Richard "Levelord" Gray, the prolific level designer known for Duke Nukem 3D and Blood, died Monday at 68. Apogee Entertainment shared the news on social media, and former colleague Joe Siegler said Gray had dealt with cancer on and off for a while. Gray entered the industry relatively late, at 35, with 1994's GrayDoom, a four-map set for Doom that circulated widely on CompuServe.
That work led to contract work on Blood and then a role at 3D Realms, where Gray said he designed half the levels of Duke Nukem 3D. His later credits include SiN, Quake: The Offering, Half-Life: Opposing Force, and Counter-Strike: Condition Zero. He described the level designer's main job as bringing the player "into" the level before worrying about action or fun.
After Ritual Entertainment was acquired by MumboJumbo, Gray pivoted to casual games such as Luxor, a move he said was enjoyable because making games is making games. Tributes from Scott Miller, Cliff Bleszinski, John Romero, and Frederik Schreiber emphasized his talent, kindness, and the "sense of place" his levels created. The single source presents no conflicting accounts.