andy wrote:The most overall advanced mod/conversion to date

Orb of Dilaaria by Adam Biser, 11 June 2006

I thought Eisenfaust Origins (seemingly) beats Orb out of the water by miles, but I haven't played much of the original Orb, but it depends how you compare things. For 2006 Orb was surely out of this world. But do we say "now" or "good for its time" when judging?

Andy wrote:9. First time resources from the Lost Episodes were put to good use

The shareware mod Lost Episodes by Colonel Bill, 1 January 1998. This is where the Spear of Destiny Mission Packs got their Lost Episodes name, btw. The exact release date is unknown, since Colonel Bill edits the timestamp on his files and posts them on his website without a date attributed to them.

I agree - Colonel Bill's sets were always good. Hallowein is another one.

Thomas wrote:Wow! 12 days after its initial release? A for effort - as far as I know, doesn't it just consist of E1L1 with various textures moved around, extra objects/guards added, things like that?

These were mostly just variations on the original maps. IIRC, the first one just had more enemies (and more Hans Grosses), but the second one was more adventurous.

Thomas wrote:I thought Eisenfaust Origins (seemingly) beats Orb out of the water by miles, but I haven't played much of the original Orb, but it depends how you compare things. For 2006 Orb was surely out of this world. But do we say "now" or "good for its time" when judging?

You might be right there. I was not as "shocked" by Eisenfaust Origins since I did quite a bit of coding (or "re-coding") and massive playtesting of that one. So my perspective may be off in this case.

Re Andy:

About your answer to 3, I definitely have heard of Chokage. Actually I reference it on my answer to 4 and elude that it might be an answer to 3. That is some intense hex editing, but after ATAW69 nothing from Chris can really surprise me that much!

About 4, yeah I tend to forget about Nate, most of his work was subpar and some was even removed but it still counts.

7 I thought I might have been air heading Proj X here, it is a bit hard for me not to when shortly thereafter there was something of so much higher quality, but just like 4 it counts regardless.

8 I doubt the most advanced mod to date (and I mean as of now, not for its time) is DOS. Plus I'm pretty sure there's other stuff besides Eisenfaust - Totenkopf SDL for instance.

9 If these weren't releases until 1998 how were they already called Lost Episodes in 1994?

Make no mistake: Orb of Dilaaria, even if only in DOS, is still a very advanced mod.

WolfForever wrote:9 If these weren't releases until 1998 how were they already called Lost Episodes in 1994?

The 1994 release was called the Spear of Destiny Mission Packs; no one called them Lost Episodes until Colonel Bill's shareware set in 1998. Check out this DHW thread started by Brother Tank: http://diehardwolfers.areyep.com/viewtopic.php?t=2161 There's a link to the DHW Bunker article in there too.

ronwolf1705 wrote:Make no mistake: Orb of Dilaaria, even if only in DOS, is still a very advanced mod.

My sentiments exactly!

I wasn't questioning that Orb is VERY advanced. Especially for 2006, no less! I'd venture to say it's just as advanced as EoD if not more (in fact I'd argue almost certainly more). As of its time, I don't know if it or Trench Warfare was the most advanced (well known) mod to that date. I do know however that TW also went beyond EoD is some ways.

Still, since there is a point that covers "first mod to use very highly advanced coding" (number 6), this means number 8 is from a current day standpoint with no "for its time" consideration.

Re number 9 (note that a lot of the rest of this post has a fair bit of somewhat random commentary/speculation), I never knew these weren't called the Lost Episodes until Colonel's set! In theory I'm wondering if that name was eventually deemed appropriate because they are so poor that it would be plausible to say they are games someone started to work on, lost somehow, then decided to just shove out the door when said someone found them laying around. Or maybe lost simply because they are like a "lost opportunity" to extend the Wolfenstein series (where lost opportunity is the same as missed opportunity, since "The Missed Episodes" is not a very appealing name at all).

When Thomas said (and he has said, though not in this thread) that The Lost Episodes are so bad he doesn't even feel he can make something worthwhile using them as a base, that's a pretty bold statement, if you ask me. Just commenting.

I'd say just kill the Lost Episodes and pretend these mission packs were SR and EoD instead. That's the stuff professional mission packs are supposed to be made of! I even remember them once talking about making yet another sequel, SoD 4: Return to Destiny if I recall correctly. Too bad that talk has since vanished.