Drake O'Brien passed away.

[OceanMadman]

Lately, TNT: Evilution has been on my mind a lot. There's something about its atmosphere, its music, its levels, and everything about it that really grabs my attention. This in large part, thanks to the creations of Drake O'Brien, who made maps 20, 21, and 27.

 

His contributions consist of huge, atmospheric maps that manage to be totally unique, memorable, and contribute to making TNT as special as it is to me and to more people. Map 20, Central Processing, will always be one of my favorite maps of all time thanks to its beautiful music, the variety of sections and themes it explores and that feeling of constant loneliness it causes, so rare to find in Doom.

 

Searching for his name on the internet, trying to find more information about the mysterious mapper, I found this website.

 

https://www.drake-obrien-glassworks.com/

 

As the name of the website says, it is filled of works of art made with glass. I talked about the subject with @Hunted11, and we both came to the conclusion that it was quite likely that this was the same person who made those maps and not just someone sharing the same name, as his maps sometimes also have textures that are windows like the ones on that page, and it would make sense that someone who made such artistic levels would also have created those beautiful glassworks.

 

I decided to try sending an email to the address on the website, saying how much I admired Drake's work on the wad, and asking if it was really the same person, as I would have loved to have been able to have had a conversation with him. This is the response I received, which I show here with the person's permission.

 

 

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Very few mappers have influenced me as much as Drake O'Brien did with just 3 maps. Drake's work will forever remain in the memories of all of us who had the opportunity to try it.

 

Thank you for your contributions to the community, Drake.

[esselfortium]

Thanks for letting us know about this. Rest in peace to one of the originators of the adventure map.

[Devalaous]

Sad news. Drake's maps were the pinnacle of TNT for me, back when I still thought id Software had made Final Doom due to Evilution and Plutonia not having CREDIT lumps and me having Doom95 (One day we need to make CREDIT lumps for these IWADs) I always loved Map 20, 21 and 27 the most, was not surprised to later learn they were all made by the same person. WAS surprised to find out they were the most divisive in the set.

 

A lot of early Devilution/Revilution was inspired by his maps, and I always wondered what happened to him more than any other Team TNT member.

[Adamantium]

21 Was my favorite TNT map, this is really sad to see man, rest in peace Drake.

[HiMyNameIsChair]

Absolutely gutted...

 

I'm ultimately an Adventure mapper at heart. I feel a kinship with mappers who draw their maps with a sense of scale and grandeur, that pull you in with a promise of adventure, and fulfilling an unquenchable wanderlust... letting you into their world ... Drake O'Brien was no exception.

 

Every adventure mapper owes... everything to Team TNT. Without them, there is no Grove. no Lost Civilization. No Epic 1 & 2, no Hell Ground, A.L.T  or Sacrament. to lose someone who helped build the foundation an entire mapping philosophy is built on, hits way,.. way too close to home.

 

rest in peace O'Brien... thank you for inspiring us with your work.  

[LadyMistDragon]

That is really sad. He doesn't exactly look too young in that picture and something tells me he was comparable in age to Rand Phares. (actually, he seems to have been older!) It would be nice to know why he drifted out of the general gaming community. Either way, he'll be remembered forever in our (TNT-admiring, trololol) hearts,

[CapersOnSalad]

I remember being frustrated with my time on Map 21, but ultimately impressed by the scale. It taught me that even levels that I may not find so fun can still have artistic merit. The fact that O'Brien was able to create maps with such scale and detail back in 1995 is a testament to his skill. It doesn't surprise me one bit that he was an artist by trade. RIP

[Beed28]

Oh geez...

 

TNT Evilution was probably the first time I've ever seen Doom (having previously played around with Duke 3D, and possibly with that Doom95 port that I somehow remember), and I definitely have some fond memories of his maps more than most others, especially MAP20's huge spiraling outdoor cliffs and MAP27's titular mountain and "Disaster Area". Rest in peace, Drake.

[bejiitas_wrath]

I loved TNT MAP20. The computers area and the sewers, it is fun to play. You created such amazing huge maps with relatively primitive tools. You are amazing.

