Difference between revisions of "Frans P. de Vries (Xymph)"

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'''Frans P. de Vries''' is a webmaster, programmer, and system administrator who was an early anchor of the [[Doom]] community from its inception in 1993 up to 1997.
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'''Frans P. de Vries''' (alias '''Xymph''') is a webmaster, programmer, and system administrator who was an early anchor of the [[Doom]] community from its inception in 1993 up to 1999. In 2016 he returned as a [[Doom Wiki]] contributor.
  
 
== Community activities ==
 
== Community activities ==
Frans was a founder and maintainer of the {{wp|Usenet}} {{c|rec.games.computer.doom}} hierarchy of news groups. Aside from other basic administrative duties, he authored the [http://www.gamers.org/pub/archives/doom/periodic/RGCD_FAQ RGCD FAQ] and [http://www.gamers.org/pub/archives/doom/periodic/Other3D Other 3D Games FAQ] spelling out policies and conventions governing the groups' usage.
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Frans was the lead support person in the [[Usenet groups|Usenet]] {{c|rec.games.computer.doom}} hierarchy of newsgroups and a member of the [[RGCD Support Team]]. Aside from answering individual user queries and some administrative duties, he authored the [http://www.gamers.org/pub/archives/doom/periodic/RGCD_FAQ RGCD FAQ] and [http://www.gamers.org/pub/archives/doom/periodic/Other3D Other 3D Games FAQ] to provide answers to commonly asked questions and pointers to further information about Doom-engine and other games.
  
Frans was the primary maintainer of the [[idgames archive]] from 1995 to 1997, and was occasional backup to [[Ty Halderman]] during the latter's periods as maintainer. On the side, he also administrated the non-Doom related {{c|/idgames2}} (for [[Quake]]) and {{c|/unreal}} archives.
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Frans acted as primary maintainer of the [[idgames archive]] from December 1995 to February 1997, and was occasional backup to [[Ty Halderman]] during the latter's period as maintainer. On the side, he also administrated the non-Doom related {{c|/idgames2}} (for [[Quake]]) and {{c|/unreal}} archives, and still handles system administration for {{c|idgames}}, the [[gamers.org]] server, and all its other gaming archives.
  
He was a major contributor to [[Hank Leukart]]'s [[Doom FAQ]].
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He was a major contributor to [[Hank Leukart]]'s [[Official Doom FAQ]], including its large ASCII logo.
  
 
Frans was instrumental in obtaining permission for release of the [[alpha]] and beta versions of Doom to the idgames archive, where he appears as their uploader.
 
Frans was instrumental in obtaining permission for release of the [[alpha]] and beta versions of Doom to the idgames archive, where he appears as their uploader.
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On Doom Wiki, besides manual contributions, Frans programmed a fair [[User:XymphBot|number of bot scripts]] to automatically add and update pages for map series, check and improve consistency of existing map page content, upload map view images, find external links, and perform miscellaneous tasks.
  
 
== Utilities ==
 
== Utilities ==
Frans is the author of the following editing utilities:
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Frans is the author of the following editing and source code utilities:
* DooM PostScript Maps Utility (DMPSMU) - Allows creation of a PostScript file containing the map of a Doom level.
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* [[DMMPST|DooM MaP StaTistics]] (DMMPST) - Generates statistics (map data, things, appearances) of Doom, Heretic, Hexen and Strife levels, including tables directly suitable for use in [[Doom Wiki]] pages.
* DooM TeXtures LiSter (DMTXLS) - Generates cross-reference lists of used textures in [[Doom engine]] games.
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* {{ig|file=utils/exe_edit/dminfo20|title=DooM INFO.c processors}} (DMINFO) - Four utilities (DMINFO, HTINFO, HXINFO and SFINFO) compiled against [[Doom source code files|INFO.c]] to directly extract information from the mobjinfo, state, sprite and sound tables, suitable for filling thing Data tables on Doom Wiki. Also: generate various one-off tables, most notably [[Pain state#List of monsters sorted by pain chance|pain chances]] and [[thing types]].
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* {{ig|file=utils/misc/dmpsmu32|title=DooM PostScript Maps Utility}} (DMPSMU) - Allows creation of PostScript files containing the maps of Doom and Heretic levels.
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* {{ig|file=utils/graphics_edit/dmtxls22|title=DooM TeXtures LiSter}} (DMTXLS) - Generates cross-reference lists of [[texture]]s and [[flat]]s used in Doom and Heretic levels.
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He also created a {{ig|file=docs/misc/doomfont.zip|title=Doom-like font}} for the {{wp|Figlet}} utility, and improved the [[Omgifol#Drawing maps|Omgifol drawmaps.py]] script.
  
