Editing 3D Realms (section)

==== The Apogee Model (1987–1996) ====
[[File:Apogee Software.png|thumb|left|250px|The Apogee Software logo]]
Most games developed by Miller at the time used [[extended ASCII]] characters as graphics.<ref name="Polygon" /><ref name="Gamasutra, Page 2">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132501/20_years_of_evolution_scott_.php?page=2 |title=20 Years Of Evolution: Scott Miller And 3D Realms, Page 2 of 10 |first=Benj |last=Edwards |date=August 21, 2009 |website=[[Gamasutra]] |access-date=March 5, 2018 |archive-date=May 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509223927/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132501/20_years_of_evolution_scott_.php?page=2 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The format appeared popular to him but ultimately proved unsuccessful when pitching them to publishers, adding to him not having a college degree or any professional experience in game development.<ref name="Polygon" /> As such, he considered self-printing copies of his games, or distributing them freely through [[bulletin board system]]s (BBS), where the boards' users make voluntary donations, a model known as [[shareware]] distribution.<ref name="Polygon" /> As the prior option seemed too expensive to Miller, he had to choose the latter, despite being urged not to by friends and colleagues.<ref name="Polygon" /> Miller released ''[[List of minor Apogee Software video games|Beyond the Titanic]]'' and ''[[Supernova (video game)|Supernova]]'' as shareware games in 1986 and 1987, respectively, but income was low, at roughly {{US$|10,000|link=yes}} donated in a year for both games combined.<ref name="Polygon" /> Miller's next game, ''[[Kroz|Kingdom of Kroz]]'', was developed to include 60 levels, more than what he wanted to release to the public for no cost.<ref name="Polygon" /> As such, he developed a new distribution model, dubbed the "Apogee model", in which only a fraction of the game would be made available to play for free on BBS, which, upon completion, would display Miller's mailing address to the player and ask them to contact him to buy the rest of the game.<ref name="Polygon" /> He applied this model to ''Kingdom of Kroz'' by breaking it up into three parts, named episodes, and sharing the first one over BBS while retaining the other two for sale.<ref name="Polygon" /><ref name="Gamasutra, Page 4" /> Released on November 26, 1987, ''Kingdom of Kroz'' was the first game to bear the name of Miller's one-man company, Apogee Software Productions.<ref name="Gamasutra, Page 4" /> The game proved successful, with checks sent to Miller amounting to roughly {{US$|80,000}}–{{US$|100,000}} and him receiving between {{US$|100}} and {{US$|500}} every single day.<ref name="Gamasutra, Page 4" /> Broussard later joined Apogee, merging his own, lesser-known game company Micro-FX into it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p10.html |title=GameSpy Retro: Developer Origins, Page 10 of 19 |first=John |last=Keefer |date=March 31, 2006 |website=[[GameSpy]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609133224/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/697/697083p10.html |archive-date=June 9, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>