What IS the deal with Duke Nukem Forever?

[Dafones]

Seriously. What's going on with that game? What could be holding things up? They're using a game engine from another dev house - what is the engine at this point, anyway? - so other than tweaking it, they have to, what, make some levels, a few weapons and baddie models, and a silly story? And I don't mean to bring this up as another DNTF joke - I'm actually curious to know what could be holding the game up. How could it be vaporware? What are they doing over at 3D Realms?

[corruptrelic]

I've given up on Duke Nukem Forever. There's just nothing there that really hasn't been done before and all the years of delaying and keeping their fans in the dark hasn't helped them out at all.
My guess is it's probably going to end up another Dakatina (sp?) - delays, delays, and some more delays before they finally released to an unwelcoming fan base.

[CeeKay]

Never heard of it.

[CrayolaSmoker]

Performance anxiety.

[Greggy_D]

Beyond ridiculous.  It's been worked on since what? 96 or 97?  The final product will never come close to the hype of a game "ten years in development".

[Sarkus]

Seriously. What's going on with that game? What could be holding things up? They're using a game engine from another dev house - what is the engine at this point, anyway? - so other than tweaking it, they have to, what, make some levels, a few weapons and baddie models, and a silly story? And I don't mean to bring this up as another DNTF joke - I'm actually curious to know what could be holding the game up. How could it be vaporware? What are they doing over at 3D Realms?

My guess is that it is an extreme example of what might be called the "Valve" effect.  DNF's developer is independently funded, meaning they are not beholden to their publisher to meet any deadlines.  They can do whatever they want.  Valve is in the same boat.  However, while Valve is just really slow as a result, DNF's dev is apparently completely lost.  More than likely they've scrapped a few versions, re-written the story a bunch of times, changed their minds on tech, etc.  

Without any kind of gun to their head, most developers would probably act the same way.  In that case it's really a question of whether the management can lock a product in and get it through the dull, boring parts of making a game to where an actual finished game comes out.  Apparently they don't have that management associated with DNF at this time.

[Old Negus]

I just hope they've kept the gravity boots in the game. I read many years ago that they were going to include them in Forever, a throwback to the 2D days. Got me excited. Excitement wore off. But it'd still be cool.

[Jumangi]

They got a a huge break when Take-Two way overpaid for the rights to Max Payne. I do find it funny that Prey will probably make it out before DNF does(if it ever comes out), and that game was dead for years.

[Doopri]

why dont you guys just admit it, 3drealms isnt a softaware development house, its obviously a cover for cia money laundering or some sort of extreme "political action commitee"

possibly a slush fund of the illuminati

[farley2k]

Seriously. What's going on with that game? What could be holding things up? They're using a game engine from another dev house - what is the engine at this point, anyway? - so other than tweaking it, they have to, what, make some levels, a few weapons and baddie models, and a silly story? And I don't mean to bring this up as another DNTF joke - I'm actually curious to know what could be holding the game up. How could it be vaporware? What are they doing over at 3D Realms?

I would guess there are two options.

1. they are not really working on it.  Or if they are it is 15 minutes of work and 7+ hours of playing other games.  

2. serious infighting.  Perhaps they all simply hate each other so whatever one creates the others simply work to tear down.  No agreement on story, level design, etc.  Just constant bickering with each person doing what they want and ignoring the whole.

[PhreezePeach]

The Question: .. What IS the deal with Duke Nukem Forever?

The Answer: .. Buy two pre-orders and get the third free .. but you have to take delivery of the game before Jan. 1, 2006 .. or you forfeit your cash

All in all a good deal since you'd be supporting the dev's and funding the development of a AAA title

 :lol:

[deadzone]

Easy - It's the longest running joke on the net.

[Baron Of Hell]

Its finish and ready to ship. However, the game is so  powerful that terrorist might want to get it so the government told them to hold off until the war on terror is over. I know it sucks but the terrorist will win if duke nukem ever falls in their hands.

[corruptrelic]

The name of the game certainly sounds appropriate.