 

RIP Drake, you will be remembered.

 

BTW, what map is this? I can not place this. TNT third episode, but this is truly massive.

[Adamantium]

Just now, bejiitas_wrath said:

I loved TNT MAP20. The computers area and the sewers, it is fun to play. You created such amazing huge maps with relatively primitive tools. You are amazing.

 

RIP Drake, you will be remembered.

 

BTW, what map is this? I can not place this. TNT third episode, but this is truly massive.

Administration center/MAP21.

[Beed28]

Just now, bejiitas_wrath said:

BTW, what map is this? I can not place this. TNT third episode, but this is truly massive.

 

It's the final area of MAP21

[taufan99]

RIP Mr. O'Brien. Up until I read this, I felt like he was one of the more niche official(ish) mappers out there, with very little known about him.

[Ranger Qwerty]

Rest in Peace Mr. numena, thank you for blessing our community with your ambition, passion, and talent. I salute you and wish your loved ones well.

[Hunted11]

One good thing that we must always preserve is to know that an artist's projections never die. That way in which he looked at the world and appreciated the details was captured in his maps. Maps in which he was immortalized forever. He may not know how much his maps meant to many of us, but this post is a beautiful way to acknowledge it. RIP

[Yisue]

Rest in Peace Drake.
Your work will always be remembered by the many talented people you influenced.

 

[OceanMadman]

31 minutes ago, LadyMistDragon said:

He doesn't exactly look too young in that picture and something tells me he was comparable in age to Rand Phares.

He was 73.

[bejiitas_wrath]

This bit of architecture poking up looks like a part of MAP20 visible from MAP21. This is amazing attention to detail.

[Venezolano Hambreado]

Recently I replayed TNT Evilution, damn, the credible Drake's map design style was the thing that make me love of that iwad. Rest in peace, my friend

[Uni]

@OceanMadman I agree, MAP20 is a fantastic atmospheric level and it's one of the first things to come to my mind when I think about Evilution. 

 

Rest in Peace Drake, and thank you so much for being part of my childhood memories.

[Sunshy]

This is tragic information. It is pretty wonderful that he was able to channel his creativity and artistic abilities into DOOM. The scale and grandeur of his TNT maps was unrivaled back in the day. May he rest in peace.

[Godzialox666]

Being a mapper with so much desire to create something new, new atmospheres and create really memorable maps and experiences, I understand the pain of the loss of this very good mapper, but coming from you Oceanmadman, I know you and I know that your maps have such an incredible style and an originality influenced by BPRD and Drake O'Brien.

Honestly, I didn't pay much attention to their maps, not because they didn't catch my attention, but Central Processing, I played it on your recommendation and I loved it, but I didn't give much attention to TNT, which I will do soon.

Artist never dies, and how nice it is that with only 3 maps this mapper has transmitted so much...

rest in peace Drake O'Brian

[Dreemurr Deceevurr]

Rest in peace...

[Ranger Qwerty]

Rest in Peace Mr. numena, thank you for blessing our community with your ambition, passion and talent. I salute you and wish your family well.

[id/ea]

I haven't played TNT: Evilution yet, but damn that sucks to hear. Rest In Peace

[mattjoes]

RIP Drake O'Brien. Mount Pain is one of my favorite maps of TNT. Incredible atmosphere. 

[Gaia74]

Map 20 and 27 are both of the most representative maps of TNT, truly sucks to hear... Rest in Peace

[DJVCardMaster]

Mt Pain is Iconic...

... may he Rest in Peace.

[Endless]

My heart goes out. May he rest in peace. Every time an old veteran doomer inevitable passes away, it feels like losing a piece of our history, so it is important to remember their legacy.

[vanilla_d00m]

Rest in peace, glad to have finished TNT and Plutonia.

Edited September 6 by vanilla_d00m

[Wadmodder Shalton]

RIP Drake O'Brien 1950-2023🙏😭🙏

Dario Casali (@DCasali) likely also would miss you.

Edited September 6 by Wadmodder Shalton