 
== Other notable activities ==
 
== Other notable activities ==
Frans was a co-founder of the now defunct 3dgamers.com site, which amongst other games, had significant Doom coverage. He is also a programmer, system administrator, and former editor for [http://www.bluesnews.com/ Blue's News].
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Frans was a co-founder and the editor-in-chief of the now defunct 3dgamers.com site which, amongst other titles, had significant coverage of Doom- and Quake-engine games. He was a major contributor to the [[Wolfenstein 3D|Wolfenstein 3D & Spear of Destiny]] FAQ. He is also a programmer, system administrator and former editor for [https://www.bluesnews.com/ Blue's News], and a dormant member of the {{wp|TrackMania}} community.
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 
* [http://www.gamers.org/~fpv/ Frans' Homepage] on gamers.org
 
* [http://www.gamers.org/~fpv/ Frans' Homepage] on gamers.org
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* [http://www.gamers.org/pub/archives/doom/periodic/historic/ Archive of historic RGCD FAQ editions]
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* [http://www.gamers.org/~fpv/doomlogo.html History of the DOOM ASCII logo]
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{{s-start}}
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{{s-archive}}
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{{s-cond-gen}}
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{{s-bef-cond|rows=2|before=Barry Bloom}}
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{{s-ttl|title=Frans P. de Vries}}
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{{s-aft-cond|rows=3|after=[[Ty Halderman]]}}
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Joost Schuur]]}}
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{{s-bef-cond|before=Jim Pitts}}
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{{s-ttl|title=Jeff Makaiwi}}
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{{s-end}}
  
{{DEFAULTSORT:de Vries, Frans P}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vries, Frans P de}}
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[[Category:Programmers]]
 
[[Category:Community stewards]]
 
[[Category:Community stewards]]
 
[[Category:Usenet]]
 
[[Category:Usenet]]

Revision as of 03:11, 18 August 2018

Frans P. de Vries (alias Xymph) is a webmaster, programmer, and system administrator who was an early anchor of the Doom community from its inception in 1993 up to 1999. In 2016 he returned as a Doom Wiki contributor.

Community activities

Frans was the lead support person in the Usenet rec.games.computer.doom hierarchy of newsgroups and a member of the RGCD Support Team. Aside from answering individual user queries and some administrative duties, he authored the RGCD FAQ and Other 3D Games FAQ to provide answers to commonly asked questions and pointers to further information about Doom-engine and other games.

Frans acted as primary maintainer of the idgames archive from December 1995 to February 1997, and was occasional backup to Ty Halderman during the latter's period as maintainer. On the side, he also administrated the non-Doom related /idgames2 (for Quake) and /unreal archives, and still handles system administration for idgames, the gamers.org server, and all its other gaming archives.

He was a major contributor to Hank Leukart's Official Doom FAQ, including its large ASCII logo.

Frans was instrumental in obtaining permission for release of the alpha and beta versions of Doom to the idgames archive, where he appears as their uploader.

On Doom Wiki, besides manual contributions, Frans programmed a fair number of bot scripts to automatically add and update pages for map series, check and improve consistency of existing map page content, upload map view images, find external links, and perform miscellaneous tasks.

Utilities

Frans is the author of the following editing and source code utilities:

  • DooM MaP StaTistics (DMMPST) - Generates statistics (map data, things, appearances) of Doom, Heretic, Hexen and Strife levels, including tables directly suitable for use in Doom Wiki pages.
  • DooM INFO.c processors (DMINFO) - Four utilities (DMINFO, HTINFO, HXINFO and SFINFO) compiled against INFO.c to directly extract information from the mobjinfo, state, sprite and sound tables, suitable for filling thing Data tables on Doom Wiki. Also: generate various one-off tables, most notably pain chances and thing types.
  • DooM PostScript Maps Utility (DMPSMU) - Allows creation of PostScript files containing the maps of Doom and Heretic levels.
  • DooM TeXtures LiSter (DMTXLS) - Generates cross-reference lists of textures and flats used in Doom and Heretic levels.

He also created a Doom-like font for the Figlet utility, and improved the Omgifol drawmaps.py script.

Other notable activities

Frans was a co-founder and the editor-in-chief of the now defunct 3dgamers.com site which, amongst other titles, had significant coverage of Doom- and Quake-engine games. He was a major contributor to the Wolfenstein 3D & Spear of Destiny FAQ. He is also a programmer, system administrator and former editor for Blue's News, and a dormant member of the TrackMania community.

External links

Maintainer of the idgames archive
Preceded by Name Succeeded by
Barry Bloom Frans P. de Vries Ty Halderman
Joost Schuur
Jim Pitts Jeff Makaiwi