[Papageno]

why dont you guys just admit it, 3drealms isnt a softaware development house, its obviously a cover for cia money laundering or some sort of extreme "political action commitee"

possibly a slush fund of the illuminati

Heh, and they're gonna kill  the VP's brother and frame an innocent man for the crime, and have him sentenced to death, and the innocent man's brother is purposefully going to land himself in the same prison to break his brother out just before the execution!

[PaulBot]

So I heard from a VERY RELIABLE source that DNF is due out on {censored due to NDA}!!! Is that cool, or what??!!!

[Big Jake]

My take still hasn't changed:  calculate ten years of an entire team working on a product with only one or two revenue streams.  People always say "Max Payne" as an explanation for where 3DR is getting money.  (If someone could tall me the exact amount they paid, I would apprecaite it)  I don't believe that Take 2 paid "Infinity Million Dollars" for Max Payne - even if they paid $10 million, that's not enough to support a game company for a full decade.

So, for years they have gotten free press for a product they aren't spending any money or time on.  Eventually, they will publish something and slap the name DNF on it.  Most likely whatever gets released will be a product that had 18-24 months of development, (basing that on an old comment by John Carmack that a new rendering engine can be turned around in roughly eighteen months).

[whiteboyskim]

DNF: The joke that keeps on giving.

[Dafones]

I'm starting to get the feeling that 3D Realms must be a front for drug smugglers, mail order brides, or bootlegged Louis Vuton purses.

[Slipblade]

DNF: The joke that keeps on giving.

or...


DNF : Do Not Forget

[unbreakable]

I don't see how an actual finished product could ever surpass the greatness of video gaming's biggest (and longest) running joke.

[stiffler]

Well, the ARE finally getting around to releasing Prey.  That was started way back in 1997.  But maybe that doesn't count since they had to farm it out to Human Head to finish it...

[Purge]

From their hiring page:

Apogee and 3D Realms are die hard game players who make games without marketing pressure, corporate management, or arbitrary release dates. We make games we want to play, and we work on them until they are perfected and done. We are hard working, hard playing, highly motivated developers with a mission to succeed at all costs. We hire only the industry's cream-of-the-crop talent--and if you've got the talent, you can join us.

If you visit other game companies' web sites looking for a job you'll notice a lot of talk about what *they* need and not much about what they will give you. At Apogee and 3D Realms we operate under a different approach: We do everything possible to make each developer a key partner in the company and a critical team member who has true creative control over the project's outcome. The TEAM approach is in real practice here--it's not just a buzzword.

DNF is still listed as being in progress.

[unbreakable]

I believe (but could be wrong) that Prey had been completely cancelled, and the current iteration was a totally new game based upon that original concept.

[stiffler]

I believe (but could be wrong) that Prey had been completely cancelled, and the current iteration was a totally new game based upon that original concept.

An interview I saw with one of the 3D Realms guys said it was started in 1997, worked on for 2 years, then shelved in 1999.  They started up again in 2001 and then hired Human Head Studios to work on it.

And here's the link and quote:

GameProducer.net: Prey production started at late 2001. When did 3D Realms started to work with Humanhead?

Scott Miller: Actually, Prey originally started within 3D Realms’ studio back in 1997, under the direction of Tom Hall, who soon left to help form Ion Storm, and then we brought in Paul Schuytema to replace him. We ceased worked on the project in 1999. We gave new life to the game in 2001 after buying back the publishing rights to Prey from Infogrames, and that’s when we decided to work with Human Head to bring the project to completion.

[Dafones]

Yeah, but the original Prey was basically just a single player death match game with tough bots that kinda used the portal technology. The Prey that we have coming seems like a completely new story driven game using the original alien/portal concept. Plus Tommy Hawk.

[unbreakable]

3drealms' "recipe for success" seems to be switching game engines at least once.

Anyway, I'm actually looking forward to Prey, it looks good, but it's probably missing the one feature I found most interesting: "throttling" weapons.  The original game was supposed to have adjustable settings on each weapon, so for example you could choke a shotgun to have a lower spread, greater range, and better impact against one target, or you could widen the spread to have a lower range but hit more targets (or just make them easier to hit).

The 'portals' in Prey look really good, where you can fire into them, and also have a door drop you into a completely different spacial orientation.  I also like how you don't have to reload when you die, and it places you into a 'spirit world' where you can still fight.