Editing Rise of the Triad (section)

==Release==
===Game releases===
As with most Apogee games, the game was distributed as [[shareware]], with the first episode released for free. The shareware episode, which contains ten original levels, is titled ''Rise of the Triad: The HUNT Begins''. This version has some limitations, including the ability to play only as Taradino Cassatt, and the availability of only four of the multiplayer modes. A "Deluxe Edition" of the shareware version, marketed in retail by LaserSoft, contains three extra levels, and three extra multiplayer levels that are not available on any other version.<ref>{{cite web |last=Greentree |first=Derek |title=Rise of the Triad Official FAQ Version 3.00 |website=3DRealms.com |date=1995 |url=http://legacy.3drealms.com/faq/rottfaq30.txt |access-date=2021-09-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110122431/http://legacy.3drealms.com/faq/rottfaq30.txt |archive-date=2014-11-10}}</ref>

There are several versions of the full or paid game, which includes three new episodes. The floppy disk and CD versions both contain 32 game levels for the three new episodes, with the CD version containing more multiplayer levels. The Site License version contains several multiplayer levels, and allows the game to be played in multiplayer mode in up to 11 different computers in a single network, without each requiring a different copy of the game.

In 2009, ''Rise of the Triad'' was released on [[GOG.com]] through [[DOSBox]], making it compatible with [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Linux]], and [[macOS]].<ref>{{cite web |title=New release: Rise of the Triad: Dark War |url=https://www.gog.com/news/new_release_rise_of_the_triad_dark_war |website=[[GOG.com]] |publisher=[[CD Projekt]] |access-date=January 27, 2019 |date=March 3, 2009}}</ref>

===Expansion packs===
On July 25, 1995, Apogee released a ''Reject Level Pack'' as freeware online. This pack is a collection of multiplayer maps deemed unsuitable for the original release. Some of these were serious attempts at levels (one even attempted to recreate a popular deathmatch level ((1-5) from ''Doom''), and some were not (like one played inside the popular character [[Commander Keen in Goodbye, Galaxy|Dopefish]]). The final level of the pack causes the game to crash intentionally.

An official retail add-on level pack was released by Apogee for ''ROTT'' entitled ''Extreme Rise of the Triad'', also in 1995. The add-on was produced by two key members from the original team, Tom Hall and Joe Siegler. Generally the maps produced in this add-on are considerably harder than the original game's maps due to tricks that Hall and Siegler had learned in the editor since the release of the original. It also includes some user made level editors, a random level generator from Apogee, maps, and sound files. The levels were released as [[freeware]] on September 1, 2000. The remaining materials on the ''Extreme ROTT'' CD were released as freeware online as part of a "ROTT Goodies Pack" on February 15, 2005.

There are a few other level packs released from Apogee, including ''Lasersoft Deluxe Shareware Maps''. They are identical to the released shareware packs, except that they include six exclusive levels. After Lasersoft went out of business, Apogee released these levels in October 1999.

Another is a level called "Wolf3D", which was done by Siegler as an exercise to see if he could replicate the level geography from ''Wolfenstein 3D'' in ''Rise of the Triad'', as ''Rise of the Triad'' uses the same basic game engine. The level copies the complete level geography from Episode 1 Level 1 of ''Wolfenstein 3D''. Some of the adjoining levels were added, but not completely.

The final release from Hall and Siegler was the "Ohio RTC" pack. This is a four level multiplayer pack which was designed for a group in Ohio that was holding a game tournament called 'BloodFest 96'. After the tournament was over, the pack was released online for everyone.

The final level to be released by anyone from the original team was one level done by Siegler called "You & Spray" (Spray was an internal nickname given to the NME boss character by the developers). This was done by Siegler as a gag in 1998, mostly as a personal exercise to see if he could remember how to still use the level editor. After mentioning its existence online, Siegler was cajoled into releasing it in November 2000. It was posted for download at the ''Rise of the Triad'' page on the Apogee website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://legacy.3drealms.com/rott/ |title=3D Realms Site: Rise of the Triad |work=Legacy.3drealms.com |access-date=16 January 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205082911/http://legacy.3drealms.com/rott/ |archive-date=5 December 2014 }}</ref>

===Source code===
The [[source code]] to ''Rise of the Triad'' was released under the [[GNU General Public License|GNU GPL-2.0-or-later]] on 20 December 2002. Fans of the game ported it to [[AmigaOS]], [[Linux]], [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], [[Dreamcast]], [[PlayStation Portable]], [[Nintendo DS]] (homebrew) and 32-bit versions of [[Microsoft Windows]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://icculus.org/rott/ |title=Rise of the Triad ... for linux |work=Slide to Play |access-date=December 22, 2002 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030207112458/http://www.icculus.org/rott/ |archive-date=February 7, 2003 }}</ref> This has led to the game being included in the [[Fedora Linux|Fedora]] software repository, which downloads the free [[source port]] engine used as well as a free installer which downloads the shareware version's data.

=== Remaster ===
On September 6, 2020, during 3D Realms' "Realms Deep 2020" livestream, the game was shown running on [[Nintendo Switch]] and confirmed for modern platforms ([[Microsoft Windows]], [[Nintendo Switch]], [[PlayStation 4]], and [[Xbox One]]) for a 2021 release.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rise of the Triad Remastered Reveal |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPFS99n4X2I |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/QPFS99n4X2I |archive-date=2021-12-11 |access-date=6 September 2020 |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Prescott|first=Shaun|date=2020-09-07|title=Classic '90s FPS Rise of the Triad is getting a remaster next year|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/classic-90s-fps-rise-of-the-triad-is-getting-a-remaster-next-year/|access-date=2020-09-07|magazine=PC Gamer|language=en-US}}</ref> At Realms Deep 2022, this was re-announced as ''Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition'', developed by [[Nightdive Studios]] and co-published by [[Apogee Entertainment]] and [[New Blood Interactive]]. It will be released on the aforementioned platforms, as well as [[PlayStation 5]] and [[Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X/S]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/rise-of-the-triad/ludicrous-edition |title=Rise of the Triad returns, thanks to a boomer shooter super group |first=Ian |last=Boudreau |date=September 16, 2022 |website=[[PCGamesN]] |access-date=September 16, 2022}}</ref> A demo was released on June 19, 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/video-games/3758452/rise-of-the-triad-ludicrous-edition-receiving-demo-during-steam-next-fest-in-june/|title='Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition' Receiving Demo During Steam Next Fest in June|last=Wilson|first=Mike|website=[[Bloody Disgusting]]|date=April 16, 2023|access-date=August 24, 2023}}</ref> It was released on July 31, 2023 (September 29, 2023 for consoles), coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the [[Rise of the Triad (2013 video game)|2013 remake]]. It features the option to toggle between the OPL and MIDI versions of the original soundtrack and the 2013 remake's soundtrack by [[Andrew Hulshult]].